Chapter 2 Birthday

Rebecca fell silent for a long while.

Then, she said in a relaxed tone, "Well, I escaped unharmed. I was even lucky enough to find you guys. No matter what, they brought me up. So, let's just leave it at that."

She let them off the hook. It was a repayment for their kindness in raising her all those years.

"Becca—" Sam seemed to have more to say. But there was a sudden knock on her door.

Rebecca ignored the person outside the door. "Sam, I know what you're going to say," she said. "But I don't want to create new problems now. I just want nothing to do with them in the future."

Ignoring the fact that she wasn't abducted, they could easily deny her proof even if she were to show any. Without solid evidence, it would do more harm than good if they turned on her instead.

Besides, if the Browns found out Rebecca's biological parents were the Johnsons, they might want benefits. They would keep using the fact that they had raised her for 20 years to ask for them. That was how the Browns were.

That was why all Rebecca wanted was to get divorced quickly and cut ties with the Browns. She didn't want to bring trouble to her brothers when the Browns found out about her identity.

The knocking on the door became even more urgent.

Rebecca had to cut the conversation short. "Alright, Sam. I have to take care of something. Let's talk again later."

She ended the call but didn't rush to open the door. Then, the knocking became more impatient. She fixed her messy bangs and took her time to get to the door.

When the door opened, Daniel's hand was still raised in midair. He clearly looked annoyed.

Rebecca looked up and said softly, "Is there anything else?"

It was only four words. But it wasn't hard to hear the faint aloofness in her tone.

Daniel frowned a little. He put his hand down and said indifferently, "It's Jessi's birthday tomorrow. So, the Browns are throwing a party. Make yourself available. I'll pick you up in the afternoon."

Rebecca blinked.

"Jessi?" she thought. "How affectionate."

She then smiled and said, "Alright. Anything else?"

Daniel could not read her emotions because her hair covered her beautiful face. But she seemed to accept the decision very calmly.

For some reason, it made him upset. He wanted to leave. "No. Good night."

"Hang on," Rebecca called out to him.

She went into the room and returned shortly. Then, she handed Daniel the divorce papers he had given her just a few minutes ago.

"I've signed the papers, so make time and get them processed. You can just mail me the divorce certificate. My address is on the last page."

Daniel wasn't even present when they got their marriage certificate. So, getting the divorce finalized should be easy for someone with his capabilities.

Daniel looked at the document, then at her face. She looked way too calm, showing no signs of hurt or sadness.

He swallowed.

"Didn't you say you need a few days to think about it?" he asked in a deep voice.

"Whether I think about it or not, the result will be the same, right?"

Rebecca's hand was sore from holding the document. So, she shoved it into Daniel's arms.

"Also, it's Jessica's birthday tomorrow," she said. "She will be very happy to hear this news."

Daniel was caught off guard. He accepted the document with a delayed response.

He looked down and asked, "What about you?"

"What?"

His voice was so soft that Rebecca could not hear him clearly.

"Nothing." He put the document away. Then, his gaze landed on Rebecca again. "Sleep tight."

Rebecca took a step back. "You too."

With that, she slammed the door on Daniel's face.

Daniel stared at the door that was tightly shut. And his expression became incredibly sullen.

He couldn't shake the image of Rebecca's faint smile in his mind. He glanced at the document in his hand as he looked down.

In the end, he left.

…

The next day, Rebecca received a call from the Browns.

Her adoptive mother, Karen Oberlin, kept beating around the bush. She tried to ask her about her marriage with Daniel without being direct.

Rebecca didn't hide anything from the Browns.

"Mrs. Brown, Dan served me divorce papers last night," she said honestly. "I've already signed them."

Not long after Jessica returned, Rebecca's adoptive parents had scolded her. They wanted her to call them Mr. and Mrs. Brown.

If she wasn't married to Daniel, and they didn't care about the Winstons' and the Browns' reputation, they might have already kicked Rebecca out of the family.

But even if she wasn't kicked out, she still suffered while living with them all those years.

As soon as Karen heard that Rebecca had signed the divorce papers, her tone changed. She went from being cautious and polite to arrogant and disdainful.

As if she was doing Rebecca a favor, Karen said, "It's Jessi's birthday today. Come over tonight and broaden your horizons."

Rebbeca looked down to hide the coldness in her eyes and said, "Alright."

Usually, Karen would hang up after giving her orders. However, she took a pause that day.

She added in a sarcastic and warning tone, "Mr. Winston Senior was confused and made the wrong match back then. But everything is back on track again now. Don't you think so?

"Becca, don't feel reluctant to accept this. You come from a humble background. So, you're not worthy to be married into the Winstons. Luckily, you were adopted by the Browns, or you probably won't even have the chance to be a part of a wealthy family. You might have even died on the streets.

"Besides, if it weren't for you, Jessi never would have been left wandering the streets for so many years. She even got sick. You have to be grateful. Jessi's condition is stable now, but she still can't be provoked. You owe a lot to Jessi. So, you should let her have her way as much as you can."

She reduced Rebecca to nothing with her words.

First, she humiliated Rebecca by bringing up her original background. Then, she used the fact that they had raised her as emotional blackmail against her.

But Rebecca was just a baby back then. She had been switched at birth by the nurse because of an earthquake. If that didn't happen, she would have been the precious daughter of the Johnsons, a highly influential family.

"I got it," Rebecca replied calmly while packing her luggage.

She didn't have anything else in the villa. She only brought one luggage when she came, so she could leave with just that.

Karen sneered before hanging up.

Suddenly, she heard a honk from outside the villa.

Daniel didn't get out of the car, but he called Rebecca.

"Come downstairs," he said indifferently.