Chapter 10 Samantha's True Face

In the living room, Vincent had just arrived home. Michael and Sylvia, who hadn’t seen their son in several years, were happily pulling him into conversation.

Right at that moment, Sam and his family arrived as well.

Despite the unpleasantness last time, they acted as if nothing had happened, coming to the door with fruit gift boxes and faces full of smiles.

But before they’d exchanged more than a few words, a piercing, heart-wrenching scream suddenly came from outside.

The next second, a soaking wet figure burst in, stumbling desperately forward.

"Mom—!"

Samantha was crying so hard she could barely catch her breath, throwing herself straight into Linda’s arms.

Linda was startled. "Samantha! What happened to you? Who did this to you?!"

Samantha was trembling all over, staring at the doorway in terror.

Everyone followed her gaze, only to see Olivia walking in slowly. Her clothes were neat and her expression was calm, forming a stark contrast to the utterly wretched Samantha.

Samantha suddenly looked like she’d seen a ghost, her voice sharp:

"It was her! It was Olivia who pushed me into the water! She even held me down and wouldn’t let me up! She wanted to drown me!"

Boom!

The living room exploded instantly. Sam slammed his chair as he stood up fiercely.

"Michael! Is this how your family educates your daughter? You must give us an explanation today!"

Michael frowned. Sylvia was also stunned. Only Vincent’s face was filled with utter disbelief.

His sister, whom he hadn’t seen in years, tried to kill someone? How was that possible?

He immediately looked at Olivia. "Liv, what really happened?"

Olivia looked at her brother after their long separation, her eyes warming slightly. Yet in the end, she merely nodded calmly.

"That’s right. I did push her."

The room fell dead silent. Linda instantly seized the opportunity.

"Did you hear that! She admitted it herself! She must apologize today! Last time she hit someone, this time she pushed someone into the water—what’s next, killing all of us?"

Sylvia hesitated to speak. Michael’s brow furrowed deeper. Vincent, however, fell silent. He didn’t believe his sister would harm someone without reason.

Yet, Olivia had just admitted it.

At this time, Samantha, her eyes rimmed with red, walked up to Vincent.

"Vincent… I know Olivia doesn’t like me. But I really didn’t do anything wrong… I’m not as rich as her, and I don’t have a family like hers, but that doesn’t mean I deserve to be bullied like this…"

As she spoke, Samantha’s tears began to fall.

Vincent sighed, unable to bear it after all. He pulled out his checkbook from his suit pocket, swiftly wrote down a number—two million—and handed it over.

"Samantha, go to the hospital for a check-up first. I will investigate this matter thoroughly."

Seeing that check, Samantha nearly failed to suppress the smirk at the corner of her mouth. Sure enough, Vincent was still the same Vincent; as long as she cried a little, this young master of the Shaw family would soften. Two million! Her dad couldn’t earn that much even if he worked hard for a year! And she had only shed a few tears. What did Olivia have to compete with her?

Thinking of this, she eagerly reached out her hand.

However, the next second, the check was snatched away by another hand. Olivia drew the check straight back.

Vincent was taken aback. "Liv?"

Olivia said nothing. A flash of malice crossed Samantha’s eyes, but she quickly put on a wronged expression again.

"Olivia, I don’t want the money… As long as you’re willing to apologize, I’ll forgive you."

Vincent rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Liv. No matter what, it’s a fact that you pushed her into the water. Samantha was frightened, so it’s only right that I compensate her a little. Don’t throw a tantrum."

Hearing these words, Olivia’s heart still stung a bit. In her past life, Samantha had relied on this exact pitiful act to swindle things out of her brother’s hands time and time again, simply because her brother was kind-hearted and always felt it was his duty to care for the weak.

Right at that moment, Vincent suddenly smiled and said, "Forget it, let’s not talk about this. I brought back gifts for everyone this time."

Saying so, he had the servants carry in several beautifully wrapped gift boxes.

Sylvia received jewelry, Michael a luxury watch, and Olivia a separately wrapped gift box. And finally, Vincent actually pulled out another luxury gift box and handed it to Samantha.

"Samantha, this is for you."

Samantha’s eyes instantly lit up—there was actually something for her too? She quickly waved her hands.

"Vincent, how can I accept this… I can’t take it…"

Vincent chuckled. "What’s there to be polite about? We’re family."

Samantha took the gift box and opened it, only to find a limited-edition Chanel handbag worth hundreds of thousands inside. Her breathing grew rapid, and her heart was flying with pride.

Do you see this, Olivia? Even if you’re his biological sister, so what? The Shaw family dotes on me just the same!

Linda was also grinning from ear to ear. "Oh, Vincent is truly successful. Samantha, hurry up and thank your cousin."

Samantha called out sweetly, "Thank you, Vincent."

The atmosphere in the living room softened again, and Sam’s family completely relaxed, even starting to push their luck. Linda suddenly looked at the gift box in Olivia’s hands.

"Oh? That bracelet is quite beautiful. Samantha was frightened today; I think you should give it to Samantha to calm her nerves."

Sylvia frowned, and the smile on Vincent’s face faded a bit, but before he could speak, Samantha already spoke up, pretending to be sensible:

"Mom, don’t be like that. Olivia definitely wouldn’t want to part with it."

Though she said this, her eyes never left the gift box, and then she looked at Olivia.

"Olivia, my clothes are wet. Could you help me pour a glass of hot water?"

Linda immediately chimed in, "Yes, after all, you’re the one who caused Samantha to be like this. What’s wrong with taking care of her a bit?"

Looking at their family, Olivia suddenly laughed.

How amusing—before the recording was even played, they had already begun dividing the spoils.

She slowly pulled out her phone.

"Vincent. Do you really think she’s pitiful?"

Vincent was slightly startled. "What do you mean?"

Olivia pressed the play button.

If you don’t give me an explanation, I’ll jump in right now!

Then I’ll tell your brother you pushed me!

Just because I’m pitiful and your brother has that knight-in-shining-armor thing, he’ll definitely compensate me!

Samantha’s voice was crystal clear.

The living room fell dead silent. Samantha’s face turned deathly pale instantly, and Linda was so shocked she stood straight up.

"This… this must be a misunderstanding!"

Sam shouted immediately, "Taken out of context! This must be taken out of context!"

Samantha’s tears streamed down rapidly. "Vincent… those were just words spoken in anger… I really just said them in anger…"

Vincent’s face had completely darkened. "Liv. Is there more?"

Olivia handed the phone straight over. The complete recording continued to play, from threatening to jump into the water to calculating the compensation, all the way to that line: Anyway, I’ll get the money.

Vincent’s hand gripping the phone slowly tightened, yet he still refused to give up hope as he looked at Samantha.

"Samantha. I’ll only ask you one thing. Did you say those words?"

Samantha panicked. "I… I… I really didn’t mean it!"

Vincent’s heart went completely cold. It turned out she really wasn’t as pure and kind as he had thought, but was instead one way to his face and another behind his back.

He slowly took the check back and, right in front of everyone, tore it in half.

"So, in your eyes, I’m just a stupid fool to be deceived at will, a mere ATM."

Samantha’s face was white as a sheet. "Vincent—"