A Fake Heiress’s Guide to Love and Power novel Chapter 16

"Good afternoon, Carey," Alessia greeted sweetly, her manners impeccable.

Carey beamed, nodding with obvious approval. "Well, aren't you lovely? So polite, too. Brendan, is this your eldest daughter or your youngest?"

Brendan's expression cooled just a fraction as he replied, "She's my only daughter." Years of holding a senior position had trained him to keep his emotions in check, and with Carey's straightforward nature, she didn't notice the subtle shift.

"Really?" Carey frowned, a vague sense of confusion nagging at her.

She remembered when the Morton family first moved in—they'd run into each other and exchanged a few brief words. Carey's memory was of a group of well-mannered boys, bustling about, hauling boxes and helping with the move. There'd been only one girl, dressed in an expensive-looking dress with a wide, elegant sunhat perched on her head. That girl had stomped around, loudly complaining about how rundown, dirty, and cramped the place was. When she saw Carey, she just gave a dismissive snort and swept upstairs, radiating arrogance.

Carey couldn't recall the girl's face, just the impression she'd left—and it wasn't a good one. But the girl standing here today seemed like a completely different person.

Still, if Brendan said Alessia was his only daughter, there was no point dwelling on a puzzle with no answer.

"Carey, my mom made these seaweed rolls. Would you like to try one?" Alessia offered, handing Carey a fork and smiling softly in a way any adult would find endearing.

"Karen made these? Well, then, I have to give them a try."

Alessia waited quietly while Carey tasted the food, and sure enough, the verdict was glowing.

"My mom's thinking about setting up a food stall outside the school when classes start. She's been looking for people to try her recipes. We all say they taste great, but she won't believe us. Now that you've said so, I bet she'll finally be convinced. Right, Dad?"

"Absolutely," Brendan replied, father and daughter perfectly in sync.

"Lessie, how did you know Carey had kids?" Brendan asked casually.

"I saw a blue backpack in her trash bag. The color's pretty bright—adults don't really use those, but elementary school kids do."

Brendan nodded, impressed. "You're a sharp one, Lessie."

"I just set things up. Whether it works out or not, that's up to Mom now." Alessia winked, her expression lively and mischievous.

Brendan couldn't help but chuckle, looking as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.