Chapter 7

"Abby, here are scented tea, fruit, and snacks. Feel free to take whatever you want. Just help yourself. You're home now!" Kevin said dotingly. Abigail picked up the teacup and took a sip of the tea. Lauryn said with mixed feelings, " I never meant to lose you back then." "I know." Faced with her mother's sadness, Abigail felt touched. "How did you find me?" "A while ago, the Guzmans issued a missing person notice, mentioning what happened back then. After an investigation, we found out that you are our daughter, and the daughter we have raised for eighteen years is not our biological daughter..." As she spoke, Lauryn shed tears. "I'm sorry, it's our fault that you ended up in someone else's home." Kevin also felt guilty. "It was my fault for being so confused back then and bringing Courtney home without investigating her background. This time, we also investigated her parentage. Her birth mother died in that big fire, and her father's whereabouts are unknown. So we want to discuss it with you to see if it's OK to let her stay in this house. What do you say?" Abigail understood what they meant and responded calmly, "It's up to you to decide. I'm okay with it." Lauryn breathed a sigh of relief. Her daughter had a kind heart! "Okay, now have a rest, my baby girl. We have a surprise for you!" Lauryn took Abigail's hand. "Promise me to come down later only when I have you noticed, okay?" It was the first gift for her daughter, so Lauryn was quite nervous. Abigail understood Lauryn's feelings, so she nodded. After a brief unpacking, Abigail took out her mobile phone and sent a message to Marisa Deleon, her good friend and business partner. Abigail: "Is Heart Tonic Weed still available?" Marisa quickly rang Abigail up. With a soft and sweet voice, she asked, "Do you need it urgently? I can send it over to you now." "No need. I'll come to you in a few days. The place where I'm staying now is closer to your home," Abigail said, summarizing her recent revelation that she was not Elliott Guzman's biological daughter. Marisa was stunned by the news. "Since the Guzman family has treated you so badly, why bother saving Old Mrs. Guzman?" Abigail said lightly, "She has been kind to me." Marisa went on to say, "But, if it weren't for you, would their small workshop have grown to such a large scale as it is today?" "It's not worth mentioning." Abigail's voice sounded lazy. She really didn't care. "Money, as long as you want to make it, is easy to come by. Relax." The two of them chatted for a while before hanging up the phone. Just then, Abigail's cell phone vibrated a few times. She checked it and saw the messages from one of her subordinates. "Boss! Big news!" "A super-rich tycoon ordered a hundred pieces of clothing, a hundred bags, and a hundred pairs of shoes for his daughter, and he demanded them to be delivered today." "I've sent him all the limited-edition items in the warehouse! Now the stock is empty!" Putting down the phone, Abigail wondered, 'What kind of family would buy so many clothes, shoes, and bags all at once? Are they opening a store?' That was when a luxurious RV was parked at the entrance of the villa. Enrique, the butler, immediately stepped forward, opened the car door respectfully, and bowed. "Miss Courtney, you're finally back from summer vacation! Now that you've come back, the place will once again be filled with laughter and joy." Courtney stepped out of the car. Her clear eyes radiated with confidence. Several servants brought her luggage inside the house, and Enrique followed her all the way. "During the past few months, you were busy with the college entrance exams, so I didn't want to disturb you. Now that the exams are over and you've returned from traveling abroad with your friends, I finally have the chance to talk to you..." Enrique lowered his voice intentionally. "What's up?" "Well, it's about..." Enrique hadn't finished speaking yet when Courtney noticed a group of strangers in the garden. They hung countless beautiful clothes and bags on countless display racks, and after a little tidying up, they were about to bring them into the house. A few servants were blowing up balloons in the garden, hanging star-shaped lights on the trees, and even Scarlet was helping and directing. Courtney smiled sweetly as she watched the busy crowd, "Is this a surprise prepared by my parents?" Although she had five elder brothers, her parents valued her no less than other elder brothers. Courtney happily stepped into the house. She shuttled among the display racks, feeling the waves of happiness washing over her. She was about to go to the garden to take some beautiful photos when she suddenly saw her parents rushing out happily ahead of her and shouting, "My baby girl!" Courtney couldn't help but blush and smile shyly. Her parents had never called her with such an affectionate nickname before. There was a happy smile on Courtney's face, and when she came to the garden, she saw her parents holding a girl's hand and talking affectionately. The girl had a slender figure, slim waist, and fair skin. Her oval face was delicate, and upon closer inspection, she bore a resemblance to Lauryn. "Abby, how about this garden surprise? Unexpected, isn't it? Do you like it?" Before Kevin finished speaking, he suddenly noticed Courtney in front of him. He was slightly taken aback. "Courtney? I thought you wouldn't arrive until tomorrow afternoon! Why are you here today?" Hearing her father say that this garden surprise was prepared for that girl, Courtney was astonished and puzzled. But with the guest still there, she didn't show any signs of displeasure. Instead, she smiled and called out softly, "Dad, Mom, I came back early on my friend's plane. Who is this?" Perhaps not expecting Courtney to suddenly appear, Kevin quickly smiled. "It's just in time. Let me introduce you to each other. This is Abigail, part of our family now! Just call her Abby." All the close relatives in their family were either rich or noble, with prominent status. 'Guess she's probably a distant relative here to borrow money,' Courtney thought. She nodded slightly and, with a socialite smile, greeted gently, "Nice to meet you, Abby." Although Courtney seemed friendly on the surface, she didn't care about Abigail at all in her heart. She only regarded Abigail as a poor relative. "Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin, the clothes, shoes, and bags you ordered have arrived. They were delivered by the person in charge of the brand. They are all inside now." "That fast?" Lauryn was overjoyed. She held Abigail's hand and said, "Let's go inside and see if you like it. " Courtney was stunned to find that those beautiful clothes, shoes, and bags inside were prepared for Abigail instead of her. Accompanied by Kevin and Lauryn, Abigail walked to the main hall, where the person in charge of the brand was already waiting respectfully. "Mr. Baldwin, Mrs. Baldwin, good afternoon. I am Zack Patterson, in charge of Alana Designs. " Lauryn nodded in satisfaction as she looked at the beautiful garments and accessories. "Alana's new works are truly extraordinary. Abby, come take a look and see if you like them." Zack followed her gaze, and the smile on his face froze instantly. She looked exactly like his boss! Suppressing the shock in his heart, Zack bowed respectfully and said, "May I know your name, miss?" "I am Abigail." Zack saw the way she raised her eyebrows and recognized her voice... She was indeed his boss, Alana! What the hell was going on? How come his boss became the daughter of the richest man in the country?