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74 Welcome to the Cortez Household

74 Welcome to the Cortez Household

The next morning, the entire family sent off Nina with a somber look. Nothing much was said, but everyone’s mood was enough to fill the house with silence. Despite this undeniable silence in the house, Slater insisted on studying with Penny and Atlas joining them in the library. Meanwhile, Hugo volunteered to take care of her pets and he took them out in the garden.

As for Nina…

1

When the car pulled over a small street in front of a tiny gate, Nina’s face crinkled in dismay.

“This is the house I’m supposed to live?‘ Bitterness filled her heart at the sight of the house before the door was opened from the

outside.

“Miss Nina.” the driver smiled as he offered his hand to her.

The dismay on her face quickly disappeared, and she smiled back. Like a princess, she clasped the driver’s hand and stepped out. Looking around the street, Nina’s heart sank. The houses stood close to each other and most of them were too shabby for her taste. When her eyes fell on the open trench gutter, she quickly stepped away upon seeing a small rat run out of it.

‘No,‘ she gasped inwardly. ‘I can’t live here!”

Suddenly, the gate made a sharp sound before it opened. The second Nina looked up and saw this woman with big curlers stuck in her hair, her surroundings suddenly dimmed. Jessa was still wearing her favorite granny dress and, by the creases on her face,

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74 Welcome to the Cortez Household

one could tell she woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

She looks like an evil stepmother,‘ was the first thing that came

into Nina’s mind.

Jessa arched her thin brows and looked down at the beautiful girl looking up at her. She snorted the second they locked eyes

each other.

with

“You really look like that wench,” she spat out in mockery. “How could they not see you’re not their child when you look nothing like them?”

“Mrs. Cortez, these are Miss Nina’s luggage. Should I take them in?” Jessa moved her attention to the driver before her eyes fell on the five big luggages on his side. “Do you think all those things will fit into my house?” @

“Uh.”

“Hey.” Jessa clicked her tongue to Nina. “Just pick one luggage.”

Nina couldn’t speak for a moment. “One?”

“Did you not hear me?”

“But… all of these are important to me.”

Jessa laughed in disbelief at the innocent and sorrowful look Nina was giving her. “The space in my house is also important to me. You can’t take all of those things in my house. This is not a mansion and there’s not enough space for all of that. Unless, of course, you want to compromise your bed and replace it with that luggage.”

74 Welcome to the Cortez Household

Nina clenched her teeth as a thin layer of tears coated her eyes. But alas, her pitiful look didn’t move Jessa one bit. Hence, she cast the driver a look before gazing at her luggage.

Everything in them was perfectly organized by her. All her dresses, shoes, and jewelry for all occasions were in there. Since she could only go to the Bennet Mansion on the weekends, she wanted to make sure she had plenty to keep up appearances.

Reluctantly, Nina pointed at one of the luggage.

The driver looked at her apologetically before he carried the luggage inside and then placed the rest back in the trunk. Nina didn’t get in and watched the driver. She was hopeful the driver would tell her she should just come back with him, but alas, all he did was offer her a meek smile before he got behind the wheel and sped away.

‘Please don’t leave… ‘Nina wished as she stared at the car’s rear,

but it didn’t stop.

“What are you still doing there?” Her dramatic moment halted when Jessa’s annoyed voice rang behind her. “Get in!”

Nina looked back, pressing her lips into a thin line. Without a word, she reluctantly stepped inside the house and looked around at the small courtyard before the main door. There was nothing much to see aside from the elevated palette platform.

*

This was very unlike the Bennet Mansion because their house had a huge driveway before they could reach the main residence. She followed Jessa inside and her mood hit rock bottom.

This is too small,‘ she thought in dismay. I can see everything at

74 Welcome to the Cortez Household

once glance.‘

All she had to do was scan around to know where the kitchen, the dinner, and even the toilet were. There weren’t any intricate partitions, just like the Bennet Mansion. In Nina’s eyes, this was the worst. If only she knew what this place looked like in Penny’s first lifetime.

“Yugi, Yuri!” Jessa yelled, making Nina flinched. “Come down here and show this girl around!”

Nina bitterly cast Jessa a look. ‘What else is here to show me around?‘ she could literally see everything!

At the same time, two children around her age dragged their feet downstairs. Yugi snorted the moment his eyes caught Nina while Yuri was a little hesitant.

“This is Yuri and Yugi, they’re my kids,” Jessa introduced irritable. “Kids, this is your cousin. What’s your name again?”

“Ni – Nina.”

“Tch.” Jessa snorted but said nothing. “Take her to her room while I prepare lunch.”

Having said that, Jessa showed no interest in Nina anymore and left her twins to take care of her.

“Hi, I’m Yuri.” Yuri offered Nina a smile, only to get a glance from the latter in return.

“Yuri, there’s no need to be nice to her,” Yugi took the more aggressive tone. He pointed at Nina and said, “You. If I were you, you better not do anything silly here. You didn’t come here to

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74 Welcome to the Cortez Household

replace Penny. Do you understand?”

“I don’t… I don’t want to replace Penny.”

“Good! Because even if you do, it’s futile!” Yugi intoned. “Now, get your luggage, and let’s go.”

Nina furrowed her brows and gazed at her luggage. “Wait,” she called as the twins already turned their backs on her. © 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

When the twins looked back, Nina sported a conflicted smile. “My luggage is too big for me and I can’t carry it upstairs. Can you help

me?”

“Hah?!” Yugi laughed. “If it’s too big for you, why did you bring so much!? In this household, we don’t burden others just because we took more than we can take. You don’t have servants here. Carry it on your own!” s

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