Corrine's eyes were swollen and red as she looked at Marissa, her long-lost child finally standing before her. Her voice trembled, breaking between sobs. "I missed you so much... so, so much, Marissa."

Unable to hold it in any longer, she reached forward and pulled Marissa tightly into her arms.

From the moment Marissa had stepped into the Curtis family's villa, the warmth and affection surrounding her had felt almost foreign. She wasn't used to this kind of welcome. It made her uneasy, yet at the same time, she couldn't help but feel drawn to it.

Within seconds, Corrine's tears had soaked through Marissa's shoulder. Marissa lowered her gaze, feeling a hot sting in her own eyes. She hesitated, then slowly raised her hand and placed it on her mother's back.

That simple gesture made Corrine's heart leap. She cupped Marissa's face and asked softly, "Did the Fletcher family treat you well all these years?"

"They were... strict. But I managed," Marissa replied.

She wasn't good at pretending, and honestly, she saw no reason to lie. There was no point in defending people who had never truly cared for her.

Corrine instantly understood the truth behind those few words, but she was too overwhelmed to respond. Overcome with emotion, she clung to Marissa so tightly that Marissa had to brace herself to stay upright.

"Be careful!"

One of the Curtis brothers called out, ready to help. But before they could move, they saw Marissa easily lift their frail mother and set her gently into the wheelchair.

All five brothers stared in surprise. Who would've guessed their sister was that strong?

Had the Fletcher family really made her do all the heavy lifting and rough chores all these years?

"You're amazing, Marissa," Corrine exclaimed, her voice overflowing with pride and tenderness.

But then, her smile faltered. Her gaze dropped to Marissa's skirt that was torn at the edge, and her expression instantly changed. Tears fell from her eyes, landing on her pale, trembling hand as she gripped the fabric. "Did the Fletcher family do this to you?"

Marissa shook her head. "No."

Though her reply was quiet, Corrine didn't believe it for a second.

A mother's heart knew the truth. There was no warmth in Marissa's tone, no fondness when she spoke of them. The absence of any emotion was proof enough of the coldness she must have endured all these years.

"Marissa, are you upset with me?" Corrine's usually steady voice wavered as she spoke. The woman who had always carried herself with confidence couldn't even lift her eyes to meet her daughter's. "I never meant to leave you back then. I'm sorry, sweetheart. I never wanted to lose you."

Her words came out broken, carried by the weight of years of regret.

Marissa lowered her head slightly, her gaze meeting Corrine's tearful eyes. After a brief pause, she answered softly, "I know."

Because who in their right mind would ever choose to lose their own child?

"How did you find out I am your daughter?" Marissa asked.

The Fletcher family had described her real family as lowly and despicable, a far cry from the dignity of the powerful Curtis family.

Corrine's eyes shimmered with guilt as she gently took her daughter's hand. "We have Theodore to thank for that," she said tenderly.

"Theodore?" Marissa blinked, surprise flickering in her eyes.

Corrine nodded. "You might not remember, but you and Theodore met once before. He said he saw you at a business event and thought you looked a lot like our family."

"Oh, I see." Marissa's voice carried no particular interest, just mild politeness.

Sensing her disinterest, Corrine quickly shifted the conversation and guided her towards the walk-in closet. "I've had so many clothes and pieces of jewelry prepared for you. After all these years, you finally get to have them."

She had originally planned to give Marissa time to adjust, to let her ease into this new life slowly. But seeing her daughter's torn skirt earlier had made her realize she might have underestimated how much hardship Marissa had endured.

Still, Marissa wasn't one to talk much. Most of Corrine's attempts to engage her had been met with short, almost emotionless replies. It made her hesitate, afraid of pushing too hard.

"Would you like me to stay with you a little while longer?" Corrine asked tentatively. She longed to be near her daughter, but she also didn't want to make her uncomfortable. Marissa was an adult now, and Corrine didn't want to intrude.

Marissa understood what Corrine was thinking. She offered her mother a reassuring smile. "You should rest for a bit. I'll be fine."

Corrine's heart sank for a moment, but when she saw the small gesture of concern behind those words, her disappointment softened into warmth. "Alright. If you need anything at all, just call me."

"Okay." Marissa nodded and helped push her mother's wheelchair out of the walk-in closet.

Once outside, Corrine's expression changed. She turned to Marc, her tone calm but edged with concern. "Marc, why didn't Theodore come back with Marissa?"

Marc calmly explained to Corrine that Theodore had left early because of other obligations. After a pause, he added carefully, "Mom, to be honest, I don't think the Brooks family is that invested in this marriage. There are plenty of respectable young men here in Ozreka who'd be a better match for Rissa. Maybe we should consider someone else?"

Corrine's expression shifted, caught between surprise and confusion. "Theodore isn't happy about the marriage?" she asked. "But didn't the Brooks family say he agreed to it himself?"

The Curtis and Brooks families were bound by a marriage alliance.

When Marissa went missing all those years ago, her stepgrandmother had even tried to replace her with another girl, though Corrine and her husband had fiercely opposed the idea. The Brooks family refused the replacement outright, insisting they would wait until the Curtis family head's daughter was found. Only then could the marriage arrangement be resumed.

Before Corrine could continue, a loud commotion erupted downstairs.

"Where is she? I've never seen someone so shameless! She's barely back home and already causing trouble! I don't recognize her as a Curtis. Who does she think she is? Bring her down here right now!"

Upstairs, inside the cloakroom, Marissa's tone was calm but firm as she spoke into the phone. "I'll treat him on one condition: I choose the venue. Make sure they understand that. That's all. I have something to deal with now, so we'll talk later."

As soon as she hung up, a sharp knock sounded at the door.

"Miss Marissa Curtis! Are you inside? Mrs. Rita Curtis and Miss Holley Curtis have arrived! They're waiting to see you downstairs. Please come at once."

The butler's voice rang out, slightly too loud and almost eager.

Marissa didn't rush. She picked up a silver-gray suit jacket, slipped it on, and opened the door.

The butler, who had been smirking to himself a moment ago, froze when she appeared. His confident look faltered into awkwardness as he quickly lowered his head and stepped aside to clear her path.

Marissa didn't bother acknowledging him. Her heels clicked lightly against the floor as she descended the grand staircase.

Just before she could reach the bottom, a disdainful voice rose from below. "So, you're Marissa?"

Marissa's gaze dropped, landing on the older woman lounging confidently on the couch below.

Dressed in lavish jewelry that gleamed under the light, she exuded an air of arrogance and self-importance. It was none other than Rita Curtis.

"Are you deaf?" she sneered. "You see me and can't even say hello?"

Despite all the glittering jewels she was wearing, there wasn't a hint of grace about her, but just pure arrogance.

The warmth Marissa had felt from her mother and brothers only moments ago had started to ease her guard, but Rita's words quickly built those walls back up again.

She remembered the file Theodore had once shown her, the report listing every living member of the Curtis family. She hadn't had time to study it thoroughly, but one name had caught her eye—Rita Curtis, her grandfather Hank Curtis's second wife.

"Raised in such humble surroundings, no wonder you lack proper manners," Rita remarked, her eyes narrowing as Marissa came closer. The faint resemblance Marissa shared with Corrine seemed to fuel her dislike even more.

Next to Rita sat a young woman leaning affectionately against her shoulder—Holley, Marissa's cousin. She tilted her head and, with an innocence that was more mocking than sweet, asked, "Does she really not speak? That's kind of sad."

The scene brought an unpleasant sense of déjà vu to Marissa. The dynamic between Rita and Holley reminded her far too much of Susanna and Evelina.

"Sad? What's sad about her?" Rita scoffed. "Don't waste your pity on her. She's here to take what rightfully belongs to you."

Holley's eyes swept over Marissa's flawless features, and jealousy twisted in her chest. That calm and beautiful face made her feel small in comparison. "Rita, don't be so harsh with Marissa. She's our family," she said sweetly, throwing Marissa a quick, teasing wink.

Rita's expression hardened instantly. "I refuse to accept someone who behaves so rudely as family," she snapped, clutching Holley's hand protectively. "Holley is the one I care about! Mark my words—everything in this family belongs to her as well. If you dare try to take it all for yourself, I'll see you kicked out of the Curtis family before you can blink!"

Holley tilted her chin proudly, flashing Marissa a smug grin. With Rita's backing, everything that mattered would eventually belong to her anyway. Marissa was powerless to prevent it.

Just then, a rough voice cut in from nearby. "If Holley wasn't too weak to have children, do you really think the Brooks family would've chosen you, Marissa?"

The words came from Barry Curtis, Holley's older brother.

He continued, "They only agreed to your marriage to Theodore because they needed someone to carry on their bloodline. You should be thanking Holley! If she hadn't insisted they bring you back, you'd still be living who-knows-where!"

Marissa was lost in thought. So that was it? Theodore had married her because Holley couldn't bear children.

And the Curtis family hadn't brought her home out of love or guilt, but because they needed her for the same purpose.

The absurdity almost made Marissa laugh.

In that moment, everything clicked. She finally saw through Rita's real intentions. Her expression stayed composed, almost amused, as if she were watching a group of clowns perform. Then, hearing quick footsteps approaching from behind, she finally broke her silence. "So, if I'm understanding this correctly... everything I have now isn't because I'm a Curtis, but because Holley was kind enough to grant me her leftovers?"

Holley's lips curled into a condescending smile, but the moment she saw Marc at the doorway, her expression softened instantly. Pulling away from Rita, she fluttered her lashes and said sweetly, "Marissa, you've got it wrong. I didn't mean—"

"Rissa?" Marc's voice cut through the tension as he appeared unexpectedly.

The study upstairs was soundproof—if his assistant hadn't called him about a sudden work matter, he would've never realized Rita, Holley, and Barry had shown up uninvited.

"Marc," Marissa greeted softly, turning just enough to meet his eyes.

"Marc, perfect timing!" Rita exclaimed, relief flashing in her eyes. She'd been struggling to rein Marissa in, and Marc's arrival felt like the perfect chance to tip the scales. She stepped forward, her voice rising as she jabbed a finger in Marissa's direction.

Marissa's eyes flicked toward the staircase. None of her other brothers had come down, nor had Corrine. It was just Marc.

Holley, sensing the tension, decided to play innocent. She stepped away from Rita and hurried toward Marissa, grabbing her arm with exaggerated affection.

"Marissa, don't be upset. Rita's just straightforward; she doesn't mean any harm," she said in a sugary tone that didn't match the malice hiding in her eyes. "You can talk, so why didn't you say something sooner? Or could it be that you just don't want to acknowledge her? Anyway, let's not make things awkward between family, okay?"