Chapter 10

With Monica's reminder, Heidi recalled how her husband had nearly died in the hospital after suffering a heart attack as a result of deliberate drug manipulation. At the time, she was furious and demanded that the responsible doctor pay for it. But who knew that the doctor who had intentionally swapped the medication turned out to be her biological daughter? Heidi tried to calm herself, reasoning that Nicole had grown up alone and had developed cunning habits just to survive. Once she brought Nicole home, Heidi would teach her properly, guide her, and steer her back on track. "Monica, no matter what, Nicole is now confirmed as my biological daughter. I've looked for her for many years. Now, I just want to see her." As Heidi spoke, she wiped away her tears. Monica had no choice but to compromise. "Okay. I'll listen to you. But now that Nicole's finally been found, should I leave?" As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes. Heidi felt an ache in her chest. A flash of guilt and tenderness passed through her gaze as she looked at Monica. Even though they had no blood relation, her affection for Monica had long since become ingrained in her bones. Monica would always be part of the family. Nonetheless, she understood why Monica was terrified and apprehensive of her fate since they'd found their biological daughter. Monica's eyes were red and swollen from crying. "Don't worry. It's not like we can't afford to raise two children. Even if your sister returns, you remain just as important." Heidi wanted to spoil Nicole and make up for the affection she had lost out on for more than 20 years. Monica suppressed her disdain and displayed a kind, sympathetic look. "I'll come with you, Mom. I want to welcome my sister as well!" "How lovely of you, Monica." Heidi smiled. When the driver pulled up outside Nicole's apartment building, Monica looked out of the window at the surrounding neighborhood. It was considered an outdated residential complex with run-down infrastructure and little greenery in Silverwood. Just as Heidi was about to exit the vehicle, Monica reached out to stop her, advising softly, "Mom, this place isn't the best. Let the driver take us to the entrance. I'm worried you'll touch something dirty and get an allergic reaction. I didn't anticipate Nicole living in a place like this." Monica's thoughtfulness moved Heidi, though she also felt a trace of heartache. Boyd Corporation had been a top company in Silverwood for decades. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to arrange a marriage agreement with the Compton family. Nicole should've had the greatest life possible. But one mistake had left her stranded, and she suffered for 20 years. She didn't even have adoptive parents to care for her. Tears welled up in Heidi's eyes again at the thought of this. "Mrs. Boyd, the roads inside the complex are difficult to drive through. If we go in, we may have difficulty getting the car out," the driver informed. Before Heidi could speak, Monica retorted sharply, "Do you want my mom to have an allergic reaction after touching something dirty? It's not your call to determine if it's an easy drive or not. You're the driver, so do as you're instructed!" The driver didn't dare speak again and braced himself to drive all the way to the unit building. The area was crowded with electric scooters. When they got out of the car, Monica's eyes were filled with contempt and disdain. She clung fast to Heidi's hand. "Mom, be careful. Don't trip on the stairs." Heidi nodded. She was eager to have a good look at her long-lost daughter, as she hadn't gotten a good look at her at the banquet last time. Now, her heart was full of joy and excitement. When they reached Nicole's unit, Monica rang the doorbell before quickly cleaning her hands with a disinfectant wipe. However, no one came to open the door. "Mom, I don't think she's home. Let's go back." Her eyes flashed with joy. … Nicole didn't feel like cooking, so she went out to get some supper. To her astonishment, when she reached the ground floor, she saw a Bentley parked out in front, nearly blocking the entire road. The sighting of such a luxurious car was rare in her neighborhood! A neighbor carrying a garbage bag came out and saw her. "You're from Unit 501 on the fifth floor, right?" Nicole nodded. "I saw the passenger in that luxury car head up to the fifth floor. They're not here for you, are they? Our neighborhood must've been blessed to see a car worth millions of dollars! Are they your relatives or friends?" The neighbor's eyes were filled with jealousy. Their remarks caused Nicole's heart to skip a beat. She wondered if the Boyd family had come to find her. Her fingers trembled, and her expression faltered. Did her mother come for her? Nicole ran up the stairs. She saw Heidi and the others waiting by the elevator when she reached the fifth level. The elevator door had just opened. Nicole was grateful that she had taken the stairs. Otherwise, she might've missed them. Monica secretly clenched her hands when she saw Nicole before them, gasping for breath. She wondered why Nicole had to show up right at that moment. Meanwhile, Heidi burst into tears as soon as she saw Nicole. She instantly let go of Monica and approached Nicole. "Nicole, is that you?" she asked. Heidi's voice trembled with emotion. As she approached Nicole, she wanted to reach out and touch her, but hesitated. Nicole thought she was ready to face Heidi, but when she saw her face, her eyes stung and filled with tears. "It's me," she responded quietly. "Nicole, I'm your mother." Heidi was overcome with excitement. She reached out with shaky hands and gripped Nicole's tightly. At the same time, jealousy flared up in Monica's heart. Her expression tensed, almost unable to hide her genuine emotions. Nicole sniffled and asked, "Can I… call you Mom?" "I am your mother. Of course you can! I've been looking for you for 23 years!" Heidi nodded furiously. At this moment, she lost control of her emotions and rushed forward to pull Nicole into a tight embrace. But the moment she held her, she was shocked. "Nicole, why are you so skinny? You're all skin and bones." Nicole pursed her lips together. She had been working numerous hours at the hospital and hadn't had a single day off. She couldn't have gained weight after working endlessly. Once Heidi was done crying, she requested to have a look around Nicole's apartment. Nicole pulled out her keys and opened the door. Monice suppressed her emotions, stepped forward, and took out another disinfection wipe to clean Heidi's hands carefully. Nicole spotted this gesture out of the corner of her eye. She had been observing Monica the entire time and recognized her as the Boyd family's adoptive daughter. With her being found, Monica's status had become unknown. Nicole had a feeling that they wouldn't get along well. She opened the door and turned to look at Heidi. "Mrs. Boyd… Mom, please come in." She still sounded unnatural. Heidi walked into the apartment unit. There were two bedrooms with an open kitchen that was connected to the living room. Nicole wanted to turn on the lights. But as the light switched on, one of the bulbs burned out immediately. This only made the place look even more shabby.