Chapter 13 Karma Is a Bitch

In the blink of an eye, the Bugatti came to a stop. "We've arrived," Christopher said, breaking the silence. Adeline snapped out of her daze and looked out the car window. The words "The Keller Manor" appeared before her eyes. It felt familiar, yet distant. A group of maids stood in line at the entrance, creating quite the spectacle. Among them, she immediately spotted her stepmother, Emma Meyers. Emma was dressed in a luxurious sapphire satin dress, adorned with an expensive Ausian pearl necklace. Her meticulously styled curls were perfectly pinned up. Though over 40 years old, her well-maintained features were enhanced with flawless makeup. She stood there with a warm smile, looking like a mother eagerly waiting for her daughter to return home. As the car door opened, Gordon Quigley quickly approached with a broad grin. "Mrs. Lambert, Mr. Lambert," he greeted. The 50-year-old Gordon had a few more gray hairs than the last time they met. He had been the Keller family's butler for as long as Adeline could remember. Decades had passed in the blink of an eye, and after Emma took over as the lady of the house, most of the staff had been replaced—except for Gordon. Adeline smiled kindly. "Mr. Quigley, how have you been?" "Thanks to you, I'm still doing well," Gordon answered with a smile. He took a step closer and whispered, "Mrs. Lambert, Mr. Keller has been waiting for you." Just then, Emma's voice called from the stairs. She was smiling, but her tone was a bit louder than usual. "What's happening? It's so hot, and you're making Mr. Lambert wait outside in the sun? Is this how we treat our guests?" She then looked at Adeline with a smirk. "You really know how to make an entrance. You only come home twice a year, but there's always a crowd waiting for you. Isn't that right, Adeline?" Adeline looked at Emma's wide, exaggerated smile, feeling a sneer form inside her. The last time she had come back to the Keller family home alone, only Mr. Quigley had been at the door to greet her. The others acted as if they didn't even see her. Adeline knew that Emma hadn't arranged such a big show to welcome her. It was simply because she was wary of Christopher. Adeline smiled slightly and naturally linked her arm with Christopher's. "Honey, let's go." Christopher glanced at her hand resting on his arm. A faint but satisfied smile appeared on his lips as he let her lead him inside. As they passed Emma, Adeline stopped and turned toward her with a soft smile. "Emma, do you think this small crowd is a big deal? You probably didn't know, but when I went to Christopher's family, there were hundreds of people waiting outside. Now, that is impressive." Emma's smile froze slightly, but Adeline continued, "Of course, the Keller family can't compare to the Lambert family. Dad can't compete with Christopher either. I guess you wouldn't understand such grand affairs." Emma's face turned slightly green with frustration. "Adeline, I know you've always had something against me, but I'm still an elder. You can't speak to me like this. How can you say such things about your father?" Adeline responded quickly, "You know I don't like you, so I'm sure you've noticed that I don't want to talk to you, right? That's my dad, not yours. How I talk about him is my business." "You—" Emma hissed through clenched teeth. She was so angry that her face turned red, but with Christopher present, she held back, not wanting to lose her temper. Christopher observed their exchange with an unreadable expression, though a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. He had long since learned how easily Adeline could provoke anyone. "Honey," came Adeline's sweet voice. She tightened her grip on Christopher's arm and looked up at him with a charming smile. "It's so hot out here. Let's go inside." Christopher's narrow eyes lingered on her face for a moment. Then, he gave a soft grunt and gently took her hand, leading her toward the hall. The warmth of his hand around hers made Adeline momentarily lose focus. … Inside the hall, colorful balloons and ribbons filled the space, creating a playful, cheerful atmosphere that sharply contrasted with the usual serious tone. On a nearby mahogany table, neatly arranged stacks of gift boxes were scattered about. The entire villa exuded the joyful, festive atmosphere of a birthday celebration. Adeline's smile faded as she calmly scanned the room. She noticed Lloyd, dressed neatly, sitting on the sofa with a newspaper in his hands and a steaming cup of tea resting in front of him. It seemed he had been waiting for quite some time. A bitter laugh rose in Adeline's chest. In his eyes, she wasn't the daughter he should care for. Instead, he was waiting for the son-in-law who could help him in business. When Adeline caught Lloyd's gaze, she quickly looked away. Lloyd noticed her reaction and glanced briefly at their linked hands. He set his newspaper down, took off his glasses and stood up. "Has Christopher arrived?" Christopher was unusually polite as he greeted Lloyd, "Hello, Dad." Adeline ignored Lloyd and walked straight into a side room, as though he wasn't even there. … Inside the side room stood a memorial plaque that read, "In Loving Memory of Giselle Burlock, Beloved Wife." Adeline let out a soft scoff. Those words were full of irony. The woman in the black-and-white photo on the plaque had bright eyes and a warm, gentle smile. There was something in her face that resembled Adeline's own. Adeline's usual defiance faded as she entered the room. She silently stared at the photograph, her eyes clouded with emotion. Christopher, who had followed her in at some point, leaned against the doorframe with his hands in his pockets. He lazily looked at her, studying her every subtle expression. The room was eerily quiet. Finally, Adeline broke the silence with a soft voice. "It's been 15 years..." She gave a faint, bitter laugh. "If I didn't constantly look at Mom's photo, I'd probably forget what she even looked like." She mumbled, "Since Mom passed, no one has ever celebrated my birthday like this." It was almost laughable. When she entered the hall earlier, she had found herself envious of a six-year-old child. Christopher pursed his lips, his gaze lingering on her face as if he were studying her. "Do you want to celebrate your birthday?" he asked. Adeline looked up at him and suddenly smiled. "Will you celebrate it with me?" It was a casual question. She didn't expect Christopher to agree. After all, birthdays were meant to commemorate the day she met Giselle, not herself. She didn't really want to celebrate her birthday. What she truly wanted was to see Giselle again. Christopher didn't respond immediately. He casually walked over, lit a few candles and bowed three times in front of Giselle's plaque. Then, he stood beside Adeline, gazing at her intently. A smile played on his lips as he said, "It's not impossible." Adeline's heart softened, but she deliberately turned her head away. "Who cares?" she muttered. Christopher chuckled. "Adeline, I'll celebrate your next birthday with you." Adeline sighed softly. "Don't lie in front of my mom. Karma is a bitch." Christopher raised an eyebrow. "Karma will come for me, not you. Why are you worried?"