Chapter 3

Abigail bounced along the bumpy road following the address she had found. By the time she stood in front of the Parker residence, it was already evening. She raised her hand to knock, and from inside came the sound of coughing followed by a gentle male voice. "Who's there? It's rather late." Abigail suddenly felt nervous. She wanted to respond, but she didn't know how to introduce herself. What if they didn't want her? While she hesitated, the yard gate opened to reveal the gaunt but handsome face of a middle-aged man staring at her in shock. "Is... Is that you, Abby?" This had to be her father, Owen Parker. The resemblance between them was uncanny. Abigail clutched the hem of her clothes. She was so nervous that her palms were sweating. After struggling for words, she managed only one—"Yes." The next moment, she heard the crash of furniture falling inside. The man didn't spare her another glance as he turned and ran back into the house. Abigail stared blankly at the empty doorway, feeling suffocated as if she were tangled in vines. Of course. Gianna had been with the Newmans for 20 years. No one could just accept a sudden daughter swap. The fact that no one had come for her or even called after all this time spoke volumes about how they felt. She took a step back, about to leave, when chaotic footsteps echoed from inside. Two figures stumbled toward the door, and a woman's trembling voice called out, "Where's Abby? Where's my Abby?" The woman bore the gentle marks of age, but her elegant bone structure spoke of past beauty. However, she was clinging to Owen's arm while her other hand searched the empty air. Abigail noticed how she was squinting with effort. It was clear to her that she couldn't see. This had to be her mother, Yvonne Lowe. Seeing Yvonne about to trip over the threshold, Abigail instinctively reached out to steady her. "I'm here." The next moment, she was pulled into Yvonne's embrace and held tightly. "My daughter!" A strange yet warm fragrance enveloped her. Was this what a mother's embrace felt like? Abigail had never experienced this with the Newmans. Though Anita cared for her, she found Abigail's personality off-putting and rebellious, so they had never been close. Abigail hadn't cried when she learned she wasn't the Newmans' daughter, nor when they threw her out. But now, it was as if a tightly wound string inside her had suddenly snapped. All her pent-up grievances came crashing down on her heart at once. Before she could even shed a tear, Owen let out a wail and burst into sobs, beating his chest dramatically. He wailed, "My Abby! You're finally home! I thought you didn't want us anymore!" Abigail's tears seemed to immediately evaporate as she stared at Owen in bewilderment. His crying was so intense that Yvonne forgot her own sadness and just felt a headache coming on. "Stop crying and let her come inside for now." Owen immediately wiped his tears and bustled around, his voice still thick with emotion. "Abby, you haven't eaten yet, right? What do you like? I'll make it for you." Abigail replied, "Anything's fine. I'm not picky." "I'll make you some pasta, then." He walked away cheerfully, as if he hadn't just been sobbing his heart out moments before. Abigail was still adjusting to her biological father's emotional swings. After a moment, she helped Yvonne into the house and glanced around. Her impression of the Parker residence could be summed up in one word—poor but still warm. The table, chairs, and even the cabinet along the wall were all made of cheap wood, arranged to give Yvonne easy navigation space. Beyond that, the house was practically bare. After sitting down, Yvonne took Abigail's hands and carefully felt them. "You're so thin! Have you been suffering out there? Were the Newmans good to you? It's our fault for taking so long to discover the truth… We thought... You wouldn't want to come back..." Her voice trailed off, sounding dejected. After all, Gianna was a living example of rejection. The daughter they'd carefully raised for over 20 years had immediately changed her surname upon learning she was the Newmans' switched child. She'd used any means necessary to escape this family, even hurling cruel words at them. Abigail answered honestly, "The Newmans were very good to me. I didn't suffer." Everyone was simply returning to where they belonged. She had nothing to complain about. Sensing Yvonne's tension, Abigail offered comfort. "I'm a Parker. Since I've chosen to come back, I won't leave. My grades are decent, and I can find work, so I'll be able to support you all in the future." Yvonne was startled by this and was about to respond when the sound of a car engine came from outside, followed by Jayden's voice. "Dad, Mom, is our sister back?" Three tall men strode in, their frames nearly blocking the single light in the small room. Yvonne beamed. "Abby, these are your brothers." What started as Owen making Abigail a simple plate of pasta turned into a family reunion dinner. Of the four Parker brothers, three had arrived. The eldest, Samuel, looked the most steady and gentle. Wanting to make introductions, Yvonne began, "He's a compa—" Samuel smiled and cut in, "I'm a contractor at construction sites. I build houses for people." Abigail showed no sign of disdain or rejection toward his work. Instead, she pulled a small lucky charm from her bag and handed it to Samuel. "Construction sites are dangerous. I picked this up some time before, and it's supposed to keep you safe." Samuel hadn't expected her to bring him a gift. Something flickered across his expression, and it took him several seconds before he reached out to accept it. "Thank you." The second brother, Adrian, entered last. He looked like he had a bad temper as his expression was cold and distant. He gave off an air that kept people at arm's length. Without waiting for Yvonne to speak, he walked straight to Abigail. "Roll up your pants. Aren't you worried about getting an infection? Why'd you leave a wound untreated for so long?" Abigail had forgotten about her leg injury until he mentioned it. As she rolled up her pant leg, she narrowed her eyes. "How did you know I've been hurt for a while?" The room fell momentarily quiet. This brat was pretty sharp. If she found out they had come to get her but stayed hidden to observe her attitude, she'd probably be angry. Samuel quickly kicked him, but Adrian's expression didn't change. "Why are you kicking me? The blood hasn't dried, but it has already scabbed over and the area is swollen. Isn't it obvious? Have you been playing rich girl with the Newmans for so long that you've lost all common sense?" While talking, his hands never stopped moving. He pulled the medicine from his work overalls like a magician and personally tended to her wound. His technique was skilled and had its own style. Abigail barely felt any pain before Adrian had her wound properly bandaged so securely that even the knot was hidden. Those old researchers in the lab knew this trick too, but none could bandage as well as Adrian. Samuel explained, "He's a factory worker at a pharmaceutical plant. He has a bad temper, so don't take it personally." Abigail was studying his bandaging technique when she shook her head generously in response. She smiled at Adrian. "I don't mind at all. Your technique is excellent, Adrian. Could you teach me?" Adrian stiffened. "What's worth learning about this?" "I don't know how, so I need to learn," she replied, pulling a small medicine bottle from her bag and handing it to Adrian. "Work is exhausting, so make sure you rest too. I made these energizing pills myself. You can take them when you need a boost." Adrian didn't want to accept it, but Samuel pushed him, so he reluctantly took the bottle and rolled it between his fingers. The other family members shot Adrian envious looks. He was the only one who'd gotten a handmade gift, and he still wasn't satisfied!