Chapter 6

Early the following morning, Kendall sent someone over with a gift box. Isabel opened it to see an expensive diamond-studded watch inside. There was a card with it, and a short message was written on it. "Congratulations on your dreams coming true, Winnie. Love, Isabel." She smiled bitterly. Kendall had truly thought of everything. Still, she wondered whether his thoughtfulness was for her or Winifred. … When Isabel arrived at the hotel, there was already laughter and chatter coming from the private room. She placed a hand on the doorknob, unsure whether to enter. She knew the cheery atmosphere would die the moment she went inside—no one wanted her around. But if she didn't go in, the Courts and Kendall would verbally assault her, calling her an impudent ingrate. As she hesitated, she heard a glass shatter. Through the glass window, she saw Winifred pouting, her bright smile from earlier missing. Linda instantly noticed the change in her mood and asked, "What's wrong, Winnie?" "It's no big deal—just that Isabel's research has delivered results. Everyone's saying that it's a breakthrough discovery, and they're congratulating her in our group chat," Winifred replied. Gordon's smile faded. Felix found that hard to believe and took Winifred's phone to scroll through the conversation. The candidates selected for direct admission to the graduate program had just been announced that day, and everyone had been congratulating Winifred. Yet someone had sent a message on the success of Isabel's research. Everyone had immediately turned and started singing her praises, saying she was a genius in scientific research and deserved a spot in the graduate program more than anyone else did. Winifred's thunder was stolen. Felix slammed the table in anger. "I bet Isabel did this on purpose! She deliberately released the news on her research results today to put Winnie in a tough spot!" Linda was also simmering. "She keeps doing these things to catch attention! Just because we won't give her what she wants, she tries to get it from her classmates. She's so wicked!" Gordon pulled out his phone to call Isabel. "I don't know what she's so smug about when everything she has was stolen from Winnie! I'm calling her over right now!" An idea popped into Felix's mind when he heard Gordon's words. He grabbed his father's hand to stop him and said mysteriously, "There's no point calling her over here, Dad. You know how shameless she is—nothing we do will affect her. I have a good idea that can show her not to be so smug anymore, though." "What is it?" the Courts asked in unison. "It's just some research, right? Who cares who did it? We can just say Winnie did it. Then, she'll be the one being called a genius in scientific research. Maybe she'll even get a PhD offer!" Felix said. Winifred stood up, her earlier frustration replaced with delight. "You always come up with the best ideas, Felix!" Gordon and Linda nodded in approval. "You're right. Everything that Isabel has now is supposed to be Winnie's, anyway. We raised her for 11 years. So what if we want her to give Winnie the results of some dumb research?" Felix wanted to put his plan into action immediately after receiving the green light from his family, but he knew Isabel would never agree to do it if he spoke to her. They'd never been on good terms, after all. And so, he turned to Kendall. "What do you think, Kendall?" Outside the room, Isabel felt her blood run cold. Her hands trembled uncontrollably, and she clamped a hand over her mouth as she tried to keep her sobs at bay. Despite knowing that the Courts didn't care about her, she still felt anguished to hear them plotting against her and forming plans to ruin her from within. She tried her best to keep herself from fleeing as she waited for Kendall's response with a racing heart. Would he agree? After a brief silence, she heard him say deeply, "I think it's a good idea. I'll speak to Isabel and tell her to hand over her research results to Winnie."