The Culprit

After the mess caused by Nathan at noon, I was starved. That small cake couldn't fill up my stomach. I dined with the Smith family for the first time, but I had to sit in a corner where only the salad was within my reach.  Alas... I began to miss Carroll. "Kelly, how was your life in the Brown family over these past few days? I heard that you lived in that spacious and fancy villa alone?" Speaking, Madonna sent a lobster to Odette. Odette had a sweet smile on her face. "Sis, aren't you afraid when you guard the coffin? Why don't you move back here?" Hearing this, Madden, who was taking a bowl of soup from the servant, instantly turned cold. "Carroll hasn't been buried yet. Won't people laugh at me if she comes home?" Odette put down her knife and fork and then pouted. "Daddy, it's scary to guard a coffin. Look at my poor sister! We should take her home and let her have a good rest." "Odette is right. Nobody but their family will care about the children. Let others laugh. We can't let Kelly guard that coffin for her whole life." Madonna chimed in with Odette.  I would be fooled and feel grateful to Madonna and Odette if I didn't know that Odette was a hypocrite and that necklace from Madonna was fake.  The soup was served, and the servant stopped by Abdi now. "Madonna, you don't know much about business. We'll talk about it after the funeral is over." Abdi drank the soup when looking at Odette dotingly. "Little girl, don't get involved in the business of the adults." Odette gave in and said, "Well, let her stay with us for two days, okay? I have a lot of things to tell Kelly. Daddy and Mommy, please." "Okay. Let her keep you company for two days." Boodie nodded slightly. "I've get her room ready," Madonna said. After Opal took his soup, the servant left.  Nobody cared about my opinion or stomach.  What were these people doing here? Tilting my head, I sent some salad into my mouth.  It was tasteless.  Apart from me, the crowd had a good chat. It seemed they cared about Odette's study more than me.  Then, I realized that I was a tool to witness the harmony of the Smith family.  In the blink of an eye, I had eaten most of the salad in front of me. Opal stopped eating after one glance at me. "Did you have nothing to eat?" I reflected for a while and then concluded that I didn't make a mistake in my table manner. "Oh, Opal," Odette said coquettishly. "Don't blame her. There must be no salad in the countryside." "How ridiculous that you ate so much salad..." Opal rolled his eyes. Well, I didn't want to be an eyesore here. "I'm full." I put down my knife and stood up. "Lora, take her to her room." Opal sounded as if he wanted me to leave as soon as possible. The servant who had just served the soup came over and said, "This way, please." "Oh, thank you." I followed the servant to walk outside. Madden said behind me, "Ill-bred. The memorial tablet of your mother is on the first floor. Remember to pay your respect." "Got you." Ill-bred? The contempt in your eyes? I shrugged and followed the servant upstairs. The villa had three stories and an attic. The place I would spend the night was a small room in the attic.  There was a single bed, a nightstand, and a small wardrobe. That was all. Compared with the room Carroll had prepared for me, this room was terrible.  I missed Carroll again.  "This is your room, Miss," Lora said and then closed the door. One could learn of his status in one place through the attitude of the servants there.  Never mind. Tomorrow would come soon.  I lay on the bed. I planned to pay my respect to my dead mother after the meal was over.  Bored, I took out my mobile phone and found two news messages. Jason: "Madam, is everything going well?" Carroll: "Are you full?" I: "No. The food here is not as delicious as that in your place..." I soon fell asleep. The reason might be the farce this afternoon. When I opened my eyes, it was midnight.  My heart skipped a beat. I hadn't paid my respects to my mother yet. This place wasn't so big as Bamboo Pavilion, but I was new there.  After one search on the first floor, I couldn't find the memorial tablet of my mother.  "Mommy, do you think she will sign the agreement?" It was Odette's voice. I couldn't help but slow down. Madonna combed Odette's hair considerately. "She will have to. Your daddy has plenty of ways to make her do so." "I don't like Kelly. It seems she cares about nothing no matter how we stimulate or ignore her." "Mommy." Odette looked worried. "I won't have a decent dowery without the legacy Grandpa left her. Without a decent dowery, how can I marry into one of the top four families?" "When did your grandpa leave her legacy?" Madonna patted Odette on the shoulder with a sneer. "You're the only girl in the Smith family, so Grandpa left you the legacy." This conversation, I overheard, shocked me.  The legacy that Carroll had mentioned did exist! Their kindness was part of their scheme to take the legacy away from me "What are you doing?" Opal, in silk pajamas, appeared, rubbing his sleepy eyes. "Shh." I made a gesture to silence Opal and then pushed him to the dining room. "I want to pay respect to Mother." "It's already midnight. You didn't remember that till now, did you?" "Opal, I know now. You do hate me." I spread out my hands. Then, I noticed a compartment like a storage room in the dining room because of the red light flickering in the crack. The memorial tablet of my mother must be there.  "If it weren't for you, Mom wouldn't have died in the fire." Opal pushed open the door of the room angrily. I stroked my mother's memorial tablet and said, "So, I had a mother." "Back then, Mom was pregnant with you. She was in poor health, and abortion was a good choice. However, she refused. She was too weak to run for her life after she gave birth to you." Opal tidied up the offerings on the table. After the speech, he looked sad.  Opal was three years older than me. When my mother passed away, he was in the period needing a mother most.  I opened my mouth but couldn't say anything to comfort him.  That was why the Smith family didn't like me. They considered me the culprit of killing Mother. After a sigh, I walked out of the room. "Where are you going?" Opal came after me.