Chapter 383
Irene Arrives.
Irene clutched the documents from the private investigator.
She had found Isabella's current address.
It was a villa in a neighboring city.
She stood outside the wrought iron gate.
She looked up at the building.
The community appeared ordinary from the outside.
But inside was a different world.
She never thought, after ending up in such a backwater place.
Isabella could still afford to live in a villa.
A cold smile curled Irene's lips.
Her younger sister.
Had always been impossibly lucky since childhood.
Even on a casual trip to a temple.
An old monk would approach her unsolicited, proclaiming her destiny was one of great fortune.
While Irene was always overlooked.
Wherever Isabella was present.
Irene became part of the background.
Irene walked through the meticulously maintained garden.
She reached the main door.
She pressed the doorbell.
David Sullivan answered the door.
He was in the middle of preparing dumplings for the elderly couple.
He had just finished kneading the dough.
When the doorbell rang.
He opened the door.
He saw a woman dressed in luxurious clothes.
She stood outside with a haughty expression.
"Who are you looking for?"
Irene scrutinized the man before her.
His height was acceptable.
His features were regular.
But his clothes were rustic.
Utterly lacking in taste.
"You are David Sullivan?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes. Who are you looking for?"
Irene sneered inwardly.
Isabella actually married a man like this.
David felt her assessing gaze.
It was filled with obvious picky.
It made him very uncomfortable.
He was about to ask again.
Isabella's voice came from behind him—
"Sister?"
…
In the living room.
Irene sat on the sofa.
Isabella handed her a glass of warm water.
"I remember you don't like coffee or tea."
Before coming, Irene had imagined many possibilities.
Over twenty years of displacement.
Life should have worn away Isabella's radiance.
Perhaps she was alone.
Aged and haggard.
Perhaps she married just anyone.
Had children.
Her figure ruined.
Without the nourishment of money.
Her beauty faded.
But the Isabella before her.
Looked just like she remembered.
Not a single trace of life's hardships.
Still naive and stupid.
The way she looked at her was exactly the same as before.
Did that mean…
She still hadn't remembered those things?
The documents said Isabella had amnesia.
Ended up in the neighboring city.
Amnesia…
Irene took a deep breath.
Her anxious heart suddenly settled.
She asked with a smile, "How have you been all these years? Mom, Dad, and I searched for you like crazy."
Isabella smiled. "I've been well. You haven't changed at all, sister."
"I still remember the day you disappeared, the weather was beautiful, we were shopping together…"
Irene tentatively brought up the past.
Seeing Isabella's blank expression.
She was completely reassured.
"Mom and Dad thought you were kidnapped and taken abroad. They searched for decades overseas, only recently returning to the country. They just got news of you…"
Speaking emotionally.
Tears welled in her eyes.
Isabella felt a pang of sadness.
Yesterday, the elderly couple had spoken of the past.
But only glossed over the hardships lightly.
This was the first time she heard the details.
The extent of their efforts.
Was beyond calculation…
Irene saw her eyes moisten.
She changed the subject.
She talked about Isabella's favorite stamps and candy boxes.
"I still remember, when we went to Grandma's house, you always saved the prettiest candy for me. In comparison, I've been a failure as an older sister. Not only did I lose you, but I also found you so late."
Irene gave a bitter smile.
She looked full of self-reproach and sorrow.
Isabella had no memory of the disappearance.
But she couldn't remain indifferent to Irene's guilt.
"It's alright, sister. We're reunited now. It wasn't your fault…"
Being able to see her family again.
Was already the best outcome.
Just as Isabella was softly comforting her.
The elderly couple came downstairs.
Seeing Irene.
Florence was taken aback.
She instantly frowned—
"What are you doing here?"
Irene quickly stood up. "Dad. Mom."
The old gentleman didn't speak.
The old lady went straight to Isabella's side.
She shielded her daughter.
Isabella was puzzled. "Mom?"
Irene's eyes darkened.
But she quickly raised a smile again. "I heard you found my sister, so I rushed over from Kyoto. I didn't expect you to be living here…"
Isabella said, "Sister just told me many things about the past."
"Really? What did she say?" The old lady's face showed a smile.
Isabella said, "She talked about how we used to fight over candy at Grandma's house…"
The old lady listened.
Her heart felt warm.
Her eyes held a smile.
But out of the corner of her eye, she saw Irene with her eyes downcast.
Her expression was unreadable.
She couldn't help feeling uneasy again.
For some reason.
She always had misgivings about Irene.
It was an intuition.
And her intuition was never wrong.
But she had no evidence now.
She could only suppress it.