Chapter 1426


    As the waitress brought in the drinks, Serena hardly noticed any difference between Arabe‘s ss


    and the others.


    Arabe remained silent, deep in thought, which only made Serena more uneasy.


    The atmosphere grew awkward, and Serena tried to break the tension with a nervousugh. "Be, no


    matter how much our family gives you, it''s yours by right. You''re a part of this household” she said, her


    voice edging towards sincerity. "On the other hand, I''m not rted by blood, so every gift, every token


    of appreciation I receive is a stroke of fuck, a blessing. I''m too grateful to ever resent you for having


    more, or better. How could 1?"


    Perhaps sensing disbelief in the room, Serena added gently, "For the past eighteen years, the Collins


    family has been nothing but kind to me. Their love has moved me beyond words. I''ve received more


    warmth and happiness than I could ever im as my own. I''m content."


    "Really?"


    Arabe''s response prompted Serena to nod emphatically. "Absolutely."


    "Then let''s toast," Arabe said, standing up and pushing her suspicious lemonade towards Serena.


    "Sharing my drink with you symbolizes that from now on, in this family, I''ll always think of you, my


    sister, and share everything with you. Even if it''s just a ss of water, I''ll make sure you''re taken care


    of"


    "Be” Serena felt a rush of panic.


    Arabe poured herself a new drink and clinked it against the problematic ss on the table. "Here''s to


    you," she said, and without hesitation, downed her lemonade in one go.


    Serena''s face twisted in distress. Did Arabe realize something was wrong with the drink and was


    deliberately letting her have it?


    Impossible. Martha had assured her the drug was colorless, tasteless, undetectable even to the divine.


    Was Arabe just naturally suspicious, or was she genuinely trying to make amends?


    But she couldn''t drink that lemonade. If she did, she''d be the one to suffer.


    Arabe turned her empty ss upside down as if to show she''d finished, signaling it was Serena''s


    turn.


    "You always take care of me, even willing to give up your drink for me,"


    Serena said, reaching for her own ss.


    But Arabe intercepted, picking up the tainted ss and pressing it to Serena''s lips. "If I''m giving it to


    you, it''s because you deserve to be my sister.


    If you refuse, does that mean you don''t see me as family?"


    Serena had never seen Arabe y such a cunning game and frantically tried to exin, "You''ve got


    it all wrong.


    "Just drink it, Arabe interrupted. "It''s getting cold, and I wouldn''t want you to have a stomachache.


    That would weigh on my conscience."


    Arabe''s insistence left Serena cornered.


    Eunice, watching from the side, sensed something was amiss. Although she didn''t believe Serena


    capable of poisoning the drink, Arabe wasn''t one to be so pushy without reason.


    There must be something wrong with that ss, which was why Arabe was insistent on Serena


    drinking it.


    "Serena, if it''s a gesture from your sister, you should ept it," Eunice prodded, curious to see if there


    was truly something amiss with the lemonade.


    "But Aunt Eunice. As the younger sister, I really shouldn''t bepeting with her, even over a ss of


    water."


    The truth was, drinking it could spell disaster for her.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    "By offering it to you, she''s showing she epts you as family, willing to share her fortunes and face


    hardships together. If you don''t drink, does that mean all your earlier words were just empty


    pleasantries?"


    Hearing Eunice''s words, Serena felt tears welling up. "Of course not."


    Bard, standing off to the side, observed his wife''s strange behavior. Could there really be something


    wrong with the water?