Chapter 8 The Cruel Reality With this in mind, a cold glint flashed in Maggie's eyes. After stealing her jade pendant and assuming her identity, Vanessa enjoyed the love of the Adams while colluding with Joseph to plot against them. In this life, she would not let Vanessa's schemes succeed! Bringing herself back to reality, Maggie dialed Leo Caleb's number on her phone. "Leo, do you know any experts who can customize jade pendants? I want to order one." The Calebs were the wealthiest family in Aquapolis. Although Leo was the illegitimate son of the Calebs, his status allowed him to maintain good relationships with both the affluent and the commoners. "Sendthe quality, style, and color of the jade you want." A warm male voice cfrom the other end, a voice she hadn't heard in a long time, causing Maggie to feel somewhat dizzy. After a long silence, Leo spoke again, "Maggie?" "It's nothing. Just...hearing your voice feels good." What happened to Leo in her previous life? In her previous life, after discovering her relationship with Nathael, Leo had always been against him. Even though he was no match for Nathael, he still caused a lot of trouble for him, leading to a tense relationship between the two. Later, when she becblind and her face disfigured, Leo wanted to take her away, but Nathael insisted on marrying her and refused to let her go. The feud between the two deepened, and in the end, Leo died in a car accident on the day of her wedding to Nathael. Because of this, she blamed all the faults on Nathael, and her hatred for him increased to the point where it was impossible to erase. "Did someone bully you?" Sensing something was wrong, Leo extinguished the cigarette in his hand, stood up, and walked out of the private room, finding a quiet and open terrace. “No, it's just that I suddenly realized that the truth...is always cruel. So cruel that...sometimes I feel unbearable." Maggie had so much she wanted to say, but she didn't know where to start. Fortunately, besides the despicable people like Joseph, Sierra, and Vanessa, she also had loyal friends like Leo and Mia Gatlin. Leo frowned. "What happened, Maggie?" Maggie remained silent momentarily, then said softly, “I just found out that the Camerons' so-called kindness towardswas a calculated deception from the beginning." She didn't say much, but she believed that Leo would understand. After ending the call, Maggie stared blankly at the night sky for a long time. In her previous life, she had aided the tyrant, killed her own family, and was used and betrayed by the Camerons, whom she trusted the most. What about Nathael? Was he afraid she couldn't bear the cruelty of the truth, worried that she would live the rest of her life in endless regret and resentment, so he never explained? He would rather be the one she hated, carefully protecting her feelings and weaving a beautiful dream. "Fool," Maggie said softly, her eyes slightly moistened. After a while, she found Nathael's number and sent him a message: "Don't let the wound get wet. Change the dressing on time." Nathael, who was dealing with documents, looked at the content of the message and remained silent for a long tuntil Alex brought several new contracts. “Sir, the files that Ms. Adam copied from your computer..." Alex didn't finish his sentence. After all, Nathael always treated Maggie differently. But if Maggie handed those things over to the Camerons, it would also be a significant loss for them. Nathael lowered his eyes, involuntarily thinking of her dressing his wound. After a while, he said deeply, "Prepare for both possibilities." "Yes." * A week later, it was the birthday banquet of the master of the Adams. Maggie received an invitation from Leo and arrived early. In her previous life, she was still consumed by the emotions of losing her virginity to Nathael and didn't attend the event. However, she remembered that it was during the banquet that the Adams publicly announced Vanessa as the young lady of the Adams and revealed to everyone that she was the long-lost daughter of the Adams couple. “Vanessa, do you want to impersonateand harm my family?" "Dream on!" The banquet took place at the top international hotel in Aquapolis. The luxurious European-style decorations added an air of grandeur and magnificence to the event. When Maggie arrived, there were already many guests in the venue. They were engaged in conversations in groups, creating a lively atmosphere. She discreetly searched for Vanessa in the crowd and soon spotted a woman in a white dress, holding a wine glass in one hand and chatting with others with a smile. Maggie's almond eyes turned slightly cold. "Tsk, just as I suspected, she cfully prepared and went all in." Vanessa lost her mother at a young age. Her father was an alcoholic and her family was in dire straits. To fit into the circle of the wealthy, she held several jobs and often bought discounted designer items to make herself appear as if she cfrom a well-off family. Look at her now, wearing the latest dress from a luxurious brand and exquisite jewelry that made her look elegant and tasteful. Maggie casually picked up a glass of champagne and downed it in one gulp. After placing the glass back on the tray, she walked towards Vanessa. "Vanessa, I heard that you are the long-lost daughter of the Adams. Is that true?" Someone who had a good relationship with Vanessa couldn't help but ask. Everyone knew that today was Master Adam's birthday banquet, but many had heard the rumors. Vanessa didn't deny it. She smiled and said, "I didn't expect it either." Upon hearing this, someone immediately started to flatter her, "You've always been outstanding and extraordinary. I didn't expect you to be the daughter of the Adams. No wonder you excel in everything!" "Yes, when you return to the Adams, don't forget about us." Vanessa's face was full of smiles. She was in a good mood. "Of course, no matter what, we are friends." Upon hearing this, their smiles deepened. One of them inquired, "By the way, why hasn't Maggie come? This is such a joyful occasion for you to find your biological parents. Why isn't she here?" Vanessa sighed, her expression turning somber. "Perhaps it's because of our different social statuses now. She used to be the daughter of the Adams's maid, and now that I have becthe young lady of the Adams, she ... might feel uneasy." "That's ... How could she act this way?" "But it's true. She was born to a maid and was simply lucky to be taken in by the Camerons. How can she be compared to Vanessa, a true lady?" Vanessa looked downcast. "I don't mind, but I didn't expect her to mind it. It's only natural for her to be envious. After all, she's arrogant but inferior toin every aspect. Even her only identity is..." Someone interjected, "But she shouldn't treat her old friends like this. Speaking of which, since her mother was a maid in the Adams, why not have her serve as your maid in the future? It would be like a mother, like a daughter. She wouldn't be at a disadvantage."