The Unlucky Turn by Mark Twain 105
Josiah didn’t respond, and the car fell into silence. After a long while, he spoke again. “Calling you back this time isn’t to make things difficult for you.”
“Then what is it for?”
“Dad wants to talk to you… about Callahan Langley.”
Leilani’s eyes turned cold. “My business with him is none of your concern.”
Josiah sighed, his tone actually carrying a hint of advice. “Leilani, a family like the Langleys isn’t one you can climb into. He might be interested in you now, but the Langleys won’t accept a daughter
who’s been to prison. You can have
to prison. You can have your fun with him, but
don’t fall too deep. You’ll be the one who gets hurt in the end.”
Ich bit.
After listening, Leilani suddenly laughed, though the smile didn’t reach her eyes. Sure enough. She knew Josiah and the rest of the Sloans hadn’t changed a bit. They were always posturing like this, and their hypocrisy was nauseating.
“Josiah, since when did you care about me?”
“I am still your brother,” Josiah frowned. “Besides, I just don’t want to see you humiliate yourself.”
“Humiliate myself?” Leilani scoffed. “When you pushed me out to take the fall back then, did you ever stop to think if I would be ‘humiliating myself”?”
Josiah’s face changed slightly, clearly stung by the truth. “Leilani, the past is the past. What’s the point of holding onto it now?”
“There is a point.” Leilani’s lips curled into a mocking arc. “At least it lets me see clearly just how fake you are.”
Josiah was rendered speechless by her retort. In the end, he could only keep driving with a dark expression. Silence descended on the car again, leaving only the hum of the engine.
Leilani looked out the window, a glint of coldness in her eyes. She wanted to see what kind of show the Sloans were trying to put on this time.
As soon as Leilani stepped through the front door of the Sloan villa, she was met with her father Hackett’s gloomy face.
“You know how to come back?” Hackett snorted coldly, scanning her with sharp eyes, as if assessing a product for sale.
+
Leilani hooked her lips, but her eyes held no mirth. “Didn’t you call me back? Should I leave
now?”
She really didn’t know what was going on in their heads. They finally got her to come
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back, only to try and act tough in front of her. Were they really not afraid she’d get angry and just walk out? Or were they just confident?
Hackett frowned, clearly displeased with her attitude, but he quickly suppressed his anger and put on a “for your own good” facade.
“Since you’re back, listen well.” His tone was forceful and brooked no argument. “I’ve arranged a marriage for you. Padgett of the Lambert family. You meet him next week.”
Padgett Lambert?
Leilani’s eyes went cold. She had heard that name. The only son of the real estate tycoon Lambert family. He was a notorious playboy who used his family’s money to act lawlessly. Who in their circle didn’t know what kind of trash he was?
“Hah.” She couldn’t help but laugh out loud, her eyes mocking. “What, have the Sloans stooped so low they need to sell off their daughter?”
Hackett’s face changed drastically, and he slammed his hand on the table. “What kind of attitude is that! The Lamberts aren’t bad. The fact that they don’t mind you’ve been to prison is already good enough, and you’re being picky? Every time you come back, you give us a sour face. If you were sensible and obedient like Tamara, wouldn’t we treat you well? And no matter what, we are your biological parents. Would we harm you?”
Leilani looked at him coldly and enunciated every word. “Who was it that sent me to prison?”
And he had the nerve to say they wouldn’t harm her?
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Cedella
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.