"Don't worry, mom!" Lina said, "He's coming to our house, and there's no other room for him, so he'll sleep on the living room floor!"

"Well..." Melissa said, gritting her teeth, "And don't expect me to show him any kindness!"

Lina's heart lurched, and she hugged her mother to gently pat her back.

"Mom, actually... he has his strengths," she said with a smile. Yet tears were streaming down her face as she tried to say only positive things, "Look at how sturdy and reliable he looks! We'll feel safe at home! If you can't stand him, just treat him as a guard I invited.

"With him guarding the entrance, Violet won't dare cause trouble!"

Melissa's tears turned into a smile as she nodded at Lina's words, letting out a helpless sigh.

That night, the whole family went to sleep except for Melissa, who could not fall asleep. She sat by Lina's side, gently stroking her hair.

20 years had passed like a fleeting moment, but it still felt like it happened just yesterday to her.

At that time...

Melissa and Jesse had been married for years but hadn't had children yet. They had taken a boat to Centrolis, seeking medical advice and remedies. On the boat ride back, they saw a man sitting next to them holding this little girl.

The girl was about one year old, exquisitely beautiful, and adorable.

Melissa loved children, especially such a beautiful and cute little girl. She could not take her eyes off the girl and wished she could take out all the snacks from her bag to give them to her.

The man sitting beside them was vigilant and took the child to the deck. Melissa followed persistently, trying to get closer to the man just to spend more time with the child.

There were two more piers in the coastal area between Centrolis and Jangasas, and the boat made a stop. While waiting for passengers to board the boat, Melissa finally took the opportunity to carry this delicate and endearing little girl from the man's tired hands.

The man said he wanted to smoke and asked her to take care of the child.

Jesse and Melissa were overjoyed and did not know how to express their affection toward her. The snacks in their bags were all gone, and the little girl had started crying. They saw that the ship had not sailed yet, so they quickly took her off it to buy her some delicious food.

It was during that time that the ship left. Later, they heard that the ship encountered a storm, and almost all the passengers on board perished, with only a few survivors.

Melissa's eyes moistened slightly upon thinking of those things. She always felt that she and Jesse had been able to escape that disaster because of Lina.

It was as if fate had sent this child to them.

Back then, out of selfishness and a sense of luck, however, they thought that the child's family had perished in the disaster, so they did not tell anyone about her true identity.

They introduced her as their daughter to everyone they met and thought she brought endless blessings and lasting affection.

Soon after, they had their own son, Dave. Later, Jesse set up a stall and earned a good amount of money. He even acquired a small supermarket, and their lives became comfortable.

They became even more convinced that Lina brought on all the good luck they experienced. They treated her as their own, even better than Dave.

However, as time passed, neighbors always loved to gossip, saying that Lina looked nothing like their family. They would say that Jesse and Melissa were just regular people, so how could pheasants like them raise a swan like her?

Melissa shook her head and sighed.

She never argued with those neighbors, but the matter became her own burden.

In recent years, she had even started to worry. What if Lina still had other family members? What if her own family found her? What would she do then?

Melissa's heart clenched, and she gently lay beside her daughter, just like the countless sleepless nights when she took care of her. She watched her quietly, holding back tears and smiling tenderly.

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