The Billionaire's True Heiress From Fake Jewel to Real Crown novel Chapter 15

“Claire has never had to struggle a day in her life. She’s always had maids around, taking care of everything. She never had to lift a finger. Pandora, just look at her hands. They’re so soft and fair. In our family, she’s never touched a thing.”

Pandora didn’t even have to check. She already knew Claire had grown up with every comfort the James family could offer. There was no point arguing with Octavia.

But Patti wasn’t having it.

“Octavia, the way you say that makes it sound like Cindy was mistreated out here in the country.”

“It’s true we didn’t have maids to wait on her, but Cindy wasn’t like the other village kids. She’s always been delicate, fainting over nothing. No one ever made her do chores or farm work.”

“Look at the hands of the girls around here, then look at Cindy’s.”

Patti pointed to a little girl from the James family, two years younger than Cindy. The girl held out her hands. They were rough, with tiny scars and scratches. But when you glanced at Cindy’s, they were smooth and pale, not a blemish in sight. You’d never guess she grew up in the countryside.

Cindy quickly pulled her hands back. “Patti, Mom didn’t mean it like that…”

Pearce’s mother used to just think Cindy was sickly, but now she was starting to get annoyed by the way Cindy always spoke half-truths, never saying what she really meant.

“Patti’s just pointing out that Grandma was actually very good to you. There’s nothing else behind it,” Claire chimed in, backing Patti up.

Cindy fell silent. Her big eyes shimmered with innocence, like she was the victim and everyone was ganging up on her.

Claire honestly couldn’t be bothered to deal with her.

After dinner, Pandora took Cindy and her family back to the house to pack her things.

Octavia had always been a bit sharper than Cindy. As soon as she stepped inside the James estate, she could tell everything was top quality. Still, she kept her nose in the air, thinking the James family was just clinging to the glory of the past, using old antiques to keep up appearances.

“Cindy, I don’t see anything here worth taking. There’s nothing for you to pack. Just leave the gifts for your grandma and let’s go,” Octavia said, looking down on everything as if it was beneath her. She definitely didn’t want her daughter taking anything that screamed “country.”

“Sort out your things yourself. I’ll wait for you outside.”

She couldn’t believe her daughter was so attached to something so worn out. She reached over to snatch it away, but the pillow slipped and dropped to the floor.

It rolled to a stop at Claire’s feet. She looked up at Pandora, unsure what to do.

Pandora’s face had turned stormy.

Claire picked up the pillow and immediately noticed something strange. It was much heavier than she expected for such a small pillow, and there was a unique scent coming from it…

“This pillow is old, and your mom doesn’t like it. Just leave it,” Pandora said.

Cindy didn’t dare argue anymore.

Octavia’s eyes narrowed when she noticed Cindy holding a small wooden box as well. “And what’s that you’ve got there?”