EuropeNovelYvonne transferred the money in record time. By the tAlessia received the notification, the sun was just
beginning to dip behind the rooftops, and she had finally managed to track down the Morton family.
It wasn’t that Alessia couldn’t handle a GPS-she could. But the Mortons lived in a tucked-away corner of the city,
surrounded by rows of weather-beaten apartment blocks, the kind that had clearly seen better decades.-
As she rolled her suitcase through the narrow streets, Alessia passed a few shirtless guys loitering at the corner,
cigarettes dangling from their lips. They whistled at her, but she didn’t spare them a glance, just kept her head
down and moved on, checking each building one by one. Alessia had always been wary of strangers, so she
never considered asking anyone for directions; that stubborn independence cost her sextra time.
The structure hunched under centuries of neglect, its windows framed in corroded lace. Sunlight dared not cross
the threshold; inside, the dark sat thick and patient.
It was hard to imagine the Mortons-once a wealthy family-now living here, in such shabby surroundings. Once
upon a time, their daughter had wanted for nothing, but now, stripped of all privilege, it was no wonder she was
desperate to reclaim her place.
Shaking off these thoughts, Alessia climbed the steps. The main gate was so old it barely functioned as a barrier;
anyone could cand go. The hallway was lined with all sorts of junk, and the air was thick with the sour smell
of spoiling food.
Alessia wrinkled her nose, frowning in distaste.
The Mortons’ apartment was at the far end of the second floor. For all their misfortune, the family still held onto
sdignity-their doorway was spotless, a sharp contrast to the mess outside.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtAfter double-checking the apartment number, Alessia lifted her hand to knock just as the door swung open from
the inside. She reacted quickly, stepping aside before the door could hit her.
A head poked out, startled to find someone standing there.
“Sorry, are you alright?” The voice was calm and gentle, with a warmth that put Alessia at ease.
“I'm fine. | was just about to knock.”
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Chapter 4
“Who are you here to see?” He opened the door wider, and in the dim hallway light, Alessia finally saw his face
clearly.
He was tall-at least six foot two-and had to duck slightly to avoid hitting his head on the doorframe. His features
were soft and non-threatening, and even in the yellowish light, his skin seemed almost translucent. The crisp
white shirt he
wore probably his uniform from the bistro-looked especially sharp on his broad shoulders and slim waist. He was
the kind of person who'd stand out in any crowd.
“Heading out?” Alessia asked, turning the question back on him.
“Yeah, I'm off to my part-tjob,” he replied, his tone easygoing.
“Well, I'll cut to the chase. I'm probably your sister-biologically speaking.” Alessia’s words were sincere, but the
abruptness caught him off guard.
“What?” Zachary Morton stared at her in shock.
Before he could say anything else, a woman's voice called from inside the apartment, “Zachary, you're still here?
Don’t forget to pick up your medication before you go!”
Both Alessia and Zachary turned toward the sound.
« ” a
Mom,” Zachary called back. Alessia
2 )
found herself meeting the woman's
gaze-a womandn a&fulé-dress and
arn, Ber Fair streaked with silver,
yet carrying herself with
unmistakable grace. The content is
on novelenglish.net! Read the latest
chapter there!
“Hello,” Alessia greeted her first.
«
Hello, sweetheart. Who are you
. )
looking for? It's not Vis saje afeand
a 5 ”
here at oy areyould your own?
The Woman wiped her hands on her
apron, her voice full of concern. The
content is on novelenglish.net! Read
the latest chapter there!
“Uh... lleana-no, | mean, she goes by Illeana now. Didn't she mention anything to you?” Alessia hadn't expected
the encounter to unfold quite like this.
“lleana?” At the mention of the name, both mother and son exchanged a look tinged with disappointment.
I : . ,
To put it simply, I'm probably your
biological daughter. We were om
switched at bi rth. She's Yohe back to
her Am, So it makes sense for me
to move out. The rest... can we talk
] 3 M 3
inside?” The content is on
novelenglish.net! Read the latest
chapter there!
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