Pampered by my three brothers: the return of the neglected heiress

198 Petty vs Pretty.

On their way home, Jessa and Allison were quiet in the backseat.

"That's it!" Jessa broke the silence when she couldn't take it anymore. "Say it."

She faced Allison, who had been giving her these looks since they sat in the car.

She

"Uhm." Allison cleared her throat, a bit intimidated that Jessa might just grab her hair. No one could fault her. Jessa really gave that energy. "Thank you."

"I thought you were going to say, "You didn't have to do that."

"I was planning to, but I thought you'd get angry if I did."

"Hmp! At least you know. Jessa folded her arms. "By the way, is that how you let people treat you? That's so pathetic."1

"No."

Jessa arched a brow. "But you let that woman talk to you that way?"

"What else can I say? Nina was in the wrong," Allison sighed. "I would've said something, but it's... it's the truth. No matter how harsh it is, it is the truth."

Bitterness shone in Allison's eyes as she thought of the exchange between her and Mrs. Miller. "No one can deny the truth. Nina framed not just anyone, but her best friend. Even if it's something else, it's still a horrible thing to do. And as the person who raised her, I am ashamed of myself.

Jessa bit her tongue and stopped herself from saying anything further. "Well: She shrugged. "What else can I say?"

"But even so, thank you for standing up for me. You weren't obliged, nor it is something you! should've stepped in, but you did, Allison expressed sincerely, smiling despite the bitterness in her heart. "And I also want to apologize about how I judged you before."

"Oh?"

thought you were a

her eyes, not a bit affected by Allison's gentle coaxing. "Forgiven, but just because you asked to be

Jessa, Allison pressed her lips into a thin line. "Mrs. Cortez, I know you might get angry at me, Nina

but how

she had done, I might be disappointed, but I can't help it,' she added with a sigh. "Nina is still my

good. Better I

letting her

"She's no longer the nrinness who hncces ne amund

13:10:

LO

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198 Petty vs Pretty.

"She does that?"

know the half of it." Jessa shook her head, thinking of the stressful days in their household. That little brat is probably the reason

"I'm telling you about

to protect her from anything even from the other daughter in my heart. But at the same time, I want nothing but the best for Nina.

Allison might be annoyingly weak, but

entire situation was complicated entirely, as none of them wanted this

only hope that what they

it happened and sadly."

she reminds me of that woman - her real mother. But I can't also blame the child. You spoiled her and all her life, she thinks

th

her eyes on the window. "But with enough slaps from reality, we'd also wake up and accept the harsh truth. Nina is still young, a new teen at that. Her

will be forever like that." Jessa set her eyes back to Allison, her expression solemn with a little bit of arch of her brow. "Just like you, I don't want her to be just like her birth mother. And letting her face

she's not changing for the good, I'd

a little. "You didn't