
Sisters Swapped: I Hear Everything She Hides
Chapter 2
As the sound of voices drew nearer, Clarissa eagerly opened the door and ran out. She went up to the orphanage director, Ms. Abbott, and took her hand, flashing a sweet smile at her.
Ms. Abbott led us both to our prospective adoptive parents.
My eyes landed on Susan. She was wearing the same worn-out clothes she had on in my previous life. Just like before, she was rubbing her hands awkwardly, looking like a simple, honest woman.
Only I knew what kind of monster she really was.
Clarissa rushed forward and grabbed Susan's hand. "Ms. Abbott, I want to go with Ms. Howard."
Ms. Abbott hesitated. Thanks to Clarissa's charming smiles and sweet words, Ms. Abbott was quite fond of her. Personally, she didn't want Clarissa to choose Susan and suffer from living in poverty.
She tried to persuade Clarissa otherwise. "Clarissa, life with Ms. Howard might not be as good as you think it'll be. Why don't you consider Mr. Newman and his wife instead?"
The moment Clarissa saw the Newmans, she recoiled in fear, stumbling back as she shouted, "No! I don't want to go with them!"
Realizing she had lost her composure, she quickly corrected herself by saying, "Ms. Abbott, let my sister, Kayla, go with them instead. She's younger than me and can't endure as much hardship as I can. Let her have a good life with the Newmans."
Those words instantly stirred sympathy from everyone present. They all thought she was such a considerate girl.
I was the only one who could hear what she was really thinking.
[The Newmans have so many rules, and Frank Newman constantly threatens to punish me for my actions. Their house isn't fit to be called a home! It's time for Kayla to get a taste of what that kind of life is like.]
I waved my hands, pretending to decline her gesture. "Clarissa, I don't think that's fair to you…"
"It's fine, Kayla. It's settled!" Clarissa cut me off before I could say anything else.
She even grabbed Susan's hand and started pulling her toward the door.
Susan looked overjoyed, clearly never expecting that someone as poor as her would be fought over like this.
At last, Ms. Abbott looked at me before turning to the Newmans, who looked visibly embarrassed. "Both sisters have good personalities. Kayla Smith, the younger sister, is also a very thoughtful and sensible child."
The Newmans had watched everything that had just happened. Seeing how obedient and well-behaved I was, they agreed to adopt me.
As Clarissa was leaving, she shot me a smug look.
[Kayla, this time, I'm definitely the one who'll live the good life.]
I met her gaze and smiled faintly. I said to her, "You'd better not regret this, Clarissa."
She was stunned to see Susan wheeling a beat-up bicycle to the entrance of the orphanage.
[She's that poor? You've got to be kidding me! Oh, whatever. I'll just put up with it for now.]
Meanwhile, I got into the Newmans' luxury car. As the distance grew, I slowly stopped hearing Clarissa's thoughts.
My lips curled up in a smile.
The games had only just begun.