The Replacement He Never Wanted
Addison paused briefly after speaking. She suspected that Georgina orchestrated this entire situation. However, whether someone else had been pulling strings behind the scenes was harder to determine. After all, Virginia stood firmly behind Georgina. She wasn't someone easy to deal with. Given her deep-seated hatred for Addison, it wouldn't be surprising if she had instigated Georgina—or worse, played an active role in sabotaging the changing room door herself. But since Addison hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she could only speculate for now. Still, her instincts told her that Virginia was unlikely uninvolved. "Georgina?" Leon muttered, repeating the name as if trying to recall where he had heard it before. The name sounded vaguely familiar, but he still couldn't place it after thinking for a moment. Even so, Leon slapped his thigh decisively and declared loudly, "Don't worry, Addison! Georgina, right? I'll make sure she gets what's coming to her!" He sounded like a hot-blooded young man eager to jump into action. Addison couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm, her lips curving just right. The warmth in her expression and her pale face, still recovering from illness, gave her a fragile, delicate beauty. Leon was momentarily stunned by her gentle smile. After a while, he sighed, "Addison, you look best when you smile. You should smile more often." She always smiled, but ever since her marriage, those smiles had become rare, leaving him heartbroken. Avoiding his gaze, Addison turned her head away. Of course, she knew she looked better when she smiled, but how could she look when the bitterness in her heart was so overwhelming? "Do you know Georgina?" Addison asked, steering the conversation elsewhere. As she spoke, she debated whether or not to mention Virginia. But without solid evidence, it felt wrong to accuse her outright, even though Virginia's mere presence was enough to make anyone wary.Leon narrowed his eyes in thought. After a long pause, he replied, "I've heard the name before, but I can't quite remember who she is." "Georgina." he murmured, repeating the name several times as if trying to jog his memory. "Could she be from the Hamiltons?" He suddenly slapped his forehead as if a realization had dawned on him. Addison blinked. "She's from the Hamiltons? The Hamiltons in Kreshill?" She recalled how Georgina always appeared to be from a privileged background, and her clothes were always exquisite. Now that Leon mentioned it, she likely belonged to a wealthy family. After all, an ordinary family couldn't cultivate that kind of aura in their children. Leon's expression grew serious as he confirmed, "Yes, Georgina is the daughter of the Hamiltons from Kreshill. She's been spoiled her entire life and is infamous in the city for her arrogance. She's caused plenty of trouble in the past, and there's hardly anyone in the Kreshill who doesn't know of her." "I see." Addison raised an eyebrow, lost in thought.If what Leon said was true, then Georgina was no easy opponent. Virginia must be delighted to have found herself such a powerful ally. "When our plane lands in the Kreshill, I'll take you straight to the Hamiltons and demand an explanation!" Leon declared firmly. "She's got no personal vendetta against you—why would she go to such cruel lengths?" Addison looked at him and said cautiously, "The Hamiltons. They're pretty influential in the Kreshill, aren't they?" Though she had been away from Kreshill for some time, she wasn't entirely unaware of its current affairs. From what she knew, the Hamiltons, like the Daves, had a long scholarly history, but in recent years, they had shifted focus to technology and artificial intelligence, achieving considerable success. Charging headfirst into the Hamiltons's estate might not be the wisest move. "So what if they're influential?" Leon retorted, his tone brimming with indignation. "That doesn't give them the right to bully others! Just because they're powerful doesn't mean they can neglect to raise their children properly and let them wreak havoc outside! "Thank God Lance saved you. But what if he hadn't?" The more Leon spoke, the more agitated he became. His earlier calm completely disappeared, replaced by a renewed surge of anger. Watching his temper rise, Addison felt at a loss. All she could do was pat him gently on the back in an attempt to calm him. "If Lance hadn't saved you, you might have died! We need to resolve this with the Hamiltons!" "It's not that serious." Addison tried to downplay the situation. She had only mentioned Georgina's name, thinking Leon wouldn't react too strongly. She hadn't expected him to be so fired up, as if ready to storm the Hamiltons. "How is it not serious?" Leon raised his voice further. "The Hamiltons raised such a spoiled brat, and if they don't find it shameful, I feel embarrassed for them!" Seeing that her attempts to calm him weren't working, Addison sighed inwardly. Just then, she noticed a flight attendant approaching with a tray of beverages. She quickly beckoned the attendant over and selected a calming tea, handing it to Leon. "Uncle Leon, have some tea and cool down a little." Leon took the tea reluctantly. He hadn't planned on drinking it, but seeing his niece's concerned expression, he gave in and took a sip. Before he could swallow, he resumed, "Besides, no matter how influential the Hamiltons are, can they compare to the Daves? "The Daves has never feared them." Noticing Leon was about to launch into another tirade, Addison quickly interjected, "Yes, yes, we're not afraid of them. Now, please rest for a while. You've been looking after me tirelessly these past few days—you must be exhausted." She signaled the flight attendant to bring over a blanket and gently draped it over him before he could protest. "Rest, Uncle Leon. Get some sleep." Leon glanced at her and, seeing her insistence, nodded quietly."Alright, I'll nap for a bit." Though he could tell Addison wasn't entirely on board with confronting the Hamiltons, he had already decided. There was no way he wouldn't seek justice for her. And besides, the Hamiltons still owed the Daves for a batch of medical equipment. The plane flew swiftly, and what felt like a brief nap to Leon was the entire journey. When he opened his eyes, they had already arrived in Kreshill. To his surprise, Addison was already dressed, her outfit carefully chosen. She wore a sleek black silk blouse paired with an ankle-length pleated skirt. A slim silver belt accentuated her waist, making her look both elegant and playful. "Addy, you ... " Leon stood up, a little surprised. She smiled sheepishly, scratching her head. "Since we're going to see my parents, I thought it'd be best to dress formally out of respect." In truth, she hadn't slept a wink since Leon dozed off. Her heart had been restless the entire time, with anxiety growing stronger as they neared the Daves Residence. This must be what they call homesickness. Would her parents even want to see their defiant daughter again? Leon, touched by her thoughtfulness, nodded approvingly. "Let's go." The plane landed at the private airport owned by the Daves, and the distance from the airport to the Daves Residence was very short. It only took about ten minutes by car to reach the entrance of the Daves Residence, where the car slowly stopped. Addison sat in the car, taking deep breaths repeatedly to calm her racing heart. She tried taking deep breaths to calm her racing heart, but it felt as though it might soon pound its way out of her chest. Leon, noticing her unease, reached over and gently stroked her hair. His voice was soothing. "Addy, don't be afraid. "Everyone is happy to have you back."This is your home; your family will always be your strongest support. There's no need to feel anxious." Addison nodded but couldn't help closing her eyes tightly, trying to steady the wave of fear surging through her chest.
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