Catherines eyes spun like a roulette wheel, not hearing the sarcasm in Elizas words, and her heart leaped with joy. The slap earlier must have been an accident; Eliza was still the dog she had raised, ready to sit or stand at her command!
"If thats the case, then thank you so much, sister," Catherine said with a coquettish bow of her head, already planning to take advantage of Elizas generosity and ask for the limited-edition sports car she had been eyeing, one that the Morland family could never afford.
"Yes, a car, but not one Im giving you, but one youre compensating me for," Elizas words echoed in the air, and Catherine jerked her head up, staring at Eliza in disbelief.
"What did you say?"
"Ive made myself clear. This car was a birthday gift from Grandfather when I turned fifteen, one of less than twenty in the world. Even the cost of repairing it would be enough to buy a new one. For the sake of our sisterly bond, I wont charge you for my medical expenses."
The soft voice resonated in her ears, and Catherine gaped at her, completely unprepared for such words from Eliza, who had always been obedient to her. Catherine, who had always been sensible, lost control for the first time and screamed out loud.
"Eliza Doolittle, you dare to ask me for compensation?"
It was a miracle that she hadnt killed Eliza today, but it seemed that her mind had been damaged in the process, changing her completely!
Looking at Catherines usually obedient face contorting, Elizas lips curled into a richer smile, her seemingly gentle eyes sending a chill down the spine.
"Catherine, are you sure youre speaking to me?"
Catherines heart jolted. Elizas status was not something a small family like the Morlands could compare to. If it werent for her mothers initiative to flatter Elizas mother, she wouldnt be living the life of a wealthy young lady now. But over the years, Eliza had always saved a share of her food and clothes for her, making her almost forget that Eliza was someone she should kneel before and look up to!
She quickly suppressed her anger, a flattering smile appearing on her face as she gently held Elizas arm.
"Eliza, you must be joking with me, right?"
"Yes, I am joking," Catherines heart just fell, and Elizas next sentence left her stunned, "Since you hit me, even if I dont care, Grandfather wont let this go easily, so the specific compensation, let Grandfather discuss with your father."
Eliza gently pulled back her arm, the curve of her lips gradually falling.
In her previous life, she had only been tricked by Catherines tears and pleas, and she had personally begged her grandfather to let the Morland family off the hook, disappointing Elizas grandfather, Andrew Doolittle, and leading to his indifference towards his foolish granddaughter. This had allowed Isabelle to take advantage and infiltrate the family.
Thinking of this, Eliza didnt bother to say more to her, turning to look at Charles Bingley.
"Charles, has the car from Grandfather arrived yet?"
Charless face was filled with a smile, as Elizas performance today was beyond his expectations, and she was no longer an easy target for manipulation.
"Any minute now, Miss, it will be here shortly!"
"Very well."
Eliza stood in place, the breeze rolling her hair around her ears. Although she still had blood on her forehead, her elegant and pure temperament could not be suppressed no matter what. This was the girl educated by the Doolittle familys patriarch. When she one day shed her rebellious nature, others would realize what a fine piece of unblemished jade she was!
Catherine became more and more panicked, never expecting things to turn out this way. If Mr. Doolittle himself came to talk, her father would probably skin her alive. Thinking of this, she dared not put on airs any longer and quickly knelt down, crying pitifully without any regard for her image.
"Eliza, its my fault, its all my fault. Please dont tell Mr. Doolittle about this, or else - or else Im done for."
Her cry was mournful and miserable, but she was grinding her teeth, vowing to return the favor once she figured out Elizas transformation. Eliza, who had always been obedient to her, could not break free from her control; she must remain her puppet, offering everything from the Doolittle family on a silver platter!
"Blame you?" Eliza sighed softly, pursing her lips. "Blame you for what, for intentionally telling the driver to hit my side and kill me? Catherine, I really dont understand, do you think my parents would adopt you as their daughter if I were dead?"
Her thoughts were completely guessed, and Catherines face turned pale in an instant, staring at Eliza as if she were a stranger.
"I didnt..."
"You didnt expect that I wouldnt obediently forgive you, but instead, I would hold you accountable?" Elizas fingertips brushed her forehead, picking up a bit of fresh blood. She squatted down, her eyes tenderly looking at the kneeling Catherine, her fingertip wiping across her lips, adding a touch more color to Catherines already bright lipstick.
"Sister, Im back."
Catherine looked at the girl in front of her, graceful and exquisite, and an uncontrollable chill ran through her heart. Whats going on, what happened to Eliza?
Three months later—
Since the car accident, Eliza had transformed from a rebellious girl into a flawless Doolittle family daughter. She, who had once been at the bottom of her class, had now become the top student at Norton Academy, a school filled with geniuses and nobility.
The warm morning sun shone just right, and Elizas parents were sitting at the breakfast table, reading the financial morning paper. Suddenly, they saw the girl walking down the stairs, graceful and beautiful.
Although only fifteen years old, the girls face already showed the promise of breathtaking beauty. Dressed in a pink and white dress, her soft smile seemed to add a layer of radiance to her entire being.
Compared to her haggard state when she was reborn, Eliza was now as exquisite as a work of art crafted by heaven itself. No one could remain indifferent upon seeing her; her beauty was enough to bring tears to ones eyes. Even her parents, who had never particularly liked her, began to change their perception of their daughter due to her recent performance at school.
"Mother, Father," the girl greeted with a nod, sitting down gracefully and signaling to the maid behind her, who responded with a shy, grateful smile.
"Did you study late last night?" Even the usually strict and picky Margaret Hale couldnt help but be moved by her daughters excellence.
First place... In a school filled with geniuses and nobles, that single digit spoke volumes about her daughters abilities. Margaret, who had recently become the object of admiration at the bridge table, couldnt help but feel proud. It was as if she had regained the glory of being a March sister, freshly married into the Doolittle family.
"It was necessary," Eliza responded with a smile, using the public chopsticks to place food in front of her parents plates. Everything she did was natural and seamless, as if she were the worlds most adorable and obedient daughter.
Such a girl, who could help but love her from the bottom of their heart.
Even Andrew Doolittle, who had never particularly liked the child born of an arranged marriage, began to reflect on whether he had been too cold towards his daughter. His guilt increased.
After breakfast, with smiles and well-wishes from her parents, Eliza got into the car. Only then did the curve of her lips slightly fall, but she still maintained her smile, though her eyes were cold.
Three months were enough to change many things, to turn the usually stern grandfather into a doting elderly man, to make the usually indifferent cold parents seem to be filled with familial affection, and to transform her from a poor student into the top of the class.
Of course, it also made the Morland family compensate with a brand-new carriage, and Catherine Morland, the once brazenly appearing little white flower, dared not show up in front of her so unscrupulously anymore.
But it seemed... it was not enough. She had not forgotten what day it was tomorrow.