After Our Entire Family Was Reborn Adopted Brother Went Insane Chapter 02
I walked out of the banquet hall in a daze.
And nearly collided with Leo, who came rushing in from the other direction. He caught my wrist.
“Why are you out here? Is the lottery over already?”
I gently pulled my hand free, my expression complicated.
“Leo, I’m the Harringtons’ adopted daughter. I never had a place in that lottery to begin with.”
“Ethan Wentworth has already chosen Lily. I wasn’t feeling well, so I came home to change.”
Leo exhaled with relief and hurried into the banquet hall.
I won’t pretend it didn’t hurt. A man like Ethan Wentworth shone like the sun — what girl could look at him and feel nothing?
But I owed the Harringtons.
They were the ones who pulled me out of the gutter and gave me a new life.
Ten years of raising me. That debt was bigger than anything.
It was mine to repay.
When I got back to the villa, I stood in front of the family portrait hanging in the living room.
In my last life, my adoptive parents had heard the news and pulled me into their arms, their voices breaking:
“Our Summer has finally found a good home.”
My adoptive mother had stroked my back, over and over.
My adoptive father — a man who rarely showed emotion — had red-rimmed eyes and said nothing but “wonderful” three times in a row.
“Once you’re in the Wentworth family, no one will ever dare bully you again.”
“Your childhood was hard. But from now on, your life with the Wentworths will be full of happiness.”
The room had been filled with congratulations, and even Lily had clapped for me with tears in her eyes.
At the time, I thought she was happy for me. I didn’t read into it.
That night, Lily went to her room early, saying she had a headache.
My adoptive mother fussed over her and told her to rest.
No one noticed anything was wrong.
But by the next morning, Lily was gone.
The whole family went into a frenzy searching for her.
Father called in every favor he had. Leo turned Manhattan upside down.
We checked the security footage. All we found was a clip of Lily walking out the front gate alone in the middle of the night.
After that — nothing. No trace at all.
A full day and night passed without anyone sleeping.
Then the kidnappers called.
We wired the money immediately, exactly as they demanded.
But they killed her anyway.
“Summer? Summer? Why did you come home by yourself?”
My adoptive mother’s worried voice pulled me back from the memory.
I looked up and realized they had all come home.
“Dad. Mom. Leo.”
I stood, and forced a smile.
My adoptive mother walked over and pinched my cheek with a playful scold.
“You, sneaking off without a word — honestly.”
“Do you know? Ethan Wentworth chose Lily! He even said she was adorable and clever.”
“Though I have to say, I’m a little worried. Lily’s never quite grown up — what if she can’t adjust to the Wentworth family’s ways? I’ve heard their grandfather is not an easy man to please.”
I looked at Lily, who was glowing with barely-contained excitement, and reassured my mother.
“It’ll be fine. Ethan Wentworth has always had a good reputation.”
“The fact that he bypassed the lottery entirely means he was genuinely taken with Lily. He’ll protect her.”
Leo frowned at my words.
“He bypassed the lottery? Then how did he end up choosing Lily?”
Lily immediately flung herself into my arms and turned to explain.
“It’s all because Sis gave me her little yellow duck jacket!”
“Ethan said he spotted me right away — he said I stood out from everyone else!”
Leo looked a little stunned, but he still reached over and ruffled Lily’s hair.
“My sister is the most adorable girl in the world. When you get married, I’ll buy you a giant yellow duck plushie so you can hug it to sleep every night!”
“Not just giant — I want a super-giant one!”
“Fine, fine, fine — whatever Lily says!”
