Chapter 507 Don't Blame Me for Turning My Back on You
Lucia's strike never reached Evelyn; she was held back firmly by her mother, unable to move.
Seeing this, Blake kept his temper in check but warned, "If you dare raise a hand to your sister again, don't blame me for turning my back on you."
He had just welcomed Evelyn back and was eager to give her the best of everything. He wasn't about to tolerate Lucia's mistreatment of her.
Shaking with anger, Lucia looked at her father as if he were a stranger. "Dad, do you even consider me your daughter?"
For years, Blake had never been so kind to her. But now that Evelyn was back, she was experiencing the kind of affection Lucia had never received in all her years. How could she accept this?
"I'm starting to wonder if you really are my daughter," Blake mused. To him, Evelyn was obedient and sensible, whereas Lucia was nothing but pompous and unruly. Frankly, he sometimes wished he didn't have such a daughter.
His words instantly set Dora off. "Blake, what do you mean by that? Don't go too far!"
"What are you getting so worked up about? I was just speaking my mind," he said, though he sensed that Dora was overreacting.
"Of course I'm upset; that's an insult," Dora retorted.
Blake snorted and dismissed the matter, addressing the servants instead. "Let's begin the meal."
He then approached Evelyn with a tender look. "Hungry, aren't you? Let's have dinner."
"Okay," Evelyn agreed, following Blake.
[Note: Adjustments have been made to blend seamlessly with American cultural norms, ensure coherency in narrative style, and accommodate conversational dialogue.]
As the two walked towards the dining table, Dora and Lucia stood right there, seething with a fury bordering on explosive.
"Mom, why would you stop me? Are you taking her side too, that tramp?" Lucia balled up her fists, barely able to control the urge to march over and start a confrontation.
Seeing her like this, Dora heaved a sigh of resignation. "Lucia, your dad's obviously going to take her side at this point. If you go up against her, you're the one who's going to get the short end of the stick."
"So we just let her walk all over us?" Lucia couldn't stand the thought.
"Don’t rush things, honey. I’ll find a way out," Dora said with a reassuring smile, her mind already racing with schemes. "We are in Columbia after all. Evelyn's an outsider here. Even with your father’s protection, it's not like he can be by her side every second. There will be an opportunity."
With those words, Lucia's mood lifted a bit. "Yeah, there's no way she's getting the better of me!"
As long as Evelyn was out of the picture, Blake would once again be only her father, and no one could change that.
They too made their way to the dining table, where Lucia sat directly opposite Evelyn, looking at her coldly, yet refraining from any provocation.
At the table, Blake and Evelyn seemed to be getting along famously, their laughter a sign of a warm and congenial atmosphere.
"There's a dinner party tomorrow night. I'm going to take you with me, introduce you to everyone," Blake said. Deciding to go public with Evelyn meant showing her off to the world, to ensure everyone knew she was under his wing.
Evelyn didn't refuse. Being new to Columbia and not knowing many people, she realized the benefits of making connections if she wanted to make it here.
"Sure," she nodded in agreement.
Dora frowned slightly upon hearing this but quickly intervened. "Lucia is free tomorrow night as well. Maybe she should accompany Evelyn. They are sisters, after all, and should spend time together."
Blake's gaze involuntarily fell on Lucia, as if doubting her willingness.
"Dad, I was wrong earlier. It was hard for me to accept things at the moment," Lucia conceded, catching on to her mother's implication.
"My sister is new to Columbia and probably doesn’t know anyone. I’ll take her with me so she won't feel so alone at the dinner party," Lucia offered with a smile, none of the anger she had displayed earlier in sight.
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