Ch. 2571..2580

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2571-Leo, upon receiving Lucas' order to interrogate Wendy, was surprised at how easily it went. As soon as he and his assistant sat opposite Wendy, separated by a railing, she seemed eager to spill everything she knew.

"You work for Mister Lucas, right? I didn't do this. Someone made me do it! At most, I'm an accomplice. I can't go to jail. I have a bright future ahead of me,"

Wendy exclaimed, visibly agitated. The officers had to push her back into her seat due to her impulsive behavior.

"You were quite cocky before, weren't you? Boasting about not caring about your future and being willing to go down with Melody. Or did we misinterpret what you said?" Leo retorted, referring to Wendy's threats during Melody's

kidnapping, which sounded like those of someone who had given up on life.

Thus, why would she change her tune?

"I've given it some thought and asked myself why I should take the blame when the culprit is someone else. I was manipulated by someone from start to finish.

I'm just a scapegoat! Why should I sit around and wait for my punishment?

There's still a chance I might be able to make a comeback, so there's no way I'm going to let myself be thrown into prison!"

Leo pursed his lips. He found what Wendy said nonsensical and devoid of logic.

'She previously took full responsibility for the incident, and now she claimed she was manipulated by someone else? Which part is true, and which is false?' "Since you claim someone manipulated you, who is that person? Do you have any evidence? Without evidence, everything you're saying is just a waste of breath," Leo demanded.

"Who else hates Melody the most in this world? I'm talking about Lucas' exgirlfriend, Thalia, of course! I'll have you know that she was the one who approached me. At first, I hesitated because Melody is my sister, and I didn't want to hurt her like this. But she told me that as long as Melody's reputation is ruined, I would have a chance to make a comeback."

Wendy was not that stupid enough to believe what Thalia told her. She had evidence to back her claims. She leaned forward and said, "Guess what? I discovered something very interesting. I wonder if your boss knows about it."

Leo could not help but ask, "What is it?"

"Hehehe! I'm not going to tell someone like you. If you want to know, call your boss over."

Leo scoffed. Everyone wanted to meet Lucas, but he was not someone just anyone could meet.

"Miss Wendy, with your status, it's faster to meet my boss in your dreams," Leo retorted.

Even though Wendy was mocked, she did not get angry. Instead, she told him, "Just tell your boss that this matter has something to do with his first love. He'll definitely come to find me. Just wait and see."

Leo lowered his head to hide his shock. 'Mister Lucas' wife is still in the hospital fighting for her life, so where did his first love suddenly come from? Does Miss Melody know about this?' Meanwhile, back at Thalia's place. Sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ (F)indNƟvᴇl.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"Lucas, didn't you go back to the hospital?" Thalia's smile was forced. "Why did you come back? Did you forget something in my house?"

Lucas remained silent as he glanced past her, toward the tightly closed door. "I heard some commotion and got worried, so I came back to check. Why was there so much noise just now?"

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2572-"Oh… I got a dog recently, and it was making a lot of noise when you arrived, so I didn't bring you in to see it. The vet said it's still very wild and can't be around people. Once it's trained properly, I'll introduce it to you. If there's nothing else, let's go… I'll go with you to the hospital and help out."

After a moment of silence, a look of resignation finally appeared on Lucas' face.

"Thalia, how long are you going to keep pretending? I've given you many chances, but you've never spoken a word of truth!" Thalia's eyes betrayed her panic as she took two steps back, her smile stiffening. "What are you talking about? I don't understand. Lucas, you must be extremely exhausted to be speaking nonsense. I haven't done anything to upset you, nor did I lie. If you don't believe me, then there's nothing more I can say."

"This again. Don't you have anything else besides these worn-out lines?" Lucas' expression turned cold. He walked past Thalia and headed straight for the door.

She grabbed his arm in terror. "Don't go there! I told you there's a dog inside.

Why won't you listen to me?"

"Is it really a dog, or is it someone you've locked up to stop them from telling the truth? We both know what's going on. Are you going to open this door yourself, or do I have to do it for you?"

Lucas grabbed Thalia's hand and pulled her to the door, placing her hand on the lock. He showed no intention of leaving. S~ᴇaʀᴄh the (ꜰind)ɴʘvel.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Inside the room, Quinn heard the commotion at the door. She leaped and cautiously crept toward the door to eavesdrop on who was outside. She would not risk it if it was just Thalia, but if someone else came, she needed to find a way to seek help.

Thalia was on the verge of a breakdown, and Quinn did not want to risk her life in this situation. Plenty of men outside were waiting to meet her.

"Open the door this instant!" ordered Lucas.

Thalia hesitated under Lucas' scrutiny, but in the end, she reluctantly opened the door slowly Throughout this process, she kept thinking about what excuse she could use to explain why she had locked Quinn in the room. Content "Lucas! Is that you, Mister Lucas? Please, help me!" Quinn's cries for help echoed from inside the room.

Thalia and Lucas exchanged a glance, and Thalia awkwardly chuckled. "Quinn's just joking with you. You know, she's been abroad for so long, so her sense of humor is a bit…off."

Without waiting any longer, Lucas snatched the key and unlocked the door.

Quinn immediately darted out of the room. She did not trust anyone and kept her distance from both of them. The three of them formed an odd triangle.

"Enough. It's useless to hide anything from me at this point. I'm going to ask you one last time: do you have anything to do with Melody's kidnapping?" Lucas demanded.

Even at that moment, Thalia continued to lie. She looked up at Lucas with tear-filled eyes and pleaded, "Why won't you believe me? No matter how much I dislike her could never do something like that to her You wouldn't keep asking me repeatedly if you believe me. What's the point of me explaining anything if you've made up your mind to suspect me? Lucas, I should've realized that you're not the same person you used to be."

Her tone was light as if she might shatter at any moment.

Before Lucas could respond, Quinn's voice cut in.

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2573-"I can't believe you're still pretending to be innocent, Thalia. Mister Lucas, I'm pretty sure she's somehow involved in Melody's kidnapping. You have no idea how malicious she can be. Not only that, but she killed her own sister!"

These words stirred up a storm. Despite suspecting Thalia of many wrongdoings against Melody, Lucas never imagined that it would involve their past.

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Thalia clutched Lucas' arm in a panic.

"Lucas, don't listen to her nonsense!"

Quinn stood by the door, ensuring she could escape at any moment, as she smirked tauntingly. "It's pitiful that the mighty president of Rivera Group has

been fooled by such a woman. The culprit behind Claudia's death, who you thought died because of you, is none other than her own sister, Thalia! She poisoned Claudia and orchestrated her demise! Feel free to investigate if you don't believe me."

Lucas' expression was one of shock. Quinn's words were outrageous, making him hesitant to believe them. Deep down, however, he had harbored suspicions.

Thalia, seeing things had reached this point, did not even bother to explain anymore. She had plotted her own sister's death just to make Lucas notice and love her a little more!

'With Melody still unconscious, how dare Quinn, of all people, dare to stop me from being with Lucas? She's not even worthy!' thought Thalia.

"Lucas, you'd rather believe her over me? Very well, then." Thalia stormed out, slamming the door behind her, leaving Quinn and Lucas looking at each other with confusion.

Quinn slumped to the ground. "That woman is a murderer. She killed her sister for you, and god knows who else she's harmed. You need to start investigating properly. Maybe she's the one behind the attacks on your grandmother and Melody!

Lucas snapped out of his shock, stepped forward, and grabbed Quinn's shoulders. "Explain clearly. What do you mean, she killed her own sister?"

Quinn looked terrified. "I don't know the details, but I do know that after the kidnapping incident years ago, Claudia didn't actually die. It was later, when no one was paying attention, that Thalia did something… Sᴇaʀ*ᴄh the FindNøvᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Back when Thalia and Claudia were still kids, despite being sisters, they not only looked different but also had completely contrasting personalities.

Compared to Claudia, Thalia was like the black sheep of the family.

Whenever Claudia was around, Thalia's achievements and appearance were always าวเ overlooked. Even when it came to high school, Claudia effortlessly got into the best private high school. Thalia had to settle for an ordinary one.

Despite Thalia's efforts, their father would always lament, "Both of you are my daughters, so why can't you be as successful as Claudia? She's already in Astoria High, practically on her way to a top university, I have to worry about which high school you'll get into." Content befongs to FindNovel.net Thalia had grown accustomed to hearing such remarks, and every time she felt like expressing her anger, she would see her father's disdainful expression and swallow her words. What was the use?

She wanted to tell him that she was trying her best, that it was not because she was not talented but because Claudia was just too outstanding. Anyone would look useless if compared to her.

Claudia was someone who would stand up for her sister, but she was the one who was always praised. Her words, though well-meaning, sounded grating to Thalia's ears.

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2574-"Dad, please stop nagging Thalia. She's been working really hard. Her grades have improved by five places this time. If she keeps up this effort, she might still be able to get into a top university." Claudia always cherished her sister's achievements, but this time, she unwittingly provoked Thalia.

Thalia slammed her bowl onto the table. "Enough! Stop it! Are you mocking me?

Do you think I haven't been scolded enough by Dad?"

Claudia, taken aback, set down her utensils. "Thalia, I didn't mean to… Why do you think of me like this?"

Their father's expression turned serious. "Thalia, apologize to your sister right now. She's only thinking of your best interests. She knows your grades better

than you do. Do you realize how hurtful your words are to her? Don't you care if she gets upset?"

Thalia's face became tear-streaked. "Dad, you're worried about her getting hurt, but have you ever thought about how I feel? Don't you care about hurting my feelings when you say things like that? Every time I'd say something about her, you'd scold me. Am I not your daughter too? Why do you always treat us differently?"

Their father's anger flared up. "I want to treat you both equally, but have you given me that chance? Claudia is outstanding, but what about you? How dare you talk back to me when it's within my every right to lecture you? You're just going to get worse if I don't teach you a lesson now!"

Claudia looked miserable. She did not know when Thalia had started becoming so hostile toward her. She had not done anything wrong. She did not want to see their sisterly bond deteriorate further, so she tried her best to appease Thalia.

"Dad, please stop. Maybe Thalia is just not in a good mood," Claudia interjected, but Thalia shot her a glare in response.

"This is all your fault, Claudia!" shouted Thalia before storming back to her room and slamming the door shut with a loud bang. Sᴇaʀ*ᴄh the Findɴovel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Henry Garcia, their father, was so angry that he was trembling. "Look at this, just look! It's bad enough her grades are bad, but now she's throwing tantrums too? She's not even half as good as you! Why are my two daughters so different? She's going to give me a stroke one day!"

In her own room, Thalia covered her ears with a pillow. She knew that even returning to her room would not spare her from hearing her. father's complaints.

Sure enough, Henry was outside, pouring his heart out to his eldest daughter.

Their mother died in childbirth, leaving behind two precious daughters. Henry had raised them both with equal care over the years. However, as Claudia and Thalia grew up, the gap between them grew wider. Despite Henry's efforts, he could not get any understanding from his second daughter, who would often argue with him. Thus, he could only pour out his troubles to his eldest daughter.

Claudia spoke up to comfort her father, "Maybe Thalia is going through puberty, so she's being a bit rebellious. It's all very normal, so don't be too hard on her.

Everything will go back to normal after this phase passes.

"Besides, we all have ego. When you speak ill of her at the dinner table, she's bound to feel bad. It's just that she's so headstrong, so she doesn't show it. Let's not talk about these things in the future. As for Thalia's grades, I'll take care of the Don't worry, we'll both get into top universities and make you proud."

Claudia patted her father's hand, making him feel even more comforted.

"Oh, if only your sister could be as sensible as you."

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2575-The Garcia family could be considered well-off. Henry hoped to, within his capabilities, provide a better life for his two daughters. Thus, after his eldest daughter was admitted to a private high school, he unhesitatingly sent her there to study.

Henry had foresight. The people she would meet there would certainly not be like those in an ordinary high school; any one of them could potentially become part of her future network.

Unfortunately, Thalia did not appreciate his father's intentions. She felt like he was prodding her from behind like a donkey pulling a cart. Just because her sister was so outstanding, did that mean she had to be outstanding too?

It would be fine if it were just a gap in their academic performance, but why did she have to be so much less attractive than her sister as well, especially considering they came out of the same womb? Every time Thalia saw Claudia coming home with a stack of love letters, she felt like her heart was being stabbed by a thousand knives. No boy had ever given her a love letter. Worse, Claudia always threw those love letters away like they were nothing.

Claudia knew what she wanted, and she would not get into a relationship at such a critical point in her life. Thus, when she saw Thalia focusing on the love letters she brought back, she earnestly advised her not to get into a relationship so early. Besides it being a waste of time, it was of no benefit to them.

Thalia felt even more like Claudia was mocking her after hearing that.

"What's so great about you? Just because you have a few boys writing you love letters? Is it necessary to flaunt them to my face?"

Claudia looked at her sister with disbelief. "What are you talking about? I'd never think of doing that. Those love letters mean nothing to me at all!"

"Why do you flaunt them in front of me if they mean nothing to you? I'm tired of your hypocrisy. If I could, I wouldn't want to be your sister. Why should be so unlucky as to be your sister? If you hadn't been born, I wouldn't have to bear all of this…"

Claudia was shocked. She had never realized that Thalia's hatred for her ran so deep.

"Why? We're sisters, aren't we? Why do you hate me so much? Is it because Dad scolded you last time? You should know that he's always tough on the outside but soft on the inside. Have you forgotten how he secretly bought you cake?" S Claudia was saddened not just because of Thalia's words but also because of her cold demeanor. It seemed as if nothing they did could change the deeply ingrained animosity Thalia held toward them. sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ (ꜰind)ɴʘvel.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"What's the point of rewarding me after hurting me? I hate you, and I hate Dad too. Why did he have to bring me into this world if he didn't like me? We're sisters, yet why are we so different? It's like my sole existence in this world is to act as a comparison to you and make you look good! I'm also a living, breathing person! I don't want to be compared to others anymore!"

Claudia shook her head. "I never thought of you as someone to compare to. You are my sister, Thalia. Poor grades can be improved! And why do you think you're ugly? Did someone say that to you?"

Even then, Claudia's concern was still Thalia's self-esteem, but Thalia dodged her outstretched hand. "You should know this very well. You think I never heard you and Dad whispering behind my back? Hah. Disgusting hypocrites!"

Thalia left home without looking back. Rather than staying in this house, she would rather stay in the school dormitory.

However, she did not expect that neither her father nor Claudia would agree on this matter.

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2576-Indeed, whenever Thalia wanted to do something, Henry and Claudia never supported her. In their eyes, she was just a stubborn person. The more Henry and Claudia tried to stop her, the farther Thalia ran away.

She no longer wanted to stay in this family. She truly wished she had followed her mother and left this world with her so she would not have to endure these kinds of humiliation. Thalia had thought many times that her life would always be like this-living in comparison with Claudia, always inferior, gradually aging.

However, everything changed after she met Lucas. Perhaps that chance encounter had left no trace in Lucas' memory, but in her world, it caused earthshattering changes. She never thought she would fall for a boy she barely knew.

After choosing to stay at the dormitory, Thalia's grades did not improve. Instead, she spent her days with troublemakers at school, which led her to neglect her studies. Ironically, she felt much better than before. After all, no matter how much she studied before, it was never good enough in her father's eyes. Sᴇaʀch Thᴇ ꜰindNʘvel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

However, she did not expect her father to find out about it. When she returned home, Henry had a cold expression, and even Thalia looked serious. As soon as she put down her backpack, her father rushed over and slapped her.

"I paid for your education so you can learn something, yet you spend your days hanging out with those troublemakers? Do you even know what you're doing?

Do you realize you're regressing? Do you know what your teacher just told me?

How could you smoke on the rooftop with those hooligans? I thought you chose to stay at the dorm to save time, but instead, you're hanging out with those worthless individuals I've really misjudged you!"

Thalia silently clenched her fists and gritted her teeth.

Claudia sighed. "Dad, hold off on scolding her for now. Maybe there's a reason she's doing all that. Why don't you go sit on the sofa first, and let me talk to her."

Claudia turned to Thalia, placed a hand on her shoulder, and asked, "Thalia, is there something you're not telling us? I know there are many unsavory students at school who specifically target students who used to excel in their studies.

They may force you to do bad things with them, and if you refuse, they might threaten you. Have you been bullied? Dad and I will always be on your side. You must tell us if you're in any sort of trouble, okay?"

'Here she goes again,' thought Thalia with disgust.

She disdainfully brushed off Claudia's hand. "Oh, stop pretending. I know you're secretly pleased about the whole thing, aren't you? You must be happy to see Dad punishing me. But you know what? I don' mind admitting to smoking on the rooftop. Nobody forced me, nor am I being falsely accused. So what if I smoke? It's not like I'll achieve stellar grades like you no matter how hard I study.

"Dad doesn't care if I stay up until two or three in the morning. I'll always be the stupid one in his eyes, so why bother trying so hard? I've come to accept that this is just who I am. I find it comfortable to hang out with them. They don't look down on me because of my grades, and they definitely don't pretend to care while secretly mocking me behind my back like you do. I don't need a sister like you. I'd rather hang out with those troublemakers!"

Claudia recoiled, deeply hurt by her words. "Thalia, do you even realize what you're saying? When have I ever pretended to care while mocking you behind your back? I've never done such a thing. How could you say that?

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2577-Indeed, whenever Thalia wanted to do something, Henry and Claudia never supported her. In their eyes, she was just a stubborn person. The more Henry and Claudia tried to stop her, the farther Thalia ran away. She no longer wanted to stay in this family. She truly wished she had followed her mother and left this world with her so she would not have to endure these kinds of humiliation.

Thalia had thought many times that her life would always be like this-living in comparison with Claudia, always inferior, gradually aging. However, everything changed after she met Lucas. Perhaps that chance encounter had left no trace in Lucas' memory, but in her world, it caused earth-shattering changes. She never thought she would fall for a boy she barely knew. After choosing to stay at the dormitory, Thalia's grades did not improve. Instead, she spent her days with troublemakers at school, which led her to neglect her studies. Ironically, she felt

much better than before. After all, no matter how much she studied before, it was never good enough in her father's eyes. Sᴇaʀch Thᴇ ꜰindNʘvel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

However, she did not expect her father to find out about it. When she returned home, Henry had a cold expression, and even Thalia looked serious. As soon as she put down her backpack, her father rushed over and slapped her. "I paid for your education so you can learn something, yet you spend your days hanging out with those troublemakers? Do you even know what you're doing?

Do you realize you're regressing? Do you know what your teacher just told me?

How could you smoke on the rooftop with those hooligans? I thought you chose to stay at the dorm to save time, but instead, you're hanging out with those worthless individuals I've really misjudged you!" Thalia silently clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. Claudia sighed. "Dad, hold off on scolding her for now.

Maybe there's a reason she's doing all that. Why don't you go sit on the sofa first, and let me talk to her." Claudia turned to Thalia, placed a hand on her shoulder, and asked, "Thalia, is there something you're not telling us? I know there are many unsavory students at school who specifically target students who used to excel in their studies. They may force you to do bad things with them, and if you refuse, they might threaten you. Have you been bullied? Dad and I will always be on your side. You must tell us if you're in any sort of trouble, okay?" 'Here she goes again,' thought Thalia with disgust. She disdainfully brushed off Claudia's hand. "Oh, stop pretending. I know you're secretly pleased about the whole thing, aren't you? You must be happy to see Dad punishing me.

But you know what? I don' mind admitting to smoking on the rooftop. Nobody forced me, nor am I being falsely accused. So what if I smoke? It's not like I'll achieve stellar grades like you no matter how hard I study. "Dad doesn't care if I stay up until two or three in the morning. I'll always be the stupid one in his eyes, so why bother trying so hard? I've come to accept that this is just who I am. I find it comfortable to hang out with them. They don't look down on me because of my grades, and they definitely don't pretend to care while secretly mocking me behind my back like you do. I don't need a sister like you. I'd rather hang out with those troublemakers!" Claudia recoiled, deeply hurt by her words. "Thalia, do you even realize what you're saying? When have I ever pretended to care while mocking you behind your back? I've never done such a thing. How could you say that?" Sᴇarch the Find ɴøᴠel.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 2576 Tip: You can use left, right keyboard keys to browse between chapters.Tap the middle of the screen to reveal Reading Options. If you find any errors (non-standard content, ads redirect, broken links, etc..), Please let us know so we can fix it as soon as possible. Report Follow us: Do you like this site? Donate here: Your donations will go towards maintaining / hosting the site!

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2578-"Why say such hurtful things when Thalia is already vulnerable and sensitive?

Besides, she doesn't really think it's your fault. She's just upset," Claudia reasoned. "Even I, her sister, don't hold it against her. You're our father, so you should be even more understanding."

Henry looked at his sensible, understanding elder daughter and patted her hand. "It's all my fault. I not only failed to raise her properly, but she also caused trouble for you. I've made up my mind this time. Don' try to persuade me anymore. It's because we indulged her too much that she became so stubborn and caused all these troubles. We have to let her face some hardships; only then would she know how lucky she was in the past."

"Are you not worried, Dad? Thalia is a girl, and she'll go to her friends. You said so yourself that those delinquents are not to be trusted. What if they take Thalia to some sketchy place? Dad, I can see you're not feeling, so you should rest at home. I'll ask my friends to go with me to look for her," said Claudia.

At the end of the day, no matter how angry Henry was, he was still worried about his daughter's safety. After a brief moment of silence, he finally said, "Then make sure you have several friends with you. And remember, it's not safe for girls to go to those dangerous places alone. Understand? I'll rest at home for a while, and if I feel better, I'll join you in searching."

Claudia reassured her father with a pat on the back of his hand, then used her phone to call her friends to help find Thalia.

Contrary to what they expected, Thalia had not gone to meet the troublemakers she often hung out with at school. Ultimately, she knew deep down why she had not gone to them.

Those people were just not motivated. Besides smoking, drinking, and fooling around, they had no other goals in life. Thalia could not afford to get dragged down by them. Hanging out with them was just a temporary solution.

She smirked sarcastically at the thought. Initially, she only hung out with them to get attention from her family. She felt an urge to confront her father, yelling, "You said I wasn't working hard enough before, right? Well, now I'm hanging out with these delinquents. That's true laziness." Sᴇaʀ*ᴄh the ꜰindNʘvel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

However, to her surprise, her father ended up slapping her. Henry only had eyes for his obedient and sensible eldest daughter.

'What does this make me, then?' thought Thalia sadly.

Thalia, with a swollen cheek, wandered aimlessly through the city streets. She wanted to take a good look at the neighborhood she had grown up in. Ever since she started studying, she had always hurriedly shuttled between school and home with her head down.

She had never taken the time to appreciate the scenery around her.

Unlike her sister, who always seemed to excel effortlessly in her studies. Even with very little time, Claudia could achieve excellent grades. Thalia knew she was a bit behind her sister; she was slower and always needed a lot of time to memorize her textbooks.

However, after entering middle school, just memorizing textbooks was far from enough for her to achieve good grades, let alone get into a prestigious high school. Thalia felt life was so unfair. They were twins, yet why was there such a big gap between them? Not only was she not as good-looking as her sister, but she also could not match her in academics.

Thalia always wondered why Claudia was so much better than her in everything when they had come from the same womb. In fact, when she found out they would not be attending the same high school, she actually felt relieved.

She did not want to experience what she went through in middle school again, where wherever she went, people mentioned her sister's achievements, while she felt like an invisible fleck of dust. Claudia would always put her arm around her shoulder and introduce her to her friends as her beloved sister, but the way others looked at her always made her feel ashamed.

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2579-'Why do they look so different when they're sisters?' Thalia could tell people were thinking this question from the way they looked at them without it being spoken aloud.

She, too, wondered why life seemed so unfair. Why beauty and intelligence were bestowed upon her sister while she seemed to have nothing. She could not stand living with her sister and father any longer. Every time her father spoke, it was always about how excellent her sister was, how kind she was.

However, Thalia did not want to accept Claudia's kindness. Why should she accept everything Claudia had and be patronized by it? In Thalia's eyes, Claudia was simply trying to show off to her.

Not only could Claudia finish her homework in a short time, but she could also effortlessly organize Thalia's schedule and find the most effective study materials for her. Was that not blatantly showing off? Just like when they were kids, whenever they went out wearing identical princess dresses, adults would only want to speak to the prettier Claudia. They would praise Claudia, saying what a beautiful little girl she was and how she would surely grow up to be a stunning beauty. However, when their gaze fell on Thalia's face, they would reluctantly comment that she was cute.

'How great would my life be if I were like Claudia,' Thalia thought countless times since she was young.

Even though they were sisters, their lives were like night and day. Why was she always the ugly duckling who could not transform into a swan?

Thalia stood beneath a towering banyan tree, feeling reluctant to return home, yet uncertain of where else she could go. The city was vast, but there seemed to be no place where she could find peace.

As soon as she returned home, she would have to endure her father's endless nagging and comparison to her sister. She had had enough. The more she thought about it, the more she could not hold back her tears. The grievances she never showed in front of them overwhelmed her like a tsunami when she was alone.

"Why are they treating me like this?" Her eyes were swollen from crying, but she did not expect someone to suddenly offer her a handkerchief. She was startled; the person was tall and dressed in a school uniform with an air of nobility.

"It's so late. You should be at home. What are you doing here?" asked the boy.

Thalia felt a bit puzzled; the boy seemed to know her. She took the handkerchief somewhat embarrassedly and said, "Thank you, I…"

"What happened? Why are you crying so much? Your eyes have even gotten swollen."

Thalia laughed self-deprecatingly. "So what if my eyes are swollen? Nobody cares about me anyway."

"It doesn't matter if nobody cares about you. What matters most is that you care about yourself," replied the boy.

Thalia stared at him blankly. "Are you… are you also not happy?"

"No," he replied calmly. "Anyway, just remember that no one is more important than yourself. You have to learn to love yourself first before you can expect others to love you."

Thalia nodded blankly. S~ᴇaʀᴄh the ꜰindNʘvel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

At that moment, he turned to face her directly. She felt like he was radiating light, like a knight in shining armor who had come to save her from her wretched life.

"No one has ever said anything like that to me. I've always taken the victim route," she confessed.

The boy chuckled disdainfully when he heard that. "As long as you know what you want, why bother about others' opinions?"

"But my life has always been e comparing myself to others. I

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2580-Lucas was just waiting for his driver and happened to see Thalia, whom he had mistaken for Claudia, who was in the same class as him.

He saw her standing alone and crying pitifully, so he thought of giving her the handkerchief. He had a good impression of Claudia, who was diligent and ambitious, and it had been a while since he had such patience.

"You have to work hard if you want to be excellent. But if you don't have the capability or don't want to, then it's okay too. You shouldn't care so much and just live your life for yourself. No need to worry too much about what the others are thinking."

"Yeah, you're right. I should just live life for myself," muttered Thalia dazedly.

At that moment, the driver pulled up nearby, and Lucas nodded briefly at her.

"I'm off now. You should head home too."

Thalia watched Lucas leave with reluctance. At that moment, Lucas himself had no idea how much of an impact his moment of kindness would have on her life.

Thalia's heart raced wildly as he disappeared from her view. 'Is this what it feels like to be in love?' She held the handkerchief tightly to her chest. She hurriedly took a few steps forward to chase after him, but the car vanished before her eyes, and she did not even have a chance to see the license plate. Lucas' appearance felt like a dream, yet after hearing his words that day, Thalia's life underwent a profound transformation.

'If I want to be better than Claudia, then I just need to give it my all. And if I don't want to make the effort, I just have to stop caring what others think about me.' As she sat down at the bus stop, Thalia kept replaying what Lucas said in her mind until Claudia hurriedly ran over with her friends.

"Thalia, where have you been? I've been looking all over for you. Come home with me. Don't be so stubborn next time. Dad was so upset that he kept sulking on the couch!"

Thalia remained calm. She first thanked Thalia's friends, "I'm really sorry for making you worry like that. Would you like some coffee? My treat."

Thalia exchanged a glance with her friends. Similar incidents had occurred in their household before, but Thalia had never thanked her friends like this. Instead, she would often wear a scowl on her face, making it clear she found them disagreeable.

'What's up with her today? Did getting slapped bring out a whole new persona in her?' thought Claudia's friends.

Her friends, a bit spooked, waved their hands. "It's nothing. I had some free time, so thought I'd help out. You don't need to treat me to anything. We're just glad we found you. It's dangerous for a girl to be out alone. Come back with us, so that your sister and father can stop worrying about you."

Thalia nodded. "I understand. I promise I won't run off like this again."

She then turned to Claudia. "Let's go home, Claudia. I promise you I won't make you and Dad worry anymore."

After that, she walked ahead without waiting for them, leaving Claudia and her friends in a state of confusion. Back at home, Thalia trembled slightly. She felt a mix of fear and guilt when she saw her father still clearly upset.

It was Claudia who first took her hand and led her to Henry, saying, "Dad, I brought Thalia back. She wants to apologize to you. Let's put this incident behind us, so that we can go back to the happy family we are, okay?"

Claudia gave Thalia an encouraging look, and Thalia nodded. "I'm sorry, Dad, for being so stubborn. But you can be sure that I've thought about a lot of things while I was out today." Sᴇaʀ*ᴄh the FɪndNøvel.ɴᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.