Ch. 2581..2590

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2581-"Don't worry, Dad. I'll stop hanging out with the troublemakers at school. I'll also study hard and finish all the review materials that Claudia got for me. Please don't be angry at me anymore." It was the first time Thalia had bowed to Henry.

Previously, no matter how stubborn or how much trouble she caused, she always came home with her head held high, refusing to apologize. She always felt the only reason Henry forced her to apologize was because Claudia was present. She was sure that Henry would be reluctant to scold Claudia if she were the one who made a mistake, but just because it was her, he would not hesitate.

Henry did not know what his youngest daughter had been through, but after spending the afternoon away, she suddenly became more sensible upon her

return, which made him somewhat skeptical. However, in the face of her apology, he had to encourage and comfort her.

"Alright, I'm glad to hear you say that. Looks like all our efforts of disciplining you haven't been in vain. As for what happened this afternoon, I've thought about it, and I have to admit I was too impulsive. No matter how serious your mistake is, I shouldn't have hit you." He sighed. "It's all because I didn't manage to save your mother back then. If your mother were still here, maybe you wouldn't have turned out so rebellious."

His words saddened both Claudia and Thalia. Claudia even rushed up and hugged him. "Dad, please don't say that. You haven't done anything wrong. In fact, you chose not to remarry so that you could take good care of us. Both of us know that and appreciate all of your hard work."

Thalia hesitated for a moment, then followed suit and hugged her father. She did not know how to say comforting words as her sister did, but her gesture alone touched Henry deeply He was willing to continue to guide her as long as she was willing to change and did not remain as unruly as before. He did not want all those years of effort to go to waste.

Little did anyone know that a seed of love had been planted inside Thalia's heart, where Lucas' words had also been deeply engraved. She could not help but smile sweetly whenever she thought of him saying those comforting words with such a cold expression.

'Maybe it was love at first sight for him, too. Otherwise, who would approach a stranger and impart so much wisdom?' Sᴇaʀch Thᴇ FɪndNøvel.ɴᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

At the thought of that, Thalia blushed and covered her face shyly, but the fantasy was undeniably sweet.

Claudia did not know what had happened to her sister, but everyone could see the changes in her. Not only did Thalia spend more time studying, but she also started asking Claudia to help her with her studies This made Claudia feel incredibly honored and surprised.

After all, Thalia had always behaved disdainfully toward Claudia in the past. Whenever Thalia went to Claudia asking for help with something she did not understand, she always had this expression of being insulted as if asking for help was the most detestable thing.

Needless to say, the changes in Thalia were a good thing for the whole family, and Claudia was happy to see her sister doing better and better. That was, of course, until Thalia saw a video of Claudia's school rehearsing for a choir competition on her phone.

"Your school values choir competitions like this? Aren't you afraid it will affect your studies?" Thalia's tone was somewhat salty but deep down, she knew that the better the school, the more they encouraged a balance between studying and extracurricular activities.

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2582-Thalia's crappy high school was not like that. The school only focused on academics by forcing their students to study from morning till night without giving them a moment to breathe.

'If only I studied hard to get into Claudia's school back then,' thought Thalia with regret.

However, it was all too late.

Claudia could hear the resentment in Thalia's tone, so she patted her head.

"We'll be able to study in the same college if you work hard on your exams, okay? This choir competition has actually been around for many years. It's said

that the first-place winner can even go to the national competition, so everyone is very enthusiastic about it."

Thalia could use Claudia's phone whenever she wished, so she clicked into it to see what the prestigious private high school was like. However, she did not expect to see the boy who comforted her that day standing in the middle of the last row of the choir.

"Ah!"

Claudia was wiping her face, and when she heard the scream, she turned back and asked, "What's wrong? Did someone send a prank video?"

"Are… Are all the choir members from your class?"

Claudia nodded. "Of course, we compete as a class. There are quite a few handsome guys in our class, and even more beautiful girls." "Yeah, there sure are."

Thalia felt a sudden sense of crisis. She knew how beautiful Claudia was, not to mention there were many other attractive girls in their class.

'Would that boy even notice me if he spent all his time with such beautiful girls?

Oh, why does the world have to be so small? Why does the boy like have to be in Claudia's class? Why? Is this heaven's way of playing a joke with me?' thought Thalia with gritted teeth, but Claudia could not see her grim expression as she was facing away from her.

"Who's the guy standing in the middle of the back row?" asked Thalia. Sᴇaʀch Thᴇ FɪndNøvel.ɴᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Claudia chuckled, but to Thalia, it sounded quite grating. "You noticed him too, didn't you? He's the school's heartthrob. From the moment he entered our school, he's been voted as the heartthrob by the students. And he still holds that position firmly. He's very handsome, right? Girls would line up every day from the classroom door to the stairs just to catch a glimpse of him."

Claudia turned back to Thalia and smiled. However, Thalia could not muster a smile. "What do you mean? Are you secretly dating him? Are you two together?"

Claudia thought Thalia was concerned about her and shook her head. "Of course not. There's no way I'd be dating at such a crucial time. It's just that I'm working with him on some school duties, and that why I have the chance to talk to him"

Thalia's world was once again thrown into turmoil. Claudia's words hit her like a thunderbolt, shattering her illusions. Thalia could not listen to anything else Claudia said after that; she felt like her world had turned to ruins.

'Why is fate treating me like this? Why would it let me meet a guy if it's just going to take him away from me again? He was supposed to be mine! I met him first!' thought Thalia.

"Thalia, are you still listening to me?" After finishing wiping her face, Claudia called her sister several times, but Thalia seemed lost in thought.

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2583-"Oh? Um, do you have plans this afternoon? If not, I'll head back to my room first. I haven't finished my exam paper yet," Thalia said as she stood up, preparing to leave.

Claudia was puzzled. "Didn't you come to me earlier saying you wanted to watch a movie? I was busy tidying up just now, but I'm free now. Why do you want to go back to doing your exam paper?"

Thalia's stomach was churning, and she wished she could smirk coldly in front of Claudia. She had no intention of watching a movie with her. This sister of hers had never given her anything and instead kept demanding things from her.

'What have I done so wrong to deserve such a sister?' thought Thalia.

She needed to calm down and figure out a way to make sure Claudia did not steal her crush from her. Without giving Claudia a reasonable explanation, Thalia slammed the door and left.

Claudia sighed. She was used to her sister's stubbornness. However, Claudia was different from most people her age. She was very clear about what she wanted. At this critical juncture, studying was the most important thing to her.

Back in her own room, Thalia furiously tossed her pillows around the bed "Why? Why would you do this to me? I liked him first, so why would you say you're in frequent contact with him?"

Thalia could not sit still. Claudia and Lucas were in the same class. They saw each other every day. What if they developed feelings over time?

Thalia had only seen him once, and no matter how she looked at it, her chances were much slimmer. She made up her mind to go find him one day.

That evening, while the family was having dinner together, Thalia casually brought up the choir video. "Claudia, what's the name of the most handsome guy in your class? Maybe I've heard his name somewhere else."

Claudia flashed a self-satisfied smile. "See, he's got you too.

Whenever Kshow you the handsome guys at school, you always brush it off.

Even though we do have quite a few handsome guys at my school, it's just that Lucas stands out more, so he gets a lot of attention. Looks like my little sister is also captivated by his charm."

"Lucas? Is that his name?" Thalia asked.

Henry could not help but frown at their conversation. "This is no topic for the dinne table. You two need to behave yourselves and not get involved in any messy puppy love You're still young, and your most important task is to study. I'll relax college. And Claudia ed to set my control a little once you're both in a good example for your sister when talking to her. As the older sister, you should be mindful of being a role model for her!"

Claudia stuck out her tongue and replied with a playful tone, "Yes, Dad…"

Thalia was somewhat surprised. This was the first time she heard her father criticize her sister. 'But why didn't she get angry? And why wasn't Dad upset, even though he was clearly reprimanding her?' She could not quite understand why her father's attitude toward them, even though they were sisters, could be so different. As she pondered further, she lost her appetite. Thalia put down her utensils. "Dad, Claudia, I'm done eating.

I'm going back to my room to study."

Henry frowned unconsciously when he noticed the leftover food in her bowl.

"You didn't eat much at all. How will you have the energy to study You're going to suffer the consequences if you don't take care of your health."

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2584-Claudia quickly stopped her father. "It's okay if Thalia doesn't want to eat. I'll make her a sandwich or something if she gets hungry later. She's under a lot of study pressure right now and might not have much of an appetite."

Seeing her sister stepping in to stop their father, Thalia figured he would not press the issue further. She left the dining table and headed to her room, but she could still hear Henry nagging.

"Your exam is coming up too, right? I don't see you being as stressed as her.

You always finish the meals I prepare for you, unlike her. She's so picky with food."

"Alright, Dad, stop nagging. You work so hard to take care of us, so you should eat more yourself," Claudia chimed in.

"If only Thalia were as sensible as you, I wouldn't have to work so hard…"

Thalia was going over her books, but she could not focus on a single word. Her mind was consumed with thoughts of Lucas.

'Lucas. What a beautiful name, just as I'd imagined. Only a name like that could match his aloof and noble demeanor. Oh, Lucas, how can I see you again?

Would you still remember me?' thought Thalia.

The next day was the weekend, and although Claudia did not have any plans, she suddenly changed her clothes and said she needed to go to school for an impromptu rehearsal.

"Thalia, you'll have to heat your own lunch. There's been a sudden issue with the school's rehearsal, so they've asked us to go for an impromptu rehearsal. It might cause major problems on the day of the competition if we don't go," she explained in a rush.

Thalia realized this was her chance and set down her pen.

"Claudia, I've never been to your school. Let me come with you and take a look.

I want to see what a prestigious high school is like so that I might be more motivated to study well," said Thalia.

"But I'll be rehearsing all day today, so I might not have time to show you around properly. Are you okay with going alone?"

Claudia was a bit worried, considering her school was quite large, and she did not feel comfortable leaving Thalia alone.

"Well, I'll be at the school the whole time, so what's the problem? I won't wander off Besides, I'm all grown up now, and it's not like I'll run into any bad guys at school. You gotta chill a little, Claudia. I really want to see what a good school looks like!"

When put that way, Claudia had no choice but to nod. "Alright, then. Change into something suitable, and we'll leave right away."

After arriving at the school, Thalia did not express the excitement Claudia had anticipated. Instead, she followed Claudia cautiously around.

Claudia had planned to let her sister roam around the school freely, but she was surprised to see Thalia suddenly become nervous, clutching onto her clothes and staying close behind.

"Claudia, could you please take me with you to the auditorium? There are so many people here, and I'm feeling a bit scared," said Thalia.

Claudia felt torn. It was not that she did not want to take Thalia with her, but bringing a family member to their rehearsal where many teachers were present made her feel a bit awkward.

"Please, Claudia. I've never asked you for anything, so please don't leave me alone here. I'm really scared," pleaded Thalia.

Claudia, feeling conflicted, finally decided to let Thalia wait outside the auditorium for her. She promised to quickly check with the teachers if Thalia could join them backstage.

"Wait for me here, okay? Don't wander off. I'll be back soon!" Claudia instructed firmly. Thalia nodded repeatedly. "Go ahead, I'll wait here. I promise I won't go anywhere."

She was sure Lucas would be in the auditorium too since it was a choir rehearsal.

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2585-Thalia hid in the corner, patiently observing every person entering the auditorium. True to her expectations, before long, a tall and familiar figure appeared before her-the person she had been thinking about for days.

Without hesitation, she dashed out and stood firmly in front of Lucas.

Lucas, who strode purposefully toward the auditorium, was annoyed by the sudden change in rehearsal plans and the summoning of all the students. He frowned at the girl blocking his way. "Do you need something?" he asked, his expression still haughty.

Thalia, undeterred, found him even more handsome up close. "I've been looking for you for so long. I've wanted to meet you for a while now, but it's taken me this long to finally see you because our schools are so far apart. I'm sorry for taking so long."

She smiled shyly at Lucas, but his frown deepened. 'Is this girl mistaking me for someone else? Otherwise, why would she run up to me and say all this gibberish?' "I'm sorry, but I think you've got the wrong person. I don't know you at all."

Thalia's heart sank. 'What did he mean? We had just met not long ago. How could he say he doesn't me?' "Do you really not remember me? Or…are you joking with me? A few weeks ago, under the banyan tree, you handed me a handkerchief. Look, isn't this yours? I've been carrying it with me after washing it, hoping for a chance to return it to you!"

Lucas squinted to confirm that it was indeed his handkerchief, but he truly did not remember the girl in front of him.

"Sorry, I don't remember. You can just throw the handkerchief away. I don't ask for something back once I've given it to someone else. If there's nothing else, please step aside. I have other matters to attend to."

Lucas was trying hard to conceal his impatience, as Thalia's disappointment was all too evident in his eyes. Everywhere he went seemed to become a center of attention. In fact, a group of onlookers had already gatheel.net around him. Moreover, the auditorium was already bustling with people who had gone for the rehearsal.

Thalia's smile faded even more. "Are you saying you don't remember me at all?

That's impossible. You must be pretending, right?"

She widened her eyes, hoping to detect even a hint of pretense from Lucas' face. To her dismay, there was none. Lucas' expression clearly told her that he genuinely did not remember her.

"How pathetic is that girl? Does she think Lucas would know who she is just because she has his handkerchief? I bet she didn't realize just how many other girls had done the same thing. Ugh, doesn't she have any shame at all?"

The surrounding girls started to mock Thalia. Lucas was like a rare flower in their school, and the queue of people wanting to get close to him stretched all the way from the school gate to the gate of the nearby high school. However, none had succeeded.

"She's not even particularly pretty, yet here she's daydreaming. She should take a good look at herself before harboring such unrealistic fantasies."

"Her family must be too poor to even buy her a mirror. That's why she doesn't know how ugly she is and dares to approach our school's heartthrob. Haha!"

Thalia clenched her fists tightly. She had known her plan would not go smoothly, but she never expected Lucas to not remember her at all. To make matters worse, she was also ridiculed in front of everyone!

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2586-Lucas glanced coldly at Thalia, causing her face to flush red as she shamefully lowered her head. Even then, Lucas did not speak up to defend Thalia.

"Excuse me. If there's nothing else, please move aside. I need to leave," Lucas said flatly.

"Do you not remember me at all? It was under that banyan tree where you saw me crying and handed me the handkerchief, telling me not to be sad. Do you not remember any of that?" Tears welled up in Thalia's eyes, but Lucas remained silent. The outcome was clear.

Thalia could not bear the mockery from the onlookers anymore. She fled from the scene to escape the crowd.

She found a corner and squatted. From there, she could still see Lucas as he strode into the auditorium. At that moment, Claudia emerged from the auditorium.

Claudia came out happily. The teacher had just permitted her to bring Thalia in, but she did not expect to come out and not see Thalia. Instead, she bumped into Lucas.

"Lucas, have you seen a girl here who looks a bit like me?" Claudia asked.

Thalia keenly noticed the difference in Lucas' attitude when speaking to Claudia.

What surprised her even more was Lucas' patience in responding, "No, I didn't.

There were so many people coming and going here. Maybe try asking over there?"

Claudia's face immediately turned red. "You really didn't see her? Are you sure?

Because she's one gorgeous girl!"

"Is that so? I did notice an unfamiliar girl who stood out a bit," Lucas replied.

After all, Thalia had blocked his path earlier, so he had not paid attention to anyone else.

Claudia pursed her lips and stretched her neck to look around but still could not find Thalia. "Forget it, then. I'm sure she's big enough to know not to wander off."

The teachers were urging them to start rehearsals, so Claudia could not afford to leave the school to look for Thalia. She headed back to the auditorium, with Lucas a few steps away from her.

They looked so compatible together, and seeing this scene made Thalia grit her teeth.

'Claudia, why do you always have to compete with me for everything? I was the one who liked him first!' Thalia conveniently forgot about Lucas ignoring her just moments ago. Thalia believed Lucas simply had not remembered her at that moment. She was convinced that as long as they met often enough, he would eventually remember her. 'Claudia, don't blame me for what I'm going to do next since you have no qualms about stealing Lucas away from me!' "I'm back! Dad, is Thalia home? We were supposed to visit my school together, but I lost her halfway through. I searched the entire school but couldn't find her anywhere…"

Henry placed the last dish on the dining table and, upon hearing what Claudia said, wiped his hands on his apron.

"No, she's not back yet. Wasn't she with you at school? She even sent me a text earlier saying she was at the library with you. She was supposed to come back with net you after your rehearsal. Why didn't you bring her back?"

Claudia stood frozen in place. "I couldn't find her, so I came back. I thought she might have felt bored and returned home by herself. How could she not be in her room?"

She rushed towards Thalia's room and flung the door open, but there was no one inside. Panic started to set in. "Dad…"

"What do you want me to say? You took your sister to your school and ended up losing her. She must be terrified if she's still there. It's getting dark. Go back to your schooland find her!"

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2587-Despite being scolded by her father, Claudia still did not defend herself. She had clearly searched every corner of the school, even breaking out into a sweat. She felt extremely uncomfortable with the sweat sticking to her body. There was no way Thalia was waiting for her at the library since she had searched there as well.

"What am I supposed to tell your mother if something happened to Thalia?

You're already so grown up and I never had to worry about you. But how could you lose your sister? You two are my only daughters, and when I get old, it will be up to you to support each other. How can I trust you anymore when you're so careless?"

Claudia remained silent as Henry took off his apron, and together, they rushed outside. They saw Thalia walking in a daze in the hallway.

"Thalia!"

They rushed to her side, and Henry hugged Thalia, before looking her up and down. "Are you okay? You scared me. Weren't you supposed to come back with your sister? How did you end up being left behind?"

Thalia burst into tears as soon as she said, "Dad, I was so scared. I thought Claudia had left me behind. We agreed to go home together, but I couldn't find her anywhere. I looked in the auditorium and even waited by the classroom for a long time. But I couldn't find her…" she sobbed.

Although Claudia was also distressed, she could not help but express her confusion upon hearing Thalia's account. "Were you really in the library? Because I searched the library twice and checked every other building in the school, but I didn't see you anywhere.

So how could you say you were there?"

Seeing his younger daughter in such a state, Henry could not help but feel angry at Claudia's continued questioning. "Let's go. There's no need to be afraid anymore. Come home with us. We'll settle things there."

Feeling the weight of her father's gaze, Claudia bit her lip. Even after returning home, Thalia continued to sob uncontrollably as if genuinely shaken by the experience.

"You call yourself a big sister? You can't even take care of Thalia! Since you brought her to your school, you're responsible for her safety. Your school is so big, and she's not familiar with it. How could she possibly figure out where she went?

"Besides, didn't I give both of you phones? Why didn't you call her immediately?

Even Thalia knew to send me a text if she wasn't coming back for lunch, but what about you? You're so focused on that useless choir competition, you even forgot about your own sister. I'm really disappointed in you this time."

"I didn't. I called her as soon as I couldn't find her, but her phone was off! And the choir competition isn't useless. could earn me extra scholarship points. Dad, you can't judge me so harshly just because of this one mistake." Claudia was also feeling aggrieved.

It was not like Thalia was the only one who was scared; she was too! Moreover, it was originally not in her plan to take Thalia to school with her.

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2588-"Before going to rehearsal, I had told her to wait for me at the entrance of the auditorium while I went to ask the teacher if she could go in. But as soon as I came out, she was gone. All the teachers and students were waiting for me in the auditorium, and I… I couldn't leave without telling them anything!" said Claudia.

Thalia explained through tears, "Claudia, I didn't mean to wander off. It was just too sunny outside the auditorium, so I wanted to find a shady spot. I didn't see you coming out. If I knew I could go in, I wouldn't have wandered off. I know I shouldn't wander in unfamiliar places, Dad, I really didn't mean to! Please don't scold Claudia anymore. It's all my fault. I won't go to her school again next time."

Claudia bit her lip and remained silent. Henry lost his composure even more when he saw Thalia crying so sadly.

"You're too cocky for your own good! You think you can do everything well. But in reality, you ended up causing your sister to suffer in an unfamiliar place. Now that she's finally back, instead of admitting your mistake and apologizing to her, you're telling me it's not your fault? Claudia, I'm really disappointed in you."

Henry's words hit Claudia hard, and she looked up with tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry… But Thalia did come back safely, didn't she?"

"How dare you talk back to me? You still think you didn't do anything wrong, huh?"

Claudia did not respond and stood there silently. It was evident she felt wronged.

Henry, softened by his youngest daughter's tears, slapped Claudia. "Fine, stay there for all I care. No dinner for you tonight either. You better take this time to reflect on your mistake."

Claudia looked at her father in disbelief. It was the first time she had been scolded like this by her father. Even when she made small mistakes before, Henry always downplayed them. She had never been slapped like this before.

Almost in the instant the slap landed, Henry regretted it. His eldest daughter had always been so sensible and caring. He had never hit her before. He regretted his action even more when he saw the shock and disappointment in Claudia's eyes.

"…"

"Dad, I've always listened to you and taken care of Thalia. When you're not home, I cook for her. I even take I time out of my day to help her with her homework and teach her how to study. Don't you think I'm tired too? Why can't I have some time to myself, even on weekends? Thalia, if you hadn't insisted on coming with me, you wouldn't have been left behind at my school. You have no one else to blame but yourself!" Claudia shouted at Thalia before wiping away her tears and retreating to her room.

Henry took a few steps forward but was drawn by the sound of his younger daughter's crying.

"Dad, I'm sorry. It's all my fault. I never realized what a burden I am to Claudia. I won't bother her anymore.

anymore Today's incident was completely my fault. I'm home now and I won't go to her school anympre.

I'll study hard athome and T won't ask hér ahy more questions that she doesn't know the answers to. I know she's annoyed by me taking up her time, but I'm just too dumb… I'm sorry, Dad. It's all my fault."

Please don't blame Claudia

Henry tenderly hugged Thalia.

"You're not dumb, not at all. Everyone has their own pace of learning. And when you don't understand something, who else et

would you ask if not your sister?

She's your big sister, after all We're a family. Taking care of eachother is our responsibility. Otherwise, if something happens to her in the future, wouldn't she want you to take care of her too?"

Thalia replied between sobs, "I'll definitely take care of Claudia if she's sick."

"That's right. You two must rely on each other. And when don. old Pil have torely on the two of you too."

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2589-"Claudia only said those things out of anger. Don't take it to heart. I'll talk to her again after she has calmed down. Just as you said, she's also dealing with her own pressure. From now on, it's better not to go to school with her on weekends."

Henry sighed. He did not see Thalia smiling sinisterly in his arms.

Naturally, she had no appetite for dinner. "Dad, you go ahead with dinner. I've lost my appetite, so I'll go back to my room now."

Henry waved his hand and sat down alone at the dining table somewhat wearily.

It was indeed hard for him to raise two daughters single-handedly.

Back in her room, Thalia jumped onto her bed happily. She could not stop smiling. "Ah, nothing beats the comfort of my own bed."

Of course, she had no intention of eating dinner; she had already eaten her fill before returning home. Everything had gone according to her plan.

'Oh, Claudia, Claudia, how does it feel to be ignored by Dad? How does it feel to be wrongly accused? Finally, you get to taste the suffering I've endured all this time.' She felt a rush of adrenaline when she saw Henry slap Claudia. The pent-up frustration from all those years seemed to dissipate in an instant. 'Claudia deserved that!' Meanwhile, Claudia was trying to figure out where everything went wrong. She had been at her school for over two years, and she knew the place better than Thalia. Thus, how could it be possible that she failed to find her? Moreover, Thalia returned only after she did.

Claudia even began to doubt her own memory. Did she really search every corner of the library that afternoon? With these thoughts in mind, she texted the classmate who had accompanied her in the search.

[I found my sister. She came back by herself. She said she was in the library all along, and that I left her behind. Maybe we didn't search carefully enough back then.] The other person sent a disbelieving emoji. [How is that possible? We searched every corner of the library multiple times. You were so frantic back then that you wanted to fli the entire library upside down. There's no way she was there. Unless she wasn't in the library at all Claudia instinctively wanted to refute that, but she could not make sense of it either.

[You do know she's the same age as us, right? So she's not really a kid anymore. Ooh, I'm going to be so mad if she did go to the Internet cafe. I searched the entire schoonet

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The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2590-'From the moment she followed me to school, I repeatedly reminded her not to wander off. After all, the school was unfamiliar to her. What if she gets lost?

Even though she promised me she wouldn't, she seemed to have forgotten about it the moment we reached my school.' "Gah! Forget it. Maybe this is all a misunderstanding on my part!" said Claudia out loud with a frown.

Just then, her friend sent her a screenshot.

[Take a look at this. Isn't this your sister? Why is she being discussed in our school forum?]

The figure in the photo was not very clear, but Claudia immediately recognized Thalia because she was wearing the same outfit. However, what caught Claudia's attention was the sarcastic title of the post and the person standing beside Thalia-Lucas.

[What's your opinion of a girl from another school confidently confessing her feelings to our school's heartthrob?] Most of the comments below were mocking the girl in the photo, and Claudia felt extremely uncomfortable reading them. Thus, she told her friend that the girl in the photo was not her sister.

'But when did Thalia meet Lucas? If they didn't know each other, how could she be confessing to him like this? Could it be because of this incident that she went into hiding?' Claudia felt a mixed bag of emotions for a brief moment. She still did not understand why Thalia would lie to her and her father.

"Sigh…"

Originally, she did not want to dwell on this matter, so she pretended not to have seen the post in the forum. The situation would only escalate if she were to argue with the commenters. Thalia was not even a student at their school to begin with, and Claudia was confident the news would eventually die down, especially with so many people confessing to Lucas. However, no one expected that her other friend would send her a photo of Thalia feasting outside. She zoomed in on the picture, almost unable to believe her eyes.

'Didn't Thalia say she waited for me in the library? Then who was this person dining outside?' [Is this your sister? I went to dine at this restaurant after rehearsal. Just checked the photo and realized there's a person who looks a lot like your sister. Weren't you looking for her? Have you found her yet?] Claudia replied with a bitter smile, [I've found her. Thanks for the photo. I appreciate it.] [It's no big deal. I'm just glad you've found her.] As the pieces of evidence piled up one after another, Claudia knew she could no longer turn a blind eye. She took her phone and knocked on Thalia's door.

Thalia stopped rolling around her bed and looked towards the door before calmly tidying herself up and letting Claudia in.

"Claudia, why are you here at this hour? Don't be mad at Dad. He was just worried about me," Thalia said with a pleasing smile. Her eyes were red, making her look even more pitiful as if she had indeed waited for Claudia at the library all day.

However, her smile only chilled Claudia to the bones. She could not understand what was going on with her sister, why she had to pretend in front of her like this. Just what was she trying to achieve by doing so?

"Did you really wait for me at the library all day today?" Claudia asked.

"What do you think it means?"