"Hello, Uncle and Auntie! I'm the most well-behaved and obedient child in the whole orphanage. Adopting me is definitely a good deal~"
The headmistress's face twitched violently—like she'd just swallowed a mouthful of flies.
Well-behaved? Obedient?
Did we even hear ourselves?
Maybe afraid that we'd both stay and continue wreaking havoc, the headmistress shut her eyes and made a decision that probably went against every ancestral rule of her forebears.
——
"Mr. and Mrs. Lambert," she said quickly, "Carmela and Yanna are the best girls we have here. They're inseparable—why not adopt both?"
The couple hesitated.
"It's not that we mind raising one more child," Aunt Laura said gently, "but... we already have an adopted daughter at home."
My best friend and I exchanged sharp looks.
An adopted daughter?
So a fake heiress?
Absolutely not! I wouldn't let my best friend walk into that snake pit alone.
I clasped my hands and looked up at them earnestly. "Uncle, Auntie, if you take Carmela away by herself, she might get depressed—or worse, do something silly. But if you bring me along, I'll make sure she's happy and well!"