The Double or more Life of the Fake Heiress (Mirabella) novel Chapter 16

In a heartbeat, Mirabella found herself wrapped in Delilah's arms. Mirabella blinked, caught off guard by Delilah's embrace. "Oh, my sweet girl, you finally called me Mom!" Delilah's voice quivered with excitement, almost on the verge of tears.

Mirabella sighed. It was as if they were on different wavelengths.

*

Ten minutes later, after a brisk shower, Mirabella descended the stairs in a laid-back, oversized tee paired with distressed jeans. Despite the casual, clean look, she exuded a cool vibe.

"My daughter's just so gorgeous," Delilah mused, resting her chin in her hand as she admired Mirabella walking towards her. Even though she wasn't wearing the clothes she had bought for her, it didn't stop her from cheering on her daughter's beauty.

Shawn chimed in with a proud nod. "She's definitely got my good genes."

Delilah gave him a playful roll of her eyes, "Get real, she obviously takes after me."

"Whatever you say, dear," Shawn quickly conceded, the picture of a doting husband.

As Mirabella drew closer, she overheard their banter, and felt bombarded by their public display of affection.

Soon, Mirabella took her seat at the dining table. She had always been a girl of few words, often maintaining her silence during the meal, responding to Shawn and Delilah's occasional conversation starters with monosyllabic 'yeahs' and 'uh-huhs.'

Shawn and Delilah didn't interpret their daughter's reticence as arrogance. Instead, they felt a twinge of guilt. This poor child must've been so lonesome, so starved of affection, to develop such a solitary nature.