Chapter 240: From Heaven to Hell

Simon Lancaster quickly processed Sylvia Lancaster’s hospital discharge. When he left his job, Rhodes had given him a severance package out of humanitarian concern. He bit the bullet and used that money to pay for Sylvia’s hospital bills.

After her discharge, Sylvia Lancaster followed Simon Lancaster back to the Lancaster Villa.

Standing before the villa, Sylvia Lancaster surveyed the yard and noticed the bluestone pavers were covered in a thick layer of dust.

She couldn’t help but feel the Lancaster Family was much more desolate now than in her previous life. Back then, at least Melody Summers would sweep the yard every day, keeping it spotless.

It seemed the Lancaster Family’s situation in this life was even more dire than in the last.

’But that’s alright,’ Sylvia Lancaster thought. ’After all, I’ll be getting the space soon.’

Sylvia Lancaster planned to start selling the stream water from the space as soon as she got it.

The stream’s water was magical, highly effective at relieving minor aches and pains. Many wealthy people would pay a high price for it. Sylvia Lancaster was sure that with her help, the Lancaster Family would definitely return to its former glory!

At this thought, Sylvia Lancaster joyfully pushed open the door, ready to greet this world’s Elaine Hughes and Robert Lancaster.

But unexpectedly, the moment Sylvia Lancaster stepped inside, she was met with a resounding slap across the face.

SLAP—! The sharp sound echoed, exceptionally loud in the spacious villa’s hall.

Sylvia Lancaster touched her stinging cheek, her eyes wide with disbelief as she stared at Elaine Hughes. "Mom, why did you hit me?" she asked, her voice trembling. "...It’s me, Sylvia!"

Sylvia Lancaster was completely stunned. In her previous life, Elaine Hughes had doted on her, treating her with such delicate care it was as if she feared Sylvia might break at a touch or melt in her mouth. She’d never so much as laid a finger on her.

’And now she just slapped me?!’

But Elaine Hughes just glared fiercely at Sylvia, a complete departure from the adoring mother of her previous life. "Who told you to come here!" she screamed at Sylvia. "Get the hell out right now!"

While Sylvia was still in shock, Robert Lancaster stepped forward, also pointing a finger at her as he berated her. "Weren’t you taken in by that hotel-owning Hayes Family? What are you doing back at our home now?!"

Some time ago, Robert Lancaster had heard from a business associate that Sylvia was, surprisingly, the Hayes Family’s long-lost daughter.

When he first heard the news, Robert had felt a pang of regret for kicking Sylvia out.

After all, the Hayes Family had made a fortune after the cataclysm, and their business was booming. Sylvia had become a Hayes heiress. If she could lend the Lancasters a hand, their lives would be much easier.

Robert had tried to contact Sylvia recently. He wanted her, out of gratitude for having raised her, to help the family out. At the very least, she could arrange a job for Silas Lancaster at the Hayes’ hotel, which would bring in another stream of income.

But to his surprise, Sylvia wouldn’t even take his calls!

Robert was furious. He felt like he had raised that daughter for nothing!

’Not his own flesh and blood, so she could never truly be loyal!’

It wasn’t until a couple of days ago, when he heard the Hayes Family had collapsed, that he could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

The moment the Hayes Family fell, Sylvia’s call came. Robert knew she was looking for his help.

Of course, he didn’t pick up. He just hung up on her.

He never thought she’d have the audacity to show her face at the Lancaster house again!

At that thought, Robert pointed at Sylvia’s nose and spat, "You jinx, you walking disaster, you plague! You brought ruin upon the Lancaster Family, then ran off to the Hayes Family. Now that you’ve brought them down too, you want to come back and keep ruining us?! I’m telling you, in your dreams! Get the hell out!"

Hearing this, Sylvia’s eyes widened in disbelief. ’Robert was actually calling her a jinx?!’

Tears of grievance streamed down Sylvia’s face. "Dad..." she mumbled, "how can you say that about me..."

Sylvia couldn’t understand why Robert, who had always doted on her, would insult her like this. It was so drastically different from her previous life!

Seeing this, Simon Lancaster hurried over, placing himself between the three of them.

He tried to reason with Robert Lancaster and Elaine Hughes. "Dad, Mom, the Hayes Family is in trouble, and Sylvia has nowhere else to go. Besides, it’s dark and cold out. Where do you expect a young woman to go on her own?"

Elaine Hughes looked at Simon with bitter disappointment. "She’s the one who ruined you, so why are you still protecting her? If she hadn’t seduced you, would Holly Rhodes have broken up with you? Would you have been demoted?"

Robert nodded in agreement. "If you let her stay, what happens if the Sutton Family takes their anger out on us and shows up at your work to cause a scene? Do you want to lose your job?!"

Simon’s face paled. He fell silent for a moment before saying softly, "Dad, Mom, you don’t have to worry about that... I’ve already resigned from Rhodes."

His words hit them like a thunderclap, leaving both Robert Lancaster and Elaine Hughes utterly stunned.

Robert felt his vision go dark. He pointed a trembling finger at Simon and stammered, "You... you..."

Elaine Hughes steadied Robert, shouting at Simon in disbelief, "How could you resign?! The whole family is depending on your salary and benefits! If you quit, how are we supposed to survive?!"

Simon pinched the bridge of his nose, his expression pained. "I was reported by Ethan Sutton’s mother. It’s a done deal."

Then, Simon sighed and said resignedly, "Dad, Mom, I’ve already lost my job. I don’t want to abandon Sylvia, too. Since things have come to this, it’s even more important for us to stick together as a family. Let’s stop fighting."

Sylvia clutched her bruised cheek, listening in silence, her heart a knot of anxiety. ’She didn’t understand. Why was this life so drastically different from the last?’

In her previous life, Simon hadn’t even worked. The family had lived comfortably off the secret savings Elaine Hughes had stashed away, never worrying about their next meal.

’In this life, had the Lancaster Family really fallen so low that they depended on Simon’s job just to survive?’

Sylvia suppressed her confusion and stepped forward, tears in her eyes. "Dad, Mom, please, don’t kick me out," she pleaded with Robert and Elaine. "Everything that happened before was my fault. I know I was wrong now. Please, just give me a chance to make it up to you. Please."

Elaine glared fiercely at Sylvia, pointing a finger in her face. "You have the nerve to say that! If it weren’t for your shameless behavior—cheating on your husband, seducing your own brother—how could our family have ended up in this mess!"

Robert also clutched his chest. "You are not our daughter!" he said to Sylvia. "Our family has no place for a disgrace like you!"

With that, they both moved to physically shove Sylvia out the door.

With quick reflexes, Simon grabbed both Robert and Elaine. "Dad, Mom, don’t do this," he said, anxiously trying to guide them toward the bedroom. "Let’s go to your room and talk!"

Watching Simon pull Robert and Elaine into the bedroom, Sylvia stood alone in the living room, feeling completely lost.

Just a week ago, before she had crossed over to this world, she had used the stream water from her space to solve an epidemic, and a government agency had even given her an honorary award.

She had stood on the awards stage in a beautiful gown, her head held high with pride.

Robert Lancaster and Elaine Hughes had both gone on stage to give speeches, declaring in front of all the news media that she was the pride of the Lancaster Family.

But in the span of a single week, it was as if she had fallen from heaven into hell.

The wonderful life that had been hers, the flowers and the applause, were all gone. Robert and Elaine, who had once considered her their pride, now looked at her with nothing but disgust.

Sylvia clutched her chest in anguish, a pain like a twisting knife in her heart.

’I just have to comfort myself,’ she thought. ’Everything will be fine as long as I can find the space soon...’

’Once I find the space, I can still help the Lancaster Family get back on its feet...’

’And then, I’ll still be Mom and Dad’s most beloved daughter!’