The New Heir Turned The Tide

Mila's days were turning into a delicate tightrope walk.

Everyone in the house, except me, started revolving around Louisa.

Sam, who had previously been indifferent to Mila, was now going out of his way for his sister, ensuring she wasn't the least bit displeased.

Louisa disliked Mila, and so everyone around Louisa treated Mila as if she were invisible.

Over dinner, I noticed Mila hesitating to eat. "Mila, why aren't you eating?" I asked.

Mila looked at me with a lost gaze, her lips moving slightly before she shook her head and reluctantly picked up a piece of food.

That was when I realized that every dish on the table was spicy, something Mila couldn't tolerate.

"Mila doesn't like these dishes, does she?" Louisa said softly, "We'll ask the kitchen to make something else."

Sam slammed his palm on the table in frustration. "Mila, stop being difficult!"

"Yes, Mila, don't cause trouble." Osborne's voice was stern. "If you don't want to eat, then don't."

"I'm not trying to cause trouble," Mila stuttered, forcing a piece of fish into her mouth.

Seeing her chew hard, Louisa asked with a smile. "Doesn't it taste good?"

"Yes, it's great," Mila nodded, forcing a weak smile.

Her head hung low, and tears were welling up in her eyes.

I signaled to the servant, "Make something light."

"What do you mean?" Sam stood up angrily.

I retorted, my voice icy, "Sam, how dare you speak to me like that?

"What's this, now I can't even give an order to make a meal?"

Amelia hurriedly patted his arm, "How do you talk to your sister? Sit down, will you?"

Sam sat down reluctantly.

I didn't push the matter further, giving him a way out. "I've been feeling a bit of heat, I'm craving something light."

"Let Isa eat whatever she wants, we're all family here," Osborne said, instructing the servants to prepare the meal.

As the eldest daughter and the favorite, even though the position of heir didn't fall to me, my word in the house still carried more weight than Sam's.

Osborne's traditional mindset believed that was how it should be.

Sitting opposite me, Louisa frowned, then asked, with a whine, "Isa, do you dislike me?"

"Just shut up and I might like you." I sipped my water. "Don't you know the saying, 'eat in silence, sleep in quiet'?"

Amelia tried to smooth things over. "Come on, let's not argue. Louisa just got home."

This dinner laid all the cards of the Bowin family on the table for Louisa to see.

Maybe she thought Sam, as the heir, wielded the most authority after my parents, but that wasn't the case.

No matter how much she tried to please them, she could never outrank me.

Louisa should really understand her place and not stir up trouble, especially if it is not where I could see it.

My parents and Sam could indulge her all they wanted, but I wasn't having it.

After dinner, Mila slipped into my room.

I was practicing the violin and absentmindedly patted her on the head. "What's up?" I asked.

Lately, Mila had been more distant at home.

Even when she called for me, it was always hesitant.

"I thought you didn't want me anymore," she said quietly.

I chuckled lightly. "Don't dwell on those things."

"I know I took Louisa's place, so I thought it best to just stay out of the way. But…"

I could tell what Mila was getting at. She knew she was in the wrong, and so she was tiptoeing around Louisa, trying hard not to rock the boat. But she was so scared of losing us.

Louisa and Mila’s little squabbles didn't bother me much.

I understood Louisa's need to vent, and if she didn't, Mila'd be consumed by guilt.

A little fire was fine as long as it was contained.

But Louisa seemed to be after more than just letting off steam.

I set down my violin and leaned closer to Mila.

"Sis?" She looked at me with confusion.

"Don't worry about it," I said, pinching her cheek gently, "A lot of things in this world don't have clear answers. From any perspective, there's always a right.

"As for Louisa, I won't acknowledge her."

Mila, who had been feeling down, looked puzzled. "Why not?"

"She crossed my line," I said, narrowing my eyes. "Mila, you know what I want."

Her voice wavered. "But how does that relate to Louisa?"

"You'll find out."

Louisa might have inherited Osborne's cleverness, but she fell short of its true measure.

If she had just kept her head down, I wouldn't have minded supporting a useless person.

But Louisa just couldn't help herself.

She forgot that in the world of fame and power, family ties were the cheapest currency.

Just like I was a Bowin by name, but my real affection was for Mila, not because of blood but something more genuine.

I reached out and tapped her forehead. "As long as you're true to yourself, that's all that matters. I'll always be here for you."

Blood ties were bonds, but bonds were not born out of blood.