Chapter 2 · Reborn As Their Nightmare

After losing the right to care for me, Evelyn's standing in the Lane family plummeted.

She went from being the lady of the house to a mere outsider, a token mother, irrelevant and ignored.

Charles grew increasingly distant, and Grandpa and Grandma acted as if she were invisible.

Only at family gatherings, when keeping up appearances mattered, was she permitted to hold me and play the part of the doting mother.

As for me, I thrived, showered with affection from everyone. The years passed in a blur, and soon I was two years old.

I started babbling a few simple, garbled words.

But every word I uttered was carefully calculated.

*****

On the day of Grandpa's birthday party, the Lane Mansion was packed with guests, the atmosphere buzzing with excitement.

Dressed in a little red dress, I was a little cherub in Grandpa's arms as everyone showered me with compliments.

Evelyn stood off to the side, dressed in an expensive gown, her makeup flawless, a strained smile plastered on her face.

I knew she was waiting for a chance to publicly display her maternal devotion and salvage what little dignity she had left.

Sure enough, she glided over with a small slice of cake, her steps graceful, her voice dripping with sweetness. "Vivian, my precious, come to Mommy. Let me feed you some cake."

She was certain that, in front of all these people, I wouldn't dare embarrass her.

Too bad for her, she was dead wrong.

I'd been waiting for this day for way too long.

I squirmed out of Grandpa's arms and scrambled backward, as if I'd seen something repulsive.

My face twisted with fear and revulsion.

"No! Don't!" I stammered, my voice trembling.

Evelyn's smile froze, rigid on her face. Relatives exchanged glances, clearly anticipating a scene.

"Vivian, sweetie, Mommy means no harm." Evelyn's anxiety spiked. She took another step forward, reaching for my hand.

Now!

I shot my tiny hand up, mustering every ounce of strength, and pointed directly at Evelyn's face.

I summoned every last drop of resentment and murderous rage from my previous life, channeling it into the most venomous accusation I could muster.

Then, through the mouth of a two-year-old, I screamed, forcing out each word. "Bad woman, kill... kill..."

Everyone stared at me in shock, then at Evelyn, whose face had gone ghost-white.

"Kill?"

"Did she just say that? Did I hear correctly?"

"Oh my god, is the child possessed?"

A wave of whispers and murmurs washed over the room.

Grandpa and Grandma scooped me up, patting my back gently. "Vivian, sweetheart, don't be scared. You just had a bad dream, didn't you? You're talking nonsense."

Charles's face drained of all color.

Evelyn completely snapped. "I didn't kill anyone!" she shrieked, pointing a trembling finger at me, her voice shrill and unhinged. "This little monster is lying. She's not a normal child. She's a devil!"

Evelyn, a mother, was publicly calling her own daughter a "monster" and a "devil."

"Shut up!" Charles stormed over and slapped her across the face. "Are you insane? How could you say that to a two-year-old child?"

Curled up in Grandpa's arms, I watched the two of them tear into each other, a vicious thrill of satisfaction rippling through me.

*****

The fiasco at the birthday party was the final straw that broke Evelyn.

Labels like "crazy woman," "bitter wife," and "mother cursed by her own daughter" clung to her like a brand. After that, she was utterly humiliated and ostracized within the Lane family.

Charles avoided her like the plague. The scene at the birthday party had shaken him to the core.

Once home, he'd lock himself in his study, not wanting to face his so-called true love.

Ostracized and alone, Evelyn's mental state visibly deteriorated.

She stopped trying to get close to me, but whenever her gaze fell on me, her eyes smoldered with hatred.

She resorted to subtler forms of cruelty.

She'd "accidentally" knock over my milk or rattle things around while I was trying to sleep.

And when no one was looking, she'd pinch me.

I endured it in silence.

I knew she was taking her rage out on me.

And I was just biding my time, waiting for the chance to destroy her completely.

Chapter 2

After losing the right to care for me, Evelyn's standing in the Lane family plummeted.

She went from being the lady of the house to a mere outsider, a token mother, irrelevant and ignored.

Charles grew increasingly distant, and Grandpa and Grandma acted as if she were invisible.

Only at family gatherings, when keeping up appearances mattered, was she permitted to hold me and play the part of the doting mother.

As for me, I thrived, showered with affection from everyone. The years passed in a blur, and soon I was two years old.

I started babbling a few simple, garbled words.

But every word I uttered was carefully calculated.

*****

On the day of Grandpa's birthday party, the Lane Mansion was packed with guests, the atmosphere buzzing with excitement.

Dressed in a little red dress, I was a little cherub in Grandpa's arms as everyone showered me with compliments.

Evelyn stood off to the side, dressed in an expensive gown, her makeup flawless, a strained smile plastered on her face.

I knew she was waiting for a chance to publicly display her maternal devotion and salvage what little dignity she had left.

Sure enough, she glided over with a small slice of cake, her steps graceful, her voice dripping with sweetness. "Vivian, my precious, come to Mommy. Let me feed you some cake."

She was certain that, in front of all these people, I wouldn't dare embarrass her.

Too bad for her, she was dead wrong.

I'd been waiting for this day for way too long.

I squirmed out of Grandpa's arms and scrambled backward, as if I'd seen something repulsive.

My face twisted with fear and revulsion.

"No! Don't!" I stammered, my voice trembling.

Evelyn's smile froze, rigid on her face. Relatives exchanged glances, clearly anticipating a scene.

"Vivian, sweetie, Mommy means no harm." Evelyn's anxiety spiked. She took another step forward, reaching for my hand.

Now!

I shot my tiny hand up, mustering every ounce of strength, and pointed directly at Evelyn's face.

I summoned every last drop of resentment and murderous rage from my previous life, channeling it into the most venomous accusation I could muster.

Then, through the mouth of a two-year-old, I screamed, forcing out each word. "Bad woman, kill... kill..."

Everyone stared at me in shock, then at Evelyn, whose face had gone ghost-white.

"Kill?"

"Did she just say that? Did I hear correctly?"

"Oh my god, is the child possessed?"

A wave of whispers and murmurs washed over the room.

Grandpa and Grandma scooped me up, patting my back gently. "Vivian, sweetheart, don't be scared. You just had a bad dream, didn't you? You're talking nonsense."

Charles's face drained of all color.

Evelyn, a mother, was publicly calling her own daughter a "monster" and a "devil."

"Shut up!" Charles stormed over and slapped her across the face. "Are you insane? How could you say that to a two-year-old child?"

Curled up in Grandpa's arms, I watched the two of them tear into each other, a vicious thrill of satisfaction rippling through me.

*****

The fiasco at the birthday party was the final straw that broke Evelyn.

Labels like "crazy woman," "bitter wife," and "mother cursed by her own daughter" clung to her like a brand. After that, she was utterly humiliated and ostracized within the Lane family.

Charles avoided her like the plague. The scene at the birthday party had shaken him to the core.

Once home, he'd lock himself in his study, not wanting to face his so-called true love.

Ostracized and alone, Evelyn's mental state visibly deteriorated.

She stopped trying to get close to me, but whenever her gaze fell on me, her eyes smoldered with hatred.

She resorted to subtler forms of cruelty.

She'd "accidentally" knock over my milk or rattle things around while I was trying to sleep.

And when no one was looking, she'd pinch me.

I endured it in silence.

I knew she was taking her rage out on me.

And I was just biding my time, waiting for the chance to destroy her completely.