Chapter 2 · The Jinxed Heiress: Instant Karma For My Malicious Family

Edward's agonized scream exploded through the dining room.

He shot up from his chair, scalded by the soup. The soup streamed down his hair and covered his face, with seafood clinging to him like a bad joke. He looked absolutely ridiculous and miserable.

"Oh no! Somebody get a towel!" Grace yelled, panicking and fumbling around.

After the initial burst of pain, Edward was swept up in a storm of fury. He wiped the mess from his face, his eyes bloodshot as he fixed me with a murderous glare. "You damn jinx! I swear I'll kill you!"

He charged at me like a lunatic, howling and swinging his hand up to strike.

I sat still and watched him with calm eyes, not moving a muscle.

Just as he was about to reach me, the screws holding the crystal chandelier above him all seemed to loosen at once. A bone-chilling creak echoed through the room, and the entire chandelier began to shake violently.

"Edward, watch out!" Michael's voice cut through the chaos as his face went pale. He sprang from his seat and darted over, grabbing Edward and hauling him aside with all his strength.

The very next second, the massive crystal chandelier came crashing down, smashing into the exact spot where Edward had just been, right in front of my seat at the table.

The fancy dining table exploded into splinters, crystal shards and food flying everywhere. The whole place was a disaster zone.

The whole room went dead silent.

Everyone was scared out of their wits by the sudden disaster.

Edward's face went ghostly pale as he stared blankly at the wreckage. If Michael had been even a second slower, he'd be the one crushed under that chandelier right now. Cold sweat instantly soaked through his shirt.

"It's just an accident, that's all..." Richard, my so-called father, forced himself to sound calm as he waved his hand, but his voice was trembling. "Tomorrow... Tomorrow, I'll have someone check every single thing in this house."

He avoided my gaze, like I was some kind of walking disaster.

With a calm expression, I wiped the corner of my mouth with a napkin, set down my fork, and stood up.

"I'm full," I said.

Then I made my way upstairs to the guest room they'd assigned to me.

"Stop right there!" Edward, still rattled, shouted angrily at my retreating figure, refusing to let it go.

He always forgot that karma hit him every time he tried to mess with me.

Right after he yelled, he stepped on a sharp piece of chandelier glass, slipped, and lost his balance. He tumbled off the chair, smacking his waist against the armrest.

"My back!" Edward groaned, curling up on the floor in pain.

I didn't even look back.

I could sense Michael's gaze on me. It was first surprised and suspicious, and then shifting into something complicated: fear, awe, and even a spark of excitement.

He watched my retreating figure, and then looked at Edward curled up in pain on the floor. The look in his eyes had completely changed.

This place was so noisy.

When I got back to the smallest, most secluded guest room they stuck me in, I'd barely settled in before someone knocked on the door.

Charlotte stood at the door, holding a glass of milk, looking all sweet and pitiful. "Serena, I'm really sorry about today. It's all my fault. Sorry you have to put up with such a tiny room.

"Mom and Dad always dote on me, so they gave me the master bedroom. It was supposed to be your room. How about you take my room and I'll move to the guest room?"

She spoke just loud enough for Grace and Richard, who were checking on Edward, to catch every word.

Sure enough, Grace rushed over, shielding Charlotte behind her and shooting me a glare. "Serena, what more do you want? Charlotte's so considerate.

"Can't you be more like her? Is taking your sister's room the only thing that'll make you happy?"

Richard's face was grim. "That's enough! The house is already a mess. Can't you stop causing trouble?"

Edward, still limping and clutching his waist after being helped up by Michael and the servants, stood in front of Charlotte's door like a guard, glaring at me. He yelled, "As long as I'm here, you're not setting foot in there!"

All of them, united against me.

I looked at them and let out an exasperated sigh.

I never really cared where I stayed, as long as it was quiet. But now, they were turning this room into their way of picking a fight with me.

Fine, if that was how they wanted to play, I wouldn't hold back.

Chapter 2

Edward's agonized scream exploded through the dining room.

He shot up from his chair, scalded by the soup. The soup streamed down his hair and covered his face, with seafood clinging to him like a bad joke. He looked absolutely ridiculous and miserable.

"Oh no! Somebody get a towel!" Grace yelled, panicking and fumbling around.

He charged at me like a lunatic, howling and swinging his hand up to strike.

I sat still and watched him with calm eyes, not moving a muscle.

"Edward, watch out!" Michael's voice cut through the chaos as his face went pale. He sprang from his seat and darted over, grabbing Edward and hauling him aside with all his strength.

The very next second, the massive crystal chandelier came crashing down, smashing into the exact spot where Edward had just been, right in front of my seat at the table.

The fancy dining table exploded into splinters, crystal shards and food flying everywhere. The whole place was a disaster zone.

The whole room went dead silent.

Everyone was scared out of their wits by the sudden disaster.

He avoided my gaze, like I was some kind of walking disaster.

With a calm expression, I wiped the corner of my mouth with a napkin, set down my fork, and stood up.

"I'm full," I said.

Then I made my way upstairs to the guest room they'd assigned to me.

"Stop right there!" Edward, still rattled, shouted angrily at my retreating figure, refusing to let it go.

He always forgot that karma hit him every time he tried to mess with me.

Right after he yelled, he stepped on a sharp piece of chandelier glass, slipped, and lost his balance. He tumbled off the chair, smacking his waist against the armrest.

"My back!" Edward groaned, curling up on the floor in pain.

I didn't even look back.

I could sense Michael's gaze on me. It was first surprised and suspicious, and then shifting into something complicated: fear, awe, and even a spark of excitement.

He watched my retreating figure, and then looked at Edward curled up in pain on the floor. The look in his eyes had completely changed.

This place was so noisy.

When I got back to the smallest, most secluded guest room they stuck me in, I'd barely settled in before someone knocked on the door.

Charlotte stood at the door, holding a glass of milk, looking all sweet and pitiful. "Serena, I'm really sorry about today. It's all my fault. Sorry you have to put up with such a tiny room.

"Mom and Dad always dote on me, so they gave me the master bedroom. It was supposed to be your room. How about you take my room and I'll move to the guest room?"

She spoke just loud enough for Grace and Richard, who were checking on Edward, to catch every word.

Sure enough, Grace rushed over, shielding Charlotte behind her and shooting me a glare. "Serena, what more do you want? Charlotte's so considerate.

"Can't you be more like her? Is taking your sister's room the only thing that'll make you happy?"

Richard's face was grim. "That's enough! The house is already a mess. Can't you stop causing trouble?"

All of them, united against me.

I looked at them and let out an exasperated sigh.

I never really cared where I stayed, as long as it was quiet. But now, they were turning this room into their way of picking a fight with me.

Fine, if that was how they wanted to play, I wouldn't hold back.