Chapter 3

"Jessica, don't you agree? We can't really let her dress like a princess, right? That would just look ridiculous," Serena said with a sneer.

Jessica's expression darkened. She wanted to speak up, but Xander's cold glare stopped her.

"Serena is right. The kid should know her place and not fantasize about things that don't belong to her. Giving her this much is already enough," Xander remarked.

…

During dinner, at the long dining table, Xander sat at the head. Serena sat right beside him, acting like the lady of the house. Mom and I sat at the farthest end from them.

The dishes on the table looked exquisite, but the portions were pitifully small, without even a single hearty dish.

"Eat up, brat." Serena smiled sweetly, picked up a piece topped with caviar, and placed it on the small dish in front of me.

She added, "This is yummy. Try eating it with the salad. Don't disappoint your infertile mother who went through so much trouble to bring you home."

The mockery in her tone was practically oozing out of her mouth. I looked at the thing before me and felt no appetite to eat it.

Mom then cut her barely touched steak into small pieces and pushed it toward me. "Sweetie, heave some steak," she said.

Xander glanced at us and slowly said, "Jessica, keep the rules in mind. Refrain from bringing your uncultured habits into this house. Whatever she wants to eat, the maids will prepare it."

The maids would prepare it?

I peeked into the kitchen. Tomato and eggs, ribs, pulled pork—the staff were eating way better than I was!

I felt a spark of anger ignite in me and, in a fit, poked at the pile of weeds before me. I would endure this for Mom's sake! It was fine as long as I didn't starve to death.

Just then, Serena's saccharine voice rang out again. "Jessica, this soup has been boiling for hours and is really nourishing. You're weak, so you should drink more."

She carried a steaming bowl of soup, smiling broadly as she walked over and pretended to place it in front of Mom. My heart skipped a beat, for I had a bad feeling about this.

Sure enough, when Serena bent down to set the bowl, her wrist "accidentally" shook. The scalding hot soup spilled straight onto Mom's leg!

"Ah!"

Caught off guard, Mom cried out in pain and instinctively pulled back. Her skirt was soaked in an instant, with a glaring red mark showing beneath the fabric.

Almost simultaneously, Serena let out an exaggerated scream and yanked her hand back. A tiny red spot from the splashed soup on her hand, about the size of a grain.

"Jessica, what are you doing? I kindly brought you soup, so why did you push me? I only wanted you to taste it!" Serena sobbed theatrically. "It hurts so much!"

"Serena!" Xander shot up and rushed over. "Jessica! Serena was being kind-hearted, yet you took your anger out on her?

"You couldn't bear a child, so we let you adopt a child. And now, you're jealous of Serena, weren't you? Apologize to her right now!"

Mom's face turned pale from the pain, and fine beads of cold sweat broke out on her forehead. She looked at her swollen, reddened leg, then at Xander's irrational state. Her lips trembled, but she couldn't say a single word.

It was as if she had experienced this kind of slander and injustice countless times, having already become numb with pain. She even looked too weak and powerless to defend herself.

The livestream comments flashed past quickly before my eyes.

"Damn! The scheming woman's acting is insane! She should get an award!"

"Push her? It was clearly Jessica who got burned! Bastard McNeil, are you blind?"

"Tsk! The female lead doesn't even dare to speak up. Looks like she gets bullied like this often."

"Enough with the tragic angst already! I'm so pissed off! Kid, hurry up and fight back!"

The anger in my chest burst out in an instant, and I lost it. I shouted, "Are you blind or what?"

I jumped down from my chair and rushed to stand in front of Xander. I pointed a finger at Serena's hand, then at Mom's swollen leg.