Chapter 2

I sidestepped, and the broom struck the landscaping behind me with a vicious crack.

“Careful, Mrs. Turner. You might hurt your back.”

“You actually dared to dodge?”

Rachel trembled with rage.

“My son made the right choice calling off your engagement! You’re bad luck for any man, and whoever marries you will live to regret it!”

Lisa hurried over to support Rachel while fanning the flames of her anger. “Please don’t let her upset you. Suzy’s probably just heartbroken. Please take pity on her.”

“Take pity on her? Who’s going to take pity on me?” Rachel shoved Lisa away and stormed toward me before kicking over the metal tray holding the candles.

The candles scattered across the ground, and their flames went out at once.

[Warning: The black candles were destroyed. Cashback interrupted!]

“Mrs. Turner, that wasn’t very fair.”

“Not fair? You’re lighting candles outside my home in the middle of the night, and you’re lecturing me about fairness?”

Rachel raised her broom and moved to strike again.

“Go ahead. Hit me.”

My gaze turned icy. “If you injure me, I’ll leave you bankrupt.”

Rachel’s raised hand froze in midair.

“Mom, don’t stoop to her level.” Donald came over and stepped between us.

“Suzy, do you understand now? You could light candles here all night, and it still wouldn’t change the fact that I called off our engagement.”

I ignored him and quietly began gathering the scattered candles.

“You’re picking them up?”

Donald planted his foot on the candles and ground them into the pavement.

“Donald, move your foot.”

“I’m not moving it. What are you going to do about it?”

I pulled a lighter from my pocket and held the flame close to his trouser leg.

“What are you doing?” Donald stumbled back several steps in fright.

“Still refusing to move?” I asked flatly. “Then I’ll burn you along with them.”

Without changing expression, I began lighting the candles again.

The flames sprang to life, growing brighter and stronger.

[You lit four dollars’ worth of black candles. Ten-thousandfold cashback triggered. Forty thousand dollars has been credited to your account!]

“You’re insane!” Donald pointed at me, his hand shaking.

He pulled out his phone and snapped a picture of my face.

“I’m posting this on Instagram right now. Let’s see how everyone reacts when they see what a hysterical shrew you are.”

“Go ahead.” I didn’t even look up as I continued lighting the candles.

After uploading the post, Donald walked over to me.

“See that? This is the power of public opinion.”

I looked up at him and placed another black candle onto the metal tray.

“Donald, do you really think I care?”

“Compared to your gossip, I care more about whether these flames are burning brightly enough.”

I placed the last candle from the box onto the metal tray.

The candles burned brightly, illuminating the darkness.

[You lit twenty dollars’ worth of black candles. Ten-thousandfold cashback triggered. Two hundred thousand dollars has been credited to your account!]

That brought my total to two hundred thousand dollars.

I stood up and dusted off my hands.

“All right. That’s enough for tonight.”

Donald froze. “You… You’re done?”

“Yep. I’ve earned enough.”

“What did you just say about earning enough?”

“I said I’ve earned two hundred thousand dollars.”

I turned to him, wearing a dazzling smile as I watched his stunned face.

“Donald, thanks for letting me use your family’s lucky little spot.”