Chapter 1

"Jules, why do you look so pale?"

Laura White's gentle voice pulled me back from my thoughts. I jerked my head up. Her face was as innocent and harmless as ever, but I felt a wave of coldness.

I drew in a slow breath, forcing down the surge of killing intent inside me. "Nothing. Probably just a little nervous."

I glanced around. We were in the tea-tasting room of the White residence, all antique wood and quiet elegance.

The rich aroma of Golden Crest Black Tea filled the air, curling into my nose like a perfectly brewed tea. Everything felt so familiar. I knew this scene.

This was one month after I was reclaimed into the White family, the very day Laura first showed off her tea-tasting talent in front of the family, as well as the beginning of the nightmare that was my previous life.

"What do you think, Laura?" Mom asked, her voice soft with affection.

Laura's gaze flickered before she broke into a shy smile. "I'm not sure I can explain it well, but it feels like these tea leaves were plucked around five in the morning, still carrying the touch of dew.

"The water for brewing seems a degree too hot. It's slightly holding back the floral and fruity notes. The opening carries a honeyed aroma, then it shifts into florals through the mid-palate.

"The finish has a faint sweet potato note, with a lingering, sweet aftertaste in the back of the throat…"

Every word she said matched exactly what had just formed in my own tasting notes, without a single detail off. In my previous life, hearing that, I was so stunned that I blurted out, "How did you know that?"

This time, however, I simply sat back and calmly watched Laura perform.

"Bravo! You're a tea prodigy, aren't you?"

"Just as expected of the White family's daughter! Your talent is unreal!"

The room erupted in applause. My fiance, Liam Ford, was the first to rise, clapping without restraint. The way he looked at Laura was suspiciously full of open admiration and pride.

"Laura, you're amazing!" he cheered. "You were born to do this!"

He then turned to me, his soft expression sharpening into disgust. "Look at your sister, then look at yourself, Juliana. You're both tasting the same tea, yet you couldn't utter a single comment."

Dad frowned, shaking his head with a sigh, as if disappointed by the outcome.

"Juliana, I understand you've just returned and haven't settled in yet, but Laura is younger, and her gift is so much stronger than yours. As her elder sister, you should be happy for her."

Mom took Laura's hand, her face full of concern as she chided me, "Enough with the long face, Juliana. You'll scare Laura. We're family. Don't be so petty that you can't accept her being better than you."

One by one, they took her side as if it were only natural. To them, I, the biological daughter who had returned out of nowhere, couldn't compare to the one they had raised and refined for 20 years.

This time, I wouldn't swallow the injustice and cry.

I set my teacup down lightly, lifted my head, and met their eyes. A faint smile touched my lips. "Are you done? If you are, it's my turn to speak."

My composure seemed to catch them off guard.

Liam's frown deepened. "What else do you want to say? That you think you can do better than Laura?"

"I can only answer that after we have a fair fight," I said calmly. Turning to Dad, I requested, "Dad, could you bring out three different rock teas? Let the two of us do a blind tasting."

Dad paused briefly, then nodded. "Of course. A little competition won't hurt."

He probably thought I was just trying to prove myself with a proper tasting session because I was unwilling to lose, but only I knew that this would be an experiment.