Chapter 2

Jake's hands suddenly loosened from my throat. His eyes locked onto the number on the screen with naked greed.

His attitude did a complete one-eighty. He reached down, pulled me to my feet, and fake-tenderly straightened out my rumpled clothes.

"Baby, I just acted like that because I care about you so much. You know how jealousy is with guys. Don't take it to heart."

The doorbell rang, cutting off Jake's performance mid-act.

Jake walked over and yanked the door open with irritation. A girl stood outside, carrying a red-and-white woven bag.

It was my aunt's biological daughter from the countryside—my cousin, who'd never gotten along with me since childhood: Sophia Gadot.

She was wearing a faded floral dress, her hair in two braids.

"Claire, Jake, I can't find a job in the city. Can I crash on your couch for a few days?"

Jake's irritable expression instantly turned greasy and hungry the moment his eyes landed on the pale slice of skin at Sophia's collar.

Sophia kept her head down like she was scared, but her eyes were shamelessly locking with Jake's. The corner of her mouth curled into a cold smirk.

Then she turned to look at me and covered her mouth.

"Claire, why are you dressed like some cheap whore? If the folks back home saw this, they'd think you're turning tricks! If Grandma knew you were doing this kind of thing, she'd die of shame!"

I watched Sophia's pathetic performance coldly. I didn't even bother to react.

Instead, I walked right up to her, grabbed her rough, calloused hands, and put on a face full of warm, worried affection.

"Oh my god, Sophia! Why didn't you just say something sooner? The city is expensive. You stay right here with me as long as you need."

Sophia clearly hadn't expected me not to explode. She just stood there frozen as I half-pushed, half-pulled her into the guest room.

The next night, Jake suddenly walked into the kitchen carrying his equipment and forced the livestream camera to point at both of us.

He cleared his throat and announced to the screen, "Hey everyone, tonight we're doing a special two-girl cooking showdown!"

Jake was obviously trying to siphon off my viewers and shove Sophia in front of the camera as his new cash cow.

Sophia immediately switched into full pitiful mode, tying on a pink apron.

"Hello, everyone. I'm from the countryside. My hands are clumsy. Please don't hate the food I make, okay?"

The moment the stream started, Sophia deliberately slammed her shoulder into mine and splashed dirty water all over the ingredients I'd just finished prepping.

"Oh no, Claire, I'm so sorry! I really didn't mean it. I'm so clumsy. I can't even do something as simple as washing vegetables."

She took the opportunity to splash a little bit of boiling water onto her own hand, then burst into tears, fat drops falling down her cheeks.

I immediately threw down my knife, rushed over, grabbed her hand, and turned red-eyed with worry.

"Sophia! How could you be so careless? Does it hurt? Let me blow on it. It's all my fault for not watching out for you!"

The chat instantly flipped entirely in my favor.

Right then, the top donor, Bruce, came online. Gift animations flooded the screen.

Bruce didn't hold back. He posted a single bold, colored comment: [Where the hell did this country bumpkin come from? What a turn-off. Get her the hell out of the kitchen! I spend my money to watch my sweetheart, not some fake-ass country girl cook.]

Sophia stared at the insults on the screen, her face twisting with jealousy. Her nails dug so deep into her palms that they left crescent marks.

After the stream ended, Sophia couldn't keep up the act anymore. She collapsed onto the floor and threw a full-blown tantrum, crying her eyes out.

She pointed right at my face and screamed, "Claire! Do you really think you're some kind of saint? Grandma's sick in bed and needs money, and you're out here whoring it up online every day without sending a penny home! You heartless, family-abandoning snake. One day, lightning's going to strike you dead!"

Jake walked over, pulled Sophia into his arms, and shot me a glare full of resentment.

"Claire, your cousin came all the way here to see you. Not only do you not take care of her, you manipulated online trolls to attack her? Starting this month, the support money for your parents stops completely. You're on your own."

I kept my head down, bit my lower lip hard, and let my shoulders shake just slightly.