Chapter 3

“Mom, the food’s a bit too greasy for me. Could I possibly have some salad instead?” I asked tentatively.

Although the table was full of luxurious dishes, they were all Julianne’s favorites. They did not suit my taste at all.

The steak tartare, in particular, brought back bad memories. Back when I was living in the countryside, I was forced to eat spoiled meat because I was starving. To this day, the sight of raw meat made me slightly nauseous.

My mother looked at me in annoyance.

“The cook’s gone for the day. You should be happy there’s food on the table at all. Stop being so picky.”

Julianne chimed in and deliberately placed some steak tartare on my plate.

“Zinnia, this isn’t greasy. You should eat more of it.”

I kept quiet and lowered my head as I silently counted down

Three, two, one.

The system’s alert tone rang out.

[Electric shock protocol activated.]

My mother instantly collapsed from her chair. Several of her porcelain crowns, which she had proudly maintained, chipped from the impact.

“Why am I being punished?!”

[Jenna Dawson prepared truffle risotto for Julianne Dawson but claimed to have no time to prepare a simple salad for her biological daughter. She remembers Julianne Dawson’s preferences clearly yet remains unaware of her biological daughter’s aversion to raw meat. The system has administered a Level 3 electric shock punishment, which corresponds to the degree of favoritism.]

My mother’s hands trembled from the pain as she moved away from the table.

“Ugh, fine! I’ll make your salad. Are you happy now?”

She stood up and dumped all of the steak tartare into the trash.

“My steak tartare!”

Julianne’s expression was particularly amusing to me. I struggled to hold back my laughter and felt an immense sense of satisfaction.

So, as long as I measured it up against Julianne, any request I made could be fulfilled.

For the first time, I was finally experiencing a taste of fairness.

Julianne finished her meal without a word before she ran toward her room.

With the system in place, why should I return to that damp and stuffy store room?

I needed a proper study environment if I was going to ace my exams and get out of this house for good.

“Mom, Dad, I’d like a room like my sister’s.”

As soon as I said it, Julianne froze on the staircase. She turned and yelled, “Zinnia, are you serious?! My room was custom-designed by a famous French interior architect. Some of the pieces are one-of-a-kind. How are they supposed to find an identical one for you? Besides, what would a clueless country bumpkin like you even know about living in a room like that? Don’t push your luck!”

I smiled.

“You have one. Why shouldn’t I? It’s only fair.”

Jacob, who had been silent, stepped in and shielded Julianne.

“Zinnia, that’s enough.”

However, my father and mother did not speak up immediately this time.

Julianne began to look uneasy.

“Mom, Dad, say something! I can’t sleep in just any bed. My skin is sensitive to different fabrics. This isn’t fair to me at all!”

After a long silence, my mother finally spoke.

“Annie, let Sophia use your room just for tonight. Tomorrow, I’ll have the guest room fully redecorated just for her.”

My father sighed and agreed, “Your mother’s right. We don’t want to provoke the system. I’ll check tomorrow if there’s a way to disable it before it turns this whole house upside down.”

So, they did know how to be fair.

They were just never willing to treat me fairly.

Julianne descended the stairs, and her eyes were filled with tears of resentment.

As she walked past me, she whispered menacingly, “Don’t get too cocky, Sophia. That system won’t protect you forever. You’ll regret this.”