Chapter 02

Rosalind's POV

Mrs. Harlow's hand shook as she signed. Then she threw the pen down like it had burned her.

"From now on, you and this family have nothing to do with each other," she said. "Live or die, that's on you."

"Don't worry." I folded the paper and slipped it into my pocket. "Even if I die out there, your name won't come up. And if I ever make it big, don't come looking for a piece of it either."

[Fortune points +30.]

I almost laughed. This system really did pay for every bit of trash I took out.

Sienna crossed her arms as I walked past her. She didn't even bother to lower her voice.

"So proud of herself. A reject with no family backing her. She'll end up matched with some other useless man."

I didn't turn around. The old Rosalind would have cried at that. I had heard worse from dying men begging me for water.

The tall front doors of Harlow Manor closed behind me with a heavy thud.

Cold night air hit my face. Above me, three silver moons hung over the floating towers of Crown City, and hover cars drifted between them like slow fireflies.

A whole new world. And for the first time in years, nobody was trying to eat me.

I had barely reached the bottom of the steps when a black hover car dropped out of the sky and landed right in front of me.

The door slid open. A man stepped out.

He was tall, maybe late twenties, in a long dark coat with a silver crest on the collar. His hair was black, his jaw was sharp, and his grey eyes went straight to me like he had been searching for me his whole life.

"Rosalind," he said. "I am your brother."

I stared at him. "Who are you?"

"Silas Montgomery." He held up his wrist device. A glowing file appeared in the air between us, with my face on it. "The Royal Bloodline Registry matched us yesterday. You are the long-lost daughter of the Montgomery family. I am here to bring you home."

My mind raced.

Did the plot shift because I walked out of Harlow Manor on my own?

In the book, the fake heiress never made it this far. She died in that hall with her heart cut out, and nobody ever came for her.

"I'm a Montgomery?" I said slowly. "The Montgomerys? One of the five great families of Crown City?"

"That is right." His voice softened. "Will you come home with me now? Everyone has missed you."

I looked at him for a long moment.

The real heiress's identity was this powerful. But big families came with big trouble. Rivals. Secrets. People who smile at dinner and poison your wine.

I already had my mental power back. I had fifty million star coins sitting in my account.

Wouldn't it be easier to just find a quiet little place and live out my days in peace?

"Sorry," I said. "I don't know you. And I don't want to go to this so-called Montgomery family."

Silas blinked. Then, to my surprise, the corner of his mouth lifted.

"So this is my little sister." He said it quietly, almost to himself. "She's got quite the spine. I was worried growing up in a small family might have left her spoiled and soft." He shook his head. "Looks like that worry was wasted."

He took one step closer.

"Rosalind, whether you like it or not, you are a Montgomery. Come home first. If you really don't want to stay, I will set you up somewhere else."

I didn't move.

"I've killed more monsters than I can count," I said. "I don't trust people easily. Taking me anywhere won't be that simple."

His eyebrows rose. "Monsters?"

Before I could answer, the jade pendant warmed against my chest.

[Host, new target detected: Silas Montgomery.]

[Win him over to earn 100,000 fortune points and one lucky draw.]

[Current affection: 1. Fortune points +1.]

I nearly choked.

System, are you sure about this? I asked in my head. We're siblings!

[He's adopted. No blood relation to you. He doesn't know that himself.]

My eyes flicked up to Silas's face. He was still watching me with that patient, steady look.

Adopted?

[Good luck, host. I'm out of energy.]

The pendant went cold.

"Hey. Hey!" I muttered under my breath.

Nothing.

What kind of shady system was this?

But I knew the rules of this world now. If I wanted to survive here and steal every chance the female lead was meant to get, I needed every fortune point I could get my hands on.

And one hundred thousand was a lot of points.

I let out a long breath and looked back at the man in front of me.

"Fine," I said. "I will come with you."