Clouded Path
I was born without the ability to feel pain.
When I was three years old, my nanny got annoyed with my crying and secretly pinched my arm until it bruised.
I barely reacted, but all ten of her fingers dislocated at once.
When I was eight years old, my older cousin shoved me into a swimming pool. I choked on a little water, but she ended up on the pool deck, struggling as water somehow filled her lungs.
Later, my family brought in an elderly man who said I was protected by a powerful spell.
Anyone who deliberately hurt me would suffer tenfold the pain in my place.
From then on, no one in my family dared lay a finger on me.
At 24 years old, my family arranged a marriage alliance with the Gardner family.
At the engagement party, Hayden Gardner's beloved, Bailey Burke, suddenly poured warm coffee over her own wrist.
She looked at me with red-rimmed eyes. "Sienna, if you don't like me, just say so. Why did you bump into me on purpose?"
Hayden immediately swept her into his arms and ordered me to apologize.
Mom stood beside me, shooting me warning looks.
She had warned me beforehand that Bailey loved to blame others and play the victim. Mom had told me not to get drawn into her games.
Looking at Bailey's barely reddened wrist, the whole act struck me as unfair.
So I held out my arm to her. "If you insist I spilled it on you, then go ahead and do the same to me."
Bailey froze for a moment, then let out a scornful laugh. "You asked for it. I'll give you what you want."
She turned, grabbed a full kettle of freshly boiled water from a server, and flung it straight at my arm.
The next second, Bailey's smile froze.