“You two have suffered this past year.”
My mother, finally processing the fact that she had slept with the Torrence heir, blushed and waved her hands. “Not at all, not at all.
She’s a good baby, she hasn’t given me any trouble.”
The news that the Torrences had found their true heiress quickly spread through high society. Mrs. Torrence wanted to throw a
lavish party to officially introduce me, but I refused.
After returning to the Torrence family, I didn’t slack off. I used my two lifetimes of knowledge to start winning over each member of
the family.
! played chess with my biological father, golf with my younger uncle, and discussed politics with my grandfather. I displayed extrao-
rdinary talent in everything, to the point where my father wished he could take me to work with him.
But even if he could, I wouldn’t have gone. I was just too busy. Besides spending four or five hours a day bonding with the family, I
also had to exercise for at least an hour and study for four hours. I was so busy I had to run to the bathroom.
This continued until I was three. That year, Celeste’s mother passed away, a full year earlier than in my previous life.
According to the Torrences, her early death was due not only to her poor health after childbirth but also to excessive worry.
It was easy to guess what she was worried about.
After I was brought back to the Torrence family, she hadn’t given up. She had tried numerous times to get Celeste back into the family’s good graces.
But every time, I had beaten her to the punch.
When I was one and a half, she had brought Celeste over, claiming she had suddenly developed a passion for chess and had solved a centuries–old puzzle. But my father had just scoffed.
“A centuries–old puzzle? You haven’t been following the chess world, have you? That puzzle was solved six months ago. By me and my Nina.”
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16.00
When I was two, she had arranged for my uncle to “accidentally” see Celeste hit a hole–in–one on the golf course. This time, my uncle had shown some interest. “Celeste’s swing is not bad. How about this? Starting tomorrow, you can come to the house and be
Nina’s caddy.”
At two and a half, she had made her big move. She had Celeste write an article on current affairs in classical prose and had it publ- ished in the newspaper. The next day, that newspaper was on the Torrence family’s breakfast table.
My grandfather used it as a placemat while he ate his porridge.
He glanced at the article and wrinkled his nose in disgust. “A two–and–a–half–year–old girl, instead of developing her interests, is
writing this kind of pretentious nonsense. It seems Howard didn’t listen to a word I said. All he wants is for his daughter to be a
prodigy so she can one–up our Nina. As if they could!”
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“Since they’re so clueless, I’m giving an order. From now on, Howard’s wife and daughter are not to set foot in this house without
my permission.”
Why //
After that, Celeste’s mother disappeared from our lives. The next news we heard of her was her obituary.
The entire Torrence family attended her funeral, a final gesture of respect.
But Celeste was still too young and naive. She didn’t
was still following the script of the novel. She stone Torrences had grown tired of her constant competition with me.
ran up to them, her eyes red.
at the door in a thin shirt on
a
She
cold day, and when she saw the Torrences, she
“Grandpa Torrence, Grandma Torrence, Uncle Alistair… I… I don’t have a mommy anymore.”
Mr. and Mrs. Torrence said nothing. My father, having grown up with Howard, took pity on her and patted her shoulder.
“It’s okay, it’s okay. Your dad is still young. I’m sure he’ll find you a new mommy.”
His words, meant to comfort, only made her cry harder.
હે જગ્યા પૂ
But she was smart enough not to blame him. She just looked up at him with tearful, pleading eyes. “Uncle Alistair, I don’t want a
new mommy. Can I… can I move in with you?”
Afraid my father would have a moment of weakness, I quickly spoke up.
“Celeste, I understand you want a complete family. But you can’t just steal someone else’s mom because you lost yours.”
Celeste glared at me and my mother. “Who wants to steal your mom!”
wh
“If not my mom, then who? My dad? My grandpa? My grandma? My aunt? My uncle? I’m sorry, Celeste, but these are my family.
members. They’re not for sharing.”
In my past life, if I had spoken to her like that, I would have been slapped several times. But this time, the Torrences didn’t think
there was anything wrong with what I said.
I was their blood, and I was smarter, more sensible, and more hardworking than Celeste. And now that her protagonist halo was
gone, they weren’t going to let her manipulate them.
“Nina is right, Celeste. It’s a tragedy to lose your mother at such a young age. But that’s all the more reason for you to be there for
your father. Comfort him, help him move on, so he can find a new mother to take care of you.”
Seeing the Torrences defending me, Celeste’s face turned the color of her mother in her coffin.
After the funeral, under my constant influence, my father even began to find Howard annoying. He found an excuse to transfer him abroad. It was a promotion in name, but everyone knew it was an exile. He wouldn’t be back for at least seven or eight years.
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Chapter 2
I heard Celeste threw a massive tantrum, crying and screaming that she didn’t want to go. In the end, she had to be dragged onto
the plane.
“Nina, still reading? Aren’t you worried about your eyes?”
Hearing my father’s voice, I knew he had just finished work and was about to go to bed.
“I’m not worried. I do eye exercises and get regular check–ups. I won’t get nearsighted.” I looked up at him and smiled sweetly, the perfect little angel. “Besides, I was worried you’d be lonely working so late by yourself. I can’t help you with your work yet, so this is
the only way I can keep you company.”
Of course, that was a lie.
The real reason I was still grinding was Celeste.
She may have been exiled, but she was still the protagonist. Who knew if she would suddenly return in a few years, her protagonist halo reactivated, and brainwash the family into handing over the entire Torrence fortune to her.
It was better to get my hands on the family assets as early as possible.
I glanced down at the annual financial report tucked inside my math book and sighed.
The succession battle was not yet won. The gust continue to grind.
So, I grind on.
