Chapter 3

In the living room on the first floor, Tamara finally washed off the oil paint after scrubbing furiously at her face until her skin turned pink. Lying sprawled over Kieran's knee, she sobbed breathlessly. "It's all my fault. I broke the flowerpot, and Mildred must've lashed out because she got so mad. "I'll be more careful and promise not to touch her stuff again…" Standing to the side, Nox had eye-catching blonde hair and a pair of charming eyes full of disdain and arrogance. Like the electric baton he'd wielded in the previous life, he was ruthless and reckless. "First day back and she's already lashing out, huh? No doubt she's from the slums. "Kieran, now that Dad and Gavin aren't here, what do you say we do with her? Tamara's never suffered this way, and we can't just let it slide." Adrian pushed the silver-rimmed glasses higher on his nose bridge and looked politely bored as always. "Family business is your call, Kieran. I don't have any objections, and since I'm busy with the lab, can I leave now?" "Adrian, you should care about what happens at home too. Don't bury yourself in the lab all day," Kieran patiently remarked. Adrian's eyes flicked to the culprit, Mildred, and flashed with a hint of annoyance. "Do you realize that your causing trouble is a waste of my time? I'm busy." Nox chimed in, "I say we do it by the house rules. Three strikes with the rod, and that'll serve as a lesson reminding her to mind her hands next time." A flicker of delight crossed Tamara's eyes before she quickly put on a worried look. "No, how could we hit her? She'd just gotten home." Nox lazily replied, "That didn't stop her from hitting you, did it? What do you think, Kieran?" Kieran stroked Tamara's hair in distress before disappointedly turning to Mildred. "Why did you do it? Give me one good reason." Mildred blinked at him. "Didn't you tell me to?" "When did I ever tell you to hit her?" Kieran snapped back, stunned. "You said she broke my flowerpot and brought me a treat, so I should show her my appreciation." She plopped the half-eaten pear crumble in front of Tarama with a loud clunk. "I did, and after she eats this, we're square just like you said." A dead silence fell over the room. Jabbing a finger at Mildred, Tamara sputtered but failed to form a single coherent retort. In the end, she turned her pleading eyes toward Kieran. Nox snorted. "Seems like the slums taught you brawling and shamelessness. Or do you simply don't understand human speech? Like Al, did you leave your brain in the womb when you were born?" Mildred's eyes went cold at the mention of Alphonese as she snapped, "As for you, do you understand human speech?" "Of course…" "So, you heard her say she broke my flowerpot, didn't you?" "It's just a cheap pot, so who cares if it broke? These are two different issues altogether." "What if that pot of flowers can cure Kieran's legs?" Nox's words caught in his throat, while Mildred let out an icy laugh and continued, "See? Some things matter only if they're important to you, so don't pretend this is about a flowerpot. All things hold equal value, so no matter what it is, you should pay for what you broke. "As self-claimed nobles, the Gingers pride themselves on strict family rules, and I thought you'd be born knowing such a simple lesson. Turns out I have to spell it out for you, Nox." Nox flared into embarrassed rage. "Who the hell do you think you're talking to? Kieran, are you just going to let her get away with that?" Seated in his wheelchair, Kieran's dark eyes fixed on Mildred with sharp, intense scrutiny. "She's right. This ends here." Mildred gave him a smile edged with frost. "Good to see that you're pretty understanding, Kieran." … Later that night, Mildred lay in bed for a rest while Kieran's soft, harmless expression surfaced in her mind. He wasn't a lamb or a wolf. In both previous and present lives, he'd always been a cunning fox who'd never make a move unless certain the trap would spring shut. With her understanding of Kieran, he was never one to act recklessly, unlike the rest of the Ginger fools. In her previous life, though confined to a wheelchair, it was Kieran who'd quietly masterminded her death. Under his strings, every Ginger was unleashed to their full potential. Gavin's trained men were tasked to hunt her down, Nox's electric baton lashed on her, Adrian's lab ran countless tests on her, and Tamara's last spark lit up the final match. And in the end, Kieran inherited Ginger Corporation. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. "Right on cue," Mildred murmured as she opened her eyes. When she opened the door, she was met with a familiar face. "It's late, Kieran. What's up?" There was a flowerpot on Kieran's knee as he said, "What you said earlier makes sense. It might just be a pot of flowers, but all things hold equal value. "So, I went and brought you a new pot. I hope it makes up for what happened today. "Nox and Adrain grew up with Tamara, so they're used to protecting her. But it doesn't mean they don't care about you. We're a family, so learning to get along and understand each other takes time." She looked down at the pot. "This isn't the same." He warmly smiled and replied, "I know, but yours was thrown out, and I couldn't compare. You could tell me its name, and I'll find the exact one for you." If Mildred weren't living her second life, she might have fallen for his harmless look. "It doesn't have a name." "Family lets each other off the hook, Mildred. I'm in a wheelchair and asking you nicely for a way out, alright?" She looked him dead in the eye, past the feigned gentleness as a slight smile curled at her lips. "If you're so concerned, you could check the trash before it's hauled out tomorrow. Who knows, you might find a whole leaf." Kieran's smile never wavered, but his eyes darkened with a venomous chill that escalated into a silent standoff with Mildred. Unfazed, she said, "Well then, I won't keep you from your treasure hunt, Kieran. I'll get some sleep now." With that, the door slammed shut. Kieran's gentle composure finally cracked as his fingers tightened around the seedling before violently yanking it from the soil. It seemed he'd underestimated her. As a slum stray, there was no way she'd know anything about curing paralysis. All her words must have just been empty promises. He was almost certain that Mildred was just starved for affection and a fool reckless enough to challenge him on her very first day home. And since that was the case, he'd give her a lesson on ways of survival within the Ginger family! … When Mildred descended the stairs the next morning, she found Pippa walking toward the backyard and shouting, "Keep looking! It's been hours; find me one whole leaf!" As she stepped out through the back door, she found a dozen maids wearing masks and gloves on the empty field. They were combing through heaps of trash—bottles, napkins, leaves, leftover food—as sweltering heat mixed with the rank stench of rot in the air. Pippa lifted her brows when she saw Mildred and called out in a shrill voice, "Oh, you're finally awake, Ms. Mildred. What are you doing here? Be careful not to faint from the smell!" Mildred scanned the scene in disgust. "What's going on here?" Tamara's sweet voice came from behind her. "Didn't you tell Kieran last night you had to have a single perfect leaf so he could buy you a new plant? They're all just following your orders! "Also, don't worry, Pippa. Mildred grew up among garbage heaps in the slums, and she must've long gotten used to it." Pippa practically scampered to Tamara's side with a fawning smile. "Yes, you're absolutely right! But it stinks so much, so please don't stand here any longer. "Leave this to me, and I'll make sure they don't slack off for a second!" Tamara shot Mildred a smug look. "You've never had so many people at your beck and call, have you? These old folks have worked for the Gingers for years, and today, they're all yours to boss around. "Take your time getting used to it. Here in this house, no one would ever dare refuse your requests." Forced to dig through garbage for hours, the maids all looked up at Mildred, the culprit behind their misery. Their eyes brimmed with barely concealed hatred and resentment. A flicker of emotion stirred behind Mildred's calm expression. If these dozen maids, who managed every aspect of the Ginger family's daily life, started loathing her, all it would take was a small retaliation from each of them to leave her broken and bleeding. Sure enough, manipulating hearts and minds was second nature to Kieran.