Chapter 2

On the white python's first night in the resin tank, a faint, charred scent permeated the entire penthouse.

It was the stench of Serafina's soul being slowly scorched alive by the liquid silver.

Sitting on the leather sofa in the living room, I sipped a glass of red wine and admired the "artwork" inside the tank.

Suspended in the translucent silver liquid, the white python was frozen in a grotesque, contorted posture.

Its unblinking eyes were wide open, staring dead at me.

"Mom! What on earth are you doing?! It smells disgusting in here."

Ivy stormed through the door, her limited-edition heels clicking aggressively against the floor.

Sporting dyed pink hair, she was swinging the Chanel bag she had whined at me to buy just last week.

In my past life, I yielded to her every whim. Guilt-ridden over my lack of time with her, I had desperately tried to overcompensate with material things.

Even when she hurled vicious insults at me, even when she conspired with Declan against me, I still made excuses for her, telling myself, "She's just a child."

"Ivy, mind your manners," I said, setting down my wine glass.

Ivy froze, clearly caught off guard by my tone.

Usually, the moment she threw a tantrum, I would instantly cave.

She marched over to the resin tank. Glancing at the white python inside, her eyes suddenly lit up.

"Is this the mutant python Daddy bought? I saw the pictures in his phone's notes! Daddy said it was a gift for me! What gives you the right to dump it in this disgusting water?"

I arched an eyebrow.

So Declan had already tipped her off.

In my past life, this snake had indeed spent a suspicious amount of time in Ivy's room, supposedly to "bond" with her.

"You want it?" I stood up, walked over to the tank, and lightly tapped the bulletproof glass.

Hearing the sound, the white python inside flinched.

"Of course! Daddy got it for me!" Ivy reached out, reeking of entitlement. "Get it out right now. I'm taking it to my room."

"Be my guest." I smiled faintly and took a step back.

Ivy let out a smug huff and reached up to unscrew the metal lid at the top of the tank.

The instant she twisted the lid open, the white python—which had been on the verge of death in the fluid—suddenly erupted with a desperate surge of survival instinct.

It lunged out of the liquid, unhinging its blood-red maw lined with fangs. Dripping with searing liquid silver, it snapped viciously at Ivy's wrist!

"Aaagh—!!!"

Ivy let out a bloodcurdling shriek and fell hard onto her back.

The python hadn't actually bitten her; its strength had been far too severely drained by the silver. It only grazed the back of her hand.

But a single drop of liquid silver had splashed onto her skin, instantly searing a red, swollen blister into her flesh.

The python crashed heavily back into the tank, splashing silver fluid against the glass.

"My hand! It's ruined! You crazy bitch, you did this on purpose!" Ivy wailed, clutching her hand and thrashing on the floor.

"Didn't you say you wanted it? I was merely granting your wish." I pulled out a sanitized wipe and casually cleaned my hands. "It seems the beast doesn't recognize its master. If you can't handle it, I suggest you keep your distance from now on."

"I'm telling Daddy! I'm going to make him divorce you! You won't get a single cent!" Ivy shrieked hysterically.

"Go ahead, Ivy. Go tell your dear Daddy," I said softly.

What she didn't realize was that the trust fund she bragged about, the credit cards she maxed out without a second thought—they were all exclusively in my name.

Right on cue, the front door opened.

Declan walked in, his face deathly pale. The moment he stepped inside, his eyes locked onto the resin tank. Seeing the white python—now utterly lethargic from its recent outburst, its scales literally starting to peel off—his body began to shake uncontrollably.

"What happened?!" Declan rushed over, his gaze darting from Ivy on the floor to me.

"Daddy! That crazy woman's snake bit me! She tried to kill me!" Acting as though her savior had arrived, Ivy threw herself into Declan's arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

Declan stared at Serafina in the tank with pure heartbreak, yet he was forced to divert his attention to comfort Ivy.

"Lyra, this is too dangerous. We have to get rid of it," Declan said through gritted teeth.

"Get rid of it? Absolutely not." I walked back to the sofa, sitting down and elegantly crossing my legs. "Even if it did bite Ivy, I simply couldn't bear to throw it away."

"After all, didn't you say it's the testament to our love?"