Chapter 3

Luna's POV

"Luna, we're your family." My mother took my hand, looking at the scrape on my arm. A rare tenderness softened her face.

"Luna, I didn't mean it like that." Lily's eyes immediately welled with tears. "I just want to get along with you."

"But you said I pushed you. That I made you fall." I sighed. "I got hurt worse than you did. And I got slapped."

Lily opened her mouth to explain, but my father cut her off sharply. "Lily, Luna just got home today. Don't upset her anymore. Go to your room!"

My mother saw Lily's tears and immediately softened, rushing to her defense. "Lily didn't mean it. It was just a misunderstanding."

Watching Lily's retreating figure, the resentment in my chest didn't fade.

It only grew.

In my past life, my father locked me in my room for an entire day.

I'd barely stepped into the third-floor guest room when Lily appeared, uninvited.

"Luna, do you like this room?" Lily glanced around, then leaned close to my ear, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Luna, you don't actually think that just because you're back with the Ashford family, you can replace me, do you? You're delusional!"

I said nothing.

I just stared at her.

Maybe she found me boring. After a few minutes, she left.

Once Lily was gone, I closed the door and searched every corner of the room.

In the drawer and under the pillow, I found a diamond ring and a luxury blue necklace.

She'd really gone all out to frame me.

The next morning, a servant knocked on my door, calling me down for breakfast.

After washing up, I made my way downstairs, unhurried.

When Lily saw me, she rushed over and grabbed my hand. "Luna, sit with me."

I yanked my hand back, ignoring her, and sat down beside my mother instead.

"Mom."

My mother seemed surprised that I'd greeted her so politely.

The Ashford family valued etiquette. In my past life, I'd paid dearly for not knowing the rules.

In the slums, just getting enough to eat was a struggle. Manners and refinement? Those were luxuries for the upper class.

I'd barely sat down when Lily took the seat beside me. She wore a white lace dress, looking sweet and harmless. She ladled out a bowl of bird's nest soup and turned to hand it to me.

"Luna, Mom had the servants make this fresh this morning. Drink it while it's hot."

Lily's face was all sweetness, her voice soft.

Before I could reach for it, Lily let out a sudden shriek.

Tears streamed down her face. She clutched her reddened arm, staring at me in disbelief. "Luna, did I do something wrong? Did I make you angry?"

Julian immediately stood up and went to Lily's side. He looked up at me, his eyes blazing.

"Luna, what are you doing?" Silas barked.

"Luna, I didn't think you were this vicious!" Henry's cold gaze locked onto me. He raised his hand to slap me.

But this time, I didn't give him the chance.

I shot to my feet and grabbed his wrist, laughing coldly. "Henry, you want to hit me too?"

Henry seemed shocked by my strength. Pain flashed across his face. He struggled but couldn't break free. "Luna, you have no manners! How dare you lay a hand on me!"

I stared at him, unblinking. "Henry, you tried to hit me first."

No anger. Just cold indifference and exhaustion.

I let go of his wrist. He stumbled back a step.

"Luna, Lily was trying to be nice and bring you soup. Why did you throw it on her on purpose?"

Silas walked toward me, his face equally furious.

"Why do you all assume I'm trying to hurt her? She didn't hold the bowl steady. She burned herself. How is that my fault?" I swept my cold gaze over the three of them, then let it settle on Lily.

Julian turned to me, his voice icy. "Luna, stop lying. You're just jealous. You want to drive Lily out!"

"Lily's lived in this house for over ten years. To us, she's our sister... You just happen to have Ashford blood. Mom and Dad only brought you back out of pity!" Henry shouted. "You don't deserve to be part of this family."

Lily, still in Julian's arms, had tears in her eyes. But the corner of her lips curled upward. She looked at me with a smug challenge.

I didn't react. I looked at Julian without emotion. "Julian, do you see it? If I really did all this, the one getting kicked out wouldn't be Lily. It'd be me."

"Henry, you're right. I don't deserve to be part of the Ashford family. And you don't deserve to be my family."

The moment I said it, I felt a pang of regret.

I should've left yesterday. But I had parents now. The foster home probably wouldn't take me back.

"How about you give me ten million dollars, and I'll leave right now? That way, Lily won't get hurt again and blame it on me." I grinned.

Lily wanted to prove she was the most beloved. That even though I'd been brought home, I'd never be loved by this family.

She didn't need to bother.

I already knew that from my past life.

If I didn't have Ashford blood in my veins, they never would've brought me back.

And because Lily lied over and over again, my parents and brothers grew to hate me even more. In the end, I died miserably.

This time, I wouldn't beg for their love.

I just wanted to cut ties with the Ashford family completely.

"What's all this commotion so early in the morning?"

My mother had gone upstairs to call my father. Now they both walked into the dining room together. Seeing the mess on the floor, they frowned. Their eyes landed on me.

Before I could say anything, Silas jumped in. "Dad, Mom, it's Luna. She deliberately burned Lily. And now she's demanding ten million dollars to leave."

My mother looked at me with confusion and disappointment. Then her gaze shifted to Lily's frightened expression.

"Mom, it's all my fault. Maybe Luna doesn't like bird's nest soup. I... I accidentally burned myself."

Lily's voice cracked. "Mom, don't blame Luna. It's all my fault."

"Julian, take Lily and treat her wound."

My mother turned to me, frowning. "Luna, I told you yesterday to get along with Lily. Why didn't you listen? I know you've been through a lot, but Lily is your sister. You should care for her and look after her, just like your brothers do."

Care for her? Look after her?

Who'd ever cared for me? Looked after me?

"Mom, this wasn't my fault. And haven't my brothers taken care of their 'sister' enough? Has anyone cared about my injuries?"

I paused for two seconds. "Since no one wants me here, give me ten million dollars and let me leave."

"Luna, you hurt Lily, and now you won't even listen to your elders? You want to leave? No one's stopping you." Henry glanced at me and laughed coldly. "But don't treat us like your personal ATM!"

"Henry, is ten million a lot to you? Lily's birthday gifts alone have been worth more than that over the years, haven't they?" A smile tugged at my lips. "If I ask for money, I'm treating you like an ATM? Am I not Dad's real daughter?"