Chapter 3

Fiona called me, inviting me to the family dinner that night, as her son Dylan was back. I took a deep breath as I hung up.

Dylan had been my target in the previous life, and even now, just thinking about him gave me chills.

As I composed myself and gathered my things, I told myself I couldn't let myself panic at this family gathering.

In the evening, Fiona sat at the head of the table, with Lydia and Dylan seated across from me. Lydia looked noticeably thinner after just a few days, the dark circles under her eyes conspicuous despite the makeup.

In my past life, I had been force-fed the etiquette of high society, studying it daily. But all those lessons paled in comparison to what was to come.

It seemed Lydia's progress was going well, as she sat, wrapping her arm around Dylan's sweetly.

"Why didn't Vincent come with you?" Fiona asked.

Vincent and Fiona had a strained relationship, but I knew she still loved her son dearly.

I replied, "Mom, Vincent is abroad for an art exhibition. It might take him a while to come back."

"Art, art! All he knows is drawing! Is that useful?" Fiona grumbled, then sighed, "Oh well, if it makes him happy."

Just as she spoke, I caught a glimpse of jealousy in Dylan's eyes.

Vincent, the eldest son, had always been groomed to be the heir, leaving him little freedom. Meanwhile, their parents' attention was always focused on him, leaving Dylan, the younger son, feeling overlooked.

The lack of affection from his parents had twisted his personality, leading him to become possessive while also working hard to surpass his brother in finance.

"No worries, when he's back, I'll bring him to visit you," I said.

As soon as I finished, Lydia jumped in. "Not to stir the pot, but Megan, how's your marriage with Vincent?"

She extended her wrist, flaunting a thick intricately carved gold bracelet. "Dylan had a craftsman make this for me. It's not that gold is worth much, but the effort Dylan put into finding the right artisan makes it truly special."

I shot back, "I still think gold is valuable. If you believe it's not, feel free to give me some gold bars next time—I don't need any fancy designs."

Lydia seemed taken aback, quickly shifting the topic. "Even if Vincent is away, it's still a family dinner. Dressing like that is rather inappropriate."

I looked at her innocently. "What should I wear then? This is the best outfit I have in my wardrobe. I can't afford anything else. The last time you mentioned buying me something, I asked for a bag, and you made me beg you for it."

Lydia said, "That was just a joke! Don't take it seriously. We're friends!"

"Oh, so you were joking when you embarrassed me in front of all these people?"

Being sincere was always a winning tactic.

Lydia hadn't expected my directness. The color drained from her face, and Fiona's expression darkened as well.

Fiona said, turning to Lydia, "I've heard about this too. Apologize to Megan."

Lydia turned beet red and stammered, struggling to spit out a simple apology.

Dylan intervened, saying, "Mom, don't make it hard for Lydia. She was just joking after all—they were friends, so it's normal."

"I don't find it funny. Or do you think it makes you feel superior to Vincent?" I retorted, locking my gaze on Dylan.

As the words left my lips, Dylan's look hardened, his eyes narrowing into piercing daggers.

My question was a challenge.

Fiona just couldn't hold it in any longer. She cleared her throat a couple of times and said, "Lydia, as the president's wife of West Group, you need to act like a refined lady. Apologize!"

Noticing that Fiona was really ticked off, Lydia grudgingly mumbled an apology to me.

I stared right back into her angry eyes. "Lydia, you know I'm hard of hearing. I didn't catch that."

"Sorry!" she hissed, barely above a whisper.

I nodded, feeling pretty chuffed.

As we were leaving the family dinner, Lydia yanked me to the side, her eyes spitting fire. "Come on, spill the beans. Have you been reborn too?"

I put on a show of being indignant. "What are you talking about? If you hadn't made me look like a fool last time, I wouldn't have given you a piece of my mind. Is this how you treat your BFF?"

"Listen up, starting today, we're done! Even if you end up on the streets, panhandling, don't count on me for a dime," Lydia declared, acting all high-and-mighty.

I let out a smirk. "Well, funny you should say that, because I've been thinking about cutting this cord too. But as a parting shot, let me give you a heads-up—throw away that bracelet. It looks so tacky and out of date."

She rolled her eyes like I was nothing, but then a thought hit her, and she lifted her chin in a smug way. "Just wait till that good-for-nothing gets back. We'll see if you're still cracking jokes then."

I knew she was referring to the incident where Vincent would get attacked abroad and end up limping. I just let out a disdainful snort and said, "Worry about yourself first."

What I didn't tell her was that there was something else hidden inside that bracelet.