Chapter 109: Just give her up for adoption!

[Cortez Household]

Jessa, the twins, and her husband sat quietly in the dining room. The air was still and nearly suffocating.

"Mom..." Yugi called, his expression dark. "Why did you make an effort to cook for that kid?"

Yuri also couldn’t hide her disappointment, glancing at the empty seat around the table. "I’m starting not to like her now."

The man of the house, Lester, also looked at his wife. But unlike the displeasure of the twins, he was more scared of his wife.

Not long ago, they had prepared a small birthday celebration for Nina. Sadly, Nina didn’t like it and threw a huge tantrum, telling them she was tired and would rather stay in her room. They waited for her in case she changed her mind, but it was already late.

"Hah." Jessa pinched the bridge of her nose, her reaction was calmer than what her husband expected. "That kid... she’s starting to show her fangs now, huh?"

"Mom..." Yuri called, a little worried about what would happen now.

Although the family knew that Jessa wasn’t as bad as others saw her, they also knew she had some anger issues in the past. What Nina said was hurtful and harsh, the disdain in her eyes was offensive, and how she stomped her feet was truly baffling.

Initially, Nina acted like a damsel in distress. But the longer she stayed, the more Nina showed how awful her character was. She always complained just about anything. It was perhaps because Nina figured out that Jessa wouldn’t hurt her, so she got cocky.

"Wife, you should calm down." Lester reached out for Jessa’s hand. "The food was great and we enjoyed it very well. Why not pack some and send it to Penny? I’m sure she’ll like it."

"Dad is right, Mom." Yuri nodded. "Don’t think of Nina anymore. Let’s just pretend we’re celebrating Penny’s birthday and treat ourselves to a feast."

Yugi scrunched up his nose. "Easy for you to say that. If Penny is here with us, it’ll be a lot more fun. I couldn’t even enjoy the meal because of that little demon."

The more Yugi thought about it, the angrier he felt.

"Mom, why would you even invite that omen to our house?!" Yugi hissed, forgetting the main reason they encouraged their mother to take Nina away from Penny’s territory. "We might’ve saved Penny, but I’m afraid we’d end up miserable. Just give her up for adoption!"

"Yugi, don’t say that." Lester clicked his tongue, although he was a little swayed.

Compared to Penny, Nina was truly an ungrateful child. She often clicks her tongue and makes faces every mealtime with them. Those weren’t the only jarring traits about Nina because everything that girl does, it was full of spite.

Nina didn’t have to say some other things. They all could read her in one glance.

They disgusted her. In her eyes, they were inferior to her, and thus, everything they would do was something she would never appreciate.

Lester gazed at his wife in worry. ’Nina sounds just like what that woman.’

"Forget it." Jessa waved dismissively. "Kids, take your plates in the sink and clean them. And you, clean up the table. I’m going to rest early."

She snapped her tongue in irritation and stomped her way to her room. "How frustrating! Ugh!"

The twins and their father could only watch Jessa leave while grumbling. Jessa’s reaction was more tamed than expected. They looked at each other, not saying a word as they did what they were told.

Meanwhile, when Jessa reached her room, she slumped her butt down on the bed. She crossed her arms and rested her leg over the other, glaring daggers at the wall before her.

Not long after, Lester joined her in the room after helping the twins with the chores.

"Wife," he called, sitting beside her. "Everything’s okay?"

Jessa’s facial expression was still sharp. "Do you think everything’s okay?"

No.

Lester sighed. "Should we take her back to her parents?"

"Are you kidding me?" Jessa scoffed and her husband quickly took the ’less talk, less mistake’ route. "I already told you about this when I decided to take that kid."

"I know, I know, but just like what Yugi said, we might end up miserable!" he expressed. "Since she came in here, I feel like my blood pressure keeps rising. That kid... she’s too spoiled, my love. I can’t even blame her since she’s raised like a princess. Ugh... what a terrible personality."

Lester couldn’t help but feel bitter. At this point, he was more scared of crossing paths with Nina because he might have a heart attack. He wasn’t getting any younger, after all.

"She did take after that wench," Jessa’s voice was low, but the sharpness on her face remained. "I can see that wench through that child so much so it makes me think she reincarnated. Even the way she looked at others and how she complains... it reminds me of that time that stupid brother of mine brought that bitch home."

"Then, what should we do?"

"Nothing." Jessa arched a brow and looked at her husband. "I’m not sending her back because sending her back means she won. I’m not letting that kid win. Over my dead body."

Jessa raised her chin and smirked. "She’s so young, and yet she’s too crafty. Keeping her around here is safer since Yugi and Yuri can fend for themselves. But if she’s around Penny, those pathetic parents of her might get swayed by that kid’s acting."

"Don’t worry. As long as she’s here, she’ll learn how to be a proper human being." Her confidence slowly returning. "After all... she’s still my stupid brother’s daughter. At least, that’s what it says. The least I can do so his soul rest in peace is teach his kid not to be like her greedy and ungrateful mother."

******

In Nina’s room, she lay on the bed irritably. She couldn’t help but think of the pathetic surprise party this family held for her when she knew Penny was having a grandiose birthday celebration.

"Ugh!!! They call that a celebration? Pathetic!" Nina buried her face in the pillow and screamed. Once she was done, she huffed and sat up, still frustrated.

"This cannot go on," she told herself, thinking of this pathetic household and how she had to leave school like a thief. "I have to leave this place."

Nina bit the tip of her thumb, her gaze falling on the phone. She reached out for it, checking some of the chats and then her contacts. She scrolled through her contacts before she stopped, eyes glinting as she saw the name Grandma.