Chapter 116: Can see through you

"This is operation: catch the culprit!"

Nina paced back and forth in her room while biting the tip of her thumb. Earlier today, she saw Penny and those other two take the longer route. Since Nina was trying to hide the fact she was going home to a different household, she thought their route would lead her somewhere else.

But instead of finding out a different exit, Nina found out something else.

"They have that kind of code?" she spat out nervously. "How come they didn’t tell us this when we registered?"

Nina already thought after throwing away the keychain, nothing would tie her up with what happened. But now, Penny still had the other part of the keychain and, to make it worse, the piece she had had the serial number.

"Oh, no." Nina quickly pulled out her phone and checked the online registration.

Ray’s fans’ club had a very well-arranged system and anyone could submit their application online. Each member also had their own accounts where they could see their cumulative donations, rankings, and achievements.

"This one?" her eyes fell on the number under her name, now remembering the small numbers engraved in the keychain. "I thought it was the serial number from the store that customized it."

The fear in her heart solidified.

Nina had seen how crazy and unreasonable those die-hard fans were. If they found out that it was she who was behind the flowerpot, her life would be hell.

"No." Nina shook her head, trying to find the delete button around the screen. Much to her dismay, she couldn’t find it. There was no option for her to delete the account.

With this dilemma at hand, she quickly made a dummy account to inquire about it. However, she couldn’t reach out unless the account was a member.

"Why is this site so strict?!" Nina grumbled angrily and at the same time, she heard a knock at the door.

"Uhm... Nina?" Yuri’s voice was heard. "It’s time for dinner. Mom said you need to come down to eat with the family."

"I’m not hungry!"

Yuri, who was standing outside, flinched. "Nina, don’t be like this. Don’t wait for Mom to come up here and call you."

Nina glared daggers at the door before she jumped out of the bed. She opened the door and yelled, "Don’t you understand?! I’m not hungry and even if I am, I would never eat anything you peasants eat! My stomach can’t take it!"

After saying that, Nina slammed the door at Yuri.

For a moment, Yuri could only stare at the door. Nina’s voice was so loud that she was certain even Jessa heard it from downstairs.

"Oh, no..." Yuri whispered, her breath hitching when she heard heavy footsteps coming up the stairs. Turning her head, she gulped a mouthful at the sight of Jessa’s expression.

"Mom, please calm down..." Yuri tried to stop her mom but ended up jumping away from her mother’s way.

BAM!

Jessa kicked the door open, making Nina flinch in surprise.

"Hah. You can’t eat what we eat? Why? Do you have a golden tongue?" Jessa snorted, barely containing herself from dragging this brat out of the room. "Nina, not because I haven’t raised my hand to you doesn’t mean I can’t. I just don’t. However, if disciplining you requires the old-fashioned way, then we do the old-fashioned way. No problem."

She paused and stepped aside, tipping her head to the wide-open door. "Now, listen to me very carefully. You are in my house and in this house, it’s my rules. Don’t make me drag you out because you will never like it."

Nina pressed her lips into a thin line and clasped her hands on her lap. She battled with Jessa with her gaze until she huffed.

"Hah!" Nina scoffed, stomping her feet out of the room.

Passing by her auntie that way, Jessa slipped off her foot and tripped her.

Thud!

Nina’s eyes widened in shock as she landed on her knees. She almost hit her face on the floor, if not for her reflexes.

"Oh no!" Jessa gasped, rushing to Nina’s side to help her. "Are you okay, dearest?"

"Huh?" Nina’s eyes shook a bit, confused and miffed. "Are you out of your mind? You did that on purpose! Do you know what you just did to me?"

Jessa drew her head back when Nina slapped her hand away.

"I’m telling you to my parents!" Nina warned, thinking she finally had a reason to come back to the mansion.

Slowly, the corner of Jessa’s lips curved down. "Niece, why are you like that?"

"Mom?" Yuri furrowed her brows, shocked to the core. ’When did I ever see her tear up?’

"I’m just asking you to eat, but you’re stomping your feet so much you tripped!" Jessa wept, puzzling not just her own daughter but also her niece. She moved closer to apologize aloud, but then she paused and smirked at Nina. "You little brat, do you think I was born yesterday?"

"What?"

"Was my acting good?" Jessa giggled. "Listen here, you brat. You’re not the only one who is good at squeezing out a tear and acting like a damsel in distress. Thanks to your mother, I’m very aware of what a person like her and you can do."

Jessa snapped her eyes at the corner of the stairs. "See that bulb over there? That’s a camera, and it records everything that’s happening in here." Her eyes slowly fell on Nina’s face, smirking triumphantly. "If you think you can ever set me up and crawl your way back into that wealthy family, you’re wrong. I can see through you like an open book. Mention this to any of the Bennets, then I’ll gladly show them proof of how you’ve been acting in this house the moment you stepped foot in here."

"I’m very sure that lovely couple will finally see what kind of monster they’ve been raising all these years." Jessa drew away and snorted, almost laughing at the pale look on Nina’s face. "Now, stop acting up and go eat what you call peasant food."

Nina’s entire body shuddered, peeking at the camera bulb before shifting her eyes to Jessa. Her expression screamed with bitterness, but unlike moments ago, she quietly pushed herself up and obediently made her way down the stairs.

Watching how Nina yielded, Jessa smirked. ’Did she think I let her act up until now because I’m a pushover? Hah! I’m Jessa Cortez for a reason!’