Chapter 148: Vampire energy

Unlike the Cortez Household, when Nina came home, the atmosphere in the house was silent. She could see Jessa in the kitchen with the twins helping her out. But the three of them weren’t talking.

’Tch!’ Nina clicked her tongue and ran upstairs.

When she reached her shabby room, she tossed her bag away and jumped on the bed. Nina hugged the blanket and buried her face in the mattress.

The silence in the house was deafening. It was louder than Jessa’s yelling and scolding and it only made Nina feel even more guilty. It amplified what happened in school and how the entire school was talking about what she did and her real parentage.

It was a nightmare!

"I hate her! I hate her! I hate all of them!" she expressed angrily, wrestling her pillow to vent out her anger.

She knew Penny would not reconsider Nina’s feelings. She knew Penny was simply waiting for Nina to slip up to make sure she hog everything that was supposed to be Nina’s. It was what she believed in the beginning and what she still wanted to believe until now.

It filled her heart with so much rage a normal thirteen-year-old wouldn’t have. Her anger crawled even to Jessa, who revealed the baby swapping, and then to Charles, who didn’t even try to shield her from her cruel auntie.

"Why does everyone favor her?!" she seethed while grinding her teeth. "She’s nothing, and she hasn’t done anything! I was a good girl! I did everything to please everyone! Everything I did was for their sake! Why?! Why?! Why could they leave me so easily!? Just because I’m not the real daughter — I hate everyone!"

At the end of her tantrums, Nina found herself slumped on the bed, crying.

It hurt to see that despite trying so hard to keep everything that she had; it kept falling apart. Didn’t they understand that Nina wouldn’t be like this if the Bennet Couple didn’t insist on taking Penny home?

They already had her! Why take their real daughter? It wasn’t like Penny wanted to go home in the first place.

Moreover, was Nina the only one who could see Penny’s acceptance of coming home was a scheme planned by Jessa? Jessa could’ve sent Penny to the Bennet Mansion to ask for money. Her auntie might’ve insisted on making Nina come to the Cortez Household so no one could spoil their evil plan.

Nina sat up in frustration, wiping away her tears. "In the future, you’d regret choosing her over me," she muttered, at the same time, she heard a knock on the door.

"Nina, dinner’s ready. Come down now so we can eat together." The person outside was Yuri. "Don’t make everyone wait again."

Nina glared daggers at the door before she reluctantly flung her legs out. Despite the growing hatred in her heart, she was scared of Jessa. Jessa slapped her in front of everyone. Hence, she could do worse when no one was looking.

With that thought in mind, Nina opened the door. Yuri was still outside.

Yuri smiled amicably. "Let’s go, Nina."

"Tch." Nina rolled her eyes and followed her downstairs.

When they reached the small dining room, everyone was already seated in their spot. Nina and Yuri sat down in their respective seats. The only words that were heard were when Jessa said, "Let’s eat," before another wave of silence ensued.

Nina reluctantly shoved food into her mouth, glancing at everyone around the table. They weren’t talking, but she could feel that they already knew and were judging her.

"I didn’t do it, okay?" Nina spoke up with repressed anger, watching everyone lift their eyes to her. "You don’t have to pretend you didn’t want to say it, but I didn’t do it. It’s up to you whether you believe me or not. After all, you would rather have an outsider in this house than me, your flesh and blood."

"Nina, what are you talking about?" Yugi muttered, only to earn a hiss from his cousin.

"Don’t pretend. I knew you’re all judging me here and nothing I’d do is right." Nina arrogantly pushed herself up. "I’m full."

Having said that, she walked out without looking back. The people around the table could only watch her petite figure run up the stairs.

The twins frowned because Nina once again didn’t finish her food. Even until now, Nina hadn’t learned that they never waste food here. Their mother was already lenient toward her, but it was too shameful that Nina wasn’t learning her lessons.

"Mom, why are you letting that kid do everything she wants?" Yugi expressed in dismay. "I’m really starting to hate her now. First, she called us peasants and now, she just keeps wasting this family’s resources and blessings."

Yuri was also displeased, but everything her twin said already expressed her dismay.

"Honey, what’s going on with her now?" Jessa’s husband inquired. "This is really torture now. I come home and just want to rest after an entire day of work, but that girl... oh my god."

He pinched the bridge of his nose, as he could feel his blood pressure rise again.

The entire family was unaware of what was going on in Nina again. They were quiet because they were all exhausted from school and work. All they wanted was a peaceful dinner, but they couldn’t just not invite Nina. That would make them look bad and it would also make them feel bad. But alas, Nina just never failed to ruin their mood and appetite. She was truly an energy sucker.

"Don’t mind her," Jessa peeled her eyes away from the staircase and set them to everyone. "Just keep eating. She has a problem in school, so just avoid her for now. She still has a lot to learn and I’ll straighten her slowly but steadily. Just hang on."

The twins and her husband sighed heavily, but since Jessa was the boss in this household, they could only listen. They simply wonder just how many years would they have to "hang on" until Nina changed.

That girl would need more than just holy water to cleanse her rough and dark soul. If only they knew what Nina had done, they wouldn’t even wonder when she would change. They would just pray together.