I wanted to snap back at Addison because I knew this was my golden chance to finish my first quest.
But before I could, Helcia's memories suddenly rushed into my head the moment Addison grabbed my hand. The flood hit me so fast I felt like the room was spinning, and her voice became nothing more than a buzz.
"I know you're stupid, but don't you dare embarrass our family in front of Young Master Lando." Addison stopped just before the living room and yanked a comb through my messy curls that hadn't been straightened in over a week. "I have to admit, I'm shocked he still agreed to marry you after seeing that ugly face of yours in the photo."
"I've fed you and raised you for more than twenty years. This is your chance to pay me back." She kept dragging the comb through, even though it snagged on my tangled hair with every pull.
"You should be grateful that I even took in a piece of trash like you after your whore of a mother died." She clicked her tongue. "Just remembering that woman makes me want to vomit. You should be able to imagine how much I've suffered, seeing your face that looks so much like hers for more than twenty years."
The sharp pain from the comb finally snapped me out of my haze.
Before she could tear through my hair again, I grabbed her wrist and snatched the comb out of her hand.
"'Took me in,' my ass," I hissed. "You only took me in so you could vent your grudge against my dead mother."
"I'm trash, you say?" A bitter laugh escaped me. "What about you? Don't you think you're trash too? You only dare to throw your hatred at me, a daughter who didn't even choose to be born."
I went on, "Oh, I actually know why. You act this way because if you rant to your husband, you probably wouldn't dare to say half the things you throw at me."
Because if she did, her dear husband might cut off her monthly allowance. That's how it usually works in rich families, right? The husband plays around with his mistresses to satisfy his lust, and the wife pretends not to see it as long as the money keeps pouring into her purse.
Unfortunately for Addison, she couldn't turn a blind eye anymore when Gideon brought home the product of his affair.
I could understand how frustrated she must have been as a wife, but still, it didn't justify her abuse toward a child who had nothing to do with her husband's sins.
Helcia wasn't the one who betrayed her. Helcia wasn't the one who ruined her marriage. Yet for more than twenty years, Helcia was the one who had to carry the weight of Addison's anger, her insults, and her hatred.
I might not have lived through it myself, but after getting Helcia's memories, I couldn't help but feel sorry for her, so sorry that my heart bled for her.
Helcia had been such a sweet girl. She always tried to believe her family wasn't as cruel as they seemed. Even after Addison used her identity to borrow money from the bank, she still thought her stepmother only did it because their family's finances were on the verge of collapse.
Some people might have called her naive, maybe even stupid, but all I saw was a girl who only wanted love from the people who should have given it to her.
If she was an unfortunate soul like me, I could only hope that one day she'd be reborn too, given her own system, and finally get the second chance at life that she deserved.
"How dare you talk back to me!" Addison shouted, her face twisted in rage.
[Congratulations, Host! You have successfully completed your first mission: Refuse the Trash Label.]
[Reward: $1,000 has been credited to your account.]
I couldn't help but lift the corner of my lips. Well, since I'd already gotten my money, I figured there was no need to keep feeding my rage-bait.
Then again, wasn't it entertaining to watch a bully become frustrated?
Addison's face was already red with anger, her lips trembling as if she couldn't believe I dared to talk back. For once, I had the upper hand, and damn, it felt good.
"I have a mouth, of course I can talk back to you." I shrugged, acting as if her anger meant nothing to me.
Her eyes widened in disbelief, her hand twitching at her side like she was fighting the urge to slap me. The more furious she got, the happier I became.
"You …," she hissed through clenched teeth. "You ungrateful little brat!"
SLAP!
I hadn't expected my rage-bait to work a little too well, but Addison actually slapped me across the face.
The sting spread instantly, and I winced as pain tore through the cuts that had only just begun to heal. It hurt more than I wanted to admit, but instead of crumbling, I slowly turned my head back and glared at her.
My lips curled again. If she thought I would stay quiet after that, she was dead wrong.
Before she could pull her hand back, I shot mine up and grabbed a fistful of her perfectly styled hair.
She gasped in shock. "Y-You dare—?!"
I pulled her hair harder, forcing her to stumble closer until our faces were just inches apart.
"What's wrong? Surprised that your little 'trash' finally fought back?" I whispered, my voice low and cold.
Helcia had been too kind to ever hurt her abusive stepmother. But me? I wasn't Helcia, and if no one had ever fought for her before, then I would do it for her.
I was about to throw something even harsher at Addison, but then I suddenly heard a shout.
"What's going on here?!"
I froze for a second before slowly turning my head. Gideon Davenport stood behind us, his face dark with fury as he glared down at me.
Addison quickly shoved me away, fixing her hair with shaky hands before rushing to him like she was the victim. "Darling, it's this girl! She suddenly lost her mind and attacked me!"
I almost laughed. Of course she'd twist the story. That was her specialty.
I let out a harsh sigh, thinking that even though Gideon didn't like it when his wife nagged too much, he would always take Addison's side instead of mine.
"Helcia, what is this?" Gideon's voice was as cold as ice. "Why are you acting like a wild dog?!"
Wild dog? Again with the dog insults? Dogs were adorable! If they wanted to insult me, they should've at least come up with something original.
I was just about to snap back at him when my eyes accidentally landed on a man in a wheelchair behind him.
My breath caught in my throat the moment I saw his face.
Holy shit. W-Was that … Lando Brixton?
Was he really my future husband?!
Honestly, I hadn't expected much. Every so-called young master from rich families I'd seen before was nothing more than a spoiled medium-ugly playboy, flaunting their branded clothes in mismatched colors like clowns.
But this man … this man was something else.
He wore a simple white shirt, the kind that should have looked plain, but on him it looked effortlessly attractive. The sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, showing lean, toned arms that hinted he wasn't as fragile as people might think.
His hair was a shade of dirty blonde, slightly messy as if he didn't care to style it. His ocean-blue eyes looked at me with confusion, almost as if he was trying to observe me.
Even sitting in a wheelchair, his presence was impossible to ignore. He didn't look pitiful or weak the way Addison had made him sound. If anything, the chair looked more like an accessory than a limitation.
Was he really disabled? A thin blanket covered his legs, so I couldn't check if they had as much muscle as his upper body.
But seriously … the Davenport family really needed to get their eyes checked. How could they keep calling people with gorgeous faces "disgusting" or worse?
"So, you're the woman they expect me to marry?"
I was taken aback the moment I heard Lando's deep voice. I didn't know how to explain it, but his voice was so incredibly attractive it made my legs feel weak.
What the hell was wrong with me?! I had turned down countless men who asked me out, but this man only had to open his mouth once and I was already on the verge of falling head over heels?
Before I could even open my mouth, the system's voice suddenly rang in my head.
[Mission of the Week (2/2)]
[Mission: Get Married!]
[Goal: Obtain a marriage certificate with Lando Brixton.]
[Reward: $3,000]
[Time Limit: 4 days]
[Bonus: If Host can obtain the marriage certificate today, the system will grant an additional $7,000!]