Chapter 1

The beautiful bouquet decorated with my eyeballs was delivered to my mom, Eleanor Heinrich.

My ten slender fingers had been forcibly broken to adorn the area around the eyeballs. Fresh blood was smeared all around, still dripping, staining the pupils a deep red.

The dilated pupils reflected the terror their owner felt before death. The fingers were a mix of bruised blue and purple, with nails flipped backward and stained with blood. The shade of red on them was even more bright and vivid than the roses at the side.

Last night, I was still acting spoiled over the phone with Mom. But now, I was dismembered and grotesquely reassembled into the bouquet that was presented to her.

Today was Mom's birthday banquet. It also doubled up as the reunion banquet for her and her long-lost daughter.

When I got off the plane, I immediately spotted the young lady who was showered with attention and affection—Morrigan Heinrich. After learning that Mom had found her real daughter, I asked her to tell me many things about my new sister.

Mom informed me that Morrigan had suffered a lot. She had been abducted by traffickers as a child and grew up in a backwater village. Although she didn't receive any formal education, she was said to be a simple and kind young woman.

Because of that, I couldn't help but feel sympathy for Morrigan the first time I saw her.

It seemed like she had been waiting for me. As soon as she saw me, she immediately walked toward me with her entourage.

I thought she was there to pick me up, so I hurried to greet her, eager to give her a welcoming hug. But to my surprise, she shoved me to the ground with a rough push.

The pain was so intense that I couldn't get up, and I felt my head spin. Before I could figure out what was happening, someone yanked my hair and slapped me twice forcefully. Then, bright red nails dug into my cheeks.

"Ah!" I cried out in pain as blood trickled down my face, staining her nails even redder.

"You imposter! How dare you come back and try to steal Mom from me? Are you screaming so loudly because you want Mom to come and save you?" Morrigan shrieked accusatorily.

Tears streamed down my face as I shook my head desperately. "Morrigan, it's me—Sienna. I'm your younger sis—"

Before I could finish, Morrigan smashed my head against the floor tiles twice.

She said with a disdainful sneer, "Sister? You're just a stray Mom adopted. Do you think you're worthy of being my sister? Mom is about to host a reunion banquet for me. Aren't you trying to fight me for her love by coming back at such a crucial time?"

My head buzzed from the impact, and a ringing noise filled my ears. Holding my head in pain, I tried to explain. "It's not like that, Morrigan. I'm not trying to steal Mom from you."

Morrigan's expression darkened considerably as she grabbed my hair and slammed my head against a stone block. "You shameless witch! I refuse to be your sister! Is this how you pretend to be weak in front of Mom and gain her love?"

She then played an audio recording on her phone. "Listen to this. Hear how fake you sound in front of Mom."

The recording was of a conversation between me and Mom. Mom's doting voice came through the speaker, and Morrigan's expression became even more contorted with jealousy.

The recording stopped just as Mom mentioned that I'd soon have a sister who loved me. Morrigan couldn't help but compare the pathetic and miserable life she'd led with mine upon hearing how Mom doted on me.

Just as I was about to console her, one of her lackeys sneered at me mockingly. "We don't even know where she came from, but she managed to gain Ms. Heinrich's favor. You're something, aren't you?"

This comment struck a nerve with Morrigan, and her expression became even more sinister.

"Don't think you can steal Mom's love with your fake act! Mom has been separated from me for 20 years. Now that I'm back, no one is more important than me! I'm her most beloved daughter!" Morrigan exclaimed.

Her lackey fanned the flames. "That's right. Take a good look at yourself. How dare you challenge Ms. Morrigan? Blood is thicker than water. Have you never heard of that? What makes you think an outsider like you can come between Ms. Heinrich and Ms. Morrigan?"

I thrashed around to escape her grip, but I accidentally loosened the topmost button of my shirt. That was when Morrigan saw the malachite pendant on my neck.

A bloodthirsty glint flashed in her eyes.