Katniss''s mouth twitched, her mind almost unable to process the situation. She had lived two lifetimes and had never encountered something so incendiary.


    It was utterly ridiculous.


    Katniss blinked, "Are you crazy?"


    "You don''t believe me? It''s true. A few days ago, the night you saw me at the bar, ra humiliated me. She had people strip me on the street and tried to have me vited. In the end, it was your father who saved me."


    That night?


    Katniss pressed her lips together. She knew ra was ruthless, but she hadn''t imagined she would be so vicious.


    Desmond was also there that night. Wasn''t ra afraid that Desmond would discover and ruin her chances of marrying into the Boleyn family?


    Laura''s face, pale and drawn, betrayed her turmoil as she continued, "I know ra has bullied you for many years and even took your ce. You must hate her more than I do!"


    Laura extended her hand, her smile pleated with anticipation, her face contorted as she issued an invitation, "Let''s drag ra into hell together! Let''s make her life a living hell!"


    Looking calmly at the frenzied Laura, Katniss saw a reflection of her past self.


    Possessed by obsession, treading a path of no return, and ultimately meeting a tragedy.


    Katniss sighed nonchntly, "Sorry, I''m not interested."


    With that, she turned to leave.


    Laura stood up in a panic, "How can that be! Don''t you hate ra?"


    Her voice was almost a scream, her eyes bloodshot, desperate for an answer.


    Themotion drew strange looks from a few ssmates nearby.


    Katniss rubbed her forehead, stood up straight, and looked directly into Laura''s hate- filled eyes, "The Manners family isn''t worth my emotions, and I refuse to squander my precious time on revenge."


    ''Life is short. I want to live happily and cherish those who truly matter. That''s the most powerful revenge against my enemies! And it''s the best way to be true to myself. To me, there are many things more important than revenge.''


    In her past life, she was blinded, spending decades in a futile effort to please the Manners family.


    Now, Katniss wanted to see things she had missed in her past life, better things. Revenge against the Manners family, entangling in life-and-death struggles, how was that different from her past self?


    That wasn''t her future.


    Laura was stunned for a moment, then shook her head frantically, "No, that''s not right! We should do whatever it takes to drag those who wronged us into abyss! Make their lives a living hell."


    Katniss stared at Laura for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled, "Well, I wish you sess. Oh, by the way, do you know what kind of girl my dad likes the most?"


    Laura''s eyes widened, "What kind?"


    "Girls like ra."


    Gentle,pliant, and adept at ttery, they could easily capture his heart.


    Having said her piece, Katniss turned and walked away


    Laura wasn''t a good person, and neither were the people from the Manners family. Katniss didn''t want to waste time on them.


    But if they fought among themselves, it would be karma.


    A cool breeze blew through the peristyle.


    Laura''s exposed skin at her cor was icy cold, but she ignored, her eyes gleaming with a bloodthirsty light.


    Girls like ra.


    Katniss had been dyed by Laura for quite some time. When she rushed back to the ssroom, the bell had just rung.


    The afternoon sses were easy, and after they ended, Katniss quickly packed her books and left.


    A familiar Range Rover was parked nearby. Katniss thought Conrad hade to fetch her. But upon opened the door, she was met with the handsomeface of Maximilian.


    His eyes were deep like an ancient well, and he was dding the dark red custom- made suit she had chosen for him.


    Maximilian sat in the car, holding a document, with gold-rimmed sses on his eyes, adding a touch of stoic coldness.


    Rememberingst night''s scene, Katniss''s movements stiffened, a blush creeping up her face. Maximilian wasn''t as ascetic as he appeared.


    Maximilian lightly raised a ck eyebrow, his deep, husky voice asking, "Not getting in?"


    "Yes, I am." Katniss replied, getting in the car and deliberately leaning against the window, "I''m just a bit surprised. I didn''t expect you to pick me up in person."


    At this time, Maximilian usually hadn''t finished work, right?


    "Finished a business meeting and passed by."


    Maximilian''s response was casual, making Katniss press her lips together.


    Oh, it wasn''t an apology.


    He was just passing by and picked her up.


    Katniss let out a nomittal "oh." and suddenly had nothing to say. She turned her gaze to the window, trying not to think aboutst night''s bathroom incident, reminding herself that she had been blinded by his looks.


    When they got back to the vi, Conrad opened the trunk and took out the wheelchair, helping Maximilian into it.


    Katniss, almost instinctively, took the wheelchair and pushed Maximilian inside.


    Halfway through, Katniss felt a tinge of annoyance. Wasn''t she supposed to be angry?


    Why was she so diligently serving Maximilian?


    Conrad didn''t move, taking out a small notebook to quickly jot down notes. He couldn''t forget such an important rtionship tip.


    Give your girlfriend a chance to take care of you!


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    Mira had already prepared dinner. Seeing the two return together, her face lit up with a smile.


    "Katniss, Mr. Hamilton, you''re back. Dinner is ready."


    Katniss nced at Mira, sensing undertone in her smile. Before she could think more, she saw a bowl of soup on the table.


    Wasn''t that the soup Mira made to help conceive a child?


    Katniss''s mouth twitched.


    Maximilian noticed her reaction, a faint smile crossing his deep-set eyes, "Mira, take the soup away."


    Katniss''s clear eyes brightened, looking even more obedient.


    "No, Mr. Hamilton." Mira waved her hands seriously, "You need to drink it for a week


    for it to be effective. Many women in my hometown drank this and had twins!"


    Having one was already too much, now she wanted twins?


    Mira''s expectations were too high.


    Katniss pressed her lips together, thinking Mira would inevitably be disappointed. Forget twins, by next year, she wouldn''t even be Maximilian''s real wife.


    This soup should be given to someone who really needed it.


    Besides, she mused, with Maximilian''s abilities, he wouldn''t need this soup.


    Just as Katniss was thinking this, Maximilian''s deep voice sounded, "No need for that. We''ll let nature take its course."


    Mira looked at Maximilian, then at Katniss, and understood. She pped her hands, "You''re right. You''re still young and don''t need these aids. I''ll take it away."


    Katniss almost choked on her own saliva.


    ''Maximilian, do you hear what you''re saying?''


    After Mira took the soup away, Katniss blushed and sneaked a nce at Maximilian, who was slowly eating.


    Katniss nced at the departing Mira and lowered her voice, "Maximilian, if you say that, Mira will misunderstand!"