Her Familial Usurper System Failed On Me Chapter 01

Her Familial Usurper System Failed On Me Chapter 01

My foster sister Nora Whitmore was a reborn soul, carrying a “Familial Usurper System.”

As long as she could make my mom disappointed or angry with me, she could replace me and become Mom’s only daughter.

At Mom’s birthday dinner, she deliberately smashed the jade bangle Mom had given me, crying that I had pushed her.

All the guests stared at me, waiting for me to defend myself, waiting for a scandal to unfold.

The system chimed excitedly in her head: [Host! Provoke her! Make her lose it! Familial Bonds Points incoming!]

Nora’s tears fell in such a delicate, poignant way, waiting for me to fall into her perfectly laid trap.

One minute passed. Two minutes.

I stared at the shattered jade on the floor, then slowly crouched down and picked up a piece.

“This kind of green… it’s kind of pretty.”

Then I picked up another shard. “This one… also pretty.”

The system blared: [WARNING! Target emotional fluctuation: ZERO! Empathy level: ZERO! Plan failed!]

Nora’s sobs caught in her throat.

I was so tired. Picking up them was such a hassle. Arguing was the same.

After all this mess, why not just curl up in Mom’s arms and fall asleep?—

Nora’s sobs were still stuck in her throat.

I crouched on the floor, holding two pieces of broken jade in my hand, staring at the smooth green glow for a long time.

After the bangle shattered, the edges were a little sharp, cool against my fingertips.

I wanted to piece them back together, but there were too many fragments, and it was too much work.

So I just picked up two pieces.

Around me, the guests began to whisper.

Someone said I was cold-blooded. Someone said I’d been spoiled rotten by the Langleys. Another voice dropped low, saying the biological daughter was clearly not right in the head.

All their tangled chatter slipped right past my ears. Sleep washed over me, and all I needed was somewhere to lean on.Nora finally regained her composure, tears rolling down her cheeks again.

She knelt on the carpet, her dress fanning out around her, palms flat against the floor. Her voice trembled perfectly.

“Anna I know you don’t like me, but today is Mom’s birthday. Why do you have to be like this? Mom gave you that bangle. Even if you don’t like it, you didn’t have to throw it at me.”

She cried so convincingly. At least the guests believed her.

But I saw the barely hidden gleam in her eyes.

She was waiting for me to defend myself, to lose my temper, to rush at her with red eyes like all those people who’d been wronged before.

The system in her head was probably waiting too. Waiting for my emotions to spiral. Waiting for Mom to be disappointed in me. Waiting for her Familial Bond Points to roll in.

I slowly glanced up at her and whispered, “This green’s surprisingly lovely.”

Nora’s tears nearly slipped off her face.

Just then, the click of high heels came from the entrance of the banquet hall.

One step. Another. The entire hall went quiet.

That’s Vivian Langley, my mother

She wore a black gown with a white shawl draped over her shoulders, her face cold as if she’d just walked out of a boardroom. Every guest instantly fell silent.

Nora’s eyes lit up. She scrambled over and clung to Mom’s leg, crying even more pitifully than before.

“Mom, I’m so sorry. I couldn’t protect Anna’s bangle. She didn’t mean to push me. It’s all my fault. Please don’t blame her.”

The words were perfectly crafted. They made her look understanding as she handed the knife directly to me.

Mom looked down at her, then raised her eyes to me.

Her gaze landed on the shattered jade in my hands. Her eyes were cold, completely without emotion.

Everyone around us held their breath. Nora’s lips twitched uncontrollably—she was probably already waiting for Mom to lash out at me.

Mom finally spoke. “Disgraceful.”

Nora’s eyes flickered with barely suppressed joy. The guests exchanged knowing glances.

But in the next second, Mom turned to the servants, “Clean this up. Don’t let Miss Anna step on anything.”

Nora’s smile froze.

She stayed kneeling on the floor, biting her lip in frustration, then softened her voice again.

“Mom, I’m really scared. After tonight, could I borrow your violet necklace to calm my nerves? I just… I just want something to make me feel safe.”

That necklace had belonged to my grandmother. Mom didn’t even let anyone know the safe combination.

Nora had tried asking once before. Mom turned her down flat.

But today Nora thought she’d won, so she’d grown bolder.

My legs were numb from standing. I had no interest in listening to her dance around.

I walked over to Mom with the jade pieces in my hands and wrapped my arms around her waist like I used to when I was little, pressing my face against her.

“Mom. I’m tired.”

The whole room gasped.

Nora rushed to say, “Anna, you just pushed me, and now you’re pretending nothing happened?”

I ignored her.

Mom’s body stiffened for a moment—but she didn’t push me away.

After a few seconds, her hand settled on the back of my head and pressed gently, as if checking whether the commotion had upset me.

Nora’s system was probably losing control, because her face went pale very fast.

Mom looked down at her flatly. “How much longer are you going to begging me? This is my birthday dinner, and you’re crying like this. Who are you performing for?”

Nora was completely stunned.

I burrowed into Mom’s chest and closed my eyes.

Arguing was exhausting. Explaining was exhausting.

With so much weight pressing down on me, what could be gentler than sinking into Mom’s arms?