Reunion of Mint Candies

Caleb's mansion was not so much a home as an ice palace.

Everything glittered with a sterile, moneyed sheen—the crystal chandelier, the marble floors, the sweeping staircase—leaving not a trace of warmth.

My "new family" was already waiting in the living room.

Jessica, the lady of the house, wore a Chanel suit and flawless makeup; her gaze, as it swept over me, felt like she was pricing a piece of inventory.

My half-sister Susan, a year younger, resembled a porcelain doll. Her eyes held nothing but naked hostility and contempt.

Then came the twin brothers, Brian and Mark. One fixed me with a defiant glare, the other wore a plastic smile. Neither bothered to hide their resentment toward this sudden "sister" who had crashed into their world.

"Darling, so this is Mariah?" Jessica pasted on a saccharine smile and reached for my hand. "What a lovely girl. From now on, consider this your home. You can call me Aunt Jessica."

I bowed my head, playing the timid, wide-eyed role. "Aunt Jessica."

Susan snorted, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Dad, where did you even dig her up? She smells like a back alley. Try not to get our rugs dirty, okay?"

Caleb's face darkened. "Susan. That's no way to speak to your sister."

Turning to me, his tone softened noticeably. "Mariah, don't mind her. We've spoiled her rotten. You must be tired—why don't you go upstairs and see your room? I've had the staff prepare some new clothes for you."

Dinner was a tense, silent standoff.

The long dining table was laden with exquisite dishes, but I knew better: this was just another minefield.

Jessica kept piling food onto my plate, her smile gentle and maternal. "Mariah, eat more. You're so thin. You must have had a hard time out there."

I played the overwhelmed simpleton, thanking her profusely between mouthfuls, my head bowed low.

Susan stabbed her fork into her steak; the screech of metal on porcelain grated through the tense silence. "Some people just get lucky. They can wallow in the mud and still land in the penthouse. Not like us, born in the lap of luxury. We wouldn't know dirt if it hit us in the face."

I knew exactly who she meant.

I just looked up, all wide-eyed innocence. "Little sister, what does luxury taste like? Is it good?"

"Pfft!" Brian, the defiant one, couldn't hold back a snort of laughter. He swallowed it quickly under Jessica's sharp glare.

Susan's face flushed a deep, ugly red. She was speechless.