A Literal Pitiful Act

My hand froze for a moment as I worked on my materials. I suddenly remembered Joseph McKinley. He was just 13 years old and had always been close to me.

As a premature baby, Joseph had been coddled endlessly by the McKinley family elders, which turned him into an arrogant, unruly troublemaker. Yet, his cleverness and mischief only made the elders dote on him even more.

It was only natural for Joseph to act out when a mysterious sister suddenly appeared in their home, especially given Jessica's questionable intentions.

Joseph had always been on my side in my previous life, eventually straining his relationships with the McKinley family elders because of Jessica. Since I had already finished preparing for my competition, I figured it would not hurt to check out the party.

The party was quite an event. It was filled with classmates, celebrities, and unfamiliar faces from outside our social circle. Unsurprisingly, most were there for the drama.

The Montgomery and McKinley families had always been close, and everyone assumed Nathan and I would eventually marry to solidify the family alliance. Now that the McKinley family had a new daughter, no one could be sure if this was purely adoption or something else.

"Nana, you finally made it!" As soon as I entered, a young boy rushed toward me eagerly.

Though born premature, Joseph was healthier than most and already as tall as me at 13. He wore a well-fitted burgundy suit. His clear eyes were fixed on me. His expression was innocent, and his overall demeanor was both elegant and refined.

His voice, which was crisp and lively, had just settled after puberty. It quickly drew everyone's attention. Usually, I enjoyed hearing him talk because of how pleasant his voice was, but at this moment, I was completely speechless.

"Joe, what are you doing?" I asked with a deadly smile.

Joseph blinked innocently at me and exclaimed enthusiastically, "Come on, Nana! They have all your favorite desserts, and I even helped develop some new recipes. Let me show you!"

"You're just looking for an excuse to eat. I'm on a diet, so maybe next time, come up with some low-calorie options instead," I teased.

"Nana, you're already so thin! Girls should eat more!" Joseph protested.

Seeing how close Joseph and I still were, the crowd started to draw their own conclusions. Joseph was notoriously difficult to handle. He did not even show a smile to his own brother, and I was probably the only one who could handle him.

We had not been chatting long when Nathan and Jessica made their entrance. Nathan carefully introduced her to everyone, while Jessica played her part perfectly. She offered compliments and kept the atmosphere warm and friendly.

"Hmph! A hypocrite and a vicious woman—a perfect match!" Joseph's face was full of disapproval.

He continued, "Nana, don't you ever date Nathan. It's obvious that Jessica is up to no good, but he's lost his mind. He's always talking to her so affectionately. It's so annoying!"

I chuckled. "She hasn't been treating you well?"

"Nana, I may be young, but I'm not stupid. Last night, instead of sleeping, she was wandering the hallways in her nightgown and mumbling about being scared of the dark. Who does she think she is?"

Perhaps because she had not been officially adopted yet in this life, she seemed desperate to maintain Nathan's good impression of her.

I pressed my lips together and patted Joseph's head soothingly. I said, "Be patient. Just wait."

Joseph's eyes lit up. "Nana, are you saying…"

He did not finish the sentence, but we both understood it perfectly. I shook my head, ending the conversation there.

"I'm going to rest in the upstairs lounge—it's too noisy down here."