Take Back My Own Luck

On the way home, Vanessa insisted on dragging me into the Carter family's car, but I avoided her grasp and got into the cab I had arranged earlier, driving away without looking back.

As I glanced in the rearview mirror, I saw her contorted face and felt a fleeting satisfaction.

This was how I was supposed to be.

In the past, whenever I was presented with an opportunity, I would be full of confidence and ideas. Yet, when the moment came, I often felt drained and disoriented.

Every time I was on the brink of a breakthrough, Vanessa would swoop in with her comforting words, which only seemed to cloud my thoughts further, as if something essential was being siphoned from me.

When I went to college and Vanessa was no longer around, it was the happiest time of my life. I launched my own studio and built a development team.

But after being brought back into the Carter Villa, everything changed. My studio floundered. My team was stolen away, and I was left struggling alone. Luckily, a senior and her team came to my aid, giving me a much-needed reprieve.

I had a nagging feeling that something was wrong, but every time I was near Vanessa, it felt like something was slipping away from me, leaving me increasingly confused.

Now it was clear. She had been draining my luck all along.

Instead of heading straight back to the Carter Villa, I took the time to have a pendant made to match the original exactly. When I examined it closely, it was nearly identical, though it carried an unsettling aura, a testament to the craftsmanship.

I wasn't eager to return to the Carter family, but it wasn't the right moment yet.

As I opened the door and was about to step inside, I overheard Vanessa's voice, filled with feigned remorse.

"It's all my fault. I shouldn't have upset Ella. Now she's refusing to come home because of me. Is she blaming me for taking her parents?"

From the living room, I could hear Frank's booming voice, his anger palpable even from a distance. I couldn't help but think how such a volatile temper was unsuitable for managing a company.

"That ungrateful girl. If she doesn't come home, I'll have someone break her legs. Stop crying, Vanessa."

"It's just a spot. I'll make her give it to you. She's my daughter and will do as she's told."