Chapter 6 (corrected)

Cara's brow raised at that, an evil smile playing on her lips. She deduced that someone had been really naughty while she lived here, and oh, she was going to make sure they paid if she found out the little Smith's missus hurt her mother in any way.

"That's in the past now, besides, I can guarantee Cara isn't that kind of person," Rae defended, smiling at Cara who smiled back gratefully.

"You must be hungry; there are noodles in the pot. Get yourself a bowl while I prepare the bed for Cara," she added as she made her way to Cara's new bedroom.

"I'll go with mom," Cara muttered to Dexter, who stared at her through narrowed eyes, trying not to run.

Rae prepared the bed, giving Cara a grateful smile as she pitched in to help. She wasn't sure how to act around this daughter of hers, so she settled with being reserved in her speech and behavior, making the atmosphere quite awkward.

Cara, on the other hand, perceived Rae's dilemma and initiated lighthearted conversations, pulling her mother in in the process. Being an orphan in her previous life, she wasn't sure what having a family meant; however, she wasn't averse to finding out.

Rae led her back to the kitchen after the bed was prepared and offered her watermelons for dessert.

"She's the eldest daughter from a wealthy family and can't be bothered to stoop to our level. Let her be already," Dexter cut in sarcastically, eyeing Cara who was about nodding response.

Rae sighed as she remembered how Cara used the same words at her when she went looking for her at her school in order to introduce herself. It had taken her intervention for Dexter not to beat the girl up at the time.

"You heard Cara, she's sorry," Rae told him apologetically.

"Rae, the child you raised turned out to be an ungrateful brat; how much more another raised in wealth?"

Rae turned to Cara with a smile.

"It won't happen again, right?" She asked , while Cara sat there enjoying the show like she wasn't the topic of discussion, waiting for her watermelon to be served.

"Right, Cara?" Rae prodded.

"Hmm, me?" Cara glanced from her to Dexter, who was looking like he was about to pounce at her from his corner at her audacity, while Rae mentally rolled her eyes as she tried to hold back her laughter.

Thinking that Dexter had been tormented enough and seeing the look of plea from her mother, she hid her own smile and feigned a look of remorse.

"Yes, uncle," she managed. After all, no peace, no dessert.

Dexter glanced at his sister in disbelief. Was this the apology he'd get from this brat of a niece, his eyes seemed to ask.

"Yes, what, Cara?" Rae intervened.

"Yes, I'm sorry," she obediently chanted.

Rae winked discreetly at her and turned to Dexter.

"You see? She's so sorry that she's speechless."

Dexter sighed helplessly. Was it just his imagination, or was this mother and daughter fooling around with him?

Rae smiled sweetly and signaled Cara to head into her room with a tilt of her head, a laden plate of juicy watermelon in one hand as she followed after her daughter.

"Rest early after you're done eating, and no, you're not allowed to gamble tonight."

Seemingly caught mid-thought, Dexter humbly nodded his head as he settled down for dinner.

"You're welcome," Rae said as she handed the plate to Cara.

"Thanks, mom," She said with a smile as she picked up a chunk of watermelon with a toothpick.

"Join me," she offered.

"I'm full," her mother smiled, watching her with an undeniable glow on her face, which pulled at Cara's heartstrings as she mulled over the stupidity of her host.

…

It was midnight when a silhouette cautiously tiptoed outside the basement, and painstakingly shut the door without a sound.

It exhaled in relief and was about to sneak away when a slender hand tapped its shoulder, causing it to yelp and leap into the soft glow of the moonlight with a pale face.

"Hush," Cara said with a gentle shushing motion. "Else we won't be able to leave if my mom wakes up and finds us here," she told Dexter, watching the relief flood through him on seeing who it was.

"Scram," he scowled lightly as he continued his great escape. Not to be left out of making some free cash, Cara blithely followed behind, fascinated by how beautiful this world was at night; wondering if this moon was real or artificial like the one she created in her previous world. She made a mental note to check it out later and see if it needed upgrading.

Satisfied he was halfway through with his escape plan, Dexter glanced behind him to make sure there was no one lurking in the shadows and almost had a heart attack on seeing Cara right behind him.

"Brat, how long have you been stalking me?" he whispered furiously.

"First off, the name is Cara, not brat. Secondly, this is a free path for anyone," she finished with a smile, enjoying how disconcerting he looked.

Refusing to let her have the last say, he opened his mouth to retort but his brain seemed to have temporarily retired. Miffed, he stalked away, cursing his luck for having such a parasite for a niece.

Shortly after, they arrived at the largest gambling house in the Yunjing province. Before going in, however, Dexter glared at Cara and clasped his hands together as he offered prayers and vows of generous donations to all the gods of good luck; ignoring Cara's little chuckle from behind him.

As a regular at losing huge amounts of money every night to the casino, a waiter respectfully ushered him in, only sparing Cara a once-over.

"Boss, is this a relative of yours?" someone asked on seeing him with a minor, not pegging him to be the pedophilic type.

Dexter turned to see Cara grinning at him by his side and face palmed.

"I'm only just seeing her too," he swiftly denied.

Cara's brows raised at that, but Dexter turned away to hide the guilt in his eyes. Unperturbed, she stuck with him as they led him to the table of the bosses and chronic gamblers with much flattery, which served to boost his ego, while Cara took in the gimmick with a pinch of salt.

He was almost delirious at the prospect of winning big tonight and spoiling his sister with whatever she'd like to have for dinner instead of sticking to the bland food they usually ate, while Cara kept her gaze trained on the dealer as he shook the dice and the holographic scoring chart appeared at the table.

The players feverishly placed their bets as expectations soared, knowing that the more the wagers were hit, the more money a player would win.

Cara let her ears do the most overlooked part of gambling as they moved slightly, focusing her attention on the sound of dice colliding inside the chest.

Influenced by the spirit of the players around him, Dexter wagered on 'Small' with little to no consideration, but the whispers of voices in his heart which he put down to be those of his ancestors.

"Wager on Big, uncle. Place your bets on five, six, and one," Cara's voice came at him softly, attracting the attention of everyone at the table as it fell into silence, until they realized it was just a teenager who had no business being there.

Dexter rolled his eyes at her, his gaze contemptuous as the voices of the crowd rose again, berating her choice and lack of respect for interjecting into the business of adults.

When the crowd was done with their wagers, the dealer opened up the chest and announced, "Five, six, one, and Big!"

Dexter couldn't believe his ears as he curiously glanced at Cara, who acted like she didn't notice a thing as she studied the dice once again. He mentally put it down to luck and made another wager.

"Wrong, again," Cara interjected. "It ought to be big, six, six, one," she pointed out, but was ignored. Dexter almost slumped on the spot when the result was announced and it was just as she had said.

Refusing to be misled, he chose small in the third round of betting.

"That ought to be big, Six, four, one," she tutted and smiled sweetly at him. But how could he let himself lose to the little brat? So he steeled his resolve and stuck to his choice.

When the chest was revealed however, his pale face turned ghastly because the brat was right; again.

Just like that, he kept on playing, ignoring her suggestions until he only had three hundred bucks out of the eight thousand he'd swaggered in with, and would be doomed if he were to lose again.

"Since the first few rounds were all big, this round was certain to be big again, so why choose Small?" his ancestors whispered at him.

Dexter's eyes lit up at this; the ancestors were always right. They'd just happened to drink a little too much of the prayers he offered tonight and were now getting sobered up.

But just as he was about to wager his bet, Cara's voice came at him again.

"Choose Small, uncle, and place your bet on three, one, four."