Chapter 8

The house looked very tidy as always but there was an extra layer of glamor from the expected visit.

The housekeepers helped me with the preparations regarding the hair and the makeup and the dress.

I didn't care too much about this but my father and mother expected this and wanted to make good impressions.

After adjusting my dress and ensuring the green light on the device was on, I hid it and walked out of my room.

I walked out into the living room and noticed my mother who also similarly looked as prepared as I did.

We waited quietly for my father to return.

Finally, the housekeepers began running around and lined up to the door. One of them opened the door and in came the housekeepers that picked my father up from the airport carrying his luggage.

Chuckles and business peals of laughter became noticeable as my father walked inside with his friends… better known as business partners.

He had a business smile and greeted the housekeepers in a characteristic well-mannered way.

"Welcome back," my mother walked up to him and they nodded at each other.

"Father, welcome back," with a stoic face, he awkwardly wrapped his arms around me. Safe to say, his hug was terrible but it's millions of times better than the past treatment.

"Thank you."

My mother and I bowed our heads at the visitors and welcomed them in.

After them, came three wretched faces.

I almost vomited at the sight of their repulsive sickening smiles.

Using the words of Ivan himself, I'd 'rather kiss a garbage bag and eat the contents inside of it,' than get along with them.

I can't bear the sight of them and their slimy smiles.

Ah, what a stupid-looking smile. I want to gouge my eyes out.

"Alice, how long has it been since we've last seen each other?" one of the guys that I remember from future troublesome events smiled widely at me and spread his arms out.

In the past, I ignored him and slapped his hands away, and told him I didn't know who he was.

My father who didn't know I felt like I lacked affection from them at that time was furious when I did that.

If I did the same actions I did in the past, my father would probably be a little appalled but I think he'd sympathize with me more easily.

It's not like these two male scums and female witch have a good reputation either way.

I can see his efforts in trying to be a better father, so I won't purposefully make it more difficult for him.

"Andrew, George, Martha. Welcome. Was the ride any difficult?"

Still, though I wouldn't outright ignore them, there's no way I'll walk into his disgusting slimy hug. I'd rather… what's something else Ivan would say?

I dunno but I'd rather chug a bottle of bleach.

He awkwardly lowered his arms and they greeted me back. The other two scourges, George and Martha did not hide their laughs at Andrew's embarrassment.

Yeah, yeah. Great friends, huh? Shitters of the same shithole flock together.

What?

What do you mean that's not the saying?

Birds of the same feather flock together?

Don't care.

They smiled and looked around the house, admiring its material aesthetics. "What a beautiful night it is," George spoke up.

Would be a nice night if you pieces of garbage weren't here.

Martha's eyes looked very friendly and her smile was very charming, "Alice, be polite you little bitch."

With her whispering and her friendly smile, people would think she was charming and innocent.

I smiled, "Thank you, Martha, you're also dressed very beautifully tonight."

She looked at me in surprise, totally unexpecting for things to develop like this.

I made my voice a little louder and the words reached my parents. My father gained a positive look and his business partners seemed happy at how well we were getting along.

"Victor, I must say, your daughter Alice is very beautiful."

I heard the compliments from his friends and he smiled and thanked them politely.

"Let's head somewhere else," Martha suggested.

Nope. Not going anywhere with you three pests.

I'm privy to what sort of nasty things you three have done. It's a shame to say that I am blood-related to one of them, and the rest are childhood friends that I once played with.

They've done terrible things.

In the past, I wasn't aware but luckily I had ignored these worms. It had saved me from incessant trouble.

Now that I know what they do, I'd rather shoot them and then myself than follow their suggestions.

I scratched my chin, considering my thoughts. Hmm, tonight I'm saying many I'd rathers…

"I like the environment here… Rather it's one of my favorite spots in the house. Also, the food will be served soon," it disgusted me to speak to them but I'll concede this time in consideration for my father.

"Ah, I see…What will we be for tonight's dinner?"

For you, probably steak with a little bit of arsenic and rat poison, if I get my privacy in the kitchen.

"Yes, I am curious as well."

"I don't know either, it'll be a surprise for us four," I answered. "Let's go sit," I motioned them to the sofas.

I did not walk in front of them and let them go in front.

Ah… I want this to be over already.

They sat on the sofa and Martha purposefully took the individual chair to let me sit with the other two rats.

She smirked at me and looked at her nails.

Of course, I pulled out a chair from close by and sat at a distance from them.

She gnashed her teeth while the two scum looked appalled that I seemed to avoid whatever contact with them.

From here, it became clear to everyone that we did not like each other but we would pretend to get along.

"Hey, just be a good whore already," Martha had an infuriating smile as she said those incensing words.

I tapped my fingers against the sofa.

"You wanna die? Huh? See what happens. I'll ruin your life, you bitch."

Such a great cousin.

"Scared already? Little whore. Maybe if you strip and go get knocked up by some homeless man I'll forgive you."

"Hey, Martha. What's your problem? Why must you be like this?" Andrew frowned at her.

I had the urge to laugh. Internal problems in the Three Repulsive Insect Musketeers?

Martha frowned at him, "What do you mean?"

"She has been a kind and polite host. Why are you so rude?" Andrew had a frown on his face. Perhaps he was bothered by George and Martha laughing at him. "Not only that, but we've also known each other since we were younger."

"Huh? Do I need a reason to be like this? Don't act so innocent Andrew. I've helped you and George have your ways with multiple women. You owe me favors."

Andrew glanced at me to see my reaction. Of course, I showed nothing and merely sipped on my apple cider.

"M-Martha, haha… what are you talking about?" Andrew tried to look innocent and motioned at her to keep quiet.

She huffed and looked away, pissed.

"I've never liked you. You're so stuck up and have that stick up your ass like if everyone owes you something. You're so ugly and no one will ever love you." Martha spewed her verbal assault like venom.

She's not pulling any punches at all. What terrible behavior for someone about to enter adulthood.

Andrew tried shaking off Martha and looked at me with a smile, "So, Alice, you're still in high school right? Where are you studying?"

"Yes. I'm in my senior year of high school. I go to a high school near here."

He brushed his hair.

"What are you planning on studying?" George suddenly seemed very interested.

Huh?

What a fucking creep. So he likes high school girls, huh? Else what would be the sudden interest…

"Who cares about this shit?"

Martha rubbed her hands maliciously. "Alice I'll tell your parents that you've been whoring around in your school and have tapes spread out between the students."

You might be confused as to why she's acting as if I killed her parents.

Well, if I had to give an explanation for her intense hatred… I don't have one.

It's a very irrational hatred that she's always had.

And it's not that I don't want to defend myself, it's that I don't care what she says to me.

She'll get angrier and angrier since her only objective is to rise a reaction from me.

"I've even got evidence," she smirked at me.

Huh?

She raised her phone and showed a very scandalous video with a person that had similar features as me.

"Count your days, you whore. I'll show this to Grandfather at his birthday party and you'll be disowned publicly."

Counting on my fingers the number of months left to his birthday, I purposefully ignored her and checked my nails.

I could hear her teeth creaking, and her expression was wretched and so abominable.

What nails should I get next?

She began laughing, "You're acting so tough but I'll make you regret ever being born."

Though she always hated me, it wasn't to this point before I went back in time.

George and Andrew looked at the video with surprised expressions. "So that's why you had us do that?" George asked with raised eyebrows.

Andrew tried to make it seem as if he had nothing to do with this and acted disgusted at the video.

I have no doubt they used threats and authority to threaten the woman in the video to do something like this.

Sickening.