The butler froze when he saw her, surprise quickly turning into delight as he hurried over to help carry her bags.
"Where's Mom?" Yeri asked.
The butler hesitated, his expression troubled. "The madam is tending to the garden… actually, there are guests."
Yeri frowned. If there were guests, why would her mother be hiding in the garden?
She got her answer the moment she stepped into the living room.
"Yeri, you're back. It's not the weekend, though."
Venice's contemptuous voice greeted her first, her gaze sweeping over Yeri from head to toe as if she were inspecting something out of place.
Linda didn't even bother to look up. She lounged comfortably on the sofa, watching television and nibbling on dessert, entirely unconcerned.
Yeri had almost forgotten about these two parasites. Why were they suddenly back?
The last time Yeri had seen Venice was at the hospital. After that, the mother-and-daughter pair had fallen strangely silent, no longer hovering around her family or looking for excuses to insert themselves.
Even Venice, who had once been adamant about transferring to SC University and had hoped Father Zhi would pull some strings, had suddenly dropped the subject altogether.
"Are you sick again?" Venice asked sharply. "Why are you wearing a mask?"
Her voice snapped Yeri out of her thoughts. Instead of answering, Yeri simply ignored her and headed upstairs to her room.
Not long after, Madam Zhi hurried in, having just heard of her arrival.
"Princess, why didn't you tell me you were coming?" Madam Zhi pulled her into a warm embrace. "I could've asked the kitchen to prepare your favorite dishes in advance."
Yeri returned the hug. From her mother's reaction alone, she could tell her mom had no idea she'd been sick.
"Mom, I brought something for you." Yeri handed over the box. "I attended an auction recently and saw this antique fan made with mother-of-pearl. It reminded me of you."
Madam Zhi recognized the auction house's seal immediately. Her smile widened as she accepted the exquisitely wrapped box.
"Actually…" Yeri added awkwardly, it wouldn't feel right not to give him credit. "Brother Shin paid for it. He wouldn't let me reimburse him, no matter what."
Madam Zhi laughed softly as she opened the box. "It seems you and Shin have been getting along very well. How's the place you're staying at now?"
Yeri almost rolled her eyes. She was certain Shin hadn't told her parents he was also staying at the penthouse, otherwise there was no way her father would have agreed to them cohabiting. Fortunately, her nanny had also agreed to keep quiet.
"It's fine," Yeri replied lightly. "More comfortable than the dormitory. Carpet likes it too."
Then she lowered her voice. "By the way… why are those two here? And do they know about my engagement?"
At the mention of the guests, Madam Zhi sighed and deliberately avoided the first question. "No. They didn't ask, so it didn't occur to us to tell them."
Yeri let out a quiet breath of relief and immediately reminded her mother not to mention it. She wasn't oblivious to Venice's dislike of her. There was no need to invite unnecessary trouble by letting Venice know who she was engaged to.
"Then they're here for money again?" Yeri pressed. It had always been the same reason.
Madam Zhi hesitated before speaking. "I didn't tell you because I didn't want it affecting your studies… but your Uncle Nolan has another woman outside. We just found out he already has a five-year-old son with her."
Yeri frowned.
"Things have been chaotic," Madam Zhi continued. "Linda and Nolan have been arguing nonstop. To avoid affecting the company and perhaps because your uncle doesn't want his precious son dragged into this mess, he asked if Linda and Venice could stay here temporarily. They arrived about a week ago."
She scoffed. "Another woman? As if Linda isn't already one. They're not even married. Why should his mess concern us?"
Madam Zhi panicked slightly and gestured for her to lower her voice.
Yeri pressed her lips together. Her parents were far too kind letting those three take advantage of them again and again.
Suddenly, she remembered the document Shin had shown her.
Does her dad even know how close her uncle's shares are to surpassing his?
She was just about to ask when the door swung open and Venice walked in.
"Ah, since you're here, I thought we could catch up," Venice said casually, her gaze roaming the room like a surveillance camera.
"Auntie, that looks amazing. Did Yeri give it to you?"
Madam Zhi smiled proudly. "Yes. My princess knows how to be filial. She got it from an auction."
"Oh?" Venice raised an eyebrow. "Yeri, you're still a student. Why waste money like that? Besides, doesn't it feel strange buying gifts with your parents' money?"
Madam Zhi frowned in displeasure.
But Yeri spoke first. "It's money my parents gave me, so I can use it however I want," she said coolly. "At the very least, I'm not shameless enough to live in someone else's house."
Unusually, Venice didn't flare up. Instead, she smiled meaningfully.
"Why are you still wearing a mask?" she asked again. "Are you sick?"
Yeri instinctively glanced at her mother. "Just a cough."
Madam Zhi immediately grew tense. As someone well aware of her daughter's condition, she knew even a mild symptom couldn't be taken lightly.
"When did it start?" Madam Zhi stood up, abandoning the antique fan as she approached Yeri. "No wonder you've lost weight. I asked the nanny to inform me immediately if anything was wrong, especially if you were unwell and she said everything was fine."
"Mom, don't blame her," Yeri said gently, patting her arm. "It really is just a cough. I already took medicine."
While they were distracted, Venice noticed something odd beneath the mask. Her eyes narrowed.
Without warning, she reached out and yanked it away.
The faint yet visible veins, impossible to conceal even with makeup were exposed.
Madam Zhi froze in shock.
Venice was momentarily stunned as well, but a gleam of satisfaction quickly flashed through her eyes.
"Yeri," she exclaimed, "what did you do to your face?"
Madam Zhi snapped back to herself. "Princess… what happened?"
Yeri shot Venice a sharp glare. She had planned to keep the mask on at home with the cough as an excuse.
"Mom, don't worry," Yeri said calmly. "It's temporary. Doctor Neri said it's just a side effect of new medication."
But Madam Zhi looked even more horrified.
"Medication? Why wasn't I informed?" she demanded. "What was the medicine for?"
Yeri opened her mouth, but her mother had already rushed out, muttering anxiously about calling the hospital.
The moment Madam Zhi disappeared, Venice clicked her tongue, satisfaction written all over her face.
"Does it hurt?" she asked lightly. "You look very pale."
Yeri ignored her fake concern. There was no point in having a plastic conversation and wasting her saliva. Instead, she turned away and began tidying her things.
"Aren't you afraid your face will end up like that permanently?" Venice continued, her voice dripping with feigned sympathy. "It must be horrible always getting sick, having to endure all kinds of treatments and medicine…"
As she spoke, her eyes roamed the spacious bedroom with unconcealed greed and anticipation.
"You know, Yeri," Venice went on casually, "I'll admit I used to envy you. Someone like you gets to live in such a big house, sleep in a princess's room, and never suffer a single moment of hardship. You have parents willing to throw money at a useless burden like you, and a brother who dotes on you."
She paused, lips curling. "But I wonder... will they still treat you the same once the comfort of wealth is gone?"
Yeri stepped out of the walk-in closet, her gaze icy. "Did you go through my things?"
Venice wasn't fazed in the slightest. She shrugged. "With your constitution, have you ever wondered how you'd fare if you suddenly lost everything?"
Yeri "…"
"Honestly, Yeri," Venice said, her tone turning preachy, "instead of worrying about your belongings or buying gifts for your parents, you should save some money. Who knows? Life is unpredictable. You've enjoyed living as the Zhi family's little princess long enough. Be sensible. Don't be too arrogant or you might offend people who could still show you mercy."
Yeri suddenly wondered if, aside from the lingering fever, there was something wrong with the air around her.
Shin Keir aside, what on earth was Venice going on about?
Wait-
Could it be that Venice was also aware of her uncle's plan? About the company shares?
No wonder she couldn't even be bothered to pretend anymore, swaggering around the house like its rightful young lady, even daring to rummage through her belongings.
Perhaps, in Venice's mind, this room already belonged to her, once Zhi Corporation officially named Nolan Zhi as the new CEO.
Even now, Venice held her chin so high that anyone might think she'd strained her neck.
"Life is unpredictable," Yeri said lightly, a smirk tugging at her lips. "But even if what you said ever happened, it wouldn't be your turn to enjoy those blessings." Her eyes flickered with mock curiosity. "I heard Uncle's other woman gave him a son? Surely he'll give her a proper title, for the child's sake."
This time, she struck exactly where it hurt. Venice's expression twisted, her eyes flashing like those of a venomous snake.
But she recovered quickly, lifting her chin with renewed smugness. "What do you know? Who would want petty change from a third-tier family like this? Remember, it's my dad who'll beg me not to sever family ties, not the other way around."
Yeri raised an eyebrow. What could Venice possibly have that a scumbag like her uncle would cling to? Had she finally grown a brain and dug up some dirt on her own father?
Regardless, it was none of Yeri's business and she didn't care.
Besides, Shin Keir had already said the issue with the Zhi shares was trivial to him.
"Don't you want to know?" Venice asked suddenly, her smile sharp.
Yeri sneered. "Oh, I do. I want to know if you'll still act so high and mighty after I call the police. If anything is missing or damaged here, you'd better be prepared."
For a split second, Venice almost lost her composure. Then she smiled slow and smug.
"I'm pregnant."
Yeri: "???"