Chapter 9

Mr. Blackwood looked at me coldly. "What are you doing here?"

I pointed at Julian. "To kick his ass."

"Kick *my* ass? What for?" Julian jumped to his feet, his eyes darting.

"This is the Blackwood family estate. You won't cause trouble here," Mr. Blackwood's voice carried anger.

"You've probably forgotten I also carry the Blackwood name, haven't you?" I leaned close to his ear and yelled maniacally, "Dad! Dad! Dad!"

My voice echoed through the entire dining room. It probably shattered his eardrums.

Mr. Blackwood clapped his hands over his ears and practically leapt away, his face etched with pain.

"Are you insane?!"

I smiled. "You know best whether I'm sick or not, don't you?"

Julian stood between me and Mr. Blackwood. "You're a psycho. How dare you dream of being a Blackwood? That's just delusional."

He was quite the dutiful son.

I picked up the red wine from the table. He instantly tensed up.

I smiled. "So you sent people to scare me a few days ago?"

"I didn't!" He bit his lip hard, his eyes fixed on my hand.

"Don't worry, I won't splash you again."

I tilted my head back and drank the wine. His body relaxed.

A smile played on my lips as the red wine suddenly sprayed out of my mouth.

He and Mr. Blackwood scrambled backward, and I advanced, step by step.

"Oops, sorry, that wine was just too awful. Couldn't hold it in." I picked up a napkin from the table and elegantly wiped my mouth.

Mr. Blackwood and Julian were covered in wine stains on their heads, faces, and clothes, looking utterly pathetic.

Julian lunged at me with a fist. "Rowan, you did that on purpose! If I don't crush you today, I'll take your name!"

The next second, the distinct *crack* of bone sounded.

Mr. Blackwood frantically bent down. "Julian, are you okay?"

Julian was grimacing in pain, unable to utter a single word.

"Rowan, what exactly do you want?" Mr. Blackwood asked, heartbroken.

"Didn't I say I came to kick his ass?" I pointed at Julian. "Now that it's done, I should be going."

I casually grabbed a chicken leg from the table. "Dad, don't forget to change Julian's name. From now on, he's my son, Julian Davies."

Behind me, I heard Mr. Blackwood's heavy sigh. "Why did you have to provoke her? She's completely insane."

I arrived at a cemetery, the wind scattering the flowers I brought.

The woman on the tombstone smiled gently.

I placed the flowers in front of her. "Mom, I've come to see you."

When I was little, Eleanor often visited me at the orphanage.