A Thousand Faces Hide The Genius Heiress' Wrath

"Janice, how vicious you could be! Do you even realize what you've done to your sister? You're going to learn your lesson today!" Laurie Edwards snarled, her rage boiling over as the whip struck her daughter with a brutal, echoing crack.

The sharp snap of the whip reverberated through the vast mansion, silencing the servants who stood as still as sculptures, not daring to utter a single word.

Despite this, Janice Edwards remained stoic, her slight frame quivering as she clenched her teeth tightly, bearing the excruciating pain that seemed to rip through her skin.

"I brought you back, gave you all you needed, and offered you a place to belong. Is this how you thank me?"

With each word, Laurie's arm swung, marking Janice's back with deep, crimson streaks, her face turning pale. Yet, her gaze remained steady, lit with a spark of resolve. Maybe she had become numb to such brutal punishments.

"Now, apologize to Delilah." Panting from the exertion, Laurie stood with one hand resting on her hip, eyes blazing as she glared at Janice.

"Why should I apologize when I've done nothing wrong?" Janice met Laurie's gaze, her voice firm, each word a defiance.

Laurie's fury peaked as she saw Janice's unyielding stance. Gripping the whip tightly, she declared, "Then I will not stop until you apologize today."

At that crucial moment, Delilah Edwards, Laurie's adopted daughter, clutched Laurie's arm, her eyes brimming with tears as she implored, "Mom! Please, no more hitting Janice. It's actually my fault-I never told her about my allergy to mango."

"Delilah, your heart is too big. She nearly got you killed, yet here you are, defending her." Laurie sighed, patting Delilah's hand gently, warmth flooding her voice. "She's just malicious. In her desperate bid for attention, she gave you mango pudding, knowing well about your allergy. How utterly cruel, don't you think?"

"But I swear, I didn't know!" Janice protested, tears welling up in her eyes as she faced the tight-knit pair before her. "I really didn't know about her allergy!"

"Still making excuses?" Laurie snapped, landing another strike on Janice, her words icy and biting as the sting radiated across Janice's skin, sending a shiver down her spine.

Ever since Janice had returned to her family, any dispute involving Delilah invariably ended with Janice taking the blame. No matter her arguments or the evidence she presented, it was always brushed aside as deceitful.

When Delilah had a fall down the stairs, she had accused Janice of pushing her, and their parents had sided with Delilah without a second thought.

Even though Janice was their flesh and blood, she seemed to hold a lesser place in their hearts than Delilah, the adopted one.

In their eyes, perhaps she was nothing more than a schemer, always out to hurt Delilah to win some affection.

Delilah cast a sympathetic look towards Janice. "Mom, I get where Janice is coming from. After all, I've take her place as your daughter for over a decade. If I were in her shoes, I'd probably feel bitter too. Perhaps if I leave, she'll finally feel at peace, and the family can mend."

Her words, coated in a veneer of concern, were a clever ruse to cast Janice further into disfavor, and Laurie swallowed the bait wholeheartedly.

Janice's heart sank deeper into despair, a silent tally of grievances against her family mounting with each passing moment.

In an instant, a sharp whip snapped her back to the harsh present. She locked eyes with Laurie, whose gaze was frosty and filled with contempt.

Laurie's voice cut through the air, icy and sharp. "Just look at Delilah, always so thoughtful and polite! If you were even half as considerate, I'd be over the moon. Yet here you are, denying your mistake, as if to piss me off on purpose."

Janice stood her ground firmly. "I'll tell you once more, the pudding I handed her had no mango in it. If you doubt me, just check the grocery list!"

"Why even bother to check? It's not like Delilah would deceive us about such things." Laurie, her faith in Delilah unshakable, saw no need to confirm the items listed for shopping.

"Mom..." Delilah's voice trembled, her act delicately woven with vulnerability. "If it eases Janice's mind, then perhaps I did wrong her."

"Delilah, please, don't cry. You don't deserve to suffer this way. I'll ensure that ungrateful girl is held accountable." Laurie's gaze hardened, her grip on her whip tightening, her authority palpable. "If you don't want to apologize, that's entirely up to you. In three days, Efrery will host its first fashion design contest. If you give your design draft to Delilah, I'll let this go."

Again?

Those icy words pierced Janice, sending a deep shiver through her being.

Throughout the year, she had tirelessly given in, desperate for a sliver of her family's acknowledgment and praise.

From the start, the bedroom had been hers by right. But they coaxed Janice into surrendering it, saying Delilah had grown attached to its comforts.

Even her rightful identity as the Edwards family's daughter had been obscured, all to safeguard Delilah's pride.

The list of such sacrifices stretched endlessly.

To stay with this family and gain their favor, Janice had given up more than she cared to admit.

But now, Laurie was pushing her to give up her design draft for the fashion contest, her future hanging in the balance.

"Say something," Laurie urged as Janice remained silent. "Have you lost your voice?"

"Mom, please," Delilah interjected, gripping Laurie's arm, shaking her head. "Janice is competing too. What will she do if she hands over her draft to me? Though I feel confident about winning, I..." She paused, coughing weakly, her frame quivering as though she might faint. "I don't think my health allows it."

"She caused you harm, it's only right she makes amends." Laurie locked eyes with Janice with a penetrating stare. "I'll ask you one last time-are you giving up the draft or not?"

Janice's chest tightened as she took a deep, uneven breath. "Mom, aren't I your daughter too?" she asked, her voice breaking slightly.

"You claim to be my daughter, but you disregard my wishes?"

This overt display of favoritism broke Janice's heart completely. She closed her eyes, her voice barely a whisper. "I'll let her have the draft."

A sly smile flickered across Delilah's face. While Janice was often too yielding, her design skills were top-notch. With Janice's draft in hand, clinching first place seemed all but guaranteed.

"You do have a conscience after all," Laurie remarked, one eyebrow arched as she nonchalantly flung the whip aside and offered Delilah a warm smile. "With Janice's design draft, you can stop stressing about the competition. Just relax and enjoy the award when it comes."

"Thanks, Mom," Delilah responded, her face lighting up with a joyful grin. Yet, shortly after, a timid look crossed her face as she glanced at Janice. "But won't Janice resent me for using her draft?"

"Would she even dare?" Laurie's voice turned frosty as she fixed a stern gaze on Janice. "If she harbors any resentment, she'll find herself out on the streets. The Edwards family don't keep the ungrateful around, family or not."

"What if Janice accuses me of stealing her design?" Delilah's voice was tinged with worry.

"Then I will ensure that every bit of her involvement is obliterated, crediting you alone."

Laurie's harsh words stunned Janice, her heart sinking deeper into despair with each moment.

Had her year of endurance and compromise been in vain?

"Huh!" Janice scoffed, a bitter laugh breaking through as the final remnants of her hopes disintegrated, leaving her utterly disillusioned with the family.

"What's so funny, Janice?" Laurie tilted her head in confusion.

"I laugh at the absurdity of my own foolishness, how time and again I've surrendered, only to feed your boundless greed," Janice answered, her laughter tinged with a sharp, mocking edge.

"Greed? Isn't it your duty, as an elder sister, to make concessions for Delilah?" Laurie's retort came wrapped in a veneer of self-righteousness, unaware that the spark of hope in Janice's eyes had long been extinguished.

Drawing a deep, steadying breath, Janice declared with determination, "I kept stepping back, hoping my sacrifices would kindle even a spark of affection from you. But my efforts were in vain, dismissed and trampled upon as if they were nothing but failures."

Her voice rose, reverberating with force around the room.

Janice rose from the floor, her posture now reflecting a mix of defiance and strength. "You promised me a life of opulence upon my return to the Edwards family. Yet, what have I received? Not even the courtesy of a decent meal. Tell me, beyond using and crushing me, have you ever acted with a shred of humanity?"

With her hands clutching her chest, Janice continued, "I am your own daughter! Have you ever, even once, called me 'sweetie'?"

Her laugh then broke through, hysterical yet filled with sorrow.

Laurie frowned, her voice icy as she responded, "Isn't this all because you want to hear me call you 'sweetie'? Fine. Sweetie! Is that what you wanted?"

With a sharp, almost manic laugh, Janice shook her head. "Mrs. Edwards, your pathetic attempt at fake love is almost entertaining."

At that moment, her laughter ceased abruptly, her eyes turning cold and piercing. "I no longer crave your affection. As of today, I sever all bonds with the Edwards family."

"This is outright rebellion!" Laurie exclaimed, her fury palpable as she grasped the whip again and lashed out at Janice.

However, Janice intercepted the whip effortlessly, her expression steely and resolute. "Do you still want to hit me? Once, I was your daughter, and I tolerated a mother's discipline. But now, we share no bond. By what right do you raise your hand against me?"

A sly smirk twisted Janice's lips, her previously gentle demeanor now replaced with a rebellious edge.

She wrested the whip from Laurie, giving it a casual flick through the air. "You hit me just now. It seems only fair to return the favor."

"What are you going to do?" Laurie staggered back, her expression one of shock as Janice turned from a docile victim into a figure of daunting courage.

With a deafening snap, the whip struck Laurie's body, leaving a fiery sting in its wake.

"How dare you hit me!" Laurie cried out in pain, her rage reaching a boiling point. "You won't get away with this!"

"Janice, how could you hit Mom?" Delilah exclaimed in shock.

Janice cast a chilling glance at Delilah, sending shivers down her spine. Delilah couldn't shake off the unsettling feeling, pondering the drastic change in Janice.

"If you're so concerned about her, why don't you take the hit for her?" Janice snapped, her words cutting through the air.

With that, the whip lashed out, striking Delilah sharply.

"Ah!" Delilah shrieked as the lash connected, a wave of intense pain overwhelming her thoughts.

She couldn't believe this. Janice must have lost her sanity to strike her.

"Janice, stop this madness! I won't allow you to harm Delilah!" Laurie roared, rushing to encase Delilah in her arms, disregarding her own agony.

But Janice was relentless, her whip mercilessly striking Laurie again and again.

Laurie's cries of pain echoed through the room, her body quaking, her eyes rolling back as if she were about to pass out.

Yet this agony was nothing compared to the suffering Janice had gone through for a year. She was holding back right now. Otherwise, Laurie would have already succumbed.

"Janice, please, stop! You're killing Mom! It's all my fault. Hit me if you must, but please..." Delilah pleaded, her words cut off as Janice yanked her from Laurie's protective embrace.

"Janice, let go of Delilah!" Despite her own suffering, Laurie was still worried about Delilah. What a "great" mother she was!

"Aren't you allergic to mango?" Janice snorted, a sinister smile playing on her lips.

"What the hell are you doing? You better let me go right now! Dad's going to be back any minute, and when he hears what you did to Mom, he'll rip you apart!" Delilah's heart thudded in her chest, her trembling hands frozen by her sides as she gaped at Janice in horror.

"Then I'll make sure you're gone before he can lay a hand on me."

Janice seized a mango pudding from the table and pressed it against Delilah's lips.

Delilah twisted and writhed, but Janice's grip was like steel, leaving her choking as the pudding was thrust down her throat.

"Stop, Janice! You'll kill her!" Laurie bellowed, her voice laced with terror. "Someone, please! Stop this madness!"

Reacting to Laurie's cries, the servants quickly closed in on Janice.

Without a moment's hesitation, Janice whipped out the lash, cracking it in the air with a sharp snap that struck a servant harshly. "Take one more step, and you're fucking dead!" she declared, her eyes glinting with a chilling resolve that froze the servants in their tracks.

They exchanged looks of disbelief. Was this really the same girl who had always absorbed her suffering in silence?

"Delilah, please, talk to me!" Laurie crawled towards her, tears streaming down her face. "Don't scare me like this!"

"Mrs. Edwards, perhaps it's time you witnessed how your dear daughter handles her allergic reactions."

She sneered and strode out of the room. This place no longer felt like a home.

The servants gathered around, their expressions a mix of concern and confusion. They were unaccustomed to seeing such a bold display of defiance from Janice, who was usually so meek and accommodating.

The memory of Janice beating Laurie and forcefully feeding Delilah mango pudding hung heavily in the air, a chilling reminder of the ordeal.

Janice stepped out from the Edwards family's mansion, her gaze drifting slowly over the silent, empty street. Despite the residual pain that clung to her, a peculiar lightness blossomed within her chest.

Reflecting on her year with the Edwards family, she acknowledged the suffocating nature of her existence there. Driven by a deep-seated desire for family warmth, she had willingly shackled her own desires, hoping in vain for a sliver of their affection.

Sadly, all she encountered was sheer apathy and relentless demands.

Janice cast one final glance at the mansion, its walls exuding a haughty splendor, a silent testament to aristocratic pride.

"Let's see how long your greatness lasts without me around," Janice muttered under her breath, turning her head away. As she took a step towards her new freedom, a voice unexpectedly halted her.

"Miss Edwards, you truly are full of surprises."

Janice spun around. Before her, guided by a bodyguard, was a man seated in a wheelchair.

His features were arrestingly handsome-the sharp contours of his face striking, his presence effortlessly commanding the light around him despite his seated position.

However, he was a man marked by a disability. This very disability had led Delilah to scorn him, compelling the Edwards family to bring Janice back to take Delilah's place in an arranged marriage to him.

"Mr. Green, what exactly are you implying?" Janice's voice was sharp, her eyes narrowing with a palpable intensity that suggested imminent danger.

Aiden Green, with a slight lift of his brow, regarded her with a curious expression. "I must admit, I'm taken aback. I didn't expect you, typically so docile, to reveal such a formidable side. It's quite unexpected."

"Have you been watching me?" Janice's tone grew colder, her fists tightening subtly as she braced herself for any necessary confrontation.

Unruffled, Aiden signaled with a subtle gesture for his bodyguards to hold their positions. "Considering you are my fiancee, I believe it's rather normal for me to take an interest in your affairs, wouldn't you agree?"

"Yes," Janice conceded, softening her posture as she stepped closer to Aiden. "But are you truly prepared to accept me as your fiancee? I remember well your previous demeanor towards me-it was rather dismissive, even bordering on contemptuous."

"That was in the past," Aiden replied, his voice halting as he locked eyes with Janice, whose gaze no longer bore traces of vulnerability. In that moment, he perceived a change in her, as if she was a completely different person. "I now believe you are indeed suited to stand beside me."

Janice's smile danced in the evening breeze, her hair fluttering like silken threads. Her smile, though beautiful, carried a frosty undertone. "Mr. Green, let's cut to the chase. What are you really after?"

Aiden raised his eyebrows, intrigued. The changes she had undergone were even more significant than he had imagined. "Let's make a deal," he suggested smoothly.

"Alright, go on," Janice urged, her eyes locked on his with resolute poise.

"You've severed ties with the Edwards family. Once Connor is back, he won't let this slide." Aiden's voice was low and captivating. "I'm in a position to shield you from their backlash and offer the support you need to chase your ambitions. You loathe them now, don't you? You're out for retribution, I guess?"

Janice's eyes narrowed, a spark of recognition flickering within. Aiden had pierced right through her facade. The Edwards family had presumed that bringing her back was a charitable gesture. However, she would prove them wrong. She would show them how ignorant they were and what immense wealth and prosperity they had missed.

"And what is it that you want?" she inquired, her voice steady.

"Let's go register our marriage tomorrow."

Aiden's words made Janice momentarily stunned, but then her lips curled into a smile. "Deal."