The Vengeful Goddess Returns

Chapter 1

I was raised in the lap of luxury, yet I almost didn't survive past seventeen.

As I was on the brink of death, my soul unexpectedly drifted away, wandering aimlessly.

It was then that I discovered the truth: my stepmother's meticulous care was a facade, my stepsister's deep sisterly affection was a sham, and my father's lavish affection was also false. They all genuinely wished for my death.

Even my fiancé, whom I had always despised, had been conspiring with my stepsister all along.

By some miracle, I was resurrected and greeted them with a serene smile, "I'm still alive. Are you happy now?"

Chapter 1: Awakening

When I woke up after three months of illness and unconsciousness, the expressions on the faces of those in the room varied greatly.

My stepmother, who was honey-tongued but dagger-hearted, approached with a concerned look on her face. "Haylen, you finally woke up. I've been praying for you every day these past months."

A kind face hides a cruel heart. No wonder I hadn't seen through her true nature before.

Everyone in the room wore masks of false concern, except for my brother-considered rebellious and defiant since childhood. His eyes, however, shone with genuine worry and care.

Had it not been for my nearly three-month slumber, during which my soul drifted out of my body, I wouldn't have known that everyone in the Hayes family, except for my brother Samuel, had been hoping for my death.

"Samuel, come here," I called softly, my voice weak but resolute.

Everyone looked at me in astonishment.

Since our mother's death, I had blamed my brother for her passing, even though he was just a child at the time. I had been obsessed with trivialities and neglected him, leaving him in the care of our seemingly amiable stepmother.

Now, I realized that this had been entirely my fault.

"Between life and death in a single breath. In my haze, I dreamt of our mother. She told me to take good care of Samuel, who has been mischievous and skipping school. Move all of his things to my courtyard tomorrow."

"Haylen, you just recovered. There's no need to rush into disciplining Samuel," my stepmother tried to dissuade me, but I interrupted her firmly.

"My decision is final. There's no need to say more. From today on, Samuel will live with me, and I will take care of him myself." My voice was resolute, leaving no room for debate.

Seeing my determination, my stepmother said no more, only reminding me to take good care of my health.

"It's so great that you're awake, sister. Max will be relieved too."

"He has visited you many times, hoping for your recovery."

My stepsister Nora's tone was filled with joy, as if she were truly happy to see me awake.

Had I not witnessed her and my fiancé Max whispering sweet nothings in her courtyard while my soul wandered, I might have believed her.

"Are you very familiar with Max, sister?" I stared directly at her, watching Nora's face contort for a moment, clearly hit by my words.

But my stepmother quickly stepped in to cover for her. "Max visits every five days. Everyone in the Wallace family knows how much he cares for you."

"Yes, sister," Nora's face twisted for an instant.

A barely noticeable coldness flashed in my eyes.

Chapter 2

After the conniving family left, I turned my gaze to the young boy standing with his head bowed inside the room-my younger brother, Samuel.

Since our mother passed away, I had harbored resentment and, with delicate health, had neglected to care for my brother. Seeing our stepmother's seemingly kind demeanor and the lack of disturbances, I left my brother in her care. Looking back now, I realized this was a grave mistake.

My brother had often been rebellious at home and frequently got into conflicts at school. Now, it seemed clear that our stepmother had deliberately tried to ruin him.

"Everyone, leave," I commanded. The servants in the room quickly exited. Despite my mother's passing, her loyal subordinates continued to guard this courtyard. Outwardly, my life seemed unaffected. Unable to confront me openly, they sought to slowly wear me down, hoping I would succumb to illness.

"From now on, you'll stay with me," I told my brother.

He looked up, tears in his eyes. "Sister, they're all bad people," he sobbed.

I gently stroked his head. "I know now, don't worry. I'll protect you."

During my days of unconsciousness, I learned that my stepmother, who appeared so considerate, had been tampering with my medicinal supplements. It wasn't poison, or my physician would have detected it. Instead, it was a strong tonic. For someone like me, who had been ill for a long time, such a tonic was like a death sentence.

My stepsister and my fiancé, whom I despised, were engaged in a secret affair, secretly wishing for my death. As long as I lived, my fiancé couldn't break off the engagement, and he didn't dare to do so.

The most surprising betrayal came from my father. My stepmother and stepsister were outsiders; I wouldn't grieve for them. But my father, who adored me the most besides my mother, had allowed my stepmother to harm me and lead my brother astray, treating him harshly.

I nonchalantly tossed the tonic aside. If they were going to be ruthless, they shouldn't blame me for fighting back with everything I had.

Chapter 3

My mother was the legitimate daughter of the prominent Bryant family in Graiby. Our ancestors once followed the emperor into battle, serving as military generals. After peace was restored to the land, they retired to their hometown, but the emperor's favor still lingered.

My father, on the other hand, was just a scholar in scholar's robes back then, and my mother married beneath her status to be with him.

In less than two hours, my brother's belongings were moved to my courtyard.

I asked, "Samuel, tell me, why do you often get into fights and arguments at school?"

My brother glanced at me cautiously and said, "It's Victor. He always finds people to bully me. They even say... they say that you are dying, sister."

Victor, my stepmother's son.

Not long after my mother passed away, my stepmother brought her children into the Bryant family's home. Her husband had been dead for over five years by then. Coincidentally, her father had once done a great favor for the Bryant family many years ago, so my father married her under the pretense of overseeing the household affairs and taking care of my brother and me.

After my spirit left my body, I overheard a conversation between Nora and my stepmother, revealing that they were both my father's biological children. If Nora and Victor were my father's children, then my mother's death and the death of my stepmother's husband might not have been accidents.

Nora was only two years younger than me, and Victor was the same age as my brother.

Father, you better hope I don't find out that you betrayed my mother and even participated in her murder.

"Sister, I will go to school. I won't fight with him," my brother said, his nature kind and resilient. Despite being misled by our stepmother for so long, he was still a good child.

"No need to tolerate it." I stroked the jade hairpin my mother had given me. "You are the eldest son of the Bryant family. He is just a stepson, practically a servant. How can he compare to you?"

"David, assign two guards to accompany my brother. If anyone causes trouble, they should intervene."

"Understood, sister. I will make sure Victor is beaten to the ground," my brother replied excitedly.

On his first day back at school, my brother got into a fight with Victor. To be precise, my brother and the guards beat up Victor and his cronies.

Victor returned home, crying and insisting that our father and stepmother punish my brother. But they didn't expect me to show up in the main hall.

"What, while I was in a coma, did my stepmother allow Victor to bully my brother?" I deliberately emphasized "Victor" to highlight that he was not of our bloodline.

My stepmother was stunned and quickly made Victor kneel. "What happened today? Why were you beaten?" She tried to guide Victor to blame my brother.

Victor recounted the events in a shrill voice.

Father frowned and asked me, "Did you have the guards follow Samuel and join him in beating Victor?"

"It's Victor. He is a stepson and cannot enter the Bryant family's ancestral hall or change his surname to Bryant." I sneered at my father. "Isn't that right, Father?"

"He repeatedly found people to bully and mock Samuel. Did you not know, or did you pretend not to know?" My voice carried a hint of sarcasm.

Seeing my anger, my stepmother quickly made Victor kowtow. "How could you be so unruly!" She then hurriedly said to me, "They are just children, Haylen. Don't be angry and harm your health."

"Is my stepmother cursing me?" I stood up, my gaze as piercing as a blade. "From now on, no one in the Bryant family is allowed to call him Victor."

Father remained silent, his eyes fixed on me.

I knew he was seeing my mother through me.

That night, Victor was punished by being made to kneel in the ancestral hall.

My stepmother was cunning. This way, the rumor that I was cruel to my stepbrother would spread.