Born Into Villain's Family: I Have a 200\% Rebate System-Chapter 219: Manipulation

Nash, seeing Aiden’s eyes light up, instantly warned him,

"Aiden, don’t try anything stupid."

"I won’t!" Aiden answered as he stood up and turned to leave.

Nash, feeling frustrated, watched as Aiden left the football field and shook his head.

Then he turned toward one of the pillars and asked softly,

"Are you still not going to come out, Diana?"

............

At the shopping mall.

Aurora held up a satin lavender robe and glanced at Mia. "What do you think? Too flashy?"

Mia chuckled. "Only if you’re planning on walking the runway in your sleep."

Aurora grinned and was about to check the next hanger when a sudden voice nearby made her pause.

"I can’t believe you’d even think about buying something that expensive! Are you insane?!"

Aurora blinked and turned her head toward the commotion.

Just a few feet away, near the lace section, two girls stood facing each other.

The first had silky blonde hair that looked almost too perfect, her voice shrill as she waved her arms around dramatically.

The other girl had long black hair that framed her face like ink against porcelain.

She stood calmly, holding a dark red satin nightgown in her hand.

"It’s just $250," the black-haired girl said with a calm tone, though Aurora could hear the edge in her voice.

"It’s not that big of a deal. We can afford it."

The blonde girl scoffed loudly.

"Are you seriously that clueless? You think Mom would ever say yes to you buying this?" She motioned at the nightgown with a curled lip, like it offended her.

The black-haired girl frowned, her grip tightening on the hanger. "It’s not up to you. It’s up to Mom. If she says no, fine. But if she says yes, then I will buy it."

The blonde girl took a step forward, her voice laced with mockery.

"Wow. Do you actually think you’re the favorite or something? Dream on, Valerie. You’re just a background character in this family."

Aurora frowned slightly, sensing the venom in the blonde girl’s voice. She glanced at Mia, who raised an eyebrow, just as unsure of what they were witnessing. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom

Suddenly, the blonde girl turned slightly toward them—

And collapsed.

"Ah!" she let out a small yelp as she stumbled backward and fell to the floor with a soft thud, her blonde curls splaying across the tiles.

Aurora took a step back in surprise. She hadn’t even touched her.

Before she could say anything, another voice called out from the store entrance.

"Christy!"

A woman, slightly older and clearly flustered, rushed in.

Her heels clacked against the tile floor as she hurried over and knelt beside the blonde girl, gently touching her shoulder.

"Are you okay, sweetheart? What happened?"

Christy’s lips trembled as tears began to well up in her eyes.

She looked up at the woman—her mother, Aurora guessed—and said in a broken voice,

"I-it was Valerie! She... she didn’t mean to push me! She was just angry! I upset her..."

Valerie’s mouth dropped open in shock. "What?! I didn’t even touch you, Christy!"

Christy sniffled and clung to her mother’s arm, leaning dramatically into her.

"She was just yelling... and I got scared and tried to walk away, but she shoved me!"

Aurora narrowed her eyes slightly.

The fall had been awkward. Too awkward. Christy had glanced in her direction before she fell. It felt... off.

Valerie’s face was red now, her jaw tight with frustration.

"Mom, I didn’t push her! She’s lying again! She’s just trying to make me look bad—like always!"

"Valerie!" her mother snapped, voice sharp and loud enough to make nearby shoppers glance over.

"You’ve gone too far this time! You don’t care how your sister feels, do you? Always so bitter—like a vengeful ghost chasing shadows!"

Valerie’s hands clenched at her sides. She opened her mouth, then closed it, then finally said with quiet firmness,

"I didn’t push her. She just fell on her own."

Her voice didn’t shake, but there was hurt in her eyes—deep and familiar.

"If you don’t believe me," she continued, glancing around the store, "ask the manager to check the surveillance footage. I didn’t lay a finger on her."

Christy’s eyes widened at that. In a flash, she reached out and tugged at her mother’s sleeve.

"M-Mom, please," she whimpered, her voice soft and trembling.

"Don’t... don’t make a scene. I don’t want to blame Valerie. She was just upset, that’s all."

Valerie stared at her sister, stunned. She’s twisting it again.

"She didn’t really mean it," Christy went on, lowering her gaze and wiping at the corners of her eyes like she was the picture of innocence.

"I—I said something that made her mad. I told her that spending $250 on nightwear was ridiculous and that Mom wouldn’t approve. She just... snapped."

Valerie took a sharp breath. "That’s not what happened—!"

But her mother cut her off. "So you were arguing over money?"

Christy sniffled. "I just didn’t want her to waste money on something so flashy. I was trying to help..."

Christy’s mother turned sharply toward her eldest daughter, the sternness in her voice now mixed with disappointment.

"Christy, $250 isn’t that much—not for us," she said firmly. "If your sister wanted that nightwear, she could’ve bought it. You shouldn’t have made a fuss over something so minor."

For a brief moment, Christy’s mask slipped. A flash of panic lit her eyes.

But only for a moment.

Then, as if on cue, she let out a shaky sob and curled in closer to her mother. "I-I know, Mom," she said in a choked voice. "I know it’s not that expensive. That’s not the point. I just... I didn’t want to hurt someone else."

Her mother blinked, confused. "What do you mean?"

Christy bit her lip and lowered her voice, making it sound like a confession.

"Jenny... the new maid you just hired last week. She’s my best friend."

Valerie’s eyebrows shot up. "Since when?"

Christy ignored her.

"Her dad’s company went bankrupt recently. They lost everything. She’s working for us now because they really need the money."

She paused for effect, then added tearfully,

"I didn’t want her to feel small. And Valerie... Valerie knew that Jenny liked that exact nightgown. Since she knew that Jenny was my best friend, she decided to make Jenny suffer.

Jenny even told me she admired it the other day. Valerie overheard. She—she said she’d buy it just to rub it in."

Valerie’s mouth fell open. "What?! That’s a total lie!"

Christy didn’t look at her. She kept her eyes on their mother, her voice trembling.

"I just didn’t want Jenny to feel humiliated. And I didn’t want to say anything before because I thought Valerie would stop.

But she didn’t. She’s been... kind of cruel to Jenny lately. Saying things. Acting superior."

Valerie stared at her in disbelief. "I don’t even know Jenny! What is this nonsense?"

But her mother had already turned to her, eyes narrowed. "Valerie. Is that true?"

"No!" Valerie shouted, shaking her head. "She’s twisting everything! I never even spoke to Jenny. I barely noticed her!"

"Really?" Christy whispered, looking up with big, wet eyes. "You said you were buying that nightwear just because she liked it. You said that."

"I didn’t!"

"You did!" Christy insisted, her voice cracking. "And she cried to me after you said that. I didn’t want to tell you, but this—this is too much."

"I never said any of that!" Valerie snapped. "Stop lying!"

Her mother glanced between the two girls, clearly unsure now. She frowned. "Let’s ask Jenny."

Christy hesitated for only a heartbeat. Then she nodded. "Fine. I’ll call her."

She pulled out her phone, subtly turning her body away from her mother and sister as she typed quickly.

A second later, she lifted the phone to her ear.

"Jenny? Can you come here for a minute? We’re at the store—yeah, the nightwear section."

Less than a minute passed before a girl with tired eyes and a plain blue uniform appeared at the edge of the aisle.

She looked surprised to see the group, but Christy quickly gave her a subtle nod—a signal.

Jenny’s eyes flicked from Christy to Valerie, then back again. She caught on.

"Jenny," Christy said gently. "Tell Mom what you told me. About... Valerie."

Jenny looked down, wringing her hands. "I-I didn’t want to say anything..."

Christy nodded supportively. "It’s okay. Just be honest."

Jenny’s voice was soft and uncertain.

"Valerie... she... she said she was going to buy that nightgown just because I liked it. I told her I thought it was pretty, and she laughed and said, ’Too bad you’ll never afford it.’"

Valerie’s eyes widened in horror. "That never happened!"

Jenny winced like she was afraid to be yelled at.

"She said I was lucky just to work in a place like yours. And that I should get used to watching other people live the life I’ll never have."

"That’s not true!" Valerie barked. "She’s lying! Christy told her to say that!"

Jenny flinched and looked down, tears forming in her eyes.

"I didn’t want to say anything... I really didn’t. But Christy said it was okay to speak up."

Christy sniffled again, reaching out to place a comforting hand on Jenny’s shoulder.

"You’re brave. Thank you."

"She is b*tchy." Aurora interuppted, even she couldn’t stand the manipulation.