chapter 1

Things were not off to a promising start.

Lu Fang had already finished the spiked water, and the way he looked at me had turned unnatural and suspicious.

My voice trembled. “Brother, what’s wrong?”

He seemed to be fighting to control his breathing. His gaze settled slowly on the cup of tea I had poured for him.

If the original plot had played out, I would already be undoing my sash and confessing my love. Then his dark alter ego would emerge, despise my petty scheme, overpower me completely, and strangle me without mercy. My corpse would be dumped in a mass grave and torn apart by wild dogs.

No one would care. Between the Lu family’s only son and its adopted daughter, anyone could guess who mattered more.

Just thinking about it made me want to cry.

Confess my love? Not a chance. Not in this life or any other would I confess anything to Lu Fang.

My limbs weak, I forced myself upright and asked in abject concern, “You don’t look well, Brother. I’ll fetch a physician.”

To make her own scheme easier, Lu Jia had sent every servant away.

For her, it had been the perfect combination of time, place, and opportunity. For me, it meant I could scream to heaven and earth and neither would answer.

Lu Fang was clearly struggling against the drug and had no attention to spare for me.

I spun around and fled. Somehow, a few short steps became a fifty-meter sprint.

Victory was in sight. My fingers were almost on the door when a powerful arm suddenly hauled me backward.

I shook like a sieve. The word “Brother” came out like a hen laying eggs.

“Bro-bro-brother!”

Lu Fang’s voice was low. “Jia’er, I believe I’ve been drugged.”

I knew. The suicidal fool who had drugged him was yours truly.

“I’ll go fetch a physician for you.”

Sweat broke out all over me, yet my heart was icy cold. This was still White Lu Fang. Once Black Lu Fang came out, I would have no path left but death.

I pushed desperately at Lu Fang’s arm, but it might as well have been cast iron.

He was already close to losing his reason. My frantic struggle was about as effective as tickling him.

“Brother, I’m Lu Jia!”

“I know. My adopted sister.”

He really did not need to stress the word adopted.

Apparently displeased with my back being turned to him, Lu Fang spun me around.

My body pitched backward. I grabbed wildly and finally caught hold of something hard.

My hand rose high. Just before I brought it down, I saw the haze in Lu Fang’s eyes vanish beneath sudden darkness. But it was too late to stop. I smashed the inkstone down with all my strength.

Wonderful.

I had hit Black Lu Fang.

What a relief.

I was definitely, absolutely, damn well dead.