Karma Doesn’t Sleep: The Revenge Queen Rises novel Chapter 40

The Salmeron family estate was like something out of a dream—lush, carefully manicured gardens, winding paths, and even the lanterns lining the walkways were designed to look antique, glowing softly in the dusk. It was all impossibly beautiful, but as Amelia walked down the center path, she felt like she’d wandered into another world entirely.

Every time she came here, it was the same: the place looked perfect, but she always felt like she’d fallen through time, straight into some old, uptight era where she was just an extra—someone who had to watch every word, read every face, and play the part of the obedient outsider. Sometimes she felt more like a servant than a wife, and even the longtime butler, Lee, never let her forget it.

Tonight, she spotted Lee waiting at the front entrance, standing ramrod straight beside a metal brazier, flames flickering in the night air.

“Welcome home, Mr. Clive,” Lee said, smiling warmly at her husband. But when his gaze shifted to Amelia, his face went cold. “Mrs. Salmeron, I’m glad to see you’re feeling better.”

Clive barely glanced at the fire. “Lee, what’s with the brazier?”

Before Lee could answer, Mrs. Salmeron’s voice echoed through the foyer. “I arranged it. Crossing the fire brings good luck and chases away anything bad.”

Mrs. Salmeron swept into view, dressed in a matching set of jade bangles and a pendant, every inch the elegant matriarch.

Amelia glanced past her into the living room, where she spotted a full house: Klaus Bailey and Caroline were there, and so was Clive’s uncle Ben, along with his entire family.

The Salmerons always put on a show of being a close, harmonious family, but Amelia knew the truth. Underneath, it was all politics and power plays. Klaus and Ben were constantly at odds, each running their own camp within the family business.

Back when the CEO position was up for grabs, both Ben and Bailey had fought tooth and nail to get their own sons in charge. Things got ugly—accusations, shouting matches, all of it. In the end, it was Amelia's marriage to Clive that tipped the scales, helping him secure the job and calm things down. But Ben’s family definitely wasn’t here tonight for her. There could only be one reason: the so-called “important guest” everyone was waiting for.

Normally, Amelia couldn’t care less. But seeing the whole family lined up like this, all for one mysterious guest, even she was starting to get curious.

“Amelia!” Mrs. Salmeron’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts, laced with impatience.

Amelia flinched, then quickly forced a polite, “Yes, Mom.”

Caroline peeked around the corner, trying—and failing—to hide her smirk as she raised her phone, clearly recording every second.

Amelia’s hands curled into fists. This wasn’t the time to start a fight. She’d just have to grit her teeth and get through it.

She took a breath, picked up her skirt, and stepped over the fire. Before she even had both feet on the ground, the butler grabbed a switch of willow branches and struck her, hard.

“Forgive me, madam,” he said, not even bothering to sound sincere. He hit her again, each word sharp as the sting of the branches. “Out with the bad luck! Out with the disgrace! Don’t bring your filth into the Salmeron family!”

To anyone else, it might have sounded like some old superstition—but Amelia knew better. Every word was a thinly veiled attack, a reminder that she’d never really be good enough for them.

She’d overheard Mrs. Salmeron say almost the exact same thing once, her voice cold and cruel over the phone. All these rituals, all this pretense—it was just another way to show Amelia that, no matter what, she’d always be an outsider here.