Reborn, She's Back for Revenge novel Chapter 87

The living room was bright, lights flooding every corner.

Zachary felt wronged. He’d been pushed around out there, and once he got home, no one even bothered to comfort him. He thought, ‘Weren’t the books always saying home was supposed to be a safe harbor? They totally lied.

Just then, the System said: [New mission. As a true lady, you must give your family unconditional support. Comfort Zachary and tend to his wounded pride.]

Edith stopped. Honestly, she had zero interest in fussing over Zachary. Let him do whatever he wanted for now; she was just curious to see how much more trouble he could cook up.

As far as she was concerned, she’d settle accounts with him once the monthly exam rolled around.

Still, with the System dropping a mission out of nowhere, Edith knew she had to go through with it. The reward was just too good to ignore–it’d be a waste not to take it.

Edith turned around and headed back downstairs, walking over to the couch where Zachary was sulking. She said, “Dallas, let me handle his wound.”

Then she took the disinfectant and a cotton swab from Dallas and dabbed Zachary’s scraped elbow.

Zachary drew in a sharp breath. He grumbled inwardly, ‘Jesus, that stings way worse than when Dallas did it. Guess I was way off. Turns out Dallas really cares more than anyone.‘

Edith kept his arm steady and said, “Don’t squirm. How’d you get that scrape?”

Zachary finally unloaded all his complaints. He said, “Tonight, Blake asked me to hit up some bars. I was only gonna swing by for a quick drink and then bail, but I bumped into someone I know. Edith–guess who?”

Edith pressed the band–aid onto his elbow with a little extra force and said, “I don’t have time for your little guessing game. Spill it.”

At school, Zachary was always the center of attention. Girls and guys alike would go out of their way to please him, If anyone dared talk to him that way, he’d have lost his temper in an instant.

But after feeling that cold shoulder from Edith just now, he was actually worried she might brush him off again.

So he behaved himself and answered, “I ran into Dodo–you know, the one who stayed over the other night and was acting all dumb on purpose”

Edith’s hand stopped mid motion for a moment. She frowned and asked, “Are you sure it was him?”

Zachary said, “His voice was totally different, but his face? The same as Dodo. He even acted like he’d never met me.”

Edith thought, ‘it wasn’t an act–Markus genuinely didn’t recognize Zachary. His alternate personalities share no memories whatsoever.”

Zachary continued, “Only the other night, he’d acted like we were old friends, and today, he’s suddenly acting like he

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22:04 Fri, 29 Aug 0

Chapter 87

doesn’t even know me. I wanted to see if he was really faking it, so I told him to call me ‘Dad.‘

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“Next thing I know, he just hoisted me up and tossed me outside. And the bar’s entrance is all marble steps–even with a carpet. It’s basically concrete. Was he actually trying to kill me or something?”

Edith just stared at Zachary, completely at a loss for words. She thought, ‘Seriously? He actually told Marcus to call him “Dad“? Where does he get the nerve?

‘Good thing he’s still a kid–if he were any older, Marcus might’ve thrown him into the harbor and let the tide deal with

him.‘

She said, “Next time you see him, just act like you don’t know him. Can you do that?”

+13

Zachary said, “Come on, why should I pretend I don’t know him? He’s always hanging around you, clearly up to no good. Who knows what he’s plotting? I’m going to blow his cover wide open, make sure everyone sees what a slimeball he really

is.”

Edith had no idea how to explain it. The truth that Marcus had a split personality was the Larson family’s most tightly- guarded secret. There was no way she could let Zachary or Joseph know about it.

She paused, then said, “I’m just looking out for you here. You’re still a kid–there’s no way you could take him on head–to- head. Relax, I already knew he was just putting on an act. I can handle him. You just focus on your studies, alright?”

Zachary felt á wave of warmth flood his chest. He thought, ‘I knew it. Edith cares for me.‘

Just then, the System said: [Mission complete. As a true lady, you have to figure out how to get along with your family. Reward: one punishment seal–expires in seven days.]

Edith raised an eyebrow.

A blue seal materialized in her hand–clearly no ordinary thing.

Edith thought, ‘The System’s rewards are getting more and more unpredictable, but at least they are always useful.”

She curved her lips into a sly smile and asked, “Zachary, can you honestly promise to finish all your homework for the day before eleven o’clock every night?”

Zachary felt guilty; he couldn’t promise anything. Yesterday’s homework was still undone, and today’s hadn’t even been

started.

Edith added, “Joseph’s been on a roll lately, always getting his homework done by the deadline. He told me that if he ever

misses an assignment, he just doesn’t let himself game that night.

“Maybe if you set up a little rule like that for yourself, it’ll help you stay on track too.”

Zachary hesitated. He thought, “Gaming’s basically my oxygen. I could skip a meal, but a whole day without games? Not happening I need a punishment that doesn’t actually hurt.

‘Maybe skip lunch? Or lose an hour of sleep? Nah, I’m already running on fumes after last night–I was dead on my feet all day at school!

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Edith smiled and suggested, “How about this–if you skip your homework, you wake up with ten pimples on your face?”

Zachary was completely oblivious to the icy warning behind her soft grin. He thought, ‘Edith’s really looking out for me. Ten pimples? Come on, she’s bluffing. Like she could actually make me break out if I didn’t finish my homework.”

His skin was flawless–it didn’t matter how much spicy junk he scarfed down, he never got a single pimple. To him, this

punishment was a total joke.

“Deal!” Zachary agreed right away.

+13)

Edith’s smile grew even brighter as the blue seal in her palm faded away. She stood up and said, “Take a breather, then get yourself upstairs and finish your homework. I’ll swing by your room at eleven to see how you’re doing.”

Edith slipped back into her room, locked the door behind her, and let herself get lost in the endless sea of knowledge.

Zachary trudged upstairs at a snail’s pace, shoved open his bedroom door, and let out an exaggerated sigh. He fished the homework sheets from between the pages–yesterday’s assignments still unfinished and today’s stack staring him down.

He grumbled inwardly, ‘Why’s school even a thing? Why do they keep torturing us with homework? Why do I have to deal with entrance exams? Seriously, can’t they let a kid like me off the hook for once?‘

He had just spread out his homework when the door creaked open.

Joseph poked his head inside and asked, “Zachary, I heard you ran into Dodo tonight. What happened?”

Zachary had just gotten roughed up for no reason and desperately needed to vent. He said, “Joseph, you called it–Dodo’s been faking the whole clueless act. The other night, he was clowning around, even wearing a dress.

“Turns out he’s some violent adult with bodyguards on his tail. Total poser–sketchy as hell. I’m not letting him anywhere

near Edith.”

Joseph glanced at Zachary’s untouched pile of homework and pressed, “So, do you have any plans for dealing with him?”

Zachary replied, “Edith told me to leave it alone, but ‘seriously, now that I know what he’s really like, how am I supposed to just ignore it?”

He tossed his pen aside and mulled things over for a while before saying, “The thing is, we don’t even know his actual name. Without that, we can’t do anything.”

Joseph wracked his brain, tossing out every idea he could think of to help.

Time slipped by, and before they realized it, eleven o’clock had arrived.

Suddenly, Joseph gasped, “Zachary–dude, what happened to your face? You’re totally covered in pimples. That’s honestly freaking me out.”

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