Reborn in the Enemy's Embrace

As I walked into the lobby of Landing Hotel, I saw Ann and that scumbag, Kelvin, cozying up to each other.

I rolled my eyes. A scumbag and a bitch, what a perfect match.

"Ah, Sofia, you’re here!" A former classmate approached me enthusiastically. "We heard you got married. Where’s your husband? Is he not with you today?"

I kept quiet and walked to the resting area. "Is everyone here?"

"Sofia, we heard you married into money, specifically the eldest son of the Blacks. We all agreed to bring our spouses, but you... Does Mr. Black dislike you? Or are you too ashamed to bring him out?" The same former classmate intentionally mocked me.

These people were so annoying. I was frequently bullied and hurt by these people in my past life. If I faced the same humiliation without resisting this time, then I deserved all my previous suffering.

As they said, it was hard to change one’s character. But I had been through such a major ordeal. I should know better by now.

Humans were generally cowards who bullied the weak and buttered up to the powerful.

These people saw me as a pushover. They wouldn’t stop just because I compromised once. They’d escalate the bullying further.

"You may be free, but why should I bring my husband here just so you could see him? He’s very busy. It’s our class reunion, so why are you more interested in seeing my husband? Do you want to be his mistress?"

"That’s possible, given that the Blacks are rich. They can afford to feed another mouth. It depends on how morally depraved you are."

I lounged on the couch and looked at my former classmate as I spoke coolly.

She was stunned by my response and remained shocked in her disbelief for quite some time.

She opened her mouth a few times but ended up swallowing her insults. After a while, she said, "Sofia... you really think marrying a Black has made you into something, huh? You really think we don’t know what’s going on in the Black family?"

"That’s right, you’re still so arrogant. Ha, we know they bought you to be a babymaker for the Blacks." Another former classmate joined in to mock me.

I pretended to be shocked. "Babymaker? Your mom went through so much to give birth to you, yet you regard her as your family’s babymaker? You’re so unfilial. Aren’t you afraid of God’s judgment?"

This person was stunned by my response too.

Ann, who was observing these exchanges in Kelvin’s embrace, frowned. She whispered to Kelvin, "Don’t you feel like... she’s changed?"

It seemed like people had begun to notice that I was no longer the same Sofia.

Kelvin said sarcastically, "She probably thinks she has the upper hand now that she’s a Black."

"Mrs. Miranda is here,"

Miranda Patel appeared in the private room looking weak. She was sitting in a wheelchair, and her face was pale.

She still had a kind smile. My sixth sense was right—this teacher was a good person.

Unfortunately, the sad truth was that good people usually didn’t live long lives. Instead, they usually had to endure the pain and torture of sickness.

Miranda looked a little swollen from the advancement of the cancer.

"I really didn’t expect... to see so many of you. I’m old, and my body is getting weaker. I wanted to see you all before dying. So many of my students... It mustn’t have been easy to gather everyone together," Miranda said sailingly as she gestured for us to sit.

"The reason I organized this gathering is not only because my health is failing and I wanted to see you. I also wanted to talk about that murderer I’ve been hearing about recently. He’s killed so many of our students," Miranda coughed a little as she got agitated. "Some of them were my students. I can’t believe this is happening..."

"Mrs. Miranda, you’ll get better." The class monitor who organized the reunion rushed to comfort her.

Another guy spoke up, "The murderer will definitely be apprehended! I have a friend who’s a policeman in the crime division. Apparently, those who were killed were all adopted from Double Stars Welfare Home."

"I want to remind everyone, especially those who grew up at the welfare home, to be extra careful."

"This is obviously a vendetta," someone said, horrified.

"Hey, aren’t you from Double Stars Welfare Home too?" a woman asked the class monitor.

I looked over and saw that the class monitor was a tall and shy guy. He looked like a decent person.

His face fell slightly, and he replied hesitantly, "Ah, right. It’s been ages since I left the welfare home. My adoptive parents adopted me when I was very young. I’m not sure about... these murder cases."

I looked at the class monitor suspiciously. In the group chat, his name appeared to be Howard. Perhaps he knew something.

"Alright, I’m so glad all of you could come. Please take care of yourselves. Your safety is of utmost importance."

Miranda nodded regretfully. "I just want to see all of you succeed in your careers, have your own families, and live blissful lives."

The woman I insulted earlier grumbled, "Mrs. Miranda, Sofia’s being disrespectful. She got married, but she didn’t bring her husband."

I walked over and said respectfully, "I’m sorry, Mrs. Miranda. My husband isn’t in the pink of health, too. An event like this isn’t the best for him..."

The woman rolled her eyes. "He’s just a dimwit, he’s not sick."

"Jessica, that’s enough." Howard was being fair. This reunion was for Miranda, after all.

"We’ve heard rumors. Sofia married the dimwit for money, but the dimwit hasn’t been nice to her. Apparently, he has violent tendencies, and he’s a murderer," another person muttered loudly so that everyone could hear him.

Hearing their comments, I raised my eyebrows at Ann. "The Blacks are well-known in Huma. How dare you slander them..."

"Alright, alright. Sofia is a good girl. She must’ve found a good husband who dotes on her." Miranda smiled at me kindly as she gestured for me to come to her.

"Sofia, you’ve changed a lot. You... You’re finally stronger and braver now." Miranda’s eyes reddened as she patted my hand.

I nodded. "I’ll protect myself, Mrs. Miranda. Don’t you worry."

Miranda nodded happily. "That’s good, that’s good."

"I feel relieved seeing how well all of you are doing."

"Mrs. Miranda, this is my boyfriend, Kelvin. You may not have taught him, but you must know who he is," Ann introduced Kelvin proudly.

Kelvin was the top student in Sophia’s high school. He may not have been the top student in the district, but he was an excellent student.

All the teachers knew of Kelvin. Some even said he was a genius.

"Yes, yes. He was the top student every year." Miranda nodded smilingly. She remembered all the good students.

"They’re sisters, but Ann ended up with a top student while Sofia married a dimwit. Haha..." I stayed silent as the others continued to ridicule me.

"She’s not too bright either. She didn’t manage to get into university. Isn’t she a perfect match for the dimwit?"

"My husband’s not here, but I can still tell you a little bit about him. His name is Damien Black, and he was at the top of the advanced classes in all of Huma."

"He’s an absolute genius. He was scouted for admission and graduated from university when he was only 18." I wasn’t lying. Damien was very bright before he became mentally sick.

Howard froze. He looked at me with a glint of fear in his eyes.

He may have hidden it well, but I still sensed something from his expression.

He must know Damien.

Miranda was surprised. "A genius from the advanced classes! It’s rare to hear of anyone from Huma entering the advanced classes."

Someone mused, "I remember Double Stars Welfare Home was named after its two geniuses! Both of them ended up in the advanced classes, and that’s how the welfare home gained their fame. After that, a lot of rich families adopted kids from that home."

Indeed, it was the two absolute geniuses from the welfare home who transformed abandoned kids into "hotcakes" for the rich.

Those rich people knew the value of geniuses.

I kept observing Howard. I was certain he knew something....

Seeing that she was outshone by me, Ann said quickly, "I didn’t know my brother-in-law was so impressive! How did he become a dimwit? And a violent one too?"

"He’s not a dimwit; he’s just a simple person, unlike a certain someone’s duplicitous partner. He said he was a top student, but he’s just a scumbag." I crossed my arms and looked at Ann provocatively.

"I still have some photos and videos from when I caught you cheating in bed. Should I show them to everyone?"

Ann’s face fell, and her body trembled in rage.

Kelvin was outraged. He pointed at me and yelled, "Sofia, don’t be too cocky. You really think you can do anything just because you married a mentally ill person?"

"People who are mentally ill can’t be charged with murder." Damien suddenly appeared at the door and was leaning against the door frame. There were traces of madness in his lazy voice.