Kill That Clumsy Beauty

The new intern Lily White called herself a "clumsy beauty." She shredded my bonus check from my fiancé Arthur, then teased, "Oops, I'm so silly—you won't be mad, right?" At the company gala, she "tripped" naked into his arms. "This goofball can't even walk yet—isn't that awful?" Her team suffered constant blame. Every time a project was nearly done, she’d "accidentally" delete it all. In my past life, I fired her, but Arthur kept her as his assistant, accusing me of being harsh. The day we planned our wedding, she stopped my car, crying that she and Arthur were soulmates. I told her to leave—then she staged a runaway act and got kidnapped. Later, when I was pregnant, Arthur cut me open, saying I owed his "goofball." I woke up again, avoiding the street where I first met Lily. Arthur’s grandfather had decreed: marry me, inherit the company. Now, with nothing left, I’ll watch how he protects his darling fool. … The smile on Mrs. Caldwell's face faded when Arthur didn't arrive with me, but instead brought an unfamiliar woman. "Arthur, family dinners are for family only. Who is this?" Arthur's gaze swept over me, not lingering. "This is my assistant. We just finished a meeting, and she had nowhere to go, so I thought she could join us for a casual meal." "Eva, you don't mind, do you?" I smiled. "Not at all." "If you don't mind, why should I?" A "strategist," isn't she supposed to win over everyone important in his life? Mrs. Caldwell was a crucial piece of that puzzle. I was eager to see how she’d play her hand today. Seeing the room filled with elite relatives, Lily White, as the housekeeper prepared to serve tea, eagerly volunteered. "Auntie, I know a super pretty fancy way to pour tea! It makes the tea smell extra fragrant!" Mrs. Caldwell frowned but, out of deference to Arthur's presence, said nothing. I watched silently as Lily picked up the porcelain teapot. Her wrist, clumsy, spun the pot three times in place, then, as if possessed, she half-stumbled, half-ran diagonally towards Mrs. Caldwell. Scalding hot tea splashed all over her. "Ah—!" Mrs. Caldwell cried out, jumping from her chair, burned. Lily, utterly terrified, flung her hand back. The teapot flew, precisely smashing a Ming Dynasty Five-Color Porcelain Vase on the antique shelf. It was Mr. Caldwell’s most cherished antique, a priceless treasure. Lily stuck out her tongue innocently at Arthur. "This teapot was just too slippery! It was bullying this little goofball!" I almost burst out laughing. In this life and the last, her idiocy always managed to redefine my expectations. However, I didn't laugh, but someone else felt pity. Arthur completely ignored his scalded mother, anxiously grabbing Lily's hand and blowing on her slightly reddened fingers. I was holding a damp cloth, kneeling to wipe the tea stains from Mrs. Caldwell's dress. His roar, without warning, hit me. "Eva Carter!" "You were closest! Why couldn't you catch the teapot? Are you a statue?!" "Now Lily's hand is all red and burned too!" Mrs. Caldwell, hearing this, trembled with rage. "Arthur! I was the one scalded! And let me remind you!" "That was your father's favorite vase! Either conjure up an identical one, or start figuring out how you're going to beg your father for mercy on your knees!" Mrs. Caldwell's words were heavy, outwardly scolding her son, but every syllable was a slap in Lily White's face. Yet Lily, oblivious, failed to grasp that Mrs. Caldwell was reprimanding her, and instead defiantly shouted back at her. "Auntie, how can you talk about Arthur like that!" "It's just a vase! If it breaks, it breaks! Are you blind, not knowing how to cherish the people around you?" The guests were silent, barely breathing, terrified of becoming collateral damage. Someone dared to stand on the Caldwell family's turf, Gotham City's wealthiest tycoon, and accuse his matriarch of being blind. Just as the tension reached a breaking point, a gentle, elderly voice drifted down from the second floor. "What's all this commotion? Everyone standing around, such a lively scene." Grandpa Caldwell, dressed in a traditional silk robe, leaning on a cane, descended with a cheerful smile. Mrs. Caldwell, seeing her father-in-law, swallowed her anger, forcing a smile onto her face. "Father, you're here." Arthur also reined in his cold expression, respectfully greeting him. "Grandpa." Lily's eyes lit up. She immediately pulled free from Arthur's hand, skipping over to Grandpa Caldwell. She pulled out several bags of colorful items and offered them to him. "Hello, Grandpa! My name is Lily White, Arthur's assistant! Nice to meet you! This is my gift for you!" I took a closer look, barely managing to keep a straight face. Five bags of gummy bears. Arthur's face instantly darkened. He lowered his voice. "Where's the 'Whispering Pines' scroll I told you to bring?" Lily puffed out her chest, self-righteously. "I sold it!" "That painting of yours was so dull and ugly! The boss at the antique market only gave me twenty dollars!" "Look at my gummy bears, they're colorful and full of fruit! They cost me twenty-five dollars, and I even paid an extra five! Grandpa's an elderly person; eating more fruit is good for your health!" I lowered my eyes, using the act of sipping tea to hide the corners of my mouth, which were dangerously close to my ears. That "Whispering Pines" scroll was an authentic masterpiece by Master Lin Feng from a previous dynasty, fetching a staggering thirty million dollars at auction just three years ago. Twenty dollars… sold… Grandpa Caldwell's smile visibly stiffened, but he maintained his composure, graciously accepting the gift. "Very good, very good, you're thoughtful, a good child." He waved his hand, beckoning everyone. "Don't just stand there, sit down, dinner's about to be served." The atmosphere finally eased, and everyone took their seats. But Lily, restless, pulled out a yellow charm paper from her pocket. With a solemn air, she circled Grandpa Caldwell three times to the left, then three times to the right, muttering incantations. Finally, she lit the charm paper, dropped the burning ashes into Grandpa Caldwell's teacup, and stirred it with her finger. "Grandpa, this is a special good luck charm I got for you! Drink it, and it will cure all your ailments and grant you a long life!" She lifted the murky cup, about to force it into Grandpa Caldwell's mouth. Even Arthur couldn't stand it anymore. He yanked Lily back. "What are you doing?!" Lily blinked innocently. "Old people all believe in superstitions! This way I can win Grandpa's favor! Aren't I brilliant!" Seeing her like this, Arthur swallowed back the harsh words, his face grim as he apologized to his grandfather. "Grandpa, I'm sorry, she... she means well, but her methods are a little... misguided." I let out a soft chuckle, lifting my own teacup. "Quite misguided, indeed." "Grandpa spent fifty years researching aeronautical dynamics at the National Academy of Sciences; he detests anything to do with superstitious beliefs." As my words fell, Grandpa Caldwell's expression grew even more somber. He cast a cold glance at Arthur, then at Lily behind him, but said nothing. Just as the atmosphere threatened to plunge back into icy silence, I chose that opportune moment to have a housekeeper present the gift I had prepared. "Grandpa, knowing your appreciation for the works of Elder Zheng, I spent a long time collecting this complete set of ancient Greek philosopher's dialogues. I hope you like it." Grandpa Caldwell's face, seeing the rare collection, brightened, his earlier gloom completely erased, a wide smile spreading across his face. "Oh, Eva, my dear, you're too thoughtful!" "Today is the day you and Arthur set your wedding date; you shouldn't have gone to such expense." I smiled openly, my voice clear and bright. "Seeing you happy, Grandpa, is the best omen for today." Mrs. Caldwell's expression finally softened. She clapped her hands, instructing a housekeeper to open several bottles of wine. "Come, come! Let's celebrate! I've brought out some of my cherished Vintage Chateau Margaux! Good days deserve good wine!" The atmosphere rekindled, everyone raising their glasses. But the moment the wine touched their lips, everyone's expressions turned indescribably strange. The usually rich and smooth wine now carried a cheap, sickly sweet taste. Lily, seeing this, immediately popped up, eager for praise. "I added Sprite! Isn't it sweeter and yummier now?!" "You guys must like me even more now, right? My favor points should be soaring!" Mrs. Caldwell clenched the stem of her wine glass, almost shattering it. This was wine she had bought at a high price, and before she could even taste a sip, Lily had ruined it all! She could no longer restrain herself, pointing at Lily and roaring at Arthur. "Arthur Caldwell! Get this woman out of my house! Now! Immediately!" "On such an important day, you bring this trashy, inappropriate person back to cause trouble!" "If you still consider me your mother, get her out right this instant!" Two well-trained security guards immediately entered from outside, their faces expressionless, and headed towards Lily. Just as she was about to be escorted out, Lily clutched her stomach and collapsed to the floor. "Oh, my tummy! The Caldwell family's heir is going to be scared away!" She wailed hysterically. Arthur instantly rushed forward, shielding Lily tightly in his arms, his eyes bloodshot as he screamed at everyone. "Who dares touch her!" "She's carrying my child!" One sentence, a double explosion. I was his fiancée, and today was supposed to be the day we set our wedding date. Yet, he announced, in front of all our relatives, that another woman was carrying his child. Several cousins stopped eating, simply staring, glued to the drama. "You... you..." Facing the questioning stares, Lily, protected in Arthur's embrace, straightened up. "What are you looking at!" "What do you mortals understand!" "I'm the chosen strategist! The system told me that if you just listen to me, I can lead you all to financial freedom!" She jutted out her chin, looking utterly proud. The Caldwell relatives exchanged glances, their expressions a kaleidoscope of emotions. Financial freedom? The Caldwell family had already stood at the pinnacle of wealth twenty years ago. They needed this wild girl, who appeared out of nowhere, to lead them? Crazy. Arthur's face was also strained, but he still stood firmly in front of Lily. "Mom! Lily's just too naive; that's why she says such silly things!" "Her heart is truly for the Caldwell family's good! Why can't you be more understanding of her innocent spirit?" "Innocent spirit?" Mrs. Caldwell scoffed. "I see a wolf's ambition!" "Arthur Caldwell, do you even know what day today is!" Grandpa Caldwell could finally tolerate no more, striking his cane heavily on the floor. "Nonsense!" "Bringing such an ambiguous woman back, are you trampling on my dignity, or Eva's dignity?!" The other relatives quickly chimed in. "Exactly, Arthur, you're utterly out of line!" "Eva is such a wonderful girl; how will she face people after what you've done?" "Is she worth all this, for such a deranged woman?" Accusations flooded Arthur like a tide. He retreated, his face pale with fury. He looked up at me, then changed tack. "You say Lily is bad, you say I'm blind!" "Then ask Eva! She hasn't said a word, so what right do you have to speak for her?!" Instantly, all eyes turned back to me. I immediately dropped my spectator's grin, my wide smile quickly contracting, restoring the dignified demeanor befitting a lady of good standing. I set down my teacup and slowly rose, my gaze calmly settling on Lily. "You want me to disappear, to make way for you?" "Fine." I paused, staring at Lily. "Give me everything you own in exchange." Lily froze, seemingly caught off guard by my demand. Arthur, however, immediately frowned. "Eva Carter! She's just a freshly graduated intern, she has nothing!" "Asking her for money, aren't you trying to ruin her?!" Lily lowered her head, counting on her fingers, muttering to herself, "Three times one is three, three times two is eight, March 8th is International Women's Day... anyway, as Mrs. Caldwell, I'll have tons of money! It's a bargain!" She pulled out her phone, and I immediately received thirty-nine payment notifications. All together, they totaled eight hundred eighty-six dollars and sixty cents. Quite auspicious, actually. "Take this measly money, I'm gifting it to you!" "From now on, Arthur is mine! You evil ex-wife, get out of our sight!" I took out my phone and replayed the recording of what she had just said. "I've got the evidence. Don't come crying back to me later, even if you regret it." Arthur pulled Lily even closer. "Eva Carter, I never realized you were so disgusting." "You greedy woman, taking even eight hundred dollars from her. You've truly scraped the bottom of my barrel." He paused, his voice turning cold. "You can leave now!" "Bang—!" A loud crash, making everyone jump. Grandpa Caldwell, shaking with rage, slammed his cane on the table, knocking over a wine bottle that shattered on the floor. "Who is leaving?" "Arthur Caldwell! Since you've chosen this fool, from today onward, you are banished from the Caldwell family!" Arthur froze, looking at his grandfather in shock. "Grandpa, do you know what you're saying?" "I'm your grandson! And Lily's carrying our Caldwell heir!" "What is Eva? At best, she's a sponsored stray dog! You're kicking me out for an outsider?" "Outsider?" Grandpa Caldwell scoffed. "Let me tell you, Eva Carter is not an outsider! And the Caldwell family does not need a brain-dead heir!" The assembled relatives dared not breathe, all looking down, pretending to inspect their plates. Arthur's lips moved a few times, as if he wanted to argue, But meeting his grandfather's resolute eyes, all words caught in his throat. Finally, he said nothing, pulling the still-giggling Lily along, and turned to leave. At the doorway, he paused, turning his head to glare at me. He spoke in what he thought was a low voice, gently comforting Lily. "Don't worry, Lily, Grandpa is just having a hard time accepting this right now." "Once our baby is born, and they see such a cute grandchild, their hearts will soften, and everything will be fine." Hearing this, I couldn't help but lower my head and chuckle. Wait for the baby to be born? Ha, too late! Arthur didn't know. Within seven days, Caldwell Holdings would officially be renamed Carter Industries.