Chapter 1

I am the adopted daughter that Lucius Stephens, patriarch of the Stephens family in the capital's elite circle, brought home with three bows and nine kowtows.

Because I was born with fortune-luck, a wealth-drawing blessing, as long as I'm happy, I can bring endless wealth to the Stephens family.

Lucius Stephens warned everyone in the Stephens family.

"Jessica Stephens is the lifeblood of the Stephens family. Every one of you must obey her without question!"

"Anyone who dares to bully her is slapping me in the face!"

In the first year, a distant orphaned relative of the Stephens family slipped something into my drink.

My stomach ached all night, and the Stephens family's stocks dropped ten points.

Lucius Stephens crippled the boy's hands himself and threw him into the primeval forest to fend for himself.

From then on, no one in the Stephens family dared to touch me.

For three years, the Stephens family relied on me to hold their place as the richest family in the capital's elite circle.

That lasted until Zoe Stephens, the eldest daughter of the Stephens first branch, came back to the country for the first time.

She heard about my identity from a servant and stormed straight into my room.

"Jessica Stephens, you're nothing but a con artist mooching off this family!"

She slammed my head hard against the floor.

"Can't touch you? I'd love to see what happens if I do!"

The Stephens family stood there trembling in fear.

But a day later.

Not only did the Stephens family's stocks fail to drop, the projects in Zoe's hands doubled in profit.

She looked at me lying unconscious in the hospital bed, and the corners of her mouth curved up.

"So you really are a fortune-beast, you just have to be beaten before you cough up the money."

After she left, I slowly opened my eyes.

Zoe didn't know.

The treasure a fortune-beast spits out is wealth that belongs to the underworld. Whoever takes it, whoever touches it, brings disaster down on themselves.

...

That evening, I was discharged from the hospital and returned to the Stephens family home.

By then, people from both the first and second branches had gathered at the Stephens old residence.

Two bodyguards stopped me at the elevator.

"Miss Stephens gave orders that you're not allowed back in your room."

Zoe stood in the middle of the hall, arms crossed, watching me.

Aunt Adela, who was in charge of caring for me, stepped in front of me to shield me.

"Lucius Stephens gave orders that no one is allowed to touch Jessica, or else—"

"Or else what? The Stephens family goes bankrupt, or people die?"

Zoe cut Aunt Adela off with a smile.

"Yesterday I hit Jessica in front of a whole crowd, and I'm still standing here without a scratch, and the Stephens stocks haven't been affected at all."

She came toward me, step by step.

"And I even got an unexpected bonus."

"The three projects in my hands that were about to collapse are not only running fine, their profits have doubled."

She reached out to touch the wound on my forehead.

I stepped back to avoid it.

Zoe looked at her hand, frozen in the air, and gave a careless little laugh.

"So the truth is that pampering Jessica is useless. You only get money by hurting her."

"My guess is the old man is the only one who knows this secret, otherwise he wouldn't have announced that none of you were allowed to hurt Jessica."

"He got to be the richest man in the capital's elite circle—who knows how he tortures Jessica in private."

Hearing that, everyone drew a sharp breath.

I looked at her, so sure she'd already won, and sneered inwardly.

She was only half right.

You have to be alive to take the money, and alive to spend it.

Zoe raised her hand and pointed at me.

"I'm going to squeeze the most out of her before the old man gets back."

"Guards, take her away."

I didn't resist.

Lucius Stephens was out of town on business, and even at his fastest he couldn't get back before tomorrow.

Her half-brother, Quinn Stephens, suddenly stepped forward.

"No."

Zoe glanced at him.

"What? You're going to protect her?"

Quinn gave a soft snort.

"You said yourself there's profit to be had from her. Surely you don't get to keep all of it for yourself?"

Lionel Stephens of the second branch jumped in at once.

"Quinn's right. You can't hog it all."

Marilyn Stephens chimed in.

"Zoe, your uncle and I have run into some trouble with our business lately. This is the perfect chance to test whether your method actually works."

Zoe took a sidestep, putting herself between me and them.

"If I hadn't happened to come back, wouldn't you all still be hanging on her every whim?"

"So how do you have the nerve to fight me for her now?"

Quinn's face was cold.

"So you're saying you're going to take her away?"

Lionel clenched his fists.

"Aren't you afraid we'll bring this straight to the old man?"

The argument dragged on and on.

Watching them tear at each other like dogs.

I said nothing.

Quinn suddenly grabbed the fruit knife off the table and lunged at me.

"She's mine!"