Sneaky Fox.

PLAAK!!!

"You impudent! Is this how your mother taught you while she was alive?! Acting impolitely with an older person?!"

Stefanny was furious. A hard slap landed on Lana's left cheek until it turned red. Everyone in the cafe immediately turned to look at the two of them.

Lana clenched her fists. Whatever it was… anything other than her mother. Lana will never stay silent when someone insults her late mother.

"My mother always taught us to act according to the people we were dealing with. For your non-human size, you don't deserve to be treated well! You're just a parasite that always clings to a tree branch and harms its host! You deserve to be removed!"

"Shut your mouth, Lana!"

PLAAK!!!

Another slap landed on Lana's left cheek.

Lana's eyes lit up. "Slap me until you're satisfied!" Lana snapped, "but remember, Stefanny… you will get the reward for what you have done so far."

"You challenge me? No kidding, Lana," Stefanny sneered, "you have nothing to beat me. You're just an orphan living with your uncle and aunt. Make no mistake. You are the same as me. The parasite that sticks and harms your uncle and aunt."

"You …."

"I know that your uncle and aunt are currently experiencing a financial crisis. It's hard enough just to support their children, let alone you. You're such a pain in the ass, Lana."

Lana squeezed her hands together to contain the anger that was about to explode. Apparently, splashing water on the face of this evil woman in front of her wouldn't be enough to teach her a lesson. A slap in the face would even just make her hands dirty.

"I really hope you get out of this life…."

"In your dreams, Lana. Because that will never happen," she replied with a triumphant smile.

"I pray you'll have an accident after leaving here," Lana said with her eyes narrowed sharply.

"You'd better retract your prayer if you still want to see your uncle and aunt live decently."

"What do you mean?!"

"Why do you think your uncle and aunt's business is suddenly in trouble..."

"You… what have you done, you petty woman!"

"Cursing me isn't going to get you any solution, Lana. Your actions will determine the trouble your dear uncle and aunt face."

Lana tried to suppress her anger even though she was so irritated by Stefanny's annoying attitude. If it's true that her aunt and uncle's business is in trouble because of Stefanny, then Lana has to do something about it.

"What do you want? I've been quite calm with my life so far… why did you come and harass me again!"

"Annoying? I don't think that's the right word. I have come with good news for you."

"What do you mean?" Lana frowned in confusion. Then she saw Stefanny sigh with a sigh.

"If it weren't for Christian being too kind. I would never want to meet, let alone deal with you again."

"Then don't do it because I don't want to deal with you anymore either! Especially seeing that fox face of yours!"

Stefan laughed bitterly. She took out a pre-printed wedding invitation.

"That's my wedding invitation to Christian," Stefanny said, throwing the invitation at Lana. "This is not to my liking, but Christian knows that I was married to your father and had you as my stepdaughter."

"Then? Do you want me to come and give you my best wishes on your wedding day? Do not hope! My only prayer is to see you destroyed!"

"Up to you. I just want to do what Christian wants, even though I hate him so much. Come to my wedding because Christian really wants to see you. Well, you're technically my son, so Christian wants to get to know you better."

"Aren't you afraid I'll tell Christian all the bad things about you?" threatened Lana.

"Do it. That way, you'll see your uncle and aunt's business crash. Of course, as a good nephew, you wouldn't want to see that happen, would you?"

"You really are a very cunning woman like a fox, Stefanny."

"I'll take that as a compliment. Thanks," Stefanny said with a mocking smile. "Come and be nice. If you do anything suspicious and make my marriage to Christian annual, or do anything to my detriment. You know what it means, Lana," Stefanny threatened, "I don't play with what I say."

"Just come. No more." Lana confirmed.

"Yes. What else could you expect, Lana? Come into my life of luxury and leave poverty, right? Do not hope."

"Neither do I! You could have asked me to come without doing such a heinous act, Stefanny."

"I did it because I knew very well you would refuse." Stefanny then took a business card from her purse and gave it to Lana. "Tomorrow, come to my boutique to choose the dress you will wear at my wedding."

"I don't need―"

"Just do it! I don't want everyone to see you in the shabby clothes you're wearing."

***

Lana looked at the business card and invitation that Stefanny had given her. The event is about a week away and is being held in a five-star luxury building. Lana was sure, their wedding party cost a lot of money. Obviously, because Stefanny is a materialistic woman.

It's a shame that a man named Christian wants to marry a woman like Stefanny. Lana feels Christian is deceived by Stefanny's fake nature without knowing her true nature.

"I'm a home, mother," said Lana as soon as she entered her old house. The house he lived in for the first time with her parents before her father married Stefanny and bought a new house which has now been confiscated.

After her father's death, Lana goes with her uncle and aunt to forget all the sadness she has experienced. But it seems all in vain because Lana still can't forget the bad memories that happened to her at that time.

Too long uninhabited makes the house dirty. Tomorrow, Lana has to clean her house and buy some things she needs. What's more, now Lana will live here.

"Hey! Are you a ghost?!"

Lana gasped in surprise when a light shone right on her face as she opened her bedroom balcony door. A man appeared to be standing with a flashlight in his room which was right next to her house.

"Looks like you're not a ghost," he said again when he saw Lana struggling with the flashlight she aimed right at her face. He immediately turned off the flashlight he was carrying and lowered it down. "Are you the new resident?"

Their house is only a few meters away which allows them to talk to each other without having to shout loudly.

Lana approached the balcony railing. "Who are you?"

"I? I'm a resident of this house," he said pointing to the house he lived in.

"I'm not stupid."

The man laughed crisply, then answered with dimples that made him look so charming. "I'm Harry Gryson. And you?"

"Lana Sharin. And I'm not a new resident."

"Is that true? Why haven't I seen you in the last five years? It was an empty house that was never occupied. I think the house has become haunted because it hasn't been inhabited for so long."

"Don't be ridiculous!" Lana immediately looked behind her to make sure everything was okay. Whatever it is, She hopes that nothing terrible appears as she thinks now because the hairs on her neck are all standing up.

Harry laughed loudly. "I'm just kidding!"