Born Into Villain's Family: I Have a 200% Rebate System

Every tick of the clock on the wall sounded louder and sharper, pushing her closer to the limit of her patience.

"Stop playing games," Adriana snapped, her trembling voice laced with frustration.

But Nexi only leaned closer, her smile never fading.

"Don't worry so much. He is fine, but... how long... I couldn't guarantee." she said smoothly.

Adriana let out a shaky sigh of relief. Her shoulders lowered just a little, but her heart still pounded.

"Then what do you want from me?" she asked bitterly.

Nexi chuckled again, her tone mocking.

"It is very simple. Just hand over the design I asked for. If you do that, I will make sure Peter appears tomorrow. If not, well… you may as well forget about him showing up again."

Adriana could feel an imaginary hand choking her neck, making it difficult for her to breathe.

She hated the way Nexi controlled the situation and hated the way she spoke so casually about Peter as though he were a toy.

Adriana clenched her fists tighter and looked away, trying to calm herself.

"I want to meet Peter first," Adriana said firmly. "Before I decide anything."

Nexi's eyes flashed with a sharp glint.

For a moment, the sweet mask on her face seemed to crack and panic settle in.

Yet she straightened up and said cheerfully,

"Fine. I will fulfill your wish. But remember, it was you who asked for this meeting."

She turned to leave but stopped at the doorway. Looking back, her smile widened, almost too wide.

"Oh, and tomorrow, if you see Peter wearing full-sleeved clothes, don't be shocked. The scars hidden under that turtleneck are something he doesn't want you to see. Maybe if you had listened to me earlier, those marks wouldn't exist."

Adriana froze.

The air conditioner wasn't turned on, and yet she felt chills in her body.

She wanted to scream, to demand what Nexi meant, but the words would not come out.

By the time she regained her strength, Nexi was already gone.

That night, Adriana could hardly sleep.

The next day, her heart pounded as she stepped out of class after the lectures ended.

She scanned the hallway desperately, and then...there he was.

Peter.

But something was wrong.

He stood near the doorway, smiling weakly.

His skin looked pale, and his movements lacked the energy he always carried.

What shocked her most was his clothes. In the middle of the hot summer, Peter wore a long-sleeved shirt.

The invisible pressure lingered again.

Adriana rushed to him, her footsteps quick, her voice trembling.

"Peter! What happened? Why are you wearing full sleeves in this heat?"

At her words, a flicker of panic flashed in Peter's eyes.

He quickly shook his head and forced a smile. "It's nothing. I just felt a little cold today."

Adriana's mind was telling her that he was lying.

She stepped closer and reached for his sleeve, wanting to roll it up to see what he was hiding.

But Peter quickly grabbed her wrist and stopped her.

"I'm fine," he said seriously. His voice was clam, but his eyes darted away, refusing to meet hers.

Adriana's heart grew tense. She did not believe him at all.

Every part of her wanted to scream the truth, to ask him about Nexi. And finally, she did.

"Peter," she said slowly, her voice low and tense, "do you know Nexi?"

The moment the name left her lips, Peter froze.

That reaction was enough.

Adriana's chest tightened.

She now knew Nexi was telling the truth, at least partly.

She forced herself to remain calm, her voice hardly betraying any emotion when in reality she was filled with the urge to cry.

"She is studying in the same course as me," Adriana explained. "I just want to know if you and Nexi are related."

Peter paused, then slowly nodded.

His lips curved into a small, soft smile.

"Yes. Nexi is related to me. Since my childhood, she has been one of the closest people to me."

Hearing that, Adriana felt the heat waves turning cold, while the laughter and chatter of the passerby turning into nothingness.

She understood what he was hinting at.

If Nexi was so close to him, then maybe she had to treat Nexi well too, and no matter what Nexi asked her to do... she needed to follow that.

Her mind screamed with despair.

Did this mean she would really have to hand over the design to Nexi? Was that the only way to keep Peter by her side?

She closed her eyes, her nails digging into her palm.

She was on the verge of falling into despair when Peter suddenly spoke again.

"But why are you asking about Nexi?" he asked, his voice curious and a little confused.

Adriana's eyes flew open. For a moment, she had almost forgotten her purpose.

She looked at him, her lips trembling.

"Don't you remember?" she asked softly. "The chat we had the day before yesterday."

Peter stared at Adriana with wide eyes. He blinked twice as if he had not heard her properly.

"What kind of chat are you talking about?" he asked, his voice full of confusion.

Adriana's heart lit up with joy. She bit her lip and looked at him carefully.

"The chat we had the day before yesterday," she said firmly.

"I asked you if Nexi was your sister or not. I also asked if I should hand over my design to her or not."

Peter's body stiffened. For a moment, he just looked at her as though her words made no sense.

Then he shook his head slowly.

"When did we have such a conversation? Adriana, I… I can't remember that at all."

Adriana controlled her trembling hand.

She quickly pulled out her phone from her bag and opened her chat history.

With shaky fingers, she scrolled until she found the messages.

"Look here," she said, pushing the phone toward him. "It is all written here. You answered me."

Peter frowned and took her phone.

He read the messages carefully, his expression growing darker with every word.