Sophia Laurent sat in the car, a faint stinging sensation pulsing at her fingertips.

She jerked her head up. "Turn around!"

The driver swiftly spun the steering wheel.

Iris Evans frowned. "Sophia, what's wrong?"

"That mallet vase was tampered with." Sophia stared at the tiny bead of blood on her finger. "Authentic antiques wouldn't have glaze sharp enough to draw blood. This was a setup."

Iris gasped. "You mean..."

"They were after my blood."

The car screeched to a halt outside the teahouse.

The private room stood empty, not even a trace left in the trash bin.

Sophia's lips curled coldly. "They even dragged Grandpa Valentine into this scheme."

She dialed Vincent Grandelle's number. "Grandfather, someone used an antique to collect my blood."

A teacup shattered on the other end of the line.

"What?! That bastard Theodore!" Vincent's voice trembled with rage. "How badly are you hurt? I'm going to give that old Valentine a piece of my mind!"

"Just a scratch." Sophia brushed her fingertip lightly. "But this isn't over."

At the Valentine estate, Theodore Valentine's roar made the crystal chandelier tremble. "You dare request a paternity test? Sophia hasn't even recovered from donating her marrow!"

Theodore Valentine Jr. stood in the study like a chastened schoolboy.

"Father, I only—"

"Silence!" Theodore Sr. slammed a document on the desk. "The test was already done! Alexander's toothbrush and Sophia's hair showed a 99.99% match!"

That evening's family dinner buzzed with unusual energy.

Sophia was seated at the head of the table, her plate piled high with delicacies.

The elder Mrs. Valentine kept serving her. "Eat more, dear granddaughter. You're too thin."

"Thank you, Grandmother." Sophia responded sweetly, catching Theodore Jr.'s conflicted expression from the corner of her eye.

He approached with a bowl of chicken soup. "Sophia..."

She accepted it, then immediately passed it to Ethan Sullivan. "You have it."

Ethan arched an eyebrow and pushed it toward Natalie Sullivan. "Growing girls need nutrition."

"Brother!" Natalie huffed and shoved it at Alexander Valentine. "You take it."

Theodore Jr.'s smile froze.

Late that night, Natalie pressed her ear against the guest room door.

"Alexander..." she whispered impatiently. "Why isn't anything happening..."

A startled cry from the next room made her jump.

She pressed closer, straining to hear.

"Ethan! Look at this!" Sophia's voice quivered.

In the moonlight, the blood droplet on her fingertip glowed with an eerie fluorescence.