Married To My Ex's Brother, Reborn Miraculously-Chapter 251: Poisoned cupcakes

Lorie stared at her mother, stunned into silence. The calm, almost affectionate look on Patricia’s face didn’t match the woman who used to curse Anne without hesitation. This woman felt like a stranger.

"Mom," she whispered, tugging at Patricia’s sleeve, "have you really changed your mind about Anne?"

Patricia nodded with certainty. "Yes. And you should too."

She leaned in closer, lowering her voice. "She is not the same helpless Anne we used to push around. She is married to a billionaire now. She is connected to power, wealth, and influence. We need to treat her carefully, respectfully. She can open doors for us. After all, this family raised her. She owes us so much."

She pointed toward a nearby shelf. "Hand me the dry fruits."

Still in disbelief, Lorie grabbed the container absentmindedly and passed it to her, her mind spinning. Her mother, the woman who once wanted Anne erased from their lives, was now talking about her like she was their golden ticket.

Patricia added the dry fruits into the batter and slid the tray into the oven. Then she turned to her daughter again.

"You need to stop clinging to old grudges," she suggested. "Start thinking smart. Get close to her. She can solve your issues. If you can get Robert to do business with Augustine, everything could change for you. For us. Don’t you see? This is how we build a better future."

Leaving Lorie speechless in the kitchen, Patricia walked back out to the front and sat down across from Anne.

"They are in the oven now," she said cheerfully. "Won’t be long." Then, with a warm smile that felt strangely genuine, she added, "I’d also like to invite you and Augustine over for dinner. Come by whenever you are free. We’d love to have you."

Lorie stood in the kitchen, her mouth formed a tight pout as she watched Patricia chatting warmly with Anne. The sight twisted something deep in her gut. It was as if Anne had slipped into the role of the cherished daughter, as if she were the biological daughter of the Clair family, not Lorie.

First, her father had welcomed Anne with open arms, treating her like his own blood. Now Patricia, once Anne’s harshest critic, accepted her warmly.

Lorie felt a tightness in her chest as she felt her place in the family was steadily slipping away. The love and attention of her parents were supposed to be for her alone. She wouldn’t want to share their love with anyone else.

’What the hell did she do to win them over?’ Lorie thought bitterly. ’What kind of spell did she cast?’

Every affectionate glance from Patricia, every kind word, only fueled Lorie’s anger. She felt pushed to the sidelines in her own family. And now she was being told to play nice, to cozy up to the girl who had stolen everything.

"Never," she muttered under her breath. "I won’t bend to her. And I sure as hell won’t stay trapped with Robert. I’ll fix my life on my own terms."

Her hand slid into her pocket and pulled out a small plastic packet of white powder. Her eyes went cold.

"You skipped the coffee," she muttered, her voice icy. "But there is no way you’ll resist your favorite cupcakes." A cruel smile spread across her lips. "You’ll never see it coming."

When the cupcakes were finally done, she arranged them neatly in a box. Then she dusted the powder across the tops, hiding it beneath a final layer of decorative sugar.

By the time she walked out front, her face was glowing with false warmth.

"Here you go," she said sweetly, handing the box to Anne. "These are just for you. I hope you like them. Don’t give them all away to your friend, okay?"

"No worries," Patricia added cheerfully. "And if your friends love them, bring them here next time. I’ll make more."

Anne smiled, holding up the box. "Thank you—really." She gave them both a polite wave. "I’ll be going now."

With that, she left the bakery, completely unaware of the danger hidden in her hands.

Lorie’s lips curled slightly, a glint of triumph flickering in her eyes. The thought of Anne unknowingly carrying poisoned cupcakes gave her a twisted sense of victory. She imagined following her, watching from a distance as she took a bite, then witnessing the pain twist across her face until it was all over.

But a sudden tap on her shoulder snapped her out of the fantasy.

She turned and met Patricia’s sharp gaze. Her mother was watching her closely, one eyebrow raised in suspicion.

"What’s with the smile?" Patricia asked, her tone edged with doubt.

"Nothing," Lorie said quickly, forcing a casual shrug. "Didn’t you tell me to play nice with her? I’m just doing what you said. How did I do?"

Patricia wasn’t convinced. She knew that look too well. She could tell Lorie was hiding something.

"I’m warning you, Lorie, don’t do anything reckless. Anne isn’t the same girl you used to bully. She is powerful now, and if you cross her, you’ll regret it. Let it go before you bring trouble on yourself."

"I got it, okay?" Lorie waved her off dismissively. "If you are staying here, I should go. Robert is probably already waiting."

She grabbed her bag and headed for the door, walking out into the cold evening air. She pulled out her phone and quickly typed a message to Megan:

’Part 1 of the plan is done. Now wait for the good news. Once it’s confirmed, you have to back me up. If this falls apart, we are both exposed.’

She slipped the phone back into her bag and walked briskly down the street, her face blank, but her thoughts racing.

The room around Megan was a wreck, a reflection of the chaos she felt inside. Books lay scattered across the floor, their pages torn and bent. A shattered glass vase bled water and flower petals onto the carpet. Pillows had been ripped open, their stuffing spilling out like snow, and the mirror above her dresser hung crooked, its surface cracked.

She stood in the center of the chaos, chest heaving, hands trembling with rage. Her face was flushed, eyes bloodshot from crying and screaming.

In the meantime, her phone buzzed in her hand.

It was Lorie’s message.

Megan read the message, her breathing slowing. The fire that had been raging in her chest, the white-hot fury of humiliation, injustice, and defeat, began to cool. A slow, poisonous satisfaction crept in. The thought of Anne gasping, suffering, and falling made the sting in her pride feel worth it.

She clenched the phone tightly as if she were about to crush it. Her teeth bared in a silent snarl, a twisted calm settled over her. "Finally...Anne, your game is over."

She would wait for the news that Anne was no more.

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