The Trending Topic Herself: The Villainess is the Superstar!-Chapter 76: Sycophancy

Monica pulled Kiki to sit beside her: "Maya, you and Kiki must get along well. You are sisters, and you can support each other."

Maya is Maya, and she is Kiki.

From the way she was addressed, Kiki could sense the attitude of both Monica and her husband towards the two of them. All the talk about compensation and treating them equally was pure nonsense! No matter how good they were to her, it could never compare to how they treated Maya.

Kiki clenched her hands: "Mom, I think sister isn’t too keen on being my sister... We occasionally run into each other on set, but she’s always cold towards me. She doesn’t see me as her sister..."

As she spoke, her gaze glinted with resentment.

Maya huffed coldly, saying nothing.

She hadn’t expected Kiki to act so quickly. She believed it wouldn’t be long before all the Monroe family’s love and care would be showered solely on Kiki.

Monica furrowed her brows. With her traditional views, she couldn’t stand seeing siblings drift apart right in front of her eyes.

"Kiki, how can you say that? When you were first born, your sister would watch over you by the bedside every day. Even if her personality has changed a bit now, she definitely cares for you from the heart; she just has a sharp tongue but a soft heart. Listen to your mom, you can’t think like this any more!"

Monica said, gently stroking Kiki’s hair. She felt guilty towards the daughter they’d only recently found, and couldn’t bear to speak harshly to her. She loved both her daughters equally, and this was undeniable.

Kiki mumbled a response, lowering her head.

Favoritism!!

Monica held Maya’s hand and talked to her for quite some time. Then she whispered: "How’s it going with Ian? Is he treating you well? Is he still giving you the cold shoulder?"

Initially, Monica didn’t think highly of Maya and Ian’s marriage. Ian was distant and didn’t care much for Maya. In her view, even if her daughter couldn’t marry into a wealthy family, she should still marry someone who cherished and adored her. Clearly, Ian didn’t fit the bill.

But Ian came over in person this time, which showed he had some feelings for Maya.

Maya tried to mimic the original character’s playful and spoiled tone: "Don’t worry, Mom. How could Ian not like me, your beautiful daughter?"

Monica nodded repeatedly, finally at ease. She hugged Maya: "I’ve always known that our Maya is so lovable; she’d be a perfect match for anyone!"

Maya felt the warmth from Monica and stiffened. Her heart was touched for a moment, as it reminded her of a long-lost gentle figure who used to hold her and comb her hair.

"I didn’t expect Kiki to have already made tea." Jasper came over with a glass and placed the milk in front of Maya: "But Maya doesn’t like tea; she better drink milk."

Jasper was the guest of honor today, yet he was running around for her, leaving Maya feeling a bit odd.

"Dad, happy birthday!"

Jasper paused, then straightened up and smiled.

Though it was a birthday feast, it was not grand at all, nor were any other guests invited, just a simple family meal.

As Maya sat at the dining table, she fell silent, staring at the vegetable salad in front of her.

Monica asked her, "What’s wrong? It’s made to your taste, with no salad dressing."

Looking at the delicious dishes just out of reach, Maya felt that her life had never been more miserable.

Suddenly, a few pieces of meat appeared on her plate. She saw it was from Ian sitting beside her, and for the first time, she found him quite likable.

Maya picked a piece and put it in her mouth.

Monica stopped short, looking at Ian with a complex expression: "Maya has always loved low-fat vegetables and fruits. How can you force her to eat meat?"

"No, no, no, I love meat!"

Her love for meat was beyond question.

Monica was taken aback: "You love meat? Since when? Maya, weren’t you fond of vegetables for dieting?"

This misunderstanding was huge.

Maya spun a tale: "I did love vegetables before, but once I got so hungry I felt dizzy and weak. I realized that just eating vegetables couldn’t sustain my energy, so I tried a bite of meat and it tasted unbelievably amazing. Since then, I couldn’t eat vegetables anymore."

Monica nodded, somewhat understandingly.

Jasper spoke: "Eating more meat is good; a balanced diet is healthy. It’s bad for your body to eat only vegetables for weight loss."

Maya nodded as if taught, but in her heart, she thought a balanced diet was impossible.

Kiki’s gaze slid down from Maya’s sharp chin, growing more disappointed. Despite eating so much meat daily, Maya didn’t appear the least bit plump, remaining annoyingly slim and graceful.

She must diet secretly.

As the family ate, Kiki poured Jasper a cup of tea, then another for Ian, staring at him intently.

"Brother-in-law, have some tea."

Monica frowned slightly, motioning for her to sit down.

Having been in the business world for many years, Ian’s discerning eye was sharp, especially when it came to Kiki’s overt gaze.

He didn’t touch the cup, thanking her in a distant tone.

Kiki’s face reddened and she returned to her seat.

Maya watched everything unfold, a bit puzzled. Why was Kiki lavishing attention on Ian? In the storyline, Kiki didn’t meet Ian until she and Eric started dating, and Ian opposed their relationship, but was eventually moved by their sincerity.

Was everything happening now a series of butterfly effects triggered by her bringing Ian to the Monroe family?

First came confusion, then irritation.

In the story, Ian wasn’t Kiki’s devoted second lead or a backup. Why flirt with him in front of her?

It was utterly disgusting.

Without thinking, she blurted: "Kiki, can you stop flaunting that pancake face here? If my husband wants tea, I’ll get it for him. There’s no need for your meddling!"

As she spoke, she had a servant clear Ian’s cup and got up to make him a fresh cup of tea.

Ian, receiving the cup, felt slightly pampered.

Maya smiled at him: "Honey, if you want tea, you must let me know. Cats and dogs can carry germs."

The tea was supposed to be bitter yet slightly sweet, but Ian found it almost sickeningly sweet...