BVAP Chapter 2

“I’m sorry. It’s because your father’s like that.”

When she came to her senses, she had become a baby, and the most beautiful people in the world were calling themselves her parents.
—“Oh my! The baby opened her eyes.”
—“Agoo, peekaboo! Smile for us, our little Janice!”

She felt like she had been reborn. Even though her head was clouded like it was covered in fog, the despair she felt when she was abandoned and the hatred she had for Min Kyung-tae were painfully clear. Because of that, Janice couldn’t trust her “new parents.”

People say that doing good deeds earns you blessings in the next life, but she had never done anything good. More than that, her previous life had been so miserable that even a stray dog would turn away in disgust. Even if she were reborn, there was no way she’d suddenly be blessed with good parents.

Janice was full of suspicion and distrust. Whenever her parents tried to touch her, she would cry like the world was ending. She threw everything she could grab — bottles, rattles, whatever was within reach.

They’ll get tired of me today. Tomorrow, they’ll get angry! They’ll hit me, just like before!

But they were always consistent.

They weren’t rich. As archaeologists, the house was filled with nothing but old, musty books. But they gave her a reason to live.

With them, she was able to forget the horrible father from her previous life and the mother who only left behind tears.

—“Let’s get married when you grow up, my daughter!”
—“Honestly, I think I love Janice more than I love your dad. I could live without him, but not without you. So let’s be happy forever, okay?”

Her past life had been so cruel that she wondered if it had been a tradeoff to meet parents like these. Janice was deeply grateful.

There were no expensive clothes or fancy jewels. But the sweet morning kisses, and how they made a fuss like the world was ending over a single mosquito bite — being with them made her feel, Ah, this is happiness.

Crying and laughing over a single candy or cookie, she felt like her mental age really had regressed. At some point, she truly felt like a baby.

In that way, she began to forget the traces of her past life. But then, when she turned seven, she was told her mother and father had died.

A man named Fernando, a long-time friend of her parents, came to see her. He told her she had a biological father.

—“Your father is ill right now, so he doesn’t remember you. He might say some cruel things. But once he remembers, he’ll love you, I promise.”
—“You can live with me if you’d like. I’d gladly accept you as my daughter. A kind, beautiful girl like you would make me so happy.”
—“But Janice, won’t you meet your father just once? I think… he might care about you more than you think.”

It didn’t really matter either way. Fernando said something, but Janice let it go in one ear and out the other.

When she met her biological father, she noticed right away that he resembled her. For a moment, she dared to hope that maybe she’d gain someone like her late parents.

It wasn’t that she wanted to forget them. She was just lonely. She needed someone to lean on. Foolish Janice, so stupid…

—“Idiot Fernando! You’ve clearly been duped. Let’s get a DNA test. You’ll see I’m not the father.”
—“I’ve never even slept with a woman! I swear!”

Her father from her past life had said the same nonsense. That it wasn’t his. No sense of responsibility at all!

Even when it was confirmed she was his biological child, he said:
—“Aren’t you the father? The father? Couldn’t she be my father’s child instead?”

He dodged responsibility.

What kind of trash is this? Janice frowned.

But what pushed her hatred of Geren to the limit was the conversation she overheard now:

“Fine, I admit she’s of Roman blood. But what matters is the environment she grew up in. Who raised her? Certainly not anyone wealthy.”
“Money isn’t everything. They were good people.”
“It’s not about good or bad. It’s about proper culture and education. We can’t give the Roman name to someone raised by unworthy hands.”

Geren insulted her parents. Janice clenched her teeth.

It was fine if he called her unworthy. But her parents? They were better people than anyone! Far better than some irresponsible man who didn’t even recognize his own child!

She had heard this kind of talk before. From Min Kyung-tae, her past-life father:

—“This is why poor people are a problem. So what if she’s mine? I have to take care of her?”
—“You liked me because I had money, didn’t you? Let’s be honest. Oh, right — you were a minor? Yeah, and I lied about being married. But if you were smart, you wouldn’t have gotten involved with me. Do you think I’d take responsibility for a kid raised by someone like you?”

His voice overlapped with Geren’s. His face merged with Geren’s. Janice snapped.

“Hey, you… Mr. Oops! Or wait, are you my half-brother instead? Should I call you Bro?”
“What? Bro?! Hey, you—”
“What’s wrong? You said you weren’t my dad, so I figured you were my brother. Wow, you really are slow, huh? Can’t even keep track of your own lies.”

Janice was fully mocking him now.

“Why are you freaking out? I’m just calling you what you wanted. Man, your personality is weird. I guess money and intelligence can’t coexist.”
“Hah!”
“I just wish you were half as decent as my mom and dad were… Oh wait, my bad! It’d be too sad to compare them to you. They were smart and kind — unlike someone else!”

Geren turned pale, nearly falling backward.

Janice didn’t care. She felt satisfied, as if she had avenged her parents. If only I’d done the same to Min Kyung-tae… that’s my only regret.

She had no intention of acknowledging Geren as her father.
I’d rather beg on the streets than live under your roof!

Money? Power? All fine. But Janice, being smart, knew what mattered even more.

---

Before introductions were even exchanged, the hostility was already thick in the air. No one expected things to magically improve after that.

Two young men in their twenties and a seven-year-old girl sat together in strained silence. Fernando agonized over what to do.

That was when Bianca — Geren’s mother and the former duchess — stormed in.

“Madam!”
“Open the door!”

A commotion outside, and the drawing room doors burst open. A regal old woman, dressed more extravagantly than anyone, entered.

“Mother!”
“Aunt!”

Due to the tangled web of noble bloodlines, Fernando was distantly related to the duchess.

Both men stood up as if struck by lightning and instinctively moved to block Janice.

“Step aside.”

Bianca brushed them aside like paper dolls. She spotted the tiny girl on the sofa and gasped.

“Oh, my!”

She looked like she might faint.

“Mother, it’s not what you think. Let me explain. Be careful of your blood pressure!”
“Aunt, wait! So, here’s what happened…”

Fernando and Geren scrambled to calm her down.

Janice shut her eyes tightly, bracing for an onslaught. She tensed her neck and shoulders, expecting to be slapped or hit.

A child not even welcomed by her father — there was no way his mother would accept her. She was sure insults would follow.

But then Bianca touched her — not with a slap, but a warm, gentle hug.

“My beautiful child, raise your head. Let me take a good look at you.”

Bianca was overjoyed.

“…?”
“…!”

Fernando and Geren were stunned — and so was Janice. Hesitantly, she looked up, her eyes filled with unease.

The old woman, with platinum hair and violet eyes, didn’t resemble Geren at all. She smiled down at her sweetly.

“You look just like Geren. Though I hope you didn’t inherit his nasty temper. But don’t worry — Granny will teach you how to hide it.”

In a kind and gentle voice, Bianca said the most oddly mismatched things.

Geren suddenly snapped to his senses.

“Mother! We don’t even know if she’s really my daughter…”
“They said the test matched you, didn’t they? Or did I hear wrong?”
“Matching doesn’t mean she’s definitely mine!”

The test was simple: you mixed both parties’ blood into a potion made of herbs. If they were related, the blood would coagulate. If not, it wouldn’t. But this only confirmed a blood relationship — not what kind. Parent-child? Grandparent-grandchild? Siblings? The more distant, the weaker the coagulation. But close relations were almost indistinguishable.

Bianca asked calmly, “So, she could be your father’s child?”
“No… not exactly, but—”

Geren wanted to prove his innocence. Bianca gently patted Janice’s cheek.

“I’m sorry, dear. Your father is such a mess.”