The box was engraved with an intricate peony design at the front, with leaves carved on either side. On top of the box was a strange, flowery pattern, which Ivy had never seen.
Instead of any complex mechanism, the box was pretty easy to open.
Ivy picked up the box from the ground and patted it clean.
With slight excitement and nervousness in her heart, she opened the box... only to find a silk cloth and nothing else.
"Impossible." Ivy's eyes widened slightly. She remembered that in her past life, the ring was sitting right on the silk cloth. So where was it now?
Compared to her previous life, when she arrived in the evening, Ivy had arrived much earlier.
According to that logic, the ring should not have been stolen in the first place.
"Maybe I arrived too early... I should return later and check. Maybe the ring wasn't in the box in the first place, and someone had placed it by the evening." Ivy guessed and placed the box back in its position and moved away.
Hiding in one of the bushes, Ivy waited and waited.
The bright light illuminating the world slowly dimmed till an orangish glow settled in the sky, and yet... no one came.
"So...did someone come before and snatch that ring?" Ivy was lost in thought.
A terrifying thought would appear in her mind,
"Wait... someone else has been reborn too? Who?"
Ivy's expression darkened, thinking how someone had stolen her ring again, and she wanted nothing more than to snatch it back.
She would turn to leave when her eyes fell on the box. Even if she can't have the ring, she could keep this box and use it as proof to get the ring back.
With that thought, she picked up the box, secured it in the pockets of her baggy pants, and left the mountain.
It was already 8 pm by the time she returned home. In a foul mood, she opened the door, and an unwanted conversation fell on her ears.
"Father, you have to punish your sister! She almost killed me today! What if I truly died? I didn't even ask much! Just asked her to clean the house and make the food!" Isla's whining voice echoed in Ivy's ears.
Irritation and murderous intent flickered in Ivy's eyes.
It was a pity that the apocalypse had arrived, otherwise, Isla would have won the best actress award.
Magnus's thunderous voice, filled with authority, sounded,
"Don't worry, I will personally whip her till she loses all of her attitude. I won't give her any food for the next 2 days! And all the house chores would be done by her for the next month. Let's see if she dares to show her temper again."
A nerve in Ivy's head twitched.
Wasn't this the same line her dear 'father' has said in a past life, too?
How laughable.
In her past life, after she returned from Brimstone Mountain, she received warmth from this fake family for 3 days.
After that, Isla framed her for trying to steal Isla's food, causing Magnus to say the same word.
On the 4th day, Ivy was whipped for 2 hours, bloody red marks marred her body, and yet her dear 'father' didn't feel even an ounce of guilt.
On the 5 day, at the arrival of Power Rain, he didn't hesitate to throw her out of the apartment, force her to kneel in the Power Rain, and let her soak in it.
Thank god, she had the ring, otherwise she would have died that very day... or worse... she might have died in the hands of a zombie.
"My poor daughter... she has suffered so much! Magnus, hear me out. Beating her won't be enough. It is necessary to teach her a good lesson this time. I have heard Apartment 404's Patrick is offering 2 cup noodles in return for a little helper, just hand over Ivy to him. He will discipline her properly." Serphina suggested, her tone was full of ambiguity.
A wave of nausea washed over Ivy, and the murderous intent in her eyes became even firmer.
Patrick.... that b*stard.... how could she forget him?
She wanted to kill them.... all of them...
These b*stards don't deserve to live. They should die a death of the dog. No... that would be too lenient. She wanted them to beg for death.
Ivy watched as a meaningful smile appeared on Magnus's face, as he nodded,
"You are right. She needs to be disciplined."
A snort escaped Ivy's lips, causing the three people in the living room to turn their attention to Ivy.
"You damn b*stard think that I will sit here and wait for you to send me that old b*stard?" Ivy asked with a crazed look.
Her aura transformed into that of a demon from hell.
She tied up her pink hair and tilted her head, and left and right, while maintaining eye contact with the family of three, causing them to freak out.
"You... Ivy... why are you making such a face?" Isla stuttered in fear and backed away.