There was so much left to do. For Virginia's sake, I couldn't afford to panic.

That same night, I reached out to a more authoritative Spiritual Master. Following his instructions, I removed Virginia's necklace and replaced it with a custom replica, then took the blood-red Cursed Jade Pendant straight to my uncle's farm.

I picked the fattest sow on the property and hung Dawn's pendant around its neck, then told my uncle to keep a close eye on it.

"Don't slaughter this one until I call you. Once everything's settled, I'll wire you half a million dollars. After that, you can butcher it or keep it. Your call."

My uncle nodded eagerly, practically bouncing on his heels.

"Don't you worry. She's a breeding sow. I need her for piglets. Unless she drops dead on her own, this one's going to spend her whole life giving birth!"

I stared at the fat, floppy-eared sow and smiled coldly to myself.

Dawn always did love a thrill. I'd make sure she got one.

After leaving the farm, I paid a premium to have the other pendant sealed inside the face of a Patek Philippe watch, then delivered it personally to the research institute where Clement worked.

When I arrived, he was still running data analysis, his profile sharp and composed, the picture of cool elegance.

Looking at him, no one would ever guess how selfish and vicious he truly was.

I buried the hatred in my eyes and handed him the gift box.

Clement's face lit up. "Babe, what are you doing here?"

I smiled and took his hand. "I was out shopping and spotted a watch that's perfect for you. I wanted to give it to you myself."

The words had barely left my mouth when I heard his thoughts.

A watch this expensive, and I've never even seen one in person. But Carla just buys it without blinking.

Clement stared down at the watch, his eyes a tangle of resentment and triumph. Won't matter soon. Once Dawn's lovesick little soul takes over her body, she'll do whatever I say. Everything the Fox family owns will be mine...

A chill crawled through me, but my expression stayed perfectly still.

I'd assumed Clement actually loved Dawn. Turns out she was nothing but a pawn to him too.

Swallowing my disgust, I fastened the watchband around his wrist with my own hands.

"The band is delicate. It can't take any rough handling, so don't keep taking it on and off."

Clement pressed the watch protectively against his chest. "Then I wouldn't dare disobey."

Over the next few days, I sent Virginia to stay with my uncle, then threw myself into the performance of a lifetime.

Every morning, I made a point of swaying as I got out of bed in front of Clement, bracing myself against the wall just to stand.

"Honey, why do you look so pale?"

He walked over with a glass of milk, concern painted across his face like a mask.

I gave him a weak smile. "I don't know what's wrong with me. Lately I feel drained all the time, like my body doesn't even belong to me anymore."

He furrowed his brow the way he always used to. "Should we go to the hospital?"

I shook my head, deliberately letting the fake pendant peek out from my collar. "No need. Look, the pendant's almost completely red. Maybe once it turns all the way, I'll feel better."

Clement nodded. But I didn't miss the corner of his mouth twitching upward.

On the fourth day, I threw myself down the stairs on purpose.

He rushed over to catch me. "Carla! Are you okay?"

I sucked in air through my teeth, my voice shaking. "Clement... something strange has been happening to me. Sometimes it's like I can't control my own body. Like... like someone else is trying to push their way in."

His hands trembled. Before, I would have mistaken it for worry. Now I recognized it for what it was: the kind of trembling that came from barely contained excitement.

"Don't overthink it. You're just exhausted."

He helped me to the couch, then went to the kitchen to make soup.

But the imported squab I usually ate had been swapped out for cheap chicken, and the smell that drifted out was rank and greasy.

He stopped trying.

That evening, Clement didn't bother warming my milk. He just stood there, irritation written across his face.

"I've been working all day. You can't heat it yourself?"

Before I could say a word, he disappeared into the basement. Seconds later, that familiar sweet, coppery smell drifted up through the floorboards.

I didn't lose my temper. I stuck to the plan and kept acting.

By the next morning, I was too weak to get out of bed.

That afternoon, Clement didn't even come into the bedroom. I could hear him pacing the hallway, making call after call, his voice bright with barely contained excitement as he schemed.

I didn't ask a single question. I just watched the gleam of his new watch catch the light and let myself smile.

That night, Clement's mother, Lauren Lawrence, descended on my home with over a dozen relatives in tow, barging through the front door like a conquering army.

Lauren's voice carried through the entire house, loud and shrill, as if she already owned the place. "Years I've spent smiling at that woman's face. Years. Well, the suffering's finally over."

The crowd fawned and congratulated one another for a while before Lauren's voice cut through again. "Come on. Let's go upstairs and get one last look at the little tramp!"

They surged up the staircase and crammed into my bedroom.

I sat propped against the headboard, expression blank, watching them gawk at me like visitors at a zoo, amusement and contempt plastered across every face.

Among them were people I had helped. One had been wrongfully fired, and I was the one who found them a new job. Another's child couldn't get into school, and I was the one who secured the enrollment spot. Yet another had lost over a million dollars in a failed business, and it was my emergency fund that pulled them out of the hole.

Clement had no conscience. Fine. But neither did a single one of them.

I spoke, my voice flat and cold. "Mom. Auntie. Uncle. What exactly is this about?"

They exchanged glances, then sneered in unison. "It means we've been putting up with you long enough, and today we're finally getting it off our chests!"

"Every time we had to look at you sitting up there on your throne, it made us sick!"

"We just didn't have the resources. If we'd been born rich like you, we'd be running the world by now! Who do you think you are?"

I held my temper. I watched Clement walk up to me, grip my chin so hard the bones ached, and tilt my face toward his. "Carla. I never loved you. Not once. Every time I lowered myself for you was the most humiliating moment of my life. But soon enough, you'll know exactly how that feels."

He released my chin, turned on his heel, and gave the order. "Bring Dawn and Tilly in. Once Dawn takes over Carla's body, bring Virginia back to serve as Tilly's vessel."

Moments later, two snakes were carried in, tongues flicking with excitement.

"Dawn, are you ready?"

The red-scaled snake lifted its head. Darling, I've waited so long for this day!

The black-scaled snake writhed with impatience. Daddy, hurry up and bring Mommy back! She shouldn't have to suffer anymore!

Clement stared at the jade pendant around my neck, his gaze locked on it as the stone deepened toward crimson. In the final minute before it turned completely red, his expression was pure, unhinged mania.

"Starting today, the lady of this house is Dawn Henson. The master is me, Clement Sanchez. Everything the Fox family owns belongs to me. My mother will never have to bow and scrape again. She'll live like the rich woman she deserves to be."

"As for Carla and that little brat of hers..."

"They'll vanish from this world completely. As if they never existed at all."

Lauren Lawrence started clapping first.

A dozen voices erupted in cheers around the room.

"Son, you're brilliant!"

"Clement really pulled it off!"

"We're going to be rich!"

Clement soaked it all in, laughing with wild, reckless triumph.

He walked back to me, and his final words dripped with the condescension of a man tossing a coin to a beggar. "Carla. Any last words?"

I lifted my head and smiled. Cold as a blade.

"Of course I do. But these aren't last words."

"First: that watch on your wrist? Tilly's cursed jade pendant is hidden inside it. The stone should be completely red by now."

Clement froze. His gaze dropped to his wrist.

"Second..."

I pulled my phone from under the pillow. On the screen, a 911 call was still connected.

"You brought people to break into my home, threatened my safety, and tried to seize my property. The police heard every word."

The cheering died like a switch had been flipped.

Clement's face changed. He lunged for the phone, but his hand locked mid-air.

"What's happening... my body..."

Every eye in the room turned to him.

Every face twisted with raw terror.