CHAPTER 2 BILLIONS AREN’T ENOUGH?

You are disgusting! Why are you eating like a man?” Jordan looked at Marai like she was a dirty beggar. “Mother, can’t you send her away? I don’t want her on this table anymore. She is eating like she has been starved!” Jordan spat angrily. “It’s fine; you don’t have to compete with her and eat like her; she is a pig, a beggar that doesn’t know when to stop eating.” Regina looked hatefully at Marai, wishing it was Selina, who was her biological daughter. Marai raised her head and simply stared at Regina in a bored manner. Regina turned red from embarrassment at the way Marai looked at her, and then she became angry. Look how you stare at your mother—no respect! At that moment, a notification appeared on Jordan’s phone. He smirked, looking at Marai. You are so poor, you probably haven’t played this game. It cost me a lot of money to get to the level I am at now, he stated proudly. "Jordan, is this the new version of the game you are a pro in?” Selina asked. “Yes, the company even invited me to do a shoot for them,” Jordan replied while looking at Marai as if he were trying to communicate something silently. Marai finished eating and stared at them with a blank face, then she moved forward a little and looked at Jordan’s phone with a slight smirk. But none of them noticed because they were so busy with the game. "Sister, because you helped me with the game, I became a pro, and now all my classmates and friends respect me,” Jordan said, looking at Selina with so much adoration in his eyes. “Sister, I have an idea. Let’s play together. I can demonstrate the features of this new version, especially considering your busy schedule. It will help you relax.” Regina looked at them with so much love in her eyes and said, “I think you should play with him; you haven’t taken a break in so long; it will be good for you to relax.” She said. "Okay, then, Mother, I'll play the game with him." I like spending time with my younger brother. So, this is perfect.” Selina smiled timidly, then pulled out her phone and played the game with Jordan. They both looked like affectionate siblings. Why can I have my time to myself? Why do I have to play this stupid game with Jordan like I don’t have better things to do? While looking at her phone, Selina thought with her head bowed, and her eyes shone with frustration. Marai saw this and couldn’t stop the mockery look from appearing on her face. The loving Martins family is full of pretense, Marai thought. Selina suddenly looked up, smiling gently as she looked at Marai. “Sister, do you want to play the game with us? It is a really fun game.” “Don’t ask her! She wouldn’t know how to play it, and she would slow us down! Jordan looked spiteful. “I can teach her; I know she doesn’t know how to play, but it is not that hard anybody can learn,” Selina said with mockery on her face, but she kept her face in a way no one could see her. “No need.” Marai appeared distant, refusing to participate in their false happiness as a family. “You are so ungrateful and proud, and you don’t even know anything about the game. You should be happy that my sister is paying attention to a lowlife like you; she even wants to teach you, and you are rejecting,” Jordan rolled his eyes. "Alright, since dinner is over, don’t spend too much time on that game; remember, your sister has exams, Abel said, looking at Jordan. “Father, you don’t have to be worried about your sister’s result; her result has always been good. There is someone here who has had a very bad result. Jordan said casually, "Father, talk to her; maybe she will improve." Everyone’s gaze landed on Marai. “Jordan, stop that! You are rude,” Selina said with her head still bowed. She had a slight smile on her face. “I am just speaking the truth,” Jordan shrugged. “What was your grade in your finals?” Abel, looking annoyed, asked Marai. Regina, who was quiet, snorted, “Honey, you act like you don’t know she always fails at school.” Marai looked up as if in thought, then suddenly looked at Abel. “I’ve forgotten,” she shrugged. As if to say I told you so to her husband, Regina chuckled. Abel was angry and shouted, "Before, if you behaved like this, it would be nobody’s business, but now you are part of the Martins family, and you have to behave like one; we don’t fail at anything. Don’t bring disgrace to this family!” Marai nodded nonchalantly. Seeing her attitude towards what he said, Abel wanted to explode in anger. “This family will support you until you graduate; once you have graduated, you are free to live alone, and you will no longer be part of our prestigious family!” Abel concluded. Marai was so happy from what he said, she couldn’t help but smile. “Okay then,” she replied as she stood up and walked back to her room. If not for the lovely old lady, she wouldn’t have come back. She is only trying to respect her wishes. After a short while, the entire building was filled with screams. “My account was banned! I just got to a new level, Phantom! Fuck you! Jordan screamed. In the room, Marai sat in front of her laptop. Notifications were disturbing her laptop, so she clicked on them to see what they were about. Phantom: Boss, I have banned the account as you said. Phantom: You have been offline for a while; are you no longer interested in our game? Phantom: Boss, please reply to me. Are you ready to build a new game interphase? Phantom: We would make a lot of money from the new interphase; many players are waiting worldwide! Your mom (Marai): I don’t care, not interested. Phantom: Think about it, boss. That is billions in profit! We would never have to work again. Your mom (Marai) is not interested. The avatar turned dark and didn’t reply again. Behind the screen, in another part of the world, the young man stared at the screen incredulously. “She is so proud! Billions don’t matter.” Phantom muttered. It's no surprise that people referred to her as the goddess of the game; she turned them down with ease and without concern. In the morning, Marai returned to the Martins house all sweaty from her morning run. Since Jordan’s gaming account that he was so proud of had been banned, he had to buy a new one, but he was depressed because all the features he had in his banned account were not available on this one because it was a new account. Regina tried to console him, but as Marai walked in, they all looked at her with hate, like she was the cause of their problems. Marai looked at all of them and wanted to say something, but she decided against it. They are not worth it, she thought. She looked stunning and energetic, with clear and beautiful skin; she looked like a model from a magazine. Seeing this, Selina’s face stiffened. She still had breakouts, and she tried using every product on her face, but it didn’t clear out, so she wore makeup, and Marai looked way more beautiful. Her face was so clear that she didn’t even need any makeup. Selina suddenly felt a surge of jealousy. So, she approached Marai and said, “Good morning, sister, how do you do it? You came back so late at night, and your skin still looks great. Can you teach me how you do it? Selina was acting like she didn’t just tell everyone Marai stayed out late. Regina’s face darkened, and she turned to Marai. 　　 “You stayed out late? Don’t you realize you are from a noble family, and you should act like it? Stop disgracing us!” “Mother, I think that is how she makes her money as a night worker,” Jordan said, looking at her meaningfully.