Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Here a Scoop, There a Scoop

Sue Lawrence watched with rapt attention, her mind racing as she envisioned a thousand different uses for the Ice Control Skill. She completely tuned out Tia Norris’s screeching.

Tia Norris raged, "Tiana, you’re just too nice! What do you mean, you were interrupting them? It’s obvious this bitch Sue Lawrence is the one trying to butt in! Hey, you and Jason already broke up! Can’t you have a little self-respect? Have some shame and get lost, would you?"

Sue Lawrence paid no mind to what Tia Norris was saying. Her gaze was fixed on the words above the other woman’s head, and she even nodded in satisfaction. "Yes, this will do. This will do quite nicely."

Tia Norris was livid. She felt that Sue Lawrence was deliberately humiliating her, and she began to tremble with rage.

"What was that nod for? Are you trying to humiliate me?"

She raised her hand to shove Sue Lawrence, but Jason Sterling suddenly grabbed her wrist.

Sue Lawrence had been quiet the entire time today, even giving him the chance to speak with Silas Hawthorne. Her docile behavior unexpectedly reminded him of their once-tender past, causing his heart to soften. In a low voice, he said, "Tia Norris, knock it off!"

The moment he spoke, Tiana Lynch’s eyes reddened. She let out a choked sob as large tears rolled down her cheeks. She weakly tugged on Tia Norris’s sleeve, her voice trembling with grievance. "Forget it, Tia. They were childhood sweethearts, after all. It’s only natural they have things to talk about. We should give them some space..."

Despite her words, the venom in her eyes was impossible to hide.

’Jason Sterling is actually defending Sue Lawrence? The same woman he used to find too filthy to even look at? On what grounds?’

"Give them space for what!" Tia Norris wrenched her arm free and glared at Sue Lawrence, her expression a mixture of indignation and fury. "She has a bastard child, and suddenly she’s in the right? Sue Lawrence, a woman like you..."

Sue Lawrence’s eyes went cold. ’Insulting my son? Unacceptable!’

SLAP!

The crisp sound of a slap echoed. Tia Norris clutched her face, stunned, staring at Sue Lawrence in disbelief. "You... you dared to hit me?!"

"I told you. If anyone dares to breathe another word about my son, I’ll kill them." Sue Lawrence’s gaze was ice-cold, and a chill emanated from her fingertips. "One slap is letting you off easy."

"You!"

Tia Norris was seething. ’Who does she think she is? You think that thing you spawned is so special? How dare she slap me over a bastard?’

She was about to unleash her Superpower. ’In this twelve-below-zero wasteland of ice and snow, this is my home turf. With my Ice Control, killing Sue Lawrence will be a piece of cake!’

But just as she raised her hand, Tiana Lynch clamped down on it. She leaned in close to Tia Norris’s ear, her voice a low, urgent whisper, her eyes filled with caution. "Don’t. We can’t reveal our powers yet. Especially not in front of her..."

For some reason, looking into Sue Lawrence’s calm, placid eyes sent a chill down Tiana Lynch’s spine. A strange sense of dread kept her from making any rash moves.

’It’s best to be cautious around Sue Lawrence.’

"She hit me! Jason, are you blind?" Tia Norris wailed, looking to Jason Sterling to back her up.

Jason Sterling frowned. His look toward Sue Lawrence was filled with impatience and a sense of entitlement. "Sue, apologize."

Sue Lawrence looked as if she’d just heard the funniest joke in the world. She raised an eyebrow. "Me? Apologize?"

"Who else?" Jason Sterling’s tone was harsh. "I saw it all. You hit Tia Norris first. I defended you for old times’ sake, but that doesn’t give you the right to be unreasonable. Apologize now. Don’t make me despise you even more."

He was certain that Sue Lawrence was the same as she’d always been, that she still only had eyes for him. All he had to do was apply a little pressure, and she would surely back down, maybe even cry and beg him.

But in the next second, Sue Lawrence lifted her foot and kicked him squarely in the stomach!

"Then you’d better start despising me right now! And get lost!"

’Such a disgusting creep. I didn’t even want to touch him. This kick is a polite invitation for you to get the hell away from me. Don’t ever appear in my sight again, thanks!’

Caught completely off guard, Jason Sterling was kicked off balance. The already icy, slippery steps did the rest, sending him tumbling down to the ground. He landed hard, and a sharp pain shot from his rear end and back through his entire body.

Jason Sterling was completely stunned. He had imagined a million possibilities. He’d imagined Sue Lawrence crying and begging him to take her back, to be by his side just like before. He’d even imagined her acting like an arrogant little princess, waiting for him to come back and coax her. But he had never, ever imagined that Sue Lawrence would actually kick him down the stairs!

"Jason!"

Tiana Lynch and Tia Norris both cried out in alarm and scrambled down to him.

As she helped him up, Tiana Lynch’s tears streamed down her face. "Jason, are you hurt anywhere? Jason, does it hurt? *Sob*, what do we do... *sob*... Jason, my heart aches for you."

Then she turned her head to face Sue Lawrence. "Sue, how could you do this to Jason? If I did something to upset you, just take it out on me, please..."

That pure, innocent act of hers made Sue Lawrence’s stomach churn.

’Still, if Jason Sterling’s Fortune could rise to 10... let me see just how much Tiana Lynch’s Luck Value has risen now.’

[Eye of Barrier Breaking] activated. Tiana Lynch’s Luck Value had actually risen to 15.

’Tsk, tsk. Nope, anything over one is unacceptable. Tiana Lynch, you’ve crossed the line.’

Sue Lawrence narrowed her eyes and commenced her blatant robbery.

Acquired: Fortune 30% (+5)

Acquired: Fortune 20% (+2)

Acquired: Fortune 40% (+3.2)

Acquired: Fortune 30% (+1.44)

...

After hacking it all the way down to 0.325, Sue Lawrence finally stopped. She planned to give this newly acquired Fortune to her big brother as soon as she got back, just like before.

While Sue Lawrence was gleefully siphoning off Fortune, the three people at the bottom of the stairs just looked on in confusion.

Tiana Lynch had already struck her pitiful pose, but Sue Lawrence just stood there like a statue, completely refusing to take the bait.

She glanced at Tia Norris, who took the cue and pointed a finger at Sue Lawrence, letting loose a torrent of abuse. "Sue Lawrence, you’re insane! It must have taken eight lifetimes of bad luck for Jason and Tiana to have met you! And you call yourself a mother? You mother of a bast—"

"Hah."

Sue Lawrence let out a soft laugh. She couldn’t be bothered to waste words on her and simply activated her Superpower again.

[Ding! Skill triggered: That’s Mine Now! Successfully stole target’s Superpower [Ice Control Skill]. Current level: (C Level)!]

’Ooh, I got it! And it’s C Level, even better than I expected!’

Sue Lawrence was ecstatic. She immediately activated her [Eye of Barrier Breaking] again to look at Tia Norris. Sure enough, the line of text above her head had changed: [Ice Control Skill] (B Level)!

Not only had the level dropped, but the Skill’s description was also severely nerfed: [Attack Skill. Can freeze any liquid into ice for attacks and freely control the ice’s form.]

’The "Super-Hard Ice" and "Frozen Domain" effects were gone!’

Sue Lawrence stared at the words above Tia Norris’s head, unable to hide the grin spreading across her face. She felt absolutely invigorated.

’In her past life, she only knew that she’d successfully stolen the Superpower, but she’d never seen what happened to the original owner’s Ability after it was weakened. Now, seeing it with her own eyes... this vicious satisfaction was simply to die for!’

’So satisfying!’

Meanwhile, Tia Norris was completely oblivious to the fact that her Superpower had been stolen. She continued to glare at Sue Lawrence, her eyes red with fury. "What are you laughing at? How dare you laugh!"

"I’m laughing because something wonderful just happened, and I’m looking at someone utterly ridiculous."

Sue Lawrence descended the steps one by one, looking down on the three of them on the ground with unconcealed contempt. "A good horse doesn’t go back to graze on old pasture, and I, Sue Lawrence, have even less interest in going back to pick up trash. Tiana Lynch, a lowlife like Jason Sterling is all yours. No one’s going to fight you for him. After all, birds of a feather flock together. You two truly are a match made in heaven."

With that parting shot, she turned, got into her car, and drove away. A moment later, a black sedan quietly pulled out behind her, flashing past the small group before vanishing. Only then did Jason Sterling realize with a jolt that he had just missed something incredibly important.