Ficorpio
Chapter 1
The dynastic marriage pact between the Bennett family and the Serpent Clan had been in place for three generations.
When it was Adrian Blackwood’s turn to take control of the Serpent Clan, everyone assumed the marriage would naturally fall to me.
Then his secretary came to our door in person and said, expressionless, “My boss asked me to tell you he’s sorry. He hates humans.”
Not long after that, the supernatural underworld was buzzing with rumors that the Serpent Clan’s cold, self-disciplined heir had stopped eating and sleeping properly because of some human woman and was growing thinner by the day.
No one could figure out what was going on.
I did, though.
Because one day, right at our front door, I found a little black snake that refused to leave.
It camped out there every day, clearly trying to sneak inside for free food and a free ride. I chased it off ten times, and on the eleventh, it finally blocked my way and spoke in human words.
“Hello. Want to get married?”
The second I realized that snake was Adrian Blackwood, I slammed the door shut and, copying his tone from back then, said, “Sorry. I don’t like snakes.”
My name is Chloe Bennett.
Ever since my aunt married the previous Serpent Clan patriarch, the Bennett family had lived safely in Ashford City for more than twenty years under the clan’s protection, even with supernatural predators all around us.
Now the Serpent Clan had a new ruler. According to family tradition, one Bennett daughter had to marry Adrian Blackwood.
When the news came, my eldest sister was already hunched over her computer, locked in a brutal gaming match. Her fingers flew across the keyboard like she was performing music. Without even looking up, she said, “If anyone’s getting married, it can be you guys. I don’t have time to waste on a man. And what if he’s a trash gamer and expects me to carry him?”
The second she finished speaking, the screen flashed Game Over.
She cursed under her breath. “Damn it. That teammate’s play was so bad it could kill me.”
My second sister was sprawled on the sofa, scrolling through an app for same-city male housekeepers while painting her nails with maddening calm.
“Marriage is such a hassle,” Mia said. “I’m allergic to men. I’d rather pay someone obedient to do the work for me. Available anytime, no arguing, no drama.”
She flicked through her phone and muttered, “Let’s pick one who can cook Western food today.”
Looking at the two of them, both of whom were completely immune to pressure, I started to worry.
But I also knew this marriage couldn’t be avoided.
Chapter 2
Human women have a scent that is dangerously attractive to supernatural predators. Without the Serpent Clan’s protection, the black bear shifter from the mountain next door would have dragged the three of us off to be a meal long ago.
After agonizing over it for a while, I slapped the table and stood up.
“Dad, I’ll do it!”
I had barely finished speaking when the doorbell rang.
A man in a black-and-white butler’s uniform stood outside. He was tall, straight-backed, and sharp-eyed.
My dad’s face went white. He lowered his voice and said to me, “Chloe, that’s Adrian’s secretary, Marcus Vale. He’s definitely here to pressure us into choosing someone.”
He patted my back, trying to sound calm. “Don’t be scared. If you really don’t want this, I’ll drag your sisters and you into the mountains and hide there. I can farm. I’ll feed all of you myself.”
I glanced at his round beer belly and cut in mercilessly, “Dad, with this body, you’d probably wear yourself out before you finished the first field.”
His eyes darted away. “Why not? I worked the land when I was young too.”
Marcus cleared his throat, cutting off our argument.
“Mr. Bennett, Ms. Bennett, I’ll keep this brief.”
“The patriarch has decided to cancel the marriage arrangement with the Bennett family. He asked me to relay this message to Miss Chloe Bennett: he apologizes, and he does not like humans.”
My temper flared instantly.
He didn’t like humans? Well, I didn’t exactly like cold, icy snakes either.
While he wasn’t paying attention, I secretly lifted my left foot, hoping to stomp on the snake tail hidden under his trouser leg and vent my anger.
Marcus seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. He lowered his gaze to my foot and said evenly, “Miss Bennett.”
Embarrassed, I pulled my foot back and let out an awkward laugh. “I’m here.”
He handed over a black velvet box.
Inside was a golden serpent bracelet. The design was exquisite, and it had real weight to it.
“This is the patriarch’s protection token,” he said. “If you wear it, the Serpent Clan’s scent will cling to you, and other supernatural predators will not dare covet you.”
Then he handed me a black credit card.
“And this is the patriarch’s compensation for you. There are twenty million on the card. You may withdraw whatever you like.”
Marcus Vale finished the errand and left in a hurry, not even bothering to linger.
I rubbed the golden serpent bracelet on my wrist, feeling giddy inside.
I had secretly weighed it just now. Three hundred grams, solid and heavy on my hand, all that rich, extravagant weight making me look like a walking pile of money.
When my dad saw that I was quiet, he must have thought I was still upset about the broken engagement. He hurried over to comfort me. “Sweetheart, don’t be sad. I’ll find you someone better later on…”
Chapter 3
“Who’s sad?” I said, clutching the black card and already imagining my shopping spree. “I happen to have a class reunion this afternoon. I need to make some people open their eyes and take a good look.”
Just thinking about Vanessa Vance, who had led the bullying campaign against me in high school, and Jason Cross, that piece of trash who had strung me along, was enough to make my chest tighten with anger.
I cleaned out a section of the mall, buying the newest handbags, jewelry, and high heels. Then I had everything sent back home and took a cab straight to the restaurant where the reunion was being held.
As soon as I reached the entrance, the hostess stopped me. “Hello, ma’am. May I see your invitation card?”
I froze.
When the class rep organized this reunion, they hadn’t said anything about needing an invitation card at all.
I was just about to pull out my phone and ask the group chat when the hostess suddenly changed her tune. “This way, please, ma’am.”
She led me all the way to the door of Suite 101, then turned and left.
Four huge men were standing guard outside the private room. Their eyes were amber, and at a glance I could tell they were high-level white tiger shifters.
Anyone who could hire white tiger shifter bodyguards had to be somebody important.
But I was supposed to be in Suite 102.
Still wondering what was going on, I heard a mocking voice behind me.
“Chloe Bennett?”
Vanessa Vance was leaning against the door of Suite 102, arms folded, looking me up and down with open contempt. “I can’t believe you actually got in. The hostess at the door must be useless. They should all be fired.”
Her gaze dropped to the golden serpent bracelet on my wrist, and she laughed so hard she nearly bent over. “What is that, some nine-dollar-and-ninety-nine-cent knockoff from a discount app? You actually wore that out? Here, I’ll send you twenty bucks. Go buy yourself a big gold chain to make the whole thing look more convincing.”
The other classmates in the suite burst out laughing with her.
Jason Cross had an arm hooked around Vanessa’s, and he put on a sympathetic face. “Vanessa, don’t say that. Chloe didn’t have it easy in school. She only ever dared to get one meat dish and one vegetable dish from the cafeteria.”
He shook his head like he was genuinely sorry for me. “We’re all people with a little standing now. Coming to a reunion like this has to be stressful for her. Wanting to put on a little front is understandable, but…”
Vanessa cut in, laughing until tears came to her eyes. “But no matter how hard she tries, cheap still looks cheap. Chloe, you don’t actually think a plastic snake bracelet can make you look like the serpent clan’s fiancée, do you?”