The Real Daughter With A System

Chapter 3 : The Calm Before The Storm

For a long moment, neither Vivian nor Lily spoke.

The hallway was so quiet that the ticking of the grandfather clock echoed through the mansion.

Finally, Lily smiled.

"I should let you rest."

Vivian gave a small nod.

"Take care, Lily."

There was no warmth in her voice.

No anger either.

Just calm.

Lily studied her for a second before turning away.

Her footsteps faded down the hallway.

Only after she disappeared did Vivian let out a slow breath.

[Ding!]

[Good job!]

You stayed calm and didn't let anyone control your emotions.

Reward: ₦80,000

Balance: ₦180,000

Vivian smiled faintly.

"So staying calm is rewarded too."

[Yes.]

The more you change your fate, the stronger you become.

She nodded.

"I like that."

The blue screen disappeared.

Vivian walked downstairs.

The servants stopped what they were doing for a moment.

Some looked surprised.

Others quickly lowered their heads.

"Good afternoon, Young Miss," one maid greeted nervously.

Vivian looked at her.

"Good afternoon."

The maid blinked.

Young Miss Vivian...

Had answered her?

After Vivian walked away, the maid whispered to another servant.

"Did you hear that?"

"I did."

"She never talks to us."

"Or maybe... we never talked to her."

The older housekeeper cleared her throat.

"Enough gossip. Back to work."

Everyone hurried away.

Outside, the sound of a car engine filled the air.

A black luxury car rolled through the mansion gates.

The guards immediately stood straighter.

"The young masters are back."

Vivian stopped walking.

Young masters...

She searched her memories.

Ethan Sterling.

The eldest son.

Cold.

Calm.

A successful businessman.

He rarely stayed home, but whenever he did, everyone became more careful.

Behind him was his younger brother, Daniel Sterling.

Unlike Ethan, Daniel smiled often.

But in the original story...

He never protected Vivian.

He simply watched everything happen.

The car came to a stop.

The driver opened the door.

A pair of polished black shoes stepped onto the ground.

Then a tall man in a dark suit climbed out.

His sharp eyes swept across the front yard.

Ethan Sterling.

Without saying a word, he walked toward the mansion.

The servants bowed.

"Welcome home, Young Master."

He gave a slight nod.

As he entered the hall, his eyes landed on Vivian.

The two siblings looked at each other in silence.

In the original story...

Vivian would immediately lower her head.

She would apologize, even though she had done nothing wrong.

But today...

She didn't.

She simply met his gaze.

For the first time.

Ethan stopped walking.

A faint crease appeared between his brows.

"...You've changed."

Vivian answered calmly.

"So I've been told."

For a brief second, surprise flashed across Ethan's face.

Then it disappeared.

Without another word, he continued walking toward the stairs.

But something had already changed.

He had noticed her.

[Ding!]

A new character has started paying attention to you.

Reward: ₦20,000

Balance: ₦200,000

Vivian looked at the disappearing blue screen.

"So every little change matters."

A small smile appeared on her lips.

"This game is becoming interesting."

Far away, from the second-floor balcony, another pair of eyes watched everything.

Lily.

She had seen the entire exchange.

Her gentle smile remained.

But her fingers slowly tightened around the railing.

"...So even Ethan noticed."

For the first time since Vivian changed...

Lily felt something she hadn't expected.

Uncertainty.

And in the Sterling Mansion...

Uncertainty was the beginning of chaos.

Lily didn't move.

She stood on the second-floor balcony, watching Ethan's back disappear into the mansion.

"...So he noticed her."

That had never happened before.

In the original story, Ethan barely looked at Vivian unless their father asked him to.

Today...

He had stopped walking.

Even if it was only for a few seconds.

That alone was enough to make Lily uneasy.

She slowly released the railing and smiled at herself.

"It doesn't matter."

"No matter how much you've changed..."

"...you're still the unwanted daughter."

With that, she turned and walked away.

Meanwhile...

Ethan climbed the stairs without looking back.

His assistant, who had followed him inside carrying several files, spoke quietly.

"Young Master, the meeting with the Harper Group has been moved to tomorrow."

Ethan nodded.

"I know."

The assistant hesitated before asking,

"Is something bothering you?"

Ethan stopped outside his study.

"...No."

But after a brief pause, he added,

"Vivian."

The assistant blinked.

"Young Miss?"

"She greeted me."

The assistant looked confused.

"Isn't that normal?"

Ethan pushed open the study door.

"...Not for her."

Usually, Vivian avoided looking at anyone.

Especially after being scolded.

Today...

She had looked straight into his eyes.

There was no fear.

No pleading.

Only calm.

For some reason...

That image stayed in his mind.

Downstairs...

Vivian stepped into the mansion's back garden.

The afternoon breeze carried the scent of blooming roses.

It was peaceful.

Too peaceful.

She sat on a white wooden bench beneath a large tree.

"This place is beautiful."

[Ding!]

A blue screen appeared.

[New Mission!]

Learn one secret about the Sterling family.

Time Limit: 24 hours.

Reward: ₦100,000.

Vivian read it twice.

"A secret?"

[Yes.]

She leaned back against the bench.

"There must be hundreds."

[Only one is needed.]

Vivian smiled.

"Then where do I start?"

Before the system could answer...

A voice came from behind her.

"I didn't expect to find you here."

Vivian turned.

A young man wearing a cream-colored sweater stood a few steps away.

He looked much more relaxed than Ethan.

A gentle smile rested on his face.

Daniel Sterling.

The second young master.

He slipped one hand into his pocket.

"Mind if I sit?"

Vivian studied him for a moment.

In the novel, Daniel rarely chose sides.

He simply watched.

That made him difficult to read.

"The bench is big enough," she replied.

Daniel chuckled softly.

"I'll take that as a yes."

He sat down, leaving a respectful distance between them.

For a while...

Neither of them spoke.

The birds chirped in the trees above.

Finally, Daniel broke the silence.

"You've changed."

Vivian laughed quietly.

"I'm hearing that a lot today."

Daniel smiled.

"I suppose you are."

He looked ahead at the flower garden.

"I think it's a good change."

Vivian turned to him, surprised.

"You do?"

Daniel nodded.

"The old Vivian always looked like she was apologizing for existing."

His smile faded.

"I never liked seeing that."

Vivian searched his face.

There was no mockery.

No hidden smile.

He sounded...

Honest.

"Then why didn't you help her?" she asked softly.

Daniel fell silent.

His eyes lowered.

After a long moment, he answered,

"...Because I thought someone else would."

Those words hung heavily between them.

For the first time...

Vivian saw regret in the eyes of someone from the Sterling family.

And she wondered...

Could Daniel become an ally?

Or was this simply another move in the story's game?

[Ding!]

Mission Updated!

Daniel Sterling's trust has begun to grow.

Current Trust: 5%

Vivian blinked.

"So the system tracks trust too..."

A small smile spread across her face.

"Interesting."

She looked at Daniel once more.

Perhaps...

The game had just introduced a new piece to the board.

Daniel rose from the bench and slipped his hands into his pockets.

"I should get back before Father starts asking where I disappeared to."

Vivian gave a small nod.

"Thank you for the conversation."

Daniel smiled.

"I have a feeling we'll have more of them."

He turned and walked back toward the mansion, leaving Vivian alone in the garden once again.

The breeze rustled the flowers around her.

She leaned back against the bench and closed her eyes for a moment.

Everything was changing faster than she expected.

Lily had become cautious.

Ethan had begun to notice her.

Daniel had shown regret.

The story was no longer following its original path.

Just then—

[Ding!]

A blue screen appeared.

[Mission Reminder.]

Find one secret about the Sterling family.

Time Remaining: 8 hours.

Vivian sighed.

"I haven't found a single clue."

[Hint.]

Sometimes the oldest secrets are hidden in the oldest places.

"The oldest place..."

She slowly opened her eyes.

"The library?"

[No response.]

Vivian smiled.

"So you're making me figure it out myself."

She stood and headed back into the mansion.

Instead of returning to her room, she wandered through the quiet halls.

Most of the servants were busy preparing dinner.

No one paid much attention to her.

She climbed to the third floor—a part of the mansion she had never visited.

Unlike the lower floors, this one was silent.

Dust covered the windows.

The air smelled of old wood and forgotten memories.

At the end of the hallway stood a single locked door.

Vivian frowned.

"I don't remember this room from the novel."

As she stepped closer, she noticed it wasn't completely closed.

Someone had forgotten to lock it properly.

She gently pushed the door open.

Creak...

Inside was a forgotten study.

Bookshelves lined the walls, covered in dust.

A large desk sat beneath the window.

Everything looked untouched for years.

Vivian slowly walked inside.

"This doesn't look abandoned..."

She stopped when she noticed a framed family photograph lying face down on the desk.

Carefully, she picked it up.

The picture showed Alexander and Isabella years ago.

A much younger Ethan stood beside them.

Daniel was only a little boy.

Vivian was there too.

But someone else stood between Alexander and Isabella.

A little girl with bright eyes and a wide smile.

Vivian stared at the photo.

"Who... is she?"

She turned the frame over.

On the back, written in neat handwriting, were the words:

"Our children. Together forever."

Vivian's heart skipped.

"There were only four children in the novel..."

Then who was this girl?

[Ding!]

[Mission Complete!]

You discovered a hidden Sterling family secret.

Reward: ₦100,000.

Current Balance: ₦300,000.

Vivian's eyes remained fixed on the photograph.

"So... the novel left someone out."

Or...

Someone had erased her.

Just then—

Footsteps echoed outside the room.

Slow.

Heavy.

Someone was approaching.

Vivian quickly placed the photograph back exactly where she had found it.

The doorknob began to turn.

She glanced around the room.

There was nowhere to hide.

The door swung open.

Standing there was Alexander Sterling.

His sharp eyes met hers.

For a long second, neither of them spoke.

Then his gaze shifted to the photograph on the desk.

His face darkened.

"What," he said in a cold voice, "are you doing in this room?"

Vivian felt the weight of his stare.

One wrong answer...

And she knew this quiet victory could become her greatest mistake.