The Family 81

Posted by Sara Lili, ? Views, Released on April 30, 2025

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He gave a habitual curl of his lips, then smiled as he turned the phone around, screen facing Jem.

“Well: Impressed?”

Jean blinked in surprise. This guy was actually showing off his game stats to her.

People bustled back and forth around them: the place was buzzing with noise and movement. But Easton looked like he existed in a different world–completely unaffected, completely immersed in himself, not giving a damn about anyone else.

“Mr. Easton

Out of nowhere. Olive approached with a bright, eager smile on her face. She looked at Easton with a hopeful expression, her fingers nervously twisting together.

She had come over just to greet Easton. Right behind her. Dustin and Raylan also walked up- each one putting on a humble front as they offered their greetings to Easton.

Jean stared, slack–jawed. These people all looked older than Easton, yet in front of him, they acted like subordinates groveling before a superior.

So this was how it worked: Easton didn’t need to say a word–people just came to him.

That was the law of the jungle in showbiz–those with enough fame always ended up calling the shots.

“What’re you thinking about?”

Easton’s lazy voice drifted into her ears.

Jean snapped out of her thoughts, her gaze landing–somewhat absentmindedly–on his deep–set

eyes.

The guests had finished greeting him and returned to their seats. Easton sat there, eyes lowered. watching her with amused interest

He knew exactly what was going through his sister’s head.

But he still asked—on purpose–just to see how she’d respond.

Jean pressed her lips together and shook her head hard.

“I wasn’t thinking anything-

Easton curled his lips again and gave a soft chuckle.

“Really? You looked a little spaced out just now.”

Chapter 81 Julia Shows Up

But Easton reached out and rubbed the top of her head;

“You’re too young to be worrying about stuff that doesn’t matter.”

Finished

Under the light, the man’s good–looking face took on a soft, pearly glow. His lips lifted into a dazzling smile.

“If you’ve got questions, just ask me don’t go overthinking thing

Jean instinctively tried to bat his hand away, her face scrunched up in annoyance

“Hey! I told you to stop messing with my hair…”

She acted like she hated it, but inside, she kept replaying what Easton had just said. What the heck is up with this guy? Suddenly being all nice? Saying stuff like just ask me… Yeah right. I don’t buy it for a second! He’s still a scumbag–probably even worse than before!

Easton let his hand fall away, glancing sideways at his sister, his eyes crinkling with amusement.

This stubborn little thing still clung to the belief that he was out to get her.

He had never actually done anything to hurt her. He just really enjoyed watching her squirm, struggle, freak out–it was entertaining, like a toy that satisfied his urge for chaos.

But then, Easton’s eyes darkened just a little.

Lately… something felt different. He couldn’t put his finger on it. If he had to describe it, maybe…. he liked watching Jean look dazed or happy more than seeing her panic. He liked watching her scarf down food with a satisfied little grin…

Weird. His tastes really were hard to predict.

And honestly, he had no idea when or how it all changed…

Wherever Easton went, he was always the most dazzling person in the room. Even now, sitting in an unremarkable corner where no one dared to approach, he was still the focus.

Plenty of people had their cars tuned in, catching glimpses of Easton’s every move out of the corners of their eyes.

Naturally, everyone saw how Easton interacted with Jean.

They were surprised; they were curious. Who exactly was this little girl next to Easton?

The high–and–mighty Easton had never been the approachable type–always distant and out of reach, like something just beyond arm’s length.

Yet here he was, showing an unexpected side of himself to a young girl.

Strange. Really strange. But then agam, weird stuff happened in showbiz all the time. Even if

12:54 PM

Chapter 81 Julia Shows Up

Right then, a flurry of light, hurried footsteps sounded at the entrance,

Finished

A girl who looked like a porcelain doll–beautiful and adorable–came in dragging a suitcase, panting slightly from exertion..

“You are?”

A staff member glanced at her in confusion, unable to hold back a question.

“Hello, everyone,” the girl replied politely, giving a formal bow. Her snow–white face was tinged with two faint pink splotches, probably from the sunlight outside, making her look even more adorable.

“My name’s Julia. I’m here for the show.”

“Oh, so you’re Julia.

Taylor, who had been busy, immediately paused and strolled to the entrance for a closer look.

Julia was someone the station head had personally mentioned, but Taylor had never met her. before.

Seeing that the girl was pretty and well–mannered, Taylor felt relieved right away. With a kid this sweet, what could possibly go wrong?

Jean, who’d been half–asleep and resting her chin on her hand, suddenly sat up straight the moment she heard the name “Julia.”

Sleepiness vanished in an instant.

“Wh… Julia?” Jean frowned anxiously and muttered under her breath.

“Where is Julia?”

“Right over there.” Easton helpfully raised his hand and pointed toward the door.

He put his hand down right after, eyes still glued to his phone screen. In truth, he hadn’t looked. away from it once–he’d just happened to lift his long fingers for a moment….

Jean followed the direction Easton had pointed; her gaze cut through the crowd and landed right on Julia.

So this was Julia. She looked about the same age as Jean; clearly another civilian guest paired up with a celebrity.

Jean furrowed her brows, a flash of confusion in her eyes. I thought the storyline had already shifted… but Julia still showed up right on cue. Julia.. why is she still here? It doesn’t add up. Everything else changed

don’t tell me she’s still meant to end up with Easton?

Easton’s fingers suddenly froze mid–motion.

Chapter 81 Julia Shows Up

Finished

“You know Julia?” he asked. But in the next breath, he switched to his usual smiling face and looked over at Jeam.

Jean pressed her lips together and answered a little stiflly, “Nope.”

“Really?” Easton stared at her, his gaze laced with a smile–yet also bottomless and hard to read.

“Really.” Jean obviously wasn’t about to admit she knew the plot.

She frowned and stared back at Easton with a complicated look. Julia… That girl was the first domino in Easton’s complete and total downfall.

Sara Lili

Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.

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The Family

Score 9.9

Status: Ongoing Type: Billionaire Native Language: English

The Family

Summary & Review: The Family

Jean Ginger was dead. A self-made woman who achieved financial freedom before thirty, her life was cut short in a tragic car accident. But instead of fading away, Jean woke up in an unfamiliar, overly frilly bedroom surrounded by stuffed toys. Her head throbbed as strange memories began flooding her mind — memories that weren’t hers. Within moments, Jean realized the unbelievable truth: she had transmigrated into the world of a book she once mockingly read online, The Real Heiress Awakens.

The story she remembered was an outrageously dramatic one about a poor girl named Sarah who discovered she was actually the real daughter of a wealthy family, the Gingers of Blairford. In her first life, Sarah had suffered greatly — betrayed, humiliated, and married to the wrong man. But after being reborn, she vowed to take back everything that had been stolen from her. She returned to the Gingers, exposed the impostor who had been living her life, and won over her powerful birth family and their love. Not only that, she even stole back her impostor’s fiancé — the male lead of the story.

It was a total wish-fulfillment fantasy: revenge, romance, and the triumphant rise of the “real” heiress. But for Jean, it was a nightmare — because she had been reborn as the fake heiress who loses everything by the end of the novel. Even worse, this character’s name was also Jean Ginger.

Still dazed, Jean checked herself in the mirror and nearly screamed. She wasn’t just the doomed heiress — she was thirteen years old. Her tall, elegant body was gone, replaced with short, chubby limbs and a round, childish face. On the bright side, she was years away from the events that would destroy her life. The real heiress hadn’t shown up yet.

Just as she was processing her situation, her phone pinged. It was a bank notification — $70,000 had just been deposited into her account. Jean blinked, counting the zeros again and again to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. Seventy thousand dollars. For a monthly allowance.

Her pain, confusion, and panic melted away in an instant. In her past life, she had worked herself to exhaustion for every dollar. Now she was rich — effortlessly. She didn’t have to hustle, fight, or struggle. The only thing she had to do was exist.

“Fake heiress?” she thought with a shrug. “Fine. I’ll take it.”

Jean quickly decided she wasn’t going to challenge the real heroine or get involved in any melodramatic family battles. She knew how the story would end — the Ginger family would fall into chaos, her brothers would lose their minds, and Sarah would rise as the hero who brought them down. There was no point trying to change fate. Instead, Jean made up her mind: she would relax, play the role of a harmless background character, and enjoy her wealthy lifestyle until the plot killed off the Gingers. By that time, she’d be long gone — comfortably rich, maybe even checked into a luxury psychiatric ward if that’s what it took to survive.

But peace never lasts.

Outside her room, she heard a maid calling her name, saying that dinner was ready but she hadn’t responded. Then another voice answered — calm, deep, and commanding. It belonged to Dominic Ginger, the eldest brother of the Ginger family. The moment he entered, Jean instinctively grabbed a plush bunny and held it to her chest like a shield.

Dominic was everything his reputation promised — tall, cold, and intimidating, with sharp features that could have been carved from marble. He was dressed in a sleek, tailored suit that looked more appropriate for a business meeting than a family dinner.

Jean’s eyes darted up at him. Even though she was technically his little sister now, he looked like a completely different species. She knew from the novel that Dominic was the strict, emotionless type — a perfectionist who treated family like subordinates. He was one of the five Ginger brothers who would later become antagonists in the story, each powerful and broken in their own way.

Still, Jean decided to play innocent. She widened her eyes, her pigtails bouncing, her cheeks pink, and clutched her bunny tighter. She looked like a lost doll — the perfect image of a fragile, harmless child.

Dominic’s icy voice broke the silence. “Dinner. Now.”

Jean blinked. He talks? she thought, startled. In the original story, Dominic barely spoke unless necessary. Her inner monologue continued, mocking his stiffness — but before she could stop herself, something strange happened.

Dominic’s gaze sharpened, and he responded quietly, as if answering an invisible question. “I just got back from work.”

Jean froze. She hadn’t said anything out loud. That meant — he could hear her thoughts.

Panic hit her like a truck. She quickly forced a nervous laugh and said aloud, “Oh, okay…” trying to cover her shock. But inside, her mind was spinning. What kind of weird twist was this? Was Dominic telepathic now? This wasn’t in the book!

Dominic, meanwhile, looked just as confused. His jaw tightened as he studied the small girl in front of him. He was sure he’d heard her voice in his head — clear, childish, and slightly sarcastic — but her lips hadn’t moved. It made no sense.

The tension between them filled the air. Jean tried to smile sweetly, pretending to be the clueless little sister, while her inner voice screamed at herself to stay calm. She couldn’t afford to let her thoughts run wild if her cold, powerful brother could actually hear them.

Still, beneath the fear, another thought flickered in her mind — maybe this was her chance. If Dominic could hear her thoughts, maybe she could use it to her advantage. After all, she knew the future of every character in this story. And she wasn’t going to end up in a psych ward this time.

Not if she played her cards right.

For now, though, Jean did what any smart person would do when facing a dangerously perceptive older brother who might read minds: she smiled, hugged her bunny tighter, and quietly followed him to dinner — already scheming about how to survive in this ridiculous new world where fiction had become her reality.

Because if there was one thing Jean Ginger was good at, it was surviving — and making money while doing it.