The Fortune-Telling Heiress

It was neither a haunting nor a climate issue.

"Do you want to know the reason?" asked Madison.

"I do!" replied Joshua.

"You'll know once you return," she said mysteriously.

He didn't get it, but he walked back toward the courtyard nevertheless. An old woman was sitting in a rocking chair under the begonia tree, rocking gently back and forth. There was a kind and gentle smile on her face. She didn't even open her eyes when she heard the noise Joshua was making. She simply said, "You're back, Josh!"

Joshua hummed in acknowledgment.

He walked over to Caroline and asked in concern, "How are you feeling today, Grandma? Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere?"

"Not at all. I feel very well," she replied.

"Have you taken your medicine? The doctor told you to take your medicine on time."

Before Caroline could speak, an unfamiliar childish voice suddenly rang out.

"She doesn't need to take her medicine."

Startled, Joshua quickly looked around but didn't see anything.

He immediately clutched his phone as if he were holding a weapon. "M-Ms. Locke! D-D-Did you hear that, Ms. Locke? T-That voice... wasn't my imagination, right?"

"I heard it!" Madison replied.

The viewers typed their own replies in the live chat.

"I heard it too. That scared me."

"Is it a prank? There might be a kid hiding behind the courtyard wall."

"It has to be!"

"Damn it, I almost wet myself!"

Joshua asked nervously, "Are you sure we're not being haunted, Ms. Locke?" "What are you saying?" asked Caroline. "What's haunted? Who's Ms. Locke?" That childish voice rang out again. "Oops, it seems he can hear me now." Joshua was scared stiff, but he still stood bravely in front of Caroline.

"What do you want?" he asked shakily. "I'm warning you, l-I'm on a call with an incredibly mystic arts expert. Y-You'd better be careful or

she's going to exorcize Caree

"Hmph! I'm not scared!"

The voice seemed to come from right beside his ear. He shook his head violently and screamed. "Your grandson is so dumb, Carrie!" exclaimed the voice. "He's nowhere near as smart as you!"

Caroline smiled and said, "Josh is afraid because he can't see you."

The voice scoffed. "Hmph! I don't like him! Like I said, he's nowhere near as smart as you, Carrie!" Caroline simply smiled again.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

Joshua looked at her in terror, asking in a trembling voice, "Who are you talking to, Grandma?"

Before Caroline could reply, Madison recited an incantation, and a flash of golden light passed into the screen.

Sprawled out next to the rocking

chair was a little girl who looked to be around seven or eight years old. She was wearing a red dress, and her hair was tied up in two pigtails, each of which was adorned with a begonia flower. She had her head tilted and was looking cheerily at Joshua.

"What the heck?" Joshua exclaimed. "What is this?"

Naturally, the viewers were offering their own comments on the situation.

"Wow! What a cute little girl!"

"Is she a ghost? Didn't you say there weren't any ghosts, Ms. Locke?"

"It's definitely special effects!"

"Hah, the special effects may be a little late, but at least they kicked in."

"It has to be special effects, and they're cheap-ass ones too. They didn't even include the old-school glitter effects and just had her appear suddenly." "Rich people sure have it good! They can even have real-time special effects in their live streams."

Joshua stared at the girl.

"Are you a ghost?" he asked, then said warningly, "I'm telling you, I have a really powerful mystic arts expert on my side. She can exorcize you!" "Josh!" Caroline admonished, straightening in her chair. "Begonia doesn't mean any harm."

"But Grandma, s-she's a ghost!" he protested.

"You're the ghost!" Begonia said

angrily, puffing out her cheeks and

grabbing Caroline's hand. "Your grandson is so stupid and dumb, Carrie! Let's not play with him!"

Joshua retorted, "Who do you think you're calling stupid, you little brat? I'm a PhD student from an elite university, and you're calling me stupid?"