After washing the clothes with a blank expression, Cinderella returned home. By the time she had hung all the clothes and sheets out to dry in the yard, it was time for her to prepare lunch.

Just as Cinderella was carrying the empty basin back into the house, her two beautifully dressed stepsisters walked in hand in hand. They chatted and occasionally covered their mouths to giggle, looking like they were in a very good mood.

"That's wonderful, sister! We'll be able to enter the castle soon and meet the handsome and noble prince. Maybe we'll even be able to dance with him."

"Oh! Yes! God, I still can't believe it's true! When I heard the news, I felt like I was dreaming! Ahhh! Why are you pinching me?!"

"I'm making you believe it's real, sister! Hehe, it's real, you're not dreaming. His Highness the Prince really invited all the unmarried girls in the city to a banquet. We're going to the palace soon, sister, which dress should I wear? No way! I have to have Cinderella make me a new dress. I want to wear a new dress to the Prince's banquet and be the center of attention!"

“I will be the focus of the banquet. His Highness’s gaze will only linger on me. Sister, you can forget about it. The position of the Queen Consort can only be mine. I am prettier than you, my breasts are bigger than yours, my waist is thinner than yours, and my legs are longer than yours. His Highness can only like me. When I become the Queen Consort, you will be the Queen Consort’s sister. At that time, there will definitely be many men willing to marry you.”

"Hmph!" The two sisters, who had been holding hands intimately, were separated when the younger sister let go. Seeing Cinderella in the corner, the younger sister, filled with anger, immediately turned her fire on Cinderella, "Stop! Cinderella! Were you eavesdropping on our conversation?"

“You heard that, didn’t you? His Highness the Prince invited all the unmarried girls in the city to a banquet, but you’re not included, Cinderella. Someone like you isn’t qualified to attend the Prince’s banquet.”

“You don’t even have a decent dress, and you’re just a lowly servant. What makes you think you can attend the prince’s banquet? Is it because of your calloused hands? Or because of your pitiful background as an orphan?”

“Cinderella, I advise you not to even think about going to the prince’s banquet. If you go, you’ll only be kicked out by the soldiers and become a laughingstock.”

Cinderella, who had been standing silently in the corner, suddenly turned and glanced at her sister. She was backlit, so her sister couldn't see her expression clearly, but her gaze seemed to be fixed on her sister with an almost tangible intensity.

It gave my sister the feeling of being watched by a cold snake hiding under a layer of rotten, damp, and dead leaves.

A layer of fine goosebumps rose on the back of my sister's neck, and the hairs on her body stood on end. It was an illusion! It must be an illusion! How could the cowardly and timid Cinderella possibly have such a look in her eyes?

...

Cinderella sat in front of the stove, adding firewood to the fire, while the soup for her Chinese meal simmered in the pot.

The firelight flickered on her delicate face, dim and indistinct.

"Did she invite all the girls in the city?" Cinderella murmured to herself, her cherry blossom-like lips parting slightly. Her lips were beautifully shaped and full like jelly, making one want to kiss them.

But at this moment, those alluring cherry lips curled into a bloodthirsty smile.

"Why not a unique invitation?"

"Since you invited me, why did you invite others?"

"Shouldn't you have invited just me?"

"If that's not the case, then why did you invite me in the first place?"

"I really hate it, I really hate this..."

A chilling muttering echoed softly in the kitchen.

"As expected, I can't trust you..."

In the leaping flames, Cinderella tossed the exquisite invitation from between her fingers into the fire. The sight of the flames engulfing the invitation was reflected in Cinderella's pale golden pupils, as if two flames had ignited within her indifferent eyes.

Until the exquisite invitation was burned to ashes.