Backfired Magic

Mirian was a very calm and patient woman, but there was one thing she simply could not stand: seeing her son, Leo, being taken advantage of by the neighborhood boys. Leo had always been a shy, naive guy—the kind who only managed to make friends because of what his family’s lifestyle offered: a beautiful house with a pristine pool, barbecues, and a fully stocked fridge.

There was one "friend" in particular, Nick, who abused their hospitality and goodwill in the most shameless way. He would always show up unannounced with the exact same promise: "Dude, today I'm bringing a gorgeous girlfriend to introduce to you!" But the mysterious girl always canceled at the very last minute, leaving Nick to spend the entire day there by himself, freeloading on the expensive food, drinks, and the pool without giving Leo a second thought.

Until one sunny Saturday, Mirian got sick of watching that freeloading behavior. She happened to keep a family spell or two up her sleeve. She went into the kitchen, poured a glass of ice-cold orange juice, and added a few drops of a translucent magical essence.

She walked out to the poolside with her best, welcoming motherly smile and offered the drink to Nick, who readily took the glass from her hand and chugged it all at once, thanking her without suspecting a thing. Mirian turned around and walked away, chuckling quietly.

It didn't take more than a few seconds. As Nick dove into the water, the magic took hold. His baggy swim trunks reshaped into a white bikini with a cute cherry print, his broad shoulders shrunk, and his rugged features melted away. When he emerged and leaned against the edge of the pool, shaking out long, voluminous blonde hair tied up in a high ponytail, Nick was completely gone. In place of that lazy guy stood a stunning, curvy young woman.

Leo was left completely jaw-dropped, unable to process what had just happened, while Mirian watched from the window, proud of having taught the freeloader a permanent lesson.

The problem was, the punishment backfired completely. Nick—who quickly adopted the name Nikki—didn't panic at all. In fact, upon looking at her new reflection in the water and realizing the power of her new beauty, she instantly recalculated her strategy. Knowing very well that Leo was an only child and that a massive family inheritance was on the line, Nikki decided to use the curse to her advantage.

Now, the new "girl" practically lived at the mansion. She spent her afternoons lounging confidently by the pool, turning on the charm for the shy heir who remained completely infatuated with her. It didn't take long for Mirian to realize, with a sinking feeling in her stomach, the sheer scale of her mistake: in trying to kick the neighborhood parasite out of their lives, she had brought her former friend permanently into her home... and very soon, into her family as her future daughter-in-law.