After I was reborn, my entire family could hear my inner thoughts. Should I tell Mom that the sweet foster girl she’s about to spoil is actually Dad’s illegitimate daughter? I watched my mom grab the foster girl’s hand, only for her entire body to violently flinch. Maybe I shouldn’t tell my second brother, Mason, that Dad has been purposefully raising him to be a useless, lazy loser. I watched Mason suddenly drop his phone like it was burning hot. If Liam, my oldest brother, knew that Dad was the one who paid a hitman to cut his brakes and cripple him, would he be heartbroken? I watched Liam, sitting quietly in his wheelchair, look like he was about to physically combust.
I’m so conflicted. If I let them know that everything Dad does is just a sick plot to bring his high school sweetheart into our family, will this family fall apart?
I watched the way my entire family looked at my dad. Their eyes completely changed.
In my past life, over an argument with this exact foster daughter, my dad ruthlessly threw me out of a thirteen-story window, killing me instantly on the pavement.
After I died, my soul didn’t dissipate immediately. I became a ghost drifting beside him, which is how I learned all his filthy secrets. He only married my mom to climb the social ladder. In reality, he already had a woman he loved, and she had given him a daughter—our newly adopted foster sister, Mia.
From the moment Dad married my mom, he had been meticulously plotting how to steal her corporate empire so he could legally bring his true love and his precious bastard daughter into a wealthy, perfect family.
But miraculously, I was reborn.
I was sent right back to the exact day my dad brought Mia home from the foster system.
“Mia, hurry up and say hi to Mom.”
My dad, Robert, urged, pulling Mia toward my mother, Eleanor.
Mia was trembling from head to toe. Her eyes darted anxiously, refusing to make eye contact with anyone. Like a terrified little bird, she absentmindedly exposed her forearms, revealing bruises and whip marks.
It was this exact pathetic, traumatized look that instantly triggered my mom’s intense sympathy.
In my past life, Mom treated Mia like her own flesh and blood—sometimes even better than she treated me—terrified of letting her suffer any further.
Just as my mom instinctively reached out to grab Mia’s hand, I panicked.
Oh God, what do I do? Should I tell Mom Mia is actually Dad’s illegitimate daughter?
I saw my mom grip Mia’s hand and visibly shudder. She whipped her head around, scanning the room before her eyes locked onto me.
I blinked, staring back at her with the most innocent face I could muster.
My mom frowned. She clearly thought she was hallucinating.
Any second now, Mia is going to throw herself into Mom’s arms and wail about her past to manipulate Mom’s empathy.
Right on cue, Mia leaped forward, burying her face into my mom’s chest and bursting into hysterical, gut-wrenching sobs.
In my past life, my mom was so moved that she cried right along with her.
This time, my mom couldn’t squeeze out a single tear.
Her eyes remained fixed on me.
“Chloe, did you just say something?”
“No,” I denied out loud.
Then my instinctive thoughts echoed again.
I absolutely cannot let Mom know I was reborn. She’ll think I’m a total freak.
My mom’s eyes widened like saucers. She looked utterly mind-blown.
“There, there, Mia. Don’t cry,” my dad cooed smoothly, playing the hero. “This is your permanent home now.”
He turned to me.
“Chloe, be a good sister and show Mia to her new room upstairs.”
“Okay,” I agreed cheerfully.
In my head, I chanted: In a couple of minutes, Mia is going to throw herself down the stairs and claim I pushed her.
Sure enough, Mia followed me halfway up the grand staircase. Suddenly, she slipped and tumbled down the carpeted steps.
My dad was the first to sprint over, sliding on his knees to catch her.
“Mia! Oh my God! What happened?”
“It… it wasn’t Chloe’s fault,” Mia sobbed in feigned agony. “My foot just slipped. She didn’t push me.”
My dad immediately glared up at me with lethal fury.
“Chloe, Mia is your older sister now. How could you target her like this? Have we spoiled you so much that you think you can get away with attempted murder?”
My mom walked over.
Unlike my dad, she was eerily calm.
Seeing my mom, Mia quickly added fuel to the fire.
“Mom, please don’t yell at Chloe. I know she’s just having a hard time accepting me. She’s used to being an only child. I totally understand.”
In my last life, this performance successfully brainwashed my mom into thinking I was a jealous brat. After this, Mia framed me again and again until my mom gave up on me entirely.
This time I thought, Damn it, I’m totally screwed. They’re going to scream at me again. No matter how much I explain, they’ll never believe me. I shouldn’t even bother.
I looked at my mom.
The way she was looking at me was filled with deep guilt.
Then—smack.
My mom slapped Mia across the face.
I watched my dad freeze like a statue, completely unable to process what had just happened.
“I saw exactly what happened with my own two eyes,” my mom roared, absolutely furious. “You threw yourself down those stairs, and now you have the nerve to frame Chloe. No wonder the last family returned you to the system. Pitiful people truly have the most detestable traits.”
Adopting Mia was entirely my dad’s idea. He claimed he met a heartbreaking little girl while doing charity work. He said she had been adopted before but was violently abused. He argued that since I was the only girl in the house, I needed a sister.
My mom eventually caved under his relentless begging.
My dad and Mia had clearly rehearsed this entire scenario for months.
But ironically, the plan glitched on day one.
My dad had even purposely stood in front of my mom’s line of sight. He wanted to make sure she didn’t see Mia fake the fall.
“I… I…” Mia stammered, terrified by my mom’s wrath. She desperately looked at my dad for help.
“Eleanor, calm down,” my dad said quickly. “Mia has severe PTSD from being abused. Sometimes trauma makes kids imagine things or misinterpret situations. It’s just a misunderstanding. You’re being way too harsh on her. You’re scaring the poor girl.”
My mom opened her mouth, ready to rip his grand conspiracy to shreds.
Suddenly, my thoughts echoed in her head again.
Wait. If Mom hits Dad with the truth right now, he’ll absolutely deny it and get defensive. Plus, Dad holds way too much corporate equity in his name right now. If we tip him off, he’ll strike first.
My mom paused.
I continued thinking.
My two brothers will definitely side with Dad. Dad has always played the fun-loving guardian while Mom plays the strict disciplinarian. If a massive fight breaks out now, my brothers might literally turn against Mom.
My mom stayed completely silent.
She clearly realized my logic was flawless.
Swallowing her boiling rage, she glared at Dad and Mia.
“I do not want to see a pathetic stunt like this happen a second time. Are we clear?”
Mia nodded meekly, keeping her big, teary doe eyes trained on the floor.
“Martha, take her to her room,” my mom ordered the maid coldly.
Martha quickly escorted a whimpering Mia upstairs.
My dad stepped forward, clearing his throat, ready to launch into a manipulative speech to soften my mom toward Mia.
But this time, my mom grabbed my hand and marched right past him without giving him a single glance.
My dad stood in the foyer, looking completely baffled by my mom’s retreating back.
Usually, if he just gave her a charming smile and kissed her cheek, she would instantly melt.
Why was she suddenly treating him like radioactive waste?
I glanced over my shoulder at his confused face and couldn’t hold back a dark smirk.
He had absolutely no idea that his luxurious parasite lifestyle was about to take a violent nosedive.
Mom took me straight to my room, shut the door, and knelt down until we were eye level.
“Chloe,” she said softly, staring at me with a seriousness that made my chest tighten, “tell me the truth. Do you know something about your father?”
I shook my head so fast it almost looked ridiculous. “No.”
But my heart betrayed me all over again.
I can’t say it. If I say it, Mom will be disappointed. In my last life, I tried to tell her I saw Dad getting close to another woman. She said I was too young to spread ugly rumors. She said I had no compassion. She said I was just jealous because Dad loved Mia more. I was so scared Mom would stop loving me.
The second those thoughts rang out, my mom’s eyes filled with tears.
“Chloe,” she whispered, voice trembling, “you are my daughter. The person I love most in this world is you.”
That hit me harder than anything.
I threw myself into her arms and hugged her as tightly as I could. “I love you most too, Mom.”
After that, she stopped pressing me. But from that day forward, I could feel it. Mom started distancing herself from both Dad and Mia.
Whenever Mia tried to act cute around her, Mom barely looked at her.
Whenever Dad tried to charm her, she brushed him off.
Mom, who used to leave most of the company to Dad and rarely go in herself, suddenly started showing up at the office almost every day.
I noticed the panic almost immediately.
Dad started looking restless.
Mia started looking restless.
One night after dinner, I caught them hiding in a corner talking in low voices.
“Dad, didn’t you say that woman was easy to win over?” Mia complained. “Why is she so cold to me no matter what I do?”
“I don’t know what happened,” Dad muttered. “It’s like she’s become a different person. Maybe she’s just in a bad mood lately. Forget her. Your second brother comes home for winter break tomorrow. He’s the easy one. Win him over first.”
Mia nodded. “Got it.”
Dad lowered his voice even more.
“You need to replace Chloe in this family as fast as possible. Once everyone adores you, taking this family’s money will be effortless. Then I can finally bring your mother over and let her enjoy the good life.”
“Don’t worry,” Mia said confidently. “Chloe’s just some spoiled greenhouse princess. How could she possibly be a match for me?”
In my past life, she was right.
I had no guard up around her at all. Under Dad’s constant brainwashing, I genuinely thought of her as my sister.
And she used that trust to ruin me piece by piece.
The next day at noon, Mason came home for winter break.
He was huge. Easily over two hundred pounds. He never exercised. He lived on chips, fried food, instant noodles, soda, and video games. He barely studied. The college he got into had practically been bought for him.
To outsiders, he looked like a hopeless rich kid.
Mom used to wonder how he had turned out this way. But when Liam was growing up, almost all of her energy had gone into raising the heir of the family. Mason had mostly been left to Dad.
And Dad always told him the same thing.
Your older brother will carry the family. You just relax and enjoy life as a rich boy.
Little by little, Mason stopped trying at anything.
The second he walked in, Mia rushed over to greet him.
She leaned near his ear and whispered, “I heard from Dad that you love chips, fried chicken, spicy snacks, ramen, and Coke. I bought all your favorites already. They’re hidden in your room. Don’t tell Mom.”
I saw the excitement flash in Mason’s eyes.
Mom never allowed any of that stuff in the house. Every time Mason came home, she’d check his luggage and confiscate anything like that. Before, Dad had been the one secretly feeding those habits. Now Mia had taken over.
I could feel Mason warming to her instantly.
Then my thoughts slipped out again.
Mason is already this overweight and she still wants him eating that garbage. Does he really want to stay a shut-in slob forever?
His grin froze.
He turned to me and frowned. “What did you say?”
“I didn’t say anything,” I answered innocently.
His expression shifted. Because he knew I hadn’t opened my mouth.
Then the voice hit him again.
Maybe I shouldn’t tell Mason Dad intentionally ruined him.
Mason stared at me like he’d been struck by lightning.
And in my head, I went on.
If he keeps eating like this, he’ll get seriously sick one day. In my last life, by the time he reached the end, he was barely recognizable.
Mason’s eyes went wide.
I turned and started walking away.
Go ahead. Let him get close to Dad and Mia. Once Mia came into this house last time, he stopped loving me anyway.
“Chloe,” Mason called.
I looked back. “What?”
He hesitated for a second, maybe wondering if he was losing his mind.
Then he awkwardly held out a box.
“I brought you a gift.”
Before Mia came into our home, I had been the family favorite. Everyone doted on me. Even Mason, rebellious and unserious as he was, had always had a soft spot for me.
I walked over slowly.
He handed me a limited-edition figurine. “Do you like it?”
I nodded, but not enthusiastically.
Right now you’re nice to me. Pretty soon you’ll only be nice to Mia. Even this figurine is going to end up in her hands.
“No way,” Mason blurted. “I bought that for you—”
Before he could finish, Mia cut in.
“Wow, that’s gorgeous. I’ve never seen one so delicate before. It looks almost real.”
Mason’s face tightened a little.
Mia put on that familiar innocent, longing expression. “Chloe is so lucky. Mason, you’re so good to her. If I had something that beautiful to sleep beside at night, I’d be the happiest girl in the world.”
In my last life, Mason had fallen for that exact performance. He’d told me to be generous and let her have it, promising he’d buy me another one later.
He never did.
This time, I didn’t even wait for him to speak.
I shoved the figurine into Mia’s hands. “If you like it, keep it.”
In my head, I sighed.
Even if I don’t offer, Mason will tell me to give it to her. I’d rather not make things awkward for him.
Mia lit up. “Really? Thank you, Chloe!”
And at that exact moment, another thought slipped free.
In three seconds she’s going to drop it on purpose and accuse me of breaking it. Just like last time.
I let go.
The figurine crashed to the floor and shattered.
Mia let out a piercing sob. “Such a beautiful figurine… how could it break like this? I’ve dreamed of having something like this my whole life…”
Then she turned to me, already teary. “Chloe, even if you didn’t want to give it to me, you didn’t have to smash it.”
She quickly turned to Mason. “Please don’t blame Chloe. I’m sure she didn’t mean it.”
Mason frowned at her like she was speaking another language.
“Why would I blame Chloe?”
Mia blinked.
He continued, voice sharp. “If you couldn’t hold it, that’s your fault. Why would I blame her?”
Mia’s face turned awkward. “I—I think she kind of threw it—”
“And even now you’re still trying to stir things up?” Mason snapped, raising his voice. “What exactly are you trying to do?”
Her face flushed bright red.
“Who asked you to come to my house?” he barked. “Get out. Go back wherever you came from. This family doesn’t welcome you.”
He actually reached for her arm, ready to drag her toward the door.
Mia burst into frightened tears.
Dad, who had deliberately stayed out of the living room to give her room to work on Mason, finally rushed out when he heard the shouting.
“What is going on?” he thundered. “Mason, how can you treat your sister like that?”
“She is not my sister,” Mason shouted back. “Chloe is my sister. If you brought this girl home, then you can send her right back.”
“What nonsense are you talking about?” Dad said sternly. “Mia is part of this family now. You’re too old to be acting this childish.”
He pulled Mia behind him and added, “She even took the risk of buying you snacks and hiding them from your mother, and this is how you repay her?”
The second he said snacks, I saw Mason’s temper spike so hard his whole face changed.
He was just about to explode at Dad.
Then my thoughts slipped into his head too.
If I were Mason, I wouldn’t argue with Dad right now. Arguing is useless. Dad brought Mia here to steal our family fortune. The smart thing would be to get your life together and catch him off guard later.
Mason froze.
He swallowed every word at the tip of his tongue.
Then he grabbed my wrist and said coldly, “My only sister is Chloe.”
He dragged me upstairs, leaving Dad and Mia standing there stunned.
Back in his room, the first thing Mason did was throw away every single snack Mia had bought for him.
Then he deleted the games off his phone.
When he was done, he looked at me in a way he never had before.
“Chloe,” he asked quietly, “have I disappointed you?”
I shook my head at once. “No. I know you’re the best.”
And in my heart, I added, Dad just tricked you. You’re actually really smart. One day you’ll become someone amazing.
Mason laughed a little, but his eyes looked red.
“Then I promise,” he said, voice firm, “from now on I’ll work hard. I’ll become someone worthy. And I won’t let anybody bully you again.”
I nodded hard. “I believe you.”
After that, Mason changed so fast it was almost terrifying.
The first thing he did was book a full medical checkup.
Then he hired a personal trainer.
Then he got a tutor.
He spent the entire winter break losing weight, studying from the ground up, and rebuilding himself.
Dad and Mia were completely dumbfounded.
They hadn’t done anything differently. So why had both Mom and Mason changed the second Mia entered our home?
Mom was back at the company, reclaiming everything she had once let Dad handle.
All the shareholders and senior executives who had been starting to lean toward Dad immediately shifted back the moment Mom showed up in person.
Dad was furious.
One night I overheard him scolding Mia.
“What exactly have you been doing? I told you to come back and win this family over. Instead, everything’s turning into a mess. My plan is getting further and further away.”
Mia sounded like she was about to cry. “I don’t know either. I did everything you taught me, but they just don’t believe me.”
Dad exhaled harshly. “Forget the others. Your oldest brother will be home for Christmas soon. He trusts me the most. He’s the one who matters. He’s the heir.”
“This time I won’t fail,” Mia said quickly. “I’ll definitely make Liam like me.”
She sounded unwilling to accept reality.
In her mind, she was better than me at everything. Better at reading people. Better at performing. Better at pleasing others. How could a whole family possibly not love her?
In my last life, when Dad shoved me out that window, she’d stood beside him smirking, saying she’d only had to lift one finger to strip me of everything.
This time, I clenched my teeth.
No.
This time would be different.
A week before Christmas, Liam finally came home from overseas.
Six months earlier, his car had lost its brakes and crashed.
That day, Mom and I had been traveling abroad. Mason had been at home gaming. Dad had been the first one to reach the accident scene.
According to everyone, heavy rain had destroyed part of the road and delayed the ambulance. Dad had carried Liam for miles through the storm to get him help. Some bystanders had even filmed part of it. The video spread everywhere. Everybody praised his heroic fatherly love.
Our whole family loved him more because of it.
Only I knew the truth.
Dad was the one who had arranged the crash.
Liam was the heir. If Liam died and Mason remained a useless wreck, then all Dad had to deal with was me. Mia could replace me. And in the end, our entire fortune would fall neatly into their hands.
The only reason Liam survived was because too many people saw Dad there.
He had no choice but to play the devoted father.
After the crash, Liam lost the use of his legs.
Dad strongly urged him to continue treatment abroad, saying the best medical care was overseas. He acted tirelessly devoted, personally arranging the top private specialists.
Half a year passed.
Liam’s legs showed no improvement at all.
“Liam, you’re finally home,” Mia chirped, fluttering over like a pink butterfly. “Dad’s told me so much about you. He said you’re mature, steady, and unbelievably handsome. Honestly, seeing you in person? You’re even younger and better-looking than I imagined.”
Ever since his disability, Liam had become withdrawn. Insecure. Almost isolated.
For a while, Mom and I had flown overseas over and over to visit him, but he refused to see anyone.
Anyone except Dad.
So now, even though Mia’s enthusiasm clearly made him uncomfortable, he still couldn’t completely resist the warmth she was throwing at him.
“You’ve been on a long flight,” she said sweetly. “You must be exhausted. Let me massage your shoulders.”
Before he could answer, she was already behind him, carefully pressing his shoulders and asking, “Is this okay? Too hard? Too soft?”
Then she leaned in even closer.
“I learned massage just for you. The instructor even taught me some techniques for leg circulation. Once you’re home for good, I can help you every day if you want.”
I saw the awkwardness on Liam’s face.
And then, slowly, I saw him accept it.
This time I said nothing in my head.
Let her enjoy herself.
The higher she climbed, the harder she would fall.
It didn’t take long before Mia successfully won Liam over.
The moment she got his approval, she practically turned into a peacock in full display, strutting around the house with renewed confidence.
Dad looked pleased too.
He had spent years cultivating this daughter in secret. Of course he believed she couldn’t possibly lose to me.
So they moved to the next stage.
Mia’s fifteenth birthday was scheduled two days before Christmas. Dad insisted on throwing her a huge party at our house and invited practically every important relative and family friend we had. It was basically a formal debut. His way of introducing Mia to the world as part of our family.
Mom didn’t want it.
At this point, she had zero affection for Mia and far too much disgust. No woman would willingly raise her husband’s illegitimate child.
But she held back, not wanting to alert Dad too soon.
She refused to help with the preparations, though. Dad handled everything himself.
On the night of the party, the mansion was packed.
Relatives. Friends. Business connections. Everyone.
Mia wore a beautiful pink dress and stayed glued to Dad’s side while he proudly introduced her around the room.
Mom couldn’t stand watching it and claimed she had work to do upstairs.
Mason didn’t come down at all. He said he was studying.
Only Liam showed up, even though he’d stopped attending social events ever since the accident. But for Mia, he came downstairs.
After making a full round with Dad, Mia finally drifted over to me.
I was standing alone by the dessert table.
She twirled in front of me with a smile.
“This dress?” she said brightly. “Liam bought it for me. I heard it was really expensive. I love it so much. What do you think? Does it look good?”
In my past life, she’d used this exact trick to provoke me into reacting, then painted herself as the innocent victim.
I wasn’t stupid enough to bite this time.
“It looks beautiful,” I said calmly. “It suits you.”
She blinked, then pushed harder.
“Aren’t you jealous?”
“No,” I said lightly. “Liam has bought me plenty of beautiful dresses before. It’s your birthday. Why would I be jealous over one dress?”
“I just thought maybe you’d be upset,” she murmured. “I heard you used to depend on Liam a lot. And these past few days, he’s been spending more time with me so I can adjust better. I was worried you’d feel left out. But I guess I misunderstood. You’re not actually that attached to him.”
At that exact moment, Liam rolled over in his wheelchair.
I had no idea what she’d been saying to him behind the scenes, but I knew this much—he had developed a protective instinct toward her.
The second he saw us alone together, he came over like he thought I might attack her.
Mia saw him too, obviously.
Every word she had just said was for his benefit.
She wanted him to think I didn’t care about him the way she did.
I looked at her blankly. “Didn’t Dad say you’re still new to this house and that all of us should take care of you? Or are you saying I should compete with you for Liam’s attention and hog him all to myself?”
For half a second, her expression tightened.
Then right on cue, she put on the wounded face.
“Are you blaming me for taking up too much of Liam’s time?” she asked, tears already gathering. “But you just said you didn’t mind…”
The tears started falling so fast it was almost impressive.
Anyone who didn’t know better would think I’d just humiliated her.
Liam’s voice immediately turned cold. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing,” Mia said pitifully. “I’ll be more careful from now on. Please don’t be mad. I came to this family because I wanted to belong, not to ruin anything.”
I actually laughed.
The audacity.
“Chloe,” Liam said sharply, clearly seeing the mockery at the corner of my mouth.
He didn’t even ask what happened.
He went straight to her side.
“Mia just came into this family,” he said. “Mom and Mason already treat her coldly enough. As her sister, can’t you take better care of her?”
I looked at him carefully.
“Do you really think I should be the one taking care of her?”
“Shouldn’t you?” he shot back. “You’ve been spoiled your whole life. Maybe now that Mia’s here, you’ll finally learn how to get along with people your own age.”
Then he turned his wheelchair and motioned for Mia to come with him, leaving me standing there alone in the middle of the party.
Even though I’d already lived through this once, it still stung.
But I held back.
The real show hadn’t even started.
I watched them move away.
Two steps later, the long back hem of Mia’s pink gown suddenly made a ripping sound.
The fabric tore.
The train on that dress was long and easy to step on.
But I hadn’t touched it.
Mia had quietly stepped on it herself while Liam wasn’t looking.
Then, right as Liam turned back, she quickly moved her foot, clutched at the top of her dress where it had slipped just enough to look embarrassing, and cried out in horror.
“Chloe! How could you do this to me?”
That one scream turned the entire ballroom toward us.
Dad came over almost instantly.
Liam yanked off his suit jacket and draped it over Mia’s shoulders while she stood there shaking like a frightened bird.
“What happened?” Dad demanded.
Mia trembled, too humiliated to speak in front of everyone.
So Liam answered for her.
“Chloe stepped on her dress and tore it.”
He didn’t leave me a shred of face.
Not one.
Dad’s expression darkened. “Chloe, how could you do this to your sister? It’s her birthday. Could you really not control your jealousy for one night? She’s gone fifteen years without a proper birthday.”
The room instantly filled with whispers.
“Chloe has really been spoiled too much.”
“How could she humiliate Mia in public like that?”
“Poor thing has already had such a hard life.”
“She has no empathy at all.”
I looked around at all those condemning faces.
I saw the smugness barely hidden in Dad’s and Mia’s eyes.
They thought they had won.
So I let my thoughts go straight to Liam.
There’s no point explaining now, is there? Even the brother I love most thinks I did it. But honestly, being framed doesn’t even hurt the worst. What hurts is knowing my brother still has no idea the person he trusts most is the one who destroyed his life.
Liam froze.
He looked at me, stunned.
Because again, I had never opened my mouth.
In my head, I went on.
If Liam knew Dad was the one who arranged that crash and made him lose his legs, would it break him? He’s always loved Dad so much. I don’t want him to hurt.
Liam’s face changed instantly.
His hands clamped so hard onto the wheels of his chair that his knuckles turned white.
His whole body started shaking.
Mia, standing right beside him, clearly felt it.
And the little fool almost smiled.
She thought he was furious on her behalf.
She thought he was finally going to destroy me.
So she seized the moment.
“Chloe,” she choked out through tears, “if you hate me this much, then I’ll leave. I got to spend one month in this home. I got to have a mom and dad and brothers and a sister, and that’s already more happiness than I ever dreamed of. I don’t want you to be unhappy. If you don’t want me here, then no matter how much I love this family, I won’t be able to stay happy either.”
The room melted for her.
Relatives and guests started attacking me from every direction.
“Chloe, now this is too much.”
“Mia is thinking about your feelings even now.”
“Apologize to your sister.”
“You’re lucky to have such a kind older sister.”
Mia stood in the center of it all, more confident by the second.
“You don’t have to speak for me,” she sniffled nobly. “I don’t want Chloe to feel bad. I was adopted. I know I don’t really belong in this family. If Chloe doesn’t like me, then maybe I should go.”
“Since I brought you into this house, then this is your home,” Dad declared at once, playing right along. “Who says you don’t belong?”
“I have nothing,” Mia said, looking shattered. “I’ve done nothing for this family. I don’t deserve any place here.”
I almost admired the performance.
The saddest part was that in my first life, I really had believed it.
Then a familiar voice rose from the crowd.
“Well, that’s simple. If she lacks security in this family, give her some. Give her shares in the company. Once she holds stock in the family business, who can say she isn’t truly part of the family?”
The person who said it was one of Mom’s relatives.
He’d already been bought by Dad in my past life.
And this was the trick Dad had pulled before.
Years ago, when Dad had risen into senior management at the company and faced criticism he couldn’t actually handle the role, Mom had gotten angry on his behalf and transferred twenty percent of her shares to him.
He wanted to repeat the same move.
Only this time, the target was Mia.
In my last life, Mom had felt sorry for Mia and given her ten percent.
Mom had held thirty percent at the time. After giving Mia ten, she was left with twenty. Liam had twenty. Dad had twenty. The rest was scattered among outside shareholders. Dad then used his own twenty plus Mia’s ten, secretly bought more from others, and later manipulated Liam into handing over another ten—making Dad the largest shareholder in the company.
This time, Mom wasn’t downstairs yet.
Dad slowly turned his eyes toward Liam.
“Liam,” he said with practiced emotion, “I’ve never asked you for anything. The shares I hold are only so I can help your mother with the company. You’re recovering right now. You don’t need that much on your shoulders. Why don’t you transfer ten percent to Mia for the time being? Later I’ll figure out a way to make it up to you.”
He said it so naturally.
As if Liam couldn’t possibly refuse.
Why would he? Just seconds ago he’d publicly taken Mia’s side against me.
Dad thought this would be the perfect final blow.
But what he didn’t notice was that Mom and Mason had already come downstairs.
A maid must have gone upstairs to warn them.
They were afraid I’d be the one suffering, so they rushed down.
And the second the whole family gathered, my thoughts spilled out again.
If Liam gives Mia those shares, Dad will be one step closer to stealing everything from us. And Liam’s legs were never hopeless. Dad just never intended to treat him properly. Even those overseas doctors were arranged by him. I’m so conflicted. If they all find out Dad did everything just so he could marry his high school sweetheart and hand our family over to Mia, will this home fall apart?
I looked up.
Every face in my family had changed.
Completely.
Liam looked like he was on fire from the inside.
Mia, still in the center of attention, kept pretending to refuse. “Dad, I don’t want Liam’s shares. Please don’t ask that of him. I would never be that selfish.”
Then she reached for Liam’s arm, planning to act cute again.
The second her hand touched him, there was a loud crash.
Liam shoved her so hard she fell to the ground in a heap.
The whole room went silent.
Even Mia forgot to cry for a second.
Dad was the first to react. “Liam! What are you doing? How can you treat Mia like that? Have you lost your mind?”
Liam let out a cold laugh.
The way he looked at Dad made my blood run cold.
It was the exact look I had once worn as a ghost, hovering beside Dad after my death, wishing I could tear him apart.
I forced myself to calm down.
Liam had no evidence yet. If he accused Dad outright right now, nobody outside our family would believe him. They’d just think we were all bullying Mia.
Then another thought slipped free.
There are cameras in the house. Just replay the footage. Then everyone will see whether Mia framed me.
I saw Liam fight to control himself.
Dad was still talking, blaming Liam’s temper on the trauma after the accident. Some guests were already starting to nod along.
Then Liam said, clear and cold, “Martha, pull up the security footage from the ballroom.”
Mia went white.
Dad’s eyes flashed too. “Why are you checking security footage?” he demanded.
Liam ignored him.
Dad turned to the house staff and shouted, “No need. I said no one pulls anything up. I run this house.”
Then Mom’s voice cut through the room like ice.
“Play it.”
No one disobeyed her.
Mia scrambled to her feet in panic. “If Liam doesn’t welcome me, if this whole family doesn’t welcome me, then I’ll just leave—”
“Until my sister’s name is cleared,” Liam said sharply, “nobody leaves.”
Even in a wheelchair, he still carried the authority Mom had raised him with as the heir.
Mia shut up instantly.
Dad opened his mouth several times, but for once, nothing came out.
The footage rolled.
There it was.
Clear as day.
Mia deliberately stepping on the train of her own dress. Mia yanking it. Mia turning around and accusing me.
Just like that, the whole mood of the room flipped.
If Mia hadn’t already been standing there, she would’ve drowned in the collective shame of it.
No matter how thick her skin was, she looked like she wanted the floor to open up and swallow her.
“Send her away,” Mom said flatly. “I don’t want to see her again.”
“No!” Mia cried the second she heard that. She sounded truly panicked this time. “I won’t go! I won’t go!”
Of course she didn’t want to go.
She’d just gotten used to a mansion, luxury, and the status of a rich family’s daughter.
Compared to the life she had with her mother, staying here was heaven.
“I’ll never do it again,” she sobbed. “Mom, please give me one more chance.”
If everyone hadn’t just seen the footage, they might have fallen for it again.
Mom didn’t even look at her.
“Get her out. Don’t let her dirty this house.”
“Dad! Dad!” Mia turned desperately to Robert.
And my father, who loved money more than anything, made his choice instantly.
The moment he realized Mia was useless to him now, he cut ties without hesitation.
“I never knew she was like this,” he said, as if he were devastated. “I misjudged her. I’ll send her away right now. Eleanor, don’t be angry.”
Mom actually laughed.
It was the kind of laugh you give a clown.
Dad misread it as a wife still upset but willing to calm down later, so he didn’t think too deeply. He dragged Mia out of the party himself.
I knew enough about him to know this—he might love his old flame, and he might love the child he believed was his, but he loved money more.
So after Mia got thrown out, her life was not going to be easy.
But for us, that wasn’t the point.
The point was taking everything from him.
After Dad dumped Mia outside and came back, the first thing he did was apologize in front of all the guests.
He acted regretful. Hurt. Innocent.
He said he had been fooled too. That he had treated Mia well and his feelings had been betrayed.
Mom didn’t let him get away with it.
“The one most hurt tonight was Chloe,” she said. “She was nearly framed in front of everyone.”
Dad nodded quickly. “Yes, yes, Chloe suffered most. Daddy was wrong. Daddy apologizes, okay? I promise, from now on I won’t ever foolishly bring another child home. You are my only daughter.”
I almost laughed.
But I held it in.
Mom said coolly, “Words mean very little after causing that kind of harm. If you really want to make it up to Chloe, offer real compensation.”
Dad turned to me with that warm, doting expression he’d used to fool us all for years.
“Tell Daddy what you want,” he said. “Anything. I’ll give you anything.”
“Anything?” I asked sweetly.
“Of course,” he said. “When has Daddy ever lied to you?”
He thought, like always, that he could win me over with candy and a few soft words.
So I looked him right in the eye and said, “I want your shares in the company.”
For the first time all night, his mask cracked visibly.
After a few seconds he forced out, “You’re only fourteen. Shares won’t be useful to you.”
“But you were just willing to give Mia shares,” I said, letting hurt fill my face. “Does that mean I’m not as important to you as she was? Unless… was Mia your real daughter or something?”
That one question hit him like a gunshot.
“What? Of course not,” he said too fast. “Don’t say ridiculous things. You’re my only daughter.”
“Then why would you give Mia shares but not me?”
“My shares are for helping your mother at the company—”
“You don’t need them anymore,” Mom cut in calmly. “Liam has already agreed to start going back to the office.”
Dad turned. “Liam?”
He genuinely couldn’t believe it.
Because in his mind, Liam was supposed to stay depressed forever.
Liam lifted his chin.
“I’m the eldest son,” he said slowly. “It’s time I take responsibility.”
Dad clenched his jaw.
He still didn’t want to give up a single share, but he couldn’t find an excuse that wouldn’t expose him.
I blinked up at him. “So can you transfer them to me now? You just said you’d agree to anything.”
The ballroom was full of people.
Guests. Relatives. Witnesses.
If he refused, he would lose face on the spot.
He ground out, “Fine.”
I brightened instantly. “All of them?”
“No,” he snapped before catching himself. “Ten percent is enough. That’s what I was asking Liam to give Mia.”
“In your heart,” I said softly, “shouldn’t I matter more than Mia?”
He went silent.
Mom stepped in with perfect timing.
“When I transferred my shares to you, you said over and over again that you didn’t want them for yourself. That they were only being held for the children anyway. Now Chloe is hurt and you’re simply giving her what was always meant to be hers. Why are you reluctant?”
Dad was trapped.
Too many people were watching.
His image as the perfect husband and selfless father hung by a thread.
Keep the image, and years of scheming would be ruined.
Drop the image, and he’d still only have that remaining twenty percent—and he would never be satisfied with that.
Mom didn’t rush him.
She didn’t need to.
The awkwardness belonged entirely to him.
Sweat rolled down his forehead.
Whispers started rising all around the ballroom.
“Who says they want nothing? He just talked too big.”
“If he really saw the children as his own, why care so much about a few shares?”
“People are selfish after all.”
I saw something vicious flash through Dad’s eyes.
Then it vanished.
The next second he put his noble father face back on.
“How could I be unwilling?” he said with forced generosity. “When I accepted those shares back then, I already said they were for the children. I was only wondering whether Mason should also receive ten percent. If Liam and Chloe both have stock, Mason shouldn’t be left out.”
“I don’t want any,” Mason said immediately. “Give it to Chloe.”
Everyone understood what was happening.
Dad still believed Mason was the easiest to control. He assumed this new hardworking act wouldn’t last.
So he quickly nodded. “If Mason doesn’t want it, then Chloe can have it.”
“Thank you, Dad,” I said brightly.
Mom didn’t waste a second. She called the company lawyer right there to the house, and before the party even ended, the transfer documents were signed.
Dad looked like he wanted to cough up blood.
He had brought Mia in to help him.
Instead, he lost both the girl and the shares.
But for our family, that still wasn’t enough.
In my last life, he destroyed us.
This life, he deserved to pay twice over.
After that night, the house slowly returned to normal.
Only this time, our normal kept improving while Dad’s plans crumbled.
He had lost his shares.
He no longer had control at the company.
Mom and Liam started working together at the office.
Liam also began serious rehabilitation.
Mason kept losing weight and studying like his life depended on it.
I remained the family’s little princess, but now I was protected in a way I had never known before.
We were moving toward something better and better.
Everything Dad wanted was moving in the exact opposite direction.
Eventually, he snapped.
He announced that a relative back in his hometown had run into trouble and said he needed to leave for a few days.
He left the house that afternoon.
That same night, after renting a car, he secretly drove back to the estate.
At around three in the morning, while the whole neighborhood slept, he set fire to our mansion.
No one noticed in time.
By the time security spotted the flames, the house was already surrounded.
The firefighters battled it all night before finally getting it under control.
Dad came back the next morning the second he got the call.
The moment he saw the burned shell of the house, he dropped to his knees and started sobbing so hard that bystanders were moved to tears.
“If I had known, I never would have left,” he cried. “I should have died with them. What is the point of my living if they’re gone?”
He acted so convincingly.
No one noticed the satisfaction hidden deep in his eyes.
Because as far as he knew, Mom, Liam, Mason, and I were all dead.
Which made him the sole heir to everything.
And right when he was secretly savoring that victory, I called out behind him.
“Dad.”
His whole body jolted.
He turned slowly, like a man seeing a ghost.
Then Mom spoke.
“Robert.”
He whipped around fully and saw us all standing there alive and unharmed.
He collapsed right onto the pavement.
“You… you’re… are you ghosts?”
“We’re perfectly alive,” I said sweetly. “We went on a last-minute overnight yacht trip, remember? We only just got back. But what happened to our house?”
The instant he heard we hadn’t been home, rage exploded in his eyes before he forced it back down.
He wanted us dead so badly he could taste it.
I tilted my head. “A few days ago, I heard there were prowlers in the area, so I think I had some hidden security cameras installed near the front gate. Let me check the footage.”
I pulled out my phone.
Dad lunged.
He ripped it from my hands and smashed it onto the ground.
Everyone around us stared.
Then he forced out a laugh. “As long as you’re all safe, nothing else matters. What’s a house compared to our family?”
“Our family is whole,” Mom said coldly. “Just without you.”
Dad’s face finally lost all color.
“What… what are you talking about?”
“You know exactly what we’re talking about,” Mom said. “I’ve already handed the evidence to the police. All that’s left is for you to face the law.”
Dad’s eyes went wild. “What evidence? What are you saying? What are you saying?”
“The footage of you setting fire to the house last night,” Mom replied. Then she lifted her chin toward the road. “Look. The police are already here.”
Dad bolted.
He didn’t get far.
The officers took him down in seconds and pinned him to the ground.
As they dragged him toward the squad car, he twisted around and screamed at us, “How did you know? How did you know? I planned everything perfectly! How did you know?”
He couldn’t accept it.
He couldn’t accept that after years of scheming, after enduring and pretending and creeping his way up inch by inch, he’d destroyed himself at the very end.
Because nobody died in the fire, he was ultimately sentenced to ten years in prison.
After he was locked up, I still went to visit him.
The moment he saw me, his eyes lit up.
“Chloe,” he said eagerly, leaning forward, “you still love Dad, don’t you? When I get out, I’ll take you to an amusement park. I’ll buy you whatever you want. Your favorite snacks, your favorite toys—”
“I don’t love you,” I cut in.
Just hearing him talk made my skin crawl.
His smile faltered. “Then why are you here? If you came to see me, doesn’t that mean you still can’t let go of me?”
I smiled.
It wasn’t a smile that belonged on a fifteen-year-old girl’s face.
It was too cold.
Too cruel.
“I’m here to laugh at you.”
He stared at me like I was someone else entirely.
“You… who are you? You’re not Chloe.”
“How am I not?” I asked softly. “I’m just not the Chloe you expected.”
I leaned closer to the glass.
“You’ve probably been dying to know, haven’t you? Why all your careful planning failed in the end.”
His eyes burned.
“Why?”
I smiled wider.
“Because heaven punishes evil.”
He looked confused, then furious.
So I said it clearly, one word at a time.
“Otherwise, why would I have been given a second chance?”
He shot halfway to his feet, thinking I was mocking him, but the guard forced him back down.
He winced and finally quieted.
I watched him with all the calm in the world.
Then I gave him the last gift I’d come to deliver.
“Dad,” I said lightly, “whether we were blood-related or not, you still spent years pretending to be family. So let me leave you with something special.”
His eyes filled with a flicker of hope.
I spoke slowly.
“Mia was never your biological daughter.”
He went completely still.
“The second she came into our house, Mom had a DNA test done. There was no father-daughter match. But the private investigator Mom hired did get pictures of you having an affair with that woman.”
His face started to crack.
“For all these years,” I went on softly, “you’ve been raising another man’s child. Mom once wanted to have a baby with you, and you refused. How tragic. How pathetic.”
“No,” he said instantly. “No. That’s impossible.”
But I could already see it happening.
The breakdown.
The doubt.
The rage.
The humiliation.
“When you get out,” I said, standing up, “you can go find out for yourself. I’m sure it’ll be very entertaining.”
What he did after that—how he would turn on the woman he had loved, how he would treat Mia once he learned the truth—that had nothing to do with me anymore.
At most, I’d watch from a distance and enjoy the ending.
I walked out of the prison and looked up at the bright, open sky.
Then I smiled.
Really smiled.
In this life, I still had my mother.
I still had my brothers.
I still had the warmth of a family that had once been torn away from me.
And this time, no one was taking it again.