The night before my sister was set to leave the country, her birth parents, who’d abandoned her years ago, suddenly showed up, demanding to be recognized. To keep her from being sidetracked, I secretly sent them away. But on their way back, they died in a car crash. Later, my sister became a renowned violinist, touring the world, showered with glory and applause. And I, on my way to one of her performances, was hit by a car and died. Before I took my last breath, she told me I had “killed” her birth parents. “After all these years, I’ve finally avenged them!” She didn’t know that they had only sought her out to extort money for her brother. And their car accident? They were trying to stage an accident for money, but they got unlucky and stumbled into a drunk driver… Given a second chance at life, I decided to give up my savior complex. I’d send her straight to reunite with her parasitic birth parents. “Where’s Daisy? Tell her to get out here! Just because she’s hitting the big time, doesn’t mean she can forget her own folks!” “If she won’t show, fine. But she still needs to pay for her brother’s school. Your family is loaded, so just wire us two hundred thousand, okay? Right into this account!” A middle-aged couple shoved a slip of paper with a bank account number into my hand. The raw greed in their eyes sent a shiver down my spine! I’d been reborn. To the day before my sister, Harper Reed, was supposed to leave for abroad. Harper was adopted by my parents and me from an orphanage. This couple in front of me? They were her birth parents, the ones who had abandoned her when she was just a baby. Our family, however, had nurtured her into a “violin prodigy.” Over the past decade, she’d won countless awards and was now accepted into the world-renowned Juilliard School. She was set to fly to America any day now. On this exact day in my previous life, to avoid disrupting Harper’s plans, I had taken it upon myself to chase away these selfish, greedy “vampires.” Then, the day after Harper left for abroad, they died in a car crash. I only found out later that they had tried to pull an insurance scam – faking an accident to extort cash after failing to get money from me. But they got unlucky and stumbled into a drunk driver. They were crushed to death on the spot… Years later, Harper returned, transforming into a world-famous violinist. She won international awards and held world tours. Everywhere she went, she was met with flowers and applause, basking in endless glory. When she came back to the States for a tour, she invited me to her first concert. But on my way to the venue, a large truck suddenly slammed into my car. As I lay dying, her call came through: “Five years ago, your self-righteousness killed my parents. Today, I’m using the same method to get my revenge!” “Chloe, do you know? My greatest wish in life was to find my birth parents, and *you* stole that chance from me!” If that’s what she wanted, then this time, I would grant her wish. I slipped the paper back into the couple’s hand. “Oh, so you’re Harper’s birth parents? She’s been looking for you too! But she’s in class right now. Please wait here for a bit. I’ll have her come find you as soon as class is over, and you can talk to her directly about whatever you need.” My “enthusiasm” thrilled them. They bobbed their heads like crazy, ecstatic at my apparent warmth. But first, I needed to do something. When I told Harper the news, she was so excited she could barely speak. “Really? Are they really my birth parents? How did they find me? Why are they only coming now…?” I scoffed inwardly. It was because she was constantly on TV that they had followed the trail and found her. As for why they were only “reconnecting” now? She would soon find out. “Do you remember what they look like? And they said your original name was Daisy Thompson?” I asked deliberately. She shook her head. She was barely three when she was abandoned, so it was understandable she didn’t remember. That was the root of her obsession. What you can’t have, always seems the best. But the name “Daisy Thompson” still brought a flicker of unease to her face. The reunion played out exactly as I expected. The three embraced, crying floods of tears and pouring out their hearts, a seemingly touching scene. But listening closely, Harper spoke of missing her family, while her birth parents’ every other sentence was about money. Finally, her birth father dropped the act. “Daisy, you’re living the good life now, but we’re still struggling. Especially your brother; he got into high school, but we don’t have the money to send him. He’s about to drop out, and it’s all because your mom and I are useless…” Harper was in the throes of emotion, but hearing this, she immediately turned into the picture of a dutiful daughter. “Mom, Dad, it’s all my fault. I’ve been unfilial, making you suffer all these years. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of my brother’s education. I won’t let him drop out!” Her birth father looked relieved, instantly pulling that slip of paper from his pocket. “I knew it, Daisy wouldn’t abandon us. Your brother will be so happy when he hears this. Here’s our bank account number, you can just wire the money directly.” She took the paper without hesitation, agreeing readily. “No problem, I’ll send it right over.” “But…” She paused. I thought she was finally suspicious, but then she said, “Mom, Dad, my name is Harper Reed now. Please don’t call me Daisy anymore. It’s… not pretty.” I had underestimated her foolishness. But the name ‘Harper Reed’? You won’t be worthy of it much longer. I watched them coldly, sending a text to my parents: “You can move.”
Harper quickly discovered her account was frozen. Humiliated and furious, she called my parents, demanding answers. My parents calmly told her to “come home.” At home, my parents, our lawyer, Mr. Davies, and I were waiting for her. Half an hour later, Harper returned. She burst through the door, yelling at us, “Who froze my account? That’s *my* money! What gives you the right? Unfreeze it, now!” I finally snapped. A stinging slap landed squarely on her face. “You’ve been living the good life for too long, haven’t you? You’ve forgotten your place. *Your* money? Maybe you need some fresh air to clear your head! What makes you think you can even say that?” This was the first time she’d been hit since she came into our family, and by me, her sister, who usually doted on her the most. She acted as if she’d suffered the greatest injustice, crying and screaming like she used to. “Dad, Mom, Chloe hit me! Aren’t you going to do anything? Boo-hoo-hoo, it hurts so bad…” In the past, whenever we had a disagreement, my parents would immediately defend her and scold me. “The older sister always gives in to the younger” was the unspoken rule in our house. But this time, no one protected her. Seeing my parents unmoved, she started throwing a tantrum. “Ugh, it hurts so much! If you’re not going to help me, I’ll just kill myself!” She truly was spoiled rotten. In my previous life, *we* were the ones who had made a mistake. When I was six, my parents took me to volunteer at an orphanage. That was the first time I saw her. That day, we brought many toys and snacks. The other kids swarmed them, and she was pushed aside, into a corner. Perhaps she was used to being bullied; she just watched quietly, not fighting, not crying, not fussing. The things were quickly snatched up, and only an old toy violin remained, unwanted. She timidly asked me, “Sister, can I have this?” I asked her, “Why do you want it?” She mimed playing the violin with her hands, stuttering, “It makes sounds… pretty sounds… I like it…” “Of course you can!” I personally handed her the toy violin. Her eyes, gleaming as if she’d found the greatest treasure, were both endearing and heartbreaking. “Dad, Mom, I want her to be my sister, okay?” My parents were touched, too, and unanimously decided to adopt her. After a series of procedures, she officially became part of our family. She was five years old then. I even gave her the name “Harper,” hoping her future would be filled with joy. For the next ten years, our whole family spoiled her like a princess. To unearth her violin talent, my dad hired the best private tutors and created a comprehensive development plan. My mom put her work aside and personally accompanied her to competitions around the world. And for us to have companionship and to keep our studies in sync, my parents specifically had me, who was a year older, start school a year late… Finally, she lived up to all expectations, receiving an early acceptance letter from Juilliard in her senior year, and achieving fame and success a few years later. All those years of dedicated nurturing and companionship, I thought she had long since let go of her past. Yet, her obsession with her “birth parents” ran so deep. Well, then, let’s put an end to all of it today!
“Harper Reed—no, I should call you Daisy Thompson. What do you need the money for? Who are you planning to transfer it to?” “Transfer it to…” She quickly caught herself, not finishing the sentence. “Is it your birth parents, right?” “How did you know?” She was surprised, but still wore a spoiled expression. “Since you already know, I won’t hide it anymore. Yes, I found my birth parents. I’ve dreamed of seeing them all these years, and heaven finally granted my wish today.” “So, they ask for money, and you just give it to them? Completely forgetting that *they* were the ones who abandoned you?” She put on a self-righteous front. “They explained everything to me. They said I was kidnapped by human traffickers back then, and they’ve been searching for me all this time.” The truth was, they had abandoned her after giving birth to a boy. When the orphanage found her, she was barely clinging to life. “They are my birth parents. They gave me life. Now they’re struggling, and I want to help them. Isn’t that what I should do?” Oh, what a dutiful, devoted daughter she was! At this point, if I were to stop someone from performing their “filial duty,” wouldn’t that be an affront to human decency? My dad finally couldn’t bear it anymore. “We’ll ask you one last time, Harper. Are you really set on acknowledging them?” This time, she hesitated, and her gaze at my dad held a hint of guilt. “I just want to reconnect with them. I didn’t say I was leaving you. I’m still your daughter.” Ha. She wanted to have her cake and eat it too? No way! I wouldn’t give her the chance to double-dip. “No need! You have two choices now. First, stay away from them, leave immediately for America, and continue your studies. Second, go and be with them, and the money in your account will be yours to freely dispose of…” “I choose two!” Before I could finish, she cut me off. “Excellent. That makes things much simpler. Mr. Davies, please begin!” Mr. Davies placed an “Agreement to Terminate Adoption” in front of her. “Now all you need to do is sign this document, and you’ll be free.” Under family law, adults who were adopted can have their adoption annulled if the relationship with their adoptive parents has deteriorated beyond repair, or if they choose to reconnect with birth parents after coming of age. She had just turned eighteen a few days ago, making her eligible. I had told my parents the truth days before she met them. They were sensible and rational people, so they naturally understood the principle of cutting losses in time. That account held five hundred thousand, originally her tuition fees for America. Now it would serve as her “severance fee.” Harper looked at the agreement, fear creeping into her eyes. “Does it really have to be this way?” “Yes, you must sign it today!” Seeing our resolute attitude, she, too, looked determined and spat, “You really are cold-blooded and heartless. If you’re going to be unjust, then don’t blame me for being disloyal. Fine, I’ll sign. Give me the pen!” “Don’t sign!” Just as she was about to put pen to paper, a sharp, grating shout came through. The voice came from Harper’s phone. “Sweetheart, you can’t sign that! If you sign, you’ll have nothing!” It was the Thompsons’ voice. I didn’t know how they’d conspired, but they had been listening in on everything. “Why? Mom, Dad, you heard them. They’re forcing me to choose, and we just finally reunited as a family. Of course, I’m choosing you.” She then scanned the three of us, coldly adding, “Because only your birth parents can truly be relied upon.” I nearly burst out laughing. See? They were clearly much smarter than she was. “Sweetheart, listen to me. We’re family, that will never change, and reuniting can wait. Besides, we don’t have extra money to support you right now. You need to stay with the Reed family…” They might as well have said they wanted to use us as an ATM and a bottomless pit of cash. “Mom, Dad, don’t worry about that. I’m grown up now. I can earn my own money.” “I play the violin well. Many people invite me to perform; I can earn hundreds for just one show.” “My studies are going well, too. I’m about to go to America for college. After I graduate, I’ll earn even more money, and then our whole family can live a good life.” Watching Harper’s confident expression, I could barely resist applauding her. She probably had no idea what signing that paper truly meant for her… They still wanted to persuade her, but as soon as they heard Harper mention she still had five hundred thousand in her account, they immediately backed down. “Alright, enough talk, sign it quickly!” My patience ran out. I firmly guided her hand and made her sign her name. Daisy Thompson, good luck with your future.
Daisy moved out that very night, not looking back even once. My mom, soft-hearted as ever, watched her resolute figure disappear and turned to silently shed a few tears. My dad also let out a heavy sigh. “Chloe, from now on, don’t tell us about her. You handle her affairs however you see fit.” “That account of hers, it’s a sub-card of yours. Find a suitable time to close it.” I knew they were heartbroken. In my previous life, Harper was passionate about art, while I excelled in science and engineering. We were “one artistic, the other scientific,” and a few years later, we were both shining brightly in our respective fields. We became the ‘perfect children’ every parent envied, and my parents became role models admired by countless others. They used to say, “That’s a sense of accomplishment that no amount of money can buy.” Reborn into this life, I was still myself, but Harper had become Daisy Thompson. I was curious to see where her destiny would ultimately lead. *Ding!* “Your account spent $200,000 on December 1st at 7:10 PM. Available balance: $300,000.” “Your account spent $35,000 on December 1st at 8:01 PM. Available balance: $265,000.” “Your account spent $5,000 on December 1st at 9:09 PM…” My phone buzzed with continuous account activity notifications from the bank: transfers, rent payments, supermarket purchases… Was five hundred thousand a lot? She would soon find out it was barely one year’s tuition for Juilliard. If the full tuition wasn’t received by the registration deadline, her admission would be automatically revoked. And tomorrow was the final deadline. As expected, on the third day, Daisy returned. She stormed into my classroom, pointing a finger at me and demanding, “Did you guys do this? Did you intentionally get my admission canceled?” “Chloe, I know you’ve always been jealous of me, jealous that I’m more talented, more beautiful than you. This was your chance to get revenge, wasn’t it?” I was buried in my homework and didn’t want to waste my breath, but since she was so eager to shove her face in front of me, I might as well oblige and slap it. “What? Spent all your money already? Can’t pay tuition, so you got expelled?” “You…” She was furious. “You intentionally didn’t tell me that five hundred thousand was for tuition, did you?” I couldn’t help but laugh. “How ridiculous! Didn’t we agree it was all yours to ‘freely dispose of’? What you do with it is none of our business!” “Oh, you thought colleges abroad were like public high schools, where you just walk in for free?” True. The old Harper Reed had always lived a sheltered life, never having to deal with the practicalities of money, which was why she was so foolish now. Of course, it was also possible she was deliberately lashing out at me to hide her embarrassment about not being able to go to America. Didn’t matter. I was eager to see how she would maintain her image as the glamorous “Juilliard high achiever” without our family’s support. “Hmph! So what if you have a little dirty money? Do you think I’d ever beg you? Dream on!” “I’ll tell you what, so what if I don’t go abroad for college? I’m so talented, I can still get into a good university and still become famous and successful! You, you ugly duckling, you’ll always just be my backdrop!” It seemed “the power of family” was indeed strong enough to give her such confidence even as she abandoned her dreams. I smiled. “Alright then, I’ll be waiting to see.” “Everyone, there’s something I need to announce.” I stood up and cleared my throat. “Harper Reed was actually adopted by our family. She has now reconnected with her birth parents. Her name is now Daisy Thompson.” “This is the legal document and the public announcement from that day. From now on, everything about her has nothing to do with our family.” From childhood until now, to provide her with a simple, pure environment, we had never revealed her true identity. Now, I didn’t say much, but just the name “Daisy Thompson” was enough to get everyone speculating. “Oh, so she was a fake rich girl? And she used to act so high and mighty, really thinking she was something special!” “No wonder! I always thought her vibe was different from Chloe’s. Goes to show, true character always comes out.” “Daisy Thompson? Isn’t that the classic ‘parasitic parents’ and ‘brother-supporting daughter’ storyline?” “Pfft! Does she really think she’s some amazing filial daughter? She’s just a naive, ungrateful brat…”
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