In my previous life, when my parents divorced, my sister Alisa Carolle went with our million-dollar-salaried father Vincent Carolle, while I followed my mother Fiona Carolle, who was left with nothing. Later, Vincent was fired from his company, went bankrupt overnight, and fell into poverty. Meanwhile, Fiona built her business from scratch, amassing assets worth over a hundred million dollars and becoming part of Seattle’s elite. Alisa grew jealous of me. On the day I was about to take over Fiona’s company, she stabbed me to death. When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the day of my parents’ divorce. Watching Alisa insist on going with Fiona, I realized she had been reborn too. But this was fine. I never wanted to live that miserable life again anyway. “Mom, I want to go with you.” At our front door, Alisa clutched Fiona’s hand tightly, her eyes full of triumph. Vincent frowned, his eyes reflecting pain and helplessness. “Alisa, you’ll suffer with her. Come with me instead—I can give you a better life.” I stood to the side, feeling like an outsider, with no one caring about my feelings. In this family of four, I had been the odd one out since Alisa was born. Alisa was obedient, sensible, and knew how to win our parents’ affection. I was awkward and couldn’t even charm my parents. Over time, they grew to favor Alisa more and more, while I became practically invisible in this family. Fiona looked down at Alisa, disapproval in her eyes. “Alisa, don’t be stubborn! Your father is right—you’ll suffer if you come with me.” But Alisa seemed determined. She shook her head firmly and said, “No, I want to go with you.” Seeing this, Vincent sighed in resignation and finally gave in. “Fine, have it your way. But if you can’t handle the hardship, remember you can always come find me.” Alisa shot me a smug look and taunted, “Bianca, you go with Vincent. Don’t worry, your good days are ahead.” With that, Alisa took Fiona’s hand and left without looking back. I watched them walk away, thinking about everything that had happened with Fiona in my previous life, my emotions a jumbled mess. Vincent glanced at me impatiently without saying much, just telling me to get in the car. Outside the window, the scenery rushed by until the car stopped in front of a luxurious mansion. Only then did I snap back to reality. “This is Noble Vista, an exclusive neighborhood. Twenty thousand dollars per square foot,” Vincent held up two fingers proudly, his voice tinged with boastfulness. I stared at the magnificent building in surprise, feeling confused. Despite Vincent’s million-dollar salary, he couldn’t afford a mansion of this caliber—unless he had already secured a wealthy new partner. “This will be your home from now on. Be smart and don’t cause any trouble!” Vincent looked at me with disdain. “Otherwise, you’ll face the consequences.” I forced a smile and said, “I understand.” Vincent nodded with satisfaction and led me into the mansion. The interior was luxurious and exquisite, with every detail exuding wealth. In the living room, a slightly plump woman dressed in elegant clothes approached us. Vincent hurried to greet her. “Regina, aren’t you cold wearing so little?” Vincent asked obsequiously. Regina Duncan ignored Vincent’s question and glanced at me, her lips curling into a contemptuous smile. “So this is your daughter? Her face is decent enough, but everything else is utterly ordinary.” Vincent’s expression immediately turned awkward as he glared at me. “She’s always been like this. Don’t pay her any mind.” Vincent said sternly, “What are you standing there for? Greet her properly! This is your…” “Ms. Duncan. From now on, you’ll call me Ms. Duncan,” Regina cut in. I stood silently, neither arguing nor showing anger. “Yes, Ms. Duncan.” In my previous life, I might have felt insecure and upset by such remarks, but now I had learned how to handle such cold mockery. Besides, she was Regina, a self-made businesswoman in Seattle and part of the elite—she had every right to look down on me. Just then, the maids called out in unison, “Hello, Mr. Duncan.” I jumped, quickly turning around. Ethan Duncan stepped out of the car with a stern expression. He wore an impeccable suit, had chiseled features, and piercing eyes. Regina casually introduced him. “This is Ethan, my son. He now handles all company affairs for me.” Vincent immediately put on a fawning smile and approached him. “Mr. Duncan, hello.” Ethan smiled slightly but didn’t respond to Vincent, leaving him embarrassed. “Take a look at our new residents. This is Vincent Carolle, and this is his daughter,” Regina raised an eyebrow, looking at me. “My name is Bianca Carolle,” I said quietly. Ethan nodded slightly, his gaze falling on me, examining my worn school uniform. “You attend No. 1 High School?” he asked.
I nodded, feeling somewhat anxious. Ethan’s gaze was profound, difficult to read. He glanced at me and said coolly, “From now on, have the driver take you to and from school. Don’t embarrass the Duncan family.” I blushed with embarrassment and nodded. This uniform was one of the few intact pieces of clothing I owned. Regina seemed surprised by Ethan’s arrangement. I lowered my head and whispered, “Thank you.” Vincent stood nearby, smiling apologetically and nodding repeatedly. In the days that followed, my life began to change quietly. The Duncan estate became both a sanctuary and a starting point for my new life. Though I was like an insignificant decoration in the house, ignored by everyone, at least I had food and shelter, no longer having to struggle for my daily meals. School days became my only solace. In my previous life, after leaving with Fiona, I had no money for education. Fiona refused to work and expected me to support her, but I was just a young girl who hadn’t reached Christmas (the legal age of adulthood), who couldn’t even find a job washing dishes. I couldn’t provide for both of us. So I had to beg and scavenge through garbage—a life where I trampled my own dignity underfoot. I never wanted to live that way again. In this life, I was determined to study diligently. I knew education was the only way out for someone like me. Whenever my name appeared at the top of the grade reports, I understood I was moving one step further from the broken life of my past existence. However, whenever the school needed parents to attend events, that phone call to the Duncan family always filled me with anxiety. No one in the Duncan family would want to attend my parent-teacher conferences, even though they were meant to praise me. “Hello, is this Mr. Carolle? Your daughter has achieved excellent results again. We’d like to invite you to attend the parent-teacher conference…” On the other end of the line, the teacher’s voice was full of expectation. But Vincent’s response was ice-cold and callous, “What does it matter if a girl gets good grades? I’m busy. Besides, you’d better check if she cheated. There’s no way she could have achieved such high scores on her own.” The moment Vincent hung up, my heart seemed to freeze along with it. I wondered what kind of parent would suspect cheating rather than feel pride when their child scored well. I took a deep breath, trying to suppress the bitterness in my heart. Regina had approached without my noticing. Her voice carried a hint of amusement and disdain, “I think Ethan has been quite idle lately. He might as well go. After all, she is my stepdaughter. If we don’t attend her parent-teacher conferences, people might say the Duncan family is mistreating her.” After saying this, Regina left, leaving Vincent looking bewildered. On the day of the parent-teacher conference, Ethan’s figure appeared in the back row of the classroom. His presence always caused a small commotion. My classmates whispered among themselves, while I just sat with my head down. After that, Ethan began attending my parent-teacher conferences, though not every time—perhaps three or four times out of ten. But for someone of his stature, that was already quite remarkable. Time went by steadily, and I was approaching the turning point of high school graduation. I thought no one would care about my plans for the future, but Ethan suddenly asked, “What are your plans after graduation? Would you like to study abroad?” Before I could respond, my father’s voice cut in from the side, carrying his usual contempt, “She’s just a girl. Finishing high school is good enough. She’s reached Christmas now—she’d be useful for a marriage alliance.” I looked at him in disbelief, feeling an unprecedented wave of despair and anger. This was my so-called father, a man willing to sacrifice his daughter’s happiness for profit! Just as my emotions were about to collapse, Ethan’s voice sounded again. “The Duncan family doesn’t need a young girl to sell her looks. Her future should be decided by herself.”
I stood in the middle of the living room, stunned by Ethan’s words. I couldn’t believe my future was truly mine to decide. Ethan left me with only a brief yet powerful statement: “Come find me when you’ve made up your mind.” Vincent wanted to say something more, but was silenced by Ethan’s undeniable presence. “Dad, I would never…” I had just begun when a frantic knocking at the door interrupted me. The door burst open, and Alisa stumbled in. Her clothes were in tatters, her face covered in wounds, looking utterly wretched. “Dad, please save me…” Alisa’s voice was choked with tears, her eyes filled with desperation and pleading. When her gaze met mine, a flash of resentment and unwillingness crossed her face. Vincent looked at Alisa with heartache. “Alisa, what happened to you? How has your mother been raising you to end up like this?” I clenched my fists tightly, my nails digging deep into my palms. The pain kept me clear-headed. “Mom… Mom made me sleep with old men to support her!” she said. Memories flooded back like a tide. In my previous life, Fiona had done the same to me. I had escaped just like Alisa. I had also sought out Vincent, begging him to take me in. But Vincent had mercilessly pushed me away, not even allowing me through the gates of the Duncan estate. “Dad, please let me stay with the Duncans. I really can’t go back. It will kill me,” Alisa pleaded again, her voice trembling with fear and helplessness. Vincent looked at Alisa, his eyes flashing with anger and disappointment. “That beast! How could she do this to you? She’s worse than an animal!” At that moment, Regina slowly descended from upstairs. She wore an exquisite gown and looked down at Alisa from her elevated position. Alisa seemed intimidated by Regina’s presence. She lowered her head and softly called out, “Mom…” Regina’s eyes flashed with disdain and mockery. “You’re quite clever, aren’t you?” After saying this, Regina ignored her. This silence effectively approved Alisa’s stay, which was exactly what Vincent wanted. However, Alisa didn’t seem to cherish this opportunity. Perhaps she knew that in this lifetime, the Duncan family would certainly go bankrupt. During her stay at the Duncan house, she maintained a respectful fear of Ethan but treated everyone else with arrogance. She demanded servants whenever she went out, insisted that staff half-squat when speaking to her, making everyone resent her. Regina pretended not to notice any of this and never said anything to Alisa, which only encouraged her to push boundaries further. She began eyeing Regina’s clothes and jewelry. These items were worth anywhere from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars, and she took them one by one to sell. Alisa thought Regina hadn’t noticed the missing items, so she grew increasingly bold. Until that day when she stole several of Regina’s handbags and clothes, attempting to sell them, and was caught red-handed. Regina still looked at her calmly. “So you’re the one with such audacity, daring to steal my clothes. Do you realize these amounts are enough to put you in prison for life?” Alisa’s face instantly turned deathly pale. She stared at Regina in terror, her eyes filled with despair. She tried to deny it, but Regina’s icy gaze and unquestionable tone left her completely panicked. “I… I didn’t…” Alisa’s voice trembled as she tried to grasp at the last thread of hope. Regina didn’t give her that chance. She coldly turned her head toward the servant beside her and said, “Take her away.” Alisa struggled, refusing to leave. I stood there without a shred of sympathy. A faint smile tugged at my lips as I inwardly shook my head. Alisa had known Regina for what felt like forever, yet was still naive enough to think Regina could be easily fooled. A woman who raised a son like Ethan—so reserved, composed, and masterful in his methods—was naturally intelligent herself. “Regina, how… how can you throw Alisa out? She’s my daughter…” Vincent’s voice carried a pleading tone as he tried to intercede for Alisa, only to be cut off by Regina’s piercing gaze. “You know very well she’s your daughter. Allowing her into the Duncan family and letting her stay this long was already more than generous,” Regina’s voice was calm yet resolute, without the slightest hesitation. “Besides, the Duncan family isn’t a charity. We have no room for such greedy individuals.” Vincent’s face turned pale. He clearly hadn’t expected Regina to be so decisive. He wanted to say more, but Regina had already signaled the servants to take Alisa away. “No! Dad! Help me!” Alisa’s cries echoed through the living room as she grasped at her last lifeline. Just then, Ethan appeared in the doorway. Dressed in an impeccable suit, his expression was stern as his gaze swept across everyone before finally settling on Alisa. “What’s going on?” Ethan’s voice was deep and powerful, as if it could penetrate one’s heart. “Someone truly believed this was her own home and dared to steal my belongings!” Regina’s voice was cold, showing for the first time her decisive authority as a person of power. Ethan looked at the items on the floor and immediately understood. “Guards!” Ethan commanded coldly. Seeing this, Vincent hurriedly bowed and said, “Mr. Duncan, please, for the sake of our past relationship, forgive Alisa this once. She’s still young, barely in her teens, and doesn’t know better…” Alisa quickly knelt down too, looking at Ethan with tear-filled eyes full of pleading, “Ethan, I was wrong. I’ll change, I promise. Please don’t send me away…” I had intended to maintain a calm, observer’s stance, but to my surprise, Vincent tried to pull me down to bow and apologize with them. He said, “You ungrateful little wretch, hurry up and kneel down to beg for Alisa!” His hand had barely touched my sleeve when Ethan’s cold gaze stopped him. “Enough!” Ethan’s voice thundered through the living room like lightning. “Your failure to raise your daughter properly is not my concern. But her actions have crossed my line. The Duncan family is not a place she can trample on as she pleases.” Vincent’s expression grew even more distressed as he tried to plead again, but Ethan had lost all patience. He waved for the servants to forcibly remove Alisa and Vincent, saying in an icy, resolute tone, “Throw them out.” Alisa’s greed and ignorance, Vincent’s weakness and indulgence—all left me feeling disgusted and disillusioned. With Vincent and Alisa gone, the Duncan family naturally had no place for me either. I turned and bowed deeply to Regina and Ethan. “Thank you, Mrs. Duncan and Mr. Duncan, for taking care of me all this time. I… I will find a way to repay you someday,” I said. Without them these past days, I would never have been able to complete my education. From now on, I would have to rely on myself. Just as I was about to turn and leave, Ethan and Regina spoke simultaneously. “Wait!”
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