I grew up as the daughter of the CEO of a renowned fashion group in New York, living in a luxurious Manhattan apartment and enjoying a privileged lifestyle. However, when there was a call for young people to support the development of the Midwest, I chose to volunteer in a small town with tough conditions for five years. Five years later, I returned to New York, excited to attend the launch of a new family fashion brand, only to be blindsided. At the event, my mother, who had always been so loving, announced that Amy, the adopted daughter, was the true heir to the family business. I was stunned to learn that I was merely a child they had picked up from the streets. To make matters worse, Jack, my childhood friend and now the general manager of the fashion group, publicly proposed to Amy, abandoning me without a second thought. Humiliated and laughed at by everyone, I was dragged out by security, left in despair on the cold streets, and ultimately drowned in an accident. But fate gave me another chance. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back on the day of the brand’s launch. Seeing Amy about to cut the ribbon, fury surged within me, and I rushed forward, striking her down. “How dare you, a mere beggar, try to steal my spotlight!” I shouted.
The room erupted in chaos. My mother rushed over, giving me a hard shove. Yet, I stood my ground, unfazed. “Lucy, how have you become so savage after five years? Hitting your sister like this?” Mother yelled, her eyes blazing with anger. “You really are an uncultured child. Apologize to Amy immediately, or don’t even think about coming back home!” I picked up the scissors from the ground, sneering, “Mom, what are you saying? Dad only had me when he started the business. Is this sister of mine someone else’s child?” Mother turned red with rage, about to explode, but Amy held her back. “Mom, please don’t be angry with my sister on my account. If she likes the scissors, let her have them. After all, she suffered on my behalf in the Midwest. I owe her.” Amy said, feigning innocence. “If it weren’t for my poor health, Dad wouldn’t have adopted her, as a charity for me. In the end, I should thank her.” As Amy finished speaking, guests around us gave me disdainful looks. “So, she’s just an adopted stray, acting so arrogantly, she really doesn’t know her place!” “Exactly, I would have kicked her out long ago.” Mother pointed at the scissors in my hand and instructed Dad’s secretary, “Give the scissors to Miss Amy.” The secretary rushed over, snatching the scissors from me and handing them obsequiously to Amy. “Miss Amy, please continue with the ribbon-cutting. I’ll handle this crazy woman for you.” I couldn’t believe my eyes, looking at Uncle Leo, who had watched me grow up, acting as if he didn’t know me at all. But I quickly regained my composure, sneering, “Uncle Leo, if you want to give her the scissors, fine. When Dad returns, I’ll tell him you’ve lost your mind and should retire.” Uncle Leo’s face turned pale, eyes flickering with uncertainty. “Miss, just because I call you Miss, don’t think you’re really the heiress. This house has always been run by Madam and Miss Amy. I’ve worked diligently for over twenty years and have never been humiliated like this. Madam, you must speak for me!” I glared at him, “You’ve been by my dad’s side for years and can’t even tell who his daughter is?” Uncle Leo was at a loss for words, looking to Mother for help. In my previous life, I never understood why Mother treated me this way for a stray. It wasn’t until my dying moment that I learned the truth behind it. Now, given another chance, I want to see who really gets kicked out. Mother was about to speak when Amy intervened, “Mom, today’s the brand launch and sister’s back. It’s a joyous day. Let’s not argue over this little thing. How about letting sister cut the ribbon?” Mother’s face darkened even more, “This brand was specially created for you by your dad. How can she cut the ribbon? Your dad will be here soon with the Mayor to give you an award and be photographed for the paper!” Looking at the woman who once doted on me, I felt nothing but unfamiliarity. When I was young, we went on vacation to the suburbs and met Amy begging by the roadside. Mother insisted on adopting her at first sight. Dad thought it would be good for me to have a companion, but once Amy was in the house, Mother had no room for me. She only saw Amy as her daughter.
She praised Amy for being obedient and graceful, making her proud in social circles. But I, lively and pursuing my dreams, was seen as unruly and embarrassing. In my last life, she even feared Amy’s sadness and announced Amy as the heir during the brand launch, claiming I was a stray they picked up. Amidst everyone’s ridicule, she had me beaten and thrown out. Covered in bruises, I wandered the streets in despair, watching them celebrate Amy’s ascension as the new head of the family in a luxury hotel. Meanwhile, Amy’s people pushed me into the icy river, where I drowned. Days later, when Mother finally thought to look for me, my cold body had already washed ashore. In this life, facing Mother’s continued hostility, I sneered, “Mom, this launch was Dad’s idea to celebrate my return. Are you really going to be so biased? Aren’t you afraid of making Dad angry?” Dad was supposed to personally pick me up, but the Mayor’s sudden visit to inspect the group kept him busy. Not wanting to trouble him, I returned home alone, only to be mistaken for an impostor. Amy chose this moment for the ribbon-cutting, likely Mother’s plan to announce her as the heir while Dad was absent. Amy clung to the launch ribbon, looking pitifully at me, “Sister, I know you want this new brand, but it’s a token from Mom and Dad for me. Blame me, not Mom!” Instantly, a trendy blonde woman defended her, “Lucy, who do you think you are? If the Johnson family hadn’t picked you off the street, you’d still be a filthy beggar. They gave you a meal, and you think you’re the heiress?” “What a joke, why don’t you take a good look at yourself? Do you deserve it?” I turned to see Lily, Amy’s childhood follower. After Dad adopted Amy, she lived by flattering Amy, basically a sycophant. Remembering how she and a gang of thugs bullied me last life, leading to my death, my pupils shrank. I clenched my fists and sneered, “If I’m a stray, then what are you, Lily? An orphan sycophant living off others. If I were you, I’d find a hole to crawl into, rather than pretending to be a socialite.” Lily blushed, ashamed and angry. Seeing this, Uncle Leo flattered Mother, “Mrs. Johnson, don’t let this crazy woman delay the auspicious time for the brand’s launch.” Mother coaxed Amy, “Yes, bring out the gift I prepared for Amy.” The next second, Uncle Leo presented a delicate gift box. Opening it, I saw it was the fashion group’s stock certificate! My eyes turned red. This was the largest fashion group in America, founded by my grandfather. Before he died, he gave the stock certificate to me, saying, “This fashion group is yours when you grow up. If you don’t like it, sell it and travel the world.” But now, Mother stole it to please Amy. “Iris Thompson! That’s my grandfather’s inheritance, and you’re really giving it to this stray?” I shouted in anger. Mother shoved the stock certificate into Amy’s arms, glaring at me, “Impertinent brat, this is for my precious daughter Amy. You want to claim it as yours?”
Amy’s face maintained a fake smile, but her eyes couldn’t hide her pride and provocation. “Sister, I’ve always let you have what you wanted, but this stock certificate is Grandpa’s heirloom, and Mom’s intention. I really can’t give it to you.” Amy said hypocritically, “But when you get married, I’ll give you a gift of equal value, okay?” Last life, she always did this. Whenever we argued, she’d pretend to be understanding, making Mother favor her more and despise my ‘unruliness.’ Over time, Mother became convinced I was the stray. Angry and teary-eyed, I ignored Uncle Leo’s obstruction and tried to grab the stock certificate back, only to be knocked down by a vase Mother threw, bleeding profusely. She frowned in disgust, “The Johnson family is a noble lineage, how could we have a daughter with such an ugly face?” I glared at this so-called mother, filled with despair and rage, “Iris Thompson, no matter how much you love Amy, you can’t touch Grandpa’s heirloom. Give it back!” I was on the verge of tears, trying desperately to reclaim the stock certificate despite Secretary Leo’s interference, only to be struck down by my mother with a vase, leaving me bleeding heavily. With a frown and a look of disgust, she said, “Our Johnson family is quite prestigious. How could we have a daughter as unsightly as you?” I glared at this so-called mother, despair and anger welling up inside me. “Iris Thompson, even if you favor Amy, you have no right to touch the keepsake Grandpa left for me. Give it back!” Looking down at me with a sneer, she replied, “Are you planning to ruin Amy’s opening ceremony today? Secretary Leo, call security and have her thrown out! Teach her a lesson! Unless she kneels and apologizes to Amy, she won’t be allowed back into the Johnson household!” The onlookers gossiped, “That adopted daughter of the Johnson family went to the Midwest and lost her mind, thinking she’s the real heiress.” “Yeah, kick her out quickly, don’t let her eyesore linger.” Hearing the cold words from my mother, my heart broke completely. Just like in my past life, she had no maternal affection for me. “What’s going on here? Why is there such a crowd?” Suddenly, a familiar voice came from the door. It was Jack, a tall man in a police uniform, my childhood friend and former boyfriend, but now… “Amy, why are you crying? Who dared to upset you right in front of me?” He quickly approached Amy, wiping her tears in front of everyone. “Jack, you’re just in time. It’s all because of that brat Lucy. She came back just to cause trouble for Amy, claiming this new brand is hers and that the stock certificate Grandpa left is hers too,” my mother accused, playing the victim. Jack looked at me with unfamiliar, hostile eyes. “So this is the eldest daughter who went to the Midwest, thinking she could transform from a commoner to an heiress after a few years of hardship? Such greed!” “Amy is too kind, which is why you bully her. But not me. If you upset her again, I’ll make sure you end up in a cell!” I laughed bitterly. An orphan like him, without my help pulling strings, how could he have risen to the position of New York Police Department chief? Five years ago, he abruptly broke up with me, saying not to contact him again. I wondered if he found out I helped him get promoted and got mad about it? But seeing him doting on Amy now, everything clicked. They had been conspiring all along, secretly promising each other. And today, with the launch of a new brand, it was the perfect time to cement the tale of the heiress and the police chief. Sadly, in my past life, I was oblivious, hoping he would clear up the misunderstanding. But all I got was brutal humiliation. This vengeance, I will repay! As I was lost in thought, Jack suddenly kicked me and pulled out a ring, kneeling on one knee in front of Amy. “Amy, will you marry me? Whether we’re poor, rich, healthy, or sick, I’ll love you forever!”
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