Levi stood at the foster home entrance, his shirt worn thin. But my sister Vivian skipped to him and threw herself into his arms, cooing his name. In that instant I knew. Vivian had been reborn too. In our past life, when asked to choose between the city’s wealthy Prestons and the struggling Millers, Vivian had shoved me to the ground and sprinted for the sleek black limousine. “I’m not living in poverty, Skylar! You can wallow in misery all by yourself.” She got her wish. She lived in luxury, but the smile on her face faded with each passing day. Five years later, she was thrown out of the mansion and met a tragic end in a dirty alley. Meanwhile, I aced my exams, got into the best university, and studied abroad with Levi. With the blessing of our foster parents, we built a happy, fulfilling life together. Now, with this second chance, Vivian had chosen the exact opposite. I looked at Levi, the man I’d shared an entire lifetime with, waiting for him to speak. But he pulled Vivian behind him, his gaze icy as it fixed on me. “Stay away from her.” With Vivian’s triumphant stare burning holes in my back, I turned and walked toward the waiting stretch limousine. Perfect, I thought. I wanted a different life this time anyway.
“Get in, miss.” The Prestons hadn’t sent a welcoming committee, just a driver. On the way, he rattled off all the rules I’d need to follow once we reached the Preston estate. The car soon arrived. I followed the driver into a mansion that loomed like a palace of cold marble and soaring ceilings. “Madam, she’s here.” The elegant woman sipping tea on the sofa looked up, her gaze sweeping over me. She waved me closer. “Come here.” “What’s your name?” “Skylar.” The woman nodded. “Good. From now on, you’ll be Skylar Preston.” “Mr. Sterling, take her upstairs.” “Yes, Madam.” I trailed behind the butler, my steps quiet on the gleaming floors. The stair railing was carved from expensive sandalwood. Everywhere I looked, it screamed luxury. But honestly? I wasn’t all that impressed. In my previous life, I’d earned all this through my own grit and grind. Mr. Sterling glanced back at me, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. He pushed open a door, revealing a sprawling princess-themed room. “Miss, this will be your room from now on.” “You can rest for a bit. I’ll be back later.” I stepped inside, surveying my surroundings. The environment was exquisite. It was clear the Prestons spared no expense, even for an adopted daughter. The room exuded the refined luxury of high society. A wave of pure excitement surged through me. Last time, I had to claw my way up from nothing to earn a life like this. This time, with the Prestons’ power behind me? I was going to conquer the world.
I was lost in thought when shouts erupted behind me. The door burst open, and a basketball flew out of nowhere, hitting me square in the head with a dull thud. “Hey, you! Country bumpkin! Go get my ball!” a spoiled voice called out. I turned slowly. A boy who looked about my age, though taller, stood there. His chin tilted up in pure, unadulterated arrogance. If my memory served, this was Jax Preston, the family’s only son. He was the epitome of a spoiled heir, obsessed with racing and skydiving and completely uninterested in the family business. In my past life, a racing accident crushed his lower body, leaving him paralyzed. His temper became legendary after that. “Hey, what are you gawking at? Did you hear me?” His impatient voice cut through the air. I snapped back to reality, picked up the basketball, and handed it to him. Remembering the driver’s instructions, I softly said, “Here you go, Jax.” He paused, then sneered. “Playing nice already, huh? Think that’s gonna get you a piece of the Preston fortune?” He scoffed and walked off. Over the next few days, I rarely saw Mrs. Preston, and Jax was practically a ghost. Mr. Sterling took me around, helping me familiarize myself with the mansion. The entire estate was huge. After the tour, he handed me a schedule. It was packed with various business management courses. “Here is your class schedule. Beginning tomorrow, you will begin private lessons in corporate management. Mrs. Preston has arranged it all. Your sole focus is to apply yourself. Do well, and you will be rewarded.” “So, think you can handle it?” This was the kind of stuff Levi and I only got into when we started our own business in my last life. To be exposed to it at just fifteen? I was thrilled. I nodded. “Of course, I can.” A flicker of surprise crossed his face, but he said nothing, continuing to give me instructions. To ensure I didn’t fall behind on my middle school studies, Mrs. Preston also hired a private tutor for me. But I’d already mastered all of this in my previous life, so it was a breeze. In just one year, I absorbed all the knowledge and applied it flexibly. “This child is a fast learner! Not only has she mastered all the middle and high school subjects, but she can also grasp those complex professional corporate management courses.” The tutor praised me relentlessly to her. I sat quietly, listening. “At this rate,” he said, beaming, “Skylar won’t even need to finish high school! She could go straight to studying abroad!” But that wasn’t Mrs. Preston’s plan. She wanted me to accompany Jax through high school first, then go abroad with him. The official reason was “so you can look out for each other.” The real reason, which I understood perfectly, was to make me her wild son’s keeper. Mrs. Preston gave the tutor a generous bonus, and her gaze towards me held a new level of approval. “Come here.” She pulled me down to sit beside her, handing me an acceptance letter. “Well done. Since Jax’s grades aren’t improving, you’ll help him. I don’t expect miracles-just keep him from failing.” “Once you both graduate high school, I’ll send you abroad. How does that sound?” Without any preamble, Mrs. Preston laid out her demands. I didn’t hesitate. “Thank you, Mom.” Her eyebrows lifted, clearly pleased. She squeezed my hand tighter. “Good girl.”
As a reward, Mrs. Preston gave me a credit card and told me to enjoy a free day out. It was the most relaxed I’d been since coming to the Preston mansion. The driver dropped me off in the bustling city center, and I got out alone. I hadn’t walked far when a familiar figure appeared. It was Vivian, or rather, Vivian Miller now. She was standing on the roadside, under the scorching sun, handing out flyers. The Millers were practically penniless, with almost no spare cash, so it was no surprise she was forced to work to earn money. My past life had been just like that; during summer break, I’d juggle three jobs a day while still keeping up with my studies. Not only that, but I also had to help my foster parents with all sorts of chores. They claimed to treat us equally, but in reality, they never made Levi lift a finger. I even found out later that my foster parents had initially adopted me not because they wanted a sweet, affectionate daughter. But because they were looking for free labor. “Hello, would you like to see this?” A flyer was thrust in front of me. Vivian’s voice abruptly cut off when she looked up and saw me. “Skylar?” Noticing my luxury brand clothes and well-maintained skin, a flicker of jealousy crossed her face. She smiled. “You’re living pretty comfortably now, aren’t you? But don’t say I didn’t warn you, the Prestons are a family that’ll chew you up and spit you out. Mrs. Preston is far scarier than you can imagine. You’ll find out soon enough.” “Fine.” My flat reply annoyed her slightly. She began to boast about her foster family. “Mr. and Mrs. Miller are so good to me. My days are packed, and Levi even tutors me. And we were both admitted to Northwood High this year!” Northwood High… The acceptance letter Mrs. Preston had given me was also for Northwood High. Only students from influential backgrounds or those with exceptionally high grades were admitted. In my previous life, Levi and I were the ones who got in on merit. “Our lives are only going to get better, while you, well, you’re going to meet a tragic end on the streets.” She sounded absolutely certain. My lips parted, just as I was about to say something. “Vivian!” “Levi! What are you doing here?” Vivian beamed, throwing herself into Levi’s arms. Levi, carrying a lunchbox, handed it to her. “Mom told me to bring you lunch. It’s too hot and tiring at midday. Why don’t I take over for a bit?” “No thanks, Levi. I can do it.” The Millers would rather pinch every penny to send Levi to expensive tutoring than let Vivian take a single break. I was exploited the same way in my previous life. “You’re working hard.” As he spoke, Levi noticed me standing nearby. “Levi, this is Skylar, my sister. You met her at the foster home before.” Vivian introduced. Levi scrutinized me, his cold expression laced with a hint of disgust. He ignored me, turning to Vivian. “Don’t hang around with sketchy people. Let’s go.” Without giving me a chance to speak, Levi pulled Vivian away. “Levi, why were you so mean? What if you scared her?” “Silly Vivian, that person just now didn’t look like good news. You should stay away from her in the future, otherwise, who knows how she might hurt you behind your back.” Their sharp voices faded behind me. I couldn’t understand his sudden hostility, but the question only flickered briefly in my mind before vanishing. Instead, I took out the card Mrs. Preston had given me and went on a shopping spree, buying out half the luxury store.
When I emerged, laden with shopping bags, Vivian’s face was green. “Hmph, what’s there to be so proud of? You’ll still end up dead eventually. Not like Levi and me; we’re going to open a big company.” I chuckled, amused by her naivete. Then I turned and headed back to the Preston mansion. Actually, none of the things inside were for me. They were all for Mrs. Preston, Jax, and the other staff members in the house. When I got back, Jax was home, a rare sight. He saw me and sneered. “Well, well, been with us for only a short while and already hauling in bags? You really think the Prestons’ stuff is yours?” “Jax!” Mrs. Preston warned him, “She’s your sister.” Jax pouted. “Sister? What kind of sister? I don’t have a country bumpkin sister like her. It’s embarrassing to even be seen with her.” Jax and I never got along, so I wasn’t about to stick my head in the lion’s mouth. I pulled out the gifts one by one from the bags. “Mom, this is for you.” I handed her the gift box, which contained a sheer, silky scarf. Then I gave gifts to the other staff members who had been looking after me-Mr. Sterling and the housekeepers. I saw an expression of genuine satisfaction on Mrs. Preston’s face, different from her usual demeanor. Mr. Sterling and the other staff members also looked pleasantly surprised. Jax’s face fell immediately. “Hmph. You think you can bribe people with a few presents? You think you’re-” “Jax,” I cut in, acting as though I hadn’t heard him. “This one is for you.” I pulled out the final gift. It was a race car model. “I heard Mom say you like racing, so I bought this when I saw it at the mall.” He froze, mumbled something, and took it.
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