Chapter 2

Every time I came home from school, Mom would always pull me aside privately.

Today was no exception.

But just as she started to lecture me, Cruz suddenly emerged from behind the door.

Mom's face instantly went pale, then she put on a fawning smile and hurried into the kitchen.

"Cruz, you must be hungry. I'll make dinner right away. Tonight, we'll have your favorite."

It was always like this.

When I was little, I couldn't understand why Mom and Dad were so good to Cruz.

Anything delicious, new clothes, or fun toys, it was all for Cruz.

So, I always went against Cruz, never wanting her to get her way.

Mom would punish me, she'd scold me, but the next time, I'd still find a way to mess with her.

There was nothing else Mom could do, so she finally told me the truth.

She said Cruz was supposed to have a glamorous life in an elite family.

Our family was the one who swapped her with my biological sister, Bruna.

Now, our entire family owed her. Wasn't it only right to treat her well?

Cruz grabbed my arm, her grip tightening and digging into my flesh.

"Navas, what secret were Mom and you whispering about just now? Are you two hiding something from me?"

"Don't even think about lying to me. If you don't tell me, I'll tell Mom and Dad that you've been messing with me again. They'll punish you until you wish you were never born!"

At that moment, Cruz's furious expression overlapped with the distorted face from my previous life.

It was as if I was back in the flames.

I felt the automatic pang of pain in my body, reminding myself again and again.

This time, I wouldn't repeat the same mistakes.

Mom also saw Cruz questioning me. Afraid I'd spill the beans, she waved us over.

"Cruz, come eat dinner."

At the dinner table, all the good food was placed to Cruz's right.

As I reached for something with my fork, Dad smacked my hand away, just like always.

"Eat, eat, eat! All you know is eating! This is for Cruz to nourish her body. What if you finish it all?!"

Mom saw this and picked the smallest piece from the platter.

"Navas, you can have this."

Such scenes were my daily routine for over a decade.

But ever since I told Cruz the truth in my previous life, I couldn't even get a potato pie.

Perhaps my talking was annoying Cruz.

She frowned deeply and swept the plate next to her off the table without a second thought.

The sharp clatter made Mom and Dad fall silent immediately.

"All you do is chatter, chatter, chatter all day! It's so annoying!"

"I'm asking you, is our family hiding a secret from me?"