Chapter 3

He pressed me firmly against the seat, his hands pinning my wrists.

"The person who saved me three years ago was clearly you. Why did you let Chloe take your place!"

My whole body trembled. How did he know about three years ago?

That winter, he was being chased and escaped into a back alley.

I used money I'd saved from part-time work to buy him medicine and watched over him all night.

Later, the Franklin family discovered what happened.

They stole the token Robinson left behind and gave it to Chloe, forcing me to swear I would never reveal the truth.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

I turned my face away, not daring to meet his eyes.

Robinson grabbed my chin and forced me to turn back. His eyes were terrifyingly red.

"In the past life, when they put you on that plane, were you still celebrating that you were finally free?"

My heartbeat skipped a beat. He was reborn too.

"You're so stupid."

"Did you think they'd let you go after you died?"

"They didn't even bother collecting your body!"

Tears fell from my eyes without warning.

The despair from before the crash in my past life surged through me again.

Robinson released my wrists and sat up straight.

"Be my woman. I'll help you destroy them."

I wiped my tears roughly. "I don't need anyone's help."

"Mr. Wilson should mind his own business."

I pushed open the car door and stumbled into the night.

I didn't want to get involved in any wealthy family disputes anymore. I just wanted to escape far away.

When I got back to that damp, cramped rental apartment and took out my key, the door was pulled open from inside.

Johnson kicked me in the stomach.

I flew backward and slammed into the opposite wall, excruciating pain hitting me as if all my internal organs had shifted.

Bella walked over in her high heels. She grabbed my hair and dragged me into the room.

"Getting bold, aren't you? Actually daring to seduce Mr. Wilson!"

"Do you know how long Chloe has been preparing for this marriage alliance!"

Chloe sat on the sofa, leisurely drinking tea.

"Mom, don't hit her face."

"I still need to take her to the gallery tomorrow to meet clients."

"If her face gets messed up, who's going to drink for me?"

I spat out a mouthful of blood. "I won't be your substitute anymore."

Johnson grabbed the ashtray from the table and smashed it against my forehead. Blood instantly blurred my vision.

"You don't get a choice!"

"We still have your mother's ashes!"

"If you dare disobey, I'll scatter them right now!"

I bit my lip hard, tasting blood.

This was my family. They not only wanted to suck my blood dry, they wouldn't even let my biological mother go.

The next morning.

I was woken by urgent phone ringing. The wound on my forehead still throbbed with pain.

It was a colleague from the company calling.

"Jennifer, check Twitter now!"

"Chloe posted about you and started a cyber-mob!"

I opened Twitter.

The number one trending topic prominently displayed Chloe's name.

#Genius Painter Chloe Betrayed by Illegitimate Sister#

Clicking in revealed an essay over a thousand words long.

She portrayed herself as a kind sister who tolerated everything.

While I was a vicious illegitimate daughter who had stolen from her since childhood, stolen her boyfriend, and even drugged people at the engagement party trying to climb the social ladder.

The accompanying images were surveillance screenshots taken out of context.

Plus embarrassing photos of me when Robinson tore off my mask at the party.

The comments section had completely fallen.

"Illegitimate daughters deserve to die!"

"Feel so bad for Chloe. Jennifer's mother wasn't any good either! All trash!"

"Jennifer get out of Los Angeles!"

I stared coldly at the manipulated narrative on the screen.

Chloe was as impatient as ever.