In my last life, after my parents died from a sudden illness, they left me with my three-year-old brother. I had no choice but to drop out of school and work to support the family. For fifteen years, I worked myself to the bone, and finally, my brother got into an Ivy League university. But right at my brother's graduation party, I saw my parents—who had been dead for fifteen years—hugging a girl my age and affectionately calling her "daughter." In disbelief, I stepped forward to confront them, only to be met with looks of utter disgust. Through their hateful words, I learned the truth: I was actually the Mayor's daughter, switched at birth by them. "If you hadn't been somewhat useful, we would have strangled you long ago!" "You got Tyler into college, so your mission is complete. Now you should just go die." At a command from my elegantly dressed "mother," countless bodyguards surrounded me. And the brother I raised with my own hands watched coldly as I was beaten to death. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day of my parents' funeral. 1 "Poor Tom and Mary, just when they were about to enjoy life, they're gone!" "Riley, don't be too sad. Tyler will have to rely on you, his big sister, from now on." Hearing the mix of genuine concern and malicious comfort around me, and seeing the portraits in the center of the room, my heart trembled. I was actually reborn. In my last life, I was in evening study hall when I got a call from the village. They said my parents had an accident at the construction site and died at the hospital. When I rushed home, all I saw were two coffins in the middle of the yard. Overcome with grief, I fainted on the spot. When I woke up, the coffins were already buried, leaving only my wailing brother. With only two hundred dollars to my name, I had to drop out of school and take my brother to the city to make a living. Without a degree and burdened with a child, I could only do the hardest, most grueling jobs. Finally, fifteen years later, Tyler got into an Ivy League school. Just as I was happy, thinking I had finally done right by my parents, I bumped into my "dead" parents at Tyler's graduation party. Gone were the weathered faces from my memory. They were smiling, hugging a girl my age. They looked like they had lived in luxury for years. Meanwhile, I, their "daughter," looked older than them due to the burdens of life. When I questioned them, full of indignation, I only received their mockery. "You, a money-losing burden from another family, what right do you have to question me?" "If you hadn't been useful, we would have killed you long ago!" "You got Tyler into college, completing your mission. Now go die and stop blocking our Tiffany's path." That's when I learned I was the Mayor's daughter they had swapped. They faked their deaths to enjoy life with their biological daughter. And the brother I raised single-handedly stood against me without hesitation after knowing everything. He watched coldly as the bodyguards beat me to death. Opening my eyes again, I was back on the day my parents' coffins were buried. Looking at the peaceful smiles on their portraits, I suppressed the hatred rolling in my heart. Only after the coffins were in the ground and the villagers had dispersed did I go up the mountain alone with a shovel. They wanted to play dead? I wouldn't let them have their way! Why should they get to enjoy life while I bore all the pain? Fueled by resentment, I dug up their coffins. But when I saw what was inside, I screamed in terror. My scream quickly attracted the attention of the villagers who were watching me closely. Especially when they saw the two charred bodies in the coffins, several aunts fainted from shock. The village chief, who had been following slowly behind the crowd, turned green when he saw I had dug up the graves. I was shocked to my core. I had to admit, my parents really thought of everything to fake their deaths. "Riley, how could you dig up your parents' graves? This is treasonous!" "Your parents died so tragically to earn your tuition! And now you won't even let them rest in peace!" With the village chief throwing accusations, the villagers' faces changed, and they started pointing fingers at me. My eyes instantly turned red, and I cried miserably. "Chief, I didn't want to do this, but my parents left so suddenly. I didn't even get to see them one last time." "I don't believe they would just die like this. Tyler is only three! How are we supposed to live without our parents?" "Besides, Chief, didn't you say my parents fell at the construction site? But these bodies look burned!" Impatience flashed in the Chief's eyes, but he had to explain gently. "Girl, you must have misheard. Your parents were burned to death at the construction site." "Is that so?" I pretended to be skeptical. Thinking he had fooled me, the Chief urged me to leave. But I rolled my eyes and extended my hand to him. "Since my parents burned to death at the site, where is their compensation money?" The Chief was dumbfounded. My parents hadn't left instructions for this. I knew they weren't dead, but I wasn't having it. Why should they dump their mess on me and then reappear to enjoy the fruits of my labor when the time was right? I stared dead at the Chief, who clearly knew the inside story. "Is the construction company refusing to pay? It's okay, Chief. Tomorrow I'll take Tyler to the media with banners. As long as I'm alive, I'll go to the site every day to protest." The Chief's head was spinning. He never expected the usually obedient me to demand money instead of panicking. He could only comfort the agitated me while calling to ask. Even from a distance, I could hear the cursing on the other end of the phone. I lowered my head, pretending to be sad, but the corners of my mouth were splitting to my ears. In this life, they wouldn't get away without bleeding a little. Soon, the Chief returned, covering his ears. With him came the news that the "construction site" was willing to pay five thousand dollars. I didn't know if they were in a rush to dump Tyler on me, but the money arrived quickly. Understandable. Their biological daughter was now the Mayor's daughter. Whatever slipped through her fingers would be enough for them to live comfortably for a lifetime. After getting the passbook with my name on it, I carefully inventoried everything left at home. An ox, a pig almost ready for market, several chickens, and the currently worthless land. But I knew this land would be developed later. In my last life, when I took Tyler to the city, the villagers divided this land among themselves. This time, I wouldn't miss this opportunity to get rich. I went to the office and used a hen that laid eggs daily to change the land title to my name. The numbers in the passbook grew, and the house emptied. Finally, on a dark night, I carried my young brother on my back and set off for the city. Listening to his steady breathing, I smiled. Since "Mom and Dad" trusted me so much, faking their deaths to leave Tyler to me... Then, as their daughter, I would definitely prepare a surprise for them. Fifteen years passed in a flash. During these fifteen years, I put all my effort into raising my brother. Under my frantic spending, my brother not only became a top student but also excelled in sports and arts. The day the college entrance exam results came out, it was just as I predicted. He scored far better than in my last life and was the top scholar in the state! That day, reporters besieged our home. Watching my brother speak eloquently on TV, I was full of anticipation. I spent so much effort just to make my "dead" parents come to me personally. I believed that they, who valued sons over daughters all their lives, wouldn't disappoint me. Sure enough, on the day of the graduation party, just as I was accepting praise with my brother, the closed hall doors were kicked open. A familiar but aged voice reached my ears. "Tyler got into college! How can we parents not be here?" I looked over and saw my parents, who had been dead for fifteen years. I smiled secretly but frowned outwardly, looking at the village chief. The Chief, whom I had specially invited, was soaked in cold sweat, smiling awkwardly at me. The moment they appeared, the invited villagers gasped. After all, two charred bodies fifteen years ago were hard to forget. But now, these two appeared as if nothing had happened. My parents bypassed me, trying to hug my brother. My "mom" carefully touched my brother's face, eyes red. "Tyler, I'm your mom." My brother dodged her touch with disgust, hiding behind me. His face full of accusation: "Sis, who is this? Why is she claiming to be someone's mom? I don't know them!" Looking at my parents frozen in place, I smiled and patted my brother's shoulder. Seeing his precious son refusing to let him touch him, my "dad" flew into a rage. "Riley! Did you badmouth us to Tyler?" "Otherwise, Tyler was so close to us when he was little, why would he ignore us now!" My "mom" beat her chest and cried: "You money-losing burden! You didn't like your brother when he was born, and now you're keeping us apart!" I rolled my eyes. He knew it was "when he was little." Seeing my eye roll, my "dad" was furious and raised his hand to slap me. A second before the slap landed, a strong hand firmly gripped his arm. My "dad" cursed, but his eyes widened when he saw who it was. "Mr... Mr. Vance, why are you here?" "I wasn't aware I gave the Vance family servants a holiday?" The man's voice carried unquestionable authority. My "dad's" face turned green. The reporters who came to interview the top scholar swarmed forward. "Mayor Vance! Mayor Vance! We heard you're being transferred. Can we get an interview?" One look from Mayor Vance silenced everyone. His cold eyes only softened when they swept over me and my brother. Humiliated in public, my "dad" ignored the employer-employee relationship and shouted at Mayor Vance. "Mr. Vance, even if I'm your servant, you have no right to stop me from recognizing my biological son!" My "dad" smiled proudly: "Mayor, my son is this year's top scholar!" Unexpectedly, hearing this, Mayor Vance smiled playfully. "Your son?" I couldn't help raising an eyebrow and sneering. My "dad" still thought the one I raised with all my might was his precious Tyler. But since I knew Tyler was an ingrate, why would I repeat the same mistake? It was laughable they treated me as a fool, but hadn't I waited fifteen years for today? Looking at my "dad's" smug face, I finally spoke: "Actually, brother..." "He's not your Tyler. He's my biological brother." Hearing this, my "dad" smiled like a villain. "How can Tyler not be my child? You girl must be crazy!" "But, you say Tyler is your biological brother? That's incorrect. Tyler is the true blood of the Lee family." "As for you, you're just a bastard. If we hadn't given you food, you would have starved to death." I raised an eyebrow, smiling contemptuously. Laughing internally at his naivety. Didn't he look in the mirror? How could mud produce the moon? Keep dreaming.
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