After my parents' divorce, my younger brother chose to live with Dad, who got all the assets. I was left with my destitute Mom. Who knew Dad would suddenly go bankrupt and end up in prison, while Mom started a company and made a fortune? Consumed by jealousy and hatred, my brother pushed me off a high-rise building, killing me instantly. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day of the divorce. This time, my brother grabbed Mom's hand and declared, "I love Mommy the most. I want to live with her." I cheered internally. Perfect. I never wanted to relive that hellish life anyway! Chapter 1 My parents slapped the divorce papers on the table. My brother, Tyler, immediately rushed over and hugged Mom's arm. "I love Mommy the most. I want to live with her." Dad frowned, looking at Tyler with concern. "Ty-Ty, listen to me. Mom doesn't have any money. You won't have a good life with her. Stay with me, let Excess go with your Mom." Mom nodded. "Excess is tough. She can handle it. Let her come with me, and Ty-Ty can stay with his Dad." "Excess" was their nickname for me. My real name is Emily, but to them, I was just the extra one. They had me when they were barely out of high school, way too young. They dumped me on my grandma in the countryside and didn't take me back until I was eight. So, they had zero affection for me and didn't care about my opinion. But since Tyler knew that Dad ended up in prison in our past life, there was no way he'd choose to suffer with him. Sure enough, he pressed his lips together and shook his head firmly. Dad wouldn't give up. "Ty-Ty, listen to Dad. Dad has money. Dad can give you a good life. You'll suffer with Mom." But Tyler turned his head, clutching Mom's arm with unusual determination. "No! Rich or poor, I want to be with Mommy. I love Mommy." "Mommy's good boy." Mom looked touched. Dad sighed helplessly. "If you've made up your mind, Dad respects your decision. But if you have any problems, Ty-Ty, you tell Dad immediately." Tyler nodded, hiding the excitement in his eyes. He glanced at me and gave a malicious smile. "Sister must be happy. You get to live the good life with Dad now!" I nodded blankly, but inside, I was popping champagne. Perfect. I never have to experience that living hell with Mom again. Tyler had no idea what dark secrets lay behind Mom's "successful company." That road wasn't easy. I looked at Tyler with complicated eyes. "You made your choice. Don't regret it." "Hmph, how could I regret being with Mom? You just make sure you don't come crying to me later!" With that, he held Mom's hand and walked out without looking back. Watching their retreating figures, I couldn't help but recall the misery of my past life. Mom didn't know how to do chores and refused to work low-paying jobs. Living with her, I had to do all the housework and even collect cans at night to buy groceries for the next day. Less than a year into high school, Mom forced me to drop out because she couldn't afford tuition. Later, I washed dishes and waited tables to save up for tuition myself, but Mom got addicted to gambling. We had to move constantly to hide from debt collectors... "Emily, I'm warning you. I'm living at your Auntie Evelyn's house now. She's a public figure. When we go in, lose that trashy look!" Dad's impatient voice pulled me back to reality. Seeing the disgust in his eyes, I really wanted to ask: if you hate me so much, why did you have me? At home, I was like a little maid—insecure, sensitive, shrinking. Tyler was the treasured prince—lively and confident. Compared to him, of course I looked "trashy." "Also, I've fired all the servants at your Auntie's house. You'll do all the chores. You like doing them anyway," Dad said matter-of-factly. A trace of mockery flashed in my eyes. So Tyler is the young master who shouldn't lift a finger, and I'm the born servant? Whatever. I never expected any love from them anyway. Soon, the car pulled into a mansion halfway up the hill within a gated community in Beverly Hills. Looking at the beautiful gardens along the way, I could barely blink. But seeing Dad's fawning smile at the elegant woman at the door, I vaguely understood who really wore the pants in this house. Chapter 2 Auntie Evelyn turned out to be Evelyn Lawrence, the movie star I always saw on TV. Seeing a screen idol in person, I was nervous, but she showed unexpected kindness. As she led me inside, Auntie Evelyn patted my hand gently. "Don't be nervous. This is your home now." Seeing the sincerity in her eyes, my eyes felt hot. "Thank you." Auntie Evelyn was truly a good person. She couldn't have children due to an injury on set, so she sponsored many children in foster care. After I arrived, she didn't make me do any chores. She gave me a large, sunny room and bought me lots of comfortable new clothes. Knowing I went to the worst public school, she transferred me to a prestigious private girls' high school. The facilities and environment were superior, and the students were much more refined. I was overwhelmed with gratitude and swore to study hard so I wouldn't let Auntie Evelyn down. I studied desperately at school and burned the midnight oil at home. My only entertainment was mimicking Auntie Evelyn's acting. "A chicken can't become a phoenix. You're not as smart as Tyler. Why bother? Just drop out and get married. You'll be even more worthless when you're older." Dad always mocked my efforts. I ignored him and charged forward blindly. Finally, after a semester of hard work, my name appeared on the top of the Honor Roll. I even won a city-wide award for a drama performance. When my homeroom teacher called to invite Dad to share his parenting tips, his jaw nearly hit the floor. Actually, I always had good grades when I was little, always top three. But after I was brought back at eight, my parents forced me to do all the chores. Cooking, dishes, laundry until midnight—how could I study? But now it was different. Auntie Evelyn's support was my backbone! As I brought home more awards, Dad's gaze softened. Once, Auntie Evelyn came to a parent-teacher conference, causing a sensation. Her industry friends and reporters praised me, saying I was as driven as she was in her youth, and that I had a bright future. Auntie Evelyn smiled and accepted it all. "The child is excellent on her own. I did very little." Influenced by Auntie Evelyn, I took the art exams in my senior year and secured the top score in the city. Auntie Evelyn suggested I apply to the film academy in LA, saying she had connections. But Dad furiously vetoed it. "Film school costs a fortune! Does a village girl deserve that? No!" I knew Dad refused because he always looked down on me. And because Tyler's grades were terrible now, he didn't want me to outshine him too much. Chapter 3 Seeing my biological father's firm opposition, Auntie Evelyn had to give up. She patted my head. "Academic route is fine too. Emily wants to study law, right? Stanford has one of the best law schools." She had realized that Dad didn't care about me, his daughter. He even held a strange malice toward me. But she was a dignified woman. Plus, Dad had saved her from a falling prop on set once. She treated Dad as her savior and rarely refused him. That's why in my past life, she funded Dad's company, making me think he was rich. As for Mom, Dad had been dissatisfied with her since meeting Auntie Evelyn. Mom was lazy and playful, so he encouraged her gambling addiction, then used it as grounds for divorce. I looked at the concerned Auntie Evelyn and thought it was okay. Film school would have been great with her resources, but it might take me away. I couldn't bear to leave Auntie Evelyn. And I kept thinking about how she and Dad went bankrupt and to jail in my past life. Studying law might help. So the film school idea was dropped, and I focused on my academics. I knew Mom was lazy. Tyler wouldn't last long with her. But I didn't expect him to come back so soon, and in such a despicable way. One afternoon, Auntie Evelyn and I returned from lunch to find Tyler curled up at the gate, covered in bruises. Seeing us, he knelt and cried, tears streaming down his face. He said Mom had no money, they lived in the slums, and he got bullied by thugs on his way home from school. "Dad, please save me! If you don't take me in, I'm dead." "You're Auntie Evelyn, right? Please have mercy. They said they'd kill me tonight. I can't go back." Dad was heartbroken. He helped him up, calling him "My precious Ty-Ty," promising to call the police. Tyler hurriedly explained it was too dark to see their faces, begging Dad to just let him stay for a while. Auntie Evelyn frowned silently. I knew she saw through Tyler's lies. She was an Oscar winner. Tyler's acting and fake bruises were a joke to her. But Dad was adamant about keeping him, his tone leaving no room for argument. She reluctantly agreed. The night Tyler moved in, Dad stormed into my room, took all the electronics and expensive gifts Auntie Evelyn gave me, and gave them to Tyler. "Ty-Ty, that waste of space Emily doesn't deserve these. They're yours now." He transferred Tyler to my private school and hired tutors for him. But I knew Tyler was swindling money from teachers and classmates. Living with Mom, he had learned to gamble, and he was addicted. Once, I saw Tyler going into a casino with some shady guys. He was not only fearless but pushed me away viciously. "Tell anyone and I'll skin you alive!" I frowned. "You're ruining yourself." Tyler sneered. "None of your business. What right does a village maid have to lecture me?" "Good dogs don't block the way. Get lost!" Actually, I didn't want to manage him. I knew his addiction would grow until he caused a disaster. When that happened, Auntie Evelyn wouldn't tolerate him. Tyler went to the casino more frequently, needing more money. He used every trick to get money from Dad, eventually even taking out online loans in Auntie Evelyn's name. I couldn't sit back anymore. One night, I blocked Tyler at his door, asking if he took out loans. Tyler turned the tables, throwing a loan agreement he took from my room in my face. "You borrowed money and blamed me? Emily, you're worse than a pig!" Dad glanced at the paper and joined in. "You little slut, borrowing so much money! Fifty thousand! Come to the police station and turn yourself in!" I saw at a glance the agreement was fake; it didn't even have a stamp. But Dad and Tyler wouldn't listen, dragging me toward the door. Chapter 4 Just then, Auntie Evelyn came upstairs. "What is going on here?" "Auntie, Tyler gambled and took out loans behind your back. I confronted him, and he framed me." I broke free and told the truth. Frowning at the self-righteous Tyler, Auntie Evelyn looked at Dad with dissatisfaction. "Joe, I have to say this. Both are your children. Why do you spoil Tyler and abuse Emily? Gambling and loans? Tyler has no future like this." Dad jumped up. "That loser is lying! I'm her dad, I know! She did it! My Ty-Ty is a good boy!" "Besides, I'm their father. I decide how to treat them!" Auntie Evelyn got angry. "What does that mean? I can't say a word in my own house?" Tyler forced his way in and stole my things. She was already unhappy. Dad's words added fuel to the fire. "Joe Zhou, you live off me, and now you bring this lying ingrate into my house! Do you know what Tyler has been doing?" "I'll tell you. He's been scamming people and gambling. Debt collectors are calling my phone!" Tyler's face froze. Exposed, he stopped pretending. "You're rich anyway. What's wrong with giving me some?" Dad's face stiffened, then he agreed matter-of-factly. "Yeah, Ty-Ty is practically your son. What's a little money?" Auntie Evelyn sneered. "I wouldn't dare claim such an ingrate as a son." I couldn't stand their shamelessness anymore. "Are you crazy? Gambling and scamming are crimes! Why should Auntie Evelyn pay for Tyler's mess?" Slap! Dad slapped me hard. "None of your business! You ungrateful brat, I should have drowned you in a bucket when you were born!" I covered my face, staring at him in disbelief. The skin bruised instantly. The burning pain and grievance forced tears from my eyes. Auntie Evelyn looked at my face with heartache, then turned and roared at Dad. "Are you insane? Taking it out on the child!" "I'm telling you, Tyler scammed forty thousand and borrowed fifty thousand in loans. It's almost a hundred thousand. That's a felony. Wait for him to go to jail!" Hearing this, Dad trembled in fear. He looked at Tyler in disbelief. "Ty-Ty, did you really borrow that much?" But Tyler, thinking there was no proof, kept arguing. "Impossible! Besides, it's just a hundred grand. She can pay it. Why make a fuss?" Auntie Evelyn trembled with rage. "Why should I pay?" "Get out! Joe, take him and get out!" She called the butler to throw their luggage out. Seeing she was serious, Dad and Tyler were dumbfounded. "You barren old hag! I hope you die tomorrow so I get your inheritance!" Tyler cursed viciously. Dad panicked and covered his mouth, looking at Auntie Evelyn fawningly. "Evie, Ty-Ty is just a kid. Don't hold it against him. You have the money. Just pay it. Why be so stingy?" Auntie Evelyn was thoroughly disappointed. She hugged me and pointed at the door. "Get out! I never want to see you again!"
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