In the fifth year of my banishment to a lawless, off-the-grid compound deep in the backwoods, my brother finally showed some mercy and came to pick me up. He arrived in a private helicopter, stepping out in immaculate designer clothes alongside the "real" sister of the family. He stood before me, looking at my withered, hollowed-out face. To make this so-called "welcome" a spectacle, Maya even invited people who used to be my friends. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, she gasped dramatically. "Sister, what happened to you?" she asked, her voice dripping with venomous intent. "Is this what happens when you miscarry over thirty babies?" Disgust and mockery flashed in the eyes of the onlookers. I slowly raised my eyes and stared at her, my gaze as cold as ice. Maya instinctively went quiet, shrinking behind my brother’s back and whining, "Arthur, she’s looking at me so meanly." Only then did the man, who had been frowning in silence this entire time, finally speak. "Do you know what you did wrong now?" I nodded. Of course I knew. Being kind was my mistake. Loving him with all my heart and soul was my gravest mistake. A complex emotion flashed through his eyes, instantly replaced by a look of grim satisfaction. "It seems these five years have been effective. You’ve learned your place." I forced the corners of my mouth to twitch upward. I wouldn't scream or throw a hysterical fit anymore. And I certainly wouldn't beg for his love ever again. The moment I stepped onto the helicopter, a sharp beep echoed in my mind, followed by a mechanical voice. [Host has successfully survived twenty-five years in the body-swap mission. Mission complete. Soul extraction will commence in three days. Reward: $100 Million USD.] I lowered my eyes, clenching my twisted, deformed fingers, and smiled. …… Sitting across from me, Arthur stared intently. He caught the fleeting smile on my lips. His tone was freezing cold. "When we get back, as long as you behave and don't try to hurt Maya, I won't send you back to this place." "And I promise to keep the... punishments you endured here a secret from high society." I finally lifted my head, taking a long, careful look at the brother I once loved and relied on the most. He wore a perfectly tailored suit, his hair styled without a single strand out of place. He was just as radiant and untouchable as he was five years ago, the day he ruthlessly dumped me in this hellhole. Meanwhile, my eyes were dead. I was so emaciated I looked like a walking corpse. I was utterly unrecognizable. "Okay," I replied, my voice completely devoid of emotion. The other people on the helicopter perked up their ears. The people I once called friends covertly pinched their noses, terrified the stench radiating from me would pollute their lungs. Maya did the same. Suppressing her disgust, she sat next to me and put on a sickeningly fake performance. "Sister, is your body holding up okay? Miscarrying over thirty times... you must have suffered so much." Hidden beneath my mud-caked sleeves, my hands slowly clenched into tight fists. Five years ago, Maya, the true biological daughter of the Sterling family, was found. The very next day, she framed me, claiming I tried to kidnap and murder her. Arthur, who had just been reunited with his long-lost sister, flew into a blind, explosive rage. Showing absolutely no mercy, he banished me to a brutal, lawless compound deep in the wilderness. He told the savage men there to punish me well—as long as they kept me breathing. On my very first day there, at eighteen years old, I was violently stripped of my innocence. A month later, I was pregnant. They beat and kicked me until I miscarried. I got pregnant again. They beat it out of me again. This cycle repeated until I lost exactly thirty children. Today, my body is nothing but a hollow shell on the verge of collapse. I ignored Maya, afraid that if I engaged, I might accidentally rip her hypocritical face clean off. Arthur spoke up from the side. "I’ve arranged for the best private hospital and doctors for you. Focus on your recovery. As long as you've learned your lesson, the past is in the past." A flash of mockery crossed my eyes. "Thank you so much, brother." His brow furrowed slightly. He looked like he wanted to say something, but swallowed the words back down. I turned my head and looked around the cabin. Only then did I realize something. This private jet was the birthday gift he gave me when I turned eighteen. It was the only custom model of its kind in the world. I never even got the chance to enjoy it before Maya showed up with her blood test results. And now, look at what I’ve become. By my ear, Maya’s obnoxiously affected voice chimed in again. "Arthur, let's have the jet deep-cleaned when we get back," she pouted. "It smells a bit foul in here." She covered her mouth, looking at me with feigned apology. "Sister, I'm just the kind of person who speaks her mind. Please don't take offense." Arthur coaxed her in a soft, gentle voice. "Alright, whatever my princess wants. And you're not wrong, the smell is unpleasant." Maya giggled, throwing herself into Arthur's arms like a spoiled child, but shooting me a provocative glare. My eyes didn't shift. There wasn't a single ripple of emotion in my gaze. Five years ago, I would have screamed, demanded answers, and fought desperately for his affection. Five years later, I couldn't care less. Arthur thought of something and turned to me. "If you want a jet, I’ll buy you a new one. This one belongs to Maya now. Don't fight her for it." I met his gaze, genuinely confused. "Did I say I was going to fight her for it? If she likes it, she can keep it. I don't care." His eyes instantly darkened. He even pushed Maya out of his arms. He scrutinized me, a complex look washing over his face. "You don't care? I picked this jet out myself for your eighteenth birthday. Didn't you treasure it above all else?" I smiled, my tone flat. "People change." Just like how he used to treat me like I was more important than his own life. And then threw me away without a second of hesitation. He choked on his words, his chest suddenly feeling inexplicably heavy. I turned my gaze out the window. Suddenly, the System's interface appeared. [Because the original owner of this body failed her life mission and died long ago, her physical vessel must be destroyed before your soul can return to your original world.] My fingers paused. I nodded, understanding what it meant. It just meant I needed to die a dramatic death. That was easy enough to arrange. Two hours later, the jet touched down on the helipad of the Sterling estate. As Maya stepped off, a swarm of servants immediately rushed forward, offering her water and showering her with excessive care. A young maid rolled her eyes at me. "The fake heiress who stole the nest actually has the nerve to come back? Shameless." Maya heard it and smiled, not reprimanding her. Instead, she accept a cup of hot tea from the maid as a silent reward. Seeing this, the other servants instantly understood the dynamic. They started whispering and gossiping loudly about me. "I heard Mr. Sterling's assistant say she was passed around by all those backwoods hicks and miscarried thirty times..." "That many?! She must be carrying some kind of filthy disease! Is it contagious?!" Hearing that, the crowd hurriedly backed away, frowning and covering their mouths in disgust. My footsteps halted. I turned a dark, icy glare toward them. I slowly walked up to the maid who spoke first. "W-What are you doing?" She panicked slightly but kept her chin raised. "I didn't say anything wrong! You're ruined goods!" My fingers itched, but I didn't slap her. I just let out a sarcastic chuckle. "Bridget, six years ago, when your family went bankrupt and you were about to be put on the streets, don't forget who brought you into the Sterling estate and gave you a job to survive." "If you speak too many words that go against your conscience, be careful lightning doesn't strike you dead." Her breath hitched instantly. "I..." Maya opportunistically interrupted me. "Sister, they're just gossiping. There's no need to get so angry." As she spoke, her eyes turned red with manufactured grievance. "Or... do you just have a problem with me? Do you still think I stole your place..." Arthur, who had just stepped off the jet behind us, heard this. He rushed forward, pulling Maya into his arms to comfort her. "What silly things are you saying? You are my blood sister. You can have whatever you want in this house. No one has the right to say you stole anything!" Then, he turned a dark, warning glare at me. "Acting up the second you get back?" "Chloe, do you want to go back to the compound?!" My spine stiffened. I didn't even have the energy to defend myself. "It's my fault." Hearing this, he froze. An inexplicable wave of discomfort washed over his heart. "You don't have anything else to say? You're just admitting it? What if I'm falsely accusing you?" I let out a soft, airy laugh. "There's no point. People who don't believe me never will. Words are useless." His lips pressed into a tight, thin line, his expression turning ugly. But I had already turned around and walked away. Arthur caught up with me. As we walked into the front courtyard, I saw that the orange tree I had planted with my own hands as a child had been entirely uprooted. It had been replaced by a sprawling garden of roses—Maya's favorite. Arthur frowned. He instinctively glanced at me and explained. "Maya is allergic to citrus. If you really can't bear to part with it, I can have it replanted in the backyard." I stopped walking. A memory echoed in my mind. On the day we planted it, Arthur had smiled and said: "This little sapling will grow up with my favorite sister. Let's see who grows taller first." The memory shattered. I spoke with cold detachment. "No need. Uprooted is uprooted. Better that it dies." A flash of irritation crossed his eyes. Suppressing a sudden, inexplicable surge of anger, he said: "In three days, I'm hosting a Welcome Gala to officially announce Maya to high society." "Since you're the one who occupied her place for so long, it's crucial you attend. Otherwise, people will gossip about her." Three days... The corners of my mouth twitched upward. "Sorry to disappoint, but I won't be able to make it in three days." After all, by then, I'd already be dead. Hearing this, it was as if Arthur finally found an outlet for his suppressed anger. His face turned thunderous. He grabbed my wrist in a vice-like grip, squeezing so hard I could hear my bones grinding against each other. "I am not asking for your permission! Not unless you haven't suffered enough over the last five years!" My face drained of color. I gritted my teeth to keep from crying out in pain. Thud. He shoved me away and looked down at me with a lethal warning. "If you don't show up in three days, I will show you what real consequences look like!" I fell hard onto the pavement. My wrist, already nothing but skin and bone, twisted at an unnatural angle. Watching his cold, retreating back, my eyes stung with unshed tears. Walking upstairs, I followed my memory to push open my bedroom door, only to freeze in the doorway. The decor was completely changed. Photos of Maya were plastered everywhere. She happened to walk up behind me. "Sorry, sister. Your room became mine five years ago." "Do me a favor and go sleep in a guest room. Or the maid's quarters." I pressed my lips together, offering no resistance, and turned to walk down to a first-floor guest room. Maya was incredibly frustrated. It felt like punching cotton. She was winning at every turn, yet she felt suffocatingly unfulfilled. What she wanted to see was me fighting back, screaming hysterically, and begging for mercy. Not this dead, apathetic shell. Staring at my retreating back, a vicious, cruel light flashed in Maya's eyes. She pulled out her phone and made a call. I picked a random room, stood under the showerhead, and took my first real shower in five years. When the hot water hit my skin, I flinched in terror, completely unaccustomed to it. I reached out and slowly wiped the steam off the mirror. The woman's body in the glass was covered in horrific ruins. Before the old whip marks and burn scars could fade, terrifying new layers of scar tissue had already formed over them. I didn't sleep well that night. My dreams were filled with scenes of torture and violation. The disgusting laughter of those animals echoed in my ears. It wasn't until dawn that I jolted awake, drenched in cold sweat. "Thank you, Miss Maya, Mr. Arthur. It was our pleasure to do what we were told." My entire body went rigid. I snapped my head toward the door. The blood in my veins turned to ice, and my body began to tremble uncontrollably. That voice—I wouldn't forget it if I lived a hundred lifetimes! I burst out of the room like a madwoman. And there, standing in the middle of the grand living room, were the absolute animals from the compound, fawning over Maya and Arthur like loyal dogs! Cletus raised an eyebrow, his sticky, repulsive gaze scanning my body. "Well, look who it is. Chloe! You've changed so much, Uncle Cletus almost didn't recognize you." The string holding my sanity together snapped. Whatever fragile, forced rationality I had left was instantly obliterated! "Why the hell are you here?!" I screamed, lunging forward like a lunatic. I grabbed a heavy crystal ashtray and hurled it at his head with all my might. "Get out! Get the fuck out!" The heavy glass struck Cletus. Blood poured down his forehead. "You crazy bitch!" He instinctively raised his hand to beat me like he always did, but catching sight of Arthur's deep frown on the sofa, he held back. My eyes were bloodshot. The nightmare I just woke from was playing out in reality. I sprinted into the kitchen and grabbed a butcher knife! "I'll kill all of you!" The man on the sofa finally moved. Smack! My breakdown was brought to a violent, abrupt halt. I felt a rush of wind, and then my cheek exploded with blinding pain. I collapsed onto the floor, my eyes brimming with tears of absolute despair. "Calm the hell down!" Arthur lowered his raised hand, his face filled with irritation and disgust. "Maya invited them. Considering you finally learned how to behave thanks to their efforts, I agreed it made sense." "They will be attending Maya's Welcome Gala. Don't you dare throw a psychotic fit!" All the strength drained from my body. Looking at the brother I used to love more than anything, a hoarse, broken sob ripped from my throat. "Why..." "Why are you doing this to me... Arthur, just kill me." His pupils contracted sharply. "What did you just say?" But before he could process it, I coughed up a mouthful of black blood. Under his trembling gaze, I lost consciousness. When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed. Arthur was sitting beside me, his eyes lowered, completely motionless, lost in thought. Seeing me open my eyes, he quickly leaned forward. "Does it hurt anywhere else? I've scheduled a full-body scan for you." I looked away. "There's no need. I know my own body. It's nothing serious." He hesitated. "Those men... if you're really that repulsed by them, I'll have them leave." My hands curled into tight fists under the blanket. Just as I was about to speak, Maya walked in. She glanced at me, hiding the malice in her eyes, and immediately turned to whine at Arthur. "Arthur, I really like them. They're so genuine and real. Please let them stay for my gala, okay?" "But..." He glanced at me. Maya let go of his arm, her tears falling like broken pearls. "I knew it! The second sister came back, you stopped loving me! I'm just an extra in this family!" "If that's how it is, I'll just leave!" Of course, she didn't leave. Because the guilt Arthur had just felt toward me was instantly thrown out the window the second he saw her cry. He rushed to comfort her. "Okay, okay, whatever you say. They can stay." Tears still hung on Maya's eyelashes. "I want them to stay in the mansion, too." Arthur nodded without a second thought. "Alright. Whatever you want." My heart spasmed violently, shrinking and throbbing with agonizing pain. I let out a bitter, desolate smile. At that moment, Arthur received a phone call and hurried out of the room. Leaving just Maya and me in the hospital room. She stopped hiding her true colors, laughing with vicious delight. "See? You can never take what's mine. Not my brother, not your friends, not even the servants." "As long as I ask, even if I tell him to throw you back to those men, Arthur will agree." She stepped forward, pinching my chin hard. "Just like back then. All it took was a staged kidnapping I orchestrated myself, and he believed me without a single doubt." My eyes widened in horror. My breath hitched. "It was you?! You set the whole thing up?!" "Yep," she smiled smugly. "Go ahead, tell him. Go tell him the truth. Let's see if he believes you." I felt like my eyes were going to bleed. Thinking of the five years of dark, agonizing torture I endured, a surge of pure, unfiltered hatred rushed to my head. "Maya, I swear to God, I am going to kill you!" She gave a contemptuous laugh. "Oh, I'm so scared." Then, she turned and strutted out of the room.
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