My older brother fell in love with a delinquent girl and planned to elope with her in the dead of night. Afraid he was ruining his life, I told our parents. He was successfully stopped, and the delinquent girl went to Los Angeles all alone. Five years later, that girl became a massive Hollywood A-lister. She invited my brother to her movie premiere and, in front of all our old classmates, publicly "thanked" him for not keeping her company back then. Humiliated and deeply regretful, my brother blamed me for everything. My parents beat me too, thinking it was my fault the family lost out on a superstar daughter-in-law who could have made them rich. Unable to defend myself, I was beaten to death by my own family in a fit of rage. When I opened my eyes again, my brother was whispering to me, "I have to leave with Chloe tonight. Do not tell Mom and Dad." This time, I smiled and gave him my blessing: "Have a safe trip. Don't let the door hit you on the way out." 1 My brother was going to elope. Tonight. In the dim hallway of our house, he was crouching under the stairs like a thief, whispering into his phone. "2:00 AM. I'll be there." "I promise. If I don't show up, I'm a dog." In my previous life, I had come out of my room to get some water, overheard him, and asked where he was going. Afraid I would tell our parents, he confessed the truth. His high school girlfriend had been "discovered" by a talent scout at the mall over the weekend. The scout gave her a business card and invited her to Los Angeles to sign with a management agency. Worried about her going alone, my brother planned to sneak out in the middle of the night to accompany her to the audition. I was shocked. I knew his girlfriend. Her name was Chloe Miller, and she was a notorious rebel. Word was her parents were going through a messy divorce, and she acted out by trashing her own life—smoking, drinking, skipping class, and sneaking out to go clubbing. During his junior year, the school hadn't given up on her yet. They assigned my brother—a straight-A student—to tutor her. Who knew that a semester later, not only did Chloe not reform, but she dragged my brother into a secret relationship. When she broke her leg jumping a fence, my brother carried her to the hospital. When she smoked in the alley, my brother would frown and snatch the cigarette away. It wasn't until they were caught skipping class that the school finally discovered their romance. They called both sets of parents and forced them to break up. At the time, I was an eighth-grader studying for my high school entrance exams. My brother was a junior, ranked first in his entire grade. My dad came home cursing, pulled off his belt, and beat my brother mercilessly, demanding he cut ties with her or be beaten to death. My mom and I desperately shielded him, taking a few hits ourselves, until my brother finally gave in and promised never to see her again. He cried his eyes out that night. The seventeen-year-old boy looked utterly devastated. I secretly asked him, "Lucas, do you really like her that much?" He bit his lip and nodded pitifully. I tried to comfort him. "Then you guys can date after you graduate! It's just one more year until college. One year goes by so fast." Hearing that, the light returned to his eyes, and he nodded. After that, Lucas never mentioned Chloe again. When I started my freshman year of high school, I never saw Chloe around him either. I truly thought they had broken up. I never expected that a year later, during winter break of his senior year, he would try to elope under the moonlight to help her become a star. To me, the news was like a blow to the head. In my past life, I was frantic. I couldn't let it happen. He was too young, only eighteen. I was terrified of him going to LA alone. In this day and age, what real talent scout just hands out cards at a mall? If she wanted to be an artist, she should apply to a performing arts college. What's more, my dad had just spent over two thousand dollars enrolling him in an intensive SAT winter boot camp. He was supposed to leave for the closed-campus camp the very next morning. If he ran away now, Dad would literally kill him. Lucas looked at me pleadingly, pressing his hands together in a begging motion. "Just this once, Emma. I promise I'll be back in five days. I'll bring you back souvenirs from California. Just please, do not tell Mom and Dad." I shook my head profusely, absolutely refusing. In that life, I didn't listen. I yelled and screamed, waking up our parents. That night, Lucas tried desperately to escape but was overpowered by my dad. Forced to stay, he texted Chloe that he couldn't make it and told her not to go either. Chloe went anyway, replying with a single word—"Liar"—and vanished for five years. No one could have predicted that five years later, Chloe would actually become a massive superstar. Not only was she insanely famous, but she was also in a highly publicized PR romance with the heir of a wealthy media empire. At a class reunion, Chloe—now an A-list celebrity—thanked the school administration, thanked her classmates, and then personally raised a glass to Lucas. She mocked him for not standing by her, saying that if he had gone, the Chloe of today wouldn't exist. Lucas was humiliated beyond belief. Even though he had graduated from a top-tier university and had a promising, high-paying career. He couldn't let go of his first love's mockery. He went home and complained bitterly to our parents, exaggerating everything. When I came home, completely oblivious, a brutal beating from my entire family was waiting for me. I was beaten to the brink of death. I tried frantically to explain, but Lucas smashed a glass bottle over my head, ending my life right there. When I woke up, I was back to five years ago, on the day of the elopement. Holding a trash bag, standing in the hallway. My mom yelled from inside the house, telling me to hurry up. I snapped out of my daze, suppressed the bitter ache in my chest, and walked toward the stairs. When I came back, Lucas was guarding the door. He stared at me warily. "Did you hear me on the phone just now?" 2 I looked at his face, my heart aching terribly. This was my own flesh-and-blood brother. How could he bear to beat me to death? I only ever wanted the best for him. What did I do wrong?! Seeing me stay silent, Lucas frowned and pressed: "Did you hear something? I'm warning you, do not say a word to Mom and Dad." Suddenly, it clicked. I realized he had been reborn too. Five years ago, he would never have spoken to me in that tone. Only the Lucas who deeply regretted his choices after Chloe became famous would treat me like this. I tested him with a cold smirk. "Where you go is none of my business. What, are you going to beat your sister to death like a murderer if I talk?" Lucas gasped. The look on his face instantly shifted to pure panic. His reaction confirmed my suspicion. The bitterness in my heart solidified, and any remaining hope I had for him vanished. I refused to believe a murderer could just get away with it in a lawful society. He must have been arrested eventually. And if he was arrested and still showed no remorse in this new life, why should I waste my breath? "Move." I turned sideways, my face cold, trying to push past him. "Wait!" He grabbed my wrist, his face dark. "I accidentally killed you because I was out of my mind. But since we're both back, you better keep your nose out of my business. Tonight, I am leaving with Chloe." His tone was incredibly stubborn, as if terrified I would stop him again. My blood ran cold. "If you want to go, go. Let go of me!" He didn't let go. Hearing my words, his grip only tightened. "I'm not joking around with you! In our past life, because of you, Chloe and I missed our chance. God took pity on me and gave me a second chance. I have to go with her tonight. Do not tell Mom and Dad, or I'll make you pay!" I couldn't take it anymore. Unable to suppress my rage, I gripped my house keys and slammed them as hard as I could into his chest. He cried out in pain and instinctively let go. I immediately screamed at the top of my lungs: "Mom! Mom! Lucas hit me!" Lucas jumped, terrified, and rushed over to cover my mouth. At this point in time, my mom still loved me. She hadn't yet developed the resentment she would harbor five years later. I screamed so pitifully that both my parents rushed out in a panic. Seeing Lucas frantically covering my mouth, they immediately started smacking and scolding him. I went into my room crying, locking the door without explaining anything. Lucas spent the whole evening in a state of paranoia. It wasn't until I took a shower and went back to my room that he finally let out a sigh of relief and sent me a text. "Let's wipe the slate clean. Once I make it big, I'll make it up to you." I sneered. That was a human life. If we hadn't been reborn, how would you possibly make it up to me? "Have a safe trip. Don't let the door hit you." I wiped a tear from the corner of my eye, gritted my teeth, sent the message, and blocked his number. Let it be. If he wanted to be brave and chase love, that was his business. From now on, I am Emma Davis. If I ever meddle in his affairs again, I'm a dog! 3 The next few days were quiet. My brother ran away in the middle of the night. He went straight to Los Angeles. He was smart and completely prepared. In his past life, he had found a shady clinic to write a fake emergency room note for our mom. He had a classmate going to the same winter camp submit it for him, making the teachers think he missed camp to care for his hospitalized mother. At home, however, he left a letter for our parents saying he left in the middle of the night to catch a discounted bus to save them money. He told them not to worry, that he was already at the camp, and would text them once he was settled. With this manipulation, he managed to pull the wool over everyone's eyes. My parents were so moved, thinking their son was incredibly mature. The teachers didn't call, never imagining a top student would lie like that. I just sneered in the background. Seeing my mom wipe away tears of affection was almost comical. She had no idea the teachers thought she was fighting for her life in an ER. I didn't expect my brother to be so thorough. He really racked his brain for love. In my past life, I stopped him, and he hated me for five years. The first three years weren't too bad. Even though Chloe had blocked him, she was a nobody, and my brother didn't know her situation. He was just cold and sarcastic towards me. But in the fourth year, Chloe suddenly blew up. After that, my brother's mental state completely collapsed. He always believed I was the one who tore them apart. If I hadn't been so nosy, he would be the boyfriend of a massive superstar. How could the girl who used to sit on his lap be so out of reach now? So he hated me. He found every way possible to torture and retaliate against me at home. He would spit in my toothbrush cup. He would deliberately pee on my face towel. At first, my parents intervened, thinking a grassroots celebrity was nothing special. But as Chloe got more famous, making millions a movie, my parents started feeling the sting too. They realized they had lost a cash-cow daughter-in-law. I had tried to find Chloe, hoping to reconcile her and my brother. But Chloe refused to see me and ignored my DMs. I had to endure my brother's resentment, tolerating it as long as he didn't cross the line. Now, everything was back on track. He got what he wanted, following Chloe to Los Angeles. Whatever the consequences, it had nothing to do with me anymore. I really wanted to see if he could make it to the end with Chloe. You have to remember, in our past life, Chloe didn't become famous until three years later. As a high school senior, could he really survive in LA to support her for three years? Time flew by. In a blink, it was six days later. For six straight days, aside from the initial "I'm safe" text, my brother hadn't sent a single message. My mom complained to me, wondering why he was so busy. Even at a closed-campus camp, they should give the students some free time. It had been so long, and he hadn't even called. I comforted her with a few words, rolling my eyes internally. He finally reunited with his white swan after five years. They were probably exploring the birds and the bees in some motel room. At their age, fueled by passion, who remembers to call their mom? But then I thought about it and realized that couldn't be it. My brother had said before he left that he would return to the camp in five days max. If he stayed away too long and his cover was blown, my dad wouldn't let him off easily. But now it was day seven, and he still hadn't returned. I felt a bit uneasy. On one hand, I hoped he was fine. On the other hand, he was my biological brother; if something really happened, covering for him wouldn't do me any favors. During my hesitation, on the eighth day, news finally came. It was the LAPD calling. "Hello, is this the family of Lucas Davis?" "This is the Los Angeles Police Department." "We busted a human trafficking and scam ring. Your son, Lucas, was held captive inside..." My mom had the phone on speaker while watching TV. Hearing that call, we were both stunned. Wait, my brother went to LA with Chloe to chase a dream, and ended up in a human trafficking ring??? 4 Facts proved that chasing dreams while young is risky. The police said my brother was lured into the trafficking ring on his second day in LA. He was abused for six days before they successfully escaped, thanks to Chloe calling the cops. When we saw my brother in the hospital, I could hardly believe my eyes. He was in a hospital gown, covered in bruises. He sat on the bed like a wilted vegetable, staring blankly out the window, his face a mask of complete numbness. The doctors told us he had endured horrific torture. He had been sexually assaulted and contracted syphilis. My mom couldn't believe it and broke down crying on the spot. Hearing her familiar voice, my brother turned his head slowly. He stared at my mom for a few seconds before letting out a loud, agonizing wail. He struggled to crawl over, collapsing into her arms, sobbing uncontrollably. My dad had come in full of rage, wanting to demand why he was here. But seeing my brother like that, all his anger vanished. The three of them hugged and cried like survivors of a disaster movie. I stood to the side, feeling incredibly awkward. I couldn't force a tear out if I tried, feeling completely out of place. From the police, we learned the details of my brother's ordeal. It turned out the "talent scout" who gave Chloe the card was a con artist. The syndicate they ran was pure evil. Anyone lured in would be subjected to severe abuse. After breaking them down, the captives were either forced to join the scammers to trick others, or, if they were disobedient, their organs would be harvested and sold on the black market. My brother was in disbelief. In his past life, he firmly believed Chloe flourished under that scout's guidance three years later. He never imagined the guy was a fraud. Chloe was cautious at first and didn't want to trust him easily. But my brother, terrified the scout would leave, kept urging her to listen. The two of them had dinner with the scout, and the next day they were drugged and taken to a compound on the outskirts of the city. If Chloe hadn't been incredibly resilient—jumping from a second-story window and miraculously surviving to call the police—they might still be in there suffering today. "Mom, you have no idea what monsters they are." "They didn't just beat me, they... they violated me." "I don't want to live anymore. I want to die. What am I going to do with my life?!" My brother was hysterical, clinging to my mom, tears streaming down his face. I lowered my eyes, pretending to be sad, honestly not knowing how to react. In our past life, I stopped him, and he blamed me for tearing him and Chloe apart. This time he went, only to drag Chloe into a trafficking ring with him. Is this what they call instant karma? The universe's justice is swift and merciless. Chloe was supposed to be a mega-star in five years. If I were her, having been dragged into this nightmare, I'd crawl out of bed in the middle of the night to strangle him! At the same time, I was incredibly confused. Since that talent scout was a fraud, how did Chloe become a superstar three years later? Did the scammers suddenly grow a conscience, let her go, and invest millions to make her famous? Or did she go to LA alone in her past life, remain highly vigilant, and avoid getting kidnapped altogether? This question didn't trouble me for long. Two days later, a teenage boy in a wheelchair rolled into my brother's hospital room. 5 I recognized this boy. His name was Sebastian Vance. He had another identity: the grandson of the Chairman of Vance Media Group, and the heavily rumored boyfriend of Chloe when she became famous in my past life. I never expected to meet him here, but I recognized him instantly. I was even more surprised when my brother, who had been crying for two days, forced a smile and greeted him upon seeing him. "Sebastian, you're here. How are you holding up? I heard your family came to get you?" His tone was so familiar, I almost thought they were close friends. Sebastian smiled faintly and replied, "I'm alright. My injuries aren't too bad. But what about you? Are you holding up?" My brother, ever fragile, teared up immediately. Choking back sobs, he said, "I'm surviving." My dad was out of the room. He had heard his precious son came to LA to accompany Chloe to an audition. He had spent the last two days looking for her, going room to room asking where Chloe's room was, vowing to settle the score with her. My mom poured Sebastian a cup of water and asked who he was. Sebastian smiled as he took it. "I'm a friend of Lucas's. Actually, we met while we were locked up. If Chloe hadn't jumped out the window to call the cops, we wouldn't even know how long we'd be trapped there." Hearing this, it all clicked into place for me. No wonder Chloe still became a star in the past life despite being scammed. She ended up trapped in a trafficking ring with the young heir of a media empire! Talk about a blessing in disguise! Chloe's debut in my past life was highly secretive. No one knew she had been in a trafficking ring. She disappeared for three years, and her very first role was the lead in the hottest fantasy drama of the year. The following two years were smooth sailing. Many people shipped her with various actors, but the most aggressive PR shipping was with Sebastian. Sebastian visited her sets constantly, and the agency she signed with upon her debut was owned by Vance Media. The entertainment industry is full of smoke and mirrors, with many rumors based on hearsay. Now, seeing Sebastian, I could basically confirm it. Thinking about the past, Chloe must have ended up in that trafficking ring, but she dared to jump from the window. Or rather, after she escaped with someone's help, she became friends with Sebastian because of that shared trauma. One was a naive girl lured to LA by a fake scout while chasing a dream. The other was the grandson of a media mogul, who just happened to have the resources to help the naive girl achieve that dream. This fairy-tale plot playing out in reality was truly unbeatable. It meant that in the past life, Chloe's opportunity to become a star was entirely thanks to Sebastian. This guy was her secret benefactor. Meeting him in such bizarre circumstances was incredibly ironic. But... My gaze fell on Sebastian's legs. In my past life, he was photographed by paparazzi wearing a tailored white suit, tall and fit. His legs were perfectly fine back then. Why was he in a wheelchair now? Did he get injured in the trafficking ring in this life? That was heartbreaking. I sincerely wished my brother was the only one who got hurt.
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