In our past life, my twin sister and I were adopted separately by a wealthy man’s mistress and his legitimate wife. Under the maneuvering of the mistress, my adopted mother, I debuted as a child star, becoming a household name and an award-winning actress. Meanwhile, my sister, raised by the neglected wife, became a marginalized figure in high society after graduating from college. After I became famous, the media constantly compared us, mocking her: [The fake socialite should just come to the entertainment industry and be a stand-in for our Best Actress.] On the day a powerful tycoon successfully proposed to me, my sister suddenly went insane and dragged me into a murder-suicide. Reborn back in the orphanage, in this life, she avoided the legitimate wife like the plague. "Sister, it's your turn to go to the wealthy family and suffer!" Hilarious. She actually doesn't want the kind of resources that would make anyone drool, the kind of life that puts you right at the finish line. 1 The wealthiest couple in Seattle paid a low-key visit to the orphanage, looking to adopt a daughter. When we reached the door, my sister absolutely refused to go in. "You stubborn girl, you're usually the first to push to the front. Why aren't you grabbing this amazing opportunity?" The director, furious, pinched her ear. She yelled in pain: "I'd rather not have this kind of 'blessing'! Some people look rich on the outside, but nobody knows how miserable their lives actually are!" The director turned pale with fright and quickly clamped a hand over her mouth. Inside the room, Richard Sterling stood up, kicking his chair aside. "Hah! If you can't even stand to live with yourself, why bother acting so pathetic!" "Let's go! Are we just going to stay here and be a laughingstock?" Elena Sterling didn't get angry. She just pointed a finger at me. "Is there still one more here?" My sister said sarcastically, "Sister, you go. It's a wealthy family, you'll be eating well and living a happy life." Although Elena was somewhat surprised by my sister's hostility, she quickly shifted her gaze back to me. I nodded eagerly. She smiled faintly, standing up. "Then let's go handle the paperwork." Richard let out a cold sneer and actually just abandoned her, turning on his heel and leaving, his back radiating anger. In that moment, everyone knew that the relationship between the billionaire couple was atrocious. My sister glared resentfully at Elena's retreating back and muttered under her breath, "Good-for-nothing!" Everyone thought she had lost her mind. Offending the Sterling family so blatantly, who would dare adopt her now? But she was entirely unbothered. When we said our goodbyes, she whispered in my ear, "Sister, you have no chance. In this life, I'm going to take away that mother who schemed for you." I smiled too. She was right, there was no chance. After pulling this stunt, even if my sister wanted to back out, it was too late. 2 Not only did my sister dare to offend Elena, but she was also prepared to be enemies with her for the rest of this life. In our past life, to ensure she was adopted by Elena, she poured water on my blanket in the middle of the night, causing me to wake up with a high fever. With her biggest competitor out of the way, she got her wish and was adopted by the wealthy family. I originally thought our lives would be worlds apart from then on. But I didn't expect— Right after she was taken away, Richard's mistress, Fiona Vance, brought a swarm of media reporters to the orphanage, specifically asking to adopt me. Fiona ripped off my fever-reducing patch, dressed me in new clothes, and took photos and gave interviews for the media. The mistress and the legitimate wife adopting twin sisters at the same time—this news naturally became a trending topic. My face was flushed, my eyes hazy and adorable, and netizens swooned over how cute I was. Coupled with public speculation that Fiona had ulterior motives for adopting me, I received unprecedented attention. Fiona, who started as an internet influencer, seized the opportunity to launch my career as a child star. I had endless gigs, and she gained massive traffic. Even Richard publicly favored me, allowing me to call him "Dad." Compared to our rapid rise to fame, the legitimate wife, Elena, never responded or fought back against our blatant provocations. Even when Fiona brought me to confront her directly multiple times, she just smiled faintly, avoiding our sharp edges. Her passive, non-confrontational attitude made my sister, who was living with her, suffer a lot of neglect and mockery. Every time I met with my sister, she was always full of jealousy and frustration, furious that Elena wasn't fighting back. In the years that followed, I sang and danced my way to the top, my career path smooth sailing. My sister, on the other hand, entered an elite private school. Her weekends were filled with various tutoring sessions and private coaches, living under strict discipline. Elena, coming from a prestigious family after all, naturally planned for her daughter's future. After graduating from college, she arranged a marriage of equal social standing for my sister. For my sister, who had no inheritance rights and was already marginalized in the wealthy family, this was her only chance to turn her life around. That day, she posted a private message on her social media, visible only to me: [The good-for-nothing finally did one good thing! Now I understand. Actors are just actors, and the mother and daughter are the same. At best, they are just playthings for the rich.] When Fiona got the news, she was furious. "You rejected all your suitors just to elevate the third young master of the Harrison family? Is he only giving you a few million dollars' worth of jewelry?!" She said with bitter jealousy, "Elena shouldn't even think about winning, not even once!" Unable to become the legal wife after more than a decade, she hated Elena with a passion, and her actions became increasingly erratic. Later, reporters caught her and the third young master Harrison spending the night at a hotel. When the media asked him about his engagement to my sister, he flatly denied it. "That was just an arrangement by the families. Just a business stunt." The day I won the Best Actress award, the third young master Harrison deployed a fleet of helicopters to propose to me. The flowers and fireworks that night echoed throughout the city. Some media intercepted Elena and my sister, asking for their thoughts on the matter. Elena only replied faintly, "Everyone has their own ambitions. You can't force things." My sister's years of resentment and frustration finally exploded. She lost control of her expression, abandoned Elena, and stormed off alone. The original wife and the mistress of the Sterling family had fought for years with no clear winner or loser. But the lives of us two daughters would be worlds apart from then on. She went crazy, drove her car into mine, and took us both down together. 3 In this life, my sister got her wish and was adopted by Fiona. The internet was full of trending topics about them. When Richard was asked if Fiona's actions were deliberately provoking his wife, he looked doting. "She can be a bit impulsive, but I believe she'll be responsible for the child." The next day, Fiona arrogantly declared: "Some people boast about coming from a prestigious family. I'd like to see whose upbringing produces a more successful child!" This statement was practically grinding Elena's face into the dirt. Elena didn't respond. She was very busy. She had company executives behind her, she had to personally select schools and interview private tutors for me, and she also tutored me in my homework at night. When Richard didn't come home at night, she would let me sleep in her bed. Holding her soft, fragrant body, I slept more peacefully than I ever had before. This kind of genuine affection, liking, and companionship without any ulterior motives—my sister surprisingly didn't know how to cherish it. The heat of the adoption news slowly died down, but Fiona's provocations never stopped. A month later, Richard made a rare return to the Sterling mansion. Fiona followed right on his heels. We were in the middle of eating when she flew like a butterfly into Richard's arms. "Our precious daughter got the endorsement for the Hughes brand. You promised you'd celebrate with us." My sister, her eyes red and looking aggrieved, tugged at his hem. "Uncle Richard—" Fiona's eyes widened, and she playfully scolded, "Why are you calling him Uncle? Call him Dad." My sister glanced at Elena and shrank her neck, not daring to make a sound. Richard tapped his fingers lightly on the table, a half-smile on his face. Fiona's eyes sparkled. "Chloe, are you afraid that because you offended Miss Elena the other day, she's blaming you?" "Adoption is about destiny. Kids are kids; they like who they like, and dislike who they dislike. That's perfectly understandable." Richard put down his soup bowl. "Elena, what do you say?" Elena pulled me up, her expression calm. "This is your own business." Richard's face stiffened, and he ground his teeth. "Fine!" He scooped my sister up and sat her on his lap. "From now on, you call me Dad. Let's see who dares to object!" My sister pointed a finger at me. "Dad, what about her?" "That's someone else's business. We don't care." When we left the living room, the mother and daughter had already sat down, continuing to eat with Richard. Even from afar, we could still hear their laughter. Back in the study, Elena asked me, "Are you upset?" I grinned and shook my head. I was so happy not to call Richard "Dad." I had called him that enough in my past life to make me sick. She nodded, a hint of warmth entering her usually indifferent expression. "You just focus on your studies." Before going to sleep, she had a rare, serious conversation with me. "Evelyn, even though your last name is Sterling, the Sterling family's assets have nothing to do with you. Your dad—your Uncle Richard—had a son before we got married. Don't fight for it, don't even think about it; adopting you was my personal decision, and I will be responsible for you." I nodded, hesitating for a moment before asking, "Mom, are you unwilling to have a child with him?" "You just need to know that he and I won't have children." In our past life, they indeed never had children. The outside world had speculated how long their marriage could last, but Richard never mentioned divorce. Instead, one time Elena was photographed meeting a male friend. Richard actually lost his composure on the spot, flew into a rage, and threatened to make life a living hell for that media outlet. This caused Fiona to go crazy that day, smashing everything in her house to pieces. 4 On my way home from school, the car was suddenly forced to stop. My sister, dressed to the nines, tapped on my window. Seeing me holding a book, she clicked her tongue and shook her head. "Sister, the pressure of studying must be suffocating, right? Is that old witch still giving you a curfew, making you be home by five o'clock?" "It's hilarious. That old witch gave you the title of a socialite, but in the end, you still have to be kicked out to become a corporate drone, working for someone else!" She lifted her skirt and twirled in place. "Sister, a monthly salary of ten thousand is the peak of your ambitions, unlike me, who can gain both fame and fortune." "And in this life, you'll be even more miserable than me. Following the legal wife, you don't even have the right to call him 'Dad'." She was extremely smug. "Sister, I'm better than you. I won over Richard in just one month. Do you know how many benefits that one word 'Dad' has brought me?" She expected to see me look hurt and disappointed. But I just examined her body, which was even thinner than when she was in the orphanage, and the dark circles under her eyes that makeup couldn't hide. I smiled faintly: "Singing, dancing, doing gigs, working non-stop. Is it really easier than me studying?" Fiona was never a reasonable person. Taking advantage of the hype, she would try to squeeze every last drop of value out of my sister in the shortest time possible. In our past life, my sister only saw me looking beautiful and put-together, not having to study. Comparing my glamorous appearance to the boredom of her studies. Naturally, she thought it was bitter and gloomy. Only when she actually tasted hardship would she understand that the hardship of studying wasn't really hardship at all. "I don't believe you don't understand that you're nothing but a tool for Fiona to please Richard and provoke my mom." I observed her prematurely developed body. "Also, if Fiona forces you to take pills, you'd better get them checked first." Her expression changed drastically. "What pills?! Don't talk nonsense! Hah, Sister, you just don't want me to get the same treatment you did! You're afraid I'll be as successful as you were!" I shook my head and stopped trying to persuade her. Sooner or later, she would understand that for kids like us who lack natural talent as child stars, standing firm in the entertainment industry on hype alone is never easy. Coupled with Fiona's obsession with marrying Richard. Now that she could play the loving mother-daughter card with her, if day after day went by and she still couldn't become the legal wife, her manic depression would become harder and harder to suppress. In our past life, she forced me to climb the ladder using any means necessary, suppressing Elena to fight for favor and attract Richard's attention. When Richard got a new flavor of the month, she would blame me for being useless, pinching my thighs and back until they were bruised to vent her anger. Later, afraid of being discovered, she switched to using needles. "Keep your mouth shut tight! I can make you famous, and I can make you lose everything!" It wasn't until I was 15 and won my first major award that she finally stopped daring to lay a hand on me. The four words "marrying into wealth" was her dream, but it was my absolute worst nightmare. I didn't understand. Fiona actually had many opportunities in her life. If she had just worked a little harder, she could have become wealthy on her own. Yet she chose to live like a parasitic, grasping weed. She was smug about Richard's affection, flaunting her designer bags, clothes, shoes, and diamond rings. But she was blind to Elena using her status as Mrs. Sterling to turn the struggling Sterling Enterprises into a booming business, increasing her personal net worth to the top ten of the wealthy list. She fought tooth and nail to secure a tiny spot in the entertainment gossip columns, completely ignoring that Elena was a regular in the financial section. Not only was Fiona obsessed, but my sister was too. In our past life, when she stood at the peak, all she could see was the false prosperity that Fiona and I deliberately presented. Using a man's cheap favoritism to define the victory or defeat between the legal wife and the mistress was too foolish. 5 Before long, I skipped two grades, and studying felt effortless. So I boldly proposed to Elena that I wanted to try my hand at the stock market. "Mom, I promise it won't affect my studies." She didn't agree on the spot, but silently observed me for a month before handing over her personal account to me. The account had a starting capital of ten thousand dollars. I was overjoyed and hugged her, giving her a kiss. She patted my head, smiling as she asked, "You didn't curse me for being stingy in your heart, did you?" I stuck my tongue out. "I know, you were afraid I'd get distracted from my studies." "If you lose money, come find me." I nodded, but couldn't hide the smug look on my face. Losing money was definitely not going to happen. Life became enriching like this. I was busy studying and trading stocks, while Elena was busy expanding Sterling Enterprises. Fiona, with my sister's cooperation, kept Richard so captivated he didn't want to leave. My sister also benefited from Richard's influence, starting to act in TV dramas, coming into contact with the film industry even earlier than I did in my past life. But Richard always managed to remember us from time to time. That night, I was suddenly jolted awake. In the darkness, a massive, dark figure was pressing down on Elena. "Get out! Don't wake Evelyn up." She yelled in a low voice. "Hah, you're getting addicted to playing mom, aren't you? Why don't we have one of our own." In the dark, the sound of fabric tearing echoed continuously. My eyes instantly turned bloodshot. I rolled out of bed, grabbed Richard's arm, and bit down viciously! "Hiss! You little bastard, get off!" He swung his arm forcefully. Elena screamed, "Evelyn!" Like a little calf, I used my hands and feet, clinging onto Richard and refusing to let go, biting down even deeper. My eyes revealed a fierce determination; he was not going to bully my mom! Enraged, Richard grabbed my hair fiercely. Elena finally stopped holding back, rushing forward and wrestling with him. Finally, Richard lost all interest, cursed under his breath, "This little brat better let go, I won't touch you tonight, alright?!" Elena hugged me, comforting me for a long time before I warily let go. Then, two teeth, stained with blood, fell out. After a furious Richard left, I cried, my eyes red. "Mom, I don't want him. Can we divorce him, please?" I knew better than anyone that Elena didn't love Richard. Especially when gossip about Richard spending the night at Fiona's surfaced; the disgust in her eyes was uncontrollable. "Evelyn, now is not the time." She closed her eyes wearily. "No, we can!" I immediately showed her the long string of zeros in my stock market account. Her eyes widened slightly. "Evelyn, you—" "Is this enough?" She dressed me and took me out to get my wounds treated. "This isn't something you should be thinking about right now." It wasn't until my 15th birthday. She suddenly wanted to change my last name, having a massive argument with Richard. "You have a son and a daughter. Evelyn has always called you Uncle. Whether she has the last name Sterling or not has no impact on you." A hint of frustration flashed in Richard's eyes, and he left angrily. From then on, I became Evelyn Vance. Elena brought me to the company, and I spent every winter and summer vacation in her office. At first, I just traded stocks, but later I gradually helped her handle official business and got familiar with the group's affairs. On my 18th birthday, Elena took me to a charity gala, officially introducing me to her network of resources. I knew that from now on, I was thoroughly heading towards a completely different life than my past one. While I was focused on talking with several senior business figures, Richard arrived with Fiona and my sister. Richard walked towards the main hall. My sister saw me and wanted to follow him in, but was stopped by Richard. She stood in place, stamping her feet, glaring at me resentfully. As soon as Richard entered, he reprimanded me. "Adults are discussing business, what is a child doing here? Get out!" Elena and I exchanged a glance, politely said goodbye to everyone, and obediently exited. Just as we walked into the front hall. "Evelyn, over here!" My nominal brother waved at me, surrounded by a group of teenage boys and girls. My sister was clinging to the arm of the third young master Harrison, looking very intimate. Seeing this, she had moved on the third young master Harrison very early in this life. 6 "You should really rein her in. Is the organizer's area somewhere she should be? She's completely embarrassing the Sterling family." My sister was still indignant about not being able to follow Richard to the main hall earlier. "You have a good mother, so you can go too!" my stepbrother retorted with a bad attitude. The third young master Harrison smiled and tried to smooth things over. "Why bother? Chloe isn't in our circle anyway." Then he explained to my sister, "President Vance is grooming Evelyn as her successor. It's different for us." It would have been better if he hadn't said that. My sister's face instantly flushed crimson, deeply ashamed and furious. "What kind of magic potion did you feed Elena?!" she glared at me fiercely. "Hah, you should stop talking and embarrassing yourself." The eldest daughter of the Montgomery family, who had been silent the whole time, let out a cold sneer and interjected, "Good thing President Vance is a woman, otherwise people would start spreading rumors that Evelyn is just good in bed." My stepbrother chimed in with ambiguous meaning, "Evelyn really does sleep in the same bed as my mom. I'm even getting jealous." The crowd burst into laughter. A hint of impatience flashed in the third young master Harrison's eyes. "If you don't understand, then don't speak. The major project Vance Enterprises recently successfully bid on was handled by Evelyn." My sister finally realized the current situation and stopped targeting me. When I went to the restroom, she followed me in, asking impatiently, "What methods did you use on my brother? Why is he defending you so much!" I adjusted my hair in the mirror. "What, did you guys not get along well before?" She glared at me, her eyes shooting fire. I smiled, no longer teasing her. "I don't have the last name Sterling, and I won't take a single cent from the Sterling family. Why would he make things difficult for me?" "And what about Elena?! She's always been cold-blooded and selfish—" "Shut up!" I interrupted, my face turning cold. "She is the best mother in the world. Don't ever let me hear you attack her again." "So what if I say it!" She puffed out her chest and stepped aggressively toward me. "I'll say whatever I want! She's just a heartless old witch!" I raised my hand slightly. But thinking about the occasion today, I put it back down. My sister, however, wasn't having it. She went crazy at me, then suddenly covered her face and ran out. By the time I walked back to the front hall, she had disturbed everyone. Richard had his arm around my sister, facing off against Elena. My sister's cheeks were flushed, her hair disheveled, crying like a delicate flower in the rain. Her proud cleavage trembled as she sobbed into Richard's arms. If she hadn't constantly called Richard "Dad," this scene would have easily sparked people's imaginations. Fiona cried, "I can understand Evelyn taking her anger out on someone, but she should come at me! What kind of person bullies my daughter?" "She has a shoot tomorrow. Beating her face like this, isn't that clearly trying to ruin her career?" Richard rubbed his thumb against my sister's cheek, glaring coldly at Elena. "Tell Evelyn to come out right now and apologize to Chloe. Is this how you raise a child?!" I walked up slowly. "Uncle Richard, before blaming the legal wife and backing up your mistress and her daughter, shouldn't you figure out what actually happened first?" Richard's cold eyes narrowed. "Say that again." Mr. Hayes, the organizer, hesitated for a moment before trying to persuade him. "Mr. Sterling, Evelyn was just—" "Evelyn bullying me is one thing, but she doesn't even respect you, Dad! She called you a 'dirty cucumber' and said we're the only ones desperate enough to want you." My sister yelled. "I wasn't having it, so she beat me up like this." Richard grabbed my neck. "Who the hell do you think you are! You're dead!" "You're dead." My sister mouthed silently at me, confident of her victory. I glared coldly at Richard, not begging for mercy. He had wanted to kill me for a long time. From the initial distant "Uncle Richard," to me being a third wheel between him and my mom for years, plus the two deep bite marks on his arm. The feeling of suffocation hit me like an ocean wave, but I gritted my teeth and didn't make a sound. "Do you know that being this stubborn just makes me want to destroy you? Hah, you think Elena will protect you?" Richard sneered, his eyes turning bloodthirsty as he ordered, "Elena, I'm giving you three days to send this little bastard back to the slums." "I want her to spend the rest of her life in a gutter, never able to turn her life around!"
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