In my past life, the fake heiress was doted upon, held in the palms of my family's hands like a precious treasure. Meanwhile, I, the true daughter, was abandoned by my own family, reviled by the world, and died a miserable death on the streets. In this life, I looked at my younger sister's feigned innocent smile and gave a small smile of my own. She didn't know that everyone could hear her inner thoughts, except for herself. 00 "Where is Chloe?" I looked up at the person who had just walked in. She was wearing a chic tweed skirt suit, her hair styled in perfect waves, paired with lambskin shoes. Her makeup was flawless. She radiated an air of wealth, looking around with blatant disgust. Her entire aura was completely out of place in these surroundings. "I'm here," I answered. Chloe looked me up and down, a barely suppressed sneer in her eyes. It was only when her gaze swept across my face that she let out an angry huff. "Let me warn you. Just because Mom and Dad are bringing you home doesn't mean anything. I've lived with the Bennett family for eighteen years. I am the true daughter of the Bennett family. You'd better behave yourself, or I'll show you exactly what I'm capable of!" Her voice was shrill and piercing, making me frown. She had lived with the Bennetts for so long, yet she hadn't learned a shred of manners. I was the true daughter of the Bennett family. I had been abducted and sold when I was little, eventually ending up in an orphanage. Chloe had taken my identity and lived as the Bennett family's beloved daughter for eighteen years. By the time I, the real daughter, was found and brought back, she had already deeply ingrained herself in the hearts of my parents and brother. Unfortunately, her sweet, lovable exterior hid the heart of a viper. To my face, Chloe would affectionately call me "sister," but behind closed doors, she would stab my skin with pens and threaten me. At school, she would brazenly shove my head into the toilet. She framed me for cheating, destroying my reputation until I was barely surviving at school. Just when I got accepted into a top university and things were finally starting to look up, she pushed me off the eighteenth floor. Because of her, the Bennett family was ruined. My father was sent to prison, my brother disappeared, and my mother, consumed by anger and grief, died of illness. I looked down at my hands. Though they were rough with calluses, they didn't have the scars from my past life. This meant I had been reborn. I looked at the arrogant Chloe and gave a small smile. She didn't know that this time around, as long as she was near me, everyone could hear her inner thoughts. In my past life, I was always too afraid to look her in the eye. Looking closely now, her surgically altered face was actually kind of funny. She didn't look like me. The older she got, the less she looked like me. She had been relying on secret cosmetic tweaks to maintain the resemblance. But because she was terrified the Bennetts would find out, she could only go to shady, underground clinics. Even though her face was completely different now, everyone just assumed she was "growing into her features." "Is that so? Who the real daughter is—do you think Mom and Dad really don't know? Why do you think they're bringing me back? If you aren't feeling guilty, why did you go to a back-alley clinic to get plastic surgery? Aren't you afraid your face is going to rot off?" Hit where it hurt, Chloe immediately lunged at me, raising her hand to slap me. But I grabbed her wrist first, my gaze turning ice-cold. "Chloe, don't forget that everything you have today is because you stole my identity. Do you want to play games? I'll play with you. But your nose still doesn't look enough like mine. Since we'll be living under the same roof, take a good look at my face. Try to find a better doctor next time so you can really copy it." Being exposed made Chloe panic for a second, but she quickly collected herself, glaring at me venomously. "Who are you trying to scare! Just wait. Once you get to the Bennett house, I'll show you what I can do. Do you really think a piece of paper is enough to get you through the door? You're too naive." "Oh, really? Then why did you sneak over here to try and intimidate me? Don't lie to yourself, Chloe. If you aren't scared, why did you get surgery to look like me? Or is it because you know you're hideous, and seeing me makes you feel insecure?" "Chloe!" Unable to break free from my grip, Chloe screamed and lunged forward, trying to bite me, completely losing her haughty demeanor. I shoved her away, looking in disgust at her crumpled on the floor. "A friendly reminder: Mom and Dad are going to be here any minute. If you don't leave now, your vicious little act is going to be exposed." Chloe glared at me fiercely, her eyes practically dripping with poison, but she quickly scrambled up and gathered her things. I let out a cold laugh. This was just the beginning. Not long after Chloe left, the Bennetts arrived to pick me up. I followed them back to the estate. Sitting in the car, I was suddenly incredibly excited to see Chloe. I wondered what would happen when other people heard her inner voice. 01 "Chloe, from now on, Harper is your older sister. You two need to get along." As soon as we walked through the door, Mom held my hand and led me to Chloe. Although the DNA test proved I was the true daughter, they had raised Chloe for years. Since she had always acted so sweet and obedient, they had no intention of sending her back. A flash of disgust crossed Chloe's eyes, but she still walked over and affectionately took my hand. "Okay, Mom! I will definitely get along with Harper!" Mom was just about to smile in relief when her expression suddenly froze. She heard Chloe's inner voice: [I can't believe this old hag actually brought Harper back. Is she trying to kick me out? This disgusting old bat, acting all high and mighty. I wonder if they know I purposely stole Harper's identity. They probably think the orphanage just made a mistake.] Mom's face instantly darkened. She stared in disbelief at Chloe's sweet, innocent face. The eight years of meticulous upbringing weren't fake. Before they knew she was fake, the Bennetts felt they owed her, indulging her every whim. Even after finding out she wasn't their biological daughter, they assumed the orphanage made a mistake. They never blamed her and continued to treat her like their own. "What did you just say, Chloe?" Chloe was startled. She looked up at Mom, a flicker of doubt in her eyes. "I didn't say anything. What's wrong, Mom?" "Nothing. I must have imagined it." Mom looked at her hesitantly. She hadn't seen Chloe's lips move, and the whole thing was too bizarre. Chloe had shown up at their door when she was only ten. If what she just heard was true, then a child that young having such a calculated, malicious mind was terrifying. But the next second, Chloe's voice rang in her ears again. [That old hag scared me to death. For a second, I thought she actually knew what I was thinking. Why won't they just go away? I have to stand here holding Harper's hand, it's so annoying! Harper, this little bitch. Why did she have to come back?] Chloe was so caught up in her thoughts that she unconsciously pinched me hard. I cried out in pain. Mom immediately pulled me toward her. A red welt had already formed on my hand. Thinking about Chloe's inner thoughts, Mom still couldn't believe the daughter she had raised for so many years could be so vicious. But it didn't matter. Once the seed of doubt is planted, it will grow. "What do you think you're doing, Chloe?" I looked at Chloe's ugly expression and smiled inwardly, but on the outside, I timidly tugged at Mom's sleeve. "I'm fine, Mom. Don't blame her. Maybe she was just... playing a joke on me..." I hid the red welt and secretly pinched myself hard again in the exact same spot. The next second, Chloe's inner voice sounded again. [What is wrong with this old hag? I just accidentally pinched Harper, and she's acting like the sky is falling. Her real daughter comes back and she instantly changes her tune. So fake!] Hearing her thoughts, Mom was furious. She grabbed the hand I was hiding behind my back and inspected it. The skin was now covered in an angry, glaring red mark. "Chloe! Even though Harper is back, you are still our daughter! But the way you are acting right now is incredibly disappointing!" Only then did Chloe start to panic. She tried to lunge forward and hug Mom, but Mom dodged her. She stood there, tears welling up in her eyes, looking absolutely pitiful. "No, Mom... it's not like that..." Seeing her look so wronged, Mom's heart softened. Just as she was about to give in, Chloe's inner voice rang out again. [Who does this old witch think she is? She relies on Dad for everything anyway, why is she acting so tough in front of me? And Harper—playing the victim, huh? Just wait, I'll show you what I can do!] I shrank back behind Mom, looking at Chloe in fear. Mom could no longer hold back. She glared at Chloe. "Enough! Chloe, if you think I don't deserve to be your mother, you don't need to put on this fake act in front of me!" 02 I looked at Chloe's face, twisted in angry confusion, and smirked into Mom's shoulder. Just wait, Chloe. This is only the beginning of what you're going to lose. Everything that belongs to me, I will take back, one by one. Mom was still furious, but she didn't neglect me. Chloe didn't know this, but Mom used to be a ruthless businesswoman. She only chose to step back and focus on the family after I went missing. Dad respected Mom so much not just out of love, but out of immense gratitude for her sacrifices. Now that Chloe had accidentally revealed she had deliberately stolen my identity, Mom was definitely going to investigate. The truth coming to light was only a matter of time. "Harper, you've suffered so much out there. I originally wanted you and Chloe to share a room, but now that I think about it, that's not a good idea. You can stay in the room next to your brother's." I looked at Mom's red-rimmed eyes. I knew today's events were a huge blow to her, but what Chloe had done went far beyond this. In the afternoon, when Dad and my brother came home from work, they instantly sensed the strange atmosphere in the house. Dad asked Chloe first. "What's going on here?" Chloe immediately threw herself into Dad's arms, rubbing her chest against his arm like a victim. She had always been pampered by the Bennetts, so she had grown into her curves nicely, something she was always proud of. "Dad... I accidentally made Mom mad today, and she still hasn't forgiven me!" Her voice was melodic, like a songbird. Dad was just about to speak when Chloe's inner voice dropped a bombshell. [This old hag. Once I butter up Dad, what are you going to do about it? Ugh, Dad's body is so nice. Not like Ethan. Ethan is just a stray dog Dad picked up. Does he really think he deserves to be my brother?] Dad and my brother's faces instantly turned a sickly shade of pale. My brother was indeed adopted. Because I had gone missing early on, the family needed an heir, so Mom and Dad adopted him. But they had always treated him as their own flesh and blood. And Chloe had arrived after my brother had already been adopted. Mom had already experienced this all afternoon, so she wasn't surprised. Or perhaps, she already had her suspicions. She crossed her arms and looked coldly at Dad. Dad awkwardly pulled his arm out of Chloe's grasp. "Chloe, if Mom is mad, you must have done something wrong. Apologize to her properly. Your mother is a reasonable woman." Unable to figure out where the voice came from, Dad instinctively decided to try and mediate. My brother, however, stood to the side, staring intently at Chloe—the little sister he had always doted on. "But..." [What is wrong with Dad? That old witch, reasonable? I just accidentally pinched Harper, and she's acting like the world is ending.] Hearing Chloe's inner voice again, Dad and my brother stared at her in utter disbelief. But Chloe remained oblivious. She tried to throw herself back into Dad's arms, but he pushed her away. "Chloe, you're grown up now. You can't keep clinging to people like this. I've told you this many times." Seeing her actions, my brother finally couldn't hold back and spoke up. Chloe's expression turned ugly, a mix of humiliation and anger at being rejected, but she maintained her pitiful facade. "I know..." [Ethan, you are so annoying! Who do you think you are, trying to lecture me?] My brother's face darkened further. He clamped his mouth shut and stepped aside. I stood by and watched the circus unfold. The show is just starting, my dear sister. "Alright, Harper said she wanted to wait for you two to get home to eat. She must be starving after waiting so long. Let's eat first." Mom spoke up to take control of the situation. Dad and my brother turned to look at me. Seeing my thin, frail frame, Dad nodded quickly. "Yes, yes, yes, let's eat. Harper is so thin, she needs to eat more." Chloe's inner voice continued to echo around us. It was so bitter and venomous that, aside from her, the food tasted like ash in everyone's mouths. [Why does Harper get to sit at the table? I've been with the Bennett family for so long. I am the true daughter here! Who does she think she is? Just because she was found doesn't mean she can replace me!] [Harper is so skinny, she looks like she's never had a real meal in her life. She looks like a twig. Such an eyesore!] My brother looked up at her, then took the piece of ribs she was about to grab and placed it in my bowl, his voice gentle. "You're too thin, Harper. Eat more. If you can't reach something, just tell me and I'll get it for you." Mom looked at me and nodded, her heart aching. She took another piece of ribs that Chloe was aiming for and put it in my bowl as well. At the same time, she instructed Maria, our housekeeper, who was standing to the side, completely petrified after hearing Chloe's inner thoughts. "Harper just got back. Her health is poor and she needs nutrients. Pay extra attention to her. Make more nutritious meals for her. Let me know if we need to order special ingredients." Mom turned back to look at me, her eyes full of love and sympathy. "Harper, if there's anything you like to eat, just tell Maria and she'll make it for you. Don't be shy." I nodded silently. These were things I had never experienced in my past life. After all, I didn't have Chloe's audacity to shamelessly demand whatever I wanted. 03 Seeing that my brother and Mom had already shown their support, Dad racked his brain until he finally came up with a new angle: "Right, we haven't sorted out Harper's school yet. Why not have her go to Sterling Academy? It's owned by the family, so we won't have to worry." Sterling Academy was a top-tier private school owned by the Bennett family. It was named after my brother, Ethan Sterling Bennett, to show how much they valued him. Before I could even respond, Chloe shrieked: "Dad!" Her voice was so piercing that Dad frowned at her. "Chloe, why are you screaming at the dinner table?" Realizing what she had done, Chloe quickly lowered her head and put on a pitiful, concerned expression. She looked as wronged as could be. "I'm just worried that if Harper goes to Sterling, she won't be able to keep up... After all, considering the school she went to before, her grades probably aren't very good..." Her words reeked of passive-aggressiveness. On the surface, she was showing concern for me, but she was really reminding everyone that it was an elite school, hinting to Mom and Dad that I was too low-class to attend. "She'll go to Sterling. You don't need to worry about Harper's grades. You should focus on yourself and learn from her. If you bring home another failing grade, I'm cutting off your allowance." Mom wiped her mouth, finalizing the decision and completely ignoring Chloe's ugly expression. Chloe had a boyfriend at school named Chase. He was essentially a local thug. Ever since she started dating him, her grades had plummeted. Just because Mom hadn't said anything before didn't mean she didn't know. Bringing it up now was just her way of hoping Chloe would get her act together. But Chloe just glared resentfully at Mom's back. I watched her turn away and sneak into a corner to make a phone call. As a figure slowly approached the corner where we were standing, I suddenly spoke up: "Chloe..." 04 "What do you want, you jinx!" Chloe frantically hung up the phone. Seeing it was me, she flew into a rage and tried to lunge forward to slap me. I didn't dodge. I let her slap me, then deliberately threw myself to the floor. "Chloe, what do you think you're doing?! You're getting completely out of hand!" Dad rushed over and helped me up. Seeing the red mark on my cheek, his heart broke, and he asked with deep concern, "Are you okay, Harper? Are you dizzy?" I had braced myself when I fell, so Chloe's slap didn't land flush on my face. I shook my head pitifully, clutching my cheek and pulling on Dad's sleeve. "I'm fine, Dad. Chloe might just be... afraid that my coming back will take away the love you have for her. Please don't be mad at her." Hearing this, Chloe's face turned red, then white. I found it hilarious. You think you're the only one who knows how to play the victim? I can do it too. "Harper, you are our biological daughter. It's only right that we treat you well." [Who does this bitch think she is? Biological daughter? Then what about all my hard work over the years? Why does Harper get to steal everything from me with just a few words? This bitch is obviously faking it!] Hearing this thought, I raised an eyebrow at Chloe. You really convinced yourself that the things you stole belong to you. You took over my life and lived off it for so long without an ounce of guilt. Perhaps remembering the joy Chloe used to bring to the family, Dad intended to comfort her. Seeing this, I lowered my head and let two tears fall. "Dad, I haven't been here to fulfill my duties as a daughter all these years. Chloe has always been the one taking care of you at home. It's only right that you treat her better. Chloe, if it really bothers you that much, I can move out." Before Dad could speak, Chloe's venomous inner voice rang out again. [Yes! Get the hell out! Give everything back to me! I am the true daughter of the Bennett family! What kind of stray mutt are you? Get out! Go die!] While thinking this, Chloe forced a smile onto her face. "Don't think like that, sister. Why would I want you to leave? We're family!" [What family? You bitch, get the hell out of the Bennett house! I am the true daughter!] Dad stared at Chloe in shock. The youngest daughter he had pampered for years was so two-faced. Sweet words on her lips, but a heart full of absolute poison. Dad looked at her intently, then sighed in deep disappointment. "Chloe, I hope you mean what you just said. But the mark on Harper's face is still there. You need to remember this: we only treated you so well because you took Harper's place. Even though we thought the orphanage made a mistake, everything you have was originally meant for Harper. We still acknowledged you as our daughter and treated you incredibly well. But now that Harper is back, she is our true biological daughter. She is the heiress of the Bennett family." Dad delivered this speech in one breath, ignoring Chloe's suddenly pale face. Looking exhausted, he pulled me away, saying he was going to find some ice for my cheek. He left Chloe standing behind us, screaming curses in her mind. [Bitch! Bitch! Bitch! Why? Why did everything change overnight? Why did Dad never care when I acted like this before?] [I am the heiress! I am! Who does this bitch think she is? I should have strangled her to death when they found her! Now she's back here trying to steal my things! Bitch!] Dad's footsteps faltered for a second, then he continued pulling me forward. 05 Whether Chloe liked it or not, I enrolled at Sterling Academy. We weren't in the same class, but my mere presence was proof that Chloe was a fake heiress who had stolen my identity. Even before school officially started, rumors were flying everywhere. Chloe, who was used to being the center of attention, couldn't handle the blow. To prove her status, she started finding every possible way to cause trouble for me. I coldly watched Chloe block my path on the first day of school, flanked by her thug boyfriend. "Chloe said you've been bullying her at home. You really think just because you're back, you're the boss now? Apologize to Chloe!" Chase swung a baseball bat around, acting tough, his lackeys echoing his demands from behind. I looked at Chase and sighed. "You're standing up for Chloe, but do you know she's sleeping with your lackey behind your back? You've got a whole forest of green horns growing on your head, and you're still acting like the big man on campus." I pointed at a lackey standing behind Chase, right next to Chloe. Chase's face turned green. Chloe immediately started shrieking. "Harper, what the hell are you talking about?! Baby, don't listen to her!" Chloe leaned weakly against Chase's chest, looking like she was on the verge of tears. The lackey beside her quickly chimed in, "Yeah, boss! How could Chloe ever do something like that to you? You have to believe her! This bitch is obviously just making things up." Chase glared fiercely and was about to speak when Chloe's inner voice dropped like a bomb, stunning everyone around her: [What's going on? How did Harper know about this? Did I not hide it well enough? Did Mike tell her?] Mike was the name of the lackey I had just pointed at. Chase wasn't stupid; he immediately understood what was going on. He looked down at Chloe, who was still buried in his chest, oblivious to the fact that her inner thoughts were broadcasting loud and clear. [But you can't really blame me, right? It's not my fault Chase is terrible in bed. Not like Mike. He can go for over half an hour, and he's way bigger and harder than Chase. Sigh, maybe I should hook up with him again this weekend?] Chase's face grew darker and darker. Some of the lackeys couldn't help but snicker. "Ch... Chloe, what did you just say?" Chase's voice, grinding out every syllable, finally made Chloe realize he was interrogating her. The surrounding lackeys kept stealing glances at Chase's crotch. Her face went pale as she tried to explain, but Chase violently shoved her away. Mike turned pale, glaring at Chloe for being an idiot. He was just about to run when Chase walked over to him. "Giving me a green hat, huh? Beat him!" "Wait... wait a minute! Boss, Chloe seduced me first! You can look at our texts! Chloe sent me those pictures first!" Mike trembling handed his phone to Chase. Chase snatched it, scrolled through it for a moment, then smashed the phone on the ground and walked menacingly toward Chloe. "Chloe, you've got some nerve, haven't you? Did you really think I wouldn't touch you?" Seeing him approach, Chloe scrambled backward into a corner, screaming at the top of her lungs: "You can't touch me! I am the Bennett family heiress! The Bennetts won't let you get away with this!" Chase laughed at this. "The Bennett heiress? You're just a fake, and I've already fucked you. At most, I'll force the Bennetts to marry you off to me. If I teach my cheating wife a lesson, do you think the Bennetts will say a damn thing?" Chloe obviously couldn't outrun Chase. Just as his second punch was about to land, a voice rang out from behind us. 06 "You students over there! What do you think you're doing?!" The Dean of Students rushed over furiously, leading a group of security guards. Chase glanced back, shoved Chloe—whose face was already swelling up like a balloon—aside, and fled with his lackeys. I hid my phone in my pocket, my mission accomplished. Since this was a huge incident, the parents obviously had to be called in. After all, Chloe was still nominally the Bennett heiress, and Chase's family had some money, so the school couldn't just sweep it under the rug. They called Mom. I don't know exactly how it was handled, but that night when we got home, Mom was sitting on the living room sofa. Seeing me and Chloe walk in, her voice was ice-cold: "Chloe, get on your knees!" Chloe, sporting a face swollen like a pig, was completely confused. She was the one who got beaten up, and Mom was telling her to kneel? In Chloe's mind, she was the Bennett heiress. Everyone was supposed to revolve around her. Her every frown or smile should tug at the Bennett family's heartstrings. "Mom..." "I said, get on your knees!" Not daring to resist further, Chloe obediently knelt down. Mom stared at her coldly. It wasn't until Chloe was sweating bullets that Mom finally spoke slowly. "Chloe, over the years, I've constantly asked myself if I've ever mistreated you or failed in my duties as a mother. Not just me—your father, your brother, every single one of us has held you in the palm of our hands. But what have you done? Even when Harper came back, we didn't ask you to leave. Maybe we were wrong from the very beginning. A person who can seamlessly steal another person's life without a shred of guilt will always be an ungrateful wretch." Chloe didn't understand why Mom was suddenly speaking so harshly. Seeing her confused look, Mom scoffed. She grabbed a stack of printed papers from the sofa next to her and threw them right in Chloe's face. The papers flew everywhere, many landing on Chloe's face. She reached out and caught one. They were all various chat logs from her phone, explicit photos, and messages cursing and insulting Mom. But that wasn't the worst part. The worst part was that they detailed exactly how she had stolen my identity, how she had been secretly going to clinics over the years to look more like me, and how she had used the Bennett name to act like a tyrant outside, planting huge time bombs for our family.
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