My sister was adopted by a billionaire family, leaving me behind in the cold hallways of the orphanage. Years later, that family went bankrupt. My sister was forced to marry a man with a permanent limp just to survive, scraping by in misery. Meanwhile, after graduating from university, I returned to my roots, started my own venture capital firm, and became a world-renowned entrepreneur. When I opened my eyes, I was back on the day the adoption papers were being signed. Before I could say a word, my sister, standing next to me, pointed a trembling finger at me and shouted to the wealthy couple, "Take my sister instead! Please, take her!" 1 I was adopted. While the paperwork was being processed, my sister, Mackenzie, held my hand, her voice thick with fake emotion. "Sienna, you’re going to have a new mommy and daddy now. Be a good girl, and don't you dare forget about your big sister." She used her other hand to wipe away stray tears, looking like the picture of a heartbroken, selfless martyr. Her acting was top-tier. If I hadn't lived through a previous life, I might have actually believed her. 2 In my last life, the Millers—the wealthy couple—took my sister. I was the one left behind in the group home. A few years after Mackenzie left, the land the orphanage sat on was auctioned off. All of us kids were shipped to a facility in the neighboring city. The director of that new home was a monster disguised as a saint. Back then, oversight for private charities was non-existent. He used the "home" as a front to facilitate a sick trade with wealthy, depraved businessmen. Because I was chronically malnourished, sallow-skinned, and skeletal, I wasn't "marketable" enough for them. I was the only one who escaped the worst of it. But my sister... In that life, she was fair-skinned, with chubby, doll-like cheeks. She was exactly the type those predators hunted. I wondered if she would be as "lucky" as I was this time around. 3 As we walked out of the orphanage, my new mother, Clara, squeezed my hand. "Don't be afraid, Sienna. From now on, you’re our real daughter. We’re going to give you everything." My new father, David, glanced back from the driver's seat with a warm, goofy grin. "Finally, a girl in the house!" I had never known the warmth of a family. Their kindness made my throat tighten. I had seen them in my previous life. By then, they had lost everything. I was already a successful CEO, and these two elderly people had come to me, dressed in rags, kneeling on the ground, begging me to save Mackenzie. That was how I found out that after the bankruptcy, Mackenzie had resented David for his "failure" and gotten involved with loan sharks. They had taken explicit photos of her to keep her under their thumb. I offered to pay off her debt, but only on the condition that we go to the police. "The police? You want to ruin my life forever?" Mackenzie had screamed at me like I was her mortal enemy. "You’re just bitter that they chose me back then and not you!" "You should be thanking me! If I hadn't left you in that dump, you never would have fought hard enough to become a CEO! I got stuck with a useless father and a pathetic mother, suffering for years in your place!" Her words had crushed the two old souls. They apologized to me through their tears and left. Not long after, David was dead. They had begged everyone they knew to scrap together enough money for Mackenzie's debts, but she kept running with the same dangerous crowd. He died of a heart attack on his way to a dive bar, trying to find her. Clara never recovered. She followed him to the grave shortly after. Mackenzie didn't even show up for the funerals. Now, those parents were mine. I squeezed Clara’s hand back. "Yeah. I have a home now." 4 On the first day of the new semester, my parents drove me to school themselves. Clara adjusted the hem of my dress. "Sienna, you're a high schooler now. Be kind to your classmates, but if anyone bothers you, you tell us immediately." It had been six years since I joined the Miller family. As I expected, they were wonderful people. They treated me as if I were their own flesh and blood. The more they loved me, the more I refused to let them meet the tragic end they suffered in the previous timeline. I swore I would protect them. As I was walking toward the entrance, someone slammed into my shoulder. "Sorry about that, freshman. Did I hurt you?" It was a senior. His jacket was open, a smirk playing on his lips. He looked familiar. I studied his features for a moment before the name hit me like a physical blow. Silas Thorne. My future brother-in-law—the man with the limp. What was he doing here? I glanced at his legs. He wasn't injured yet. He stood there with a cocky, rebellious energy, looking nothing like the bitter, broken man I remembered. I didn't want anything to do with my sister’s "ex-husband." I tried to walk away, but he caught my sleeve. "Hold on. Give me your number. I’m not the type to hit and run. If I bruised you, I owe you a coffee or something." I didn't stop. I just brushed past him. "We're even. Don't worry about it." I sprinted to my classroom. Behind me, Silas let out a short laugh. "Interesting." After that day, Silas was everywhere. He’d hang out near my classroom with his friends during breaks. At night, I felt like someone was trailing me on the walk home. If I asked, he’d just say he was "heading the same way." He never officially said he was interested, so I couldn't exactly tell him to get lost. I just treated him like background noise. I had bigger things to worry about. The land the orphanage sat on was about to be put on the block. 5 "Sienna, what was that investment project you mentioned to me the other day?" At home, David walked into the kitchen wearing his reading glasses. Clara rolled her eyes. "David, handle your own business. Why are you pestering our daughter? She just got home from school." "You don't get it, Clara. Sienna is our lucky charm." David patted his stomach. "Every project she’s pointed out over the last few years has been a goldmine. This girl was born for the market." In my past life, my career was in venture capital. I knew the development of this city better than anyone. This time, I was using that knowledge to ensure my parents stayed wealthy, changing the fate of their company. "Dad, are you interested in real estate?" "Real estate?" "I heard a rumor today that the land the old children's home sits on is being auctioned." I blinked innocently. "Won't the kids lose their home? Maybe we could bid on it, Dad. We could save the home and keep the kids safe." I kept my language simple, fitting for a teenager. David looked hesitant. "That’s... not exactly my field." Clara looked up, surprised. "They’re selling the orphanage? We haven't heard anything about that." She nudged David. "Maybe you should look into it. Sienna's sister is still there, isn't she?" David thought it over and nodded. "I'll call a friend in development and see what the deal is." I knew he would listen. "Thanks, Dad." "Don't thank me yet. I’m a businessman, not a charity. I won't throw money away just to make you happy." I smiled. "Trust me. That land is going to be worth a fortune." The orphanage was in a remote area now, but in a few years, it would be the heart of a new commercial district. A few days later, before David could get back to me, Silas Thorne found me at school. He had news. "A transfer student just joined my class. She looks exactly like you. Even has a similar name. You’re Sienna Miller, she’s Mackenzie Chen. It’s like a matching set." I stood up abruptly. "What did you say her name was?" "Mackenzie Chen. Wait, do you actually know her?" My mind went blank. Back at the home, my name was Sienna Chen. After the adoption, I took David’s surname. Mackenzie. My sister. How the hell did she end up here? 6 A week later, the new "Goddess of the Sophomore Class" was all anyone could talk about. Beautiful, charming, and sweet—Mackenzie had won everyone over in days. I finally ran into her in the stairwell after gym class. She was surrounded by a crowd of admirers. It was just like the old days at the orphanage. She was always the clever, charismatic one. I was always the "difficult" one. When I finally found the courage to tell the staff that Mackenzie had poured water on my bed or stolen my lunch, no one believed me. "Stop lying, Sienna. You made the mess, so own up to it. Stop blaming your sister." They’d always end it with: "How can two sisters be so different?" Mackenzie saw me and smiled. "Sienna! Do you still remember your big sister?" The students around her gasped. "Mackenzie, she’s your sister?" Mackenzie nodded sadly. "Yes. She was the lucky one who got adopted. I stayed behind at the home." The looks directed at me changed instantly—from curiosity to suspicion. The looks directed at Mackenzie turned into pure pity. "Don't look at me like that," Mackenzie said with a brave smile. "I actually gave her the chance. Sienna was so small and weak back then; I was worried she’d be bullied if she stayed at the orphanage. So I let her go first." In three sentences, she had turned herself into a saint. Seeing my silence, Mackenzie covered her mouth. "Sienna... did you not tell them you were adopted? I'm so sorry, I didn't know you were keeping it a secret..." She was playing both sides of the coin perfectly. I offered a tight smile. "Why would I keep it a secret? Being from a group home isn't a crime. It’s good to see you, Mackenzie." "I'm so glad to hear that." She stepped closer. "If you ever need anything, come to me. We’re in the same school now. No matter where you are, you’ll always be my baby sister." I looked down to hide the sheer hatred in my eyes. "Sure." No matter where I am, I'll always be her sister. The irony was sickening. In my last life, I had knelt at her feet, begging her to help the kids at the home. And she had looked at me like I was dirt. "Sienna, you have to accept your fate. You people were born to be trash. If your life sucks, blame your luck." "Your name is Miller now, and mine is still Chen. We aren't family. Don't ever come looking for me again." Born to be trash. Well, I was about to prove her wrong. Within twenty-four hours, the whole school knew I was the "lucky" adopted sister and Mackenzie was the "selfless" martyr. The whispers started. "She looks nothing like Mackenzie. Mackenzie is way prettier." "I heard Sienna didn't want to stay, so Mackenzie let her take the adoption spot." "Mackenzie is so open about her past. Sienna never said a word. She’s so fake and insecure." "Who cares if she has good grades? Her personality is trash." Overnight, I became the villain in her narrative. But to my surprise, Silas Thorne started showing up even more. He was like a personal bodyguard, standing in the hallway during every break. If he heard someone whispering about me, he’d stroll over. "What are we gossiping about today, girls? Mind sharing with the class?" Silas was a known troublemaker and a senior. No one wanted to cross him. The whispering around my classroom died down. "Don't listen to them," Silas said one day, shoving something into my hand. I looked down. It was a bag of Skittles. Was he... comforting me? I gripped the bag. "Thanks." 7 I didn't care about the gossip. I had work to do. I studied, and I helped David analyze market trends. One afternoon, as I was leaving school, a black luxury sedan pulled up to the curb. A man stepped out and blocked my path. "Excuse me, do you know where the sophomore wing is?" I froze. The face, the voice—they triggered a primal terror. The dark rooms, the heavy chains, the sound of labored breathing... it felt like a ghost had reached out and grabbed my throat. I couldn't make a sound. Seeing my reaction, the man spoke again. "I'm looking for a student named Mackenzie Chen. Do you know her?" "No." I tried to walk past him, but he grabbed my wrist. Every hair on my body stood up. I wrenched my arm away, stumbling back. He took a step forward. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. You just look a bit like her..." "She said she doesn't know you. Are you deaf?" Silas appeared out of nowhere, pulling me behind him. His eyes were lethal. "My mistake. Wrong person." The man got back into his car and drove off. That night, the nightmares returned. I was back in the basement with the other kids. Barrett Vance (Wang Kun) was a "VIP." He visited the home several times a week. I was too small for his tastes, so I was the one forced to sit in the corner and watch, a "prop" for his sick games. If he was in a bad mood, I was his punching bag. To them, we weren't humans. We were pets. Toys. I thought that in this life, if I could just get David to buy the land, I could save the home and change everyone’s fate. But Barrett had appeared early. And he was already looking for Mackenzie. The next morning, Mackenzie was waiting for me outside my classroom. "What did you say to him yesterday?" I looked at her, confused. "To who?" "Barrett Vance. The man who came to see me." I narrowed my eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about." "Stop lying. If you didn't say anything, why did he ask me to give you this?" She slammed a designer box onto my desk. The Chanel logo was unmistakable. "He asked me to give this to you as an apology for yesterday." Mackenzie’s eyes were red, and she raised her voice so the hallway could hear. "I know the Miller family's business hasn't been doing well lately. You want money, but Sienna... you can't go down this path." The students in the hall stopped and stared. "You're my sister. I don't want to see you ruin your life." The murmurs started immediately. The Chanel box was the "proof." I looked at Mackenzie’s performance and felt a chill. "You should worry about yourself." She had no idea who she was dealing with. The scandal reached the administration. I was called into the office. "Sienna, your grades are excellent. Why are you doing this? Tell me the truth—are you involved with this man for money?" "You've already made up your mind, haven't you? Why ask me?" "What is that attitude? You're a child, and you're accepting expensive gifts from older men. The proof is on your desk!" Mackenzie stood in the corner, playing the worried sister. "Principal, please don't be hard on her. Sienna is just scared of being poor again. She probably just saw the car and tried to talk to him." Mackenzie was convinced David was bankrupt. Suddenly, the door flew open. "Who the hell is slandering my daughter?" It was David. He looked furious. The Principal tried to explain the situation. "What? A thirty-thousand-dollar trinket? I wouldn't let my daughter wear something that cheap; she might have an allergic reaction!" David turned to the Principal. "You're questioning my daughter’s character because a sleaze in a rented car hovered near the school? Where were the security guards? Where was the gatekeeper? If my daughter had been hurt, I would have sued this school into the ground!" Then he looked at Mackenzie. "And you must be the sister. You’re quite a piece of work. The man was looking for you, wasn't he? So the one involved with older men is you, but you’re pinning it on my Sienna?" "Even if she did talk to him, it's because you brought him to her doorstep!" David was a force of nature. Everyone in the room was stunned. Especially Mackenzie. She stared at David, then at me, unable to find a single word. The school ended up issuing a formal apology. On the way home, David was still grumbling. "What a joke of a school. I'm transferring you tomorrow!" I smiled. Having a father protect you... it was a good feeling. 8 After that, the school's attitude toward me flipped. Classmates came up to me, whispering. "Sienna, is your dad really David Miller?" "Yes." "The venture capitalist? He’s a legend! They call him the Oracle of the North!" I didn't realize high schoolers followed the market, but apparently, they did. People started defending me. "I knew Sienna wasn't like that. Why would a Miller need to beg a stranger for a bag?" Of course, some still bitched behind my back. "That should have been Mackenzie’s life. Sienna is just living on borrowed time." Mackenzie heard it all, and it was eating her alive. A few days later, she tried to "apologize." "I'm sorry about before, Sienna. I was just worried." Then she lowered her voice. "Is your dad really as successful as they say? I heard..." "The old company went under," I said with a smile. "So he started a new one. He's doing better than ever. Don't worry, Mackenzie. I have plenty of money. I don't need your help." I walked away, leaving her standing there in a daze. Over the next few weeks, I saw Barrett’s car at the school several times, always picking up Mackenzie. She was walking into the fire, and I wasn't going to stop her. I only cared about the other kids at the home. Eventually, the land deal went through. David did his due diligence. "The land is a goldmine. I’m partnering with a developer to take it. As you asked, we’ll keep the children’s home running for now. We’ll find a better place for the kids once the development starts." "Thank you, Dad!" Clara teased him. "And who said they wouldn't be a 'charity' just to please their daughter?" David puffed out his chest. "This isn't charity; it's a strategic social investment! I’m a man of the people!" I watched them bicker, feeling a sense of peace I’d never known. When it was time to sign the final papers at the home, David took me with him. But when I went to find Elena (Liu Yanyan), the director gave me a strange look. "Elena isn't here anymore." "What do you mean? Was she adopted?" I knew the answer was no. Kids our age were rarely adopted. "She left with your sister," the director said with a greasy smile. "A generous businessman started a 'scholarship program.' Mackenzie and Elena were selected to go study in the city." "The businessman... was it Barrett Vance?" "How did you know?" My heart plummeted. 9 The signing was a success. The kids crowded around David, thanking him. I stared at a photo on the wall. In the picture, Elena was wearing a white t-shirt, standing next to me, flashing a peace sign. Elena was my best friend at the home. She was beautiful—prettier than Mackenzie. In a world without protection, beauty is a curse. In the last life, Barrett had targeted her. I remembered her screams, her silent, hollow eyes. As we got older, Barrett grew bored with her. He set his sights on me. That was the day Elena went feral. She threw herself at Barrett like a cornered animal. "Don't touch her!" Barrett had kicked her repeatedly in the stomach, but she never let go. He beat her until she could barely breathe, and finally, he left me alone. Elena had whispered to me, "Sienna, my life is already ruined. But yours isn't. You're smart. You have a future." She had helped me find a way to escape. "Go. And don't ever come back." I had promised her, "I'm coming back for you. I swear." But when I finally did, she wasn't waiting for me. She hadn't made it through that winter. I was too late then. And I was too late now. On the train ride back, the sunset was a violent crimson. The shadows of the trees looked like reaching hands.
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