My mother and I were reborn together. In our past life, she gave everything to her precious son. When his love life failed, he snapped, killed someone, and went to prison. To raise money to bail him out, she drowned me in the bathtub. Later, she was beaten to death by the victim’s parents. After rebirth, Mom changed completely. "I'm going to make up for all the years I've wronged you, sweetie." Everyone says she’s turned over a new leaf, realizing how good her daughter is. But I don't believe it. 1 In my previous life, Mom tricked me into coming home for Christmas, claiming she wanted us to be together. She ended up drowning me in the bathtub. "I gave birth to you, I raised you. Your money, everything you have, belongs to me and your brother!" Water filled my nose and ears. I wanted to turn and ask why she was doing this, but I could only choke on the water, dying in silence. "My girlfriend is coming over for Christmas. She said she won't accept living under the same roof with anyone else, especially you!" My arm was yanked violently, snapping me back from the blurry memories. In front of me, my brother, Tyler, was yelling at me for his precious girlfriend. "Pfft." "What are you laughing at?" This idiot. He still treats that girlfriend like a treasure. Later, when he found out she was just using him as a rebound, he stabbed her to death right on the street. That was why Mom was so desperate for my inheritance—to get him out of jail. "Hurry up and move out. No, leave now!" Seeing me silent and just smiling at him, he got impatient. He dragged my arm, trying to throw me out the door. "Stop it!" "How can you talk to your sister like that? This is her home, no one can kick her out!" I froze. Mom was defending me against her precious son? In my past life, Mom was the one who personally kicked me out. "You're the older sister, you should be more understanding." She had thrown my few clothes into a trash bag. And threw me out along with it. I will never forget the look in her eyes as she closed the door. Like she was looking at a bag of garbage tossed into the dumpster. "Mom, didn't you say last night she had to go? Why are you protecting her now?" "Jessica said she won't live with a sister-in-law, and she's carrying your grandkid! Whose side are you on?" Tyler looked at me smugly. He knew how much Mom wanted a grandson. But only I noticed the twitch on Mom's face. "Your sister is my flesh and blood, of course I'm protecting her." "As for Jessica... my precious son, you're still young, don't be impulsive." "Mom, what are you saying? Weren't you the one telling me to marry Jessica ASAP?" I leaned against the doorframe, watching them argue coldly. Now I was sure. Mom, like me, had been reborn. 2 But I don't believe a leopard can change its spots. Mom protecting me like this... she must want something. "Come with me." Mom pulled me back to my room. The moment she opened the door, a smell of stale mold hit me. The room was dark, piled high with old cardboard boxes and junk. In my past life, when I bought my own place, my only requirement was good lighting. I was sick of living in the dark. I stood at the door, not moving. Mom realized something, and the smile on her face froze. Awkwardly. "Uh, I'll clean this room tomorrow. I promise it'll be spotless." I didn't say a word. Even reborn, she wasn't planning on giving me my room back. She'd rather let Tyler use it as a game room. Mom pulled me to sit on the creaky folding bed, her eyes full of concern. "Did you get your job offer?" "Yeah, why?" "You don't have to leave. Just pay $300 a month for rent, and you can stay in this room!" The door was shoved open by Tyler. "$300?" Tyler stood there, hands in pockets, looking impatient. "What, too expensive? If it's too expensive, get out." Although I absolutely could not lose this house. But. "For $300, I can rent a decent studio. Why would I live in your pile of junk?" Tyler opened his mouth to argue. "Shut up and get out!" Mom scolded him while frantically signaling him with her eyes. Tyler huffed, refusing to move. Clearly determined to kick me out. Mom looked panicked. "He's just being childish, don't take it to heart." I was more and more certain she wanted something from me. An unknown enemy is the scariest. Now that I knew she had an agenda, I felt relieved. "If he's childish, teach him. If you also think I'm in the way, Mom, I'll leave right now." As soon as I said that, Mom panicked and grabbed me. "Don't go, if you go, I..." The rest of her words stuck in her throat. I stared into Mom's eyes, pressuring her. Mom bit her lip hard. Slap! A crisp sound interrupted Tyler's whining. Tyler froze, then clutched his face, looking incredulous. "You hit me for this bitch?" "I can't listen to your rudeness anymore." I pretended to leave. Slap! This slap, Mom used full force. Tyler's face swelled up instantly. "Don't you dare make a scene!" "Look at yourself! She's your sister, how can you push her like this for an outsider?" Tyler was unwilling but dared not talk back. He stared at me for a few seconds, then stormed out, slamming the door. Mom wanted to chase after him but hesitated because of me. Her face was full of conflict and pain. "Um, I have to go out for a bit. Don't mind him, stay home and be good." At Tyler's door, Mom whispered. "Be good, Mommy's going to buy you medicine." Indeed, her precious son. Just a slap and she's heartbroken. I remember when I was little, I was so hungry I ate a piece of bread Tyler didn't want. Mom slapped me twelve or thirteen times in a row. She didn't show a shred of mercy then. Mom left, and the room fell silent. I looked at the junk-filled room and dialed the number for the Securities and Exchange Commission. "Hello, I'd like to accept the offer." Then I sent a rejection email to the investment bank. In my past life, to make money for the family faster, I chose the investment bank. Everyone there worked themselves to death for commissions. In a few years, I developed all sorts of stress-related illnesses. "I don't know what got into Mom to protect her. Don't worry babe, I'll make sure she gets out!" 3 Sure enough, his backup arrived shortly. "My grandson and granddaughter-in-law need a new house. They won't live in this dump! Go get a loan and buy your brother a house!" Grandma stormed in, yelling at me. "Why should I take out a loan for them?" "You're the older sister! Your brother is getting married, you should contribute! You have a job now, the bank will lend to you. Go do it, stop playing dumb!" Grandma was always so entitled. When I was little, Tyler broke her favorite vase, and she slapped me. "Why didn't you watch your brother?" Tyler stole the imported candy my teacher gave me for getting first place. "Why are you so stingy as a sister? Suffering is a blessing! Fighting your brother for food, aren't you afraid your mouth will rot?" This bias ran through my entire childhood. "What does his marriage have to do with me? No money but wants to date, trying to look rich when he's broke." Hearing this, Grandma's face turned livid. She suddenly grabbed my hair. I gasped in pain. "Getting bold, are we? Talking to me like that!" Her other hand grabbed my collar, shaking me violently. "Let go, old hag!" I gritted my teeth and struggled. But she was like a madwoman, cursing non-stop. "Raised you for nothing all these years! Ungrateful wretch, won't help your brother's marriage, God will punish you! You'll get struck by lightning sooner or later." "Aren't you afraid Mom will come back and deal with you?" I yelled at Tyler standing nearby. He was playing on his phone. "I don't know what spell you put on Mom. But even if she dares to talk back to me, can she talk back to Grandma? Our family relies on Grandma's pension. What can she do to Grandma?" Hearing this, my heart went cold. Grandma's grip got rougher. My scalp screamed in pain, cold sweat dripping down. "What are you doing!" The door was suddenly pushed open with a bang. Mom rushed over and forcibly pried Grandma's fingers open. Grandma screamed in pain. "Are you crazy?" Grandma looked at Mom in disbelief, her voice shrill. Tyler's eyes widened too. "You're the crazy ones, treating your own family like this for an outsider." Mom's tone was rare and firm. The back blocking me felt unfamiliar for a moment. "If you don't move, don't ask me for living expenses anymore!" Mom had no income. That was why she had been subservient to Grandma all these years. Mom straightened her back and lifted her chin. "Fine, don't give it! Think I'll starve? But if you dare bully my daughter again, don't blame me for turning nasty!" Grandma trembled with rage, cursing as she slammed the door and left. Tyler looked at Mom, speechless for a long time. "Crazy. You're definitely crazy." He smashed his fist on the table and stormed into his room. Only Mom and I were left in the living room. I held my throbbing head, looking up at her. Mom's face showed a rare softness. She even reached out and gently straightened my messy collar. "It's okay, Mom's here." She had never used such a gentle tone with me before. 4 Neighbors I met these past few days were all emotional. "Your mom really changed. She even talked back to the old lady for you. She never dared to be so tough before! You must be a good daughter to her from now on." Listening to these words, I just lowered my head and smiled. Mom really was different. When I went to work, breakfast was ready on the table. Before I got off work, she'd text asking what I wanted for dinner. She even washed and folded the old clothes in my closet. These things seemed ordinary, but they used to be exclusive to Tyler. Before, if I came home a little late from school, she wouldn't even leave me leftovers. Only a sink full of dirty dishes for me to wash. Not to mention the hot milk before bed, that was Tyler's special treat. For a moment, I almost started to believe she really wanted to make it up to me. Coming home from work, Mom served a plate of braised ribs. "Eat more, you loved this when you were little." Mom put a rib in my bowl. So she knew. But back then, getting a few bony pieces with barely any meat was already my luckiest day. I took a bite. The taste was exactly as I remembered. Savory, with a hint of sweetness. At night, she brought a glass of hot milk to my bedside, her tone cautious. "Is work tiring these days?" I took a sip of milk. She suddenly sat down and asked casually. "You've been at the investment bank for a while now, have you come across any insider stock tips?" My hand paused slightly, the milk rippling in the cup. I looked up at her. Mom's eyes revealed an unconcealed hunger. That light was greed for money. The same look she had the day she killed me. "No insider tips, just public information." I didn't tell her I wasn't at the investment bank at all. I smiled, hiding my gaze behind lowered lashes. Added a sentence. "But there's a stock that might rise soon, called 'ClearView Tech', heard it's going to skyrocket." "Are you sure that's the name?" She muttered under her breath, nodding repeatedly as she left. "Seems to be this one. This should be the bull stock from the past life." The next morning, the daily breakfast was gone. When I came home from work, Mom blocked the door. "You have to hand over your salary to me every month from now on." Her voice was as cold as in countless past days, maybe even harsher. "Everything in the house costs money. You have a job now, you should contribute to the family. Don't think about hiding private money!" She gave me a cold glare. "Why aren't you talking? Eating my food, living in my house, and not paying up? Do you think I owe you?" I looked at the familiar disgust on her face. So she didn't remember which stock was the winner in the past life, so she treated me well to extract information. Now that she had the info, I was useless. Tyler looked smug. "I told you, how could Mom suddenly change and be nice to you? Money-loser, hurry up and earn more money, maybe Mom will reward you with a little motherly love." "Look at your face that day, were you touched? Hahaha, so funny." Looking at their faces, my heart was surprisingly calm. Good thing I never truly believed her. Watching Mom and Tyler echo each other, a smile floated onto my lips. ClearView Tech. Mom, buy it hard.
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