My sister and I were born mortal enemies.
Before we even had bodies, back when we were floating souls waiting for reincarnation, we were already at each other’s throats. She was supposed to be my twin.
But sharing? It was not really her thing.
She couldn’t stand the thought of splitting the spotlight, so she did what any jealous soul would do. She kicked me out of our destined womb and stole the golden ticket for herself: the belly of the wealthiest woman in all of New York.
In her mind, she’d already won.
But what she didn’t realize was that the ‘perfect’ family she chose?
It was a disaster waiting to happen.
The billionaire dad?
He was utterly obsessed with his wife, like, to a delusional, unhealthy level.
The mom? She was sweet as pie and clueless as a toddler.
And the adopted older brother? He was a cold, emotionally starved, and dangerously unhinged sociopath.
In the end, that charming little psychopath broke my sister down, bit by bit, until she couldn’t even stand on her own two feet anymore. Literally, she ended up paralyzed from the waist down.
And me? I got stuck with a washed-up, third-rate actress for a mom.
Yet somehow, I rose to the top. She clawed her way back into the limelight, and I went from forgotten child star to full-blown national treasure.
Consumed by jealousy and hatred, she strapped a bomb to her chest and blew us both sky-high right in the middle of my awards speech.
I died in the spotlight.
And when I opened my eyes again, everything had changed.
She’d stolen my place.
This time, she forced her way into the womb of the very woman she used to mock, my mother, and kicked me aside like trash.
“This time, I’ll be the one getting all the love and praise!” she declared.
I laughed loud and hard.
She had no idea I’d come back with a cheat code. A built-in hack. The perfect weapon for surviving that twisted billionaire family.
The psycho foster brother? I could wrap him around my finger.
That glamorous celeb mom she idolized? She was the real monster hiding in plain sight.
——
“My dearest sister,” she sneered at me, full of fake sweetness, “enjoy being the new freak of the family!”
Before I could respond, she shoved me hard into the Underworld, diving headfirst toward the mirror that reflected a very pregnant woman—my mom.
But I caught the mirror’s edge just in time, gripping it tight and refusing to fall.
From his throne nearby, the Underworld’s young and annoyingly gorgeous ruler, Killian Draven, watched us with an amused look.
“Is she always this dramatic?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
There had been rumors about us in our past lives. We weren’t just regular reincarnated souls; we were part of some twisted experiment Killian ran—a reincarnation trial, giving select souls a chance to choose their next lives.
Naturally, my sister didn’t care about the details. The moment Killian opened his mouth to explain, she cut him off with another one of her signature kicks and lunged for the rich woman’s womb.
“I’m done being her sister! She doesn’t deserve me!”
Killian had no choice but to adapt the experiment on the fly, allowing each of us to choose our own paths.
She didn’t wait to hear the fine print.
And because of that, we never actually heard what Killian was trying to tell us that day.
But deep down, I’d always felt like we missed something important.
Now, as I clung to the mirror, refusing to let go, Killian smirked.
“You’re smarter than she is,” he said, resting his cheek on his fist. “So let me tell you what she missed.”
And suddenly, it all clicked into place.
It turns out that in the updated version of his experiment, Killian had added two special conditions.
First, he gave us each a rare ability: the power to hear people’s thoughts. Not out loud, but in real-time—inner voices, exposed like open books.
Second, we were bestowed with once-in-a-lifetime beauty. The kind that could alter fates and bend destinies.
He wanted to see what we’d do with those gifts. Whether hearing the raw, unfiltered thoughts of a wealthy family would change the way we navigate that world. And whether beauty alone could shift the fate of a girl born into the dirt.
Of course, neither of us knew any of this when we first entered the game.
Looking back now, it all made sense.
My sister probably figured out how messed up that wealthy family really was and started mentally dragging them hard.
And they heard every single word.
No wonder they turned on her. No wonder that deranged older brother snapped and dragged her down into the depths of his obsession.
As for me? My freakish beauty earned me my mom’s obsession. She polished me into the perfect product—the ideal idol.
But the spotlight? It was a cage.
And she? She was hell.
I looked through the mirror at the actress’s swollen belly.
A smirk curled at my lips. ‘Congrats, sis. You just checked into my personal nightmare.’
But this time? I’m not going down without a fight.
This time, I’m using my ability right from the start, even if I have to do so from inside the womb.
That twisted family? They’re going to love me, worship me, and protect me.
I gave the King of Hell one last glance and said softly, “Thank you, my lord.”
Then, I let go of the mirror.
I dove straight into the womb of the billionaire’s wife.
And just as my soul slipped into the warmth of her body, I heard a panicked shout echo through the hospital room:
“What?! The umbilical cord is wrapped around her neck? A C-section would put my wife at risk?!”
Inside the delivery room, the wealthiest man in the country, Leonard Gardner, was absolutely losing it. He was yelling at the top of his lungs at the medical staff.
“Figure it out! Save my wife, not the child! If anything happens to her, I’ll make sure this entire hospital burns to the ground!”
Meanwhile, still floating in the womb, I let out a small, exasperated sigh.
[So this is my overbearing billionaire dad? Wow, he really does love my mom. He’s so devoted! He’s one of a kind, alright. My moms truly blessed!]
Right then, as if someone had hit pause, both the raging billionaire and the sobbing heiress froze mid-freakout. They stared at each other, stunned.
And just like that, I cracked a tiny smile.
Bingo. They heard me.
That confirmed the Heart-Voice Skill was real. The best part was that it had a specific direction. I could aim it and pick who heard what with complete control and total stealth.
Back in our previous lives, my sister had this same gift. Only, she never figured out how to use it. Hers was set on default and broadcast mode. Every thought she had, no matter how nasty, blasted through to the whole room like surround sound.
So when she heard Leonard shout, “Save my wife, not the child,” she totally lost it.
Right there in the womb.
[What kind of idiot says that out loud? Faking the whole devoted husband thing for show? Please, bet his mistress has already had a litter of kids for him. What a fraud!]
And of course, her toxic little tantrum turned the entire delivery room into a mess.
The billionaire’s wife, Judy Gardner, who is now my mom, was on the verge of losing her composure. Her emotions were already running high, and hearing those thoughts pushed her over the edge.
The poor guy had to fall to his knees, swearing his eternal love, to help her breathe normally again.
Then the baby came, and my sister was born.
And the billionaire?
He didn’t even look at her. He clutched his wife like she was the only thing in the world and cried like a man who’d just seen his life flash before his eyes.
“My love, you scared me half to death.”
My sister, of course, started her usual snark:
[I’m your baby, remember? Not even a glance my way, and you’re still putting on this act? And that saggy old cow actually buys it? What a joke. Someone hand her a mirror. She’s not even close to being billionaire-wife material.]
Just like that, the billionaire’s expression turned to stone.
He ordered the nurses to take her away.
And his wife?
She spiraled into a paranoid mess, convinced this ‘baby’ wasn’t really a blessing, but some cursed, reincarnated mistress trying to seduce her man—a walking, squirming debt collector from a past life.
She was hated before she even opened her eyes.
But me? I was going to rewrite the story.
This time, they weren’t just going to like me; they were going to love, adore, and protect me as if I were made of glass and sunshine.
A lovestruck billionaire and a sweet, gullible wife?
That’s easy. I was built for this.
I fired up the Heart-Voice Skill again:
[Why are Daddy Leon and Mommy Judy crying because of me? No, no… I don’t want them to cry. I have to be strong for them.]
I shifted around in the warm fluid, just enough to face the direction of the ultrasound probe. Then, with the steadiest grip my tiny baby hands could manage, I reached for the cord wrapped around my neck.
One loop. Two loops.
Slowly, carefully, I unwound it.
[All done! No more tears, Daddy and Mommy. Baby fixed the bad cord all by herself!]
Their eyes flew to the screen.
They leaned in close, both of them wide-eyed and barely breathing.
“Dr. Wilson, quick! Look at the screen! Is the cord gone? Did she just…?”
The entire medical team stood frozen, their voices shaking as they stared at the monitor, as if it were a live magic show.
“Mr. Gardner, Mrs. Gardner… this is a miracle!”
“Your daughter must have an incredible bond with you. She just unwrapped the cord herself.”
“She’s not just a baby. She’s an angel. A genius little angel! Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Gardner!”
My parents clutched each other like they’d just seen God. They were crying again, but now the tears were of joy.
And of course, my dad, being the dramatic billionaire he is, didn’t hesitate to make a move worthy of headlines.
“Reward everyone. A 0-000,000 bonus for every single staff member in this hospital!”
The same medical staff who’d been sweating bullets minutes ago? Yes, they erupted into cheers as if it were the Super Bowl.
One minute, he’s threatening to set the place on fire.
The next, he’s throwing hundred-thousand-dollar thank-yous around like party favors, all because of me.
A not-even-born miracle princess.
Just as the mood in the room began to calm down, an ear-piercing scream erupted from the next wall over.
“What do you mean, complications?! Go find your top labor coach right now! If this delivery goes south, I swear I’ll blow this shady hospital up all over the internet!”
That voice…
Yep, no surprise there. The third-rate actress, Vivian Lennox.
For a second, I’d almost forgotten she was here, too.
Just like last time, my sister and I were being born at the same time with only a single wall between us.
Even in our rebirth, we still couldn’t stay away from each other.
Back in the womb, I smirked to myself and activated the Heart-Voice Skill, directing it straight through the wall to the delivery room next door.
[Hey, sis, you reincarnated before me. So, why aren’t you out yet?]
[Oh, wait, now I get it! Age before beauty, right? Guess that means I should go first!]
And just like that, chaos erupted.
“AHHH! Doctor, it hurts so bad! That damn thing is kicking me. Get it out, now!”
There she was, right on cue.
My sister completely lost control. She started kicking and thrashing like a raccoon on Red Bull inside that actress’s belly, screaming, crying, and having a full-blown meltdown.
One moment, she was crying for her mom, and the next, she was cussing out the baby like it had ruined her whole life.
Meanwhile, I took a deep, full breath while surrounded by amniotic fluid, rolled my neck slightly, and cheerfully thought:
[Hang tight, Daddy and Mommy. Your baby girl’s on the way!]
With a confident push, I braced myself with both hands and feet and propelled myself toward the light, landing softly on the delivery bed. I wailed loudly, as if starring in a film about perfect newborns.
The whole room froze.
The billionaire, the doctors, the nurses, and everyone stood there with their mouths open, staring as if I’d just done a magic trick.
Even my sweet, soft-hearted mom was still catching up to what had just happened.
“She’s… already out?” someone stammered. “I’ve never seen a delivery go this smoothly! Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Gardner. You’ve got an angel baby!”
Mom gathered me into her arms, laughing and crying all at once. “Leon, look at her! The moment I held her, she stopped crying. She’s even smiling at me!”
My billionaire father’s eyes filled with tears. He pulled both of us into a protective hug, his voice thick with emotion.
“She didn’t want you to suffer. That’s our little girl, so thoughtful already.”
At that moment, he named me: Lucy Pearl Gardner, Heaven’s precious pearl.
And because my dad never did anything halfway, he immediately announced the launch of a charitable foundation in my name and transferred 5% of the Gardner Group’s shares to it.
“This is your reward, my precious daughter,” he said, like he’d been waiting years for this exact moment.
Inside, I was doing mental cartwheels.
Meanwhile, my sister was losing her mind in the delivery room next door.
She was so furious, she nearly made Vivian black out from the pain. In the end, they couldn’t take it anymore and went with an emergency C-section.
Word traveled fast.
It didn’t take long for the entire hospital to buzz with gossip about the “miracle baby” born naturally and peacefully, and the “debt collector” who had to be cut out while screaming in agony.
As for Vivian? She didn’t even bother looking at her newborn. Just waved her off like yesterday’s trash and had a nurse carry her away.
Meanwhile, I was tucked in right next to my mom, cozy and snug, placed there personally by my tycoon dad himself.
I was beginning to drift off, wrapped in warmth and smelling my mom’s perfume, when a shadow crossed over me.
A pale, strikingly handsome face appeared above mine.
Amber eyes, sharp jawline, expression cold and unreadable.
Oh, I knew that face…
Even from this angle, I recognized him immediately. That was the obsessive older stepbrother—the one who ruined my sister’s life during our last encounter.
I remembered everything.
Ever since my sister was born, she hated him. She despised how he was always around and called him a leech, a freeloader riding on the Gardner name. She even mocked him to his face and behind his back, but he wasn’t just anyone.
He was the grandson of my grandfather’s best friend. After Grandpa passed, my dad took him in and raised him like blood.
And my sister? She relentlessly tormented him, humiliated him at school, socially isolated him, and wore him down until only steel and silence remained.
Eventually, he changed.
He became cold, calculating, and dangerous.
But he also became brilliant.
Straight out of college, Dad handed him the entire Gardner Group and named him CEO.
My sister, who was spoiled and accustomed to having everything handed to her, finally realized what was slipping away from her.
So what did she do? She panicked and made the worst move possible. She hired some men to kidnap him or maybe something even worse.
It backfired, of course.
She ended up disfigured, paralyzed, and ruined.
In truth, she never comprehended the most important rule when it comes to yanderes.
You don’t fight him.
You win him over.
And this time, that was precisely what I planned to do.
[Wow! Big bro is gorgeous. I already like him!]
I looked up at him, channeling all the innocence I had as a baby, and reached out with both tiny hands, almost pleading for a hug.
Immediately, something shifted on his face. His stern expression softened slightly. Those icy amber eyes flickered with surprise and a gentler emotion.
“Hic… ahh… hug…”I spoke my very first word.
Gasps erupted on either side of me.
“Did our little girl just call for her brother?” Mom whispered, eyes shining.
“Lance, I think your sister already likes you,” Dad chuckled, clearly thrilled. “Go on, give her a hug.”
Lance stood there, frozen and still, struggling to process everything. Before he could voice any objections, someone gently placed me in his arms.
At first, he held me awkwardly, stiff and unsure. However, his hands were careful and almost reverent, as if he were afraid I might break.
And his eyes, which had always been empty and guarded, were beginning to shift just the tiniest bit.
[Wow… he’s so handsome. And he’s my brother? His eyes are gorgeous, but why do they look so sad? Don’t worry, big bro. With me here, you’ll never be lonely again.]
The moment those thoughts reached him, Lance went utterly still. He had spent his entire life relying on no one—always polite, distant, and entirely numb to the loneliness that accompanied being unwanted.
No one had ever truly seen him, let alone spoken to the part of him he didn’t dare show until now.
For the first time, someone reached into that cold, quiet space within him and ignited a spark.
His amber eyes gradually softened; the edges were no longer sharp, but instead tentative and curious.
Gently, almost as if he feared I might shatter, he laid me back in the crib. Then, without saying a word, he reached up and unclasped the ivory pendant from around his neck. The metal was still warm from his skin. He carefully fastened it around mine.
“This was the only thing my mother ever left me,” he whispered. “Now… it’ll protect you.”
My chest ached with warmth. I knew exactly how much that pendant meant to him. That was the only thing connecting him to his mom, and he just gave it to me, no big deal.
Across the room, the billionaire and his wife—who are now my parents—watched us with tears in their eyes, holding each other as if they had just witnessed something sacred. It was the kind of moment you spend your whole life hoping to experience.
From that day on, Lance came to visit me at the postpartum center every single day.
And bit by bit, the frost on his face started to thaw.
Whenever I reached out with my tiny fingers to grab his hand, he’d freeze and quickly turn his head away. But the soft blush climbing up the tips of his ears always gave him away.
It wasn’t long before he was mixing my formula and feeding me himself, holding the bottle with stiff hands as if I were made of glass.
From day one, I refused breast milk and only drank formula.
[Mom carried me for nine whole months. She deserves to rest now. I want to be a thoughtful baby.]
I even stuck to a perfect schedule, sleeping by 10 p.m. like clockwork, and waking up by 7 a.m. If I ever got hungry during the night, I pressed the nurse call button instead of crying or waking up Mom.
Unsurprisingly, I became the darling of the center.
And once I realized how much everyone loved a smart, polite baby, I started showing off just a little.
First, I started with ‘Mommy’ and ‘Daddy.’ Then I leveled up, calling the nurses ‘Miss’ and the other moms ‘Ma’am.’ The whole postpartum center lit up with excitement.
“Pearl’s a genius baby!”
“She’s talking already? She’s barely a month old!”
While I was busy stealing hearts, my sister—on the opposite side of the center—was beginning to attract some attention as well. Her features had started to sharpen, and her skin was as fair and delicate as porcelain. People began commenting that she looked like a doll straight out of a luxury boutique.
And that was all it took for Vivian, my sister’s new mom, to discover her motherly instincts suddenly. She cradled my sister like she was priceless fine silverware, softly singing lullabies as she rocked her in her arms. And then, to everyone’s surprise, my sister started humming along.
That sent the whole center into a frenzy.
“No way! Two prodigy babies under one roof?”
“One’s talking, the other’s harmonizing? What are the odds?!”
During group events or check-ups, my sister would parade around as if she owned the place, chin held high and full of pride.
She made sure to shoot me a look every time, the kind that said:
[Watch yourself, sis. This time, I’m winning.]
Finally, after our one-month stay ended, Vivian couldn’t get out of there fast enough. She practically ran out with my sister in her arms.
I knew exactly where she was headed.
She was about to visit her so-called sugar daddy — the man who had been financing her entire lifestyle.
Just like in our last life.
She thought now that she had “his child,” she had finally locked down her place. But she was in for a brutal wake-up call.
The man took one look at them, slammed the door in her face, and tossed a wad of cash at her like she was a problem he was tired of fixing.
He was married, and his wife came from a powerful political family, so he wasn’t about to jeopardize that.
He looked her dead in the eyes and said coldly, “Take the money and keep your mouth shut. Or I have ten thousand ways to make you and that kid disappear.”
She took the money but never let go of the humiliation. She held onto that rage, letting it fester inside her. Eventually, she directed every ounce of that twisted energy into raising her daughter as a perfect, obedient weapon.
She smothered her, controlled her, and drilled her like she was some soulless machine.
She only lets me sleep four hours a day. The rest of my time was consumed with work: studying, dancing, acting, singing, and rehearsing like a show pony. She kept polishing until my shine dulled.
The exhaustion chipped away at me, day after day.
Once, I twisted my ankle so badly during a dance rehearsal that I nearly ended up with permanent damage.
And what did she do?
While I lay on the hospital bed, she opened a livestream.
She exploited my pain and injury for sympathy, using it as a means to garner new sponsors and roles. She milked it dry to feed her own rising fame.
By the time I turned eighteen, she looked me straight in the eye and told me it was time to “repay her” for raising me. She taught me how to please the industry’s powerful men. How to survive in a world built on favors, deals, and fake smiles.
Eventually, she reached her goal.
She became a film queen.
And I became a superstar.
The country’s hottest actress.
But the cost?
My body. My dignity. My tears.
So when Freya, my sister, who had literally kicked me into that woman’s womb, showed up years later in a wheelchair, dragging me toward my death like some tragic villain in a drama…
She had no idea what kind of hell I had already clawed my way out of.
In my previous life, by the end of that life, I felt utterly empty and drained in every way possible—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I didn’t even have the strength to want anything anymore. Not even to live.
But this time around? It was my sister walking that same path. The same one that broke me.
At first, everything seemed picture-perfect for her. The media crowned her the ‘Internet’s Little Angel,’ and she soaked up the spotlight like it was made just for her.
Meanwhile, I lived like royalty in the Gardner household. A proper little princess, doted on and spoiled absolutely rotten.
Whenever my hopelessly in love parents got too caught up in their dramatic, PDA-heavy love sessions, I’d quietly slip away to spend time with my true favorite: my obsessive, emotionally reformed foster brother.
Lance never minded. If anything, he seemed to look forward to it. He genuinely enjoyed how clingy I was, how I followed him like a shadow.
Back in our old life, he was invisible in this house and treated like a ghost. A polite, cold, unwanted ghost. But now? Now he had someone. He had me.
And I had him.
Unlike my sister, I never tried to isolate him. I didn’t treat him like some lurking threat. No, I made sure everyone knew I adored him.
I followed him around nonstop, chirping things like, “My brother is so smart,” and “My brother’s the best!” like a broken record.
Honestly, I embarrassed him sometimes, but he never stopped me.
On stormy nights, I would sneak into his room, hugging a pillow to my chest and looking up at him with big, pleading eyes.
“Can I sleep with you tonight? Please?”
At first, he tried to keep a straight face and play the role of responsible big brother.
But the combo of baby talk and crocodile tears was always too much.
“Fine,” he’d mutter with a sigh. “Just stay on your side and behave, got it?”
And just like that, I was curled up in his bed.
He’d gently pat my back until I drifted off, and each time, something warm and solid would settle in my heart. Safe. Steady.
In the old timeline, he had a tough life. He was raised in someone else’s home, never truly accepted, and always had to tread carefully.
My sister treated him poorly.
She bullied him constantly, made him an outcast at school, and even plotted to have him kidnapped—maybe even killed—once she saw him as competition.
So yeah, no wonder Lance cracked. No wonder he became cold, twisted, and dangerous.
But this time, I did things differently. I softened him instead of hardening him. I reached for him, not to control, but to care.
And somewhere along the way, I stopped pretending. I really did get attached.
We were a team now.
[My big bro is the best. I’ll grow up and protect him.]
That thought came from the deepest part of me.
Lance paused, then let out a soft, rare laugh. “Silly girl. I’m the big brother. I’m supposed to protect you.”
Time flew after that.
By the time I was fifteen, I was surpassing grown adults in almost everything. Music, chess, calligraphy, and painting—you name it. I was mastering it. And of course, I kept my Heart-Voice Skill polished and ready, using it behind the scenes to quietly help the family.
I gave my billionaire dad a few nudges at just the right moments.
Thanks to those “little coincidences,” he made some killer investments.
The Gardner fortune multiplied.
As for my sweet, clueless mom? I steered her away from a disaster that nearly shattered us in the last life.
She had a so-called best friend who once tried to drug Dad and seduce him. It almost worked. Their marriage nearly imploded.
And who was watching it all unfold, as if it were a soap opera?
My sister. She didn’t lift a finger to stop it. She just let everything crash and burn.
Not this time.
Not with me in the picture.
This version of our family only grew stronger, tighter, happier.
One night, Dad looked at Lance and me and smiled so wide it softened every line on his face.
“With you two in the Gardner family, I can finally relax.”
I clung to Lance’s arm, pouting dramatically. “I just want my big brother to spoil me forever. I’ll always be his little princess!”
The look in his eyes when I said that? It was fiercely tender all at once. That moment ignited a fire in him. From then on, he pushed himself harder, took on more responsibility, and quietly built up his strength as if preparing for war, because he had a promise to keep.
He swore he’d protect me for life.
Then came the headlines.
I started noticing Freya appearing in entertainment news, receiving praise and admiration. The media called her the rising goddess of the screen. Vivian named her Freya Lennox, which was nothing surprising, and the press couldn’t stop praising her looks and potential.
And then, finally, I saw her again in person.
It was at my eighteenth birthday party.
She walked in with Vivian at her side, wearing a designer gown, with her hair and makeup flawless. She had all the right moves—the grace, the poise, the smile—but her eyes were empty and devoid of life.
Still, when Freya spotted me stepping out in a simple, elegant dress, her whole demeanor changed. Her spine straightened, her chin lifted, and she strutted over like she’d just claimed victory on a battlefield.
“Pearl,” she sneered, her voice full of fake sweetness, “looks like you’ve been living a pretty pathetic life these last few years, huh? I heard the Gardners don’t even care about you anymore. Everyone says all their attention is on that freak, Lance. And you? You’re just some worthless reject they keep around out of pity.”
I was about to respond, but before I could open my mouth, a cold voice cut through the air like a blade.
“Who are you calling a freak?”
Freya’s smug expression vanished.
She turned and froze, face draining of color.
And I knew exactly why.
Because Lance was standing behind me, tall, terrifying, and completely unamused.
The same Lance who, in our past life, had dismantled her piece by piece. The one who broke her body, crushed her spirit, and left her in a wheelchair.
She never recovered from that.
And clearly, she hadn’t forgotten a single second of it.
Lance fixed his icy gaze on Freya, and the confidence instantly left her voice.
“I… I’m sorry,” she stammered. “I was just joking!”
He didn’t even bother to reply. Without giving my sister another glance, he reached into the inner pocket of his tailored suit and pulled out a diamond brooch. His movements were a little stiff, almost shy, as he leaned in and pinned it to my dress.
“This is something I made myself,” he said in a low voice. “Happy birthday, Lil Sis.”
It seemed like he wanted to hug me. His hands twitched slightly before dropping back down as he hesitated.
I smiled and closed the gap myself, throwing my arms around him in a quick, tight hug.
“Thank you, Lance. You’re the best.”
His ears turned bright red on the spot. A rare smile softened his usual icy expression.
“Good girl,” he murmured. “I’m going to greet the guests. Mom and Dad said they’ve got a surprise planned for you later.”
As he walked off, Freya snapped.
She grabbed my arm, her tone sharp and edgy. “That’s impossible! Why is he so nice to you?!”
I frowned and yanked my arm free.
My laugh came out light, almost lazy. “He’s my brother. Of course, he treats me well. Doesn’t your actress mom spoil you the same way?”
I barely finished the sentence before a sharp voice pierced the air behind her.
“You useless brat! What are you standing around for? Get over here and toast Director Martin and the others—now!”
Freya froze. All the color drained from her face.
She turned her head slightly, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Mom, can I just talk to Pearl a little longer? Just a few more words, okay?”
Vivian offered her a sugary-sweet smile, clearly performing for me. After all, I was the Gardner family’s golden girl.
“Fine. Make it quick.”
Then she pinched Freya hard at the waist, out of everyone’s view.
Freya flinched. I saw the pain flash across her face before she forced herself to nod and smile.
I sneered inwardly.
[So much for your dream life, huh? You really managed to pick the wrong path in both lifetimes, my dear sister? That takes a special kind of talent.]
Her face turned bright red, shaking with fury.
[You’re the loser, not me! I’m already making my own money. I’ve got fans. People love me. I have a real future!]
I clicked my tongue and gave her a look that was anything but sympathetic.
[Aw, that’s rough, dear sissy. Meanwhile, I was born a shareholder of Gardner Industries. I could lie on the couch all day and still burn through more money than I’d know what to do with for the next ten lifetimes.]
That one hit hard. I saw it in her eyes.
In her past life, the billionaire never gave her a single share of anything. The entire family avoided her as if she were cursed. She never found a moment of peace.
[Don’t get too full of yourself! Once I win Best Actress, I’ll have my fans drag you through the dirt online. I’ll crush you under my heel!]
Watching her twist herself into knots, I couldn’t help but sigh inside.
[Why is it that every time you oppose me, you never see me as your sister?]
Then, Freya leaned close to my ear, her voice dripping with venom as she loudly voiced out. “It’s your big day, Pearl. That freak adopted brother of yours is only putting on a front for everyone. Just wait and see. He’ll shatter you, just as he did to me. He’ll tear you to pieces and discard you from the Gardner family.”
She leaned in and hissed the words in my ear, then stormed off as if she had just revealed some grand truth.
The thing is… she wasn’t entirely wrong.
Lance was acting, and he was frighteningly good at it.
From across the room, I watched him mingle with guests, sip wine, and smile politely. But his eyes? They never left me.
Not even once.
Later that night, after the last guest had finally gone, Lance casually made his way over to me, still holding that same unreadable half-smile.
Without a word, he took my wrist and pulled me into a quiet, dimly lit private room nearby.
“My sweet little sister,” he said, his voice low and teasing, “you’ve been very naughty. Don’t you think that deserves a little punishment?”
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