When my sister, Amelia, and I are waiting to be adopted at the orphanage, a man and a woman come to visit.

Ambitious as ever, Amelia instantly sets her sights on the elegantly dressed woman named Charlotte Evans, while I end up being chosen by the man in plain, unremarkable clothes.

But to my surprise, the man turns out to be a discreet billionaire. After adopting me, he publicly announces my identity for everyone to see.

Meanwhile, Amelia is taken in by Charlotte, who's so harsh it borders on cruel. She constantly scolds and punishes her.

Moreover, Amelia is bullied at school and even gets doused in dirty water by her classmates.

While she stands there trembling and humiliated, I walk away with friends crowding around me.

Consumed by jealousy and resentment, Amelia waits for the perfect moment and pushes me off a tall building when I least expect it.

The next time I open my eyes, I find myself back on the day we are supposed to be adopted.

I watch as Amelia chooses the man without the slightest hesitation. It's obvious she's come back to this day, just like I have.

On the day we part ways, Amelia gives me a knowing smile. "From now on, I'm going to live the high life. If you ever go hungry, maybe I'll spare you a bite or two."

Outwardly, I look angry, but inside I am over the moon. In this life, Amelia can enjoy her luxurious life, even if it means living comfortably in a gilded cage.

"Sir, can I call you Dad? You look so much like my father, from what I remember. I really miss him."

When Amelia Pearson clung to Henry Foster with tears in her eyes, I knew right then that she had come back to this day, too.

She looked up at him with those big, misty eyes. She was still just a girl, but there was no doubt she'd grow up to be beautiful.

Just as I expected, Henry's eyes lit up, and he quickly bent down to gently help Amelia to her feet.

"Ms. Murphy, I feel a connection with this little girl. Why don't I take her home with me?"

The orphanage director, Vanessa Murphy, couldn't help but glance at Amelia a few more times, obviously confused about why she'd suddenly changed her attitude and handed such a golden opportunity to someone else.

Charlotte Evans stood there with a cold, unreadable expression as she pointed at me. "Then I'll adopt her," she said flatly.

On the day Amelia and I parted, she gave me a meaningful smile. "From now on, I'm going to live the high life. If you ever go hungry, maybe I'll spare you a bite or two."

I kept up an angry front, but inside I was grinning from ear to ear. In this life, Amelia could enjoy her luxurious life, even if it meant living comfortably in a gilded cage.

In our last life, Amelia never hesitated to pick the elegantly dressed Charlotte. She always looked down on poverty and chased after wealth, learning how to read a room before she was even grown.

On adoption day, she dropped to her knees in front of Charlotte, begging her to take her in. And just like that, Henry ended up taking me home.

But when Amelia actually arrived at the Evans residence, she discovered life there wasn't the fairy tale she'd dreamed of. She wanted to be a princess waited on hand and foot, but Charlotte was strict and didn't hesitate to punish her for every mistake.

Since Amelia was so proud and arrogant, thinking that being an Evans made her better than everyone else, she ended up making plenty of enemies at school.

However, Charlotte refused to stand up for Amelia. Sometimes, she even watched the bullying unfold with cold indifference.

The rest of the Evans family wasn't any better, so Amelia found herself bullied at school and then mocked and criticized by the relatives at home.

She felt like she was barely getting through each day.

Meanwhile, after Henry adopted me, he made sure I was taken care of in every way. Little by little, the sallow look from years of malnutrition disappeared, and my face grew healthier and prettier with each passing day.

By the time I reached my sophomore year, I had transferred to the same university as Amelia.

I still remembered the day she stood there shivering, drenched in dirty water, while I walked away with friends crowding around me.

At the university's annual gala, I played a piano piece onstage, becoming the center of attention.

Down in the crowd, classmates whispered to each other, "Amelia Evans looks so much like Emma Foster, but their lives couldn't be more different."

Amelia dug her nails so deeply into her palms that she almost drew blood.

Not long after that, Henry announced in front of the wealthy elite that I was his long-lost daughter.

That was the moment when Amelia's jealousy finally reached its breaking point.

She found her chance and killed me, shoving me off a tall building. The hateful look on her face was something I'd never forget.

It was only after I died that I realized just how wrong I'd been. I'd always remembered my mother's dying wish and gone out of my way to take care of Amelia, even though I was only a year older.

Whenever the orphanage handed out anything good, I always gave my share to Amelia. She grew up chubby and healthy while I was thin and sallow. I even dropped down a grade just to be in the same class as her.

But in Amelia's eyes, that was all just what I was supposed to do. She never once felt grateful.

In this life, she was the first to choose Henry, determined to live as the beloved daughter in a wealthy family.

What she didn't know was that everything in this world came with a price. What she saw as suffering might have been a second chance for me.

Charlotte had never married. She was an only child. After her father died in a car accident, she took over the Evans family business all by herself.

In just ten years, she managed to multiply the family's assets several times over, turning an old, established company into a major force that no one in the business world could afford to ignore.

So, it was no wonder that Amelia thought she was something special after becoming Charlotte's adopted daughter.

But because Charlotte was so tough and decisive, she made plenty of enemies among her relatives. Those greedy for a piece of the pie did everything they could to get their own children in front of her, hoping to curry favor.

When it became clear Charlotte wasn't going to marry, they tried even harder, but she kept her distance and eventually chose to adopt from an orphanage instead. That was why Amelia had been bullied in her previous life.

Even though I thought I was ready for anything, once I actually entered the Evans residence, I realized just how tough life there really was.

Charlotte sent me to a nearby school. I went to school during the day. In the evenings, I set aside two extra hours for tutoring.

On weekends, I took all kinds of lessons, such as horseback riding, archery, piano, and dance.

Whenever Charlotte had time, she kept an eye on me. If I ever lost focus or seemed tired, she'd make me stand as punishment until I snapped out of it.

By the time I finally got to crawl into bed, the moon was already high in the sky.

This strict routine lasted for a full two years before Charlotte's attitude toward me began to soften.

Over time, our relationship grew closer. She started showing me more care without even noticing.

While she was certainly demanding, thanks to her guidance, my grades kept improving, and my health became stronger from the regular schedule. I was truly grateful to Charlotte for all she'd done.

But to the rest of the Evans family, Charlotte's change in attitude felt like a threat.

Charlotte had plenty of relatives. After two years, I'd learned that money was all that mattered to them.

At first, they assumed Charlotte's interest in me was just a passing phase. But once they saw how gentle she was with me, they panicked.

If I really gained a foothold in the Evans family, what hope would they have of inheriting any of the fortune?

So, they started scheming to get rid of me.

Whenever Charlotte wasn't around, they would cut my meal portions or soak my sheets just to make my life miserable.

At school, their kids spread rumors about me being an orphan, stirring up gossip and making me an outcast.

I put up with everything in silence. Compared to what I'd faced in my last life, this was nothing.

Seeing me unbothered, they finally decided to get physical.

A group of girls, led by Charlotte's eldest niece, Olivia Evans, surrounded me with their faces twisted in scorn.

"You filthy stray, my diamond necklace is gone. Was it you who took it?"

"I bet it was! What would an orphan know about nice things? Just because Aunt Charlotte treats her decently, she thinks she's a real Evans now!"

"Hand over the necklace or get out of the house!"

While they accused me of stealing, they began to search me, checking my pockets and clothes.

I could only let out a quiet laugh, watching these girls go to such lengths just to drive me out of the house.

I shook my head. "I didn't take your necklace. You're all just mad because Ms. Evans actually likes me. You try to bully me at home and isolate me at school, but I don't care. I'm not as petty as you are."

My words hit home, and their faces flushed red with anger.

"Don't bother talking to this little tramp! Just hit her! Aunt Charlotte will definitely kick her out after this!"

With that, four of them lunged at me, trying to rip off my clothes. They pulled at my hair, forcing my face up, and slapped me again and again, each blow landing hard on my cheeks.

"Look at her! She still dares to glare at me? Beat her!"

I glanced over at their phones, catching sight of the fact that they were recording everything. That meant I already had proof in hand if I needed it.

I'd put up with their nonsense up to now, not because I was afraid, but because I was waiting for the right time to fight back. I never looked for trouble, but I sure wasn't going to run from it.

The very next second, I rammed my head into one girl's stomach and landed a hard kick to her leg.

Another girl tried to jump in, but I was quicker. I grabbed her by the hair and slammed her head onto a desk.

Then, I went for Olivia, who'd hit me the hardest. I tackled her to the ground and slammed my fists into her, targeting the places her clothes would cover.

The last girl just stood there, stunned. By the time she snapped out of it, she kicked me in the back and punched me twice in the face, leaving my nose bloody.

Nobody came out of that fight looking good. I got jumped by the group, but none of those four girls walked away unscathed either.

They liked to think of themselves as pampered rich kids, but they had no idea how to really fight.

In the end, all five of us landed in the hospital. With the video as evidence, it was clear I was just defending myself, so the others were given disciplinary warnings.

Later, Charlotte came to see me.

"You got bullied? Why didn't you tell me?" she asked.

"There wasn't any point," I said. "They just want to push me until I leave."

I got out of bed, knelt down in front of her, and looked her straight in the eye.

"Ms. Evans, I know exactly why you adopted me. You hate your family, hate all these relatives who only care about their interests. You wanted someone who could deal with them for you. I can be your sharpest weapon."

Charlotte looked at me for a long time. My knees started to ache before she finally let out a laugh.

"Get up," she said. "From now on, stop calling me Ms. Evans. Just call me Mom. Don't let me down."

I looked down and smiled. I'd guessed right.

There was no way Charlotte didn't know what I'd been through. This had all been a test. She'd seen my patience, and now, she'd seen how I fought back.

I knew I'd passed.

From that day on, I could tell her attitude toward me had really changed. She paid more attention to me, and her smiles felt genuine.

The next time I saw Amelia, it was the very same day we had met in my previous life.

She wore a custom designer dress, looking every bit the picture of elegance. Her skin was flawless, and her big, innocent eyes could have made anyone feel protective.

Meanwhile, I was hunched over at my desk, struggling to finish a client proposal Charlotte had given me just a couple of days before.

If I couldn't come up with a solid plan, I knew Charlotte would double my workload that night. I really didn't want to pull an all-nighter.

On stage, Amelia introduced herself to the class. "Hi, everyone. My name is Amelia Foster. I've just come back from studying abroad. I hope we can all get along these next few years."

I looked up and met her eyes. All I could see was pride and a challenge.

Amelia spent the whole day showing off, strolling around the campus with the principal as if she owned the place.

After school, I stood at the gate waiting for Charlotte to pick me up, when a luxury car pulled up beside me.

As the window lowered, I saw Amelia sitting inside. She got out of the car and came right up to me.

"So, how's life at the Evans residence? Is that woman always yelling at you and hitting you? How does it feel to be bullied?"

Without even looking up, I pulled out my phone and texted Charlotte.

"If things are tough for me, what about you at the Foster residence? I heard they treat you like a real princess over there..."

The moment Amelia heard that, her face went white.

Henry had only one son, Adam Foster, who was a real handful. The only reason he adopted a girl was to give Adam some company.

In my previous life, after I'd been adopted, Adam made my life hell. He wouldn't let me go out or go to school. He controlled every aspect of my life, even what I ate and wore.

With him, I didn't have an inch of private space. It was a life of humiliation I could never escape.