Last time, I had been skeptical of the guardian spirit in the beginning. That changed only after it accurately predicted a series of minor events.

That evening, during dinner, its voice echoed in my mind again.

“Your dad is about to knock over his water glass. Later, he will change into his blue pajamas.”

A minute later, Aaron knocked over his glass.

The voice said regretfully, “If you’d stopped him from picking it up, he wouldn’t have burned his hand.”

It was this very comment that had convinced me last time. I began using its prophecies to help my parents avoid every little risk it foretold.

Yet, in the end, Aaron went bankrupt, Sally had a heart attack, and Pearl died too.

Having lived through it all once, I swore I would rewrite our destinies.

The next morning, I used the hundred thousand dollars Aaron had given me as an allowance to hire a private investigator to conduct a thorough check on the West City project.

Our city was not a historic landmark. No kingdom in history had ever established a unique civilization here.

The investigator reported, “We consulted a history professor to survey the terrain. He confirmed there’s no possibility of an ancient tomb being there.”

Only then did I finally breathe a sigh of relief.

A few days later, Aaron was in high spirits at dinner. He could not help but smile as he said, “The West City project is finalized. The projected profit is at least a hundred million!”

He looked at me in joy as he said, “When it comes through, Mia, my darling, you will get seventy million, and Pearl will get thirty million. I won’t play favorites with either of my girls.”

Pearl quickly waved her hands. “I’ve taken enough from Mia all these years. Give her my share too.”

Sally gazed at us with gentle affection, while Aaron laughed heartily.

A wave of warmth washed over me as I thought to myself, ‘Have I finally managed to protect my family this time?’

Yet the very next day, a newspaper headline screamed the news.

[Major Ancient Tomb Complex Discovered in West City; All Development Projects Indefinitely Halted]

My body went cold, as if I was plunged into an ice pit.

How? How could a tomb complex suddenly be discovered in West City in this life?

That never happened in my last life.

Besides, I had deliberately ignored the guardian spirit’s advice this time. How did my father still end up going bankrupt?

At that moment, Pearl’s scream came from the living room.

“Dad! What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

The shock of the news had given Aaron a stroke.

Sally and Pearl rushed him to the hospital in a frenzy.

Sally cried until she fainted, while Pearl stayed by his bedside and took care of him for days.

When Aaron finally came home, he looked ten years older. Yet, he did not let out a single word of blame toward me.

A guilt so heavy it felt physical settled in my chest, a suffocating weight that made it hard to breathe.

Just then, that haunting voice returned.

“Your mom will leave the house tomorrow to borrow money. You must not let her out, or she’ll be hit by a car.”

My fists clenched so tight that my nails dug into my palms.

I attempted to stop her from leaving before, and she had a fatal heart attack.

This time, no matter what, I would not repeat that mistake. I had to keep my mother alive.

I knocked on Sally’s door and went straight to the point. “Mom, are you having heart problems?”

Sally’s face was pale, but she shook her head. “I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.” She began to cough.

“The most important thing now is figuring out how to pay off your dad’s debts. The house is already mortgaged, and I’m worried about you and Pearl.”

Tears welled in her eyes as she clutched my hand.

“My poor girl! Our family went bankrupt just after you come home. You never got to enjoy a good life with us.”

My eyes welled up, and my voice grew thick with emotion. “Don’t say that, Mom. Just being back by your side makes me happier than you know. Don’t worry, I won’t let anything happen to you.”

With that, I immediately pulled out my phone and dialed 911.

The guardian spirit had said Sally would get into a car accident tomorrow. So, if I took her to the hospital tonight, that should keep her safe.

Mom insisted she was fine and did not need to go to the hospital.

But I stood my ground.

“Mom, your health comes first. Don’t worry about the money. I… I can borrow some from my boyfriend. He’s from a wealthy family. You’re going to be okay, I promise.”

Sally looked at me with gratitude. Tears streamed down her face.

“Mia, you are such a comfort to me. Having you back by my side is the greatest blessing.”

Just to be safe, I rode with Sally in the ambulance.

The whole way there, my palms were slick with sweat.

Thankfully, nothing happened.

As the hospital came into view, I finally began to let my guard down.

Then, there was a deafening bang.

The world spun violently around me.

The accident still happened!

As darkness closed in, one thought echoed in my mind. ‘Why did it end like this?’

I tried to crawl toward Sally, but my body would not move.

With a final, bitter surge of helplessness, I was swallowed by the darkness.

When I woke up again, the first thing I heard was Aaron’s and Pearl’s muffled sobs.

I forced my eyes open and turned my head. On the bed next to mine lay a still form, covered by a white sheet.

Sally was gone again.

It felt like my blood froze in my veins as I was engulfed by an icy dread.

Could it be that everything the guardian spirit said was true?

I stared at Aaron. I was terrified he might do something desperate like he had in my previous life.

I had already lost Sally. I could not lose Aaron, too.

Just then, Aaron noticed I was awake. However, the warmth and fondness that used to fill his eyes were gone. It was replaced by despair.

His voice was hoarse as he asked me, “Why? Why did you have to kill your mother? You did this for revenge, didn’t you? You hated us for losing you back then, right? You wanted to destroy this family!”

Tears streamed down my face as I tried to apologize. I tried to explain about the guardian spirit.

Even though I clearly said the words “guardian spirit,” Aaron insisted that my mouth moved soundlessly, and no voice came out of my mouth.

“Mia, what do you want from us? This is no time for your games!”

Frantic, I turned to Pearl and tried to tell her about the “guardian spirit.”

She only stared at me in confusion and said I was not making a sound.

“Enough!” Aaron roared.

He lunged at me with bloodshot eyes. His hands locked around my throat.

“You cursed child! You’re still lying? Our family will only know peace if you die!”

A violent cough wracked my body as I fought for air.

My vision was spotted with darkness.

Just as my consciousness was slipping away, Pearl rushed over and grabbed Aaron’s arm.

“Dad, please calm down! Mia is your daughter! She only took Mom to the hospital because she was worried about her health. The car accident wasn’t anyone’s fault! It was an accident!”

Aaron’s grip slowly loosened. His gaze turned hollow as he muttered, “An accident… all just accidents. The company’s gone, we’re bankrupt, the cars and the house are mortgaged, and we still owe a mountain of debt. If I can’t pay by the end of the month, the collectors will come knocking. If it’s not her fault, who can I blame? Myself?”

His expression was blank, then it twisted into madness as he burst into a fit of wild laughter.

“Yes, that’s right! I should blame myself! It’s all my fault!”

A terrible sense of dread flooded my chest. I reached out and tried to grab his sleeve.

Before I could touch him, Aaron let out an agonized wail, spun around, and slammed his head hard against the wall.

Aaron died right then.

After Pearl and I numbly finished arranging our parents’ funeral, she pulled me into a tight hug.

“Mia, I’ll start working to pay your tuition. You have to finish school at all costs.”

Tears streamed down my face as I shook my head. “No, it’s my fault our family fell apart. I should be the one working to make up for it.”

Pearl gently stroked my hair and forced out a smile. “Mia, your grades are better than mine, and you have a wealthy boyfriend. Getting that diploma is your only chance to marry into a powerful family to change our status. Only then can you restore the Cannon family’s situation. Mom and Dad would be proud of you if they knew.”

After much hesitation, I finally decided to follow Pearl’s advice and continue my education.

Still, a deep unease lingered in my chest that I could not shake off.

I could not forget what had happened to Pearl in the previous life. I went to my wealthy boyfriend for help. I asked him to hire a bodyguard to secretly watch over her.

Last time, I had been acutely aware of the class disparity between us and had never asked him for anything. But this time, I had no other choice.

Every day, the bodyguard reported to me. Pearl’s routine was simple. A straight line between her part-time jobs and home, nothing more.

Just as I was starting to let my guard down, the voice of the guardian spirit spoke again.

“Your sister will be harassed by thugs tonight, and she’ll die on the street.”

Panic surged through me. I frantically tried calling the bodyguard over and over, but the line would not connect.

With no other choice, I ran as fast as I could to the place where Pearl worked.

Once again, I arrived only to face the same nightmare.

Pearl lay in a pool of her own blood. Using the last of her strength, she cried out to me, “Mia, run…”

I forced myself to stay calm and shouted at the thugs, “I’ve called the police! You’d better run while you still can!”

They glanced at each other, then burst into arrogant laughter.

“Call the cops? Haha! What good will that do? Your dad owes us money, so the daughter pays. That’s just how it is. Even if the police show up, they won’t be able to touch us. You’re not bad-looking either. Be a good girl, and we might just spare your life and sell you to a fraud syndicate.

“Or else…” The leader kicked my sister. “You’ll end up like her.”

I tried to stall for time, but they saw right through me and charged straight at me.

Just as their hands were about to close on me, a terrifying realization struck me like a bolt of lightning.

In that instant, I understood everything.

I drove my foot hard into the lead thug’s groin.

As he doubled over in agony, I lunged at Pearl and clamped my hand around her throat. Then, I snarled at the thugs. “Don’t move! Or I’ll kill her!”