As a reward, Mom gave me a card that allowed me to spend a whole day out as I pleased. It was the most relaxed and carefree day I had experienced since joining the Taylor family.

The driver took me to the bustling city center, and I got out to explore on my own. I had only taken a few steps when I saw someone familiar.

It was Elsa. She stood on the roadside under the blazing sun, handing out flyers.

The Cullens were poor and could barely spare any money. It wasn't surprising that she had to work to earn her keep. After all, I had been in the same position in my previous life.

During summer breaks, I had to work three jobs while keeping up with my studies. On top of that, I had to help my adoptive parents with endless chores and odd jobs.

They claimed to treat everyone equally, but in reality, they could never bear to let their son work.

It wasn't until later that I discovered the truth. My adoptive parents hadn't taken me in because they cared for me. They were simply looking for free labor.

"Hello, would you like to see this—"

A flyer was handed to me.

Elsa stopped mid-sentence when she looked up and saw me. "Enya?"

As she saw the luxury I was surrounded by and the care I took of myself, a fleeting trace of jealousy flitted across her expression and vanished just as fast.

She forced a smile. "You seem to be living comfortably now. Don't say I didn't warn you. Families like the Taylors aren't for everyone. Mom is far scarier than you think. You'll learn soon enough."

"I see."

My calm reply seemed to irritate her slightly.

She began boasting about her adoptive family. "The Cullens treat me very well. I live comfortably every day. Flynn even helps me with my studies. We even got into Westbridge High School by special admission."

Westbridge High School was the very school Mom had just sent me an admission notice for.

Only students with prominent family backgrounds or exceptional talent could get in, though a few were admitted through special exceptions.

In my previous life, the ones admitted through exception were Flynn Cullen and me.

"Our future is only going to get better, and you will most likely end up dying on the streets," she said with firm conviction.

"Elsa!"

She turned at the sound of her name.

"Flynn, what are you doing here?"

Elsa's face lit up, and she ran into Flynn's arms.

Flynn held a lunchbox out to her. "Mom sent me to bring you lunch. It's the middle of the day. You must be tired. Do you want me to stand in for you for a bit?"

Elsa waved him off. "No, I'm fine."

The Cullens would rather send Flynn to costly tutoring than allow Elsa even a moment of rest. That had been my life before as well.

"Thanks for your trouble," Flynn said, then looked at me.

"Flynn, this is my sister, Enya. You met her at the orphanage before," Elsa said.

He glanced at me, and a trace of disgust crossed his face. He ignored me entirely and said to Elsa, "Stay away from people like that. Let's go."

Without letting me say a word, he pulled Elsa away.

"Flynn, why are you being so harsh? What if you scare her?" Elsa asked.

"Elsa, she looks unreliable. Don't associate with her, or who knows what kind of harm she might cause behind your back," Flynn said flatly.

His words caused a brief stir in my heart, but it quickly faded.

I pulled out the card Mom had given me and made several luxury purchases.

As I emerged carrying several large shopping bags, Elsa's face turned sour. "What's with the smug look? You're still going to die someday, while Flynn and I will be running big companies."

I smiled at her naivety and carried my bags back to the Taylor residence. In truth, none of the items were for me. They were all gifts for Mom and Eric.

When I got back, Eric was surprisingly at home. He sneered when he saw me. "Well, you haven't been with the Taylor family for long, and you're already hauling bags back like this. Do you really think everything in the Taylor family belongs to you?"

"Eric!" Mom called out in warning. "She is your sister."

Eric smirked. "What kind of sister is she supposed to be? I don't have such a country bumpkin for a sister. I'd be embarrassed to be seen with her."

Eric had never gotten along with me, and I had no intention of provoking him. I calmly took out the gifts. "Mom, this one is for you."

I handed her the box, revealing a delicate silk scarf inside. Then, I distributed gifts to David and the other staff who had cared for me. For the first time, Mom's expression held a rare sense of gratification.

David and the others looked genuinely surprised and flattered.

Eric's expression immediately darkened. "You don't seriously think a few cheap gifts can win people over. Don't flatter yourself—"

"Eric, this one's for you."

As if I hadn't heard him, I took out the last gift. It was a racing car model. "Mom said you like racing. I saw it at the mall and bought it."

He froze for a moment, muttered something under his breath, and took it anyway.

…

Soon, the first day of school arrived.

I had already planned to take a cab, but when I stepped outside, I saw the car still waiting there.

A flicker of delight crossed my face as I ran over. "Eric!"

"Who are you calling? I told you, I'm not your brother," Eric snapped impatiently as he opened the car door. "Stop dawdling and get in. My time is valuable."

"Okay," I replied, handing him the breakfast the housekeeper had packed. "Mom said one for each of us."

A trace of awkwardness flashed across Eric's face. He muttered, "Who even eats breakfast anymore?" Still, he took it.

I raised an eyebrow, thinking to myself that he was all talk.

Before stepping out of the car, he made sure to warn me. "Let me be clear. At school, don't say you're my sister, and don't reveal our relationship. If you do, you'll answer to me."

After issuing his warning, he got out of the car and walked off.

"Ms. Taylor, please don't take it to heart. Mr. Taylor has always been like this since he was young," the driver said in consolation.

I shook my head, said it was fine, and got out of the car as well. By sheer coincidence, I ran into Flynn and Elsa at the school gate again.

Flynn was good-looking and aloof, drawing the attention of many female students. He and Elsa were surrounded by a crowd.

"Did you hear? That's the top-ranked transfer student this year. He's amazing. Even his sister is impressive. She ranked 15th in the city."

"I'm so jealous. I wish I had a brother like him."

Based on academic placement, I was assigned to Class 1. Coincidentally, Flynn and Elsa were placed in the same class as me, while Eric ended up in the very last class.

As soon as I walked into the classroom, Flynn and Elsa followed. Students immediately surrounded them again.

Elsa wore a smug expression as she walked over to my side. "What a coincidence, Enya. I didn't expect us to end up in the same class."

"Well, I suppose that makes sense. With the Taylor family's influence, getting you placed here would have been effortless," Elsa said.

She continued, "It's nothing like Flynn and me. We actually had to work ourselves to the bone to earn our spots. By the way, where is that useless son of the Taylor family? Knowing Mrs. Taylor, she must have arranged for him to enroll as well."

I frowned. Before I could say anything, Flynn came over, scowling at me like always.

"Elsa," he said, pulling her behind him. "I already said don't get involved with her."

"Flynn, Enya isn't a bad person," Elsa muttered, putting on an innocent act.

Flynn replied sternly, "How do you know she's not?"

Classes kept us busy all day. I paid little attention to their playful banter and instead opened my management textbooks to study.

When classes ended, Eric and I had agreed to meet at the school gate and go home together. He hadn't wanted to at first, but Mom insisted.

He still looked hesitant after a few days, but he kept bringing me snacks from the stalls outside the school gate. When he handed me a small cake, I froze for a moment.

"I saw the other girls in class eating these," Eric said. "Don't tell me you don't like it."

I couldn't hide the small spark of delight on my face as I took it from him. "I do. Of course I do."

Over the next week, he brought all kinds of snacks—fries, fresh fruit, creamy yogurt. We practically worked our way through every stall near the school gate.

As the semester went on, our relationship slowly got better. That day, I hurried to the school gate as usual, but he was nowhere in sight.

I searched the entire campus without success. Just then, fragments of conversation reached my ears.

"Hey, did you hear? Eric's gone to race on the mountain trail behind the school."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. The race should have already started by now."

My heart sank as the memory hit me.

In my previous life, Eric had been persuaded to take part in a race. His car was sabotaged, and the mountain trail was treacherous. A terrible crash followed, and because help didn't arrive in time, he was left paralyzed from the waist down, disabled for life.

I couldn't let this happen again. I ran toward the back mountain like I had lost my mind.

By the time I arrived, the race was already underway. The track was packed with spectators, cheering loudly as cars roared past, sending clouds of dust flying.

The next moment, a deafening explosion tore through the air. The red sports car lost control right before my eyes and smashed headlong into an artificial rock formation.

The crowd scattered in panic.

"Eric!"

I sprinted toward him.

I was just a step away from pulling him free when a brutal force hit me from behind, sending me sprawling onto the ground.

"Is this your brother?"

A vicious-looking face loomed before me.

"Call an ambulance, now. My brother is dying!" I screamed.

I looked toward the driver's seat. Eric was crushed inside with barely any space left to survive. My heart pounded wildly.

"Your brother made an enemy of me, and you think I would let you save him? Dream on," he snapped, striking my face again and again.

I shoved him away and swung back, landing a slap of my own as I roared, "This is murder. It's illegal. I won't let any of you get away with this."

I tried to intimidate them and hurriedly reached for my phone, but the next moment, it was snatched away and tossed aside. Another brutal slap struck me, knocking me to the ground.

"Who do you think you are, mouthing off like that?"

A foot pressed down on my face. Pain exploded through me. In my daze, I saw a familiar figure.

It was Flynn.

"Flynn, save me!" I shouted with everything I had left.

I watched as Flynn walked toward me, but halfway there, Elsa grabbed his arm. "Flynn, what are you looking at? Let's not get involved. We should leave. Those people aren't someone we can afford to provoke."

I watched the expression on Flynn's face shift from hesitation to submission.

"Alright."

He looked at me deeply, then turned and walked away.

The man retrieved a sledgehammer from the car. "In all my years, no one has ever dared to hit me. Today, I will make you pay for that slap."

His roar was carried away by the wind.

He raised the hammer and brought it down.