It all started when my sister made an offhand remark while sponsoring a poor student. She told him it was a coincidence that we were born on the same day, at the exact hour too. That comment made him convince himself that he was the real heir, that we were switched at birth.

Soon after, he showed up with two thugs, kidnapped me, and planned to kill me to reclaim his life. I called my fiancée for help in desperation. Instead of saving me, she told me impatiently that I deserved to die for stealing his life. Her friend showed up to save me, but neither of us made it out alive after I was pushed into the river.

I was back on the day when I was kidnapped when I opened my eyes again.

When the poor student laughed and told me to pick someone to leave my last words to, I did not hesitate to call my sister.

Their fates were sealed, with another chance at life, I would make sure to make them pay, and show them who the real heir was.

"Julian Chase, you disgusting man. You stole 20 years of my life. I'll finally make you pay today!" Zach Cross shouted.

Zach shot a look at the thugs, and they beat me up without hesitation.

He grinned when he saw the panic on my face, then he kicked a phone toward me.

"You're not getting out of here alive. However, I'll let you have your last words," he said mockingly.

I looked up and saw the hatred in his eyes as he glared at me.

I knew that he wanted me to call Jeanette Goode so she could humiliate me before I die.

That was what happened in my previous life.

However, this time I did not hesitate to call my sister.

I never thought an offhand remark my sister made while sponsoring a poor student would spark such a ridiculous misunderstanding from Zach.

I begged and explained, but he would not hear it. He was obsessed with the idea that he was the real heir of my family.

Even my fiancée, Jeanette, bought into his delusions.

I would not need to do anything if my sister ever found out how Jeanette treated me; she would have plenty of ways to tear them apart.

The call barely connected before I shouted, "High Emergency Level Priority! Save me, sis!"

Zach ripped the phone out of my hand and smashed it against the ground.

"Why didn't you call Jeanette?" he asked.

He looked at me with disbelief. Then, he scoffed and said, "Even if you called your sister, she wouldn't save a fraud like you. Alright, hurry up. Tie him up and dump him in the river, and make it look like suicide."

I knew my sister would come as soon as she could, but I could not help but panic. I tried my best to buy some time.

"Let me go! This is murder. I called for help, so none of you would get away with it if I died. Don't you get it?" I said.

However, the thugs ignored me.

I was dragged closer to the river. Then, suddenly, a figure appeared in the distance.

She shoved one of them aside and stood in front of me.

"I'm here, Julian. Don't worry," she said.

The voice of Autumn Smith comforted me.

She was a friend of Jeanette's, but we were not close.

However, she had also protected me like that in my previous life.

When they pushed me into the river, she clung to me and fought to pull me back up.

Unfortunately, we both drowned.

Fate had given me another chance in life, so it was my turn to protect Autumn.

I felt bad to see her pale face. I said, "Go, Autumn. I can handle this."

Autumn had always been frail. She barely had the strength to go outside, let alone fight two guys at once.

Sure enough, the thugs shoved her to the ground almost immediately.

Zach frowned and asked, "Where the hell did this crazy woman come from? Finish her off, too."

Even as Autumn struggled on the ground, she still tried to protect me. I yelled, "Zach, she's Jeanette's friend! Aren't you afraid that the Goode family will come after you if you lay a finger on her?"

A momentary hesitation crossed his face. Then, in a carefree tone, he said, "I've never heard of Jeanette having a friend like her. Even if it's true, she looks weak and sickly. She's probably a nobody to Jeanette. Do you think she'd choose this girl over me, the rightful heir of the Chase family? Don't make me laugh. Besides, I'll decide how the story goes if both of you die here.”

Autumn was beaten within an inch of her life, and I was tied up so tightly that I could not move.

I glared at Zach and said, "I don't know why you're convinced I stole your life, Zach, but I'm the Chase family's real son. I can forgive everything you've done, but if Autumn dies because of you, I swear I'll make you suffer and beg for your death!"

Zach looked at me with pity. Then, he laughed and said, "You won't admit the truth even when you're about to die, Julian. But of course, you've lived a life of luxury for so long. So, you can't bring yourself to accept that you were switched at birth. Denial won't save you. I had a DNA test done. It proves I'm the real heir of the Chase family!"

I looked at him with disbelief.

I wondered, 'A DNA test? How is that possible? My parents have been gone for years. There are only two children left in my family: my sister and me. How can Zach Cross be one of us?'

However, there was no time to ask questions.

The thugs dragged us to the river.

The water was hundreds of feet deep. Anyone who fell in would be done for.

I looked around desperately, wondering when my sister would arrive and trying to find a way to escape.

Zach noticed and laughed. He asked mockingly, "Still trying to run? You never learn. Hey, break his legs before you toss him in."

One of the thugs picked up a steel rod and walked toward me.

Autumn grabbed his ankle with the last of her strength. She yelled, "I'll hold them off, Julian! Run!"

"I'll kill you, you troublesome woman!" the blond thug yelled. He raised the steel rod and was about to attack her.

Suddenly, a car screeched to a halt in front of us.

"Stop! Unless you want to die!"

I saw the familiar face of my butler as he stepped out from the car, and relief flooded through me.

My family had finally arrived.

The thugs were immediately taken down.

Zach yelled, "Who are you people? What do you think you're doing? I'm the real heir of the Chase family!"

One of the men knocked him out cold with a single strike.

The butler ordered the men to carry Zach and the thugs to the warehouse. I would decide how to punish them later.

Autumn and I were sent to the hospital.

The doctor said I had only surface injuries; they were nothing serious.

Autumn was not so lucky. She had taken a hard blow to the head and needed to be hospitalized.

Only when she was finally wheeled out of the emergency room and into recovery did I feel like I could breathe again.

I borrowed a phone from the nurse and called my sister to tell her I was safe.

When my sister heard someone had tried to smear me as an imposter and wanted me dead, her fury was off the charts.

"I have an important meeting right now that I can't miss. Otherwise, I would've gone with the butler to make those people pay."

I rushed to calm her down by saying, "Sis, have the butler come back. You can't be without protection. Leaving a few bodyguards with me will be enough. Also, I don't want to marry Jeanette Goode anymore, sis. I have a crush on her friend."

She was shocked at first. Then, she laughed and said, "Finally! I never liked Jeanette anyway. Since you don't like her anymore, I'll cut off every bit of support we have in place for her. She'll learn what happens when she messes with my brother."

We hung up after we worked it out.

Jeanette had let me down in my previous life and my current one.

She only had eyes for Zach, her childhood sweetheart. She threw away years of our relationship and humiliated me without hesitation.

I had been given a second chance. I would not let her off easy.

Unexpectedly, she came storming in herself before I could go after her.

Her face was twisted with rage, and she slapped me hard across the face.

"You've lost your mind, Julian! Hasn't it been enough that you stole 20 years of Zach's life? I can't believe you'd also hire people to beat him up! Once Mr. Chase learns the truth, you're done for! Drag yourself down if you want to, but don't take me with you!"

The taste of blood filled my mouth after she slapped me.

I struck her back before I smirked bitterly.

"He told you he's the real heir of the Chase family, and you believe him? You grew up with him. Does he look anything like my sister?" I asked.

Jeanette frowned and replied impatiently, "Stop lying. Zach did a DNA test."

She paused. Then, with fake sympathy, she said, "I know you can't give up on your family's wealth, but listen, if you return Zach' identity, I'll take care of you. I may not be able to make you my husband, but I promise your life won't be worse than it is now with the Chase family."

I wondered if Zach did a DNA test with my sister.

I also wondered how he pulled off getting a DNA sample from my sister.

I was still reeling when I heard Zach's voice.

"Julian Chase!"

Jeanette shook her head helplessly and said, "You had someone beat him up. It's only fair he wants payback. My advice? Get on your knees and apologize. Maybe I'll help you out for old time's sake."

I was shocked to see Zach. Then, I froze when I noticed the bodyguard trailing behind him.

I blurted out, "Who let him out?"

The answer came in the form of a kick to my leg from that bodyguard.

Pain shot through me as I was forced down to my knees. The bodyguard did not stop there. He slapped me across the face over and over.

"You imposter. Still pretending to be the heir? You must have a death wish!" he said.

My head rang from the blows. The disgust in his eyes made it clear that he believed I was an imposter.

I managed to choke out, "Didn't the butler tell you? Zach Cross lied. None of it is true."

The bodyguard sneered and said, "He's the real heir of the Chase family. You're just hooked on playing the imposter, aren't you?"

Zach waved, and the bodyguard immediately stood to the side.

He glanced at the injuries on my face apathetically. Then, he turned toward Jeanette.

He said, "Your boyfriend not only stole my life, Jeanette. He also sent thugs after me. Luckily, my bodyguard showed up in time."