Chapter 1

1

My sister had no idea that everyone in our family could hear her inner thoughts.

When my parents finally brought me home, she welcomed me with a warm, bright smile.

But inside, her voice sneered, "Wait, isn't she that girl who snatched Mom's purse last time? She must be in some kind of trouble, right? I should probably help her out!"

What my sister didn't know was that I had been reborn.

And this time, I could hear her inner thoughts too.

When the St. Claire family picked me up, Xenia stood timidly behind my biological parents.

"How could it be her? She's the one who stole Mom's bag," her voice echoed in my head.

"She probably didn't mean it. She must have suffered so much. I'll make sure to be a good sister to her."

This was Xenia's inner voice, sweet and pitying, but I knew better.

In my last life, I only found out at the moment of my death that the whole family could hear her thoughts.

Xenia knew it too, which was why she played the victim so perfectly, making everyone loathe me.

If I hadn't been reborn with this ability, I would have died again without knowing why I was being treated like trash.

Hearing Xenia's thought, my biological mother, who had been reaching out to me with guilt, suddenly froze.

She pulled her hand back as if I were covered in filth.

"Go change your clothes first," she said coldly. "You look like a mess. You don't look like a daughter of the St. Claire family at all."

I looked down at myself. Compared to Xenia's designer outfit, I did look like a beggar.

But they seemed to forget why I looked this way.

My foster parents knew I wasn't theirs, so they treated me like a slave.

They made me wash the entire family's laundry in freezing water during the winter.

They fed me scraps once a day and took away my chance to go to school.

I had to work long hours just to pay for their biological son's tuition.

Even the clothes I wore were my younger brother's hand-me-downs.

I was three years older than him, but because I was so malnourished, his old shirts hung off my thin frame.

I had never eaten a full meal or owned anything new in my life.

And yet, my own mother was ashamed of me.

I let out a self-deprecating laugh.

"If I hadn't spent the last decade living a life worse than a stray dog's, I'd probably be as pampered as my sister," I said.

In my past life, I would have hung my head in shame at my mother's disgust.

Back then, I was so insecure and just wanted to be loved.

But I wasn't that stupid girl anymore.

Xenia's voice rang out again in my mind.

"Why is she talking to Mom like that? Mom is so gentle. I would never be so rude. She must hate me for taking her spot. I'm such a terrible person for existing."

My mother had initially felt a spark of pity seeing how skinny I was.

But after hearing Xenia's "guilt," her face hardened again.

I didn't say another word and just walked upstairs.

"Willa! If you don't mind, sleep in my room tonight!" Xenia called out behind me, sounding sincere.

"Your room isn't ready yet. We can stay up and I'll tell you all about the family!"

To an outsider, she looked so humble and kind.

Even though she was the one living the dream, she acted like the victim.

But I knew she was just rubbing it in my face.

"From what I know, you've known I was the real daughter for a while," I replied, stopping on the stairs.

"Is my room not ready because I'm not welcome, or was that your idea, Xenia?"

Xenia wanted to look like the good child, but she miscalculated.

Anyone with a brain could see she was being territorial.

My mother looked embarrassed and stuck for words.

Xenia's inner voice spiked with panic.

"I just wanted to be close to her so Mom and Dad wouldn't be stressed. Why is she being so mean? Is it because of me? Maybe I should just pack my bags and leave…"

Tears began to well up in her eyes as she spoke out loud.

"I'm sorry, Willa. It's my fault. I was sick recently and couldn't stand the smell of fresh paint. Please don't be mad at Mom."

Just then, my biological brother, Landon, came rushing through the front door.

He caught the tail end of her act, and his eyes widened with rage.

"Willa St. Claire, don't be so ungrateful!" he barked.

"Xenia has a weak heart. It was my idea not to renovate the room yet. You just got here and you're already bullying her? We shouldn't have brought you back!"

Landon's hatred was palpable.

In my last life, I spent every waking moment trying to please him.

I did everything for him, but when I was dying, he wouldn't even take me to the hospital.