Chapter 1

My parents were obsessed with the idea of my sister marrying into old money. They even pressured her to drop out of her senior year of high school to focus on finding a rich husband.

In my past life, I did everything to stop them. "Dad, Mom, women need to be independent these days. Besides, even rich families care about a degree!" I argued.

Because of my interference, they gave up on the idea. But things didn't go as planned.

Lana didn't marry into money. Instead, she fell for some local thug with bleached hair during college.

Her marriage was a nightmare of domestic violence. My mother blamed me for everything. "It's all your fault, you jinx! If we hadn't listened to you, your sister would be living the high life right now!"

My father screamed at me, too. "You just wanted to ruin her life. You couldn't stand to see her doing better than you, could you?"

Lana believed them. She truly thought I was the one who destroyed her future.

One late night, she cornered me with a knife and hacked me to death.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back. It was the exact day my mother was trying to convince Lana to drop out.

...

"Mom, I don't want to get married. I want to go to college and see the world!"

"What do you know? For a woman, a good marriage is the only thing that matters!"

The familiar sound of sobbing hit my ears, followed by a sharp slap. I looked up and saw my mother's hand across Lana's face. It was the same scene all over again.

My father sat nearby, puffing on a cheap cigar. Seeing me dazed, he tapped the hot ash near my forehead and barked.

"What are you staring at? Tell your sister to listen! These days, nothing beats a rich husband. You're already a lost cause. Do you want your sister to end up a failure like you?"

His words turned the whole family's gaze toward me. My heart skipped a beat, a cold shiver running down my spine.

My grandmother looked worried, her wrinkled face full of anxiety. "Fiona, you're the educated one. Talk to your parents. Who pulls a kid out of school to force a marriage? People will talk!"

I remembered what I said in my last life. I had believed Lana should study, that self-reliance was the only way. I got slapped for it then.

This time, my mother was faster. She swiped at my head and let out a cold snort.

"What's the point of asking her? She can't land a rich man herself, so of course she doesn't want Lana to succeed. Let me tell you, the Galloways are looking for a daughter-in-law."

"Mrs. Galloway said a woman's virtue is in her simplicity. She likes Lana because she's pretty and looks like she'll have many children."

My mother held her head high, acting as if this was the greatest honor in the world.

Even Lana stopped her protesting. My grandmother's resolve began to waver.

The Galloways were the wealthiest family in the county. Getting married to them―or even just getting a job at their estate―was a dream for people like us.

I knew exactly what they were doing. They were waiting for me to speak.

Whether she married or not, they would find a way to blame me. After all, I was just the adopted daughter.

Lana's anger vanished. She grabbed my hand. "I'll listen to Fiona. She's been working in the city; she knows more about the world."

My parents glared at me. I knew if I said the wrong word, they'd beat me senseless.

My legs felt weak, but I forced myself to stand tall.

"Lana is so lucky. I'm happy for her. You should listen to Mom, Lana. She only wants what's best for you."

I chose the opposite answer from my last life. My mother let out a sigh of relief and actually smiled at me.

My father patted the spot he had just hit and grinned. "I knew Fiona was a sensible girl. Don't take what happened earlier to heart. We were just worried your sister would take the wrong path."

They put on their fake, happy masks again. They acted like we were one big, loving family.

I fought the urge to vomit as I recalled their faces from my previous life.

Back then, my mother promoted this marriage like it was a holy blessing. She attacked anyone who disagreed, and I was the one who stood up.

I didn't want Lana trapped in this backwater town. I tried to explain the reality of the situation to my parents.