On the night I planned to tell my husband I was pregnant, I heard him tell his commanding officer I was never his wife — I was his mission, and the mission was over.

"Asset is stable. No emotional complications. She suspects nothing."

"And when we pull the plug?" the voice on the phone asked.

"She'll be reassigned to civilian life. Standard separation protocol. She gets a pension and a thank-you letter."

Commander Ryan Hale — Navy SEAL, Silver Star recipient, the man who had carried me out of a bombed-out field hospital in Kandahar, who had proposed to me under a sky full of stars while my hands were still shaking from surgery — was sitting in our kitchen in San Diego, debriefing my disposal like I was surplus equipment.

I stood frozen in the hallway, barefoot, one hand on the wall, the other pressed against the pregnancy test in the pocket of my robe.

Eight weeks. I was eight weeks pregnant.

I had spent the whole day planning how to tell him. I'd bought tiny combat boots from a baby store downtown. I'd written "Reporting for duty — ETA 7 months" on a card tucked inside the box.

Now the box sat on the kitchen counter, three feet from the man who was scheduling my erasure.

"Timeline?" the voice asked.

"Sixty days. I'll manufacture a fight. File for divorce. She won't contest — she's too loyal."

"Clean exit. Good work, Hale."

"That's what I do, sir."

The line went dead.

I didn't breathe. I didn't move.

Four years of marriage. Four years of believing I was loved by the only man who had ever made me feel safe.

I had left the Army Medical Corps for him. Walked away from a trauma surgery fellowship at Walter Reed — the most competitive program in military medicine — because he said he wanted a life together. A home. A family.

"I've seen enough war, Nora," he'd whispered on our wedding night. "I just want you. That's the only mission that matters."

And I had believed him, because he had saved my life in Kandahar. Because when the mortar hit and the field hospital collapsed, he was the one who dug me out of the rubble with his bare hands, bleeding, screaming my name.

How do you not love a man who bled for you?

How do you ever suspect that the bleeding was part of the job?

My throat closed, but I didn't cry.

I had survived a building falling on me. I would survive this.

I stepped back silently, returned to the bedroom, and closed the door without a sound.

I pulled out my phone and opened a contact I hadn't used in four years.

Colonel Grace Nakamura. My former commanding officer at Walter Reed.

"Colonel, it's Nora. I need to come home."

The reply came in ninety seconds.

"Nora Sinclair. I've been waiting for this call for four years. How fast can you move?"

"Forty-eight hours."

"I'll have credentials and housing ready. Welcome back, Captain."

I deleted the message thread, slipped the pregnancy test back into my robe, and placed my hand flat against my stomach.

This baby was mine. Mine alone.

I heard Ryan's footsteps in the hall. I smoothed my face into the soft, trusting expression he was used to — the one he'd probably been trained to cultivate in me.

The door opened. He leaned against the frame, arms crossed, that devastating half-smile.

"Hey, beautiful. You're still up?"

"Couldn't sleep. Wanted to see you."

He crossed the room and kissed my forehead. "Missed you today."

The same mouth that had just called me an "asset."

"I missed you too," I said.

He pulled me against his chest, and I let him, because I needed forty-eight more hours of his ignorance.

But as he held me, my eyes were open, dry, and already calculating my extraction.

Chapter 2

The next morning, I made Ryan his usual breakfast — black coffee, scrambled eggs, hot sauce on the side.

He sat at the table in his fatigues, scrolling his phone, not looking up.

"I've got a training rotation this week. Might be gone a few days."

"Okay. Be safe."

"Always."

He'd used the word "training" eleven times in the past month. I used to believe every one.

Now I wondered how many of those nights were spent at Coronado, filing reports about his compliant, controllable wife.

As he stood to leave, his phone buzzed on the counter. He'd left it face-up.

A message from a contact labeled "CENTCOM — OPS":

"Sinclair file updated. Separation paperwork drafted. Awaiting your green light."

Sinclair. My maiden name. In a military operations thread.

Ryan grabbed the phone before I could blink.

"Work stuff," he said easily.

"Of course." I smiled.

The second his truck pulled out of the driveway, I moved.

Forty-eight hours. I had forty-eight hours.

First, I went to his home office. The desk drawer had a combination lock — but I'd watched him open it a hundred times. He'd never bothered to shield the code because he never imagined his trusting wife would dare look.

Inside, I found it within minutes.

A classified folder stamped "OPERATION HEARTHSTONE."

My photo was clipped to the first page.

Subject: Captain Nora Sinclair, AMEDD. Status: Married (cover). Objective: Long-term domestic integration for asset monitoring and behavioral study.

I was a case study.

Our entire marriage — the proposal, the home, the Sunday morning pancakes, the whispered I-love-you's in the dark — was a psychological operation.

I flipped the page. There were quarterly assessments. Written by Ryan.

"Q3: Subject remains emotionally dependent. No signs of suspicion. Recommend continued integration."

"Q7: Subject expressed desire to return to medicine. Redirected successfully. Advised subject that domestic stability was priority. Subject complied."

Subject complied.

Every time I'd mentioned missing surgery, missing the operating room, missing the rush of saving lives — and he'd pulled me close and said "You save me every day, that's enough" — it was a documented redirection technique.

My hands shook so hard the papers rattled.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to drive to Coronado and burn his career to the ground.

But I didn't.

Instead, I photographed every page — the operation file, the quarterly assessments, the separation paperwork, the chain of command — and uploaded them to an encrypted drive.

Then I put everything back exactly as I found it.

That evening, Ryan came home early, smelling of salt air and gunpowder.

"You look tense," he said, studying me. Reading me. Like he'd been trained to.

"Just a headache. I think I'll visit my friend Dana in Portland this weekend. Girls' trip."

Something flickered behind his eyes — relief, maybe. Or operational satisfaction that I was removing myself from the house during a useful window.

"That sounds great. You deserve it."

Deserve it. Like a reward for good behavior.

"Ryan?"

"Yeah?"

"Have you ever thought about what you'd do if something happened to me? If I just... disappeared?"

He looked at me, and for half a second, something real crossed his face. Something that looked almost like fear.

Then it was gone.

"Nothing's going to happen to you, Nora. I'd never let it."

He kissed my temple.

That night, I lay beside him in the dark, listening to his breathing slow into sleep.

The man next to me was a stranger. He had always been a stranger.

I had just been too in love to notice.

Thirty-six hours.

Chapter 3

My last morning in that house began like every other.

I woke at 0600, made breakfast, kissed Ryan goodbye at the door.

"Back Thursday," he said. "Training."

"I know. Good luck."

The second his truck disappeared, I began.

I had packed a single duffel the night before, hidden under the guest bed. Inside: my passport, my military credentials, the encrypted USB drive, one change of clothes, and the only photo of my mother I couldn't leave behind.

Everything else — the furniture he'd chosen, the life he'd designed, the rings — I left untouched.

I wanted him to know I hadn't taken a single thing that belonged to his operation.

Because none of it had ever been real.

At 0900, I made one final stop: his office.

I placed a single envelope on his desk, centered, impossible to miss.

Inside was a handwritten letter and one item.

"Ryan,

I found Operation Hearthstone. I've read every quarterly assessment you filed about me. I know what I was to you — a subject, an asset, a case study in compliance.

I know everything.

By the time you read this, Captain Nora Sinclair will no longer exist. Don't look for me. You were trained to find people. I was trained to survive. Let's see which training holds.

I'm returning your ring. I have no use for props from a performance.

— Nora"

Beneath the letter, I placed my wedding band.

I stared at it — the simple gold ring he'd slid onto my finger in a chapel in Monterey, the Pacific crashing behind us, my heart so full I thought it would burst.

Now it was just metal. Part of a costume.

I closed the office door and walked to the front entrance.

A black SUV was waiting at the corner — arranged by Colonel Nakamura, who had activated a military medical transfer so clean it would leave no civilian trace.

As I slid into the back seat, my phone buzzed.

Ryan's mother, Diane.

I stared at the screen. Diane had always been kind to me — Sunday dinners, birthday cards, stories about Ryan as a little boy.

Did she know? Had she always known her son's marriage was a government contract?

I declined the call.

She would find out soon enough.

The SUV pulled away, and I watched the little house with the blue shutters — the house I had planted a garden in front of, the house where I had imagined raising children — shrink in the mirror.

Four years of my life in that beautiful lie.

I turned forward and didn't look back.

At the airport, as I waited for my military transport connection, my phone buzzed one last time.

A text from an unknown number:

"Hey Nora! It's Lieutenant Keyes ? Ryan gave me your number — he said you might want to grab coffee before the unit dinner next month? I just transferred to his team and he's been SO welcoming. He talks about you constantly. You're such a lucky wife! ?"

I read it twice.

So there was a new woman in his orbit. Another "subject," perhaps. Or just a young officer who didn't know what she was walking into.

I typed back a single line:

"Ask Ryan what Operation Hearthstone is."

Then I blocked the number, powered off the phone, and boarded the transport.

Somewhere over the Rockies, I pressed my hand to my stomach and whispered to the tiny heartbeat inside me.

"It's just you and me now. And I promise you — that's more than enough."

Chapter 1 

Reborn as the long-lost Rogers heir, missing for fifteen years, I avoided every chance to bond with my two brothers in this family. 

When they decided to let my adopted sister, Vivi, take over the family's legitimate businesses, I applied for a top medical research program in Europe. 

When they planned a lavish debut for Vivi, formally introducing her to the other major families, I volunteered for a closed-door medical training camp. 

They encouraged Vivi to pursue her own happiness, while I was expected to marry a drug addict for the so-called honor of the family.

I refused them on the spot. 

This was all because in my past life, I had spent my entire life desperate for my brothers! approval, only to end up despised by everyone for it. 

When I died in the crossfire of a gangland shootout, my own son pushed my body away in disgust. 

"Mom, did you really waste your whole life on such a petty fight with Aunt Vivi? Dying for the family would have been a more dignified end. At least then you wouldn't have disgraced our name." 

I left this world filled with resentment, only to open my eyes and find myself back at the moment I first set foot in the Rogers estate. 

This time, I'm done fighting. 

The power, the name, the honor. I'm letting them have it all. 

The confirmation glowed on my screen: " Application Submitted." 

I stared at the words for a moment before calmly closing the page. No one knew that this was the second time I had stood at this crossroads of fate.

In my past life, to please my eldest brother Bryan, the Don of the Family, I had torn up that acceptance letter. 

I forced myself to stay in New York, begging for a chance to learn the family business. 

All so I could follow their dinner table conversations about territory disputes, laundering money, and arms deals. 

After all, as the youngest Rogers daughter, lost for fifteen years in a gang war and raised in the countryside, they had looked down on me since the day I returned. 

I thought if I could just become "useful" enough, I could become a true Rogers.

But in the end, they never gave me a second glance. 

So this time, I spoke up before they could even suggest letting Vivi take over the family businesses. 

"Brothers, I've applied for a medical research program in Europe. As for the family business, you can hand it over to Vivi." 

At the head of the long table, my eldest brother, Bryan, who was cutting into a bloody, rare steak, stopped abruptly. 

He set down his fork, his brow furrowed. My second brother, Fred, sat to his left, pouring Vivi some juice. He looked at me, confused. 

"Helena, this is no time for jokes.Haven't you always wanted to be groomed for the family business?" 

I had been back in this home for nearly half a month. They all treated me like a country bumpkin, never letting me participate in their high-stakes business negotiations. No one had ever even offered me the chance to be trained in the family business. 

"I've already spoken to the Thomson family," Bryan said, not looking at me this time. 

"Helena, you'll accompany Vivi to the charity gala next week. Learn some etiquette.

Isn't that what you've always wanted?" 

Apparently, they failed to realize that this was a highly classified, closed-door project located thousands of miles away. 

It required total isolation, which means once I left, I wouldn't be seeing any of them for a very long time. In my last life, I had eagerly accepted Bryan's arrangement for the charity gala. 

Not only because I thought it was a sign of my brothers' trust, but also because I'd heard that the Thomson family's younger son, Johnathan, would be there. 

And I had been secretly in love with him for a long time.

I put on my most beautiful dress, meticulously prepared myself, and went to the ball, only to be met with the sight of Vivi and Johnathan dancing together. 

Vivi pushed me toward Johnathan's older brother, Marc, the Thomson family's notorious junkie. 

Marc used the threat of our families! alliance to force me to marry him, and what awaited me was decades of a miserable, torturous marriage. 

Only then did I realize that Vivi had orchestrated the whole thing. This time, I wasn't going to walk into that trap. 

"Thank you, Bryan, but I won't be going this time.

I pulled out a chair and sat down, my voice quiet. Bryan's knife scraped across the plate with a piercing shriek. He finally lifted his eyes and glared at me. 

"What did you say?" 

"T shouldn't risk the family's reputation at such an important event." 

"I've applied to the medical school at the University of Zurich. I leave next month." I met his gaze and repeated myself, forcing a smile.

"Medicine? In Europe?" 

Bryan put down his knife and scoffed, as if he'd just heard the most absurd joke. "The women of the Rogers family don't study medicine just to change bedpans.

Do you have any idea what a rare opportunity this gala is?" 

Vivi, who had been silent, suddenly let out a soft sigh. 

"Helena, I know you've just come back and might not be used to the family's rules." 

"Bryan just wants you to become part of the family, to truly become one of us. If you don't feel ready yet, I can help you." 

There it was again. In my past life, she used this same understanding act to push me into the abyss, making me look like an ungrateful country girl. 

But this time, I wouldn't fall into that trap again.

"T won't cause any trouble for you all," I said, lowering my head, my voice devoid of emotion." The application has been submitted. It can't be changed." Bryan didn't say anything more, just let out a cold laugh. 

"Helena, this is a one-time opportunity. Don't come to regret this." 

Sensing the tense atmosphere, Fred grabbed the glass of golden-orange juice from beside Vivi and handed it to me. 

"Alright, alright, let's eat first. Here, Helena, have some juice. These are the best mangoes, flown in just for us." 

I stared at the thick mango juice. I'm severely allergic to mangoes.

I had mentioned this on my very first day back. 

But in this house, no one remembered, or rather, no one bothered to remember. Because Vivi loved mangoes, they were a permanent fixture on the dining table. 

I didn't take the juice. I stood up and went straight to my room. 

Back in my room, I opened my calendar: 30 days until Zurich. I picked up a red marker and drew a heavy, crimson X over today's date. Every day, I was one step closer to freedom, and to being myself. 

I looked around the room. Every piece of furniture was priceless, yet it felt as cold as an exquisite cage.

To me, it couldn't compare to my adoptive parents 'small, simple cottage, a place that had been filled with warmth. In my past life, I spent fifteen years in this place, begging like a dog. 

I tried to wash the country dirt off of me, learning the etiquette of high society, giving up my beloved field of study, even my own marriage. 

All of it, just for a sliver of warmth from my " family." 

But what did I get in the end? It was Bryan, waving his hand impatiently. 

" Helena, besides your blood, what about you is a Rogers?" It was Fred, playing the peacemaker with his empty words.

"Don, don't blame our sister. She just cares about us too much." 

It was my husband, his hands around my neck. " You're just a piece of scrap the Rogers family threw out." 

The suffocating feeling of my heart stopping in that moment still catches in my throat. Your criminal empire, your picture-perfect family act, your noble bloodline. I want none of it. I just want to live my own life. 

A clean one.

Chapter 2

Chapter 2 

The next morning, when I came downstairs, the living room was humming with activity. 

Vivi was in the center of the leather sofa, her arm linked affectionately through Fred's as she leaned on his shoulder, showing him several gold- embossed invitation samples. 

"I want champagne-colored ribbons, Fred. White is too plain. After all, this is my official debut as a member of the Rogers family." 

Vivi's voice was as sweet and cloying as ever. 

"No problem, my little princess. Anything you want." Fred smiled and ruffled her hair, his eyes filled with adoration.

"Vivi is at the right age for a formal debut. It's time the other powerful families got to know the jewel of our family," Bryan said, leaning back on the sofa. 

Though his tone was restrained, his eyes were full of approval as he looked at Vivi. "We'll use this opportunity to make all five families remember your name." 

The three of them looked as intimate as a perfect portrait of a powerful family, and I was the outsider who had mistakenly wandered into the frame. In my past life, I had longed for this coming-of- age party.

I wanted to wear a beautiful dress, walk with my brothers on my arm, and proudly tell everyone that I was a daughter of the Rogers family. 

I had even given up a precious opportunity to attend an international academic conference for that debut, naively thinking I could finally be one of them. 

The result, however, was that the dance Vivi had supposedly taught me, which I had practiced for a month, turned out to be a set of vulgar moves fit for a strip club.

She, dressed in a million-dollar custom gown from Bryan, danced with the Moretti family heir in the center of the ballroom, looking like a white swan. 

And I, in an ill-fitting, out-of-season dress, shrank in a corner. While Vivi accepted everyone's praise in the middle of the dance floor, the high-society ladies whispered about me. "Look, that's the wild child the Rogers found.

The way she holds her wine glass, she looks like a waitress.

No wonder she can't even manage a proper ballroom dance." Bryan refused to listen to any of my explanations, convinced that I had brought utter shame upon the family. He locked me in the basement for three whole days. I was made a complete fool. 

"Helena?" Fred was the first to notice me. 

He waved me over. 

"Perfect timing, come here." 

I walked over and sat down obediently, but kept my distance. 

Fred pointed to a dark-colored gown on a screen. 

" Helena, there's something I need to discuss with you. Vivi's coming-of-age ball is next week. Could you let Vivi wear that diamond necklace?" 

"Just to borrow it for one night. We'll return it to you right after the ball." 

This necklace was the exclusive symbol of the Rogers family's principessa. 

There was only one. Whoever wore it was the family's most honored daughter. "Of course. I'll take the necklace to Vivi's room later," I answered crisply, without a moment's hesitation. 

Fred froze, seemingly surprised by my quick agreement. 

"Well, in that case, I'll buy you a new one later. It would go well with that red dress of yours." "There's no need.nMy medical program has a mandatory training session that day." 

Bryan, who had been in the middle of signing a document, stopped, his hand hovering in mid-air. 

He slowly looked at me. 

"Are you saying you're not going?" 

"It's the same day as a training session for one of my medical projects. It's a scheduling conflict. You all should focus on preparing for Vivi's important debut," I said calmly, playing the part of an exceedingly understanding sister. 

After all, in my last life, I was put under house arrest for refusing to lend the necklace and never even made it to the party.

He had pointed at me back then, his eyes burning with fury. 

"Helena, you know how important this day is for Vivi. Do you have to cause trouble for me right now?"

"How can you be so petty?" 

At that time, Vivi had walked over to Bryan, patting his back gently. 

"Bryan, don't be angry..." "After all, with my sister's upbringing... she probably hasn't seen anything this grand before. She doesn't know the rules. We just need to be patient." 

Her voice was soft, but every word was a needle. Another act from the kind, understanding girl.

That's why in their hearts, she was always the perfect, understanding angel. And now, I just wanted to escape this suffocating place as fast as I could. 

Never mind a necklace; she could have whatever she wanted. Hearing me agree to lend the necklace without a fight, Vivi looked at me, beaming. 

"Thank you, Helena. I'll take very good care of it. I'll return it to you right after the ball." 

"You can keep it. It suits you better than me," I said, shrugging as if it meant nothing. 

''Besides, I won't have any use for it.

" Hearing this, Bryan nodded in satisfaction.

" Helena, you're finally coming to your senses." 

"Once you learn the ways of our world, I'll throwa debut ball just for you." 

"Once you... then I'll..." I had heard promises like that too many times to count, but not a single one was ever kept. 

Vivi's requests, even for something as simple as a handmade loaf of bread from the next block over, were always taken to heart by Bryan and Fred. 

Although I no longer expected anything from them, the thought that my own brothers, who shared my blood, treated me like a complete stranger still sent a sharp pang through my heart.

It wasn't always like this. 

But after Vivi's relentless smearing and constant attempts to drive a wedge between us, everything changed. 

The warmth they welcomed me with on that first day has faded so much I've nearly forgotten what it felt like.

Worried they might continue this hollow courtesy with me, I turned and went back to my room, dragging the small, worn-out suitcase from the depths of my closet. 

My belongings were few. In this fortress of a mansion, the traces of my existence were negligible. I hadn't touched the designer gowns in the closet.

Fred had the housekeeper buy them, but they were all in Vivi's size. But inside this suitcase were the few simple clothes and a precious photo album I had brought from my adoptive parents' home. 

It was the only family portrait I had with them. In the photo, my adoptive father wore oil-stained work clothes, my adoptive mother a coarse apron. 

They held an eight-year-old me, their smiles so radiant. The background was that old house, cold in the winter and hot in the summer, yet it was a million times warmer than this priceless estate.

My fingers gently caressed the faces of my adoptive parents in the photo. 

That was my home.

Chapter 3

Chapter 3 

My eyes began to sting. My mind filled with memories of sunlight in the countryside and the smell of chopped onions. 

I was lost at the age of five during a family shootout. It was my adoptive parents who saved me and took me in. 

They gave me fifteen years of a normal life, pulling me out of hell and back into the world of the living. 

But sadly, they passed away in a car accident at the beginning of this year. My brothers only found me because they saw me in a news report about the accident.

Only after I was brought back did I learn that my birth parents had died years ago in a mob hit, leaving behind a vast empire and two young heirs. 

They'd adopted Vivi because her father, a loyal consigliere to my parents, had also died in a hail of bullets while protecting my father. 

I carefully placed the photo album at the very bottom of my suitcase. 

I took out my bank card. It held the insurance compensation my adoptive parents left me, plus the money I had saved from scholarships and part -time jobs over the past two years.

The amount wasn't large, but it was enough to rent a small studio in Switzerland, buy secondhand books, and live on cheap bread. 

I had no intention of spending a single blood- soaked penny of the Rogers' money. At dinner, the atmosphere in the dining room was unusually relaxed. 

Exquisite Italian risotto was served, and for the first time, a place had been set for me near the head of the table. 

Fred was excitedly talking about what kind of delicacies to prepare for the coming-of-age party. Vivi played along, occasionally trying to draw me into their carefully orchestrated conversation.

"Helena, I heard the security situation in Zurich isn't great lately. Are you sure you want to go?" 

Vivi put down her fork, her brow slightly furrowed. 

"Living all by yourself, without even a bodyguard, what if you run into trouble? Why don't you let our brothers arrange for a few men to watch over you?" 

"No need."

"But the food there is so plain, mostly cold dishes. Your stomach..."

"I'll get used to it." 

No matter what hidden barbs she threw, I responded with the shortest possible answers. 

The smile on Fred's face finally faltered. He put down his knife and sighed.

"Helena, do you have to have this attitude with Vivi? She's just concerned about you." I looked up at them and said nothing. No matter how I explained it, it would end up being my fault anyway. I couldn't be bothered to waste my breath. 

But either my silence or Vivi's hurt expression seemed to provoke Bryan. He let out a cold laugh, slamming his wine glass down on the table. The dark red liquid splashed onto the white tablecloth.

"Have you no manners?" 

In my past life, every time I showed the slightest dissatisfaction or grievance, it always ended with me being the one who was thoughtless, the one without manners. I never thought that now, even my silence was a mistake. 

Bryan spoke. 

"Helena, has being a Rogers been so awful? Are you that desperate to leave, to wash your hands of us?" Yes, to wash away this blood. That was exactly what I wanted to do. But I still met my Don's gaze calmly.

"Medicine is about saving people, Bryan." 

"Didn't Grandma go to church every morning to pray for someone in the family to one day walk in the sunlight?" 

I was simply too tired to argue with them. And bringing up our deceased grandmother was the only weapon I had to shut Bryan up. 

Sure enough, Bryan was choked by my words, momentarily speechless. Fred coughed awkwardly, once again playing the peacemaker. 

"Bryan... Helena has a point. 

" Grandma did... "Besides, we haven't lived together for over a decade. Give her some time." I was so tired of this scene repeating itself.

I stood up, claiming I was full, and went to my room. In the past, I would never have dared to be the first to leave the dinner table. 

I was terrified of my brothers thinking I lacked manners and breeding. But now, I had found my path. 

I no longer cared what people I was leaving behind thought of me. 

I locked my door. It felt like the first step in severing my connection to this world. I opened my laptop and started searching for information on the medical school in Zurich, as well as local apartment rentals. 

Since I was leaving, I had to disappear completely from their surveillance.

I had no intention of living in a dorm. After finishing my search, I crossed off another day on the calendar: 29 days to go. 

But when you're planning an escape from hell, time always seems to crawl by. 

At least I had survived another day.

Chapter 4

Chapter 4 

For the next few days, I did my best to be invisible around the estate. 

They were busy with Vivi's debut, and no one had time for me anymore. 

My brothers even gave Vivi a custom Beretta engraved with the family crest as a gift to mark her coming of age. I saw it by chance when the gun was delivered. 

The black gun was engraved with the intricate Rogers family crest, glinting coldly under the light. 

When Bryan handed the gift to Vivi, his voice held arare trace of warmth.

"Welcome to the family business, Vivi." 

Vivi excitedly picked up the gun and expertly racked the slide with a crisp metallic click. 

A glint of ruthlessness flashed in her eyes, a stark contrast to her usual wide-eyed innocent act. 

Fred stood by, clapping, but then he turned and saw me in the doorway. 

His smile froze. His gaze flickered, and he cleared his throat awkwardly. 

"Helena... if you like, I can take you to the shooting range sometime. We can pick a suitable one for you, too. For self-defense." 

I glanced at the gun and cut him off. 

"I wouldn't know how to use a thing like that. It would be wasted on me." 

In my past life, I had desperately wanted a gun engraved with the family crest as proof that I truly belonged. 

Now, however, I avoided it like the plague. 

Fred visibly relaxed, as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. 

"Then we'll pick another gift for you next time." They would never remember any occasion related to me anyway, and besides, there would be no next time. I would be gone soon. I spent my days at the library, from morning until night. 

Occasionally, when passing by one of the family's business fronts, I would run into my brother’s soldiers. 

They would call me "Principessa," their voices respectful, but their eyes held a hint of pity or disdain. 

I knew it. In this family, I was the outsider who had barged in, while Vivi was the treasured jewel. 

My presence was just proof of the Rogers family's benevolence, a sign that they wouldn't cast out their own long-lost blood. 

The remaining 28 days felt like an eternity, but finally, the day of my departure arrived. The armored vehicle from the confidential medical program was already on its way to pick me up. 

That night, the rain was torrential.

When I was just about to going downstairs, Vivi, who was just coming in. She was dressed in a black training uniform, still holding spent shell casings from her practice. 

Bryan and Fred were gathered around her. 

"Your stance is perfect," Bryan said, his voice uncharacteristically gentle. 

"Tomorrow, I'll have Marco teach you some advanced techniques." "Vivi is really talented," Fred chimed in.

"She's even faster than I was when I first learned." 

Even though I no longer cared for these so-called family members, I was still surprised that Bryan and Fred were personally teaching her to shoot. 

After all, in my past life, they had just thrown me to a couple of the family's Capos. I had been so terrified by their rough methods at the range that I broke out in a cold sweat. 

In the end, I couldn't fire a single shot. Back then, Bryan had called me a coward, saying my upbringing outside the family had left me soft. 

I waited until the grandfather clock in the hall chimed ten times.

The heavy rain outside was my best cover. 

I dragged my heavy suitcase down the spiral staircase, step by careful step. 

I held my breath, praying they were all in the east wing celebrating Vivi's shooting lesson. 

But luck was not on my side. Just as I reached the bottom step, the heavy oak doors to the drawing room swung open. 

"Helena?" It was Fred. He had just walked out, holding a bottle of decanted wine, with Bryan and Vivi trailing behind him. 

They were laughing about something, until they saw me. I froze in the shadows of the staircase, my heart hammering against my ribs.

"What are you doing?" 

Fred frowned, his eyes dropping to the suitcase by my feet. "Where are you going with that at this hour?" The atmosphere instantly tensed. 

Bryan stopped wiping his glasses and looked up. My mind raced. I couldn't let them know I was leaving for good. 

If they knew, they might stop me out of some twisted sense of family pride, or worse, make a scene that would cause me to miss the vehicle. 

I forced my tense muscles to relax and arranged my features into a look of annoyance. "The latch on this old thing is broken," I lied, kicking the suitcase lightly.

"I was going to take it to the service quarters to see if the handyman could fix it. I... wanted to use it for storage." 

Bryan took a step forward, his eyes narrowing. 

" Now?" he asked, a sharp edge to his voice. 

"You're acting strange, Helena. Open it." 

Panic flared in my chest. If he opened it, the game 'was over. 

My mind was racing, trying to figure out what to do, when suddenly, a sharp cry pierced the tension. Vivi, who had been standing behind Bryan, stumbled and clutched her right shoulder. Her face was pale with pain. 

"It hurts, Bryan... the recoil from the gun earlier...I think I might have pulled a muscle." 

Tears instantly welled in her large, innocent eyes. Bryan's suspicion of me evaporated in an instant. 

He immediately turned to support Vivi, "Let me see. I told you the caliber was too high for a beginner. Fred, get an ice pack! Now!" 

"On it!" 

Fred dropped his interrogation of me and rushed toward the kitchen. 

"It really hurts..."

Vivi sobbed into Bryan's chest. No one looked at me anymore. I was invisible again.

Gripping the handle of my suitcase, I shot one last look at the chaotic scene of them fussing over her and slipped out the side door into the pouring rain. 

As the cold wind hit my face, a thought crossed my mind: for the first time in two lifetimes, I actually had a reason to thank Vivi for her desperate need for attention. 

I didn't look back. Inside the warm, brightly lit living room, the chaos had subsided. Vivi sat on the sofa with an ice pack on her shoulder, sipping hot cocoa. 

Bryan stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, watching the storm rage outside.

Through the curtain of rain, a pair of blinding headlights cut through the darkness. A matte- black armored vehicle was slowly pulling out of the estate's gates. 

It had no license plates, only a small, specialized insignia on the door. "Look at that," Fred said, "That's a Ghost-class armored transport, bulletproof and bombproof. You usually only see those transporting high- value assets for international intelligence agencies or top-tier classified research." 

Bryan took a sip of his drink, nodding slightly. 

" Whoever is in that car is untouchable. Once those doors lock, not even the Five Families can get to them." 

"Must be nice," Fred chuckled, watching the red taillights fade into the stormy night. 

"To be that important. I wonder which lucky VIP was passing through our territory? We didn't get any intel."

"Tt doesn't matter. Whoever it is, they're completely out of our reach now," Bryan said, turning away from the window. 

"Focus on Vivi's debut. That's what matters." 

Just then, the old butler, Alfred, walked in to collect the empty wine bottle. "Alfred," Fred asked casually, "Did we have a guest leaving? We saw the vehicle." Alfred paused, looking confused. 

"A guest? No, sir. That was the transport for a confidential medical program with the University of Zurich." 

He adjusted his glasses and looked at the two brothers, who had frozen. 

"I just saw Principessa Helena get into it. Didn't she say goodbye to you?"

Ninety-five percent of humanity got yanked into a survival world.

The place is a nightmare—harsh terrain, no resources, people throwing punches over a single piece of bread.

And death? Always one step away.

But me? I've got serious real-world survival skills.

Take that toxic Emerald Fungus, for example. Everyone else thought it was certain death. Me? I just stir-fried it in oil. Crunchy, delicious, no regrets.

Then I fed some to a ten-meter-long python. Boom—first kill. Got a bronze chest out of it, packed with loot.

While people were running for their lives from mutant beasts, I'd already built myself a massive floating villa, a sky garden, and a whole empire of fluffy pets.

--------------------------------------

Chapter 1 Welcome to The Sundered Realms

Cynthia Ford had been having a rough time lately.

First, her advisor called her in the middle of her vacation and sent her deep into the mountains. Then she got caught in a sudden storm at the summit and ended up trapped there for two days.

After pushing through one hardship after another, she finally set up the equipment at the designated spot. The moment she turned around, her advisor, her classmates, and even the muddy ground behind them flickered like a glitch and disappeared.

Before she could even react, a dense, green forest filled her vision.

Already on the verge of collapse, Cynthia snapped. She thought, 'Did I push myself too far? No sleep and all that hiking—am I seeing things? Or is this a dream?

'But it feels way too real. I can smell the dirt, grass, and wood. And wait, wasn't my equipment right behind me? How did it turn into a creek? That's the lab's most expensive portable instrument.'

Almost on instinct, she reached into the pocket of her windbreaker for her phone. But there was nothing.

She immediately reached back for her backpack, only to feel the thick fabric of her jacket instead.

[Ding-dong!] A cold, mechanical voice rang out. Cynthia froze. She glanced around, heart pounding, but there was no one there.

[The Sundered Realms loading complete. Current survival version: Blue Star Edition.]

[Five billion Survivors deployed. The remaining Survivors were temporarily sealed due to not meeting current deployment conditions. They will be deployed as survival progress advances. Deployment rules will be released later.]

[The Sundered Realms Official Statement: In this world, all sensations and feedback are real. Death in this world is permanent. Survivors have only one life. You cannot reload saves.]

[This is a trial version. Complete the beginner tasks to unlock more features.]

[Beginner task released.]

A half-transparent notification suddenly popped up right in front of her.

[Beginner Task: Place Shelter.

[Task Description: In The Sundered Realms, a Shelter is necessary for survival. The location you choose will determine your future development potential. Please choose carefully.

[Time Remaining: 1:57:40.]

Cynthia lifted her hand and waved it in front of her face. Even when her palm was almost touching her eyes, the notification didn't move.

She shook her head from side to side, but it stayed fixed in the center of her vision. She even shut her eyes. It was still there.

Hesitating, she said, "Close notification."

The notification instantly broke apart like dust and vanished.

But when she murmured to herself, it came back. It was mind-controlled.

Cynthia's thoughts were a complete mess. She thought that either something in this place had poisoned her, or maybe the pressure had finally cracked her mind, and she was starting to lose it.

There was no way she had actually entered a place called The Sundered Realms. That was insane.

But she couldn't laugh it off. Deep down, she already knew.

From the moment the forest came into view, something had felt off. Broadleaf trees stood mixed with cypress. Thick ferns grew beneath jagged shrubs.

Plants from high altitudes were tangled with lowland species. Things that belonged in tropical climates sat right next to plants that should only exist in temperate zones.

Even if she were hallucinating, she couldn't have imagined something that broke the rules of nature.

Trying to steady herself, Cynthia opened the Menu. A shadowy outline appeared in front of her. She instinctively stepped back a few paces, letting the shadow fall fully across the flat ground by the creek.

[Confirm Shelter placement location. Yes/No.]

Cynthia chose no. It wasn't a bad spot. The ground was level, there was water nearby, and the forest and shrubs behind it offered cover.

But she still had time. She decided to follow the creek upstream for an hour. If she couldn't find something better, she could always run back and make it before the timer ran out.

What she hadn't expected was how hard the path would be.

The flat ground didn't last long. After a short distance and a turn, she found herself on a stretch of rocky shoreline.

She struggled across it, the sound of water splashing against stone echoing around her. Then, all at once, a cliff rose up ahead—nearly 30 feet high—with a waterfall crashing down its face.

Cynthia glanced to both sides, then stopped in front of a gentler route and studied it.

The rock face looked like granite and slanted slightly backward. Unlike most natural cliffs, it was full of small pits that made easy footholds and handholds.

There was no wet mud, nothing that might make her slip. It reminded her more of the climbing walls in some of the open-world games she used to play.

Before entering The Sundered Realms, she had gone through field training. Her hair was tied back so it wouldn't block her vision. Her clothes were easy to move in. She wore high-top hiking boots and a pair of non-slip gloves.

With all that, and considering the height of the cliff, the climb wasn't too dangerous.

It was time to move. Cynthia had some experience with outdoor climbing. By the time she neared the top, she still had almost ten minutes left before her planned return.

For the last stretch, she bent one leg and stepped onto a jutting rock, rose slightly on the toes of her other foot, and grabbed the edge of the cliff with one hand. She tightened her core, pushed hard, and pulled herself up and over.

Cynthia landed cleanly. She brushed the dust off her clothes and took a moment to steady her breathing, then turned to look around.

She had come up about 30 feet away from the waterfall. On the side opposite the cliff was a flat stretch of forest, thick with trees and bushes. Above the waterfall ran a river, much wider than the creek below.

She pushed through the bushes toward it. When her view finally opened up, she froze.

There was no winding river ahead. Instead, she saw a shallow pond, surrounded by trees on three sides.

The pond was about the size of a standard soccer field. At its deepest point, the water only reached her calf. In the middle was a small, raised "island" of about five thousand square feet.

On the right side of the "island" stood a tree. Unlike the tall, towering trees she had seen along the way, this one was only about 15 feet high. Its trunk twisted slightly, and its branches were bare.

Cynthia had sharp eyesight. If she wasn't mistaken, there were faint, glowing green strips on the trunk.

She took off her shoes and socks, rolled up her pants, and stepped into the pond.

The water was clear. Looking down, she could easily see pebbles and water plants at the bottom. It was warmer than she expected, and there were no signs of fish or any other aquatic life.

When she stepped onto a stone at the very edge of the "island," the tree came into clearer view.

The silver-green strips on the trunk weren't strips at all. They were thin green crystals. Some were embedded in the trunk, and even finer ones dotted the branches above. They caught the light and sparkled when she looked up.

Cynthia reached out and touched one.

[Warning: Survivor has not yet placed Shelter. Cannot appraise.]

Cynthia raised an eyebrow. Compared to her spawn point, this "island" would be harder to leave. It was surrounded by water and sat farther from the trees.

But it also had its advantages. The cliff stood behind it. Freshwater was right here. And most important of all, this tree was clearly not ordinary.

The travel problem could be solved. She could move a few larger stones and make a simple path across. The distance wasn't a big issue either. At worst, she'd just have to walk a little more.

In all the games and stories she knew, the unknown didn't just mean danger. It usually meant opportunity.

And Cynthia had always liked a bit of adventure. She stepped back a few paces and chose a spot on the right side of the "island," about three feet from the tree.

[Confirm Shelter placement location. Yes/No.]

[Yes.]

A thin mist spread over the chosen spot. Cynthia reached out, trying to push her hand into it, but it stopped her like thick, solid slime.

[Shelter placement successful. Survivor ID: 46-95083 officially logged in.]

As the mist slowly faded, a thatched hut took shape in front of her. At the same time, several clusters of faint green lights dropped into view. Cynthia looked up and saw something glowing among the twisted branches.

Then a clear, lively voice rang out.

[Survival Year 15400, Gentle Wind Season. Current location: Emerald Sea (District 46). Weather: Clear. Feels like temperature: 70°F. The Astral Society recommended activity: Logging (wood gathering efficiency slightly increased today).]

[Special Warning: Night hides unknown risks. Please return to Shelter before dark.]

[Survivor Menu opened. Resources officially deployed.]

[Beginner task rewards distributed. Random building draw successful. Congratulations! Survivor has obtained Basic Appraisal×1; Wooden Chest×1; Evolving Pier×1.]

[Talent unlocked. Congratulations! Survivor has activated the Talent, Surveying Engineer (Beginner).]

[Surveying Engineer (Beginner): A qualified surveying engineer should have a special map.

[Effect 1: Areas explored by Survivor will be displayed on the map. Survivor may freely mark and annotate it. After special Resource Nodes are collected, their remaining refresh time will be shown.

[Effect 2: Every three survival days, the map automatically marks the nearest treasure chest to the Survivor (Current cooldown: 2:14:53:59).

[Advancement: To be unlocked.]

[Novice Period activated. During this time, gathering efficiency is increased, more treasure chests will appear, and Shelter cannot be attacked. Time remaining: 2:14:53:01.]

[You are neither the first pioneer nor the last lone traveler. Countless footprints have sunk into the mire, and scattered starlight has brushed the sky. The journey that begins here will leave a new mark. The road behind stretches farther than the one ahead.]

The pale blue Menu spread open before her, lighting up Cynthia's eyes.

[Welcome to The Sundered Realms.]

Chapter 2 Cynthia Was Lucky

Cynthia stared at the Survivor Menu laid out in front of her. On the left was her personal information.

[Survivor Profile

[Name: Cynthia Ford

[ID: 46-95083. Name Change Card 1/1 (Display Mandatory)

[Current Region: Emerald Sea (Exploration Progress 1%)

[Shelter: Dilapidated Thatched Hut (Unnamed)

[Talent: Surveying Engineer (Beginner)

[Health: 95/100 (You only got minor scratches after all that walking?)

[Stamina: 51/100 (Given how much you've been moving, your stamina is impressive.)

[Hunger: 75/100 (Did you eat something before logging into The Sundered Realms?)

[Strength: 6

[Agility: 7

[Intelligence: 8

[Luck: 0 (Why do you think you spawned so close to your Shelter?)

[Charisma: 0

[Current Skills: Universal Appraisal (Can appraise most items in The Sundered Realms)]

On the right was the chat channel. The world channel was grayed out. Only private chat and the area channel were active.

[Current District: District 46, Emerald Sea (99458/100000)]

Everyone had just been thrown into The Sundered Realms from Blue Star without warning. Panic was everywhere.

Messages rushed past so fast that they blurred together. Cynthia skipped over most of the emotional outbursts and focused on anything useful.

[Didn't we just lose more people?]

[What does it mean that my random building is a dried-up well?]

[Even the paper in my pocket didn't come with me. And you're asking about your lighter and necklace, huh? Dream on.]

[The Wooden Chest only gave me two bottles of water. Is that normal?]

[I chopped trees for an hour and a half and only got two units of wood. Is the drop rate broken?]

[Trading freshwater for equal food. Check the marketplace.]

Below the chat were several buttons, but only two were lit.

One was the inventory. It only had five slots. Right now, it held the Wooden Chest and the Evolving Pier from the beginner rewards.

[Wooden Chest: The first chest obtained by a Survivor in The Sundered Realms. Opening guarantees Survivor Starter Kit ×1]

[Chest opened. Congratulations! You obtained dried rye bread ×2, bottled water ×2, Survivor Starter Kit ×1]

Each piece of bread was about the size of two fists. The water bottles were 17 ounces. The kit included a wooden axe, a wooden pickaxe, and a wooden shovel. All of them looked crude, like they might break before the trees or rocks did.

Still, someone in chat had been asking about wood drops. That meant the tools had to work.

After opening the chest, it didn't disappear. It stood about as high as Cynthia's calf and felt heavy. When she touched it, a prompt appeared.

[Dismantle chest. Yes/No.]

Cynthia planned to use it for storage, so she chose "No" and placed the water and rye bread inside.

The other button was the marketplace. A hundred thousand people had entered District 46. Some people had already placed their Shelters ahead of time, so there were already plenty of listings, though the prices were all over the place.

[Hay ×1 for any food]

[Berries ×20 for Plank ×20]

[Plank ×1 for rye bread ×2]

Food was clearly the scarcest thing right now.

Cynthia kept up a regular fitness routine. Her advisor was strict, and she often had to do field surveys, so she was used to staying active and eating well. One piece of rye bread wasn't even enough for a single meal.

She needed to head out and explore as soon as possible. But before that, there was something else she had to do.

Cynthia turned toward the tree and used her appraisal skill.

[Unknown: At first glance, it's a tree that seems a little more special than the others. It might have other uses, but you'll need to look deeper to find out.]

Cynthia felt like she'd just been messed with. Still, she forced herself to think positively. In a place like this, "unknown" usually meant something valuable with great potential and power.

With that, she ignored the tree for now and turned toward the hut.

From the outside, the Shelter already looked run-down. Inside, it was even worse.

It was completely empty. The space was barely one hundred square feet. There was an opening where a window should be, but there was no glass. Even when she shut the door, light slipped through every gap.

She didn't need to test it to know how cold it would get at night.

Luckily, she was dressed warm enough. Honestly, a little too warm. The long walk over had left her sweating.

She untied the hard-shell windbreaker from around her waist, then took off the thin down liner and the inner quick-dry pants.

Now she was just wearing a wool quick-dry shirt and windbreaker pants. After that, she checked the new notification that had popped up.

[Current Shelter: Dilapidated Thatched Hut (Unnamed)

[Level: Level 1

[Durability: 10/10 (No durability loss during Novice Period)

[Prosperity: 10 (Even mice would sneak away at night)

[Shelter Rating: A basic thatched hut for beginner Survivors. Can block some wind and rain and meets the most basic survival needs. As for defense... Well, at least the Shelter can't be attacked during the Novice Period.

[Upgrade Requirements: wood ×50, nails ×5, glass ×5]

Cynthia gave the Shelter a name: Island.

She stepped outside and stood at the edge of her Island. To her surprise, the pond that had been empty before now had silver fish swimming in it.

She remembered the system message about "resources officially deployed" and the berries she had seen in the marketplace.

She understood. Resources didn't just mean chests. They included natural resources.

Cynthia let out a quiet breath. She knew how to spear fish, and her aim was good.

There was a small triangular metal badge pinned inside the left chest of her windbreaker. If she ground it thin and tied it to a sharpened wooden stick, it could work as a spearhead.

As long as the fish weren't poisonous, she wouldn't have to worry about starving.

She tapped on the Evolving Pier in her inventory and placed it right in front of the hut. A thin layer of mist spread out, and when it cleared, a narrow pier about three feet wide stretched from the door straight to the edge of the pond.

Cynthia stepped onto it to test it. It felt solid under her feet.

[Shelter Building: Basic Evolving Pier

[Building Description: A pier that grows along with the Shelter. There is a small chance it will mutate to match the Shelter's development. In short, it may seem useless now, but you've actually found something valuable.

[Advancement Requirements: wood ×20]

Cynthia was lucky. She walked along the pier, watching the water as she went.

Besides the silver fish, she also spotted gray shrimp. Just before reaching the shore, something under the water caught her eye in the distance. It looked like a four-sided pyramid.

She looked closer. It was a Wooden Chest, half-buried in the mud at the bottom of the pond, not far from the shore. It looked like it had been there for a long time, its surface covered in moss and water plants.

Cynthia took off her shoes, rolled up her pants, and stepped into the water to get it. While she was at it, she quickly grabbed a crab that was waving its claws around nearby.

She stored the chest in her inventory. As for the crab, she tied it up with some grass and shoved it into her pocket so it wouldn't take up an inventory slot.

Her windbreaker pants had six pockets in total, top and bottom. Before all this, they had held marker rope, chocolate, a multi-tool knife, a portable flashlight, and a windproof lighter.

When she entered The Sundered Realms, all of those had disappeared along with her backpack.

Cynthia took out the wooden axe from the Survivor Starter Kit.

[Wooden Axe: A must-have for beginner Survivors. It has terrible reviews, but you can't live without it.

[Current Durability: 10/10 (Lose one durability for every ten units of wood collected)]

Cynthia stood in front of a thick, straight tree and raised the axe.

Half an hour later, she stared at the single unit of wood in her inventory, then at her stamina, which had dropped by four points. She held the axe in silence and realized this wasn't going to work.

Right now, her biggest priorities were getting food and upgrading her Shelter. The sun was directly overhead. Even if it was exactly noon, she only had six or seven hours before dark.

At this pace, even if she worked nonstop, she'd get maybe fifteen units of wood. That was assuming her stamina could hold up, but she only had 45 points left.

She didn't know how her Strength of six compared to other Survivors. She only knew it was the lowest of her three stats. Maybe chopping trees wasn't the right move for her.

Cynthia put the wooden axe away. She decided to spend two hours exploring deeper into the forest. The return trip should be faster, maybe an hour. That would leave her some time to fish.

She was still uneasy about the system's warning. [Night hides unknown risks. Please return to Shelter before dark.] She had no intention of staying out after dark.

It was time to move. Before leaving, she activated her Talent. A map appeared in front of her eyes, most of it still covered in fog. A small blue dot flickered near the mark that showed her Shelter's location.

That was her best guarantee she could find her way back. Still, she didn't want to take chances. She pulled up several handfuls of long, flexible grass and stuffed them into the pocket by her knee. She planned to tie knots along the way as markers.

Then she grabbed the wooden pickaxe, the one that looked the strongest, and headed into the forest.

Chapter 3 Stormscale Python

Resources really did get redistributed after Survivors placed the Shelter. The forest had way more to offer now than it did when Cynthia had first been hiking around looking for a place to camp.

She picked a few thick, wide leaves and used them like a barrier to pull a grayish-white mushroom out of the ground. The moment the cut surface hit the air, it oxidized fast, turning blue-green.

[Emerald Fungus: Native to the Emerald Sea. Thick, delicious flesh. Only grows in the center of the Emerald Sea. Companion species to the pine. Favorite of the Whitecap. Highly poisonous.]

Cynthia had eaten something similar a few times before, back when she went on a research trip to Yurania with her senior.

That mushroom had been almost the same as Emerald Fungus. This kind needed steady, even high heat to break down the toxins. The usual way to cook it was to stir-fry it in plenty of oil. Anyone without experience could easily mess it up.

Right now, she had no fire, no oil, and no experience. She also couldn't be sure the two mushrooms needed the same method.

Still, after picking all the Emerald Fungus nearby, she couldn't help but feel a little hopeful. They really did taste amazing. Just thinking about them made her mouth water.

[Congratulations! Survivor obtained Emerald Fungus ×7]

Cynthia opened the map. A long line stretched from the Shelter to where she stood now, marking the path she'd explored. She placed a marker at her current spot.

It must have rained here last night. The ground was slick, and mushrooms were popping up everywhere. She hadn't gone far before she found another kind she could eat.

[Plumpcap: Native to The Pigeon Federation. Delicious taste with distinctive flavor. Can be eaten raw.]

Plumpcap looked nothing like anything from Blue Star. It grew on tree trunks and was pretty big, with an oval cap and a creamy yellow color. It looked like a large orange with a stem.

Cynthia took off her gloves, broke off a piece, and popped it into her mouth. Before she even chewed, her eyes lit up.

It felt like a white button mushroom when she broke it, but in her mouth, it turned smooth and soft, almost like yogurt jelly. The taste was hard to pin down. After a moment, she decided it tasted like mild soy sauce.

It wasn't bad. It could replace salt and might even work as a seasoning. It'd probably be good in a stew.

Since Plumpcap wasn't poisonous, she didn't need to store it like the Emerald Fungus. Cynthia used grass to string them together and hung them around her neck.

[Congratulations! Survivor obtained Plumpcap ×15]

Cynthia figured fifteen of them would last her two or three days.

She kept moving deeper into the forest and soon found a patch of deep purple berries. They looked like a mix between blueberries and raspberries, about the size of pistachios.

There were so many that the branches sagged under the weight. Picking them one by one would take forever, so she pulled out her wooden shovel and dug up the whole bush.

[Congratulations! Survivor obtained Deepberry Bush ×1]

[Deepberry Bush: Common berry shrub. Root system damaged by rough excavation. Transplant success rate reduced by 10%]

Still, a 10% drop didn't mean failure. It could still survive.

Cynthia crouched down and checked the hole where the bush had been. As expected, plenty of broken roots were left behind.

Most shrubs could grow again as long as they still had roots. The method was simple: just plant them back in the soil. She planned to take some later and try planting them by the pond.

As for planting near the Shelter in the middle of the pond, that wouldn't work.

Normally, land like that was just sediment, not real soil. Surrounded by water, it didn't hold nutrients well. Anything useful would wash away too easily. If her Island followed normal rules, it wouldn't be good for growing anything.

However, The Sundered Realms didn't seem to care much about normal rules.

Cynthia swung her shovel again. This time, she planned to take all the remaining roots and try planting them on her Island later.

When she dug all the way down, the shovel hit something hard with a dull thud. She cleared the dirt and found a Wooden Chest. It had been hidden well.

After she stored it in her inventory, it didn't take up a new slot. Instead, it stacked with the one she'd found in the pond, showing a small "2" in the corner. That left her with one slot free.

Cynthia bundled up the Deepberry roots and carried them in her hand. She had exactly ten more minutes before she needed to head back.

Ten minutes later, when she should have turned around, she stood among trees shorter than the ones near the pond. Through the trunks, she spotted the curved tips of bamboo in the distance.

In the wild, bamboo was incredibly useful. Bamboo shoots were food. Fresh-cut bamboo often held drinkable sap. The hollow sections could be used to carry water or even boil it.

Bamboo poles could be used to build shelters or block rain. Split into strips, it could be woven into baskets. Sharpened pieces could serve as knives, arrowheads, or even harpoons.

Cynthia immediately decided to give up some of her fishing time.

But when she got closer, she realized something was off. The bamboo wasn't green. It was blue-purple, with black streaks across it like lightning marks.

[Congratulations! Survivor discovered Stormreed Resource Node.]

[Stormreed: Lightning-altered bamboo that is far less flexible than normal. Cannot be used for crafting or as firewood. Absolutely not recommended for construction. An important alchemical ingredient.]

Cynthia took out her wooden axe. Stormreed was much more brittle than normal bamboo. Once she got the angle right, each swing cut down a stalk.

In ten minutes, she had chopped down ten stalks of Stormreed, and her wooden axe had lost one durability point.

So it wasn't just regular wood that wore tools down. Stormreed did too. She glanced over the patch. About four-fifths of it was still standing, and her wooden axe could probably handle it.

She broke off a small piece of Plumpcap and tossed it into her mouth. Just as she was about to keep going, a faint rustling sound cut through the air.

Her grip tightened on the wooden axe. She turned toward the noise, then quickly checked the map. Other than herself and the Stormreed, nothing showed up.

Then she looked up. A cluster of bushes was shaking harder and harder.

Back in college, she'd practiced disc shooting. Her reaction time and moving vision were both sharp. So when something blue-black shot straight at her face, she dropped her stance and swung her right arm forward in one clean motion.

The wooden axe struck it dead on. The thing flew before slamming into a tree with a wet splat. At the same time, a tiny red dot appeared on the map.

She'd played baseball in high school. Her aim was still solid.

But there was no time to feel proud. Frowning, Cynthia kept her distance and got a better look.

It was a snake, about two fingers wide, blue-black with a triangular head. It wasn't dead yet. It coiled tightly, hissing and thrashing.

Sparks crackled all over its body. The voltage didn't look low. The wooden axe had only touched it for a moment, but it already carried scorched, lightning-like marks, faint sparks still flickering along them.

[Stormscale Hatchling: Stormreed Resource Node companion monster. Talent skills: Venom, Constrict, Electrocution. Lives in groups.]

Cynthia's eyes stopped on the last three words, and her heart skipped a beat. She shoved the wooden axe back into her tool pack.

Then a louder, far more terrifying sound echoed through the forest.

[Warning! Warning! Survivor encountered Stormreed Resource Node Guardian Boss Stormscale Python. Warning! Warning! Survivor encountered Stormreed Resource Node Guardian Boss Stormscale Python.]

[Current Survivor attributes too low. Current Survivor attributes too low.]

Before Cynthia could turn and run, she saw something that froze her in place: a wide-open mouth dripping with bright green saliva.

Chapter 4 A Personal First Kill

Cynthia felt like she had never run this fast in her life. The forest that had seemed calm on the way in now felt like something invisible was choking the air out of it.

Every bush felt like a trap. Every rustle of leaves sounded like a warning of death. On the map, the blue dot and the red dot were almost on top of each other.

Cynthia's breathing came out in harsh gasps, loud as wind in her ears, but the hissing behind her was even louder. It was wet and dragging, scales scraping over rotten wood, getting closer and closer.

She dropped low and slid under a fallen tree, rolled twice, then pushed herself up in one smooth motion. A split second later, a heavy crash exploded behind her. Pieces of the dead tree shattered and flew past her ear.

She spun and dove toward a thick cluster of buttress roots. A massive black shadow swept past her ankle, so close that she could feel the air shift. A foul, damp smell hit her nose.

Bang! The snake's head slammed into a tree.

Cynthia didn't hesitate. She twisted, kicked off the ground, and sprinted again. For a split second, her eyes flicked to the map. In two quick steps, she adjusted her direction, lining herself back up with her original path, and kept running.

She couldn't fight it. Not even close. And she didn't have the stamina to outrun it in a straight race. Speed had never been her strength.

The only reason she was still alive was that she could weave through the trees better than it could. But this chase couldn't last forever. It felt like a slow death was closing in.

But this was still the Novice Period. Her Shelter couldn't be attacked.

The sound of the python sliding over the ground came closer again. Ahead, she saw light breaking through the trees.

Right as she burst out of the forest, her foot slipped. She was moving too fast. Her body skidded sideways across wet stone and mud.

She couldn't stop herself until she crashed straight into the pond. In that split second, she saw the python right behind her.

There was no time to reach the pier. She scrambled forward, stomping through the shallow water, slipping, crawling, half-running, until she threw herself into the thatched hut.

Behind her, the python's head slammed into something in midair. A round, faintly glowing shield flashed into view, rippling like water as it blocked the impact.

Cynthia collapsed at the entrance of the hut, her heart still pounding hard in her chest. The edge of the shield was barely a foot from her toes.

The python lay just beyond it, its body slowly shifting. Just its head was as tall as an adult's thigh. Sharp fangs dripped bright green saliva.

Its amber eyes, with narrow vertical pupils, locked straight onto her. Its scales were blue-purple, shining with a metallic sheen under the light. Its body stretched long, more than half of it still dragging through the pond.

All the strength drained out of Cynthia. She fell flat onto her back.

Only then did she realize she had been clutching the Deepberry roots the entire time. The string of Plumpcaps around her neck was a mess. Maybe eight or nine were still good.

She opened the Menu. Her Stamina had dropped to the bottom.

[Survivor Profile

[Name: Cynthia Ford

[ID: 46-95083. Name Change Card 1/1 (Display Mandatory)

[Current Region: Emerald Sea (Exploration Progress 1%)

[Shelter: Island (Dilapidated Thatched Hut)

[Talent: Surveying Engineer (Beginner) (Cooling Down)

[Health: 80/100 (Scrapes with bruising; given your physical condition, no special treatment needed)

[Stamina: 8/100 (If you'd gotten back any later, you would've collapsed on the ground)

[Hunger: 40/100 (You will barely survive if you don't eat anything today)

[Strength: 6

[Agility: 7

[Intelligence: 8

[Luck: 0 (Why do you think you spawned so close to your Shelter?)

[Charisma: 0

[Current Skills: Universal Appraisal (Can appraise most items in The Sundered Realms)]

Cynthia ignored the python's hissing outside. Pulling off her gloves, she grabbed a damaged Plumpcap, tore away the outer layer, and bit into it.

Only then did the pain hit. Her shoulder throbbed from when she had thrown herself sideways to dodge the python. The scrape on her right forearm had broken skin, tiny beads of blood forming along it. Her legs were fine, thanks to her tough pants.

She had almost died. The fear came rushing in all at once, hitting her after everything was over.

If it weren't for the bushes, trees, and rocks slowing it down now and then, the python would've crushed her skull with a single bite a long time ago.

Outside the protective shield, the python grew furious. The "food" was right there, but it couldn't see it or touch it. Its tail slammed against the water, and the low, threatening sound in its throat grew louder and louder.

Out of sight, out of mind. Cynthia pulled off the Plumpcap necklace, forced her tired body to stand, and walked into the wooden house. She shut the door behind her and started taking care of her wounds.

She took a bottle of water from the Wooden Chest and poured half of it over her injury. It wasn't serious enough to need medicine, and it wasn't on a joint that moved a lot.

As long as she rinsed out dirt and bits of grass, she didn't need to bandage it.

Cynthia tilted her head back and drank the rest of the water, then got ready to clean up.

First, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the crab she had tightly tied up with grass. She and the crab stared at each other. She felt a little regret.

Through the window, the sky was still bright. It was late afternoon, the sun not quite down yet. If that python hadn't been outside staring at her like she was dinner, she would've gone to spear some fish.

Right then, something felt off. The python had gone quiet, as if it had left.

Cynthia stood up, walked to the door, and pushed it open. She froze. Her eyes widened.

The python, which had been full of energy even after smashing through trees and rocks, was now lying on the ground, barely moving.

She hadn't been inside for very long, no more than twenty minutes.

Snakes were tough. Even dead ones could still twitch and bite. She wasn't about to take chances. Keeping the protective shield between them, she crouched down and used appraisal.

[Stormscale Python: Stormreed Resource Node Guardian Boss. Enormous body. Extremely destructive. Talent skills: Venom, Constrict, Electrocution.

[Note 1: This Stormscale Python is currently in the molting phase and is temporarily unable to use the Electrocution talent. Note 2: It is currently in a severe state of poisoning.]

Cynthia blinked and understood why it hadn't used any electricity like the Stormscale Hatchling while chasing her. It had been stuck in a molting phase.

But the poisoning surprised her even more.

She thought back carefully, step by step. Her escape path had almost completely overlapped with the route she'd explored earlier. The only poisonous thing along that path had been the Emerald Fungus she'd picked clean.

'Was there some other hidden poison?' she thought. Her expression turned serious.

She pulled out her wooden pickaxe, the tool that looked like it could do the most damage, and brought it down hard on the python's head through the shield.

It felt like hitting solid metal. The recoil almost knocked the wooden pickaxe out of her hands. The two points of stamina she had just recovered dropped right back down.

The python didn't react at all. Only the faint rise and fall of its body showed it was still alive.

It probably wasn't going to suddenly lunge at her. Cynthia grew a little bolder. She used the wooden pickaxe to pry open the python's mouth, then tossed in two Emerald Fungi.

By now, the sky had darkened. She stood there and waited for it to die, still trying to figure out what had poisoned it.

Then she happened to look up. Something bright was moving across the surface of the pond in the distance.

Cynthia narrowed her eyes. Before she could see clearly what it was, a crisp system voice rang out.

[Congratulations! Survivor killed Stormreed Resource Node Guardian Boss—Stormscale Python. Dropped: Stormscale python meat ×10, Stormscale python gall ×1, Stormscale python hide ×1, Stormscale python bones ×1, Stormscale python eyes ×2, Stormscale python venom ×3, Bronze Chest ×1]

[Congratulations! Survivor achieved a personal first kill and obtained a Bronze Chest.]

Her inventory was already full. When the Stormscale Python disappeared, all the drops and rewards fell to the ground with a clatter.

But Cynthia didn't even look at them. She walked to the edge of the pond, crouched down, and reached out.

Her fingers touched the surface of the water. Light flowed around them, glittering like a river of stars.

She saw them clearly now. They were small silver fish with tail fins thin and soft like gauze.

[Moonlight Shoal (Juvenile): One of the endangered species of The Sundered Realms. Only grows in the unknown and lives in groups. Rare guardian fish species. Extremely prone to mutation during growth.

[Current Talent Skills: Venom, Gnaw.

[Note: You should be grateful that resources hadn't been deployed yet when you placed your Shelter. They seem to have accepted you as a rare land-dwelling neighbor after discovering you right in the middle of them the moment they were born.]

Cynthia let out a slow breath. Getting dragged into The Sundered Realms had been terrible luck. But after that, it felt like everything had somehow gone her way.

In her heart, she silently thanked her workaholic advisor who dragged her on field trips year after year.

She thanked her classmates who had gone exploring with her. She even thanked herself for giving up her breaks and pushing through long, rough days out in the wild.

Maybe everything she had paid for back then had already been turned into a gift. Cynthia decided she would forgive this world for one minute.

Chapter 1

Emily Sutton stepped into the Sutton residence, feeling the wool carpet under her feet so soft that it seemed unreal.

The air was thick with an unfamiliar, expensive scent, clashing sharply with the faded, well-worn clothes she had on.

In the center of the living room, a family of four was enjoying themselves in perfect harmony.

On the sofa sat Victoria Sutton, elegant and refined, and Richard Sutton, a middle-aged man with a stern expression.

They were Emily's parents.

Beside them, Grace Sutton, dressed in a princess dress, was clinging to the arm of a handsome young man. That was Emily's brother, Michael Sutton.

Emily's arrival was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, breaking the warm family picture.

Everyone's gaze landed on her, scrutinizing and critical, with a trace of hidden contempt.

Emily thought none of her family cared for her, that they all favored Grace instead. Only Alexander Reed saw her differently.

*****

Victoria Sutton was the first to speak, her tone so flat that it was impossible to tell what she was thinking. "So, you're Emily Sutton?"

Emily nodded and kept quiet.

She'd been brought back from a poor rural area, and the bumpy ride had left her exhausted.

The people who picked her up only told her that she was the real Sutton heiress, the one who got switched eighteen years ago.

Richard Sutton frowned, sizing her up from head to toe, his gaze finally settling on her worn-out, yellowed sneakers. "Now that you're back, keep your head down and don't cause any trouble.

"Grace has been with us since she was a child. She's our only daughter."

Those words hit Emily like a cold blade, stabbing straight into her heart.

'So, they didn't bring me back out of love. There must be some other reason,' Emily thought.

Grace Sutton got up and glided over to Emily, her smile as sweet and harmless as ever. "Hey, Emily, you're finally home."

She reached out to grab Emily's hand, but as soon as her fingers brushed against Emily's rough skin, her hand recoiled a bit, almost too quick to notice.

"We're family now. I'll make sure to take care of you," Grace promised.

Michael Sutton strode over, looking down at her with a warning glare. "Don't go after things that aren't yours."

Emily dropped her eyes, masking the hurt in them.

She never intended to take anything that didn't belong to her. All she wanted was a home. But now, Emily realized this place didn't feel like home at all.

The butler led her upstairs, through a wide, bright hallway, and finally ended up in front of a cramped, gloomy storage room. "Ms. Sutton, this will be your room from now on."

The room had nothing but a small bed and an old desk, and the air smelled of dust. It was a world apart from Grace's fairytale princess bedroom.

Emily didn't bother to care. She dropped her worn-out bag on the floor and quietly settled in.

To her, as long as she had a place to keep out the wind and rain, that was all she needed.

*****

That evening, the Sutton family held a dinner, supposedly to celebrate Grace's win at the piano competition. Emily was told to come down as well.

The long dining table was piled high with fancy dishes, but Emily had no appetite. She quietly sat in the corner, doing her best to fade into the background and avoid any attention.

During the meal, Richard and Victoria fussed over Grace nonstop, making sure she had plenty to eat and showering her with warm, loving attention.

Michael even went so far as to peel shrimp one by one, dropping each onto Grace's plate.

No one spared Emily a single glance, as if she were utterly invisible.

"Grace, make sure you do your best at the Reed family's party next week." Victoria's eyes were brimming with expectation as she looked at her. "Mr. Reed is young and accomplished. If you could..."

Grace lowered her head, her cheeks tinged with a shy blush. "Mom, stop teasing me."

Emily listened quietly and thought, her heart feeling like a barren wasteland, 'Turns out, this is why they brought me back. It's to clear the path for their golden girl.'

*****

After dinner, Emily returned to her cramped room. She took out a freshly washed shirt from her bag, the only keepsake left to her by the grandmother who raised her.

As she was about to change, the door was pushed open.

Grace walked in with a glass of water, her sweet smile still plastered on her face.

"Hey, Emily, I brought you some water." As she spoke, she walked over to Emily.

When she got close, her hand jerked to the side. The entire glass of water landed squarely on the shirt Emily was holding.

"Oh no, I'm so sorry, Emily. I didn't mean to do that," Grace exclaimed as a glimmer of smugness flashed in her eyes.

She glanced at the drenched shirt, pretending to apologize. "This shirt's soaked now. You can't wear it anymore. I have a few old clothes I don't wear anymore. If you don't mind, you can take them."

With that, Grace turned to go get them. She acted like she was tossing scraps to a beggar, her whole attitude dripping with condescension.

Emily watched her in silence, not saying a word. She could feel the barely hidden hostility radiating from Grace.

Grace saw Emily keeping quiet and figured she was fine with it. Without another word, Grace went to her room and came back with a crumpled dress.

"Here you go." Grace tossed her dress onto Emily's bed, her tone laced with disdain. "I bought this last year. Sure, it's out of fashion now, but it's miles better than whatever you're wearing."

Emily picked up the soaked shirt and ran her fingers over the creased fabric, trying to smooth it out.

Her grandmother had scrimped and saved to buy her this shirt. It was the only thing in this world that ever made her feel loved.

She looked up at Grace, her words deliberate and unwavering. "No, thank you."

Grace's smile faltered for a moment. She never expected this country bumpkin to actually have the nerve to refuse her. "What do you mean? You think my clothes are beneath you?"

Emily didn't even look at her. She handled the wet shirt with care, hanging it up as if it were something precious. "Please leave."

Grace's face instantly darkened. "Emily, don't push your luck. Do you really think moving back into the Sutton family makes you a real heiress? Stop dreaming. As long as I'm here, you don't belong."

As she spoke, Grace reached out, trying to snatch the shirt Emily had hung up.

Emily's eyes turned cold as she grabbed Grace's wrist in one sharp, swift movement. Her grip was so strong that Grace let out a sharp cry of pain. "Let go of me."

Emily held firm, her stare cold and unwavering. "I told you to get out."

Just then, the door burst open.

Michael stormed in, fury written all over his face. "Emily, what the hell are you doing?"

He caught sight of Grace's red wrist and, without warning, roughly shoved Emily away.

Emily stumbled, slamming into the desk behind her with a dull thud.

Michael pulled Grace behind him, glaring at Emily. "Try touching Grace and see what happens."

Grace hid behind Michael, tears streaming down her face, looking pitiful. "Michael, I was trying to be nice and give her some clothes, but she..."

Michael shot Grace a protective look, his resentment toward Emily deepening. "Apologize to Grace, now."

Emily stood up, brushed herself off, her face blank and unreadable. "I did nothing wrong."

Michael was seething with rage and raised his hand to strike her.

Just then, the butler's voice echoed from downstairs. "Mr. Sutton, Mrs. Sutton, Mr. Reed is here."

Michael froze, his anger vanished, replaced by surprise. Why was Alexander here?

Grace stopped crying, her eyes flickering with delight and nervousness.

She hurriedly wiped away her tears and smoothed her hair, tidying herself up to look her best.

Emily felt nothing when she heard the name. All she noticed was the burning pain in her wrist where she'd been grabbed.

*****

Downstairs in the living room, a tall, imposing man sat on the sofa, radiating an icy aura that warned everyone to keep their distance.

He was Alexander Reed, the heir to the Reed family in Lwroand, the man every socialite in town was dying to get close to.

Richard and Victoria sat off to the side, unable to hide the sycophantic look on their faces. "Mr. Reed, it's truly an honor to have you visit our home."

Alexander ignored their compliments, casting a brief look toward the staircase.

"I heard you finally found your long-lost daughter?" His voice was deep and smooth, carrying a subtle note of curiosity.

Richard paused for a moment, then quickly regained his composure. "Yes, we did."

He gave Victoria a meaningful glance. Victoria caught on instantly and went upstairs to call Grace. Just then, Emily came down the stairs.

She'd changed into clean clothes, still simple, but there was no hiding her delicate beauty and that quiet, unmistakable presence about her. Everyone's eyes snapped to her at once.

Alexander's gaze lingered on her face for a few seconds, something strange and intense flickering in his eyes.

Grace trailed behind, and as soon as she caught sight of Alexander, she immediately switched to looking all fragile and helpless.

"Alexander, you're here." Grace tried to approach him, but Alexander's icy stare froze her in place.

Alexander rose and walked straight toward Emily.

He stopped right in front of her, his gaze deep and unwavering, locking onto her.

Emily felt awkward under Alexander's intense stare and instinctively stepped back.

As everyone was wondering if Alexander was about to do something to Emily, he suddenly spoke. His voice was soft, but everyone in the room heard him clearly. "I'm here to give something back for my grandma."

With that, he took out a fancy box from his pocket. He opened it, revealing a timeless emerald pendant resting quietly inside.

The pendant was engraved with a rose, as if ready to bloom in full splendor.

Everyone was stunned. Richard and Victoria, especially, were frozen in disbelief and shock.

Alexander didn't bother with anyone's reaction. Without a word, he held the box out to Emily. "My grandma said this emerald pendant belongs to the daughter of her old friend.

"That child has a rose-shaped birthmark somewhere on her body."

Chapter 2

A rose-shaped birthmark? The words exploded in the Sutton residence living room like a bomb, shaking everyone to their core.

Richard and Victoria's faces turned ashen, drained of all color in an instant. Their eyes snapped to Grace.

Grace's heart sank, and her face went completely pale.

Grace knew about that birthmark. Since she was a little girl, Victoria had sighed regretfully, telling her over and over that if she had that birthmark, she'd definitely be the Reed heiress.

But now, Alexander had exposed that secret for everyone to hear. And he did it right in front of Emily.

Everyone's eyes automatically shifted to Emily.

Emily stood there, looking perfectly composed, like she wasn't even the one Alexander was talking about. But at her side, her hand tightened without her realizing it.

She had the birthmark right on her lower back, a pale red mark, shaped as a rose.

Ever since she was little, the grandmother, who raised her, had always told her it was a sign of good fortune.

But now, it felt like this birthmark was at the center of a mystery far bigger than she could have ever imagined.

Alexander fixed his gaze on Emily, his eyes impossible to read, his voice brooking no refusal. "Take this emerald pendant."

Emily didn't move. She could feel gazes fixed on her from all around, filled with shock, jealousy, curiosity, and murderous intent, especially from Grace.

If looks could kill, Emily would be dead a thousand times over by now.

"M-Mr. Reed, could there be some kind of mistake here?" Richard finally found his voice, stammering as cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

The marriage pact with the Reed family had always weighed heavily on his mind.

Years ago, Richard and Alexander's father, Samuel Reed, had agreed to a betrothal, promising their kids would one day marry.

But after Emily disappeared and they searched for her in vain, the whole thing was quietly swept under the rug.

They thought as long as Emily never came back, the whole thing would stay buried forever. They'd even started scheming to have Grace take Emily's place.

But now, Alexander had shown up at their door with the keepsake in hand.

Alexander didn't even spare Richard a glance. His eyes stayed locked on Emily the whole time.

"A misunderstanding?" Alexander gave a cold, mocking laugh, but there was no warmth in his eyes. "The Reed family never leads a misunderstanding."

His words landed like a hammer, smashing into Richard and Victoria's hearts.

Grace wobbled, barely able to keep herself standing. She bit her lip so hard that it almost bled, her nails digging painfully into her palms.

It was all over. Why did this hick from the sticks get to show up and take everything that was her? She was the real Sutton heiress. She was the one who was supposed to marry Alexander.

"I don't believe it," Grace suddenly shrieked, her voice shrill and desperate. "Why her? She's a country girl. How could she be Harper's old friend's daughter?"

She rushed at Emily, reaching out to grab the box in her hands. "That emerald pendant is mine. It's mine."

She moved so fast that nobody had a chance to react.

As her fingers were about to touch the box, a shadow darted in front of Emily, blocking her in an instant. It was Alexander.

He seized Grace's wrist with barely any effort, his eyes icy and lethal, as daggers dipped in poison. "Get lost."

His tone was emotionless but packed with intimidation.

Grace was so terrified by the cold look in his eyes that she started trembling uncontrollably. "Alexander, I..."

"I said, get lost." Alexander's grip grew even harsher.

The pain was so intense that Grace's eyes filled with tears, spilling down her cheeks.

Michael rushed forward and quickly pulled Grace behind him. "Mr. Reed, please, let's not make a scene. Grace didn't mean it."

Alexander released her wrist, didn't even bother to look at them. He turned and offered the box to Emily once more. "Take it."

This time, Emily didn't hesitate. She reached out and took the weighty box from Alexander.

The moment her fingertips brushed the box, a cool sensation spread across her skin.

She opened it, and the rose emerald pendant rested quietly inside, its gentle luster glowing under the light. It was beautiful yet dangerous.

Emily snapped the box shut and met Alexander's gaze. Her voice was quiet, but he could hear the determination in it. "Thank you."

Alexander's gaze flickered as he looked at her. Emily was far more composed than he'd imagined. Even in the face of such upheaval, her expression remained perfectly calm. 'It's interesting,' he mused.

"No need to thank me," Alexander said coolly. "This is yours by right."

With that, he turned and walked away, not saying another word. He appeared out of the blue and left as quickly.

The living room was left in a suffocating silence, the air thick with awkwardness.

Richard and Victoria sat on the sofa, looking utterly lifeless, their faces ashen with despair.

Grace glared at the box in Emily's hand with a venomous stare, as if she could burn a hole right through it.

Emily ignored them completely. She grabbed the box and turned, heading upstairs.

"Stop right there," Richard barked. He shot up from the sofa, strode over to Emily, and snatched the box from her hands. His tone left no room for argument. "You can't have this."

Emily looked up at him, her eyes cold. "Why?"

"No reason." Richard wouldn't look at her, gripping the box tightly. "Bottom line is, you can't have it."

"The Reed family gave it to me." Emily's voice was soft, but it carried a force that couldn't be overlooked.

"So what?" Richard's anger boiled over, his embarrassment turning to rage. "You're a Sutton. Everything you own belongs to us. I said you can't have it, and that's final."

"Dad, what are you doing?" Michael walked over. He shot Richard a look full of irritation. "This engagement is Emily's. What gives you the right to snatch her things?"

Richard was caught off guard. He never thought his son, who always sided with Grace, would actually speak up for Emily.

Michael ignored Richard and turned to Emily, his tone softening slightly. "Emily, I know you got back and don't really understand how things are at home. This engagement is really important for the Sutton family. You..."

"You want me to let Grace have it?" Emily cut him off, getting straight to the point.

Michael's face stiffened, a hint of awkwardness flickering across his features. "Grace has had a crush on Alexander since she was little. And she's more suited to be Mrs. Reed than you are."

"So, you expect me to roll over and sacrifice myself?" Emily's lips curled into a mocking smile. "And why should I?"

"Because Grace is the girl we've always doted on." Michael's voice hardened. "Emily, you'd better know your place. Don't even think about taking what isn't yours. Or else, don't blame us for being ruthless."

Again. Emily found it funny. Taking what wasn't hers. Who was actually taking what wasn't theirs?

Emily didn't waste her breath arguing anymore. She spoke calmly, "The emerald pendant was given to me by the Reed family. You have no right to take it. If you don't return it, I'll go straight to Alexander."

"Don't you dare." Richard was trembling with rage. "You rebellious girl, are you trying to destroy the Sutton family?"

"You're the ones destroying the Sutton family, because of your greed and selfishness," Emily snapped, her tone icy.

Without another word, she turned her back on them and walked away.

Back in her room, Emily closed the door, blocking out all the chaos outside. She leaned against the door and slid down, drained and exhausted.

Everything that happened today felt like some absurd dream.

She'd gone from an unnoticed country girl to a pawn in a high-society marriage alliance.

She had no idea if this was a blessing or a curse. But starting today, Emily knew her life would never be normal again.

*****

Early the next morning, when Emily came downstairs, she immediately felt the atmosphere in the living room was strangely tense.

Richard and Victoria were sitting on the couch, looking grim and sullen.

Grace's eyes were red and swollen, obviously from crying all night.

Michael was pacing back and forth, clearly on edge.

As soon as Emily came downstairs, every pair of eyes in the room zeroed in on her.

Victoria was the first to stand up and walk over, forcing a bitter smile. "Emily, I was wrong yesterday. I shouldn't have been so harsh with you."

As Victoria spoke, she reached out, trying to take Emily's hand. Emily instinctively dodged her touch.

Victoria's hand hung awkwardly in the air, her face flushed with embarrassment. "Emily, I know you've been hurt. How about this? I'll take you shopping today and buy you some nice clothes, okay?"

People didn't act nice for nothing. There was always a catch.

Emily sneered inwardly, but her face stayed perfectly calm. "No need."

"How can you say no?" Victoria blurted out, her voice rising in panic. "You're the one the Reed family chose. How can you go around dressed so poorly? If people hear about this, it'll disgrace the Sutton family."

Emily arched an eyebrow, her lips curling in a faint smirk. "Oh? I thought you cared more about Grace's image," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Victoria's face went pale, and she was at a loss for words.

Just then, Richard spoke up. "Emily, we're family. Let's not say things that'll tear us apart. We shouldn't have acted like that yesterday.

"We'll give the emerald pendant back to you. But there's one thing you have to promise us first."

They were finally about to reveal their true intentions.

Emily looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

Richard took a deep breath, his voice heavy and stern. "You need to publicly announce that your engagement to the Reed family was a joke between the elders.

"And you must personally ask the Reed family to call off the engagement.

Chapter 1

The September wind carried a hint of chill, making Elise's eyes feel dry and sore.

Elise stood at the entrance of the Civil Hall, the maroon divorce certificate in her hand felt paper-thin, but weighed on her like three years of marriage, every inch digging into her palm, making it hurt.

Gavin stood beside her, his suit crisp, his gaze cool and indifferent. He hadn't shown a single emotion from start to finish, as if today was just another formality, not the end of their marriage.

"Hold onto it. Don't lose it," Gavin said.

Elise looked down at the divorce certificate and suddenly felt like laughing.

Three years ago, when they registered their marriage, it was also another weekday.

Back then, she wore a cream-colored dress, her hair draped over her shoulders. Gavin held her bag. After the photos were taken, he leaned in and said, "From now on, you're Mrs. Wright."

She thought that was a promise.

But later, she realized it was nothing more than an announcement.

She put the divorce certificate into her bag, her voice barely above a whisper. "Don't worry. I won't lose it."

Gavin glanced at her, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he said coolly, "Mom's not in a good mood. Go back today and pack up your things.

"The house stays with me, the car was mine before we got married, and I'll have my assistant send you 30,000 dollars from the account."

30,000 dollars.

Elise felt a sharp pain in her chest.

Three years of marriage, and that's all it amounted to a number.

For three years, she'd been the model daughter-in-law in the Wright family, taking care of Gavin's sensitive stomach, trying to win over Alina Wright, her mother-in-law, who was impossible to please, and managing things at home when Gavin was swamped with his startup.

She'd even sold the gold bracelet her mother left her to fill a financial gap in his company.

She never thought she'd have to tally up everything between husband and wife.

But now, at the point of divorce, Gavin was more meticulous than anyone when it came to dividing things.

"I don't need that money," Elise said.

Gavin knitted his brows. "Elise, don't be stubborn."

"I'm not being stubborn," Elise said, lifting her gaze to him, her eyes so calm it felt almost strange to herself. "I think it's not enough."

The wind swept by, and for a brief moment, Gavin's cool facade finally cracked.

In Gavin's memory, Elise had always been soft-spoken and meek. Even when she was deeply hurt, she'd just say, "Forget it," with teary eyes.

He never imagined that on the day of their divorce, she'd so effortlessly break the facade they'd kept up.

"What do you mean?" Gavin asked.

"What I mean is," Elise said, her lips curling into a faint, bitter smile, "Gavin, you cheated, you hid assets, kept things ambiguous with Brooke Trudeau while we were still married.

"Now you want to throw 30,000 dollars at me and call it quits. Do you think I'm that easy to push around?"

Gavin's face darkened.

"Watch your words. It's strictly professional between Brooke and me," he said.

Elise shot back, "Strictly professional? Does that include texting you at one in the morning: Gavin, my stomach hurts. Can you come over and keep me company?

"Is that what you call strictly professional? Sharing a hotel bathrobe during your company retreat?

"Or maybe 'strictly professional' means even lipstick stains on your collar are business now?"

Her voice stayed low, but each line was steadier than the last.

Gavin stared at her, his gaze turning icy. "Are you spying on me?"

"I didn't have to," Elise replied. "You never bothered to cover it up."

For a moment, Gavin fell silent.

It wasn't guilt. It was the impatience of someone who's been exposed and wants to move on.

Elise recognized that look instantly. For three years, whenever she asked too many questions or cared a little too much, Gavin would give her that same dismissive stare, as if she were some naive, inconvenient woman who never knew her place.

"We're already divorced. There's no point in bringing this up now," Gavin said.

"Yeah, we're divorced," Elise nodded. "So I can finally say what I want, and not care if it pisses you off."

Gavin pressed his lips together, about to speak, when his phone suddenly rang.

The caller ID flashed: Mom.

He answered, and before he could get a word in, Alina's piercing voice blared from the other end.

"Are the papers done yet? If they're finished, hurry up and bring that woman back. Her junk is cluttering up the house. It's an eyesore.

"And make sure she hands over my pearl necklace. I've been searching for it forever. Don't tell me she's planning to walk off with Wright family stuff now that the divorce is final."

The entrance of the Civil Hall wasn't exactly quiet, but Alina's voice was so loud that, even with the phone pressed to Gavin's ear, Elise could hear every word.

Gavin instinctively glanced at her.

Elise kept her expression flat and looked away.

"Mom, that's enough," Gavin said.

"Enough? Why should I be quiet? Three years, and she couldn't even have a kid for us, but she acted like she owned the title of Mrs. Wright. Now that she's out, it's for the best. Brooke's got everything she doesn't, familyband talent..."

The call kept going.

Elise was done listening.

She walked away from Gavin, heading down the steps. Her steps were steady, never faltering.

Behind her, Gavin's voice followed, low and harsh, but the wind blurred his words, leaving them indistinct.

Chapter 2

Elise suddenly remembered the winter two years ago.

She was burning up with a fever of 102°F, chilled to the bone under the covers. Alina stood at the doorway for half an hour, yelling at her because the soup didn't suit her taste. She accused Elise of "pretending to be sick to slack off" and sneered, "People from humble backgrounds are always so sensitive."

Gavin was also home that day.

He heard it all but said lightly, "Mom's getting old. Just give her a break."

She'd been putting up with it for three years.

And now, after all that, she was left with nothing.

At the bottom of the steps, a shiny black Bentley was parked, drawing attention. People coming and going at the Civil Hall couldn't help but steal a few glances.

Elise saw it, too, but didn't pay it any mind.

It wasn't until the back door of the car was pushed open from the inside and a well-dressed middle-aged woman stepped out. When her eyes landed on Elise, her eyes instantly grew misty.

That look was really unusual.

It was like she'd been suppressing her feelings for years, and now, after finally seeing Elise, she couldn't tear her eyes away.

Elise paused, caught off guard, and instinctively stopped walking.

Then, the other car door swung open.

A man in his fifties got out, tall and steady, carrying the aloofness of someone used to being in charge. But as he looked at Elise, the icy look in his eyes softened, little by little.

There was also a young man, probably twenty-seven or twenty-eight, wearing a black shirt and sporting sharp, deep-set features. He stood by the car, his gaze locked on Elise, his eyes holding a mix of emotions she couldn't quite decipher.

Elise frowned.

She was certain she'd never seen them before.

The middle-aged woman hurried up to Elise, her eyes brimming with tears that spilled over in an instant.

"Elise..." she called softly.

Her voice was gentle, as if weighed down by twenty years of hardship and longing, the last syllable trembling with emotion.

Elise was stunned.

It was rare for anyone to call her by that name.

She was an adopted daughter.

Her adoptive mother used to call her Little Elise, but after she married into the Wright family, everyone called her Elise or Gavin's wife.

"Maybe you've mistaken me for someone else," Elise said, taking a small step back, her voice polite but distant.

The woman looked like she'd been stabbed by Elise's words. Her eyes reddened even more, and she quickly shook her head. "I'm not mistaken, I'm not... Do you have a tiny red mole under your left collarbone?

"When you went missing as a child, you were wearing a pale yellow dress with a little bunny embroidered on it, and a silver bell on your right wrist..."

Elise's breath suddenly hitched.

There was a tiny red mole beneath her left collarbone.

She had no memory of that pale yellow dress.

But that silver bell, she remembered it clearly.

When her adoptive mother took her in, the bell was already on her wrist. As it grew old and broken, her adoptive mother carefully tucked it away in a wooden box, promising to tell Elise where it came from once she was grown.

But before that day ever arrived, her adoptive mother fell ill and never got the chance.

Elise's fingertips turned icy, her voice tense as she asked, "Who... Who are you guys, really?"

The woman opened her mouth, her tears falling harder and harder. It was like so many words were stuck in her throat, she couldn't get a single one out.

Finally, the middle-aged man spoke up.

His voice was deep and restrained, with a barely noticeable tremor in it.

"I'm Jeffery Schmitt," he said. "And she's Alieen Schmitt.

"Elise, we're your birth parents."

Out of nowhere, the wind kicked up.

The gusts buzzed in Elise's ears.

In that instant, Elise stood frozen, feeling like someone had hit pause on the whole world.

Fresh out of the Civil Hall with her divorce papers, Elise had just walked out of a messy marriage, and her ex-mother-in-law had called to tear her down, making her feel worthless.

Then, someone stood before her and said...

"You're not someone nobody wants."

"You were just lost, for a very long time."

Elise's eyes grew misty in an instant.

But she didn't cry.

She just clung to the strap of her bag like it was the only thing keeping her afloat, her voice barely more than a whisper.

"Impossible..."

Her first reaction wasn't excitement. It was just ridiculous.

It was way too much to take in.

At her absolute lowest, someone suddenly told her she actually had a whole other life she never even knew about.

It felt just like a dream.

But when a dream was too good, it didn't feel real.

"I know it's hard to believe right now," Alieen said, wiping her tears, her hands shaking. "It's okay. We can do a paternity test, and we can show you all the proof. Elise, we've been searching for you for twenty-five years. We never once gave up..."

"Twenty-five years?" Elise repeated, her voice barely above a whisper, like she couldn't even process the number.

"Yes," Jeffery said, his eyes aching with sorrow as he looked at her. "You went missing at the Ventris Train Station when you were two. After that, we searched everywhere.

"All these years, your mom has gone back to Ventris every single year. On your birthday, she's never dared to celebrate, because she never knew if you were doing okay, or even if you were still alive."

Alieen couldn't hold back anymore. She covered her mouth and started crying her heart out.

Elise stood frozen, like someone had punched her right in the chest. The ache was so deep, she could barely breathe.

Chapter 3

Elise had always believed she was unwanted, left behind by everyone.

That's why, ever since she was a kid, she tried to be the perfect child. She was scared to bother anyone, scared people would hate her, scared that if she wasn't perfect, she'd be abandoned all over again.

Why did she stick it out for three whole years in the Wright family?

Because deep down, she always thought she was never the kind of person anyone would choose to stay with.

But now, someone was telling her that wasn't true.

It wasn't that they didn't want her.

They lost her, and had been searching for her for so many years.

"Elise?" Gavin called out.

Somehow, Gavin had hung up and walked over, catching her off guard.

His gaze flicked past Jeffery's Bentley, then settled on the group. He frowned, clearly confused and trying to figure out what was going on.

"Who are they?" he asked.

Elise parted her lips, but for a second, she was lost for words.

Alieen turned to Gavin, her eyes still wet with tears, but her expression had turned cold.

"You're her husband?" she asked.

Gavin paused, then corrected, "Ex-husband."

The word landed in the air like a pinprick, sharp and sudden.

Alieen's face went pale, as if she'd only noticed the divorce papers in Elise's hand.

She glanced down, and her eyes filled with tears again.

"You... got divorced today?" Alieen asked, her voice trembling.

Elise was silent for a moment, then nodded.

Alieen's hand clenched so tightly that her pale knuckles turned bluish.

She'd spent twenty-five years searching for her daughter, and now, their first meeting was outside the Civil Hall, of all places.

Elise should've grown up cherished and protected, proud, shining, and carefree.

But instead, she stood there pale, her eyes red from crying, having ended a marriage that nearly broke her.

Jeffery's gaze darkened.

"Mr. Wright," he said, his voice calm but icy, "looks like my daughter didn't have it easy with you these past few years."

Gavin's expression changed.

"Daughter?" he blurted out, instinctively looking at Elise, as if he was realizing something. "You mean she's..."

"She's the Schmitt family's daughter," the young man who'd been silent finally spoke up, his voice low and cold. "Their biological daughter."

For the first time, Gavin's gaze truly landed on Elise.

As if she were a stranger to him now.

Elise stood there, her hands and feet icy cold, her mind a total mess, but in that moment, she felt it with crystal clarity...

It was over between her and Gavin.

It wasn't because of the divorce papers.

It was because, from today on, she finally let go for good.

Gavin stood there in silence for what felt like ten whole seconds.

People were coming and going outside the Civil Hall, throwing curious looks their way, but Gavin didn't seem to notice. He just stared at Elise, as if searching her face for a sign that this was all a joke.

But Elise just stood there quietly, not explaining anything, not jumping in to cover for him like she always did before.

She was exhausted.

She was so exhausted that even her shock felt muted.

"Elise," Gavin finally spoke, his voice low and heavy. "What's going on?"

"I just found out myself," she replied.

It was the truth.

Right now, she felt like she was walking on clouds, her feet never touching the ground. Her whole life for the past twenty-five years had been a single thread.

Now, someone had ripped it right down the middle, revealing a whole new layer she never even knew existed.

Jim Schmitt shot Gavin a cold, unapologetic look, his gaze full of scrutiny.

"Mr. Wright, you and my sister are already divorced. There's no need for her to go into detail with you about anything," he said.

Sister.

That word made Elise's heart skip a beat.

It felt so unfamiliar.

And somehow, it made her throat tighten, a strange ache rising inside.

Gavin clearly wasn't used to being challenged like this. His frown deepened. "I'm talking to her."

"Then you'd better mind your boundaries," Jim said, stepping forward to stand protectively beside Elise. "You don't have the right to ask her anything anymore."

The air instantly grew tense.

Alieen, worried she might overwhelm Elise, quickly reined in her emotions and spoke softly, "Elise, don't be nervous. If you don't want to talk about it today, we can take you wherever you want to go. We'll talk about everything else once you've had a chance to rest."

Those words felt like they finally gave Elise a moment to breathe.

She nodded, her voice a little hoarse. "I need to go back to the Wrights' place and grab my stuff first."

"That's not necessary," Gavin suddenly spoke up.

Everyone turned to look at him.

He fixed his gaze on Elise, his expression more tangled than before, trying to stay composed, but one could see the reluctance in his eyes. "I'll have my assistant collect your stuff and drop it off for you later."

Elise gave a faint, almost indifferent smile.

"No, thanks," she replied.

"Elise..." Gavin started.

"I'll take care of my own stuff," she interrupted, her tone cool. "I need to walk out of the Wrights' door myself, just this once."

Her words weren't heavy, but Gavin's throat tightened.

He suddenly remembered. Three years ago, Elise had first moved into the Wright family on an evening just like this.

Chapter 4

Elise stood at the door in a plain knit dress, a small suitcase in her hand. She flashed him a bright smile, her eyes sparkling. "Is this going to be my home from now on?"

What did he say to her back then?

He said, "Of course."

But later, no one in that house ever truly saw her as the real lady of the house.

Not even him.

On the ride back to the Wright family, Elise sat in the back seat, watching the street scenes blur past the window, but none of it registered with her.

Alieen sat beside her, trying a few times to reach for her hand, but always pulling back, worried it would be too forward. In the end, she said softly, "We'll wait for you outside, okay?"

Elise looked up at her.

Alieen clearly took good care of herself, but the fine lines at the corners of her eyes couldn't hide her exhaustion, like she hadn't slept well in years.

Her mind suddenly drifted to her adoptive mother.

When her adoptive mother was gravely ill, she always looked at Elise that way, wanting to reach out and touch her face, but afraid it would upset her, so she'd act like everything was fine and ask if she was hungry.

Elise's heart ached, and she murmured a soft "mm."

The car pulled up outside the Wright family's villa.

Gavin had bought the house before their wedding. It was in a prime spot, the decor was expensive, and even the garden out front looked like it belonged in a magazine.

When Elise first moved in, she thought the place was so beautiful that it could've been a set from a TV show. She felt so out of place, like she didn't even belong on those floors.

But now, standing outside, all she could feel was a chill.

Cold, like a shiny shell with nothing inside.

As soon as Elise stepped through the door, Alina's voice rang out from the living room.

"How can a divorce take this long? Is she still up to something..."

Her words stopped abruptly.

Alina was sitting on the couch in a deep purple silk fitted dress, with an emerald necklace around her neck. When she saw Elise walk in, her expression soured instantly.

"You still know how to come home?" Alina said.

Elise didn't say anything. She slipped off her shoes and went straight upstairs.

Alina set her coffee cup down with a sharp thud. "Stop right there. I'm talking to you!"

Elise paused, turned back, and said, "Did you need something?"

Alina's temper spiked at Elise's attitude, her voice shrill. "Is that all you have to say? Now that you're divorced, shouldn't you be returning everything that belongs to the Wright family? My pearl necklace is gone. Did you take it?"

Elise stared at her, and couldn't help but feel a wave of amusement.

Three years.

Alina never changed. When Elise was burning up with fever, Alina accused her of pretending. When Elise ruined a tablecloth in the wash, Alina sneered that people from humble backgrounds had no sense of proper manners.

And now, the moment Elise got divorced, the first thing Alina did was accuse her of stealing.

"I didn't take it," said Elise.

"Oh, so you say you didn't take it, and I'm supposed to believe you?" Alina sneered. "People from backgrounds like yours are always scheming. Don't think you can walk out now that you're divorced. I'm telling you, unless you clear things up today, you're not going anywhere..."

"Mom." Gavin said.

Gavin walked in, interrupting her.

Alina turned and saw Gavin. Her temper cooled a bit. But then she caught sight of the Bentley parked outside, and her expression soured again.

Alina asked, "Whose car is that?"

No one answered.

Alina's eyes narrowed as she looked at Elise, her voice turning even nastier. "Elise, you just got your divorce papers, and you're already cozying up to someone else?

"No wonder you've been acting so tough these days. I thought you finally grew a spine, but it looks like you were lining up your next man all along."

Elise's fingers tightened bit by bit, her hand clenching slowly.

Gavin's face darkened. "Mom, that's enough."

"And tell me, what exactly did I say that's wrong?" Alina was getting more fired up. "I've seen plenty of women like her, pretending to be all innocent, but always scheming behind everyone's back.

"Three years in the Wright family, not a single sign of a baby, but she sure knew how to spend our money. Now she's divorced, and there's a fancy car parked outside. What, you think she hasn't already got herself a new man lined up?"

Smack!

The crisp slap cut through the room, and suddenly, everything was dead silent.

Alina froze.

Gavin was stunned, too.

Elise lowered her hand, her palm still stinging a little from the hit, but her face was completely calm.

It was the first time Elise had ever struck Alina.

For three years, no matter how much she'd been wronged, she'd never once fought back against her elders. But when her hand finally landed, there was no sense of relief, just a numbness that should've come ages ago.

She stared at Alina. Her voice wasn't loud, but every word hit home.

"You can insult me all you want, but don't dump your dirty assumptions on me."

Alina snapped out of it, let out a shriek, and came at Elise. "How dare you hit me?"

Gavin held her back. "Mom!"

"Let go of me. This bitch..."

"Say that again, I dare you."

A cold, deep voice came from the doorway.

Everyone turned their heads at once.

Jim had slipped in without anyone noticing, his black shirt making him look even sharper, eyes cold as ice with not a hint of warmth.

He stood in front of Elise, cool and collected, but it was obvious he was there to protect her.

Right after, Jeffery and Alieen walked in

Reborn three days before the apocalypse.

My biological parents kicked me out and took back the only home I had.

My replacement—the fake heiress—got everything. One billion dollars and a warm house.

They were so busy celebrating, they didn't notice me smiling.

While they partied, I took every dollar I had and started stockpiling. Hoarding like a madwoman.

Let them laugh. They didn't know what was coming.

Extreme heat. Absolute cold. Meteors falling from the sky. Plants turning into weapons. Monsters crawling out of nowhere.

The world was about to end—over and over again.

And when it did? Everyone would have to fight. Kill just to survive another day.

But me?

I found Eden Realm, a hidden magical space no one else could enter.

While the world burned, I vacationed with my forester parents in a bunker made for kings.

While everyone starved, my dog ate gourmet meals three times a day.

While they clawed and begged their way into crowded shelters, terrified of every shadow.

I built the strongest fortress on earth with steel walls and endless supplies.

***************************************************

Chapter 1 Coming Back

"This is Summer. She's the Moore family's long-lost daughter," Simon Moore said.

Summer Hayes woke up from darkness, the suffocating haze of near-fatal blood loss still haunting her.

She blinked, dazed, taking in her surroundings, realizing she was standing in the living room in Moore Manor.

Right in front of her were her parents, Robert Moore and Evelyn Moore, dressed in fancy clothes.

Sophia Moore, the so-called heiress, was standing next to Evelyn, wearing a white designer dress and clinging to Evelyn's arm. She shot Summer a nervous glance.

It hit Summer that, somehow, she was back at the moment she first met her parents.

Summer never thought those dramatic, rich family plot twists would ever happen to her until a week ago, when a sharp-suited young man showed up, introduced himself as Simon, CEO of Moore Holdings.

He told her that he was her elder brother and that she was the Moore family's heiress, switched at birth twenty years ago,

After checking out the DNA test results he brought, Summer spent a whole week mentally bracing herself before finally working up the nerve to come to Moore Manor and meet her parents.

Summer had always known she was adopted. After her adoptive parents split up, her mom, Helen Hayes, raised her alone. Deep down, she couldn't help but wonder what her real parents were truly like.

Summer was still reeling from the shock when Evelyn suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace, her voice trembling with emotion. "My sweetheart."

The luxurious scent of Evelyn's perfume brought Summer back to her senses. She quietly slipped out of Evelyn's arms, pushing down the surge of resentment in her heart.

This was the very mother of her blood, the one who had, in the apocalypse, drugged her and handed her over to a ruthless gang.

In the end, Summer died along with the gang's leader, but when she opened her eyes this time, she was back here.

"You must be Summer, right? Welcome home," Sophia said, stepping forward with a nervous smile.

Summer sneered inwardly. In her previous life, Sophia had started the same way, acting all welcoming at first, then turning nasty once she was back home.

After Summer came home, Sophia kept playing her little games. Sometimes she'd fake an injury, sometimes she'd cut up her own dresses and jewelry, and every single time, she'd blame it all on Summer.

No matter what Summer said, the Moore family always believed Sophia. Their disappointment in Summer only got worse.

"Is she the girl I was swapped with?" Summer asked, expressionless as she turned to Robert and Evelyn. "If I come back, does she have to move out?"

Evelyn was stunned for a moment, then blurted out, "Of course not. Sophia isn't leaving."

"Summer, you and Sophia are both our daughters," Robert said, a hint of annoyance in his voice. "Do you really think the Moore family can't handle having two girls?"

Before Summer could respond, an angry voice shot down from the stairs. "You should be the one leaving. How dare you talk to Sophia like that?"

Summer turned to see a teenage boy, maybe eighteen or nineteen, strutting down the stairs in head-to-toe streetwear. That was her younger brother, Ethan Moore.

Ethan marched down, glaring at Simon with a mix of confusion and accusation. "Why did you bring her back here?"

"Ethan, stop," Robert snapped, his voice low and stern. He turned to Summer, trying to smooth things over. "Summer, Ethan is just a kid. Don't take it to heart."

"I'm not a kid anymore. Why should I have to accept this girl from nowhere as my sister?" Ethan shot back, his voice full of resentment.

Summer instinctively glanced down at her own clothes.

After graduating, she helped Helen manage the family's private lake and orchards, running across the hills frequently. She was certainly not as polished or brand-clad as Sophia.

However, Summer really wasn't interested in fighting with Ethan right now. She said, "You misunderstood. I never said she had to leave. I'm not here for some family reunion. I'm here to talk about transferring the lease for Evergreen Hill."

The Moore family was in the tourism business, and they'd set their sights on Evergreen Hill in Evergreen Town, planning to build a fancy resort there. The lease for Evergreen Hill used to be under Helen's name, but now it was handed to Summer.

Helen had put a lot of money into the lake and orchards on Evergreen Hill.

Simon met Summer when he was negotiating the lease transfer with the Hayes family. He was floored by how much she looked like Evelyn, and when he found out Summer was adopted, he secretly grabbed a hair for a DNA test.

That was how he discovered Summer was actually the Moore family's daughter, switched at birth.

Summer's suddenly bringing up the lease threw the Moore family for a loop.

Evelyn was the first to snap out of it, and she said, "Summer, it's your first day home. Let's not get into business stuff now. Come on, let me show you the room I set up for you."

Summer knew she had to make sure the lease transfer went through today because in just three days, Evergreen Hill was going to get slammed by a freak mudslide.

That mudslide was the disaster that kicked off the end of the world and the start of Summer's nightmare. She lost everyone she cared about, even Helen, in that catastrophe, and had no choice but to go back to the Moore family.

This time, Summer was dead set on keeping her distance from the Moore family. She was going to protect her adoptive family and survive the apocalypse together.

For that, she needed a ton of cash to hoard supplies for the end times. Therefore, she had to sign that lease transfer and get her hands on the money.

"The tourist season is just two months away. Signing the contract now will benefit the Moore family," Summer said, knowing exactly what Robert cared about most.

For Robert, the company and profits always came first. Whether Summer was the real heiress or not meant nothing to him.

Sure enough, after a brief pause, Robert turned to Simon and said, "Go get the contract from my study."

Robert had been pushing hard for the Evergreen Hill project. Moore Holdings had made a few bad investments in recent years, and they desperately needed a new money-making venture to turn things around.

Robert had no idea why Summer was bringing up the contract now, but honestly, he was more than happy to go along with it.

There were still a few months before the peak tourist season in June, and if everything went smoothly, this investment could start making money for the company this year.

"Summer, let's go check out your room. Mom and I worked on it all day for you," Sophia said, reaching out and grabbing Summer's arm.

"That's not necessary. I'm not moving in," Summer said, pulling her arm back, shutting her down.

Sophia blinked, looking at Summer like she couldn't believe what she'd just heard.

"Cut the act. Are you playing hard to get?" Ethan said, arms crossed, voice dripping with disdain.

"Ethan, enough," Robert barked. "Summer is your sister. Apologize to her."

Ethan shot back, his face full of resentment, "Why should I? She's the one who should be saying sorry to Sophia. Look at the way she acts toward her. Why did Simon even bring her back here? Did he ever think about how Sophia feels?"

Summer sneered. She thought, 'He definitely thought it through. It's obvious that Simon did all this for Sophia.'

At first, Summer thought Simon brought her back to the Moore family because he actually cared about her, but later, she realized the truth.

Simon had a thing for Sophia, and the only way he could ever have a shot with her was if the real heiress came back.

Summer could never forget how, when Sophia had framed her, Simon had destroyed the surveillance footage and provided false testimony to support Sophia.

Just then, Ethan walked over with a document in hand. "Here's the lease transfer contract for Evergreen Hill. This is the final version."

Without responding to Ethan, Summer picked up the contract and started reading through it.

Helen had invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in the lake, which yielded two harvests each year, earning tens of thousands of dollars each time.

Since the lake would be ready for harvest in two months, Helen had wanted to wait until after the harvest to sign the contract in her previous life.

However, it led only to a deadly mudslide, followed by years of apocalyptic disasters that devastated the entire tourism industry, rendering the agreement completely void.

Summer said, "We agreed on one million dollars for the lease transfer. Let's add another 100 thousand dollars for signing today. The lake will be ready for harvest in two months, producing at least tens of thousands of pounds of trout.

"You've checked it out before; it should sell for over 150 thousand dollars."

"Deal," Robert said after a brief pause, nodding his approval.

"Thanks, Dad," Summer said, forcing herself to sound grateful even though she felt nothing but disgust inside. "Can you send the money tomorrow?"

Robert was caught off guard for a second when Summer called him "Dad", but he looked pleased about it.

He smiled and said, "Normally, the payment would take a month to process, but since it's your first day home, I'll make it happen for you. I'll have 1.1 million dollars sent to you tomorrow."

Summer breathed a sigh of relief.

"Summer, can we go see your room now? Don't make a fuss, or Mom will get upset," Sophia said, biting her lips and looking a little upset.

Summer remembered how, in her previous life, she'd agreed to stay here for a few days, and three days later, disaster struck. She lost everyone she cared about, even Helen.

Thinking about all the humiliation and unfairness she'd suffered with the Moore family, Summer wanted to snap back at them right then, but she dared not burn bridges before the money was in her account.

Without that money, Summer couldn't hoard supplies for the apocalypse. She was just a fresh college grad with barely any savings.

Therefore, Summer put on her best conflicted look and ducked her head. "Thanks for getting the room ready for me, but this is all just too sudden. I need a few days to calm down. I'll move back once I've made up my mind."

Evelyn looked a little down at Summer's answer, but then reminded herself that it was indeed overwhelming for Summer. She thought she should give her a few days to process it.

She stepped up and gently hugged Summer. "Just give me a call when you're ready, okay? I'll send someone to pick you up. I really miss you, baby. Don't make me wait too long."

Summer managed a smile at Evelyn, trying her best to look calm.

Suddenly, Sophia spoke up, her voice trembling a little. "Summer, are you leaving because of me?"

Sophia lifted her tearful gaze to Summer, looking heartbreakingly fragile. "If it's because of me, I can leave. I don't want to make things hard for you."

"Sophia, don't be ridiculous. This is your home, and you're not going anywhere." Evelyn immediately dropped Summer and hurried over to fuss over Sophia.

"Sophia, don't talk nonsense. Nobody is gonna kick you out," Ethan sneered, shooting Summer a nasty look.

"Sophia, trust me. This will always be your home, no matter what," Simon said softly.

"Summer, I know this might feel unfair to you, but it's not Sophia's fault. I hope you two can get along. You're both part of this family," Robert said, his voice low and firm.

Summer had already tasted the Moore family's favoritism toward Sophia in her previous life.

After she came back, not a single one of the Moore family truly cared about her; all they ever worried about was whether Sophia would be heartbroken because of her return.

One time, Sophia purposely broke a keepsake from Helen. Before Summer could even react, Sophia burst into tears, and everyone immediately rushed over, comforting her and scolding Summer for not taking better care of her things.

However, watching the whole family crowd around Sophia, Summer felt absolutely nothing.

She had zero interest in fighting Sophia for their so-called affection. She thought, 'If she wants her so-called family, then go ahead. I just want to save my real family.'

"I have to go. I expect the transfer money to hit my account tomorrow," Summer said coldly, then turned and walked straight out of that stifling house without a single glance back.

Chapter 2 The Eden Realm

As Summer stepped out of Moore Manor, she noticed a drizzle falling outside.

Summer felt weak as the nightmarish scenes of the apocalypse from her previous life flashed through her mind. She shook her head and fumbled for her phone to call Helen.

In her previous life, at this exact moment, Helen and her uncle, Charles Hayes, were getting ready to head out of town to buy saplings.

They wouldn't be back until the next evening, and when they finally returned, they got swept up in that massive mudslide.

The call connected, and Helen's voice came through the phone. "Summer, what's up?"

"Mom," Summer called out, her voice trembling.

It had been three years since she last heard Helen's voice. It hit Summer like a storm, flooding her with joy, sorrow, and raw, uncontrollable emotion.

"Summer, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" Helen asked anxiously.

"Mom, you and Uncle Charles just left, right? Just come back home right now. Call Aunt Grace and tell her to come back. There's something really important I need to tell you. It's urgent," Summer said, choking back her tears.

Helen replied quickly, "Okay, don't panic. We're coming home right now. We'll be there soon."

After hanging up, Summer's mind raced as she replayed everything.

It was March 1st, and on the early morning of the 3rd, Evergreen Hill would be hit by a massive mudslide. She had to get her family out of there before March 2nd, no matter what.

Having made up her mind, Summer jumped into a taxi and sped straight toward Evergreen Town.

The lady driver made small talk with Summer. "This rain has been coming down for over a week now. Who knows when it'll finally let up?"

Summer gazed out at the rain streaking down the window, having mixed feelings. It was this rain that set off the mudslide at Evergreen Hill.

After that came a freak tornado, then a year of relentless heatwaves. Then the volcanoes blew, ash covered the sky, and the world was swallowed by darkness. The endless cold nights began.

For the next two years, people longed for rainy days more than anything.

After a moment's thought, Summer turned to the driver and said, "Looks like the weather has been acting up lately. You might want to stock up on some food and medicine at home, just in case."

The lady driver nodded along, but whether she'd actually listen was out of Summer's hands.

After getting out of the taxi, Summer didn't head straight home. Instead, she made her way to the mid-slope of Evergreen Hill.

Relying on her memory, Summer came across a huge white granite boulder nestled in the woods halfway up the hill.

She and her elder cousin, Ian Hayes, used to hang out here as kids, but she'd never imagined that this granite boulder was hiding a secret realm inside.

The boulder was about 26 feet long, 13 feet wide, and tall. Back in her previous life, the mudslide had sent it tumbling down the hill.

When the world was hit by catastrophic floods, Sophia happened to discover and unlock the Eden Realm hidden inside the giant granite boulder.

Back then, floods were sweeping through, and a pandemic was spreading like wildfire.

Using the Eden Realm, Sophia created a special water with healing powers that helped the Moore family bounce back from bankruptcy. The whole family, who already favored Sophia, became even more loyal to her, following her every word.

When Sophia suggested selling Summer off to an underworld gang, Evelyn made Summer drink the drugged water.

Moments after Summer swallowed it, she went blind and weak, falling to the floor.

In the darkness, she heard Evelyn and Robert's voices. "Sophia, you don't have to worry anymore. I promise, from now on, you'll be my only daughter. No one will ever upset you again."

Then Simon and Ethan chimed in. "This is the right thing to do. She's always been jealous of Sophia. She's made Sophia's life miserable all these years.

"She was never really part of the Moore family. Just look at her. She takes after her adoptive parents. Maybe she'll learn her lesson this time."

In the darkness, fear and helplessness spread through Summer. She wanted to ask them why they were doing this.

Summer had always treasured her family, and during the apocalypse, she did everything she could to look after them.

After Robert went bankrupt and let the housekeeper go, she took on all the chores herself. When Simon and Evelyn were running a high fever during the bitter cold, she went out into the snow to get fever medicine for them.

Just before Summer blacked out, she could feel Sophia walk up and nudge her face with the tip of her shoe.

Sophia said in a low voice, "Honestly, I should thank that damn hill near your house. If I hadn't scratched my hand on that white boulder, I wouldn't have gotten this magical Eden Realm."

Snapping out of her memories of the apocalypse, Summer bit down on her finger, pressed her bloodied palm to the boulder, and waited silently.

Suddenly, a blinding light erupted. Then, in an instant, both the boulder and Summer were gone, leaving not a single trace behind.

A voice rang out. [Hello, welcome to the Eden Realm.]

Summer opened her eyes to find a stream before her. On one side stretched a wide field of farmland, while the rest of the world was hidden behind a thick veil of mist.

The voice continued. [Welcome, host. This is your first time activating the Eden Realm. Eden Stream and Eden Farm are now unlocked for you.]

A white cat hopped over to Summer's feet, stretched lazily, and curiously eyed her.

"Hello there," Summer blurted out, surprised.

Summer looked at the cat in surprise, noticing its fur was white with patterns, just like the granite boulder.

The cat said, [I am the Eden Realm.]

Summer thought, 'Wow, the cat can talk.'

Pushing down her shock, Summer looked around. She thought, 'So, this is the legendary Eden Realm Sophia got her hands on in her previous life.'

Summer glanced around at the swirling mist, curiosity bubbling up inside her. She asked the cat, "What's hidden behind all this fog?"

The cat, who was named Snowy, said, [Everything behind the mist is still locked. Right now, only Eden Farm and Eden Stream are open to you. As for the rest, you'll explore and unlock them yourself.]

[You can stock the stream with fish and shrimp, and grow crops in the fields.]

"Planting, huh? What season is it in the Eden Realm right now? Which seeds do I need to get for planting?" Summer asked.

Snowy said, [In the Eden Realm, it's always the right season for any crop. You can plant whatever you want. Everything grows faster and better here than anywhere else.]

Snowy circled Summer and looked proud. [As the host bound to the Eden Realm, you now have the ability to manipulate objects within this space. Go ahead and try moving something with your mind.]

Summer tried to control a small stone by the stream, and under her mental command, it flew out.

Snowy padded around Summer and kept on explaining. [Host, you can move items from inside the Eden Realm to the outside world, and you can also bring things from outside into the Eden Realm.]

[Remember, you have to be close enough to the item if you want to pull it inside. If you're having trouble bringing something in, just get a little closer and give it another shot.]

Just then, Summer's phone rang. She swiped to answer, and Helen's voice came through. "Summer, we just got home. Where are you?"

Summer replied in a rush, "I'll be home in a minute."

After hanging up, Summer looked at Snowy and asked, "How do I leave the Eden Realm?"

Snowy said, [Just picture yourself as an item and use your mind to move yourself out.]

Following Snowy's instructions, Summer willed herself out with a thought. When she blinked, she found herself standing back on Evergreen Hill.

The huge granite boulder that used to sit on the hillside had simply disappeared into thin air, as if it had never been there in the first place.

On her way home, Summer passed by a lake and saw the automatic feeder spitting out fish food nonstop. The fish swarmed in, fighting over every bite.

Watching the frenzy, Summer willed the fish with her mind, attempting to transfer them straight into the Eden Stream inside the Eden Realm.

[Received 30 tilapias.]

[Received 30 trout.]

[Received 30 basses.]

[Received 30 perches.]

[Transfer complete. Eden Stream has finished cleaning the fish. All parasites have been cleansed. They're totally safe to eat now.]

Summer thought, 'Wait, this stream has a purifying effect, right? Could it be that the medicine Sophia used to solve the pandemic in her previous life came from the water of this Eden Stream?'

As Summer kept running through memories of her previous life, she found herself standing at her front door without even realizing it.

Pushing down the flood of emotions in her heart, she gently pushed open the gate of the farmhouse she hadn't seen in years.

Chapter 3 Preparing To Move

Summer walked into the house and saw Helen, Charles, and Julia waiting for her.

Seeing their faces, Summer felt like crying, and she threw herself into Helen's arms.

"What happened, Summer?" Julia Hayes walked over and gently stroked Summer's hair.

Charles quickly spoke up to comfort her. "Summer, don't worry. Take your time and tell us what's going on. We're all here for you."

Seeing the concern on everyone's faces, Summer took a deep breath to steady herself and said, "I signed over the lease rights for Evergreen Hill to Moore Holdings. The total payment is 1.1 million dollars, and the money will hit our account tomorrow."

Helen looked surprised. "What? Why did you sign it so suddenly? The fish haven't even been caught yet. Weren't we supposed to wait until after the fish were harvested before selling?"

Charles was also taken aback. "Summer, why didn't you talk to us? You're just a girl. Don't let the people from Moore Holdings take advantage of you. Those businessmen are very shrewd."

"I had to sign the deal today. There's going to be a mudslide early morning the day after tomorrow. If we dragged, the whole contract would be worthless," Summer explained, her voice steady but urgent.

Everyone was surprised. Julia hesitated, then said, "There's never been a mudslide on Evergreen Hill. I've lived here for decades, and even during the worst rainstorms, nothing like that ever happened."

"Yeah, before we took on Evergreen Hill, your mom and I looked into it. The experts said the geology here makes landslides unlikely," Charles chimed in.

Summer said seriously, "I know it's hard for you to believe, but I swear, I've got reliable info. This mudslide will hit our house. Plus, the two neighbors will be in danger.

"We need to pack up now and leave tomorrow."

Seeing the serious look on Summer's face, they couldn't help but trust her a little more. They knew she was never one to mess around or exaggerate.

Ever since her parents divorced, Summer had been balancing school with handling all sorts of family affairs. As the only college student in the house, everyone relied on her for advice.

After Julia and Charles got scammed out of 30 thousand dollars a few years back, whenever it came to money, they'd always check with Summer first.

Seeing that they were starting to trust her, Summer pressed on. "Let's move to our apartment in the city near the school tomorrow. Just trust me. By early the day after tomorrow, we'll know. If nothing happens, we can come back."

After thinking it over for a few seconds, Charles nodded. "Alright, Summer, you're always smart, and I'll trust you on this. Let's have lunch, then we'll pack up and call the movers."

Helen and Julia shared a look, then nodded.

Summer let out a sigh of relief.

Suddenly, Julia thought of the contract Summer had just signed and asked, a bit uncertain, "If there really is a mudslide, wouldn't that mean the Moore family gets the short end of the stick?

"That's not right. We shouldn't do something like that. Besides, if the Moore family found out, they'd come after you."

"Don't worry about it. The Moore family is loaded. They run a huge tourism business and have all kinds of insurance to handle things like this," Summer said.

She thought, 'I don't care whether the Moore family suffers a loss or not. They did worse things to me.'

Julia finally relaxed after hearing that.

Julia cooked up some fresh greens, pork ribs, and even made some fried chicken. Since they were moving tomorrow, it just didn't make sense to try to bring a chicken to the apartment.

It might have been simple home cooking, but Summer ate a lot.

In the apocalypse, regular food was ridiculously expensive; even a small pack of cookies could sell for hundreds of dollars.

To save food for the Moore family, Summer often survived on government-distributed Survival Biscuits, and it had been a long time since she'd eaten a proper meal like this.

After lunch, the whole family started packing up.

The place they were moving to was a well-renovated and fully furnished apartment in the city, right near a school.

Helen had bought it for Summer a few years ago, and it already had all the furniture and appliances they needed, so there was no point in hauling their old stuff over.

Summer headed straight for the kitchen. After surviving the apocalypse, she refused to waste even a single thing and planned to take every bit of it with her.

Just then, the voice of the Eden System rang out in her head. [Eden Storage has been unlocked. You can store as much as you want.]

Summer entered the Eden Realm and saw a massive warehouse across the stream from the farmland. Towering several stories high, the warehouse was filled with rows upon rows of neatly organized shelves and compartments.

Snowy explained to Summer, [Eden Storage lets you stash your stuff and keeps it fresh for ages. Plus, it'll automatically sort and organize anything you put inside.]

Summer was thrilled, finding this storage feature perfect for stockpiling supplies.

Summer raided the kitchen, snatching up everything she could get her hands on, including the cooking tools and Julia's homemade food.

Helen and Julia started packing up everyone's clothes and bedding, while Charles rounded up all the electronics, wrapped them carefully in soft foam, and boxed them up.

They kept busy until evening, when Grace Hayes, Charles's wife, came back from her shift at the clothing factory downtown.

Grace was supposed to have tomorrow off, but once she heard from Charles about the mudslide, she asked for leave and hurried home to help pack up.

She said, "Charles, are you sure about this? We've got to pack up all that bedding we just bought not long ago."

Grace was a go-getter type. She started as a line worker in a clothing factory and worked her way up to a junior supervisor, managing a team of employees.

As soon as she walked in, she didn't even take off her coat. She set down her bag and rolled up her sleeves, ready to get to work.

While packing, she asked Charles, "Have you packed Ian's stuff yet? Make sure all his little robots go in. He'll be mad if they are missing."

Ian Hayes was Summer's elder cousin, the only child of Charles and Grace, and he served in the military.

In her previous life, the final time Summer saw Ian was at their family's funeral. They clung to each other, sobbing uncontrollably over the loss of their loved ones.

Not long after the funeral, disaster struck. All soldiers and rookies were urgently called back for disaster relief and to restore order nationwide. From that day on, Summer never saw Ian again.

"I've got everything packed up. I already called the movers. They'll come in the morning and get everything loaded up," Charles replied.

The five of them spent the whole night packing, and by the time they were done, everything was boxed up except for a few pieces of furniture.

To lighten the load, Summer took advantage of moments when no one was watching and quietly slipped a few items into Eden Storage, feeling a bit smug about her trick.

By a little after ten in the evening, they went over everything one last time to make sure nothing was left behind. Only then did they finally wash up and turn in for the night.

Chapter 4 The Money Is In

After Summer left Moore Manor, Evelyn felt a little sad. She'd been busy comforting Sophia and hadn't even realized when Summer slipped out.

She sighed. "Why did Summer leave so suddenly? She could have at least stayed for dinner. Sophia and I got a room ready for her, but she didn't even take a look."

Ethan snorted. "Don't mind her. Why should we invite her to dinner after she made Sophia cry?"

Sophia quickly shook her head. "Ethan, it's my fault. Don't blame Summer."

Ethan let out a sigh. "Sophia, you're too kind. If you stay this nice, she'll bully you."

"Alright, that's enough." Robert shot Ethan a glare, then turned to Simon. "Simon, send 1.7 million dollars to Summer from my personal account tomorrow."

Simon blinked in surprise. "Weren't we supposed to send 1.1 million dollars?"

Robert took a drag from his cigarette. "The extra 600 thousand dollars is for the Hayes family. After this, Summer has nothing to do with them. Once they take this money, they should tell her to come back to us."

Simon nodded. "Got it. I'll get someone to handle it right away."

Sophia listened to their conversation, biting her lips, her eyes shadowed with a complex gloom.

Ethan complained, "Dad, that's an extra 600 thousand dollars. That's more than enough for them to never worry about money. Why should she come back at all?"

"Shut up," Robert snapped, clearly annoyed.

He and Evelyn had three kids. Simon and Sophia were both easy to handle, but Ethan was always causing trouble, stirring up problems at school.

Sophia bit her lips and murmured, "Ethan, don't make Dad angry. Summer is our family, after all. I shouldn't have upset her. She's probably mad because of me, and that's why she doesn't want to come back."

Evelyn saw the tears in Sophia's eyes and hugged her tightly, feeling sorry for her. "How could this be your fault, Sophia? You did nothing wrong. Ethan is right. You are always so kind."

Sophia buried her face in Evelyn's arms, her voice choked with sobs. "Mom, maybe I should move out. Summer is your daughter, and I know you want her back. If that makes you happy, I'll do it."

"Oh, my sweetheart, don't think that way. You'll always be my dearest daughter, and this is always your home, no matter what," Evelyn said, rushing to comfort her.

She paused and continued, "Do you remember that painting you saw at the auction, the one that cost one million dollars? I got it for you. The auction house will deliver it in a few days, and I'll have it put up in your room."

"Thank you, Mom," Sophia whispered, her face buried in Evelyn's arms. Hidden from everyone, a sly little smile crept onto her lips.

Ethan chimed in, "Mom, you saw how that girl acted the other day. She even asked if Sophia was moving out. She's obviously jealous of her. If you let her move in, Sophia is just going to get pushed around by her."

Robert lit up a cigarette and shot Ethan a glare. "Summer is your sister, no matter what. The Moore family's heiress can't be left out. Just think about it. If people hear about it, what would they say?"

Robert believed there was simply no comparison between the insanely rich Moore family and a small-town family like the Hayes family. He was sure that Summer would rather come back and live as a rich girl.

He thought, 'Summer even suggested signing the Evergreen Hill lease contract early yesterday. She probably wanted to make a good impression on us by doing Moore Holdings a favor.

'She didn't immediately agree to stay yesterday, probably because she was sulking after Ethan's insult. Girls need a graceful way to back down sometimes.'

Robert turned to Ethan and said, "Go to Evergreen Hill tomorrow, apologize to your sister, and bring her home."

"Why?" Ethan protested, totally shocked. He really didn't want to see Summer again. If his friends knew he had a sister from a small town, he'd be embarrassed.

Robert snorted, "If you don't go, I'm cutting off your credit card starting today."

Ethan gritted his teeth and muttered, clearly unhappy, "Alright, I'll go."

Seeing that Ethan finally agreed, Robert and Evelyn headed out to the office.

Sophia and Ethan were left in the living room.

Sophia reassured him, "Ethan, they are dead set on bringing Summer back. Now is not the time to piss them off."

"Yeah, I get it," Ethan replied, his tone softening as he looked at Sophia.

To Ethan, Sophia was the definition of class and elegance; she could dance ballet, play the piano, and had even held her own art exhibition right after turning eighteen.

He thought she was the best sister in the world, and everyone at school knew that.

Before Sophia got engaged to Edward Sutton, the Sutton family's heir, plenty of rich boys tried to please Sophia by cozying up to Ethan.

Ethan had always worn that pride like a badge.

And now he was told that his sister wasn't Sophia, but some rude girl like Summer. He just couldn't accept it. He wanted her to stay away from the Moore family forever.

*****

The Hayes family got up early the next day.

After getting ready, Summer glanced at her phone and saw a bank notification. 1.7 million dollars had just been deposited into her account.

That was 600 thousand dollars more than what the contract said.

There was also a message from Simon.

Simon said that the deal was 1.1 million dollars, and the extra 600 thousand dollars was a thank-you from the Moore family to Helen.

He said that they appreciated everything she'd done for Summer and hoped that the money would grant her a good life after her retirement.

Simon also told Summer to give him a call once she'd packed up and come home soon, so their parents wouldn't have to keep worrying.

Summer stared at the numbers, her thoughts drifting.

She thought, 'In my previous life, the Moore family sold me for 600 thousand dollars. Now they're giving me the same amount. Is this some kind of karma?'

Looking at Simon's message, Summer saw right through their intentions. She knew they wanted to use 600 thousand dollars to cut her ties with the Hayes family once and for all.

She scoffed and didn't bother replying.

Summer thought back to her previous life, when a brutal blizzard hit and Simon was burning up with a fever that just wouldn't break. The whole family was helpless, so she went out in the heavy snow to get him medicine.

Simon's fever finally broke after he took the meds, but Summer ended up sick herself from braving the snow.

Back then, Sophia strolled over, acting all concerned and saying a couple of fake-sweet words.

Simon saw it and got annoyed, blaming Summer for getting sick and making Sophia look after her.

Summer remembered every single one of those details. She thought, 'Well, let's call it the compensation I'm taking from the Moore .

Chapter 1

For five years, I laid black roses on my fiancé's empty grave.

Today, I found him buying ice cream for his five-year-old son.

I froze on the sidewalk outside Silverwood Kindergarten.

Three feet away, the man who supposedly burned to death was wiping chocolate from a little boy's chin.

Then, the boy's mother walked up.

My best friend, Chloe. The woman who had "died" right beside him.

She laughed, her arms wrapping easily around his neck. He turned his head and kissed her.

The sharp, territorial scent of a mated pair hit me, stealing the air from my lungs.

There was no guilt in their eyes. Just a happy family.

"Liam," I said. My voice came out dead calm.

Liam spun around. The ice cream cone slipped from his numb fingers, splattering onto the boiling pavement.

His eyes flashed a panicked gold.

"Evelyn," he choked out, stumbling back. "This isn't—"

"What it looks like?" I finished, my expression completely dead.

Chloe smirked, her fingers tightening around his arm. She looked me up and down, taking in my faded black mourning dress.

"It's exactly what it looks like," Chloe sneered. "He's my fated mate, Evie. The Moon Goddess chose us."

*Fated mate.*

The fire. The closed-casket funeral.

The five years I spent living as a ghost, blaming myself for the rogue attack that took them.

"You faked your deaths," I whispered, the realization turning my blood to ice.

"We had to," Liam stepped forward, his panic turning to arrogance. "You're just a weak, wolf-less human, Evelyn. I needed a real Luna."

"So I gave him a pureblood heir," Chloe stroked the little boy's dark hair. "Look at him. He's five years old. He has Liam's exact jawline."

Five years old.

That meant they were sleeping together long before the fire.

Long before my birthday. While I was picking out wedding invitations, they were planning to ruin me.

"And my adoptive parents?" I asked quietly, my heart turning to stone.

Liam's face hardened. The man I loved for a decade was gone.

"They knew," Liam said. "They helped us move to the West Coast. They love Chloe. She gave them the Alpha grandson you never could."

My breath hitched.

My entire family. Every single one of them had watched me grieve. They had watched me shatter into a million pieces, and they had actively protected the two people holding the hammer.

I reached behind my neck.

I unclasped the silver mourning locket I had worn for five years. The one with his initials.

I let it drop from my fingers.

The heavy metal hit the puddle of melting ice cream, sinking into the dirt where it belonged.

"What are you doing?" Liam growled, a low, warning rumble vibrating deep in his chest. "Don't make a scene, Evelyn. Your parents chose us. You have no pack. Without my protection, you are nothing in this city."

I turned my back on them.

"Walk away and you are exiled!" Liam barked. He pushed his Alpha aura onto me, trying to force me to my knees. "You'll have nothing!"

I didn't pause. I didn't look back. I didn't kneel.

I walked straight past the school gates, leaving the ghosts behind.

I didn't stop until I hit the shadows of an empty alley. My chest burned. My hands shook so hard I couldn't feel my fingers.

I pressed my back against the cold brick wall.

Five years. I had built an entire life around a grave that was empty. I had worn black until it became a second skin. I had turned down job opportunities, turned down friendships, turned down every small piece of happiness that tried to push through the cracks—because it had felt wrong to be happy when he was dead.

He wasn't dead.

He had just decided I wasn't worth the truth.

I closed my eyes. I let that sit in my chest for exactly three seconds.

Then, my phone buzzed in my pocket.

A text from an unknown number lit up the cracked screen.

*Miss Evelyn, the Alpha King requests your presence. A black Maybach is waiting at the end of the block. — Silas.*

I stared at the glowing words.

The Alpha King.

Victor Volkov.

The most ruthless Alpha in North America. A man who could wipe Liam’s entire bloodline off the map.

The man I had never met