章)“It’s just a bracelet! Sarah is attending her first gala; she deserves something nice to wear. It’s not like I’m keeping it from you!”
“Lily, I know you have issues with Sarah, but she’s part of our family now. Do you really value a piece of jewelry more than your own family?”
The cold, authoritative voice struck Lily like thunder.
She looked up to see her cousin, Ethan, wearing an expression of deep displeasure, his eyes filled with icy disdain.
Lily’s once-vibrant face now appeared pale and exhausted.
Because she refused to lend the bracelet, she had been locked in her room for a day and a night, without food or water.
The one who locked her away was her brother, the one she had called family for twenty years.
Ethan’s silver glasses framed his sharp features, and his once-gentle gaze was now unforgiving.
“Family?”
Lily forced a smile, her lips trembling as she replied in a soft, mocking tone.
She glanced at the innocent-looking Sarah, who stood behind Ethan, her expression one of feigned purity.
Three months ago, Sarah had been just a housekeeper in their home.
How could Sarah possibly be considered family, especially when she had never returned the things she had “borrowed” from Lily’s mother?
Ethan’s eyes darkened further. “Yes, Sarah is part of our family now.”
“The Adams family has always been united. If you can’t accept Sarah, then you don’t deserve to be my sister.”
At his words, Lily lowered her proud head.
Ethan’s demeanor softened slightly, and a hint of a smile appeared on his face.
He knew Lily cared deeply about family; he thought she would eventually relent.
Ethan turned to Sarah, his eyes filled with warmth.
Next week, their father would publicly announce that Sarah was to be adopted into the Adams family.
And Lily’s bracelet would symbolize the family’s commitment to Sarah.
“I understand,” Lily sighed, her voice weary.
When she looked up again, she hid her smile and feigned a defeated expression.
It had been a month since her rebirth, and she had been plotting her escape from the Adams family.
Now was the perfect opportunity.
Ethan had just declared that she was unworthy of being his sister.
Once she left, they couldn’t accuse her of being heartless!
“Had you submitted earlier, you wouldn’t have had to suffer. Get ready; we’re going to the bank to retrieve the bracelet today.”
After his commanding tone, Ethan switched to a soft, coaxing voice for Sarah.
“Sarah, your brother wants to give you a surprise. I’ll take you to find him.”
Upon hearing “surprise,” Sarah’s innocent eyes sparkled, but hesitation quickly clouded her face.
“But Ethan, don’t you have a surgery to perform soon? Will you have time to take me?”
Ethan pursed his lips and affectionately ruffled Sarah’s hair.
“It’s just a surgery; it’s not as important as taking you to see your surprise.”
“I can’t let you go alone to such a far place; I’m worried.”
They completely ignored Lily’s cold gaze as they chatted and laughed, leaving the room.
Once they were gone, the mocking smile on Lily’s face became more pronounced.
They had no memory of the past.
Her brother, Ethan, was a renowned surgeon, hailed as a medical genius.
But in each of her past lives, he had been so consumed by his devotion to Sarah that he lost focus during surgeries, resulting in fatal accidents that cost him his life.
Lily shook her head, sighing.
In her three lives, she had never been able to save her foolish brothers.
This time, she was done.
There was no point in trying to save those who were determined to die; she would rather spend her time on herself.
First and foremost, she needed to find a place to live and move out of the Adams family home.
Having gone without food or water for twenty-four hours, Lily felt weak and needed support to descend the stairs.
Looking at the villa she had called home for twenty years, it was hard to let go.
Lily had lost her parents at a young age, and her uncle had taken her in, raising her alongside her five cousins.
Though they were cousins, their bond had grown stronger than that of siblings over the years.
They often said, “The Adams family has no daughters; Lily is our only princess.”
For twenty years, she had lived like a princess, only to be cast aside by a housekeeper who had been in their lives for just three months.
The once-cold eldest brother had thrown her out for Sarah.
The second brother, a doctor, had sacrificed her health to save Sarah.
The third brother, a rising star, had publicly humiliated her, tarnishing her reputation.
The fourth brother, a hacker, had put a bounty on her head, forcing her to live like a rat in the sewers for years.
And all of it had been orchestrated by her genius fifth brother.
Even after all the pain, Lily never hated her family.
In her heart, despite their wrongdoings, they were still her family.
So when she saw her five brothers being toyed with and tortured by Sarah, Lily couldn’t help but step in.
With her battered body, she shielded her brothers from Sarah’s wrath.
But her brothers, brainwashed, continued to protect Sarah, turning against her.
Only after her death did Lily realize that her world was merely a story.
Sarah, the interloper, had come with a powerful system to seize the fortunes of others.
Her brothers were nothing more than stepping stones for Sarah’s rise to power.
In her rebirth, she tried desperately to expose Sarah, but her brothers dismissed her as insane.
Three lives, three deaths.
She was tired.
If Sarah wanted to seize fortunes, let her.
As long as she didn’t take Lily’s, she wouldn’t interfere.
After finishing her meal, Lily headed straight to the largest real estate office in the city, ready to purchase a new home for herself.
Upon entering the office, she didn’t even look at the listings and boldly declared, “I want a house in the Oceanview Estates; price is not an issue.”
Having been spoiled since childhood and now armed with the confidence of someone who had lived three lives, Lily, despite her youthful appearance, exuded an unmatched aura.
While others might have been dismissed as boasting, her words carried weight.
The sales staff recognized a big client and hurried to assist her.
“I’m sorry, but there’s only one villa left in Oceanview Estates. A gentleman has expressed interest, and there’s no more availability. Would you like me to recommend another property?”
Only one left, and someone was already trying to snatch it?
Lily frowned slightly, following the salesperson’s gesture, her gaze landing on two familiar figures.
“How do you like the gift from your brother?”
The man with bright red hair captured Sarah’s surprised expression, his face filled with pride.
As a rising star in the entertainment industry, Ethan’s career was flourishing, yet he had come to the real estate office without a disguise, openly flaunting his relationship with Sarah.
“But Ethan, this is way too expensive! Besides, I’m perfectly fine at home; there’s no need for you to buy me a villa.”