Chapter 1

I had lost so much blood that a weightless, drifting sensation overcame me.

In my daze, I thought I saw my mother—or rather, the version of her I had always imagined.

My mother had died giving birth to me, bleeding out on the delivery table.

It felt like a cruel twist of fate, a cycle doomed to repeat itself.

In my final moments, I mustered the last of my strength to plead with Sophie Reed, my best friend. My voice trembled with desperation.

"Please, let me see my children. Just once. Just one look at the children I gave my life to bring into this world…"

But Sophie only smirked, her voice sharp and triumphant as she said, "Your children? Once you're gone, they'll be mine.

"You're a pathetic woman who crawled out of a backwater village—what gives you the right to touch my man? What gives you the right to bear the Lewis family's children?"

I stared at her, unblinking, as life slipped away from me.

I thought I heard my children crying. I thought I heard the doctor recording my time of death, followed by a sigh.

"There's plenty of blood available in the bank. They don't seem like a family that's struggling for money—why would they just give up on saving her?"

When I opened my eyes again, I was surrounded by the blinding flashes of cameras. The lights made my head spin.

My aunt Maya Sinclair nudged me and whispered, "Bianca, are you so happy you've lost it? The reporters asked you some questions—how does it feel to achieve the top score in the city's college entrance exams and get accepted to Jadebrook College?

"Do you have any advice for the younger students?"

I blinked, my mind snapping back into focus.

I had been reborn—it was the day I received my acceptance letter from Jadebrook College.

This day had been the brightest moment of my 18 years. School leaders congratulated me. Reporters interviewed me. Younger students looked up to me with admiration.

But it was also the day that sealed my fate 12 years later—because today, I would meet Sophie for the very first time.

Just as in my previous life, the next moment, Sophie entered the room with her father, Edward Reed.

The reporters immediately turned their cameras on them, clearly familiar with Edward. Edward exuded an air of sophistication and affluence, the perfect image of a successful man.

And Sophie? She was radiant, a vision of elegance in her pure white princess dress. She walked up to me with a graceful smile, effortlessly casting me into the shadows with her mere presence.

Edward addressed the reporters with a warm, practiced smile. "My family roots are here in Willowbrook. When I heard that a fellow native from our modest hometown had achieved the top score in the city, how could I not come to congratulate her?

"On behalf of Reed Group, we will be awarding Ms. Sinclair a 50 thousand dollars scholarship. This will allow her to focus entirely on her studies at Jadebrook College and contribute to her hometown and our nation upon her graduation.

"My daughter, Sophie, has also been accepted into Jadebrook College. You'll be classmates from now on. I hope you'll get along, support each other, and bring pride to Willowbrook."

In my previous life, this was how it played out. With this grand gesture, Edward tied me to Sophie under the guise of generosity.

I had been deeply grateful for Reed Group's sponsorship. During my college years, I'd worked tirelessly to play the role of Sophie's good friend—her loyal sidekick.

Sophie, along with the Lewis family's twin brothers, Jonathan Lewis and Xavier Lewis, formed an inseparable trio. Naturally, I was drawn into their circle.

When Sophie started dating Jonathan, she pushed me toward his younger brother, Xavier. Eventually, we both married into the Lewis family, becoming sisters-in-law.

It wasn't until I died on the delivery table that I finally understood. From the very beginning, I had been nothing more than a pawn in their game—a convenient scapegoat and a vessel for their schemes.

Unlike my past self, who had silently accepted this arrangement, I gathered my thoughts and turned to face the cameras. My voice was steady and composed as I said, "Thank you, Mr. Reed, for your generous donation and your dedication to our hometown.

"After my college entrance exams, I've been working as a private tutor. By the time the semester starts, I'll have earned enough to cover my tuition and living expenses for the entire year.

"As for the 50 thousand dollars, I'd like to pay it forward. I hope you can donate the funds to my high school alma mater instead, Mr. Reed. Many of my classmates have had to drop out and start working due to financial hardship. I hope they also can have a chance to change their destiny."

The high school principal, David Johnson, beamed with delight, his grin practically splitting his face.

"Ms. Sinclair isn't just an outstanding student academically. Her moral character is equally exceptional. Even after graduating, she still cares deeply about her alma mater and her younger schoolmates."

Seeing the situation spiral beyond his control, a faint crack appeared in Edward's polished, dignified expression. However, he quickly composed himself.

He turned to David with a smile and said, "Ms. Sinclair truly has big dreams and an admirable sense of responsibility.

"In that case, I'll commit to donating 50 thousand dollars in scholarships annually. Mr. Johnson, please arrange for the funds to support students in need. I hope Willowbrook will continue to produce outstanding talents in the future."

The school leadership expressed their gratitude repeatedly.

The reporters were thrilled. They thought it would just be a standard interview with the top scorer of the college entrance exams—a boring interview. But then, a famous entrepreneur suddenly volunteered to make a donation, taking the interview to a whole new level.

Before long, the interview video went viral online.

However, the spotlight didn't land exactly where Edward and Sophie had hoped this time.

Instead, it was me, Bianca Sinclair, who stole the show.