Marian Fletcher was the fake daughter who replaced eighteen years of my life before the Fletcher family found me.

My parents doted on her, and my brother cherished her. They didn't welcome me back at all.

They even wanted me to give Marian the admission letter to the top university.

One day Marian insisted on going on a seaside vacation. Before the maritime accident, I called my dad.

He narrowly escaped, slapping Marian. "You're not my real daughter. You're a jinx."

Yet in my previous life, they used me to save themselves, saying they shouldn't have brought back Marian.

...

When I was brought back to the Fletcher family, it was the night right after the college entrance exams had finished.

Marian cried loudly, expressing her grievance in front of my parents and brother.

"I knew long ago I wasn't your daughter. During the exams, I kept thinking about it. I must have messed up."

My parents kept consoling her, completely ignoring me, the real daughter who had just been found.

I didn't mind. After all, I knew Marian was a waste. Someone always helped her cheat during normal tests, but she was at a loss during the college entrance exams.

After the results came out, Marian blamed all her mistakes on me. She almost fainted as she lay crying in my brother's arms.

I sat calmly on the sofa, looking steadily at the scores, similar to the ones from my previous life, regretting only that I hadn't been the top scorer.

"Ruth, I rarely ask for anything. Marian has always had good grades, but bringing you back affected her performance. We should make it up to her."

I looked in surprise at my mother. They hadn't cared about me at all, considering Marian had been with them for over a decade.

They wanted me to give up my grades to Marian. My dad would make the switch without anyone noticing.

Seeing my hesitation, Marian, who had calmed down, started crying again.

My brother urged, "It's your fault in the first place, Ruth. From now on, you're the Fletcher family's daughter. Compensation will come aplenty."

"But the life that was stolen is mine, isn't it?" I argued weakly.

My mother spoke sternly. "It's not Marian's fault either. She's a victim too."

They comforted Marian for a long time. When I finally agreed to their plan, their faces lit up with smiles.

The whole family joyfully discussed. Marian suggested a vacation at the seaside and a super luxurious ferry plan. She longed for the ocean and, when excited, hypocritically glanced at my brother beside her.

"Let's take Ruth too. She must have never seen the sea."

My brother patted Marian's head, praising her as a considerate child.

Their smiles were glaring at me.

What made them think I had never seen the sea? In my previous life, I had been abandoned on the ship. I had drowned in the sea, feeling my body slowly sinking, and my consciousness was weakening.

I had also seen how terrible the ocean could be.

Looking back, it was truly laughable. In my previous life, I foolishly agreed to give up my spot to Marian to assimilate into this family.

I had been so foolish, and all I got in return was a tragic ending.

...

At night, Marian approached and looked at me provocatively, shedding the gentle facade she showed to my family.

"So what if you're bound by blood with them? Dad, Mom, and even Simon all favor me. Ruth, with your lowly status, I'll make you regret being born." She threatened, raising her hand to strike.

I feigned weakness, allowing her to grab me.

My dad suddenly called out to her, forcing her to release me with a curse. "You're such a country bumpkin, bringing bad luck."

...

I was enrolled at Shadowbrook High, a prestigious school in the city, thanks to my dad's help.

The day I went to collect my graduation certificate, a crowd surrounded Marian, praising her high scores.

"These grades are good enough for Brighthaven University."

"It's a pity that you missed being the top scorer in arts by just two points."

Marian basked in the admiration while grabbing my hand as I walked by.

"Let me introduce you guys. This is my..."

As Marian introduced me, her friends started criticizing me immediately. They mocked my rural appearance and appeared disdainful.

Marian enjoyed their mockery, her eyes full of triumph.

"Marian, your mother is waiting downstairs." Someone interrupted her, exposing her past life's lie that painted me as an orphaned relative living with the Fletcher family.

The students had praised Marian for her kindness, unaware she was a false heiress.

Marian panicked at the mention of her mother. "What nonsense are you talking about?"

Before she could explain, Shannon Gardner, who had raised me for over ten years, rushed in and embraced Marian, crying uncontrollably. "My child, my dear child."

Shannon was hot-tempered and had been harsh on me. Back then, she had taken me away on purpose, and now she took pride in Marian's achievements.

Unable to resist, Shannon had come to school to claim her daughter, and I watched quietly as the emotional reunion unfolded.

Marian pulled away disdainfully, afraid Shannon would soil her dress.

The surrounding gossip grew louder.

Someone mentioned the story of the Fletcher family finding their real daughter. Marian was embarrassed and pushed Shannon away.

She snapped, "What are you doing here? We have nothing to do with each other."

I sneered, seeing her carefully constructed facade crumble.

My family paid Shannon a large sum to appease the greedy woman, warning her not to cause trouble again.

Marian cried the entire night, while my family rushed to comfort her, hastening their seaside trip.

...

That night, the sound of water was unusually loud. I felt like I was suffocating in my sleep.

In my dream, a large hand seemed to pull me awake.

We arrived at the seaside, the weather was surprisingly good. Marian taunted me, "Bumpkin, I knew you had never been to the beach. You don't even have a swimsuit."

I stayed silent, perhaps afraid of embarrassing the Fletcher family.

My brother tossed me an old swimsuit Marian didn't want, pointing impatiently to a nearby shack where I could change.

Under the gloomy sky, they happily headed towards the ferry, leaving me alone in the shack.

Inside, I heard Marian complaining about my slowness and vowed never to bring me out again.

Just as Marian kept urging us to board the ship, I heard my dad's stern voice. "The weather is not good. We're not going today."

His behavior was strange, as if he had foreseen something terrifying. In fact, I had anonymously texted him early this morning, warning him about what would happen today.

I warned him not to board the ship, but he probably thought it was a prank even though everything I predicted in the message had come true.

He didn't take the anonymous text seriously.

Just now, a passing child kicked a small yellow duck onto him. It was a detailed incident included in the anonymous text.

Surely, my dad was frightened to the core, but Marian was spoiled.

She always got what she wanted with a snap of her fingers. She cried and threw a tantrum, insisting on boarding the ship. But this time, my dad pushed her away firmly.

"No one is going today, including you!" he said sternly.

I heard the ferry departing, but my vision blurred. I heard Marian wailing and even threatening to die.

When the maritime disaster occurred, I saw my dad slap Marian and angrily rebuke her.

"You nearly got us all killed!"

The slap was loud, heard even from a distance. I wished they all would perish in this maritime disaster, to feel the pain of my past life.

But I couldn't. Rebirth came with a price, and I didn't want them to die so easily.

In my despair, someone suddenly grabbed my wrist from behind.