When I opened my eyes again, I knew I had a chance to change everything. I wasn’t going to let my stepmother kill my mother and ruin our lives again. This time, I was ready.

The day Mom was hospitalized, I was right there, watching over her. When my father's gaze lingered a bit too long on Madison Gates, the intern nurse who would later become his downfall, I intervened. "Dad, let's transfer Mom to another hospital," I said, trying to sound casual but firm.

Dad looked puzzled. "Why? What's wrong with this hospital?"

With a pointed stare at Madison, who was busy feigning innocence, I made my point clear. "I don't trust this place," I declared firmly, my eyes never leaving hers.

My father's gaze shifted between us, his brow furrowing with uncertainty. But Madison, with her sly fox-like eyes, was a master manipulator. She locked eyes with my father, casting a spell that seemed to erase my presence entirely.

That was my cue to step in, quite literally. I positioned myself between them, breaking their eye contact. "Do you get it now? To stop you from having an affair," I snapped at Dad.

Caught off guard, my father stumbled over his words, his guilt written plainly on his face. "What are you talking about? I don't even know her," he mumbled defensively. This was their first encounter, but I knew it wouldn't be their last.

In my last life, things fell apart when Dad and Madison fell for each other right in front of my mom's hospital bed. Mom passed away about a month later and after the funeral, Dad married Madison and moved her into our house. I was 20 and she was 22.

I was furious. I hung my mom's portrait in the house and smashed all their wedding stuff. No matter what I did, I couldn't stop Dad from marrying his new young wife and letting her take over. Dad just watched me go nuts and said coldly, "It's not your turn to handle my affairs yet. Your mother has passed away and I don't need your consent to marry anyone."

"But Dad, she's only two years older than me! How do you think that looks? How do you think I feel?" I yelled.

Dad slammed the table and roared, "I can't marry a young woman? Should I marry a granny to make you happy?"

"But Mom's body isn't even cold yet..." I began, but he cut me off.

"Do you mean I have to mourn your mother for three years?" he snapped back.

I pointed at him, so frustrated I could barely speak. "You! You! You!" I stammered.

After a while, Dad calmed down and said, "Don't worry. She signed a prenup. I only gave her one house and one car. I promised to help her family get jobs at the company after the marriage. The rest of the property and anything related to the company has nothing to do with her. I'm a businessman, not a fool. If we have kids, the property will be split equally. I won't treat you unfairly. After you graduate, you can come work at the company. The position of successor won't change."

He lit a cigarette, took a slow drag and said in a commanding tone, "You are my daughter and there will be no less for you. But this house is still mine to run."

I was beyond angry and slammed the door on my way out. I refused to answer his calls after that. I didn't go home until I heard about his death.

My thoughts snapped back to the present. Seeing Madison throw seductive glances at my dad right in front of me, I leaned in close to her face and suddenly yelled, "What are you looking at?"

She jumped, dropping the medicine bottle and spilling its contents all over the floor. Dad quickly moved to comfort her, "Are you scared? It's okay, I'll get the doctor to bring another bottle."

I glared at Dad and pressed the call button for the head nurse. Madison stayed focused on my father's soothing words, completely ignoring the mess she made.

When the head nurse walked in, I started ranting. "What kind of hospital is this? Is this supposed to be a VIP ward?"

The head nurse saw the medicine on the floor and gave me an apologetic look, saying, "Miss Sanchez, please don't be upset. If there's a problem, let me know and I'll make sure it's resolved."

I stared at Madison, who was practically glued to my father and she had the nerve to roll her eyes at me. I pointed at her and said to the head nurse, "Get rid of this intern! She spilled expensive medicine everywhere. Can’t she use her hands?"

"We’re sorry! She's still a student and just started her internship here. I'll send her back to school immediately," the head nurse responded, turning to Madison with a serious expression. "You're fired. Pack your things and go back to school. I'll call your teacher…"

Before the head nurse could finish, Dad jumped in. "Hey, it's cool. She didn't mean any harm. Just a little accident. My daughter's just being protective, you know."

The head nurse looked a bit confused, like she didn't get why I was making a big deal. "But... I’m a family member at a fancy hospital. My complaint's legit, right? Shouldn't she say sorry?"

I emphasized the "fancy hospital" part, hoping she'd catch on. And she did. She looked around the room, her expression changing.

She grabbed my hand, flashing a big smile. "Don't worry, Miss Sanchez. I'll talk to her. Let's give her another shot, especially since Mr. Sanchez is cool with it."

I was about to argue, but she squeezed my hand, stopping me. "Please, just for me. It'll make things easier."

With Dad being the boss and me just a student, I reluctantly agreed, stepping down. I nodded reluctantly, feeling a bit defeated.

Seeing me give in, the head nurse gave Madison a sign with her eyes. "You should say sorry to Miss Sanchez, okay?"

Madison rolled her eyes and muttered an apology.

Dad clearly had a soft spot for Madison and even if we moved hospitals, it wouldn't change anything. So, I decided to focus on helping Mom recover and making sure history didn't repeat itself.

In my last life, I only found out after dying that Mom's illness wasn't deadly on its own. It was Madison who messed with her meds, making her death look sudden. Relatives wanted an autopsy, but Dad said no, blinded by emotion.

This time, I'd keep a close eye on Madison. I ordered a bunch of hidden cameras to install in all the blind spots, ready to catch her in the act if she tried anything shady.

After getting everything sorted out, I headed back to the hospital room. Mom had just come back from surgery on her hind legs, but Dad was nowhere in sight. Seeing Mom again after all the chaos, a wave of warmth flooded my heart. Tears pricked at my eyes and my nose felt tingly.

I took Mom's hand, feeling the chill of her fingertips against mine. Her voice, soft and reassuring, reached my ears. "Yasmine, don't worry, I'm fine." I wanted to say a million things, but all that came out was a choked-up "mom." Tears streamed down my face. This time around, I swore I'd protect her with everything I had.

After a while, I managed to compose myself. The fight had just begun and I couldn't afford to wallow in sadness. I pulled out my phone and checked the surveillance screen, using the dim light to keep an eye on Mom until she drifted off to sleep.

But then, two figures on the screen grabbed my attention—Dad and Madison. I quickly put on my headphones, tuning in to their conversation. Madison was all over Dad, batting her eyelashes and leaning in close. "Mr. Sanchez, being a nurse is so tough. I think I'll quit once my internship's over," she said playfully. Dad was practically glowing, completely taken with her.

I gritted my teeth, watching the scene unfold. This time, Madison wouldn't get away with anything.

His voice softened as he spoke, "Then I guess this is goodbye. But hey, whether a girl works or not, it doesn't really matter. She's got a dad to look after her at home and a future husband to take care of her, right?"

"I wish I had it as good as your daughter does, with her dad being the boss," Madison replied.

"Got a boyfriend?" Dad asked.

"Not yet."

"Ever thought about just getting a temporary one until you find the right guy?"

Madison leaned in, her arms around Dad's neck, her lips dangerously close to his. "What if I'm only into something permanent? Like a marriage," she whispered.

Dad's expression shifted to serious. He pulled away, taking a step back. "I'm married. Divorce isn't on the table."

"If you were single, would you say yes to a quickie marriage with me?" Madison pressed.

Dad nodded absentmindedly.

With the sound of her colleagues calling, Madison left, a subtle smirk playing on her lips as she turned away.

In the afternoon, Madison came in with a bunch of infusion bottles, clumsily trying to hang them on the stand. I wasted no time in popping earplugs into Mom's ears. Then, with a cold glare, I marched over to Madison and gave her a solid slap across the face. The infusion bottle she was holding clattered to the ground.

"What the heck?" Madison snapped, ready to retaliate, but I grabbed her raised hand.

"Someone call security! This nurse is trying to harm someone!" I yelled towards the door.

In a flash, several nurses rushed in, pulling us apart. The head nurse arrived panting, asking, "What's going on, Miss Sanchez? Why are you so angry?"

She glanced between me and Madison, then swiftly dialed a number on her phone. "Miss Sanchez, calm down. Mr. Sanchez is having a meeting in the office. I'll get him down here right away."

Within a minute, Dad came sprinting into the room, out of breath and bewildered. "What's happening?"

I turned on the TV and connected my phone to it. On the screen, footage showed Madison sneaking into a hospital corner and injecting unknown substances into an infusion bottle before bringing it to Mom's ward.

As Madison's shady actions were exposed for everyone to see, fear flashed across her face. She started inching towards the door, hoping to escape.

Dad stormed over to Madison, his eyes blazing with anger and grabbed her wrist. "What's going on? Are you really trying to hurt her?"

Madison put on a dramatic, tearful act, shaking her head. "No, no! I just forgot to give meds back in the office. I remembered halfway down the hall..."

I clenched my fists, holding up the infusion bottle. "Are you brave enough to take a test right now?"

I reached for my phone, ready to dial the cops, but Madison stopped me, pleading for mercy. "Please, Miss Sanchez, I'll quit right away."

I shook off her hand, but Dad gave me a look, silently telling me not to call the police.

"Dad, seriously? She's putting your wife in danger! And you're protecting her? She belongs in jail, not in a hospital!" I argued.