When I returned home for the New Year, my mom subtly asked me about my savings.

To stay low-key, I deliberately downplayed my wealth, claiming I only had three hundred thousand when I actually had thirty million.

My mom keenly noticed the three hundred thousand I had just withdrawn from my account and didn't doubt me at all.

Soon, my brother brought his entire family, knelt before me and begged me through tears to help him repay his gambling debts.

To help him quit gambling, I refused and even lined up a job for him with a monthly salary of over ten thousand.

But to my shock, on New Year's Eve, they poisoned my food. I died on the spot. By New Year's Day, they had hastily cremated me and buried my ashes.

After my death, they inherited all of my assets and lived a carefree life. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself reborn on New Year's Eve.

***

In my previous life, tonight was the night my parents, brother and sister-in-law all begged me for help, I refused. There's a saying, "Help for emergencies, not poverty." Gambling was a bottomless pit. Helping once only leads to countless more times.

I resolutely refused my brother and promised to arrange a job for him after the New Year with a monthly salary of over ten thousand. They quickly smiled and agreed, even bringing out red wine and food, saying it was rare for us all to gather.

I cheers with them without hesitation, but little did I know they had poisoned the wine and I died instantly.

On New Year's Day, they spent a fortune to have the crematorium turn me into a pile of ashes. After I died, they inherited my tens of millions in assets and lived a carefree life together.

My parents lounged in my luxurious villa, basking in the sun and sighed, "Raising her was finally worth it. All the effort we spent on her paid off."

Thinking about this, I couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.

It was the morning of New Year's Eve when I got home. Exhausted from the trip, I didn't rest but instead joined my mom in the kitchen to prepare the New Year's Eve dinner.

No matter what topic we talked about, my mom would always steer the conversation back to my savings.

I hadn't been home in three years, during which I'd endured countless hardships and earned a fair amount of money. But this time, I didn't foolishly tell the truth.

I deliberately downplayed it, "Mom, I've saved three hundred thousand."

Sure enough, within an hour, my brother entered with his wife and child. As soon as they came in, they knelt before me.

"Natasha, please, I'm begging you! This is the last time. I swear I won't gamble again. Just help me out this once." Clay was slapping himself in self-reproach as he begged for my help.

"Natasha, please help Clay this one time. He was just led astray. Deep down, he's not a bad person." The one who was speaking was my sister-in-law, Clay's wife, Agnes Duvall.

She was also kneeling on the floor, clutching my pant leg, pleading. Behind them, their young son was kneeling too.

At this moment, my dad spoke, "Natasha, your brother and his whole family are on their knees. Why are you standing there silent? You're part of this family. You'll help whether you want to or not."

My mom's face tightened as well, "We asked you nicely and you didn't agree. So you just have to watch your family kneel to you? Do you even have a conscience?"

My mind raced. I suddenly fell to my knees with a thud, repeatedly bowed my head to them, tears streaming down my face, "Dad, Mom, Clay, Agnes, I'm begging you to save me!" They stared at each other, dumbfounded.

My dad slapped the table in frustration, "Enough, Natasha! What are you playing at? It's New Year's Eve. What's with this nonsense?"

My forehead was already hurt from the bow, but if I didn't make this performance convincing, I'd probably still end up unable to leave this house alive in this lifetime.

I knelt and lunged toward my mom, clutching her arms tightly.

"Mom, you love me the most. Please, you, Dad, Clay and Agnes help me. I said I had three hundred thousand in savings because of my pride. I've always been very vain and just wanted to show off in front of family and relatives," I said.

I continued my act, "In truth, I haven't had a job in the city for the past few years. I like buying luxury goods and living in nice places. All these expenses were covered by borrowing money."

"I've maxed out all my credit cards and when I couldn't pay them off, I started taking out high-interest loans. Now I owe more than three millions outside. Please help me. The loan sharks said they'll give me one last month to pay up. If I can't, they'll kill me!"

"Dad, Mom, Clay, Agnes, I don't want to die!" I broke down in tears, crying and repenting, "If you help me this once, I'll dedicate every penny I earn from now on to the Portman Family, no matter how hard I have to work."

My mom was so angry that she was shaking all over and nearly fainted, "This is ridiculous! What bad luck for this family! How could I have raised such a useless daughter?"

By then, my brother had already dragged Agnes and their son back to the dining table to eat. He calmly spoke up, "Then what's with the three hundred thousand balance on your account?"

My eyes were red and swollen from crying, "That's the high-interest loan I took out before returning home. The interest is five hundred a day. It's just for appearances."

My brother slammed his fork on the table, "Natasha, are you joking? Repay three million? This family doesn't even have three hundred thousand! I might have a way, but I'm not sure if you'd agree. If you do, not only can your debts be solved, but I can clear mine as well."

I responded anxiously, "Tell me, Clay."

He lit a cigarette, exhaling a cloud of smoke before finally speaking, "I know a manager at a nightclub. You look decent. Go work there. The pay is high. How much you make in a night depends on your performance."

I instantly lost all hope, collapsing to the floor in despair.

Agnes, chewing on braised chicken, looked at me with disdain, "Who told you to be so vain? Coming from a modest family but acting like some rich girl. I think your brother's suggestion is good. Go and be a 'star' at the nightclub."

I turned back and grabbed my mom's hand, "Mom …"

She violently shook me off, "Your brother and sister-in-law are right. We don't even have money to spare right now. You created this mess, so you deal with it yourself. Since you can't find work, a nightclub isn't a bad option."

My heart sank to the depths. My parents had worked hard their entire lives and had pensions worth at least hundreds of thousands. Yet, they poured everything into covering Clay's gambling debts and left nothing for me.

I tried probing further, "Dad, Mom, what about our house …"

Before I could finish, my dad threw his cup of liquor in my face, "You dare think about the house? If I'd known you'd turn out like this, I'd rather you'd died out there!"

The sharp sting of the liquor burned my eyes and mouth. I staggered to my feet, "Fine. Then I'll leave and not disturb this family reunion dinner."

But my legs were numb from kneeling too long and I fell back to the ground, making my nephew burst out laughing, "Stupid! Idiot! Is your leg broken?" His words made everyone at the table laugh.

They continued eating and laughing as the cheerful music from the New Year's Eve played in the background.

I finally stood up. It took a long time before my legs could move properly, but my mom grabbed me, "Where are you planning to go now? Sit down and seriously consider your brother's suggestion. After we're done eating, you can clean up the table."

I originally thought she would let me stay for dinner.

I smiled faintly, "If you can't help me, I'll go ask someone else for help." With that, I got up to leave.

Suddenly, there was a loud banging on the door outside, "Open the door! If you don't, I'll break it down! It's New Year's Eve. Time to pay back what you owe!" From the voices, there were six or seven people outside.

Everyone's faces changed and they quickly put down their cutleries.

My mom stood up and slapped me twice across the face, "Why didn't you just die out there? You owe so much money and still dared to give the creditors our home address?"

My dad kicked me hard in the hip, "If I'd known, I never would've raised a jinx like you!"

He used so much force that I couldn't control myself and fell sideways, hitting my head on the edge of the coffee table. It buzzed with pain.

The door shook violently from the pounding.

My mom urged my dad to open it, while Agnes hid behind Clay, clutching my nephew in fear. When the door opened, Clay's expression changed.

He bent over and approached the visitor with a fawning smile, "Ah, Donny is here! Please, come in, come in!"

Donny Chapman, the leader, wore a leopard-print fur coat, a thick gold chain around his neck and a cigar in his mouth. Behind him were a group of swaggering lackeys.

Donny lightly patted Clay's face, "You said you'd pay me back by five this afternoon. What time is it now?"

Clay slapped himself twice hard, "Donny, look at me, such a pig-headed fool with a terrible memory. I forgot something this important. Have you and your men had a reunion dinner? Come in and eat. I'll cheers to you."

Donny took the main seat and his lackeys also sat down without hesitation.

Clay remained bent over, lighting cigarettes for each lackey, pouring them drinks and cursing himself as a pig-headed fool.

My parents, Agnes and my nephew stood by with their heads lowered, not daring to make a sound.

After making his rounds, Clay stood deferentially by Donny's side, ready to take orders.

Donny smiled faintly, extinguishing half his cigar on the dining table, "Clay, since I've come here today, I'm not leaving empty-handed. Your wife, your son, or one of your organs, you choose one for me to take."

"No! Absolutely not!" My mom's voice immediately turned tearful. My dad glared at her fiercely and she instantly fell silent.

Clay's legs gave out and he knelt beside Donny with a thud. My nephew started crying loudly in fear at those words.

Agnes quickly covered his mouth, "Don't be scared. Your dad will figure something out."

Clay begged desperately, "Donny, please give me a few more days. I'll gather fifty thousand and deliver it to you personally."

One of the lackeys kicked Clay in the head, "You said the same thing a few days ago."

Donny remained calm, still smiling faintly, "If you sit at the gambling table, you need to have the capital to gamble. I despise broken promises and hate people who waste my time."

The lackey grabbed Clay from the ground and slapped him repeatedly across the face, "Donny came here personally as a favor to you. He's giving you choices and you're still stalling? Another word and I'll end your pathetic life!"

My parents' eyes reddened with distress, but they could only fret helplessly.

Clay repeatedly banged his head on the ground while kneeling, "Donny, they're all my family. I can't bear to choose any of them."

The lackey sneered, "Then what about one of your organs? Pick one."

Clay suddenly lifted his head, his eyes gleaming. He extended his arm and pointed at me, "Her! Donny, she still has three hundred thousand in her account. Take the money, take her and it'll cover my debt and interest. That's more than enough, right?"