My wealthy birth parents, James Lowe and Elise Graner, bring me home. Their adopted daughter, Jennifer Lowe, runs away from home in anger. She gets into a car accident and falls into a coma that very night.

Not only do my parents not blame me, but they are also completely unconcerned about Jennifer, who is still in intensive care. Instead, they go ahead with a grand banquet to celebrate my return to the family.

My brother, Alex Lowe, spends millions of dollars to have a custom necklace made just for me.

For a moment, I believe that I have finally found my family that loves me after being 20 years apart from them.

But the instant I take the necklace, a burst of sinister laughter rings in my ears. "Perfect! We only have to put up with this idiot for seven more days before Jennifer gets a healthy body!"

I freeze and slowly turn around.

Only then do I learn the truth.

Jennifer suffers from a congenital heart condition. For 20 years, she has lived like a fragile princess and is unable to engage in any strenuous activity.

My parents dote on her so much that the real reason they bring me home is so that she can swap bodies with me. They want her to take over my healthy body.

Even after discovering the truth, I still put the necklace around my neck.

But after we switch bodies, why do Mom and Dad stop smiling?

"Welcome home, Olivia. I got you this gift to celebrate your return," my brother, Alex Lowe, said eagerly.

As he spoke, he handed me an exquisitely crafted gift box.

I opened the box with a smile. But the moment my fingertips brushed against the necklace inside, my entire body froze.

My parents, who had been watching from the side, chuckled at my reaction.

"Olivia, your brother went to more than 20 different malls to search for the perfect gift. In the end, nothing was good enough. So, he had this necklace custom-made just for you."

As I stood there in a daze, my family assumed I was feeling shy and wanted to help me put on the necklace.

Without thinking, I abruptly pushed them away and stumbled backward.

Alex caught the necklace before it hit the ground. Even though I had nearly fallen over, he didn't spare me a single glance.

Once my parents made sure that the necklace was still intact, they turned to me with displeased expressions.

"Your brother went through a lot of trouble to get you a gift, Olivia Lowe," they barked. "What's with the attitude? Come here and put it on right now!"

I stared at their anxious expressions and felt my heart sink.

The moment I touched the necklace, their unspoken thoughts instantly began to echo within my head.

"I wonder how Jennifer is doing…"

"Once this idiot keeps the necklace on for seven days straight, our beloved Jennifer will be able to make a full recovery!"

"Olivia may be our biological daughter, but Jennifer is the one who's always been by our side. Look at Olivia—she's so lifeless. How could she possibly compare to Jennifer?"

Jennifer.

Jennifer.

Jennifer.

Her name echoed through my mind over and over again.

It took me a long time before I finally pieced the truth together.

My family wasn't unbothered by the fact that Jennifer—their adopted daughter—was hospitalized with severe injuries. On the contrary, they were trying to use my "healthy" body to give her the freedom she had always dreamed of.

Jennifer was born with a congenital heart condition. For 20 years, she couldn't run, jump, or go anywhere without being accompanied by her family.

She felt trapped by her illness, and their hearts ached for her.

But what about me?

When my biological parents brought me home last night, I was elated. Initially, I thought that I was finally going to have a family. As it turned out, I had walked straight into another nightmare.

When I stayed still and remained silent, Alex and my parents finally lost their patience.

Feeling frustrated, my parents held me in place while Alex swiftly fastened the necklace around my neck. Afterward, they let out a breath of relief.

"Your brother went out of his way to have this necklace blessed by a priest. It's meant to keep you safe and bring you good luck. Do make sure to wear it at all times. You mustn't take it off no matter what."

As I listened to their seemingly caring reminders, I gradually teared up, and my heart began to grow cold. Instead of resisting, I straightened the necklace and gently traced the pattern on its surface with my fingers.

I desperately wished that the next seven days would pass by in the blink of an eye. I couldn't wait to see what would happen after Jennifer and I swapped bodies.

Mom, Dad, Alex. I genuinely hoped you'd still be smiling when that day came.

I wasn't sure if it was because my emotions were running too high. But that night, I dreamed of the past once again.

A sinister laugh and agonizing screams from my memories seemed to echo in my ears once more.

I fought to suppress my trembling body and forced a meek smile onto my face.

"I'll do exactly as you say, Mom, Dad."

I brought the butcher's knife down onto my leg before I slowly carved into my flesh and bones. Even in my sleep, phantom pain spread through my body.

I bit down on my lip and desperately tried to wake myself up. My body shook uncontrollably, and my consciousness became increasingly hazy.

Then, a distant yet familiar voice abruptly pulled me back to reality.

When I opened my eyes, Mom was staring at me, looking worried and confused.

"Did you have a nightmare, Olivia?" she asked.

I looked around frantically, and my body reacted before I could think clearly.

I scrambled upright and kneeled on the bed. In a meek and ingratiating voice, I said, "I'm sorry, Mom. I made a mistake. I'll go to the pigpen right away."

Subsequently, I tried to dash out of the room, but Mom quickly grabbed me and pulled me back into her arms.

"What pigpen, Olivia? It's okay. Don't be scared. I'm here."

The warmth of her embrace gradually eased my anxiety and calmed me down.

"That's right," I thought to myself. "My mom is here."

I was home. My bedroom was no longer a foul-smelling pigpen. More importantly, I would never be forced to carve flesh from my own body for an extra bite of food ever again.

I quietly leaned against my mother and savored the heartwarming moment for as long as I could.

In the next moment, her hand came in contact with the necklace around my neck. Immediately afterward, her thoughts drifted into my mind.

"That was close. Olivia was moving around too much. Thank goodness she didn't damage the necklace," she thought to herself.

I felt my heart breaking into pieces once again.

How could I have forgotten?

Mom was only sleeping beside me because my family was afraid I'd remove the necklace at night.

Trembling, I pushed her away and choked, "I broke out in a sweat because of the nightmare. I'm going to take a shower."

Without waiting for a response, I fled into the bathroom.

I stared at my reflection in the mirror. My eyes were bloodshot, and I looked like a mess.

When was I ever going to learn?

I gradually calmed down as I splashed cold water onto my face.

Just as I pulled off my top, the bathroom door burst open behind me with a loud bang, and Mom frantically rushed inside.

"I almost forgot, Olivia. Remember not to take off the neck—"

The rest of her words died in her throat.

Once she saw the angry scars and gnarly wounds that were scattered across my back, she froze.

"Why do you have so many scars?"

I didn't know if I was imagining things or if she simply found the sight too shocking. But for a brief moment, she sounded almost heartbroken.

I had no intention of explaining. Some truths were better left for others to uncover on their own.

I slowly turned around and showed her the necklace around my neck.

"I didn't take it off, Mom," I said softly. "No need to worry."

Then, I pushed her out of the bathroom and shut the door.

Just as I had expected, she was gone by the time I had finished showering.

…

The next day, after their assistant had left, my parents locked themselves in the study and didn't emerge for the rest of the day.

Eventually, Alex kicked the door open and stormed inside. Afterward, the three of them got into a heated argument.

I stood outside the study and silently listened to the argument—as well as the thoughts they couldn't bring themselves to say out loud.

I led them toward discovering my scars and investigating the life I had lived before they brought me home. Then, the plan that had once revolved entirely around me slowly began to drift off course.

Even after everything, their long-lost daughter still couldn't compare to the girl they had raised by their side.

"Mom, Dad, you're not actually having second thoughts, are you?" Alex demanded. "Jennifer is still hospitalized. If you give up on our plan now, what is she supposed to do?"

"Of course not!" Mom blurted out. "Throughout all these years, Olivia has suffered a lot. Once the swap is complete, we'll just make it up to her by showering her with love and affection!"

"Exactly," Dad agreed. "We'll make up for all the years we weren't there for her. Besides, after the swap, she'll be able to stay with us forever."

…

After that day, my parents began treating me with excessive care.

They started asking about my favorite foods and hobbies. Little by little, they began to show an interest in me.

At the dinner table, they'd always insist that I take the first bite. If one of my favorite soups was served, Mom would patiently blow on each spoonful before bringing it to my lips. Meanwhile, Dad started coming home every evening with a new gift for me.

"Look, Olivia. This is your third birthday present," he said. "I know you've missed out on a lot over the years, so we're going to do everything we can to make it up to you."

At that moment, Alex happened to walk past. Once he caught sight of the exchange, he stopped in his tracks and stared at me coldly.

Not to my surprise, his thoughts echoed in my head immediately afterward.

"She's putting on such a convincing act. She's just pretending to be pitiful so she can take some of our attention away from Jennifer. How dare she? The mere sight of her makes me sick."

My gaze drifted to the framed photograph on the wall. In the picture, Alex was hugging Jennifer with a bright smile on his face. The image was almost painful to look at.

I averted my gaze. When I lifted my head again, I flashed Alex a shallow smile and asked, "Isn't Jennifer being discharged from the hospital today, Alex?"

The atmosphere in the living room instantly shifted.

A long silence followed. Then, Mom let out an awkward laugh.

"That's right. You haven't had a chance to meet your sister, right? Since she's returning home today, let's have a proper family dinner together," she said.

The truth was, they had already told Jennifer about the entire plan yesterday after she regained consciousness. They were terrified that she'd do something to affect her recovery if they had kept her in the dark.

There was only one day left before the seven-day period was up. The closer they were to achieving their goal, the more anxious they became. They didn't want anything to go wrong at such a crucial time.

As the atmosphere in the room turned tense, a sharp pain twisted in my chest. Despite the newfound love and concern they showed me, their resolve remained unchanged.

…

By evening, Jennifer was sitting on the couch in the living room.

She stared at me the entire time. When she finally spotted the necklace around my neck, the hostility in her expression eased slightly, and a phony smile appeared on her face.

"Dad, Mom? I want to have an apple!" she requested.

"Of course!" Mom replied immediately. "I'll peel one for you right now."

The entire room came alive after she uttered one single sentence.

While Mom was in the kitchen, Dad and Alex gathered around her and showered her with concern. I, on the other hand, stood there like a stranger in my own home.

Feeling lost, I quietly slipped out of the living room.

I had just reached the pool when I heard someone approaching me from behind. Not a moment after, Jennifer leaned in close to my ear and hissed, "Do you really think you can waltz back into this house and take everything from me?"

"Dream on!" she snarled. "Mom, Dad, and Alex will only love me. You're nothing but a tool and a pathetic little clown!"

Her lips curved into a cruel smile before she added, "How about a bet? If I win, you leave the Lowe family and never show your face again."

Before I could respond, I was shoved forward. Following a huge splash, I was engulfed in the ice-cold water.

Memories of drowning in a manure pit came rushing back to me. Overwhelmed by a familiar sense of terror, I desperately tried to stay afloat, but I couldn't stop the darkness from swallowing me whole.

After observing me from the edge of the pool for some time, Jennifer jumped in as well.

"Alex! Help me!" she screamed.

Upon hearing her cries, Alex came running to her rescue.

Without a moment of hesitation, he dove straight into the water and swam toward her.

After he pulled her out of the water, my parents yelled, "Olivia is in the pool too! Why isn't she moving? She's almost at the bottom of the pool!"

"Hurry! Get her out of the water!" They cried frantically.

Alex whipped his head around before the color drained from his face. Panicking, he dove back into the pool and dragged me out of the water.

I curled up on the cold, hard ground, coughing uncontrollably.

Alex pursed his lips as worry flickered across his face. But before he could say anything to me, Jennifer burst into tears.

He stared at her reddened eyes before he abruptly recalled something. Subsequently, his expression darkened, and he barked, "Did you push Jennifer into the pool?"

"Get on your knees and apologize to her right now!" he demanded. "Can't you see that you've frightened her?"

I wanted to defend myself, but my body began to shake even harder.

Upon seeing this, the last trace of warmth disappeared from Alex's eyes.

"Have you gotten too used to playing the victim, Olivia Lowe? When are you going to drop the act? You're just jealous of Jennifer!" he roared as he stormed toward me, clearly intending to teach me a lesson.

My parents rushed forward to stop him.

"Have some patience, Alex! The seven-day period is almost up. Wait until the swap is complete. If you harm her now, Jennifer will be the one who suffers!"

As I lay on the cold ground, I felt my heart gradually grow numb. It almost felt as though it had stopped beating entirely.

As my mind grew hazy and my consciousness began to fade, I heard a bright tinkle.

All of a sudden, the pain that had plagued my body for years vanished, and warmth returned to my limbs.

Before I could process what just happened, Jennifer let out a bloodcurdling scream.

"Mom! Dad! Alex—everything hurts!"

The air around us instantly fell silent.

Then, I realized that the seven-day period had passed.

Alarmed by her screams, Alex and my parents rushed toward Jennifer in panic. However, just as Alex tried to carry her to the hospital, a metallic clatter echoed across the air.

The flesh-colored prosthetic attached to her body had been accidentally pulled off. Rusted screws clattered onto the tiles and rolled across the floor beneath everyone's horrified gaze.

Color drained from my family's faces as they stared at the empty pant leg hanging from my former body.

Meanwhile, I lay on the floor, barely conscious.

For the first time in years, I felt complete.

I kept my eyes on them and flashed them a smile.

Mom? Dad? Alex?

Why weren't they smiling anymore?