Early the next morning, I finished my morning routine and prepared to head to school for the orientation meeting with the incoming class.

Gazing out the window, my mind was filled with longing for the life ahead. 

In my previous life, when I returned to the Davis household, everyone was celebrating Gayle's birthday.

They were utterly embarrassed when faced with my sudden intrusion.

It turned out that they had known for a long time that Gayle wasn't their biological son.

But after so many years together, the Davis Family had long since accepted Gayle. They said, "It's good that you're back."

The Davis Family needed an heir. So, I changed my application from the National Defense University to the Finance Department of a regular university.

I plunged headfirst into the Davis Group. As a result, the Davis placed their burdens on me, yet showered their affection upon Gayle.

But later, something bad happened. 

Gayle betrayed the company's most critical secrets, causing the company to go bankrupt overnight. 

Unable to bear it, my parents jumped to their deaths. Even my sister became gloomy and despondent. 

From then on, she looked at me as if I were her enemy.

She always said I was a jinx.

If not for me, she'd still be the beloved heiress of the Davis Family, the happiest person alive.

I said nothing, just buried myself in work, determined to maintain my sister's decades-long standard of living.

Until exhaustion triggered a heart attack, finally putting an end to it all.

When I closed my eyes, I recalled my parents' faces one last time.

“Mom, Dad, in this lifetime, I cannot repay your kindness. But I hope that without me, the four of you can live happily together.”

As I opened my eyes again, I gazed at the campus just a stone's throw away and couldn't help but feel excited.

Besides the orphanage, school was my other home.

As soon as I stepped off the bus, my teacher came to greet me. "Shawn, are you certain you won't change your college application?"

I pursed my lips, just beginning to smile, when someone running from afar interrupted me, "Shawn, I knew you hadn't given up yet!"

"Want to study finance, huh? Let me tell you—your dad handed over his shares to Gayle today. Even if you study finance, you won't get a single thing."

"The Davis Family belongs to Gayle!"

Watching her hysterical outburst, I suddenly felt a wave of absurdity wash over me.

Wasn't I a victim too?

If Gayle's mother hadn't secretly swapped me out and discarded me back then, how would I have ended up abandoned at the orphanage's doorstep, barely clinging to life in the freezing snow?

And if Gayle hadn't been unable to handle the disparity and sold company secrets behind closed doors, how could my parents have jumped to their deaths?

Was all this my fault?

I didn't want to reveal my rebirth, so I lowered my head, holding back tears as I walked toward school.

My sister froze for a moment, then jogged a few steps to grab my hand, her nails digging into my arm so hard it hurt.

"Shawn, our family is happy now. Why did you have to show up? Must you watch our entire family shatter because of you before you're satisfied?"

"How could you be so cruel?"

I endured the pain in my arm, wanting to pull away but afraid to use too much force. After all, she had saved my life in my past life.

Just as our argument reached a stalemate, the teacher intervened, "Miss, Shawn is my student. If you have any concerns, please address them directly with me."

"Also, don't make things difficult for him."

She shielded me behind her, her gaze sharp as she fixed it on my sister. "Shawn, do you know her?"

I clutched her sleeve like a lifeline, "No, I don’t. She was just standing outside the orphanage yesterday saying strange things!"

The teacher immediately called security and calmed me down, "Don't be afraid, Shawn. I'm here."

In the security office, Elvira sat alone across from me, his gaze fixed on me as if lost in thought.

Over here, the school security guard, the principal and even the teachers were gathered around me, fussing over me like I was fragile, afraid I might be hurt.

Was this... what it felt like to be favored?

"You can rest assured, Mr. Holmes. With us here, no one unimportant will bother you."

The principal shot Elvira several glances, his words caught in his throat. "Ms. Davis, what business do you have with Shawn? Do you know him personally?"

Elvira snorted coldly, slamming her bag onto the desk. "Of course, I know! Now get me out of here! Is this some kind of interrogation room?"

The principal wiped sweat from his brow and replied sternly, "Shawn is an outstanding graduate of our school and the top-ranked student admitted to the National Defense University in this city. We must ensure the child's safety."

"You'd better explain this clearly, or I'll report this to the National Defense University."

Elvira's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at me. "National Defense University? But you were going to study finance, weren't you?"

The principal frowned and cut her off, "Shawn worked tirelessly toward this one goal throughout high school. Where did this finance major suddenly come from?"

Realizing her outburst, Elvira sat down and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Someone like him, raised in an orphanage, got a university spot? He must have cheated, right?"

"Your school needs a thorough investigation. It seems anyone and everyone can get into university these days."

Although I had prepared myself for this, hearing my sister speak so disparagingly of me still made my heart feel as though it were being squeezed painfully by a tight fist

Just as I opened my mouth to respond, my teacher cut in impatiently, "What nonsense are you spouting? You're clearly here to stir trouble!"

"Who in this school doesn't know that Shawn was top of his class all three years of high school?"

"And what do you mean 'someone raised in an orphanage?’ Why are you still looking at people through tinted glasses at your age?"

The principal nodded in agreement beside her.

As the designated partner school for the orphanage, the principal not only waived our tuition and fees but also assigned dedicated teachers to look after us.

You could say they watched me grow up, step by step.

Elvira's words seemed to strike a nerve, even the security guard glared at her angrily. "You're not welcome at our school. You'd better leave now."

"If I catch you bothering Shawn again, I'll have the police give you a proper talk."

Watching Elvira's retreating figure, my eyes flickered with an unnamed emotion.

Suddenly, someone tapped my shoulder. 

As I turned around, my teacher said, "Whether you bear the surname Holmes or Davis, you are still just yourself."

"If you ever run into trouble, my phone is on 24/7 for you."

The other teachers and principal nodded in agreement, signaling that I shouldn't hesitate to bother them.

It turned out they had all seen through it. They just chose not to ask.

I tried to hold back my tears, but two still fell onto the desk.

Everyone pretended not to notice, pushing me toward the countryard. "Your juniors are waiting for your speech. Go now."

I nodded and stepped onto the podium to deliver my speech.

Not far away, a familiar figure watched me intently, as if searching for any sign of weakness. 

But in the end, they failed.

Afterward, the teacher drove me back to the orphanage.

At the entrance, trucks were unloading various items. 

Curious, I walked over and found Elvira directing them to carry various daily necessities into the courtyard.

Seeing me, she came clomping over in her high heels. Her first words were accusatory, "Shawn, you've reincarnated too, haven't you?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about. Besides, I don’t know you either. So, Ms. Davis, you'd better not talk to me in the future."

I walked around her toward the courtyard, casually glancing at the neatly arranged items. Mattresses, pillows, toys and so on.

"Let's make a deal?" Elvira stepped beside me, handing me a check. "I donated one million here. Then I will add one million again for you, so this total two million can buy out our family bond."

So, in my sister's eyes, I was only worth two million.

Not even as much as the sports car she bought for Gayle, yet it was meant to sever our lifelong bond.

Seeing my silence, she snorted coldly, "Don’t tell me, this much money is not enough for you?”

"Shawn, do you know how long it takes an ordinary person to earn a million? People should learn to be content and not covet what isn't theirs."

I knew Elvira was taking a jab at me. If I could not give them the advantage they wanted, those things that weren't mine would not belong to me—my parents, my sister, or the Davis Group.

More importantly, the familial affection I'd never known.

"Take this million now, before I change my mind!" She tossed the check at me and turned to leave.

I finally spoke up as I crouched down, picked up the check and stuffed it into Elvira's bag. "Well, for me making a million can only take me ten days. But I never spent a million in just ten seconds like you right now."

She turned back, staring at me in disbelief, her voice trembling, "So, you really did remember.”

"How ignorant you are! Without the Davis Family, you'd be nothing, Shawn!" 

“Admit it! You only succeeded because our parents propped you up and because Gayle and I gave up to be the successor!"

A mocking smile curled my lips. "Did you ever ask my opinion?" 

"You just wanted an ATM, didn't you? Why dress it up in such noble terms, claiming you gave up everything?"

"I saw all your immigration applications."

If I hadn't stumbled upon their family's immigration application in the study during my previous life, I might still be living in the dark.

The family I’d always believed in was nothing but a lie.

Elvira clearly remembered too, since her eyes flickered nervously, wanting to speak but unsure how to begin.

Finally, she could only stammer out, "As long as you don't bother us in this life, none of that will ever happen."

Hearing Elvira still evading the truth, I suddenly lost all patience. “Oh really?" 

"Elvira, do you really believe that as long as I don't appear in this lifetime, none of this would have happened?"

"What exactly happened back then? Do you want me to jog your memory?"

She froze in place as if struck by a spell.

Shock, pain, regret—countless emotions flashed through her eyes.

I knew she had finally decided to face it.