From that moment on, I knew I was never welcome in this family.

So I walked on eggshells, shrinking myself in every way just to please them.

But love that never existed would never grow. In their eyes, my obedience was nothing but weakness. My efforts were worthless.

In this life, I would never make the same mistake again.

When we arrived at the villa, the driver gently woke me from sleep, and a servant stepped forward to carry my luggage.

At the sight of my worn-out suitcase, someone snickered and muttered under their breath, “Country bumpkin.”

It had been the same in my past life. Back then, I pretended not to hear, choosing instead to bury myself in etiquette books, working tirelessly to prove I belonged.

But this time, I didn’t look away. I called for the housekeeper and calmly pointed to the ones who had laughed.

“Fire all of them.”

The housekeeper froze for a moment, then his expression shifted into quiet disapproval. “Miss Jeanne, they’ve all been with the family for years…”

I met his gaze with a faint smile. “Aren’t I one of the masters of this house?”

The housekeeper said nothing.

Without another word, I turned and walked straight toward the door. “Since the Gomez family doesn’t welcome me, there’s no reason for me to stay.”

His expression didn’t flicker. He was convinced I wouldn’t have the courage to leave.

But when I picked up my suitcase and stepped right through the gates without hesitation, heading toward the neighborhood exit, his composure began to crack.

All the residents in this villa district were of equal social standing; they all knew about the real and fake daughter incident.

If word got out that the Gomez family had driven their real daughter away, they’d lose all their dignity.

The housekeeper hurried after me, but I didn’t spare him a glance. I quickened my pace.

Who would’ve thought that after only a few steps, I would walk straight into someone’s arms?

A familiar, incredible scent wrapped around me, and I instinctively looked up.

It was Lysander.

Eighteen-year-old Lysander still carried the softness of youth, and baby fat lingered on his face, giving him a hint of innocence.

There was no shadow in his gaze yet; his eyes were bright, clear, untouched by time.

When he saw me, he stopped in his tracks, startled, and blurted out, “Jeanne?”

My heart jolted.

Why would Lysander know me at this point in time? For a brief moment, I wondered if he, too, had been reborn.

But the look in his eyes said otherwise, so unguarded, so pure.

The Lysander I had known at twenty-five would never look at me like that.

So then, how did he know who I was?

I asked the question that had been weighing on my mind without hesitation.

Lysander turned his head slightly, his thumb and index finger rubbing together in that subtle, familiar motion. “The Crawford and Gomez families are close. It’s not strange that I know you.”

He was lying.

Whenever Lysander lied, he would rub his fingers together, like snapping an invisible thread.

But what puzzled me more was what he said next.

He shot the housekeeper a cold glare and demanded, “You brought her back to the Gomez family. Why aren’t you treating her properly?”

It was strange.

In my last life, Lysander had never treated me poorly, but he had never defended me either.

As if realizing my confusion, Lysander awkwardly stepped in front of me, shielding me with his body. His ears flushed red.

I pressed my lips together, swallowing all my questions. After all, this version of Lysander was clearly to my advantage.

Lysander personally escorted me back to the Gomez family villa and gave the housekeeper a firm order to dismiss the maids who had mocked me.

Then he turned to me and said with certainty, “Jeanne, if there’s anything else you want, just say the word. I’ve got your back.”

I paused, letting the silence hang for a moment, then pointed directly at Belle’s room.

“Clear it out. I want to live there.”

The housekeeper remained silent, but it was Lysander’s expression that wavered first.

“Jeanne… that’s Belle’s room.”

I lowered my gaze. As expected, the one he cared for most was still Belle.

Thinking I was about to back down, Lysander stepped closer and said gently, “Jeanne, why not choose another room? I remember the guest room on the third floor, it’s spacious and full of light. See if you like it.”

Guest room. Always a guest room.

In my previous life, I had never been given a room of my own in the Gomez household.

Even after I got married, I was still living in that same guest room.

I had never truly belonged.

I brushed off Lysander’s hand and said coldly, “This is our family’s business. You don’t need to interfere. Housekeeper, clear the room.”

Perhaps sensing I was no longer someone to be taken lightly, the housekeeper said nothing more and obediently called the maids to clean.

At the same time, I silently signaled for Lysander to leave.

For the next few days, he came to the Gomez residence to wait for me.

I kept my distance, avoiding him at every turn.

He seemed frustrated at first, but eventually, he stopped coming altogether.

One morning, I heard the sound of a car pulling into the courtyard, and I knew my parents and brother had returned with Belle.

The whole family entered, laughter trailing behind them, until they saw me lying on the sofa, quietly reading.

The laughter died instantly. I stood up first and greeted them calmly. “Dad. Mom. Brother.”

My parents frowned, but before either could speak, Conrad Gomez snapped coldly, “Why didn’t you greet Belle?”

I turned toward her.

Her eyes had already turned red the moment she saw me, and after hearing Conrad’s voice, she choked up.

“It’s only right that Sister doesn’t like me. After all, I took her place…”

My mother couldn’t bear the sight of Belle in tears. She rushed over, gently wiping them away.

“Belle, you didn’t take anyone’s place. You’re my daughter.”

Belle sobbed harder and threw herself into her arms.

Watching this flawless performance of motherly love, I couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

Conrad noticed immediately.

He shot me a look full of disgust and snapped, “No manners.”

I shrugged, tone calm and careless. “Can’t help it. I didn’t grow up with a mom or dad, so no one taught me manners. You’ll just have to put up with it.”

Everyone’s face darkened.

Sensing the tension thickening in the room, my father finally stepped in.

“Alright, that’s enough. We’ll talk later. Everyone’s tired, let’s eat first.”

The family gathered around the dining table, each one silent, thoughts scattered, the air heavy.

But I was unfazed, quietly enjoying my meal.

Conrad frowned, ready to speak, but Mom gently held his arm.

She placed two cards in front of me and Belle.

“Jeanne, this is the birthday gift your father and I prepared for your eighteenth. The PIN is your birthdate. You and Belle each get one.”

Belle instantly broke into a sweet smile.

“Thank you, Mom!”

The moment she held the card, she suddenly paused, as if something had come to mind. Her eyes shimmered with tears.

“Mom, I just remembered those children we met in the mountain villages. They were so pitiful. I want to donate my birthday gift to them. Is that alright?”

“Belle, you’re so kind. Mom supports you.”

My mother looked at Belle with pride, glowing in her eyes.

But with just one sentence, Belle placed me in an impossible position.

All eyes turned to me in unison.

In my past life, unable to bear the weight of their gazes, I had whispered, “Th-then… I’ll donate mine too…”

It had been the very first gift I’d ever received, but even that, I wasn’t allowed to keep.

This time, I blinked innocently at them and said, “Why are you all looking at me? I was just a child from the mountain region. Treat it as a donation when you give me money.”

The moment I spoke, my father slammed his utensils on the table, his expression darkening. “You’re part of the Gomez family now. How can you be so narrow-minded?”

“I am narrow-minded,” I replied calmly. “Dad, Mom, I’d like to keep this money for myself. That way, when my next birthday comes, I can buy a plane ticket and see the Maldives with my own eyes. Is that alright?”

Just one sentence, and the entire table fell silent.

Guilt flickered across my mother’s face. She opened her mouth, about to say something, but I quietly set down my utensils.

“I’m done eating.”

With that, I rose and walked away.

After leaving the villa, I headed straight to the bank.

Was I kidding myself? I had snatched Belle’s room and talked back to all of them. What if they froze the card?

I needed to move fast.

When the bank clerk told me there were eight million in the account, my smile nearly reached my ears.

After settling everything at the bank, I headed straight to a rental agency. I found a place at a reasonable price.

Once I cleaned it up, I was just about to return to the Gomez residence when I opened the door and nearly jumped.

Someone was standing right outside.

I froze in surprise, and when I saw who it was, I couldn’t believe it.

“Lysander? What are you doing here?”

He hadn’t expected me to open the door so suddenly; his face flickered with shock, then flushed with a faint blush.

He stammered, “Jeanne, what a coincidence! I can’t believe we ran into each other here.”

I didn’t believe that for a second. Narrowing my eyes, I asked, “Lysander, are you following me?”

“No!” He waved his hands in a panic.

“Then how did you manage to find me so precisely?”

He stuttered for a while but couldn’t come up with an answer. In desperation, he suddenly grabbed my hand and blurted, “Jeanne, don’t move out of the Gomez residence. I’ll help you get a firm foothold there!”

I didn’t even have time to ask how he knew about my plans, because the moment his hand touched mine, a floating bullet comment flashed above his head.

[No. I don’t want to see the male lead holding hands with the female supporting character!]

[Don’t panic, folks, he has to woo the female supporting character first to end up with our precious Belle! But why is her affection level still at 0?]