I was born the daughter of the wealthiest family in the country. Due to my rare blood type, my parents went to a remote mountain village to find a child with a matching blood type—someone who could serve as my "spare blood bank" in emerge. They adopted her as a foster daughter to make up for this arrangement.

Three years later, I returned home after studying abroad as an exchange student. But what greeted me wasn’t a warm welcome—it was a betrayal that tore apart my world. I found my two older brothers, who had always doted on me, throwing an extravagant birthday party for Elissa Ashford, the foster daughter. In front of all the guests, they declared Elissa to be the real heiress of the Ashford Family. And me? I was demoted to the role of the “spare blood bank.”

When Elissa wanted my bedroom for her art studio, my belongings were thrown into the servants’ quarters. When she coveted my shares in the family business, my brothers handed over the equity transfer papers my dad had left for me—without hesitation. And when she set her sights on my fiancé, the man I had promised to since childhood, they canceled our engagement and gave him to her.

In my previous life, I endured it all. Out of love for my family, I swallowed my pride and refused to fight back. But I still died from their relentless cruelty.

Now, I’ve been reborn and my only goal is to destroy every last one.

——

Through the lively chatter in the grand banquet hall, I saw Elissa surrounded by a circle of admirers, basking in their endless compliments.

As they talked about how I, the adopted daughter, couldn’t compare to her on a single toe, my blood boiled. Without a second thought, I marched straight up to Elissa and yanked the pink diamond necklace off her neck.

“This,” I said coldly, holding the necklace aloft, “was my father’s birthday gift to me. He bought it at an astronomical price and named it ‘One & Only.’ And you, a nobody dragged out of a mountain village, dare to parade it around as your own? Shameless!”

The room fell silent. Then came the murmurs and jeers.

“Has Alyssa Ashford lost her mind? Causing a scene at her own sister’s birthday party?”

“She’s so desperate for attention. Once a hillbilly, always a hillbilly.”

My brothers stormed immediately, shielding Elissa protectively as if I were a villain.

Elissa clutched her neck, her eyes with an aggrieved face, playing the victim to perfection.

My eldest brother immediately took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders, calling for a maid to fetch a first aid kit as though the faint red marks on her neck were life-threatening.

My second brother shoved me hard and bellowed, “Alyssa! Have you gone insane? How dare you hurt your sister? This necklace is the birthday gift that Dad shot to her real daughter. How dare you take that necklace!”

“Sister?” I laughed bitterly, clutching the necklace tightly in my hand. “She’s your real sister and could it be I’m fake? Gregory, are you out of your mind? Do you even know who your real sister is? I dare you to say that nonsense in front of Dad!”

Gregory’s face turned purple with rage, but Elissa tugged at his arm, her expression the perfect blend of understanding and sorrow.

“Forget it, brother,” she said gently, sighing. “She’s just… unrefined, growing up in the countryside. It’s not her fault. From a young age she has no qualities to be accustomed to. You don’t have to get into it with her. It’s my fault for not guiding her well as an older sister. I should have been a better role model for her.”

Then, with a pitiful smile, she added, “If it weren’t for my rare blood type, Mom and Dad wouldn’t have had to bring her here as a foster daughter. It’s my weak body that caused all this trouble. So, really, I should just let her have her way.”

I couldn’t help but laugh until I was nearly out of breath—this situation was all too familiar.

In my past life, I’d grown numb to Elissa’s subtle cruelty, her "soft knives" that cut deeper than any direct attack ever could. She had a knack for thriving in crowds, always speaking in a way that seemed supportive on the surface, claiming to act on my behalf. But beneath that façade, she tore me down piece by piece.

She loved pretending to be the rightful daughter of the Ashford Family, casting herself as the glowing moon in the sky while relegating me to the shadows. In her carefully orchestrated narrative, I was nothing more than an incompetent fool, someone unworthy of the Ashford Family name. And somehow, she made everyone believe it.

But the truth? Elissa was nothing more than a hollow shell—a straw bag who couldn’t even make it into a junior college without the Ashford Family pulling strings behind the scenes.

The guests, as always, ate up her performance.

“She’s so kind and thoughtful—Elissa truly deserves to be the real daughter of the Ashford Family,” they’d say, their voices dripping with admiration. “Not like certain others who think they’re phoenixes when they’re nothing but hens dressed in borrowed feathers.”

“Exactly! That foster sister should be grateful for the Ashford Family’s generosity instead of coveting what doesn’t belong to her. How dare she act out like this?”

I clenched the necklace in my hand, my nails digging into my palm. I wasn’t the same Alyssa Ashford they trampled on in my last life.

Elissa shook her head with a faint smile, wearing an expression of practiced tolerance. “It’s okay. I don’t mind suffering a little,” she said softly. “Please don’t blame my sister anymore. Growing up in such a harsh, remote environment, I can understand her jealousy. I’ll do my best to guide her and help her find the right path in life.”

Her faux magnanimity immediately won her a fresh wave of sympathy.

“Miss Elissa Ashford, you’re just too kind!” someone exclaimed, their tone brimming with admiration.

“Exactly! You’re so patient with her, but ungrateful wolves like that will never show you any respect.”

Hearing this, my eldest brother’s gaze turned icy as it landed on the diamond necklace in my hand. His voice left no room for argument. “Hand over the necklace.”

I felt a fiery sting behind my eyes as anger surged through me. “This necklace, ‘One & Only’, was a gift from Dad to me,” I said, my voice trembling with restrained fury.

My brother narrowed his eyes dangerously. “Alyssa, the Ashford Family took you in, but not so you could bully my real sister. If you can’t recognize your place as a foster daughter, then get out of this house!”

My heart clenched at his words. I simply couldn’t believe such words were coming from the same brother who had always loved and protected me.

The chill in my chest deepened, layer by layer until I laughed out loud—cold, biting laughter that sliced through the tension in the room. “This isn’t your house to throw me out of,” I said firmly. “And today, this necklace? No one is taking it from me.”

My second brother exploded in anger. He turned to the household staff scattered around the room and barked, “Are you all dead? Will you just stand there while she steals Miss Elissa Ashford’s necklace? Go grab it now!”

The housekeeper, an older woman who had worked for our family for years, rolled up her sleeves and stepped forward. I noticed the fleeting glances she exchanged with Elissa and it clicked—she’d been bought off.

Before she could get any closer, I grabbed a wine bottle from the side, smashed it against the pastry table and held the jagged neck in front of me like a weapon at her.

“Let’s see who dares take another step!” I growled, my voice laced with fury. “Think carefully—who is the real eldest daughter of this house? The Ashford Family payroll comes from my parents. If you dare touch me today, I’ll ensure you’re all packing your bags tomorrow!”

The room froze. Some staff had worked in the Ashford household for years and knew me well. Fear flickered across their faces as they hesitated, unsure what to do.

But the housekeeper didn’t falter. She suddenly lunged forward, ripping the necklace from my hand and holding it up triumphantly like a trophy. She turned to Elissa with a sycophantic smile, “Miss Elissa Ashford, I’ve watched you grow up. No one can pretend to be you or take what’s rightfully yours. This necklace was clearly meant for you.”

I didn’t hesitate. My foot shot out, kicking the housekeeper hard in the back of her knees. She stumbled forward with a gasp.

“You’re just a housekeeper in this house,” I snarled, my voice as sharp as the broken bottle in my hand. “Who gave you the guts to snatch something from me? What’s the matter—did Elissa pay you more than my parents?”

The housekeeper’s expression faltered. She avoided my gaze, her guilty conscience written all over her face.

Before I could press further, Elissa rushed forward, placing herself protectively in front of the housekeeper. Her tear-filled eyes sparkled as she whispered, “Sister if you’re upset, take it out on me. Why bully Auntie Margareth? She’s been with us for so many years. Even if she says something out of concern for me, it’s only because she cares about how often you take my things.”

Then, with a trembling voice, she continued, “I know this pink diamond necklace is Dad’s priceless birthday gift to me. You’ve always been jealous of this necklace—you even wore it behind my back several times when I wasn’t home. But that’s okay. I don’t mind, as long as, in the future, you no longer bully Auntie Margareth. If it makes you happy, I’ll just give it to you.”

At the end of her performance, a single tear rolled down her cheek—perfectly timed and pitiful.

I stared at her in disbelief, pointing at myself. “Me? Jealous?” I asked, incredulous.

What was there to be jealous of? I, the legitimate daughter of the wealthiest family in the country, jealous of a foster child dragged out of the mountains? Jealous of her shameless knack for twisting the truth?

I felt like I was going to throw up. But the crowd of onlookers had already bought her act.

“Some people really don’t know their place, red. “She gets a taste of the good life and thinks she’s a real heiress. Pathetic.” someone muttered.

“She even bullies the maids! Maybe she should take a good, hard look in the mirror—or better yet, her reflection in a puddle—before getting full of herself.”

“Exactly! Alyssa is downright cruel! She’s like the living embodiment of that story about the farmer and the snake. You take someone in and they turn around to bite you.”

“She’s the textbook definition of a delusional, ungrateful wretch.”

“Poor Miss Elissa Ashford,” a third added, shaking their head in mock pity. “The real daughter being tormented by some upstart pretender—a pheasant trying to strut around like a phoenix. How tragic!”

Their words stabbed at me, but I didn’t flinch. They could side with Elissa all they wanted. I wasn’t backing down. Not this time.

“A perfectly good birthday party, ruined by this rat shit of hers, so bad luck.” someone muttered loudly, their voice dripping with disdain.

My eldest brother’s face twisted with anger as he turned to me. “Haven’t you caused enough trouble? Are you only satisfied when the Ashford Family’s reputation is dragged through the mud?” His voice was cold, his words razor-sharp.

“This necklace is called ‘One & Only’ for a reason,” he continued. “Dad wanted to make it clear to the world that Elissa is his only biological daughter.”

He sneered, his gaze cutting through me like a knife. “We’ve spoiled you for far too long, letting you forget your place. Do you even remember where you came from?”

My second brother chimed in, his voice filled with mockery. “Why don’t we just send her back to that mountain village she crawled out of? With the Ashford Family’s resources, finding another girl with a matching blood type for Elissa wouldn’t be difficult.”

Their words struck me like icy shards, chilling me to my core. These were the brothers who had once doted on me and stood by my side through everything. Now, their venomous accusations painted a far darker picture.

Memories from my past life surged forward. Back then, my parents had spent a fortune searching for children with matching blood types to mine, ultimately letting me choose one to bring home as an adopted sister.

But after seeing the photos sent by these children, out of all the candidates, my brothers unanimously chose Elissa. I thought nothing of it at the time. I hadn’t cared who it was—after all, they were only meant to grow up alongside me and donate blood when I needed it, so it didn’t matter who it was.

Thinking about it now, it all seemed far too calculated. The way they both reacted at that time was strange. Two people with very different personalities would pick a girl simultaneously. In my previous life, they also took advantage of me during this very same party when my parents had been away on a business trip.

My brothers had used the occasion to throw a grand celebration for Elissa, publicly declaring her as the true daughter of the Ashford Family. I, meanwhile, was reduced to nothing more than a paid-for foster child, a walking blood bank.

I was scolded by everyone for being shameless. And, in the end, because of a few words of provocation from Elissa, my brothers forced me to drink an entire bottle of highly concentrated white wine before locking me in the dark basement.

By the time my parents returned, my body was starting to rot from the alcohol allergy that killed me.

In my past life, their betrayal had left me broken. I had cried until my voice gave out, unable to find the strength to defend myself.

But not this time.

I straightened my back, my voice steady and resolute. “You know exactly who the true daughter of the Ashford Family is,” I said, meeting their furious gazes without flinching. “Bullying me in front of all these guests? Let’s see how you explain this to Mom and Dad when they return.”

My boldness caught the room off guard. Whispers rippled through the crowd and I noticed some of the guests beginning to waver.

“Could she really be the Ashford Family’s true heiress?” someone murmured, doubt creeping into their voice.

“Now that you mention it,” another guest said, “her features resemble Mrs. Ashford’s. And she carries herself differently—she doesn’t look like someone from a small village.”

Elissa’s composed facade cracked for a split second. Panic flickered in her eyes before she quickly replaced it with an expression of heartbreak.

Biting her lip, she forced tears to well up in her eyes. Her voice trembled as she spoke. “Sister, I already said you could have the necklace. Why do you insist on ruining my birthday? Do you hate me that much?”

She choked back a sob, her voice breaking. “Fine. If it will make you stop embarrassing the Ashford Family, I’ll admit it—I’m just the adopted daughter. You’re the real heiress. Are you happy now?”

Then, as if the weight of her words was too much to bear, she turned to the crowd and bowed deeply. “I’m so sorry, everyone. This is all my fault. I don’t deserve such a grand celebration as an adopted daughter. I’ve let you all down.”

Tears streamed down her face as she delivered her pitiful performance, each sob perfectly calibrated to stir the crowd’s sympathy. She looked like the picture of self-sacrifice, a poor, selfless girl humiliated by her cruel, ungrateful sister.

The room erupted.

“Alyssa! The Ashford Family has given you everything—food, clothing, shelter—and how do you repay them? Forcing your benefactor into such a pitiful state? Don’t you fear being struck by lightning for your cruelty? How do you even sleep at night?”

“You’re worse than an animal!” someone else spat, their disgust evident.

“What kind of terrible karma must the Ashford Family have to end up saddled with someone like you? A leech clinging to them, tarnishing their good name!”

“Apologize! Apologize to Miss Elissa Ashford immediately!” another demanded, their voice trembling with indignation.

The room buzzed with righteous fury, a storm of accusations and insults swirling around me. But just as the intensity reached its peak, a tall figure stepped out from the crowd, silencing the chatter with his mere presence.

It was James Hansley—the man I had been engaged to me as a baby.