In my previous life, the person I trusted most—my own sister—betrayed me.

When her lover's financial fraud was exposed, she pushed all the blame onto me. Overnight, I became the villain everyone despised. Even my father abandoned me.

"We don't have a son who would destroy the company like this!"

With my reputation ruined and my future destroyed, I chose to end my life on a cold, rainy night.

However, fate gave me a second chance.

When I wakes up, I finds myself back on the eve of the project that started it all.

This time, I refuses to let anyone control my destiny.

Sitting in the office, staring at the glowing computer screen, I ignores the mocking laughter of my coworkers—and sends out my resignation letter.

If the world once turned me into a scapegoat…

Then in this life, I'll take control of the game itself.

The business proposal trembled slightly in my hands.

On the surface, it looked like an opportunity.

However, in my previous life, this very document pushed me into a bottomless abyss.

"My abilities are limited. I'm afraid I'm not the right person for something this important."

I calmly slid the proposal back across the table to my sister, Serena Camden.

The smile on her face froze instantly.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Do you know how much effort it took for me to secure this for you?"

I looked at her coldly–the sister who always appeared so caring on the surface.

In my past life, she was the one who pinned every scandal on me, turning me from a Wall Street rising star into a disgraced outcast.

"Alvin Camden, since when did you become such a coward?" my fiancée, Patricia Brooks, snapped immediately.

"If you're always this timid and hesitant, how is your career ever going to move forward?"

A cold laugh rose in my chest.

These two women claimed they were thinking about my future, but the only person they truly cared about was Cole Handerson.

"Cole graduated from an Ivy League school. He's stronger than me in every way. This project would be much better suited for him."

I met their gaze directly.

In my previous life, Cole and I were put in charge of the project together. He falsified the accounts to boost performance–and in the end, I was the one left to take the fall.

This time, I would not make the same mistake.

"You should learn from Cole," Patricia suddenly said in a gentler voice.

The moment she mentioned Cole, admiration sparkled in her eyes.

I almost found it laughable.

This woman, who claimed to love me so deeply, had another man living in her heart.

Suppressing my irritation, I continued refusing.

"I've already committed to attending the Silicon Valley Venture Capital Summit. I won't have any time this month."

The reason they were so eager to push Cole and me onto this project was simple.

Without the financial network I built on Wall Street, Cole had no chance of pulling off a cross-border acquisition of this scale.

However, if the ten-billion-dollar deal succeeded, it would become Cole's golden ticket straight to the board of directors.

I opened my laptop and pulled up my email.

"Do you want me to forward the invitation from the organizers?"

Patricia stared at the screen, her expression instantly sharpening.

"An international summit like this–and you didn't mention a single word about it to Cole?"

"What, you think this is finally your chance to steal the spotlight?"

Serena's voice turned cold as well.

"In business, people share resources. Your kind of unilateral decision-making is really something."

I let out a faint laugh.

"The investment banking circle isn't that big. Cole can't even be bothered to say hello most days, and now this is somehow my fault?"

Even though we both worked at headquarters, Cole never bothered hiding his disdain for someone like me, a newcomer.

Over the past six months, aside from mandatory meetings, we did not exchange more than three sentences in private.

Patricia became even more agitated.

"Do you have any idea how busy Cole is? As his subordinate, shouldn't you be proactively reporting things like this?"

As she spoke, she already took out her phone and started calling the summit organizers.

Meanwhile, Serena stood up and walked straight out of the conference room–clearly going to find Cole.

Watching this scene unfold, a wave of bitter irony rose in my chest.

In their eyes, I was nothing more than a pawn they could sacrifice whenever necessary.

A few minutes later, Patricia put down her phone, her expression dark.

The summit was already fully booked. The organizers politely declined her request.

"This is a chance to face the world's top investors. If Cole misses this opportunity.h"

She bit her lip anxiously. Then suddenly her eyes lit up.

"Alvin, how about this?

"Why don't you transfer your spot to Cole? I promise the next time a good opportunity comes up, you'll be the first person I think of."

Hearing those words, I clenched my fists so tightly my nails dug deep into my palms.

"Just because he's Cole, I'm supposed to sacrifice my own opportunity?"

For all these years, I treated her as the most important person in my life. Yet in her heart, I was not even worth as much as Cole's backup.

Patricia suddenly switched to a coaxing tone.

"You're so much younger than Cole. What's wrong with giving a senior colleague a little respect?

"You've got plenty of opportunities ahead of you. Don't be so petty."

Watching her act like that made my stomach turn.

Normally, she was the iron-willed investment banker who commanded respect wherever she went. Yet for Cole, she could lower herself to this.

However, this time was different.

Having lived through it once already, I had long since seen through her true nature. I would never again be fooled by that mask.

"Alvin, you're being childish. This opportunity should go to Cole!"

While I was still deep in thought, Serena already strode into the conference room with Cole in tow.

When our eyes met, the contempt in his gaze was impossible to miss.

I let out a cold laugh.

"The business world is a battlefield. Everyone competes on their own merit. No one has the right to make decisions for someone else."

As I stood and walked out, I could not even be bothered to look at them again.

Surprisingly, the summit itself passed without incident.

It was not until I logged into the company's internal network that I discovered Cole already took full control of the acquisition project.

I thought that would be the end of it.

However, the moment I returned from the conference, Serena and Patricia barged straight into my office.

Both of them looked pale and panicked.

"Something terrible has happened! The SEC is investigating the acquisition. Cole is finished this time–you have to help!"

I scoffed.

"What does an SEC investigation have to do with me? I've been in the U.S. this whole time. How exactly are you planning to frame me?"

Serena's next sentence left me stunned.

"I've already prepared all the materials. We just need your signature on a few documents.

"You haven't been with the company long. Even if something comes out during the investigation, the consequences won't be too serious."

A chill spread through my entire body.

A vice president–willing to sacrifice her own younger brother just to protect an outsider.

If I took the blame, my career would be destroyed. I could even end up in prison.

The nightmare from my previous life flashed vividly before my eyes. I refused without hesitation.

"Corporate fraud is a serious crime. If he led the project, then he should deal with the consequences himself."

Patricia stamped her foot anxiously.

"This is Wall Street! Relationships matter!

"If you do this favor, the entire industry will remember your goodwill!"

Listening to this blatant moral blackmail, I finally lost my patience.

"All you care about is Cole. Have you ever thought about my situation?

"One of you is my sister. The other is my fiancée. And you're both pushing me straight into a pit of fire!"

My voice began to tremble. The tragedy of my previous life made it impossible to stay calm.

However, Serena remained unmoved.

"This isn't a discussion. It's a notice. Everything's prepared. You're the one who will take responsibility."

She slammed a thick folder onto my desk.

When I opened it, I sucked in a sharp breath.

They fabricated an entire chain of evidence linking me to the fraud.

The plan was so meticulous that anyone who looked at it would believe it was real.

It seemed I still underestimated just how obsessed they were with protecting Cole.

Yet a mocking smile slowly spread across my face.

"Fabricating evidence. Market manipulation. Those are serious crimes, too. Aren't you worried I might hand all this over to the FBI?"

"Are you threatening me?"

Serena stared at me coldly.

"Don't forget–I'm your sister. If you dare blow this up, Mom and Dad will be the first to deal with you."

She was trying to suppress me with family ties.

In her mind, I was always the obedient younger brother who never dared disobey her.

I let out a contemptuous laugh.

"Now you remember I'm your brother?

"For Cole, you're willing to destroy your own brother's life. What right do you have to talk about family?

"From today onward, we're done. You'd better stay out of my way."

At that moment, whatever hope I left for them completely vanished.

Seeing the situation turning ugly, Patricia hurried to smooth things over.

"Why are you being so stubborn? This could benefit you, too."

"JPMorgan has already agreed. As long as you do this favor, they'll immediately give you a Vice President position.

"That's a senior role at one of Wall Street's top investment banks. Without connections, it would take you at least ten years to get there on your own."

I could not help but laugh.

JPMorgan? What a joke. Cole's reputation in the industry was already ruined. Even mid-tier banks did not want anything to do with him anymore–let alone a top-tier firm.

This was obviously another lie they cooked up. And the consequences of what they were asking were far more serious than a job title.

I looked at them coldly.

"You think an empty promise like that is enough to make me take the fall for something this big?

"The SEC doesn't joke around when it launches an investigation."

After saying that, I lowered my head and continued working through my documents, ignoring them completely.

Patricia and Serena's expressions immediately turned vicious.

I glanced at them indifferently.

Long before this conversation started, I already turned on the recorder on my phone. If they tried anything reckless, the evidence would be more than enough to destroy their reputations.

Suddenly, the office door burst open.

Cole stormed in and grabbed my collar.

"Where the hell did you get those internal documents?"

A cold smile crept across my lips.

"Feeling guilty already? Every one of those files was obtained through perfectly legal channels."

Having lived this life once before, how could I not prepare an escape route for myself?

Before any of this even began, I already arranged for someone to collect evidence of every one of Cole's illegal operations.

Seeing the situation turn against them, Serena snapped, "Destroy those documents immediately, or I'll fire you on the spot!"

That only made me laugh harder.

"Perfect. That's exactly what I want."

At the summit earlier, I already received offers from several top hedge funds–each offering three times my current salary.

I pulled a document out of my drawer and tossed it onto Serena's desk.

"My resignation letter. Please approve it quickly."

Serena stared at me, disbelief written all over her face.

"You actually dared to plot against me?

"Don't be naïve. Without my Wall Street connections, you wouldn't even qualify to pour someone coffee."

Even now, she was still speaking in that same condescending tone.

I could not be bothered to respond. I simply walked straight toward the elevator.

Behind me, Patricia's voice drifted over, soft and falsely gentle.

"Don't worry, Mr. Handerson. He's always listened to me since he was a kid. I'll go talk to him tonight–I'm sure I can change his mind."

A faint smile tugged at the corner of my mouth.

In this life, I would not let anyone manipulate my fate again.

After leaving the building, I immediately contacted a few old friends at the SEC.

"These materials are more than enough to prove insider trading. I suggest you step in as soon as possible."

The head of the investigative team replied almost instantly.

"This is indeed a major violation. We'll complete a preliminary investigation within seventy-two hours."

I nodded. "The sooner the better. No point giving them time to clean things up."

Back at my apartment, I let out a long breath.

At last, I could start a new life.

Next week, I'd be joining Renaissance Capital.

However, the moment I pushed open the door, I froze.

The living room was full of people.

Serena. Patricia. And my parents.

Serena immediately burst into tears, launching into her performance.

"Dad, look at him! He doesn't even care about family anymore. Not only did he quit his job out of sheer stubbornness, now he's threatening to sue me."

My father always trusted Serena without question. His temper flared instantly.

"You ungrateful brat! Your sister brought you into Goldman Sachs, and this is how you repay her?"

I looked at him coldly.

"You didn't even bother asking what actually happened. You're just taking her word for it?"

In my previous life, it was their blind trust that pushed me even deeper into despair when I needed help the most.

However, this time, I would tear every one of their masks off.

Father grew even angrier.

"What right do you have to talk back? If it weren't for your sister, do you think you'd be where you are today?"

In his eyes, I was still the useless younger brother who could only survive by relying on his sister.

I unlocked my phone and pressed play on the recording.

"Then why don't you listen to what your precious daughter has really been doing?"