"Why not?" I asked, feeling puzzled.

The air grew thick with an unspoken tension, but I was too naïve to understand what was going on.

Didn't Mom and Dad cry out of love when they saw me? Didn't Rosa place that cuddly bear where I'd be sure to see it? Wasn't I Mom and Dad's real daughter?

So what was wrong with picking what I liked? I couldn't make sense of it.

Mom's expression faltered as though she wanted to explain something but couldn't. Dad's face was grim, and he said nothing.

Rosa handed me the plush bear. "This is my favorite toy, Cora. You can have it if you like it. It should be yours anyway."

I took it from her.

Back in the countryside by the sea, seashells were the only toys I had. I'd never come across anything as lovely as this bear.

Now that I was back in the city, it felt like I was still only worthy of those cheap little shells. But here, not even a seashell could be found. I couldn't understand how it had all gone wrong.

I hadn't even held the bear for a minute when Magnus appeared out of nowhere, seething with rage.

He dragged me to the doorway and yelled, "Do you have no manners? This is Rosa's favorite toy! You can't just take it like that!"

I froze—partly because it was the first time I'd seen him, and partly because I couldn't understand what I'd done wrong.

Terrified, I called out for Mom and Dad. They hurried over right away.

Magnus quickly turned to them. "What's going on, Mr. and Mrs. Jagger? This is Rosa's favorite toy. Isn't it unfair to just give it away like that?"

"Well…" Mom and Dad looked uneasy and couldn't find the right words.

I caught the brief flash of anger in Mom's eyes. Her glare shot through me, leaving me rattled. That look, filled with disgust, reminded me of the foster dad I'd lost.

So, Mom didn't like me either. It was clear now—I was nothing more than an outsider in this house.

In my previous life, I was like a wounded bird, desperately trying to survive in this cold city for seven years, only to end it all by jumping off a building.

How ridiculous.

I wasn't about to make the same mistakes in this life. I would learn to stand on my own, without seeking affection or pouring my heart out.

I chuckled and pointed to the most unassuming thing in the corner—a necklace made from plain seashells.

"I'll take that one," I said.

Mom and Dad paused, their faces softening in relief. But they quickly put on a disapproving front and said, "It's just a trinket. Why that one? Pick something else."

"I'm used to having seashells around," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

They sighed and gave in, allowing me—the daughter they had lost for ten years—to wear the cheapest trinket.

Rosa arrived just then, her eyes widening in surprise when she saw I had picked the seashell necklace.

I gave her a blank look. She probably thought I didn't realize she had purposely placed that plush bear in the most noticeable spot to tempt me into choosing it.

I had fallen right into her trap from the moment I set foot back here. For the next seven years, she would fight for Mom's and Dad's love, and in the end, she would win.

It took my death for me to understand a simple fact—I had to love myself first before anyone else would.

In the following week, unlike my previous life, I didn't compete with Rosa for Mom's and Dad's affection. Instead, I moved into the housekeeper's room, tucked away in the most secluded part of the house.

The moment I closed the door, Rosa appeared with the plush bear in hand. "Cora, I'm sure you'll love this bear."

"I'm not really into plush toys, thanks," I replied through the door, pulling out the books I'd brought from the countryside.

Life had given me a second chance, and I was determined to make the most of it. My top priority was to get stronger and stop depending on anyone else's love. I wanted to be able to love myself.

There were countless ways to practice self-love. At this moment, the best way to do that was by becoming accomplished and self-sufficient.

"Do you hate me, Cora?" Rosa's voice came through the door. "I know I shouldn't have taken your place. I'm just an outsider…"

I could tell she was saying this as Mom and Dad walked by.

As expected, Mom rushed to comfort her. "Don't think that way. Cora just needs time to get used to everything."

"Exactly. There's no such thing as being an outsider. You're both my daughters," Dad said.

I scoffed. Lies. I was the outsider here.

After everything quieted down, I checked the money my relatives had given me to mark my return to the family. To my surprise, it was over 100 thousand dollars.

That amount meant a lot to me. I needed to keep it for a rainy day. So, I headed to the nearest bank to take care of it.

As soon as I stepped into the lobby, I spotted a man in a perfectly tailored suit talking to the bank manager. It was Magnus. It was the first time I'd seen him since coming back to life.

He recognized me instantly and eyed me coldly. "Cora Jagger?"

I nodded.

The bank manager scurried over, eager to please. "Oh, Mr. Gilmore, so this is your—"

"Mind your own business," Magnus interrupted sharply.

The manager retreated awkwardly.

"What are you doing here?" Magnus asked.

"Making a deposit," I replied, walking straight to the teller.

"For that tiny amount?" He scoffed. "Whenever Rosa needs to save, she just gives it to Mr. and Mrs. Jagger. You're really something else."

I stayed quiet.

Magnus sneered. "I never thought someone your age could be so calculating. Here's some advice—save your money however you want, but don't even think about touching anything in your house."

He was exactly the same as he had been in my previous life. Back then, I had barely been home for a week when someone's diamond bracelet went missing.

Magnus accused me of stealing it. He believed I had no morals, was driven only by money, and was a walking disaster.

I never expected that even though the bracelet hadn't gone missing yet in this life, he'd already judged me guilty. But I couldn't care less to argue. All I wanted was to save my money.

Magnus snorted and walked away.

That night, the whole family gathered in the living room. They were trying to help me decide on a school, scrolling through brochures from different private academies on the tablet.

"I want to go to Lucentdale High School," I said bluntly.

It was a regular, unremarkable public school.

My plan was simple—graduate high school, get into university, and leave this house for good. I had no desire to live the life of a high-society heiress.

Mom and Dad both looked surprised.

Rosa's eyes glinted with a trace of smugness. "Cora, we don't have to settle for a regular high school. We can apply directly to top foreign schools."

"That's right, Cora," Mom said, gently patting my hand. "You should go with Rosa to Greenlake International School. We've taken care of everything."

Dad opened his mouth as if to speak, but then hesitated, his expression torn.

I knew exactly what was on his mind. In my previous life, I went to Greenlake International School and quickly became the butt of everyone's jokes.

It wasn't because I was exceptional, but because I—someone from the countryside—stood out like a sore thumb among the privileged crowd. And once they found out I was a Jagger, the buzz only grew.

Students crowded around, eager to catch a glimpse of the Jagger heiress, only to be disappointed when they saw a scrawny, sunburned girl from the countryside.

Unsurprisingly, their mockery came fast and cruel.

Rosa made everything worse by stirring the pot from the shadows. She encouraged others to torment me and even had a guy to pursue me.

When I was swept up in the fantasy of love, she leaked our private messages and videos on the school forum.

Before I knew it, I became the laughingstock of the whole school, and the Jaggers' name was dragged through the dirt because of me.

Dad trembled with rage and struck me, sending me crashing to the ground. "I was a fool for letting you attend such a prestigious school. You've only brought disgrace to the Jaggers!"

His pride was everything, and I'd torn it apart. Even now, he was only concerned with how this would affect his image.

Rosa could make him look good, but me?

"I only want to go to Lucentdale High School," I said resolutely. "Please, let me make my own decision."

Mom tried to talk me out of it, but Dad stepped in. "Enough. Cora's made her choice, and we shouldn't push her."

I almost burst into laughter, but I swallowed it back, and it slowly gave way to a miserable feeling.

With that, my time at Lucentdale High School began. It was the farthest school from home, and after half a month of classes, I suggested the idea of staying at school.

The entire family froze at the dinner table.

Magnus frowned at me. "Living at school? Cora, are you trying to distance yourself from us? You've been home for a month and still can't get used to it?"

How could I possibly get used to it? In my previous life, I suffered until the very end but never got used to it.

"Living at school would make studying easier," I replied calmly.

Magnus narrowed his eyes but didn't say anything.

Mom took my hand in hers. "Is something bothering you, Cora? You've seemed so distant with us."

Yeah, that was exactly what I was hoping for—out of sight, out of mind.

"It's just to focus better on my studies," I explained again.

Tears welled up in Rosa's eyes. "You hate me, don't you, Cora? You don't have to stay at school. I'll move out and leave you in peace."

She got up, ready to leave. I couldn't help but smile at how eager she was to set her plan in motion.

Over the past month, she'd been doing everything possible to rile me up or smear my name. But I had remained completely unshaken. Finally, she'd found the perfect opportunity to play the victim.

Anyone with half a brain could see right through it. Mom and Dad, naturally, saw right through her act, but they still couldn't help coddling Rosa.

Magnus intervened. "Cut it out, Rosa. Sit down."

Sniffling, she quietly returned to her seat.

Dad quickly agreed to my request. "It's no big deal if Cora wants to live at school."

It really wasn't a big deal. After all, in my previous life, I'd ended up living in a rental unit near the school anyway.

Back then, Rosa was relentless with her taunts and traps. One day, I finally snapped. We fought in the stairwell, and she tumbled down, hitting her head and bleeding.

I thought I'd won until Mom and Dad arrived, and I realized I'd lost it all.

Mom cradled Rosa in her arms, crying as if her world had fallen apart.

Dad's temper flared, and he yanked me by the collar. "Have you lost your mind, Cora? What were you trying to do?"

Magnus was right there, too, and he struck me without a second thought. "Do you still think you're in the countryside? Who do you think you are, fighting like a shrew? Apologize to Rosa, now!"

Their rage crashed down on me all at once.

Terrified, I apologized, while Rosa began gathering her things, tears streaming down her face. She accused me of hating her and said she was leaving the house to me.

Mom and Dad were heartbroken and begged her to stay.

I stood there in a daze as everything unfolded before me.