I let out a panicked scream, only to realize I couldn’t make any noise except for barking.

It was like some twisted joke.

Then, when I was knocked out and thrown into a soup pot, the truth finally hit me. It was like a ton of bricks crashing down.

Regina wasn’t just my brother’s wife. She wasn’t just my fiancé’s only love.

No, she was both of theirs.

After drinking the pesticide, her soul had attached itself to that toy dog. Shane and Oliver orchestrated the whole thing, making me swap lives with the dog just to bring Regina back.

One was my biological brother, the other my fiancé.

How had I been so blind? How had I not seen this coming?

A rush of anger surged through me, but I pushed it down.

"If you like it so much, you can take care of it yourselves. I’m done with this," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

Shane didn’t push back. He simply nodded, but then added, "The dog has to stay at your place for a few more days until the engagement’s over. After that, we’ll send it to a new owner."

I rolled my eyes. 'Classic Shane.'

Even in this new life, he was still trying to make me the sacrificial pawn for Regina.

But in this life? I wouldn't play along.

His plan was bound to fail, and I’d make sure of it.

Even though I’d been reborn, I still didn’t have all the pieces to the puzzle.

'What was the key to the body swap? Was it Oliver’s family bracelet? The timing of the engagement? Or was it living and sleeping together that triggered it?'

Until I figured that out, I had to tread carefully. If I made the wrong move, they’d just find another way to trap me.

But this time, Regina, in the form of the toy dog, wasn’t exactly calming down. Despite my locking every door and window in the house, she somehow managed to sneak into my bedroom. She didn’t just make a mess like last time. No, this time she dug up my cherished old family photos and, without hesitation, urinated on them.

I could feel my blood boiling. Those photos were heirlooms from my grandmother.

I’d spent my whole life protecting them, and now this?

I knew exactly why Regina was doing it. She was throwing a tantrum over the villa my parents had given me as part of my dowry. The thing was, when Regina married into the Maxwell family, her dowry was worth several times more than mine. My parents even gave her a monthly allowance—six figures.

And yet, here she was, throwing a fit over a villa?

I didn’t get it.

But this time, I wasn’t going to scream or cower like I did in my past life. Instead, I smirked.

When Regina wasn’t paying attention, I grabbed her ear and yanked her up, holding her off the ground like a misbehaving child. She immediately barked in fear, her tiny body squirming in my grip. Just as I was about to give her a piece of my mind, Shane heard the noise and came rushing in.

Without hesitation, he snatched Regina from my hands and cradled her like she was the most fragile thing in the world.

His face hardened, and he shot me a cold glare. "Didn’t I tell you? I’ll send her away in a few days. You can’t even stand it for this long?"

Oliver, seeing Regina curled up in Shane’s arms and acting all pitiful, didn’t even ask what had happened.

Instead, he turned on me. "Clarisse, what’s wrong with you? How can you be so cruel and bully a small animal? What’s it ever done to you?"

Then, without missing a beat, he went over to Regina, his face full of sympathy. “Look at her. She’s trembling in fear!”

I could feel the frustration bubbling up inside me.

In my previous life, Shane and Oliver had always blindly protected Regina, even when she turned into a dog.

Same old, same old. Nothing ever changed with them.

Regina, hiding in Shane’s arms, was wearing that smug look again.

It practically screamed, 'I’ve won.'

I couldn’t take it anymore. Anger and frustration surged through me. I grabbed the ruined old photos and threw them right in front of them. Then, I pointed to the mess in the room.

“Which one of you saw me bullying it? It’s the one that ruined the heirlooms my grandmother gave me and is peeing all over my room!”

Shane’s face twisted in disbelief, but I wasn’t done yet. “It’s obviously in heat. If you’re so fond of it, why don’t you just send it to a doghouse to breed? Maybe that’ll calm it down.”

I knew they’d never let Regina go to the doghouse. That was just my way of getting under their skin.

And honestly? It felt pretty good to say it.

Sure enough, as soon as the words left my mouth, Regina visibly shivered in fear, and Shane looked at me like I’d completely lost it.

“Clarisse, where did you even hear that nonsense? You’ve let me down." Shane shook his head.

Oliver was furious.

He stormed up to me, face as red as a tomato, his fists clenched at his sides. “Clarisse, are you out of your mind? Cici is tiny, and you actually want to send her to breed? Are you even human? Besides, this is your fault for not keeping your stuff in order, and now you’re blaming Cici? Acting like a total shrew! Unlike Regina, who’s sensible and well-behaved, you're...”

I didn’t even let him finish his rant.

I cut him off with a sharp sneer, not bothering to hide the disdain in my voice. “If Regina is so perfect, why are you still trying to marry me? Why don’t you just call off the engagement and be with her?”

I could see the shock on his face.

It was too much to expect him actually to take that step, though.

The Anderson family was barely hanging on financially, and Oliver needed me to secure an investment from the Maxwell family. He couldn’t afford to lose me. Not yet. Sure enough, he was left speechless.

His face got even redder if that was even possible. With a frustrated grunt, he slammed the door behind him, storming out. Shane followed shortly after, cradling the toy dog in his arms like it was the family's crown jewel. His expression was colder than ice.

But I wasn’t fooled.

I knew all this restraint wasn’t about protecting my feelings. It was just part of their plan to bring Regina back. They weren’t trying to spare me—they were buying time.

In my past life, I’d been too blinded by trust to see it.

But not again.

I wasn’t going to make the same mistake. I was going to play along, let them think they had the upper hand, and wait for the perfect moment to turn the tables.

Over the next few days, Regina, still inhabiting the dog’s body, calmed down considerably. She stayed quietly in Shane’s room, not making any more messes. I guess she was genuinely afraid I’d follow through on my threats to send her off to breed.

But why should I let her off that easily?

I wasn’t done yet. I had my own little plan brewing.

I snuck off to the doghouse and bought several packs of special canine hormones. The owner assured me this stuff worked fast, quick enough to make a little dog fatten up and go into heat in no time.

'Perfect.'

After all, I had a special gift planned for Regina. She needed to gain some weight and get healthy enough for what I had in store.

And sure enough, almost immediately, Regina started to pack on the pounds. She was growing round and chubby like a little pig.

It felt... satisfying, to see her like that.

Shane, on the other hand, was watching her like a hawk. He made sure I didn’t do anything suspicious.

One night, while I was feeling snacky, I grabbed a package of chips.

But as soon as I took a bite, I knew something was off. It didn’t taste spoiled, but there was a weird, fishy aftertaste. Even the water in my cup looked off. It was a sickly pale yellow color, and it stank.

I rushed to the bathroom, gagging, trying to rinse my mouth out.

My anger flared. This was Regina’s doing. She was trying to mess with me again, and I wasn’t going to let her get away with it. Just as I was about to storm into her room, I froze when I heard Shane’s voice from inside.

“Regina, just hang in there a little longer. I’ll make the bitch pay. I don’t know what Dad was thinking, giving her that villa as a dowry! It must’ve been that old woman whispering in his ear!”

Shane paused for a moment, then continued, “I know these past few days have been tough on you, but once tomorrow night is over, we’ll swap lives with Clarisse. You’ll be a normal person again. And then... the entire Maxwell family will be ours.”

My heart stopped.

I had always wondered how Shane, my brother, could be so willing to hurt me.

Now, I knew the answer.

He was my half-brother, the illegitimate son of my father. I clenched my fists, fighting the urge to storm into that room and tear them apart. But I knew I couldn’t.

Not yet. I had a plan, and I wasn’t going to let my anger ruin it.

The next evening, I came home to find Shane suddenly acting all sweet and apologetic. He was holding a gift box in his hands, looking like he was trying to butter me up.

“Clarisse, I was too harsh with my words earlier,” Shane said with a fake smile. “You’re getting engaged tomorrow, so I picked out a dress for you. Try it on and see if it fits.”

Oliver followed close behind, eager as ever. “Clarisse looks good in anything. Once you put on the dress and the Anderson family’s heirloom bracelet, you’ll look even more beautiful.”

He opened a sandalwood box and slowly revealed the bracelet inside. My stomach dropped. I had heard those exact words before.

In my past life, I’d been genuinely touched and moved by the gesture. But now, I just felt cold.

What they were really celebrating wasn’t my engagement at all. It was Regina’s rebirth. And deep down, I knew that their plans were about to come to fruition.

Seeing the eager looks on their faces, I couldn’t help but smirk.

Playing along, I shrugged nonchalantly. "Alright, fine. But if there’s a dress, how can I not have my favorite pair of high heels to go with it? How about you run back to the old villa and grab them for me, Shane?"

I could practically see the anxiety building in his chest. He opened his mouth to instruct the driver, but I cut him off with a playful pout.

"Such an important task, and you’re going to have someone else do it?" I sighed dramatically. "What if the driver makes a mistake and messes up my engagement tomorrow?"

Shane hesitated, clearly unsure whether to call my bluff, but finally gave in.

"Fine, fine," he muttered, heading for the door.

Once he was out, I flashed a grin at Oliver. "Hey, could you do me a favor too? I need a special bag for tomorrow’s engagement, and there’s a high-end store on the outskirts of the city. Mind running by and picking it up for me?"

He hesitated for a second, his eyes scanning mine.

After a beat, Oliver nodded, though I could tell he wasn’t thrilled. "Sure, I’ll be back soon."

'Perfect.' I smiled inwardly.

With both of them out, I knew I had a good couple of hours before they returned.

It was the perfect opportunity to execute my little plan. I’d have plenty of time before they caught on. Sure enough, both of them managed to make the drive back in half the time it would normally take.

After a few minutes, Shane arrived first, the toy dog still cradled in his arms, his cold expression as stone-faced as ever. Meanwhile, Oliver wasn’t far behind, trying and failing to hide the impatience written all over his face.

As soon as they were inside, Oliver wasted no time.

"Come on, Clarisse, try the dress on. I can’t wait to see it," he said.

I hesitated for just a second, then decided to tease him a little. "Didn’t some people say just a couple of days ago that I was a shrew and wanted to call off the engagement, Oliver?"

Shane immediately jumped in, eager to smooth things over. "Clarisse, come on, don’t mind him. Oliver has a sharp tongue, but he’s got a soft heart. Go ahead and change into the dress and shoes. He’s been waiting to put the heirloom bracelet on you personally. It’s normal for young couples to bicker, right? Don’t be upset."

Oliver shot Shane a glare, clearly irritated, but Shane kept talking, clearly enjoying the role of the peacemaker. "You don’t know, Clarisse, Oliver’s been preparing for this ‘surprise’ for the past three months."

I couldn’t help but inwardly sneer at the word surprise. I knew exactly what they were planning, and trust me, it wasn’t a pleasant surprise. That so-called surprise blinded me in my previous life.

I let Oliver put the heirloom bracelet on my wrist—the one with the strange patterns. He casually placed my old bracelet on the dog’s paw, and Shane even joked that once I wore the bracelet, I’d officially belong to the Anderson family.

Back then, I was so caught up in the moment, so happy, I didn’t notice the smug look in Oliver’s eyes. And it was only after I put on that bracelet that I collapsed, and my body swapped with the toy dog. This time, though, I was prepared. I predicted exactly what was about to happen.

Still, I played along, slowly, carefully changing into the dress they’d picked out for me. I took my sweet time, dragging my feet on purpose. I could practically hear Oliver’s frustration mounting as he paced by the door, eyes locked on me.

Finally, when I came out, I could see the change in Oliver’s expression immediately. His excitement turned into confusion. He didn’t even bother checking if the dress fit right.

Instead, Oliver jumped straight to the first thing on his mind. "Where’s the old bracelet you’ve worn for the past ten years?"

I gasped dramatically, pretending to be caught off guard. "Oh no, maybe it fell under the bed when I was changing..."

Oliver’s eyes went wide. "What?!"

Before I could stop him, he rushed into the bedroom, dropped to his knees, and crawled under the bed, searching frantically.

I watched, my eyes glinting with amusement, knowing exactly what Oliver was about to do.

When he finally found it, his face lit up with excitement. Without saying a word, he slipped the heirloom bracelet onto my wrist, and then quickly made an excuse to leave. "I’ll be right back, just need to use the bathroom."

I knew exactly what he was doing. He was going to take my old bracelet to Regina, completing the last step of the soul exchange. I didn’t stop him, though I knew the consequences. It wasn’t just about playing along anymore—it was part of the bigger plan.

While preoccupied with complimenting my outfit, Shane followed Oliver with his eyes as he exited. It was obvious Shane wanted to follow him, but for some reason, he stayed behind, feigning disinterest.

Time dragged on. Nothing had changed yet. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Oliver returned, drenched in sweat and holding the old bracelet. His face was pale, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"Cici's gone," he muttered, voice barely above a whisper. "It’s over."

Shane’s face turned white as a sheet. He immediately started searching for the dog in the house, flipping everything upside down. Even my bedroom was thoroughly searched. But there was no sign of the toy dog anywhere.

When Shane finally saw me calmly taking selfies in front of the mirror, dressed in the engagement dress, Oliver couldn’t hold back anymore. His frustration boiled over.

"Where is Cici, Clarisse?!" he demanded, voice shaking with fury.

Oliver rushed over like a man on a mission, practically yanking my phone out of my hand and slamming it down on the floor with enough force to make me flinch.

"Clarisse, did you throw Cici away? I’ve known all along that you didn’t like it, but it’s still life! You’re nothing but a venomous woman!"

I barely had time to process his words before Shane pulled him back. "Clarisse, don’t blame him. He’s just really upset. Cici’s new owner is coming to pick it up today, and we can’t break our promise. Just tell us where you put Cici. Can you please just tell your brother?"

I almost couldn’t hold back the laugh. The lie was so pompous, it was nearly comical.

Instead, I just sneered and slapped Oliver across the face with a quick, satisfying smack. "Who gave you the nerve to smash my phone? If your eyesight’s that bad, maybe you should see a doctor! Which one of your eyes saw me throw away the dog?"

Shane let out a small sigh of relief, but I wasn’t done. Not by a long shot.

I leaned in with a smirk, enjoying every second of this. "It’s so fat, it’s like a little pig. No way I’d just throw it away. I sent it to the dog meat shop to get recycled. They’ll prepare it, and you can try it out. It’s great for your energy."

The color drained from Shane's and Oliver’s faces. They looked like they were about to pass out, and honestly? It felt pretty damn good. Then, just as the tension hit its peak, the doorbell rang. My heart did a little flip.

'This was it. The show was about to begin.'