My Weight Loss, Her Meltdown

"Don't worry, Dakota. You're just slightly on the chubbier side. At the end of the day, it's your health that matters the most!"

I lay helplessly on the hospital bed, watching the eerily familiar scene before me with a sense of disbelief.

Right now, my parents, Walter Graham and Ingrid Schaffer, were wiping tears from their eyes. Yet, there was no trace of genuine sadness in their eyes. Instead, the way they looked at me was like they were staring at a pile of trash—calm and unfeeling.

My health was what mattered the most? If this kept up, I was going to become severely obese! How could I possibly be healthy?

Just then, the doctor came in with the examination report. Only then did I truly realize that I had been reborn. I had returned to the very day when I first started gaining weight uncontrollably.

"There's nothing serious with Ms. Graham's health, but she should still watch her diet and exercise more."

It was just the same as in my previous life. The doctor had no idea where this sudden excess fat on my body had come from.

In my previous life, I had been just as confused. My food intake and diet had never been excessive, yet I still kept gaining a ton of weight.

Had I not learned the whole truth right before I died in my last life, I never would have known that I was just a substitute the Graham family had adopted, a scapegoat meant to take on all the misfortunes meant for Freya Graham, the real daughter of the Grahams.

Freya Graham loved indulging herself, eating and drinking to her heart's content every day, yet all the weight ended up on me.

Looking at Walter and Ingrid, who were pretending to be heartbroken, I smiled coldly. "Mom, Dad, don't worry. This time, I will definitely succeed in shedding weight!"

Walter and Ingrid were momentarily stunned. Then, they looked at me with relieved expressions. "Dakota, we believe in you! But losing weight is really tough. It's no big deal if you're just a little chubby! After all, you're already engaged to Jonah. We'll make sure he marries you no matter what!"

In my past life, I had fallen for every word of that nonsense. They did everything they could to deter me from losing weight, tempting me every way they could.

In the end, I grew so obese that I couldn't even walk or get out of bed, and I finally gave up all hope. I could only watch helplessly as more and more fat piled onto my body.

Even when I fasted and refused to eat or drink, the fat would still appear out of nowhere. That feeling of utter helplessness was both despairing and exhausting.

Now, looking once again at Walter and Ingrid, who clearly didn't want me to lose weight, I was secretly determined to do all that it took, even if I had to risk my life, to shed every last pound of unwanted fat.

I didn't believe for a single second that they were stopping me from losing weight just because they were being kind and wanted to spare me the hardship.

Every night after returning from the hospital, I would hide alone in my bedroom and exercise, trying to reduce the fat on my body.

From learning workout routines to jumping rope and doing high knees, I tried it all. But after two whole weeks of those, I was left devastated. Not only had my weight not dropped, it even went up by a full ten pounds instead!

Every step I took left me gasping for breath. When I pinched the layer of fat on my large belly, I could barely see my toes anymore. I closed my eyes in despair.

All of a sudden, a piercing scream came from outside my room.