chapter 1

Elisa Watson was dead. When she died, she had a broken leg and was blind in one eye. Everyone applauded, saying she deserved it. That included her parents and the man she loved her fiancé, Arnold Gray. However, they later braved the snow and ice like madmen to find her body, saying they were going to take her home.

...

After Elisa died, her soul returned to the Watson residence.

She saw the Watson residence glowing with lights, Isabelle Watson playing a beautiful piano piece under the spotlight, with Norah Walsh and Lucas Watson smiling indulgently. The three of them were a picture of joy and harmony. As the song ended, the house phone suddenly rang. The news of Elisa's death came through.

After a moment of silence, Norah coldly said, "It serves her right. If she's going to die, she should've chosen a place far away instead of bothering us!"

With a dark expression, Lucas Watson said gruffly, "Tell Elisa that even when causing trouble, there should be a limit. Does she think she can use a stunt like this to get our attention? It's disgusting. She's a disgrace to the Watson family!"

Isabelle, eyes red and teary, whispered timidly, "Dad, Mom, please don't blame her. It's all my fault. If I hadn't taken her place, she wouldn't have done so many awful things out of jealousy-"

"You're just too kind for your own good. Elisa brought this on herself!" said a warm, low voice.

With that, a tall, refined man with a gentle smile walked toward Isabelle.

"Arnie!"

Isabelle instantly jumped to her feet and ran into his arms. He was Arnold Gray, Elisa's fiancé.

What a heartwarming family scene. Elisa smiled as she watched the three most important people in her life shower Isabelle with love and affection. And as she did, tears of blood filled her eyes.

At the age of 18, Elisa was suddenly embraced by Norah and Lucas. They told her that she was the true daughter of the richest family in the country.

She had never received love from a mother. Hence, Elisa's eyes were filled with tears when Norah, choking up, said, "I finally found you, my daughter."

Just like that, Elisa was brought back to the Watson family. However, someone had already taken her place a fake heiress, the pampered little princess Isabelle. Hence, although Elisa was the true daughter, she returned to the Watson family as the second daughter and as an adopted child.

However, she didn't mind. Craving familial love, she tiptoed around them, trying to please them with humility. Nevertheless, no matter how hard she tried, she could never compare to Isabelle's effortless coquettish charm.

Because Isabelle felt insecure, Lucas and Norah told her, "Isabelle has never suffered any hardship since she was young. Your return makes her feel insecure. Elisa, could you try not to appear in front of her too much as it would trigger her?"

Similarly, her fiancé ordered her condescendingly, "Elisa, you've already taken everything from Isabella. Why can't you give her a little more?"

Isabelle's friends taunted her, saying, "Look at yourself! You're a country bumpkin. You're not even fit to be Isabelle's maid, let alone a daughter of the Watson family. What a joke!"

Everyone revolved around Isabelle. She was the high and mighty heiress, while Watson was lowly and insignificant, like a rat on the street. Elisa didn't dare to retaliate, and even if she had, she couldn't win.

She humbled herself, hoping for peace, but all she got in return was more cruelty.

Four years ago, on Elisa's birthday, Isabelle tricked her into going to an island. There, Isabelle fell into the sea!

The Watson family went crazy, sending out search teams for seven days and nights, but they found nothing. Meanwhile, Elisa was branded the murderer responsible for Isabelle's death.

Norah and Lucas were furious. They cut ties with her and even allowed Arnold to send Elisa to prison.

"Take care"

With those words, she was sent to prison for four years, where she was tortured. They had broken her leg and blinded one of her eyes.

On the day she was released, Elisa saw Isabelle and Arnold flaunting their love on a big screen in the city. That was when she found out Isabelle had never died. However, in the very next moment, a truck hit her. Her body slammed to the ground, her organs shifting painfully inside her.

The pain was so intense she became numb. Lying there in the cold, watching the snow fall, she wanted to ask, "Why?"

Why had they treated her so cruelly, even though Isabelle wasn't dead?

Alas, she was already at death's door. Her eyes were hollow, and she could only gasp in pain. She couldn't even form a word. However, this was what she deserved.

As a ghost, Elisa watched it all. She thought that death would finally put an end to her suffering. Alas, a fresh wave of pain and rage crashed over her, threatening to tear her soul apart.

She screamed. How cruel were the fates to force her to watch them love Isabelle unconditionally while cheering at the news of her death.

Her eyes blazed red, filled with unbearable hatred and bitterness.

She forgot she was a mere ghost. She only wanted to rush forward and rip off Isabelle's mask of innocence, to reveal the fake, manipulative woman beneath. However, just as she lunged forward, a strong force yanked her back into an abyss of darkness. She was so full of hatred. She hated how unfair the fates were to her.

Tears of blood fell silently as she made a vow. If she could live again, she would never let herself be blinded by familial love or foolishly give her heart away, only for it to be crushed. Elisa's vision went black as she sank into the dark chaos. Vaguely, she heard someone calling her name.

"Elisa, Elisa-"

The sensation of weightlessness came over her, and suddenly, Elisa's eyes snapped open.

Above her was a blinding crystal chandelier, and she was lying on a hotel bed, the crisp white bedsheet smelling faintly of disinfectant.

Elisa froze. Hadn't she died already? Hadn't she died after four years of unjust imprisonment, left to rot in the wilderness, with no one to claim her body?

Elisa looked down at her hands, suddenly realizing something. She rushed to the mirror in the room. In the reflection, a young girl with long black hair, fair skin, and bright eyes stared back at her.

It was her, at 18. She was alive!

Elisa's heart raced, and tears immediately welled up in her eyes.

The fates must be watching. They must have given her a second chance, sending her back to when she was 18. Her body was untouched, free of the scars from prison, her eyes uninjured, and her legs whole. She was no longer disabled. Elisa laughed and cried at the same time, overwhelmed with joy. However, after the initial elation, the burning flames of hatred roared back to life.

In her previous life, she had been trapped by her misguided longing for love and family, only to end up dead and abandoned. This time, with everything reset, she would never again be that helpless lamb led to slaughter.

As she wiped away her tears, Elisa's eyes grew dark and cold. Her gaze was like that of a predator lying in wait, stripped of innocence and flashing with a dangerous gleam. Then, she grabbed a vase from the table and headed for the closed door.