Seventy and Swept off My Feet

From 1975 to 2025, I was asleep. I had been the only successful subject to have ever survived a cryonics experiment.

With the appearance of a 20-year-old, I went to find my affluent younger brother and take back my place in the family. Suddenly, a barrage of comments appeared before me.

"This female lead is brainless. Her brother took her small shop and turned it into a business empire. People change. He no longer remembers her, so why would he want to reconnect with her?"

"Exactly! The Slater family is falling apart over the inheritance. They'll kill her if she shows her face before them!"

"Michael Shaw truly loves her. If she marries him, her happiness is guaranteed."

Just then, Michael gets down on one knee right in front of me.

"Zoe, the Slaters are too dangerous. Don't go back, okay? Marry me instead. I'll look after you and keep you safe for the rest of my life."

His words moved me. But before I could respond, his thoughts sounded in my ear. "System, did you post the fake comments?"

"The fake comments are up, Michael. But are you really going to marry Zoe Slater? According to the original script, once Anna Slater becomes the heiress to the Slaters, you can live a luxurious, worry-free life with her."

"I gave Zoe's heiress position to Anna. I owe her, and I'll spend my life making it up to her. As for Anna, she got what she wanted. She'll be happy even without me."

I snapped back to reality after overhearing Michael's thoughts. I thought we were in sync, but he had just been playing mind games with me.

He was wrong, though. I had always been a career-driven woman. Love was nothing more than background noise to me. It could never block my path.

Michael noticed my silence. With eyes filled with emotion, he slid a ring onto my finger. "Zoe, trust me. I'll protect you for the rest of my life."

I yanked off the ring and threw it at his face. "Save it. I'm going to meet my family."

Michael pressed his lips together. His eyes reddened as he stared at me.

Comments scrolled chaotically in front of me.

"The devoted male lead just got rejected. If Zoe shows up tonight, Anna will have her fed to the dogs!"

"Seriously, what's wrong with her? Why would she throw away a good life for death?"

I ignored them all and lifted my foot to leave.

"Zoe." Michael grabbed my arm. He sounded desperate as he said, "Don't waste your time. Even if you go, Mr. Slater won't acknowledge you as his granddaughter, much less hand over the family fortune!"

"Why not?" I demanded.

He sighed. "Because he built his empire off your family's pickle shop. Once he became the city's richest man, he completely forgot about his roots. The entire Slater family wishes you'd die out there. Why would he ever hand you anything?"

His face was lined with worry, but it only amused me. I shook his hand off. "That's my business. No matter the outcome, I have to try."

More comments scrolled furiously across my view.

"Is she crazy? Is money worth more than her life? She's begging for misery."

"Michael really cares about her. Poor guy. He's being thrown away. She'll regret this one day!"

The louder they screamed, the faster I walked toward the villa.

I caught Michael's confused thoughts behind me.

"Why is she so determined to meet her family? Does she know that Mr. Slater has been waiting for her all along?"

"Michael, what do we do now?"

"Just play it by ear. I won't let her succeed," he thought.

…

Using the address, I tracked down my younger brother's house.

There were plenty of people coming and going. I was dressed well enough to blend in, so I slipped inside without trouble.

Suddenly, a gorgeously dressed woman raised her hand to block me. Her gaze swept over me. "Who are you? I don't recall you being invited to this family dinner."

The comments started appearing.

"The ruthless female rival has arrived! Zoe is doomed. Serves her right for trying to go back!"

"That's Anna Slater. She's Mr. Slater Senior's precious granddaughter and was raised by him to be the heiress. If she didn't have sharp claws, she wouldn't have gotten this far."