Chapter 2

The next day, the Silva family held a banquet to officially welcome me home.

Before the banquet began, Talia saw the words ‘Welcome Home, Bianca!’ displayed on the main screen and tears immediately began rolling down her cheeks.

Ten minutes later, my name was removed. In its place were the words ‘Happy Eighteenth Birthday, Talia!’

Victoria took me aside to explain.

“We can always hold another banquet to welcome you home. Talia only turns eighteen once. I hope you can be understanding toward your younger sister.”

I was perfectly understanding. As long as Talia maintained her position in the family and was not kicked out, she could continue plotting my death without a care in the world.

It was all about protecting a key member of the team. I voiced my approval on the spot.

Victoria seemed to let out a sigh of relief. As she straightened my dress, her fingers brushed against the luck charm around my neck. Suddenly, her eyes reddened.

“I put this around your neck with my own hands when you were born. Thank goodness you still have it.”

I lowered my head to look at it. So this thing was a custom-made luxury heirloom, huh.

I wondered if I could sell it on a secondhand marketplace and get myself a decent coffin in exchange.

Once the banquet began, my father, Matheus Silva, announced my return to the family in front of all the guests.

He had not even finished speaking when Talia suddenly clutched her chest and collapsed.

The entire Silva family immediately descended into chaos.

James rushed to catch her. Byron checked her breathing while Harriet snatched the microphone from the host and announced to every guest in attendance,

“Blood relation or not, Talia will always be the Silva family’s one and only little princess!”

A round of applause swept through the room.

Meanwhile, I stood alone onstage. I felt like a last-minute performer hired to fake my own resurrection at the birthday girl’s party.

A lawyer was summoned in no time. The shares, investment funds and jewelry that had originally been intended for me remained exactly where they were, all under Talia’s name.

James then handed me a declaration waiving my inheritance rights.

“Sign it. Talia has a heart condition. She can’t handle any more stress.”

I signed my name without hesitation.

James was startled for a moment. “Aren’t you going to ask how much you’re giving up?”

“No.”

Wealth was nothing more than a worldly possession. Besides, no bank would be willing to let me open an account anyway once I was dead.

When Talia regained consciousness and saw my signature, she looked even more uneasy.

“Bianca, you really aren’t angry?”

I was only concerned about one other thing. “Does this mean we can eat the cake now?”

I had been starving since morning just for the sake of getting reincarnated. Denying someone their last meal was downright inhumane.

I had just picked up a plate of cake when Talia suddenly grabbed my wrist. Her foot slipped and her entire body lurched backward over the terrace railing.

My eyes lit up. I followed her right over the edge.

Splash! Splash!

We both plunged into the infinity pool below.

The moment I hit the water, I closed my eyes and sank peacefully toward the bottom.

I had failed at drowning myself plenty of times before, but every failure was just another step toward success.

If I kept trying, sooner or later, one of those attempts would finally do the trick.

Three splashes could be heard from above. One after another, my three older brothers jumped into the pool and swam straight past me.

Their target was clear. They were heading directly for Talia.

Lying at the bottom of the pool, I was so touched that I almost wanted to move aside and let them pass.

Wonderful! The entire family was biased and everyone was on the same page. At least no one was competing with me for a spot on the death roster.

Unfortunately, the hotel lifeguard lacked the refined sensibilities of a wealthy family. He dove straight down and hauled me to the surface.

I coughed up a mouthful of water and shot him a resentful look.

When did customer service become this aggressively competitive? Why did he have to interfere in someone else’s family business?

By then, the three brothers had already gathered around Talia.

Victoria took off her jacket and wrapped it around her, her eyes red with worry. “Talia is afraid of water. How could she have suddenly fallen in?”

Talia coughed delicately, looking as pitiful as ever. “Bianca said she was the Silva family’s real daughter. She told me to give her back to her brothers and her mother…”

Harriet whipped his head toward me. “You’re so desperate for affection that you’d even gamble with Talia’s life?”

I was just about to explain when a faint click came from the luck charm around my neck.

A hairline crack had appeared across its surface.

Then, a long-forgotten voice rang in my ear. “Vessel damaged. Reincarnation progress: 20%.”

I shot straight upright. So it was not that I had not been trying hard enough to die. I had simply been targeting the wrong weak spot.

I gripped the charm and grinned so hard I could barely contain myself. Unfortunately, everyone else thought I was gloating over my successful attempt to frame Talia.

James’ gaze turned utterly icy. “From this day forward, she is forbidden from going anywhere near Talia.”

I nodded repeatedly.

That would not be a problem. Once I figured out how to destroy this charm, we would be separated by life and death. They would not have to worry about keeping me away from her ever again.