Chapter 1

Before we arrived at the village to begin filming, my brother Ethan pulled the car over to the side of the road.

He didn't immediately unbuckle his seat belt. Instead, he turned around to look at me.

"Cecilia, when the cameras are rolling, make sure you behave yourself."

I tightened my grip on my backpack strap and nodded.

He frowned.

"Did you hear me?"

"I did."

"We've spoiled you rotten."

Ethan stared at me, his tone impatient.

"Dad gives you that much allowance every month and you still complain it’s not enough? When are you gonna start learning from Lily? She grew up on the streets, went through so much hardship, and she’s never been as spoiled as you."

I lowered my head.

Ever since Lily had been brought back, my brother Ethan and my fiancé, Adrian, had devoted more and more of their attention to her.

Lily said she'd grown up with nothing, that she'd never even owned a decent dress.

So my brother bought her whatever she wanted.

Adrian never turned down any of her requests, either.

As for my allowance, ever since my mother passed away, dad had always arranged for the family butler to transfer it to me.

But after Lily moved into our home, I started receiving only thirty coins a month.

That had to cover food, transportation, and daily necessities.

Once, I asked the butler if I could receive part of the following month's allowance in advance.

He told me that thirty coins was all the family had budgeted for me and that I needed to learn how to manage my money.

I believed him.

After all, my brother and Adrian both said Lily had suffered enough growing up, and that the family needed to take better care of her.

I assumed dad felt the same way.

So even when thirty coins weren't enough, I stopped asking for more.

I looked at them without trying to explain myself.

They had no idea I couldn't even afford my next meal.

And the reason they'd sent me to this show in the first place was simply because I'd called them asking for one and a half coins to buy a loaf of bread.

The night before, I had called my brother from the cafeteria.

I could faintly hear Ethan, Lily, and Adrian laughing on the other end.

"Adrian, do you think this one looks pretty?"

"If you like it, buy it."

His voice was so gentle it hardly sounded like the man I knew.

"Pick out a few more. If you run out of money, just tell me."

I stared at the balance left on my phone and hesitated for a long time.

"Ethan, about my allowance this month..."

He cut me off.

"Cecilia, doesn't dad give you plenty of money every month? How have you already spent it all? Can't you learn something from Lily?"

The call ended shortly afterward.

I stood outside the cafeteria, staring at the loaf of bread in the display window. It cost one and a half coins.

In the end, I didn't buy it.

I still needed money for the ride home.

Outside the car window, the host, Daniel, was already walking toward us.

He smiled and tapped on the glass.

"Mr. Ethan, welcome to the show."

My brother immediately put on a warm smile.

"Thank you for having us. Cecilia has been spoiled since she was little. She's not even willing to do housework."

He sighed.

"Lily went through so much growing up. We just hope Cecilia can learn to appreciate what she has."

The camera zoomed in.

Daniel turned to me.

"Cecilia, do you know why you're here on A Fresh Start?"

I stared into the dark camera lens.

My brother gently pressed a finger against my shoulder.

I immediately answered.

"To experience a different way of life."

"And what else?"

"To learn to appreciate what I have."

My brother smiled in satisfaction.

Just then, a black SUV pulled up beside us.

Adrian stepped out, carrying a bag of exquisite pastries.

Lily was sitting in the passenger seat. She leaned out and waved at me.

"Good luck, Cecilia! I'll be waiting for you at home!"

Adrian adjusted her coat for her before turning to me.

"Don't throw any tantrums on the show. Don't make things difficult for Ethan or the Alpha."

I nodded.

He didn't look at me again. Instead, he turned around to open the car door for Lily.

I stood in front of the cameras, listening as their voices gradually faded into the distance.

Everyone thought I was a spoiled heiress.

But they didn't know that the night before, I'd eaten only half a loaf of stale bread.

It had been so hard I could barely bite into it.

I'd picked up every crumb that fell onto the table and put them into my mouth one by one.

Because I couldn't afford to waste any food.