Chapter 1

“You’re the daughter of the Cannon family. Your biological parents are coming to take you home.”

My hands, which were busy throwing away a bucket of greasy dishwater, paused. My heart started pounding.

I had returned to the past.

In my previous life, I was working part-time in the school cafeteria when I first heard that voice. It claimed to be the guardian spirit of the Cannon family. It proved itself by predicting several events before they happened, which was why I later believed it when it warned me about a problem in my father’s project.

However, it was that very same spirit that ended up destroying my family.

This time, I did not look around in confusion or ask who was talking like I did in my previous life.

Instead, I pretended not to hear a thing and quietly focused on my work.

“Mia Talbert, you are a Cannon by blood. I know you can hear me. I know you don’t believe me now, but soon, you’ll see the truth.”

The voice was cut off by the sharp screech of tires.

“My daughter! My baby girl!”

An elegant, impeccably dressed woman rushed over and pulled me into her arms. Her face was streaked with tears.

“I’ve finally found you! Oh, my dear, you’ve been through so much.”

“Do you believe me now? I really am the guardian spirit of the Cannon family.”

Feeling the warmth of my mother’s embrace, something inside me softened. I wrapped my arms around her in return.

Just like in my previous life, she did not mind that my clothes were filthy or that I reeked of cafeteria food.

I silently swore to myself that I would do everything in my power to protect my family this time.

I went home with my parents, Aaron and Sally Cannon.

On the way, I heard the guardian spirit’s voice again.

“There is an adopted girl in the house, but you needn’t worry. She is a good person. Finding out that she has taken your place all these years, she’s going to leave.”

Hearing these familiar words, I watched my parents’ faces carefully, but I could not detect anything out of the ordinary.

Noticing my intense gaze, Sally gently stroked my hair.

“What is it, sweetheart?”

I asked, “Mom, did you hear someone talking just now?”

She looked at me with a puzzled expression before glancing at my dad. Then, she shook her head.

“No one’s talking.”

It was just like my last life. I was the only one who could hear the guardian spirit’s voice.

The moment I stepped through the door, I saw a girl about my age standing there with a suitcase. Her eyes were glistening with tears.

“Mia, you’ve suffered so much out there. All these years, I’ve been living the life that should’ve been yours. Don’t worry. Now that you’re back, I’ll get out of your way immediately. I won’t be a nuisance.”

Just as she said that, she took her suitcase and moved to leave.

My parents looked reluctant, but they did not stop her.

Having lived through this once before, I knew that Pearl Cannon was not putting on an act. I knew her suitcase contained only a few cheap outfits.

She genuinely believed she had wronged me and wanted to give everything back.

I remembered that, in my previous life, after I had trusted the guardian spirit and our parents were gone, it was Pearl who had worked three jobs, all just to put me through school.

The memory of her tragic death in my past life flashed before my eyes. I immediately grabbed Pearl’s hand and said earnestly, “You don’t have to go. You’ll always be our parents’ daughter and my sister.”

Tears welled in Sally’s eyes as she pulled us into her arms.

“Mia, you’ll always be my one and only biological daughter. Pearl isn’t your replacement. When you went missing all those years ago, we did everything we could to find you, but we never succeeded. Pearl is the daughter of a distant relative who abandoned her. We only took her in because we felt bad for her.”

I nodded. The guardian spirit had told me the same thing.