Chapter 1

At the entrance of our house.

"Mom, I want to go with you," Fiona said as she held our mother's hand tightly, her eyes full of smug delight.

My father, Michael Langley, frowned deeply, his gaze full of pity. "Fiona, you'll suffer if you go with your mother. Stay with me. I can give you a better life."

I stood on the sidewalk like I was a spectator in my own family. No one cared how I felt.

In this family of four, I had always been the extra one from the moment my sister was born.

Fiona was well-behaved and clever, knowing how to please our parents easily. Meanwhile, I was slow with words and did not even know how to seek attention around them. Little by little, they favored her increasingly, until I became almost invisible in this house.

Jessica looked down at Fiona with clear disapproval in her eyes. "Fiona, stop being so stubborn. Your dad is right. You'll suffer if you stay with me."

But Fiona had already made up her mind. She shook her head and said firmly, "No. I want to go with you."

Michael sighed and finally gave in when he saw what was happening. "Fine. Do what you want. But if life gets too hard, remember to come and find me."

Fiona shot me a smug, provocative look as she said, "Go with Dad, Ursula. Relax, your good fortune is still ahead of you."

Then, she took Jessica's hand and left without looking back.

I watched as their figures disappeared from my sight and thought of everything that had happened in my previous life after I followed Jessica. A mix of emotions swirled in my heart.

Michael gave me an impatient look. He said nothing more and just told me to get into the car.

Outside the window, the scenery rushed past in a blur until the car stopped in front of a grand mansion. Only then did I snap out of my thoughts.

"This is Empyrean Street, a luxury neighborhood. It's worth twenty thousand dollars per square foot," Michael said as he held up two fingers, pride in his voice.

I stared at the imposing building ahead, stunned.

Michael could never afford a mansion like this, even with his one-hundred-thousand-dollar yearly salary, unless he had already found himself a wealthy new woman.

"This will be your home from now on. Stay sharp and don't get into any trouble." Michael looked at me with open disdain. "Otherwise, you'll be punished."

I forced out a small smile. "I understand."

Satisfied, he nodded and led me into the villa.

The decor inside was luxurious and refined. You could see wealth in every detail.

In the vast living room, a slightly plump woman in expensive clothes walked toward us, and Michael hurried over to her.

"Zoey, won't you catch a cold, wearing so little?" Michael said in a flattering tone.

She did not answer him. Instead, she glanced at me, and a faint, disdainful smile appeared on her lips. "So… This is your daughter? Her face is acceptable, but everything else is quite ordinary."

Michael's smile froze, and he shot me a glare. "She has always been like this since she was little. No need to bother with her."

His voice turned stern. "Why are you just standing there? Hurry up and greet her. This is your… Your…"

"Ms. Howard. From now on, call me Ms. Howard." Zoey cut him off.

I stood quietly to the side, my voice devoid of anger or argumentativeness. "Yes, Ms. Howard."

In my previous life, words like that might have filled me with shame. Now, I knew how to face this kind of mockery.

Not to mention that this woman was Zoey Howard, a self-made, strong, independent woman in Arman City. She herself was a wealthy elite in her own right, and she had every right to look down on me.

At that moment, the maids called out together, "Mr. Howard."

I jumped and quickly turned around.

Scott Howard exited the car, a cold expression on his face. He wore a perfectly tailored suit, his features sharp and deep set with eagle eyes.

Zoey spoke nonchalantly, "This is Scott, my son. He is handling all the company affairs now."

Michael rushed in with a smile. "Mr. Howard, nice to meet you."

Scott gave him a brief smile and did not respond, leaving Michael standing there awkwardly.

"Have a look at our two new residents. This is Michael Langley, and this is his daughter…" She raised a brow at me.

"Ursula Langley," I said softly.

Scott gave a slight nod, his gaze landing on me and the old school uniform that had been worn for years. Then, he asked, "You study at Capital High?"