Chapter 1

My father was the lost heir to an elite family.

In my previous life, to reclaim his legacy and marry into power, he abandoned my mother and me—left us for dead in the wilderness.

But life gave me a second chance. This time, right after he walked out, my mother's true family arrived at our door.

*****

My eyes fluttered open to see my father's face, twisted in a look of pure contempt.

He announced coolly, "I'm leaving you the house and Norma, Yvonne. You should be grateful for that much.

"I'm now the Chapman heir, with a wealthy fiancée. Look at you—you're pathetic. Don't stand in the way of my new life."

My mother, Yvonne Shaw, bit her lip hard, her face trembling uncontrollably.

This scene felt hauntingly familiar, just like when I was five and my father came home to demand a divorce.

In my previous life, on this very day, my father, Eugene Chapman—an orphan his whole life—suddenly discovered he was the long-lost heir to the Chapman fortune, with a beautiful socialite waiting to marry him.

She wanted him, but only if he cut all ties with us first.

He practically raced back to discard us.

Suddenly, I realized I'd been given a second chance. I lunged for the phone and dialed a number from before everything went wrong.

As Eugene reached for the door, my mother made a desperate grab for his sleeve, pleading through trembling lips, "Please... Norma's only five. She needs a father. Don't leave us."

Caught off guard, Eugene shoved her away in disgust. "Get off me! Look at you—both of you. You think you're good enough for the Chapman family?"

"My future wife is a Linnell, not some peasant like you!" He spat the words at her before storming out, slamming the door hard.

My mother collapsed onto the floor, her collar slipping to reveal a delicate butterfly-shaped birthmark.

That was when an elderly couple appeared in the ruined doorway. The moment their eyes landed on my mother, tears began streaming down their faces.

"Elaine, my poor girl!" The elegantly dressed woman cried out, rushing forward to embrace my mother.

My mother was too broken and dazed to make sense of what was happening.

I glanced from my mother's face to the woman's—they shared the same features. Then I noticed the elderly man behind them, who removed his glasses to wipe his eyes. "Are you my grandparents?" I asked in a small voice.

The man stepped forward and scooped me into his arms. He studied me with eyes that were both gentle and authoritative. "Yes, little one," he said softly. "I'm your grandfather."

At the sound of his voice, my mother snapped out of her stupor. She stared at the elderly couple, completely bewildered.

Even with their matching faces, she couldn't believe fortune had finally found her. Needing proof, she requested a DNA test.

The elderly couple already recognized her as their daughter in her face and the unique birthmark. But to ease her mind, they arranged for the test immediately.

When my mother saw the results, years of repressed anguish and longing for her parents came rushing out. She and my grandmother clung to each other, weeping.

Down the hospital hallway, a news report was playing about Eugene Chapman, the Chapman family's long-lost heir, being reunited with his family.

My grandfather narrowed his eyes as a dangerous gleam flashed in them. "So that's your father and my daughter's husband?"

On the screen, Eugene stood in a tailored suit beside Vivian Linnell. They looked perfect together.

He was smiling kindly during an interview, his gentle face completely misleading.

Just hours earlier, the same man had slapped my mother with a heartless, cold expression.

My chest tightened with hatred as it sank in. "He abandoned us."

Sensing my anger, my grandfather patted my back tenderly. "Don't worry, Norma. You have your grandparents now. That Chapman heir is never worthy of my daughter.

"As for a father, we can always find another." His voice turned icy as he spoke.

I stared in awe, finally understanding the quiet power that radiates from extreme wealth. Having this kind of backing was beyond anything I'd ever imagined.

I felt relieved that I'd contacted them immediately, and thankfully, they hadn't left the country yet.

In my previous life, Eugene had discarded my mother and me on that remote mountainside. We died there, killed by wolves.

After death, some part of me remained aware. I saw a billion-dollar private jet appear in the sky above us.

Then I watched two elderly figures moving desperately toward us. They cradled my mother's broken body and wept uncontrollably.

I eventually learned they were the nation's wealthiest couple, and their beloved daughter disappeared at age five twenty years ago.

In my previous life, they'd searched the country for years without success. Eventually, they expanded their search overseas. By the time they traced my mother's identity, it was already too late.

When I woke up again earlier, everything came back to me. I remembered that this year, when I was five, they were staying in the nearby villa district searching for her, so I contacted them right away.

I wanted them to be reunited much sooner this time. And I wanted Eugene and Vivian to face justice that much faster.