Chapter 1

I was the real daughter of a rich family.

My adopted sister was in the same class as me. She spent my family's money as if it were hers, pretending to be the real daughter so that everyone would like her.

Behind my back, she told people I was just some secret love child my dad had. She even spread a lie that I killed Winton Morton, the most popular boy at school.

To make it look real, she hired someone to kill me—and even faked a diary, saying I had a crush on Winton.

What a joke. I knew she was the one who liked him.

When I opened my eyes again, time had jumped back to the day she confessed her feelings to Winton and he turned her down—the day she pushed him into Swanlight Lake.

*****

I was standing behind a big tree by the lake, staring at my hands in shock. Had time really gone backward?

"Winton!"

I heard someone calling nearby and turned to look.

It was Belle—the girl my parents had adopted—talking to Winton.

I quickly pulled out my phone and started recording.

"Winton, I like you," Belle said, all shy and nervous.

But Winton, cool as ever, turned her down. "Sorry. I'm not into you. I only care about studying."

I'd seen this exact thing happen before time rewound. But back then, I had to head home, so I left early.

Later that day, I found out Winton had drowned in Swanlight Lake.

The police saw me on security footage walking by the lake around that time, so they brought me into the school office for questioning.

Belle also got called in. She looked scared and said, "Ramona, didn't you like Winton? I knew he turned you down when you confessed, but how could you kill him?"

I didn't kill Winton. I didn't even like him.

But thanks to what Belle said, the cops decided to take me to the station for further investigation.

Before we left, I told them I saw Belle confess to Winton by the lake, and he rejected her. So they brought her along.

But that same day, Belle walked out free. Our family's butler had hired a lawyer just for her.

Right before he left, the butler said to me, "Mr. and Mrs. Willis only told me to take Belle home. Ramona, you'll have to figure this out on your own. The police won't hurt you."

What a joke. Just because he was the butler, he thought he was some big shot.

Now that time had turned back, I remembered exactly how he acted that day—and honestly, I wanted to slap him.

Before all this, I really thought my parents didn't love me. So I never dared to speak up. I didn't even question the butler. I just watched Belle leave with that smug look on her face.

After that, Belle went back to school and started spreading rumors—saying Winton died because I was mad he didn't like me back.

She spent tons of money like it was hers, using my family's money to act rich. She gave out small gifts to students all the time, so most people just went along with whatever she said.

And since both of us had been taken in by the police but only she came back, everyone started whispering that I was the one who killed Winton.

In the school group chat, people said the nastiest things about me. Someone even edited my photo to make it look like a funeral picture and pinned it to the bulletin board.

Two days later, the police cleared my name and let me go.

I should've gone home in our fancy car, back to the mansion. But on the way, some guys in an old van grabbed me and choked me to death.

After I died, my ghost went home. I watched my parents rush back from overseas to take care of my body. Their hair turned white overnight from grief.

They didn't believe I died for no reason, so they used everything they had to investigate.

But just when they were about to uncover the truth, that awful Belle poisoned their food.

After they died, Belle took over the Willis family business. She used our family's money to act like some big-time charity queen.

She went online crying, saying my parents died from heartbreak because I killed someone and ran off.

[Even though Mom and Dad loved my sister more when they were alive, I'll do my best to carry on the Willis family legacy. I'll make the Willis Group stronger than ever. I won't waste everything they worked so hard for.]

People online felt bad for her and trashed me and my parents.

And Belle? They called her a sweet angel who dedicated herself to charity.

Suddenly, there was a loud splash—someone had fallen into the lake. The noise scared the birds out of the trees.

I didn't move. I kept my phone steady, still recording.