Chapter 1
My crazy-rich parents came and pulled me out of the orphanage.
This girl, Lillian Goodman, ran after our car, begging them to take her along.
And just like that, my parents took her in.
When my parents gave me the deed to a villa, Lillian said, "Wow, Mom and Dad are so good to you. They give you whatever you want. And me... I'm just grateful I'm not starving anymore."
When I was crowned the campus beauty, Lillian sighed, "I'm so jealous. You have all that fancy skincare stuff to put on your face. I just use, like, regular water."
Later, I started hanging out at high-society parties. She went online and posted a teary status: [I guess an adopted girl isn't cut out for their world. They'll never take me seriously.]
Everyone fell for it and felt sorry for her. The whole internet ganged up on me.
I had a total breakdown.
One day, Lillian pushed me off that cliff with a wicked smile. "Everything you had is finally mine," she said. "Too bad I had to get my hands dirty."
But now, I was back.
This time, I decided to play her game and beat her at her own tricks. It was time to fight dirty.
*****
The car just started to pull away.
I saw Lillian chasing us, flat-out ignoring the orphanage director trying to grab her. It hit me then. I was back.
My head was still spinning when I heard my mom gasp, "That little girl is chasing us. Stop the car!"
The car screeched to a halt. My rich parents got me out of the car.
"Charlotte, do you know this girl?" my mom asked me.
"She's from the orphanage," I replied.
A second later, Lillian caught up and just threw herself at my parents' feet.
My parents freaked. They scrambled to pull her up.
They were probably scared someone would film it, post it online, and make up some crazy story.
"Lillian, why were you chasing us? Did we leave something behind?" I put on my best surprised face.
Lillian turned on the waterworks, looking like the most pathetic thing in the world.
She choked out, "N-no, that's not it.
"I... I just saw your parents, and they seemed so nice. Just really... warm.
"I've been alone my whole life. I just wanted to look at you for a little longer, so I... ran."
My mom was a sucker for this kind of crap. Lillian's little sob story totally got to her.
"You poor thing. But you can't just chase a car like that. It's way too dangerous," she said.
Lillian just sobbed even harder. "I just couldn't stand to see you go. I just wanted one more second... I can use this one good memory to get through all the hard times."
And just like that, my parents were both sold.
My mom gently took Lillian's hand and said, "You silly girl. If you want, you can come home with us. We'll love you like our own daughter. And it'll be nice for Charlotte to have a friend."
She didn't even bother asking me.
And she said it like she was doing me a favor.
Lillian nodded, her eyes swimming with tears. "Thank you, ma'am. Charlotte and I are just like sisters. I'm a little older, so I'll take good care of her, just like a real big sister."
I was laughing my ass off on the inside. In my previous life, I actually fell for that crap. I was such an idiot, treating her like she was my real sister.
But really, Lillian just wanted to be me.
She tore me down, bit by bit, with her lies and rumors. And in the end, she pushed me off a cliff.
Right before I died, what was it she said? Oh, right. That everything I had was finally hers. Too bad she had to get her hands dirty.
So pathetic. But this time, Lillian, you served yourself up on a platter. Don't expect me to play nice.