Chapter 1

After losing a game of Truth or Dare, Victoria Summers pointed at the cliffside railing, giggling as she gave me my dare. "Madeline, your dare is to jump off and see if Mom and Dad would even cry for you."

I stared at the loose railing, my face turning pale. "It's unstable. I could actually die."

My brother, Charles Lane, just sneered. He shoved me toward the edge and lifted his phone. "Cut the act, Madeline. Victoria already had someone put cushions down there. You won't die from a fall like this. She's just joking. Stop acting like a victim."

"Come on, don't ruin the mood. Let the viewers see how far you'll go for attention," he added.

Their laughter rang in my ears. Then suddenly, the ground beneath me gave way.

As I fell, I caught the vicious look in Victoria's eyes. For a split second, Charles looked panicked, but it quickly faded back into that same cold, dismissive expression.

The wind roared past me as I was caught by a dead tree jutting out from the cliffside. Blood quickly spread across my white dress.

Charles' voice came from above. "Madeline, that's enough. Is hiding down there really that fun? You scared Victoria so much that she's crying. Get back up here and apologize!"

But I had no strength left. My grip was slipping.

A mechanical voice sounded in my ear.

System: [Survival instinct at zero. Tragic Heroine Scenario expired.]

System: [Shuttle has arrived. Madeline Lane, we are here to take you home.]

My fingers finally gave out. I fell into the darkness below.

Charles, I was not pretending. I was really going to die.

*****

The fall was over in a flash.

The moment I hit the ground, the system shut off the pain. All I heard was the sickening sound of bones breaking, but I didn't feel a thing.

My soul drifted out of my body, hovering in midair. I looked down at my mangled body, sprawled like a broken ragdoll among the rocks. Then I finally remembered the day I first came to this world.

I used to be an ace operative at the Bureau of Temporal Affairs, assigned to the mission to play the tragic heroine in this story world.

The mission was simple. I had to act as the long-lost heiress of the Lane family, go through eighty-one trials after being found, and ultimately win my family over for a perfect reunion.

But I failed.

No matter how well I behaved, no matter how much I endured, the Lane family always favored Victoria Summers, their precious fake daughter.

Victoria didn't have to do anything. Just a few tears, and everyone would drop everything for her. I could hand them my heart, and they would still toss it aside and crush it without a second thought.

Today was my birthday. But for Victoria, it was her turning point.

It was the day I was brought back into the family, and the day she was exposed as the fake heiress, losing her chance to marry into wealth.

But that day, Mom and Dad threw a lavish party for Victoria at the mansion, completely forgetting my birthday.

I brought over the cake I had baked myself, just hoping someone would say "Happy Birthday" to me.

Victoria deliberately bumped into me, knocking the cake out of my hands and smearing cream all over her designer dress.

"Oh, Madeline, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to..." Victoria said, her eyes already red and watery.

Mom, who used to greet me with a warm smile, rushed over and slapped me hard across the face.

"Madeline! Did you do that on purpose? That's Victoria's favorite dress! We've already given you enough. What more do you want? I know you're jealous of her, but you don't have to stoop so low!" she snapped.

Dad frowned, disappointment written all over his face. "I thought bringing you home would help you improve, but you're still just as disgraceful as ever."

Charles didn't hesitate. He dumped the rest of the cake right onto my head. "Since you love cake so much, eat as much as you want. Just stop bothering Victoria," he sneered.

With cream smeared all over my hair and face, I watched as the three of them gathered around Victoria, fussing over her like a perfect family.

At that moment, I heard the system's voice announce that my mission had failed.

System: [Target favorability continues to drop. Mission failed.]

System: [Operative may choose to exit the world immediately.]

I chose to stay, just so I could say goodbye properly.

So I cleaned up, changed into a white dress, and followed them to the hillside villa.

They were still my family by blood. Maybe, just maybe, I could give it one last try.

If even one of them reached out to save me when I was pushed toward the edge... I'd cancel my exit and stay.

Sadly, not a single one did.

Charles didn't hesitate for even a second. He shoved me.

Victoria laughed without restraint.

Even my fiancé, Trent Knox, stood off to the side, watching coldly as he played with a lighter in his hand. He muttered, "Madeline's the type who needs to be taught a lesson."

That was the last thing I ever heard him say.

Now, I was really dead. But I wasn't gone yet.

The system said that since I died an unnatural death, it would need a few days to process everything.

For the next few days, I'd just be a ghost, watching as the world went on without me.

I floated back up to the top of the cliff.

Charles stood there with his phone, yelling into the darkness below, "Madeline, it's been five minutes. I'm running out of patience. If you don't come up soon, you can enjoy spending the night down there."

Victoria clung to Charles, trembling slightly. "Charles, did something really happen to Madeline? I think I heard a branch snap..."

Charles rolled his eyes. He smirked and put his phone away. "Don't fall for her tricks. It's all trees and cushions down there. Nothing's going to happen. She's just trying to make us feel sorry for her so we'll do what she wants," he scoffed.

"Let's head back and grab a drink. Just leave her. When she gets cold and hungry, she'll come back on her own."

The group left the cliff in high spirits, not caring in the slightest.

Only the broken railing remained, whistling softly in the night wind.