Chapter 1
I was the real heiress who got switched at birth.
In my previous life, I was killed in a car crash that was carefully orchestrated.
As my consciousness slipped away, in those last fleeting seconds, I looked through the shattered car window and caught sight of Olivia Lane—the fake heiress who had stolen my life for eighteen years—standing just a short distance away.
It was in that moment that everything finally hit me.
I endured everything and kept silent, just to finally have a taste of the family love I'd missed for so many years.
I took it for granted that my parents and brother always doted on Olivia.
Whenever she framed me, I convinced myself it was just an innocent misunderstanding.
I thought that if I kept compromising and acted mature, one day they'd truly accept me as one of their own.
It turned out that from beginning to end, it was all just a one-sided joke I kept telling myself.
Now, after time-traveling back to the old days, I watched as my real parents showed up at my door.
With guilt written all over their faces, they looked at me and repeated the exact same words as they had in my previous life.
"Jane, we're your parents. We're here to take you home," they said.
Smiling, I slid the account book across the table.
"You wanna claim me as your daughter? Sure, but you'd better settle the bill first," I said.
I added, "Eighteen years of food and school that my adoptive parents covered, and the emotional pain. That adds up to $711,000. Cash or transfer?"
My parents didn't know what to say.
The atmosphere froze in an instant.
Everyone nearby—neighbors and diners alike—gasped in disbelief.
My adoptive parents turned pale as sheets, totally freaked out. My adoptive mom snatched the account book from my hands and started waving her arms in a panic.
"No, Mr. and Mrs. Lane, she's just a kid, talking nonsense! We never wanted any money, not a single cent," my adoptive mom blurted out.
My adoptive dad quickly forced a smile. "Yeah, yeah, Jane's just messing around."
Meanwhile, he kept poking me in the side behind my back, trying to get me to drop it.
But I paid them no mind, just calmly stared at these so-called real parents right in front of me.
Richard Lane's face turned pitch sullen—he was completely caught off guard by the turn of events.
The guilt in Emily Lane's eyes vanished, replaced by nothing but disappointment and scorn.
"Jane, we know life's been tough for you all these years, and you've probably got some resentment," Emily said.
She pulled a bank card out of her Hermès bag and slapped it onto the table, acting all high and mighty.
"There's $150,000 on there. It's your compensation. The PIN's your birthday," she announced.
"Enough with these childish tricks. Quit it and come home with us—don't make things awkward for your adoptive parents," Emily added impatiently.
Her words oozed with charity, like she was doing me a big favor.
It was as if everything I'd just done was nothing but a clumsy stunt put on by some broke girl desperate for money and attention.
Back in my previous life, she settled the eighteen years my adoptive parents raised me with that same card—like all their love was something she could just pay off.
And me? I was dumb enough to accept it, practically moved to tears by her 'generosity'.
I stared at the card and couldn't help but give a dry chuckle.
I pushed it right back across the table to her, not even hesitating.
"Mrs. Lane, you've got it all wrong," I said.
"First off, my life's never been miserable. My parents love me, and sure, we might not have a lot of money, but we're genuinely happy together," I said.
"Second, this isn't some handout—it's a trade. If you want to claim me as your daughter, there's a price tag. No one gets a free lunch," I continued.
"And third, if you think $711,000 is too steep, that's cool with me," I said.
Every word clear as day, I said, "You don't have to take me back. No one's forcing you."
"I've made it through eighteen years just fine without you, so I definitely don't need parents like you now," I finished, voice steady and cold.
My words hit Richard and Emily like a hard slap in the face—sharp, loud, and humiliating.
They probably never imagined all that wealth and status they loved to flaunt was worthless to me.
Richard's lips quivered with fury as he pointed at me, barely able to get the words out. "You...You're absolutely unreasonable!"
Just as the tension in the air hit its peak, a girl in a white dress slipped out of the Bentley.
It was Olivia.
Her face was ghostly pale, her eyes rimmed with red from crying, and with trembling steps she edged closer to Emily, practically clinging to her side for comfort.
"Dad, Mom, please don't make things hard for Jane," Olivia said.
Her tone was so syrupy sweet that it could practically drip with innocence and wounded kindness.
"It's all my fault. If it weren't for me, Jane would never have had to go through so much," she whispered.
"It's only fair for Jane to feel upset. We really should try to be more understanding," she added softly.
As she spoke, Olivia edged over to my little food stall, watching me with a nervous, almost too-careful gaze, like she was afraid to even breathe wrong.
"Jane, I'm Olivia. I get it if you can't stand me right now, but... honestly, I'm super happy to have you back," Olivia said.
"From now on, Mom and Dad's love—I'll split it with you, no, I'll give you all of it! I'll be the best sister ever, and we'll be a real family, okay?" she continued.
She put on such a heartfelt performance, and the neighbors all fell for it—their eyes were full of sympathy and admiration for her.
They might be thinking that this was the kind of daughter a wealthy family should have—kind, gracious, the very picture of sweetness.
Then there was me—petty, cold-hearted, looking like all I cared about was chasing them down for what they owed.
In my previous, I fell for her helpless little act—actually believed she was just an innocent, kind-hearted sister.
But now? The sight of her honestly disgusts me.
I snatched up the spatula and banged it hard against the griddle.
Hot oil went flying in every direction.
Olivia flinched, instinctively stepping away.
I gave her a cold, emotionless smile.
I said, "You're worried I'll come back and take everything that was supposed to be mine—your fiancé, your inheritance, all that you have now. So you put on this sweet sister act, just to see how far I'll let you go, huh?"
Olivia's face went ghostly pale in an instant.
I grabbed the menu and smacked it down right in front of her.
"Drop the act—just watching you fake it is exhausting," I said.
"Wanna eat something? Order for yourself. If not, then get out," I added without the slightest patience.
"Don't mess with my work," I finished.