Chapter 2
Olivia's tears streamed down like a string of pearls breaking loose, her face a picture of helplessness.
She looked at me with such pleading eyes that people would think I was the real villain here.
"Jane, I... I didn't..." Olivia choked out, her voice trembling as she looked desperately to Richard and Emily for help.
Emily wrapped Olivia in a protective hug, shooting me an angry glare.
"Jane, that's enough. Olivia was only trying to be nice and get closer to you, and this is the attitude you give her? You seriously have no manners," she scolded.
I almost burst out laughing.
Manners?
Back in my previous life, they took me in.
They forced me to learn those etiquette lessons I hated, stuffed me into dresses I couldn't stand, and turned every part of my life upside down.
And if I did the slightest thing differently from what they wanted, they'd say, "See? She's just too wild from being out there. Not even a trace of a proper young lady in her."
To them, all that talk about 'manners' was nothing more than a tool to control me.
"My manners? They're just what my parents taught me: you treat me with respect, and I'll show you even greater respect. But if anyone tries to mess with me, don't blame me for fighting back," I shot back coldly.
The whole family reunion spectacle ended in an awkward mess as Richard, flushed with anger, led everyone away in a huff.
They left in a hurry, Olivia still sobbing pitifully in Emily's arms, the whole scene dripping with embarrassment.
I thought they'd finally leave us alone, but I seriously underestimated just how controlling they could be.
The very next day, my adoptive dad's supervisor called him in and, after beating around the bush, broke the news.
Because of some so-called 'business restructuring', he'd have to go on unpaid leave for a while.
Then my adoptive mom was let go from the supermarket as well—the excuse was they had 'too many employees'.
And then, suddenly, someone reported our family's food stall for supposed health code violations, so we were forced to close for a 'thorough inspection'.
Overnight, every way my family made a living was suddenly wiped out.
My adoptive parents were frantic, not knowing what to do.
That night, we sat as a family in the chilly, silent living room. My adoptive dad let out a long sigh and slid a bank card across the table toward me.
"Jane, your parents had someone send this over. There's $150,000 on it," he said.
His gaze was troubled. "They said... as long as you agree to transfer to Elite High School, everything can go back to how it was."
Elite High School was the most fancy school in town—the one Olivia and her older brother Samuel Lane both attended.
I stared at the card, my heart turning to ice.
See? Classic move—that was exactly how they operated.
They never once thought my wishes mattered. Instead, they forced their self-righteous 'good intentions' on me and tried to orchestrate my entire life.
They really believed that by cutting off every path we had, I'd just obediently return to them.
Just so I could be their obedient daughter, a meek little songbird trapped in their gilded cage.
That was exactly how they operated in my previous life.
To give me a shot at a better future, my adoptive parents ended up crying their eyes out as they watched me climb into the Lane family's car.
But this time, I wasn't about to let them win.
I pushed the card back across the table toward both of them.
"Dad, Mom, don't worry," I said.
I looked at their faces etched with worry, my heart aching, but I kept my tone firm.
I said, "If we lose our jobs, we'll find new ones. If the food stall closes, we'll move somewhere else and make a comeback. But if you lose me as your daughter, that's something you can never get back.
"I don't want to transfer to that Elite High School, and I sure as hell won't be going back to the Lane family. All I want is to be here with you both."
My adoptive mom's tears spilled over instantly. She wrapped her arms around me, crying so hard that she couldn't say a single word.
My adoptive dad's eyes were rimmed with tears as well, and he brought his fist down hard on the table.
He said, "Alright. We're not going. Who cares about those wealthy families? They're nothing special to us. Worst case, I'll go break my back at a construction site. As long as I'm standing, you two will never go hungry."
Seeing them standing up for me, I felt a rush of warmth fill my chest.
Parents liked these—the real treasure I'd had in both my lives.
I knew perfectly well that this was far from over.
Just trying to ignore them wouldn't change a thing.
If I wanted things to change, I had to make the first move.
The next morning, dressed in my well-worn school uniform and backpack slung over my shoulder, I stepped boldly through the gates of Elite High School.