Chapter 1

In my previous life, on the day of the SAT, I was late for the exam because I stopped to help William Goodman, who had fallen on the side of the road. As a result, I missed my chance to take the test.

But I never expected that William was actually the richest man in the state.

To repay me for saving his life, William adopted me as his daughter and named me as one of his heirs in his will. I went from rags to riches overnight, becoming a wealthy heiress.

Meanwhile, my sister Hannah Smith made it to the exam on time but didn't do well because she was distracted. She ended up failing and had no choice but to work in a factory.

She was so crazed with jealousy that, on the day I inherited billions, she shoved me off a high-rise. I hit the ground and died instantly.

When I opened my eyes again and saw Hannah rushing straight toward William, I realized she'd come back to life as well.

But what she didn't know was that saving William was the easy part.

Becoming his adopted daughter and earning a place in his will? That was not something anyone could pull off.

*****

The moment I opened my eyes again, I realized I was back on the day of the SAT.

Before I could react, I saw Hannah rushing straight toward William, who had fallen.

I took my time walking over.

Hannah shot me a smug look and said, "Summer, this time, the heiress title is mine for sure."

I chuckled, not bothered at all. I said, "Alright, I'm off to the exam. Make sure you don't miss it."

Hannah paused, clearly didn't expect me to back off so easily.

Before I went into the exam room, I even called an ambulance.

Hannah looked totally lost. Thinking I was trying to mess with her, she yelled at me, "You really think getting into a good college matters? The inheritance I'll get is more money than you could ever make in your whole life!"

I waved her away without even looking back. I said, "Good luck."

In my previous life, I'd been through this before.

Back then, I didn't even think twice. I stuck around and took William to the hospital.

Hannah stood off to the side, tossing out a sarcastic comment, "You're messing up your own future for an old man. Are you being nice, or are you totally clueless?"

But like something out of a TV drama, by some crazy twist of fate, I was adopted by William, a billionaire, named in his will, and handed a fortune.

But being a rich heiress wasn't as glamorous as it sounded. It was way tougher than anyone would ever guess.

William, the richest guy in the state, had four kids, and each one was a big shot in their own industry.

With their privileged upbringing, they could do it all: music, chess, calligraphy, painting, you name it.

They were always plotting against each other, all hungry for William's inheritance.

From the moment they saw me, I became the enemy everyone wanted gone.

To them, I was nothing but a clueless country girl dreaming she could suddenly rise above her station and turn into a socialite.

They never missed a chance to make my life hell, and tried to frame me more than once.

Honestly, making it all the way to the day I inherited the fortune felt like a miracle.

But all Hannah ever saw was the glamorous facade, never the struggle behind it.

This time, when I watched Hannah rush toward William, I couldn't help but feel relieved.

With my head held high, I strode into the exam room, ready to embrace the life I truly wanted.

*****

A week later, William showed up at our place to chat with my parents about making Hannah his adopted daughter.

Seizing her chance while William and my folks were busy talking, Hannah sidled up to me with a smug grin. She taunted, "Sorry, Summer, but I guess it's your turn to end up working in a factory."

I gave her shoulder a gentle pat and said, "Take care." Then I went back to my room.

Hannah, itching to rub it in, nearly exploded when she saw how unfazed I was. She gritted her teeth and stomped her foot in pure frustration.

What she didn't realize was that I was nothing like her. With my grades, getting into one of the top schools nationwide was a breeze. As long as I put in the work, hitting a six-figure salary was only a matter of time.

I knew all too well that Hannah, always scheming, trying to worm her way into the Goodman family was like a lamb walking straight into a wolf's den.

Hannah would need to figure out how to stay alive before she could even dream about that inheritance.