Chapter 2
Once upon a time, I was the little princess of the Langley family.
Andrew and my three childhood friends loved having me around, always calling me their little sister, their princess. They swore they would always protect me, and if anyone ever tried to mess with me, they would never let them get away with it.
I grew up surrounded by love and care, happy and safe.
But then, three years ago, everything changed in an instant. There was a car crash; Andrew and my three childhood friends were all bleeding, some knocked out cold, and none of them was able to move. Only I, buckled in, escaped with minor injuries.
I stared at the car, fuel spilling everywhere, and flames already starting to rise. I knew something terrible was about to happen.
Sobbing and screaming their names, I dragged them out one by one, but I just couldn't get all of them far enough from the burning wreck.
I looked at Andrew and the childhood friends who had always spoiled and protected me, and with resolve, I climbed into the driver's seat.
Even though I was terrified and shaking all over, I forced myself to drive that nearly totaled car away from them, determined to keep them safe.
By the time I slammed the brakes and stumbled out of the car in a panic, it was already too late to run.
The blast from behind hit me hard, and I was knocked out cold in an instant.
For the next three years, I drifted through a long, endless dream.
I dreamed that my family took in a foster girl who was about my age.
At first, whenever she tried to mess with anything in my room, Andrew would step in, saying those were my things and nobody else could touch them.
My three childhood friends totally ignored her, too. To them, the only little sister in the Langley family was Charlotte, me.
But little by little, everything started to change.
Emily, always acting so timid and helpless, always trying to win their favor, gradually found her way into their hearts.
They went from visiting me in the hospital every week, to once a month, then every few months, and eventually, half a year went by without a single visit.
They were busy taking her out to amusement parks, going to see the northern lights, helping her with homework, and throwing her birthday parties.
In the dream, I woke up three years later.
They showed up late, bringing Emily with them.
Raised and pampered by them since I was little, I saw how they treated Emily at my bedside, and, furious, I told her to leave my hospital room.
But at that moment, nobody seemed to care that I had just woken up. They spoke softly, but all they did was try to persuade me to accept Emily as my sister.
After that, Emily kept framing me for all sorts of things, but they never listened to my side of the story. They just believed her, scolded me for being immature, and were so disappointed in me.
They used to spoil me, protect me, and treat me like I was the most precious thing in the world. But when I stubbornly tried to defend myself after being falsely accused, they looked at me with such disappointment, even disgust.
The last time, I just couldn't take it anymore, I ran out, and ended up getting hit by a car, dying in the most tragic and meaningless way imaginable.
But when I woke up this time, I realized everything was happening exactly as it had in my dream.
They really had brought home a girl named Emily.
When they heard I had woken up, they didn't rush to the hospital in excitement. Instead, they chose to finish celebrating Emily's birthday first.
As soon as they stepped into my hospital room, the focus instantly shifted to her.
I finally understood that the dream had been reality all along.
Maybe that was all from my previous life.
But this time, I was going to take control and change my destiny.
Dad seemed to remember only that I was there, turning to me gently. He said, "Charlotte, is there anywhere you still feel uncomfortable?"
Everyone turned to look at me again.
I glanced at everyone and gave a small smile. I replied, "If I remember right, wasn't I the one who saved Andrew and the three childhood friends three years ago?"