After Rebirth, I Took Back Everything from the Evil Real Heiress

Before I turned eighteen, I was hailed as the brightest jewel of Arden City’s elite.

Then, on the night of my coming-of-age ceremony, my biological father came to claim me.

I thought we would make up for all the lost years.

What awaited me instead was violence, bullying, and even murder.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the very day of that ceremony.

Too bad. This time, I’m not letting anyone take everything from me.

……

“Miss, have we met before?” A man in a cleaner’s uniform blocked my way, his tone tentative, cautious.

When I didn’t answer, he rushed to explain. “Sorry, it’s just… you look so much like my late wife when she was young.”

In my last life, it was because I resembled my birth mother in her youth that this man, working as a temporary hotel laborer, suspected the truth and struck up a conversation.

Those two sentences were more than enough to draw my adoptive mother’s attention.

“It’s okay.” I gave him a gentle smile.

How wonderful… I get to see you again.

And just like in my previous life, that very night, it was confirmed that I was the Hart family’s fake daughter.

Standing on the second-floor balcony, I looked down to where Morgan was surrounded by my biological father and my adoptive parents, all smiles and warmth. I couldn’t stop the cold laugh rising in my chest.

Morgan, the real Hart daughter who’d been lost and raised outside.

She had indeed suffered in the slums, but in the end it only nurtured a vicious, venomous heart.

“Mom, I’ve never lived in such a big house before. I’m so jealous of her,” she murmured, snuggling into Mrs. Hart’s arms, deliberately flicking a glance in my direction.

Mr. and Mrs. Hart, distressed over all she’d endured in the shantytown, naturally didn’t want to keep me around to upset her.

“Selene, you should go with your biological father today,” Mrs. Hart said.

Back then, though I was stunned by how quickly their warmth had turned cold, I still held onto hope for the welcome waiting at the Walsh home.

Who knew that the moment we stepped into that filthy, dilapidated place, the man would pull off his belt and lash me with it?

The room was cluttered with auto repair parts and equipment, so cramped there was nowhere to hide. Just before I blacked out from the pain, I vaguely heard him making a call.

“I’ve already done it. She won’t be able to get out of bed tomorrow. So when are you clearing my gambling debt?”

“Not enough. I raised you for more than ten years—shouldn’t you show a little more damn filial piety?”

Only later did I learn that Dwayne Walsh, my biological father, was a total gambling addict who owed three hundred thousand in loan-shark debt. He’d originally planned to sell Morgan to pay it off. Then he stumbled into this situation and his fortunes rose with it.

Morgan was jealous of everything I had. Taking it all still wasn’t enough—egging Dwayne on to beat me was only the first step.

But since I’ve gotten a second life—

Morgan, this time we’re going to have ourselves a real fight.

“I’m not going.”

I stared at Morgan, filling my eyes with pleading. “I won’t fight you for anything. You can live here, in this house. I just want to stay with Mom and Dad.”

“They’re not your parents anymore,” she said lightly.

I turned to Mrs. Hart, eyes misted red. “Mom, do you really not want me anymore?”

Something like reluctance flickered in Mrs. Hart’s eyes, but as soon as she heard Morgan’s faint sob in her arms, she tightened her hold and steeled herself against me.

“We’ve already done more than enough for you. You should go.”

“I’ll leave… but will the Shaw family really accept a fiancée from the shantytown?” I lowered my head and voice, making myself look timid and guilty.

“That’s enough. It’s not like our Hart family can’t afford an extra pair of chopsticks at the table.” Mr. Hart, who had been silent until now, spoke and settled the matter with a single line.

I hid my smile. Just as I thought—he still cared very much about the alliance with the Shaws.

The younger Shaw son had confessed his feelings for me early on. Under the mutual interests of both families, our engagement had been set tonight at my coming-of-age ceremony.

More than a decade of privilege and resources had turned me into the well-known Selene Hart of high society. That was not something Morgan could replace overnight.

“Uncle Walsh, why are you still here? If it gets too late, there won’t be any buses left.” I acted as if I’d only just noticed the man standing in the living room.

This time, Mr. and Mrs. Hart exchanged a knowing look and said nothing, neither of them correcting the way I addressed him.

“This…” Dwayne glanced awkwardly at Morgan, silently begging for a cue.

“Uncle Walsh, she’s right, you should head back. I’ll visit you when I get the chance,” Morgan chimed in, affectionately hooking her arm through Mrs. Hart’s while waving him off with the other hand.

I curved my lips into a smile and slowly walked toward the window.