“Katie, are you going to admit your mistake or not?” Katie Maddison’s nose and mouth were submerged in water, her throat burning with pain as she choked. As she opened her eyes from the brink of death, she saw her second brother Eddie Maddison standing by the edge of the pool and her fourth brother Clifford Maddison holding Sally Cooper in his arms. A flicker of astonishment flashed through Katie’s eyes—this scene felt so familiar. Wasn’t she already dead? Could it be she had been reborn three years earlier, to the very day Sally was officially adopted by the Maddisons? At that adoption banquet, Sally had deliberately set her up, making it seem as though Katie had intentionally pushed her into the pool. Clifford was the first to find them, but he saved only Sally. Katie, unable to swim, was left struggling helplessly in the water. Eddie had stood by, demanding that she admit her wrongdoing. It was as if he wouldn’t bother saving her unless she confessed. Desperately struggling in the water, Katie had begged for mercy, apologized, and pleaded with her brothers to save her. Only when she was on the verge of death had they finally pull her out. After that, she never dared to cross Sally again, carefully tiptoeing around her brothers to avoid trouble. But what did she get in return? Sally stole her thesis project, and Eddie testified on Sally’s behalf, branding Katie a plagiarist and getting her expelled. When Sally needed a kidney transplant, their third brother Zach Maddison personally took Katie to the operating room to donate her kidney to Sally. When Sally needed international recognition for a competition, Clifford, Norris, and Melvin—her fourth, fifth, and sixth brothers—kicked Katie off the team without hesitation to make room for Sally. Katie had once gathered evidence proving Sally’s plagiarism and forged medical records, taking it to her eldest brother to expose Sally’s lies. But instead of listening, her family had erupted in anger, refusing to even look at the evidence. Her oldest brother, Rowan Maddison, kicked her out, telling her to “think about what you’ve done.” She had wandered the streets penniless, suffering endlessly. As these memories surged back, Katie gave up struggling and let her body sink to the bottom of the pool. She opened her eyes wide, her expression lifeless, as though she had truly died. Even now, watching her brothers surround Sally on the poolside, her heart ached as though pierced by knives. How laughable. Her own brothers valued a stranger more than her. Eddie had been watching Sally intently, but when the sounds of Katie’s struggling ceased, he finally turned his head toward the pool. Katie had sunk to the bottom. Eddie’s face went pale in an instant. “Katie!” With a loud splash, Eddie jumped into the water without hesitation. Seeing Katie sink, Sally felt a flicker of delight flash in her eyes. Katie dying would be ideal. Feigning weakness, Sally tugged at Clifford’s sleeve and said softly, “Clifford, I want to help save Katie too. It’s my fault she fell into the water.” Clifford, already concerned, immediately began reassuring Sally. “Don’t be ridiculous. Eddie can handle it. Katie brought this on herself, and she won’t die.” Turning his head back toward the pool, Clifford’s expression grew more complicated. Underwater, Katie looked at Eddie swimming toward her, his worried expression seemingly genuine. But just moments ago, it had been Eddie coldly forcing her to admit her mistake, watching her struggle indifferently. This time, she didn’t need him to save her. A trace of mockery appeared in Katie’s eyes as she turned and swam to the surface on her own. In her previous life, after the near-drowning incident, Eddie had forced her to learn to swim from Sally. Although the event traumatized her, she pushed through her fear to satisfy Eddie, eventually mastering swimming. Yet, in the end, Eddie only praised Sally for being brave and overcoming her fear. No one cared about her trauma, the lingering effects of being left to struggle in the water for that extra minute. All Eddie could see was Sally. “Katie, what’s with this act? Do you think pretending to drown will erase the mistake you just made?” Eddie blocked her path, a faint frown on his face. Katie seemed different somehow. Since when had she learned to swim? Katie looked up at Eddie. She had once liked him the most. Her eldest brother Rowan had always been too strict, but Eddie had been kinder and closer to her. Yet now, Eddie’s eyes were filled only with disgust and impatience. Sally’s soft voice broke in, “Eddie, this isn’t Katie’s fault. I know she’s never liked me being part of the Maddisons. I was too greedy, thinking I could have a family. Please don’t argue because of me. You’re all so important to me.” Clifford glared at Katie. “Are you happy now? If her father hadn’t died saving you, Sally wouldn’t be an orphan. Maybe he shouldn’t have saved you back then—you’re nothing but an ungrateful wretch! You should’ve died!” Eddie frowned. “Katie, you need to have a conscience. Sally is family now. This is what we Maddisons owe her, and it’s what you owe her. Do you understand?” “Eddie, she’s heartless. She’ll never understand. If she did, she wouldn’t have pushed Sally into the water. Back then, even saving a dog would have been better than saving her!” Katie felt like she was standing in a desolate wasteland, her entire body frozen to the core. If she had the choice, she’d rather have not been saved that day. Swallowing the fiery pain in her lungs, she spoke in a hoarse voice, “It is my fault. It won’t happen again.” Because she would never make such a foolish mistake again. If they loved Sally so much, she would step aside. “Katie, so you did do it on purpose? Do you realize Sally can’t swim? Someone could’ve died!” Eddie’s disappointment was palpable. He had thought it was just an accident, but now it seemed Katie had intentionally tried to harm Sally. He couldn’t believe that. When the family doctor arrived, Clifford turned to Katie with fury. “You’d better pray Sally is okay. Otherwise, you’ll pay the price when Rowan gets back.” Eddie started to follow the others but stopped briefly to look back at Katie, who stood there soaked to the skin, her pale face like a ghost’s. His heart softened slightly. “Go back to your room and change. The banquet is about to start,” he said. Katie didn’t respond. Soon, she was left standing alone. Only after everyone had left did she bend over, coughing violently as though trying to expel her lungs. Swallowing the metallic taste of blood in her throat, she propped herself up and returned to her room. Lying in the bathtub, she thought of how, in her previous life, she had became twisted after being cast out onto the streets. She had even tried to kill Sally. But she had failed. Her eldest brother Rowan had locked her in a mental institution, where the caretakers Sally had hired tortured her to death. Katie covered her face and laughed bitterly, her voice chilling. Well, Sally’s scheme was just perfect. When she opened her eyes again, they were cold and emotionless. Katie changed into fresh clothes and looked around the unfamiliar bedroom. In her past life, this room had eventually been given to Sally, while she was relegated to Sally’s small, cramped room. Her gaze landed on the family portrait on the desk. A young couple held a baby in their arms, six young boys standing beside them. Her heart clenched. Her parents had died in a car accident not long after she was born. The driver had rescued her first, but when he returned for her parents, the fuel tank had exploded, killing all three of them. Sally was the driver’s only child, born frail and sickly. After the accident, her eldest brother brought Sally into the Maddison household to be raised alongside Katie. From then on, everything had changed. Her once-loving brothers now favored Sally over her. “Katie, Sally’s health is not so well, so I’ve hired a chef to make her special meals. Make sure she eats properly.” “Katie, Sally wants to learn painting too. You’ve already learned enough—let her have the teacher.” “Katie, step down from this competition and let Sally represent the school. She’s been preparing for a long time.” “Katie, Sally’s scores are too low. Enroll in the same university as her so you can look after her in the future.” … Katie clutched her head, her heart aching with a thousand needles. She took shallow breaths, forcing the pain down. This time, she vowed never to have anything to do with the Maddisons again. Packing her belongings, Katie gathered her things. Before long, a house staff knocked on the door. “Ms. Katie, the banquet has started. Mr. Eddie asked you to change and head downstairs.” “I got it,” Katie replied. Opening the door, she headed straight for the bustling party outside. The house staff stared in shock, mumbling, “What on earth is she wearing? Has she lost her mind from being upset?” Outside at the banquet. Sally was the picture of innocence in a flowing white dress, her dark hair loose around her shoulders. Eddie and Clifford stood by her side, their expressions warm and indulgent as they looked at Sally. The scene was picture-perfect and heartwarming. Eddie couldn’t help but think of Katie. If only she could be this well-behaved and sensible. In recent years, Katie had grown more and more unruly and arrogant.