Chapter 1
My brother, studying for his SATs, was accidentally shot and bleeding heavily.
Yet I walked past, ignoring him completely, and quickened my pace as I left.
Because in my previous life, after I saw this happen, I had rushed him to the hospital.
Kai’s head injury caused internal bleeding. He needed emergency surgery.
I immediately called Mom–Dr. Victoria Hayes, the city’s top neurosurgeon–begging her to get to the hospital quickly
But she thought I was jealous that she’d taken her foster daughter to the beach instead of me, that I was making up the story about Kai being hurt, and she refused to come back.
In the end, by the time Dad and the family arrived at the hospital, Kai had died from failed resuscitation efforts.
The whole family blamed Kai’s death on me, believing I had deliberately misled Mom and delayed his optimal treatment time.
Mom returned from out of town emotionally devastated, pushed me down the stairs, and watched me bleed to death
When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day Kai was shot at the library.
I stood at the library entrance for a few seconds, that blinding red exploding before my eyes.
Just like in my previous life when Mom pushed me down the stairs–the blood that poured from my head when it hit the ground.
Countless images flashed through my mind.
The chaos in the hospital corridor, Mom’s cold stare, Dad’s furious shouting, and that desperate weightlessness as I fell down the stairs.
I spun around and ran like hell in the opposite direction.
I flagged down a taxi and jumped in.
Sitting in the back seat, my body wouldn’t stop shaking.
Belle’s parents died in an earthquake saving my brother, leaving Belle an orphan.
My parents felt they owed them everything, so they brought Belle home.
From then on, Belle became the family princess, while I became the extra one, the eyesore.
No matter what I did or said, in their eyes I was always wrong.
In my previous life, I desperately explained that I was trying to save my brother, that Mom had misunderstood–they didn’t believe me at all.
They even thought Kai getting shot was part of some vicious scheme I’d orchestrated.
Such an absurd idea, yet they believed it completely.
So this time, I won’t stick my nose where it doesn’t belong.
After all, when Belle had people bully me at school, my brother knew but didn’t give a damn.
I pushed open the front door to hear Dad happily talking to himself.
“These shrimp are huge–Belle’s gonna love them.”
‘I’ll make her some chicken soup when she gets back. She’s gotten so skinny lately, needs to put some meat on her bones.”
It wasn’t until I reached the dining room doorway that Dad looked up and saw me.
The smile vanished from his face instantly, his expression turning stern.
“Nina, I sent you to buy a few crabs–what the hell took you so long?”
“Look what time it is! Where’d you run off to? If they’re not fresh and she gets sick, do you serious that is?”
have any
idea how
Dad tore into me without missing a beat.
I stood in the doorway, still holding the bag of crabs, feeling its weight.
I looked down and said quietly, “Traffic was kinda bad…”
“Traffic? You’re the only person in the whole damn city who hit traffic?”
“Jesus, you’re so sensitive. Say two words to you and you’re all wounded, clamming up like a freaking mute.”
“Nothing like Belle–she’s actually considerate and mature.”
Ever since Belle came to our house, this crap never stopped.
Every single thing I did, every emotion I showed, got compared to Belle, always ending with me coming up short.
I looked up at him. Dad’s face showed obvious disappointment.
I gripped the bag tighter, my nails digging deep into my palms.
A sharp ring cut through the air. Dad’s phone on the counter.
“Hello? Oh, Mr. Wilson from the library, hi there…”
His tone was casual, thinking it was some teacher thing about Belle.
“What? Shot? The library? Kai?!”
Dad hung up. “Your brother’s had an accident at the library. The teacher says we need to get over there right now.”
I acted like I had no clue, following Dad as we rushed out and sped to Massachusetts General Hospital.
