My sister, Vanessa, fell for New York’s most notorious heir, Damian Ellison, at first sight.

To create an opportunity, she was willing to do anything—even drug him at a gala.

Not only did I not stop her, I was the one who delivered the tainted champagne to him.

I even booked a luxury suite for them, a thoughtful touch.

In my past life, when I saw her preparing the drug, I had tried to talk her out of it. The Ellison family’s influence stretched across both high society and the murky underworld; they weren't people we could afford to cross.

That night, Damian found another woman to quench the fire in his veins. The next day, he announced their engagement.

Vanessa said nothing at the time, but on the drive home, she shoved me off a highway overpass.

I died instantly, crushed to a pulp by a speeding semi-truck.

Before I fell, she screamed at me, accusing me of ruining her one chance to marry into a dynasty.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back at the gala.

This time, I was morbidly curious to see just how deep a grave she could dig for herself.

1

I watched as Damian Ellison drained the glass of champagne. From across the ballroom, a calculating glint flashed in my sister's eyes.

Two minutes later, the drug hit him.

An unnatural flush crept up his neck and onto his chiseled face. His personal security team immediately materialized at his side, flanking him as they guided him upstairs.

I gave Vanessa a subtle 'OK' sign and slipped the keycard into her hand.

I was about to melt into the crowd and disappear, but she grabbed my arm, her fingers digging into my skin like claws.

"Don't think I don't know what you're plotting," she hissed, her voice low and menacing. "You're not going anywhere until this is done!"

"Stay by the door and keep watch. If any of Mr. Ellison's men show up, you know what to say and what not to say."

She expected me to protest, to try and reason with her like I had before. But this time, I simply pried her fingers off my arm. I glanced at the bodyguards who had already clocked her presence from afar and offered a placid smile.

"Of course, Vanessa. You're my sister. Who else would I help?" I said sweetly. "Just don't forget your dear little sister when you're Mrs. Ellison."

In our last life, she was convinced I had sabotaged her shot at wealth and left me for dead. This time, I wouldn't just stand by; I would give her a helping hand.

Let’s see how spectacular the fallout would be.

Vanessa didn't overthink it. She just lifted her chin, smug. "Glad you know your place. Once I'm married into the Ellison family, I'll find you a position as a driver or a secretary. It’ll be enough to keep you comfortable for life."

Her eyes narrowed. "Now get up there and keep your mouth shut. If anyone asks, you're a hotel staff member waiting for Mr. Ellison's orders. Dare to screw this up for me, and you know what will happen."

She shot me a venomous look, grabbed my wrist, and dragged me upstairs with her.

The bodyguards stood like statues outside the suite. Vanessa used the excuse of delivering fresh water to get inside.

A moment later, I heard the heavy thud of something—or someone—hitting the floor.

I hid at the end of the long, opulent hallway, keeping a close watch on the room.

It wasn't long before the door opened again. Vanessa was unconscious, being dragged out.

Five bodyguards, lecherous grins spreading across their faces, pulled her into the room next door.

Seeing this, a wave of relief washed over me. I dusted off my hands, ready to leave.

But in the next second, a blunt force struck the back of my head.

My world went black.

When I came to, my limbs were bound to the bedposts with silk ribbons.

Hovering over me was the sweat-drenched face of Damian Ellison.

My eyes widened, and I opened my mouth to scream.

His lips crashed down on mine, silencing me.

"Don't think I didn't know there was something wrong with that drink," he growled against my mouth, his voice a low rumble. "You delivered it. You can deal with the consequences…"

My screams were swallowed by breathless gasps.

I fought against him, but the struggle drained every ounce of my strength. I have no idea what kind of drug Vanessa had gotten her hands on, but Damian was a man possessed, relentless until the first light of dawn broke through the windows.

My body ached with a deep, throbbing pain. As soon as he fell into a deep sleep, I managed to untie the ribbons and scramble into my clothes.

Damian Ellison had a reputation for being ruthless. I wasn't an idiot like Vanessa; I wasn't going to wait around for his revenge.

After wiping away every trace of my presence in the room, I fled.

On my way out, I glanced at the door to the room where they'd taken Vanessa. It was cracked open.

The clothes of five different men were strewn across the floor. She was lying on the bed, dead to the world.

I didn't make a sound. I just turned and walked away.

The moment I got home, Mom and Dad rushed to the door. When they saw I was alone, their faces fell.

"Chloe, where's your sister? Why are you back by yourself?"

I remembered how, in my past life, this family had blamed me for ruining Vanessa’s chance, how they hadn't even bothered to claim my body from the morgue. My expression hardened.

"Maybe the dose was too strong," I said flatly. "Mr. Ellison must still be busy."

My mother's furious expression instantly blossomed into a wide, greedy smile. "I knew it! I knew Vanessa had what it takes! Not like some people, completely useless. Twenty years we've raised you, and you're still just a money pit!"

My father didn't even look at me. He was already urging Mom to go brew some herbal tonic, convinced it would guarantee Vanessa would bear a son.

I couldn't be bothered to argue. I sank onto the sofa, exhausted.

Just as the tonic began to simmer on the stove, the front door opened. It was Vanessa.

She was walking with a pronounced limp, her neck covered in a constellation of angry purple bruises. She clearly had no idea who she’d really spent the night with. The moment she saw me, she launched into a tirade right in front of our parents, listing my supposed crimes.

She accused me of abandoning my post as a lookout and of not even thinking to buy her a morning-after pill.

That was all Mom needed to hear.

Her hand cracked across my face. "I knew you were useless!" she shrieked. "You worthless thing! Why did I ever raise a daughter like you!"

"Your sister finally gets a golden opportunity, and you don't just refuse to help, you sneak back home alone! You wouldn't know how to catch money if it fell from the sky! You're destined to be a broke wage slave your whole life!"

I cupped my stinging cheek, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. "At least when I work, I earn my money honestly. I could never bring myself to sell my body like that."

My father flew into a rage. He grabbed the heavy glass ashtray from the coffee table and hurled it at my head.

Blood instantly soaked the collar of my shirt.

He didn't even seem to notice, his voice booming with fury. "Work, work, that's all you know! If we had to rely on your pathetic salary, your mother and I would be dead and buried before we ever saw a day of comfort!"

"You've got no ambition, and you dare criticize your sister? Look at yourself! You're completely useless!"

"I should've just sold you off years ago! Would've saved me the damn headache!"

"Marrying some broke guy for a few thousand bucks? What do you take me for, a charity?"

I pressed a tissue to the gash on my forehead, but the bleeding wouldn't stop. The last shred of hope I had for this family shattered.

"I am your daughter!" I shot back, my voice trembling with rage. "Not a piece of pork on display at the butcher's shop! If you're so desperate to have your daughter sell herself, why don't you just open a brothel?"

"Every cent I earn is my own. What's wrong with making a living on my own terms?"

"If you despise me so much, why did you even have me?"

A flicker of panic crossed both of their faces. Before they could erupt again, Vanessa spoke up, her voice dripping with triumph.

"Just ignore her. Once I have this baby and marry into the Ellison family, she'll come crawling back to me on her knees, begging."

With that, my parents forgot all about me. They crowded around Vanessa, eagerly asking for every detail of the previous night.

Vanessa put on a shy, demure act. "You have no idea. Damian Ellison is nothing like the rumors say. He's not cold at all. He kept me up all night… I'm still so sore."

"He was gone when I woke up, though. He just left a credit card on the nightstand."

"After all that? I'm definitely pregnant. The position of Mrs. Ellison is as good as mine!"

My parents roared with laughter, already picturing themselves hobnobbing with New York's elite. They had no concept of what the Ellison family truly represented, what power their name held.

Trying to trap Damian Ellison? They'd be lucky to know how they died when the time came.

My first priority was to cut ties with them, and fast.

They were now treating Vanessa like a queen, praising her for being so ambitious and clever. They plied her with tonics and supplements, as if they could will a baby into existence right then and there.

I took the opportunity to sneer at their blatant greed.

As expected, they were instantly enraged.

My father kicked me off the sofa. He stormed over to the desk, pulled out the family register, ripped my page out of it, and threw it at my face.

"Get out! Get out right now! I have no daughter as pathetic as you!"

My mother stared at me with pure disgust.

Vanessa, rubbing her sore legs, smirked. "I was going to offer you a job as a secretary so you could have a taste of the good life. But since you love working so much, you can move out. Just don't come crying to me when you get fired."

My mission was accomplished. I smiled as I picked my page up from the floor.

"One day, you'll understand that the Ellisons are not as simple as they seem."

"You dared to scheme against Damian Ellison. When the time comes, we'll see who's on their knees, begging."

I spent the night in a cheap hotel, buying antiseptic wipes and bandages from a pharmacy to clean the wound on my head.

The next day at work, the office was buzzing with gossip.

"Did you hear? Someone drugged Mr. Ellison last night! Slept with him and then vanished. He's been tearing the city apart looking for her!"

"Is this person insane? You don't mess with Damian Ellison! The last person who tried something like that has been pushing up daisies for years!"

"Doesn't he have a marriage arrangement with the Caldwell family? Their daughter went missing years ago, but the engagement was never officially called off."

As they spoke, my boss, Leo Caldwell, appeared behind us.

"Do you all have nothing better to do?" he asked, his voice cold as ice. "Is your work finished? Gossiping about Mr. Ellison… are you trying to get yourselves blacklisted?"

My colleagues scattered like mice.

Leo's gaze fell on me, and he studied me for a long moment, a faint, unreadable smile playing on his lips. He and Damian had grown up together; their families were old allies, their bond unbreakable. Leo's own ruthless efficiency in the business world was a clear reflection of the kind of man Damian was.

Vanessa was doomed.

Remembering what my coworkers had said, I went back to my desk and immediately typed up my resignation letter.

I couldn't fight him, but I could run.

My boss approved my resignation without asking a single question.

Terrified of being found by Damian, I rented a small, anonymous apartment and holed up for a week before daring to go outside.

Vanessa did the opposite. She spent her days loitering around the Ellison Corporation headquarters, practically begging for Damian to recognize her as the woman from that night.

But Damian's security detail passed her countless times without giving her a second glance.

Finally, Vanessa got desperate.

She created a public social media account and started posting, each update vaguely alluding to the gala. After ten posts with no response, she took a picture of the black credit card he'd left and posted it online with the caption: "Found this. Does it belong to anyone?"

This time, she got a bite.

Damian Ellison himself replied to her post: "That's mine. Could you please provide your contact information? I'd be grateful to retrieve it in person."

His comment detonated online.

Screenshots went viral, hitting the top of every trending list. The internet interpreted the famously cold CEO's rare moment of politeness as a spark of romance. Speculation ran wild that this "good Samaritan" who found his card was about to become the city's newest Cinderella.

Eagle-eyed netizens quickly tracked down Vanessa's address from her other posts and connected her to the woman who drugged Damian that night.

Before Damian could even show up, opportunists were already knocking on our parents' door.

A talent scout offered Vanessa a contract, praising her "pure and innocent" look and promising stardom. Businessmen hoping to curry favor with the Ellisons invited her to lavish dinners, begging her to put in a good word for them with Damian.

The rumors swirled, with many placing bets that Damian would finally break his long-standing engagement with the Caldwell family.

In a single day, Vanessa gained ten million followers and became an overnight internet celebrity.

At the height of the frenzy, she coyly posted a message asking everyone to please stop spreading rumors, cementing her image as a demure and reluctant star. This only fueled the fire, and the gossip spread even more wildly.

I couldn't wait any longer. I rushed to City Hall and officially had my name and records removed from my family's household.

When I went back that evening to pack my things, my parents were practically floating on air. They were glued to their phones, cackling at the online comments, already seeing themselves as part of the Ellison dynasty.

I said nothing and started to head to my room to pack.

My mother let out a disdainful snort. "Can't even recognize good fortune when it's handed to you. Destined to be a poor workhorse for the rest of your life. What a waste."

My father sighed dramatically. "If you had just half of your sister's drive, we'd be living next door to the Ellisons by now!"

Vanessa emerged from her room, a thousand-dollar facial mask plastered to her face. She sauntered over to me, her voice dripping with condescension.

"I bet you haven't heard. Mr. Ellison already messaged me. He wants to meet."

"He must have figured out I was the one who helped him that night. He's not even mad. He was probably interested in me all along!"

"And I just took a test. Two pink lines."

"You can still start sucking up to me now, you know."

"You are my sister, after all. Once I'm married, I suppose I could find a spot for you as one of the maids. It wouldn't be too difficult."

Hearing "two pink lines," my heart stopped. I subconsciously placed a hand over my own stomach.

"You're the one who started all these rumors, aren't you?" I said, my voice low. "Do you have any idea how ruthless the Ellison Corporation's legal team is? You're not helping Mom and Dad. You're dragging the entire family down with you."

As if on cue, my mother saw it on her phone. The Ellison Corporation had issued a formal statement, clarifying that they would pursue legal action against anyone spreading malicious rumors.

The comment sections that had been buzzing with excitement moments before were suddenly shut down. All of Vanessa's posts were taken down by the platform, and her account was suspended.

Panic finally flickered in her eyes.

Still trying to play it cool, she opened her chat with Damian but hesitated, not knowing what to say. Just as our parents crowded around her, frantic, a new message from him came through.

"I'm sending someone to pick you up. Be downstairs in five minutes."

The corner of Vanessa's mouth, which had been drooping, curled back up into a triumphant smirk. She waved the phone in my face.

"See? The Ellisons are a huge corporation, of course they have to be discreet. My husband is just eager to explain everything to me in person."

"With your timid, pathetic attitude, you're not even worthy of polishing my shoes! Get out of my way!"

She shoved me aside and swept into her bedroom to change.

My parents immediately turned on me.

"You don't have your sister's talent, yet you still try to bring her down! What good are you to us?"

"If you're going to leave, then leave now! Don't stand here being an eyesore!"

My mother was so excited she had tears in her eyes. "This gamble was the right move! We might be moving into a mansion tonight!"

My father laughed, holding up the positive pregnancy test like a trophy. "I never would have dared to dream this big! The Ellisons! We're going to be high society!"

"Honey, quick, what do you think? Should I wear this suit to the wedding? I don't want to embarrass our daughter."

"And what should we get the baby when he's born? We can't let our in-laws look down on us!"

Watching their ecstatic performance, I silently went to my room and packed my suitcase.

When I left the apartment, I trailed a short distance behind them.

Downstairs, a crowd of neighbors had already gathered, surrounding them. Their voices were a chorus of envy.

"Oh, you are so blessed to have a daughter like Vanessa! I saw the news online. If my daughter could marry into the Ellison family, I'd be smiling in my sleep!"

"Look at you two, you're glowing! You look ten years younger!"

"If I'd known it was this easy, I would have had my daughter give it a shot. I always thought Mr. Ellison was untouchable, but I guess he's just a man like any other."

A wave of nausea churned in my stomach, and I had to fight the urge to gag.

My parents were beaming, promising everyone they would be invited to the wedding.

In the midst of the chatter, the piercing wail of sirens cut through the air. Several police cars screeched to a halt beside the building.

The lead officer stepped out, flashed his badge, and spoke in a calm, authoritative voice.

"Excuse me, which one of you is Miss Vanessa Reeves? She's a person of interest in an investigation involving the dissemination of false information and the illegal use of controlled substances. We're going to need you to come with us."