Chapter 1 Rebirth
"Lily Roberts, are you gonna admit you were wrong or not?"
Lily's nose and mouth were submerged in water, her throat burning from the choking.
She opened her eyes from the brink of death and saw her second-oldest brother, Michael Roberts, standing at the edge of the pool, and her fourth-oldest brother, Peter Roberts, holding Sophie Scott.
A flash of bewilderment crossed her eyes. This scene felt so familiar.
Wasn't she dead?
Had she been reborn three years ago, the day Sophie was officially adopted by the Roberts family?
At the party, Sophie had deliberately set her up, making everyone think she had pushed Sophie into the pool on purpose.
Peter was the first to find them, but he only saved Sophie, leaving her, who also couldn't swim, to struggle in the water.
Michael even demanded she admit her mistake.
It was clear that if she didn't admit it, they wouldn't save her.
She desperately struggled in the water, admitting her mistake, begging them to save her.
She was only saved when she was on the verge of death.
After that, she no longer dared to provoke Sophie and carefully tried to please her brothers, but what did she get in return?
Sophie stole her graduation thesis, and Michael testified for Sophie, making her a plagiarist and getting her expelled.
When Sophie needed a kidney transplant, her third-oldest brother, Nathan Roberts, personally took her to the operating room to donate her kidney to Sophie.
When Sophie needed achievements in international competitions to boost her profile, her fourth brother, Peter, her fifth brother, James Roberts, and her sixth brother, Austin Roberts, didn't hesitate to kick Lily off the team.
Lily found evidence of Sophie plagiarizing her thesis and faking medical records and took it to her oldest brother, David Roberts, hoping to expose Sophie.
But it only enraged everyone, and no one believed her or even bothered to look at the evidence.
David threw her out of the house to reflect on her actions.
She ended up on the streets, penniless and suffering greatly.
As these memories surfaced, Lily stopped struggling and sank to the bottom of the pool.
Her eyes were wide open, her face expressionless, as if she were already dead.
She watched her brothers surrounding Sophie on the edge of the pool. Even seeing it again, the pain in her heart was excruciating.
How ridiculous.
As their biological sister, she was less important than an outsider.
Michael had been focused on Sophie the whole time, only turning back to the pool when he no longer heard Lily struggling. He saw her at the bottom of the pool.
His face instantly turned pale. "Lily!"
With a splash, Michael jumped in without hesitation.
Seeing Lily sink, a glint of satisfaction flashed in Sophie's eyes. It would be best if Lily just died.
Feigning weakness, she tugged on Peter's sleeve and said softly, "Peter, I need to help save Lily. It's because of me that she fell into the water."
Peter was worried but quickly comforted Sophie. "Don't be silly. Michael is enough. Lily is getting what she deserves. She won't die!"
Peter glanced at the pool, his expression complicated.
In the water, Lily watched Michael swim towards her, his concern seemingly genuine.
Just now, he had been the one forcing her to admit her mistake and apologize, coldly watching her struggle.
This time, she didn't need his help.
A look of disdain crossed Lily's eyes as she turned and swam to the surface.
In her past life, after nearly drowning, Michael had forced her to learn to swim with Sophie.
She had developed a fear of water, but to please Michael, she had learned to swim despite her terror. In the end, Michael only praised Sophie for her courage in overcoming her fear.
Little did he know that being left in the water for that extra minute had left Lily with severe aftereffects.
But no one cared about her well-being. Michael only had eyes for Sophie.
"Lily, what kind of stunt are you pulling now? Do you think pretending to drown will erase the mistake you just made?"
Michael blocked her way, noticing that Lily seemed different. When had she learned to swim?
Lily looked up at Michael, whom she used to adore.
David was strict, but Michael had always been a bit kinder to her.
Now, all she saw in Michael's eyes was disgust and impatience.
Sophie's weak voice chimed in. "Michael, it's not Lily's fault. I know she never liked me becoming part of the Roberts family. I was too greedy, wanting a family. Please don't fight because of me. You all mean so much to me."
Peter glared at Lily. "Are you happy now? If her dad, Paul Scott, hadn't died saving you, she wouldn't be an orphan. You should've died instead of him!"
Michael frowned. "Lily, you need to have a conscience. We should treat Sophie as family. This is what the Roberts family owes her, and what you owe her, got it?"
"Michael, someone as ungrateful as her wouldn't understand. If she did, she wouldn't have pushed Sophie into the water. Mr. Scott shouldn't have saved her!"
Lily felt like she was in a desolate wasteland, cold to the bone.
If she could, she wished she hadn't been saved.
She endured the burning pain in her lungs and spoke hoarsely, "It was my fault. It won't happen again."
Because she wouldn't make the same mistake again.
If they wanted Sophie as their sister, she would step aside.
"Lily, you did it on purpose? Don't you know Sophie can't swim? You could've killed her!"
Michael was disappointed. He had hoped it was just an accident, but Lily had deliberately tried to harm Sophie.
When had Lily become so malicious?
At that moment, the family doctor arrived, and Peter turned to scold Lily. "You'd better pray Sophie is okay, or you'll be in big trouble when David gets back."
Michael took a few steps with the doctor, then turned back to see Lily standing there, drenched and pale. He felt a pang of sympathy.
He said, "Go change your clothes. The party's about to start."
Lily didn't respond, and soon she was left alone.
She waited until they were all gone before bending over in a fit of coughing, as if her lungs were about to come out.
She swallowed the metallic taste in her throat and dragged herself back to her room.
Lying in the bathtub, she closed her eyes, remembering how, in her past life, she had turned to the dark side after ending up on the streets and had tried to kill Sophie.
But she had failed.
David had locked her in a mental institution, where Sophie's arranged caretakers tortured her to death.
She covered her face and laughed, her voice eerie. When Lily opened her eyes again, they were filled with cold determination.
After changing her clothes, she looked around her bedroom, feeling a sense of unfamiliarity.
In her past life, this bedroom had eventually been given to Sophie, and she had moved to Sophie's smaller room.
Lily saw the family photo on the table—a young couple holding a baby, with six little boys standing beside them.
Unfortunately, a few years after she was born, her parents died in a car accident.
The driver saved her first, and when he went back to save her parents, the gas tank exploded, killing him too.
Sophie was the driver's only daughter, frail and sickly from a young age.
After the accident, David brought Sophie to the Roberts family and raised her alongside Lily.
Since Sophie's arrival, everything changed.
Her beloved brothers all sided with Sophie.
"Sophie isn't well. I hired a chef to make meals suitable for her. Lily, make sure Sophie eats properly."
"Lily, Sophie wants to learn painting too. Since you've learned enough, let her have your teacher."
"Lily, withdraw from the competition so Sophie, who came in second, can represent the school. She's been preparing for a long time."
"Lily, Sophie's grades are a bit lower than yours. Apply to the same university as her, so you can look after her."
Lily clasped her head, her heart aching deeply.
She took small, shallow breaths, swallowing the pain.
She never wanted anything to do with the Roberts family again.
She put the photo away and began packing her things.
Before long, a servant knocked on the door. "Ms. Roberts, the party has started. Mr. Michael Roberts asked you to change and come down."
"I know."
Lily opened the door and walked straight to the bustling party outside.
The servant's eyes widened in shock. "What is Ms. Roberts wearing? Has she gone mad from the shock?"
At the party outside.
Sophie, in a white evening gown, her hair cascading over her shoulders, looked every bit the picture of purity and kindness.
Michael and Peter stood beside her, gazing at her with warmth and affection.
The scene was heartwarming.
Michael couldn't help but think of Lily. If only she could be as well-behaved and sensible.
Over the years, Lily's temperament had become increasingly unruly and arrogant.
"Lily's here!"