Chapter 1

They were all acting strange all of a sudden. The seven older brothers who once treated me like a thorn in their side and only cared about the fake heiress now wanted to not only protect me for life but also declare my position as the real heiress of the Quinn family. My parents, who used to brush me aside, even wrote in their will that everything would be left to me. I couldn't believe it. Too bad I regressed into the past and had already lost all hope in them. … "Scarlett Quinn, was it you who stole Lily's Celestial Drop?" A young man's voice thundered like a muffled clap, jolting Scarlett out of her sleep. The door was kicked open. Her seventh-eldest brother, Jonah Quinn, was standing there with his hands on his hips, glaring at her furiously. This all-too-familiar voice and situation made her suddenly realize—she wasn't in that hellish psychiatric hospital anymore. She was back… in the storage room she had lived in for five years. She had regressed into the past! As the haunting memories of her past life flooded her mind, her eyes gradually turned cold. She was meant to be the beloved daughter of the prestigious Quinn family in Yendale, but fate had other plans when the family's enemies swapped her at birth. The truth had only recently been uncovered, and she was quickly brought back to the Quinn residence. But even after they brought her home, they refused to publicly acknowledge her as one of their own. Instead, they let her stay in the Quinn residence as a live-in maid. Having grown up like an orphan, Scarlett especially treasured the family bond she had finally found, yearning for their love more than anything. As such, she didn't mind at first and tried her best to please every family member. Yet, the harder she tried, the more her older brothers looked down on her, comparing her to the fake heiress at every opportunity. They called her a country bumpkin and a troublemaker who was not even good enough to be a maid for the fake heiress. At school, they turned a blind eye to the bullies who would harass her. At home, they wouldn't even let her eat at the table. Trying to please them only got them to label her as conniving, while pushing back only got them to call her inconsiderate. Lily Quinn was the adored, high-and-mighty princess, whereas she was the rat that lived in the gutter. And the most ridiculous part? When Lily faked a fainting spell to frame her, everyone believed it. They fussed over Lily, tending to her like she was made of glass. As for Scarlett, they drove her out of the house, making her kneel outside in the dead of winter. The night air was below 10 degrees Fahrenheit, yet they showed no concern for her well-being. The bitter wind was like knives to her exposed skin. As her body went numb, all color drained from her face. In the end, she passed out from the cold. On the other hand, the rest of the family stayed warmly indoors, laughing together like one big happy family. They had completely forgotten about her, the one they had cast out under the guise of punishment. It was through this repeated cold indifference that her spirit finally shattered. Scarlett lost control of her emotions and confronted them, telling them that it was Lily who had framed her. But her eldest brother used her emotional state as a reason to personally see to it that she was sent to a psychiatric hospital. When her parents visited her, their eyes were filled with cold disappointment and distrust. "How could we have had a daughter like you? If we had known you were like this, we would never have brought you back home!" Then, they turned to look at the fake heiress with a look of satisfaction, saying, "Good thing we have Lily. She's the one who's more like our own!" Then, they turned and left without even looking back. As they walked away, Scarlett saw Lily's victorious smile directed at her. "I'm the true pride and joy of the Quinn family, Scarlett. You're just a pitiful vermin who will always be beneath me!" Scarlett endured endless torment in that hospital, where a mad doctor subjected her to relentless electric shocks that ultimately led to her dying an excruciating death. Perhaps even whoever was watching her couldn't bear to watch her suffer any longer, and so they granted her a second chance at life. But this time, she would never yearn for so-called family again, as if anyone would want this kind of ridiculous relationship! "Scarlett, are you deaf? Where did you hide Lily's Celestial Drop?" Gazing up, Scarlett noticed that a crowd had gathered outside. In the face of their disappointed and questioning gazes, she simply raised an indifferent eyebrow. "There are so many people in this house. Why would you assume I stole it? If you don't have evidence, I can sue you for slander!" The people outside were stunned. Clearly, they hadn't expected the usually unassertive Scarlett to suddenly speak so boldly and refute them. "Scarlett…" Lily immediately put on a pitiful act. "My Celestial Drop is very important to me. Mom and Dad spent two months searching for the perfect crystal in Southland to create that necklace for my birthday. It's the only one of its kind in the world. So please return it to me, Scarlett!" Her voice was soft as a whisper, sounding as if she could burst into tears at any moment. What she said was like adding fuel to the fire, and immediately, everyone became even more convinced that Scarlett was the thief. Curling her lips into a mocking smile, Scarlett calmly and indifferently stared at her so-called family outside the room. "Okay, I get it. You've mentioned how much Mom and Dad love you five times already, how every good thing is given to you, and how you're the most precious child of the Quinn family. "No need to keep repeating yourself. But I've already told you—without evidence that I stole it, this is nothing but slander." "Scarlett!" Todd Quinn, her father, abruptly exploded in anger. "Not only did you steal and refuse to admit it, but now you're also speaking to your sister this way? You have no manners whatsoever!" Todd was filled with disappointment. The Quinns were blessed with outstanding genes. All of their sons excelled in their respective fields, and Lily carried herself with grace and elegance. Yet, Scarlett was the one glaring exception. They believed it must be because she grew up in a village that she became inherently vicious and utterly rotten. "My biological mother gave birth to me, but did not raise me. What kind of manners am I supposed to have?" Scarlett raised an eyebrow aloofly, her eyes calm and unruffled. "Since the necklace is missing, why don't you check everyone else? Maybe someone close to Lily took it." As she spoke, her gaze suddenly sharpened, locking onto the quiet maid standing off to the side. In her past life, she had panicked, knowing how valuable that necklace was. That made her look guilty, sealing her reputation as a thief. It was only later that she learned the maid named Janet Hooper had been instructed by Lily to take the necklace and frame her. Scarlett was locked in the dark storage room as punishment without food or water for an entire day and night. Not only that, they had forgotten that today was her birthday as well. Yet, her so-called family had only prepared an elaborate coming-of-age party for Lily while telling Scarlett to stay hidden in the storage room, afraid she'd disgrace the Quinn family. Now that God had given her a second chance, how could she possibly make the same mistakes? "How could I possibly steal from Ms. Lily? Everyone knows I'm the closest to her. You're the one who's always been jealous of the expensive gifts Mr. and Mrs. Quinn give her, which is why you took the necklace and are trying to frame me!" Janet put on a pitiful, hurt expression, looking as innocent as could be. "Oh, Scarlett, just give it back, okay? We'll get you another one later," Margot Bowman, her mother, piped up. Though her tone was gentle, the distrust in her words was unmistakable. "What's the point of all this talk? Just search her already!" The impatient Jonah snapped, stepping forward to barge into the room. "I dare anyone to touch my things!" Scarlett's expression froze over in an instant. Jonah stopped in his tracks, utterly stunned. Had Scarlett, who had always been obedient and meek, gone bad? Scarlett swept her gaze across each of their ridiculous faces and said coolly, "Since you're all so convinced I stole it, let me show you who the real thief is!" She strode straight to Janet, grabbing her collar with swift precision before reaching into it. "Hey! What are you doing?" Janet screamed in panic, clutching her chest desperately. But Scarlett, undeterred, quickly reached in and pulled out a dazzling necklace gleaming with brilliant light. It was the priceless Celestial Drop. She presented it before hurling it hard at Lily. "There! Your precious Celestial Drop! So, what are you going to accuse me of now?" All sound vanished, leaving a tense stillness behind.