Chapter 1 Chapter 1

"I'll make sure you regret humiliating me in front of everyone tonight, Suzanna! You were acting so high and mighty back when you were exposing me—did it ever cross your mind that payback might come back one day? "You're nothing but a cheap woman. Jared doesn't even care about you! Believe it or not—even if I left you for dead here in the middle of nowhere, he'd still take my side!" Cindy's familiar words reached my ears, but before I could even react, blinding headlights came rushing at me. The engine roared—pain tore through my body as the car slammed into me. That was when it hit me—I'd been reborn at the exact moment she ran me over. Somehow, my shattered phone had dialed my boyfriend, Jared Xanderson. His cold, disgusted voice came through the speaker, "Stop calling me, Suzanna. I know you're just jealous of me and Cindy. That's why you're trying to come between us. "It's impossible for her to run you with her car. It's worth tens of millions—she wouldn't wreck it just to run you over. I'm done believing in you, no matter what you say this time!" He fell silent after speaking his mind, as if waiting for my reaction. However, unlike in my past life, I didn't try to explain or beg for his help, desperately trying to convince him to see Cindy's true colors. Instead, I watched as she drove off without a second glance. I then reached out with great effort to end the call—using the last bit of battery to dial one last number. When the line connected, I swallowed the pain tearing through my body and said, "Help me, Eric…" My ears were ringing, unable to make out what he was saying, but I knew Eric would come. I was the beloved younger sister of Eric Spencer—also the only daughter of the Spencer family. I was raised under strict protection. All these years, hiding my identity just to be with Jared was already the limit of what they could tolerate. If they ever found out someone had hurt me, they wouldn't let it slide—they'd make them regret hurting me. I was dragging my battered body toward the edge of the road when I suddenly saw Cindy's car turn around and come back. The window rolled down, and she stared at me coldly. "Looks like Jared was right—you're not dead yet." My heart sank. I knew I wouldn't be able to survive it if she were to run over me a second time. Despair clouded me as I watched her slam her foot down on the gas. Suddenly, a red car came speeding from the opposite direction and slammed straight into Cindy's Maybach. A man jumped out of the car and hurried over, anxiously shouting, "Are you okay, Suzanna?" It turned out to be Jared's older brother, Mark Xanderson. I recalled how, in my past life, he'd begged Jared for three whole days just to save me—only to be cornered in an alley by Cindy's men and beaten to death. The memory stirred a flood of emotions within me, but guilt and gratitude topped them all. This time, I swore I wouldn't drag Mark down with me. I wouldn't let him get hurt because of me. There was no time to wonder why he was here. I shoved him away and said, "Don't worry about me—just go!" However, it was too late. Over a dozen bodyguards rushed out of a car that had just stopped. They grabbed Mark and pinned him to the ground. Cindy walked up and kicked him ruthlessly. "Where the hell did you come from, you clueless idiot? Do you know who I am? How dare you stop me from teaching this wench a lesson! Are you looking for death?" Mark took a hard kick to the chest, and the intense pain made him break into a cold sweat. However, he mustered his strength to fight back, desperately trying to break free. She clicked her tongue in dissatisfaction. She then grabbed a rock and hurled it down at him. My heart ached as I saw the way Mark's head bled from the blow. I yelled, "He's Jared's older brother! Aren't you afraid Jared would come after you if you hurt him?"

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

Taken aback, Cindy glanced over at Mark before snorting, "So what if he's Jared's older brother? I just couldn't stand him, so I had to teach him a lesson. "Besides, I'm the daughter of the Spencer family—the Xandersons wouldn't be where they are today without me. If I insisted that you were the one who did this to him, who do you think Jared would believe—you or me? It would be out of my hands if he ends up dealing with you!" I was anxious, yet I couldn't move when my legs were crushed. I could only reveal my true identity. "That's enough! I'm the real daughter of the Spencer family. He's under my protection. If you hurt him, I'll use every connection the Spencers have to make sure you regret it for the rest of your life!" However, Cindy burst out laughing. "What a lie! But the eldest son of the Spencer family has already acknowledged me as his sister. How dare you try to impersonate me here?" I was shocked. I didn't know anything like that was happening. My loving parents had no other illegitimate daughters. Eric had even promised me, with his own words, that I was the only younger sister he would ever have. So, where did Cindy come from? Before I could even get my thoughts around, she came over menacingly with her foot lifted, ready to kick me off the edge. Beyond the roadside was a river—I'd be dead for sure if I fell. Just as I struggled to push myself up in order to save myself, Mark lunged from behind Cindy and grabbed her leg with all his might. "Hurry and leave, Suzanna! I'll hold her back!" He clung desperately to her, leaving her enraged. Just as she was about to order her men to attack us both, the roar of a helicopter tore through the sky. Someone from the Spencer family had finally arrived. Owen Gwendall, the assistant for the Spencer family, jumped out of the helicopter and quickly brought me and Mark to safety. Cindy was knocked unconscious on the spot and dragged away. I hurried to have Mark rushed to the hospital, while I only had my broken bones simply stabilized. I sat waiting anxiously outside the emergency room, not relaxing until I saw him finally being transferred into a hospital ward. I then called Eric to inform him of my safety. Upon knowing that I got hurt, he slammed his fist against the table in a burst of rage. "Who did this to you? If I weren't tied up with something, I would've flown over there with Owen and broken their limbs myself!" I didn't want Eric to escalate things further. I simply said, "I want to call off the engagement with the Xandersons that's supposed to happen next month—I'm changing the groom-to-be." He was shocked. "You no longer wanted to marry Jared? You were completely devoted to him for three years—I thought you were set on marrying no one else but him." I replied, "Yeah, I don't want him anymore—I want Mark Xanderson instead. Also, I want everything we've invested in Jared over the years all taken back." I treated Jared as someone I loved, but to him, I was nothing more than a pathetic simp—someone he let his friends mock without a second thought. In both my past life and this lifetime, he had chosen to protect Cindy no matter what. I was beyond disappointed with him by now. Eric lowered his voice, replying, "Alright, I'll do as you wish. I've called Owen back to handle something, but I'm leaving the Spencers' bodyguards with you. Just focus on recovering in the hospital. "Also, don't even think about hiding the details of your injuries from me. I'll have someone find out what happened. I'll make them pay for what they did to you tenfold!" The call ended abruptly before I could even answer this time. I had planned to ask about Cindy, but it seemed like I'd have to wait until the next time. I turned and headed over to check on Mark in his ward, but a flutter of hurried footsteps echoed in the hallway. I saw Jared's angry face as soon as I looked up. He raised his arm and slapped me harshly. Enraged, he yelled, "Are you crazy, Suzanna? I can't believe you hired someone to bully Cindy. She's the daughter of the Spencer family—don't you know how protective her older brother is of her? You'd be dead soon!" My cheek stung from the slap, yet I smiled mockingly. "She's from the Spencer family? Why is she a Smith then?" Jared replied, "What do you know? She's born to the Spencer couple late in their lives—of course, they're overprotective! Keeping her identity a secret isn't exactly shocking. "I've known Cindy since we were kids, and I only found out about her identity now. So, how would someone like you, who isn't even part of our circle, know anything?" At that moment, I spotted Cindy—face bruised and battered from the punishment Owen had arranged. She was supposed to be locked up in the warehouse, yet she was now walking out—right behind Larry Howard, the Spencer family's head of security. She looked at me smugly, like she thought I was done for. I was still trying to figure out why she'd been let out when I noticed Larry walking toward me. I thought he was stepping forward to protect me, but in the next moment, he grabbed the baton from his waist and swung it at me. He asked, "Who do you think you are? How dare you bully Ms. Cindy! Are you looking for death? I'll teach you a lesson on behalf of Ms. Cindy!" Blood streamed down from my forehead, staining my vision red. My head was ringing, and I was barely conscious. However, the look Larry had in his eyes was wild, as if he was truly protecting his employer, who was behind him. Shocked, I yelled, "Are you crazy? Do you not know who I am? I'm the real daughter of the Spencer family!"

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

However, Larry had a vicious expression when he said, "You're the one who's not right in the mind! I've been working for the Spencers for almost 10 years, and I've only known Ms. Cindy as their only daughter! Who do you think you are to dare to impersonate her?" Only then did Cindy step forward from behind the bodyguards. She looked at me coldly, as if I were nothing but dead meat on the cutting board. She then turned to Jared and asked, "What should we do about this, Jared? I just wanted to enjoy a quiet night drinking with my friends, yet your girlfriend made a scene in front of everyone by accusing me of impersonating the daughter of the Spencer family. "The Spencers have always kept a low profile, so I kept quiet. I even had her escorted away in a nice car. But she's now accusing me of running her over with my car! She's trying to ruin the Spencers' reputation—how exactly do you want to handle that?" Cindy's words were far from the truth—distorted and completely twisted. Yet, Jared's face paled. He immediately grabbed me by the collar and yanked me down from the wheelchair. He then kicked me in my knees, causing me to collapse. He ordered someone to shove my head down, bashing it repeatedly against the ground. "I never thought you're someone like this, Suzanna. Apologize to Cindy, now—and don't stop until she decides to forgive you!" Shaking in anger, I struggled to get up. Eric had always told me that the Spencers were the most respectable family in Harrondale. No matter what happened, we'd never get down on our knees. I have never gotten down on my knees ever since I was born—being forced to do this now was nothing short of a complete insult to my dignity. Jared chuckled coldly upon seeing what I was doing. He arrogantly said, "I can't believe you're still so shameless. I'll let you in on something—the Spencers and the Xandersons are about to be joined by marriage…and I'm the groom-to-be. "It's impossible for someone of our status to end up with a peasant like you. So, just drop your fantasy of trying to climb your way up. Apologize to Cindy now—and maybe I'll ask her to spare your life for old times' sake." I suppressed the anger within me and chuckled mockingly. "The Spencers would never choose you for a marriage alliance, Jared. You should be prepared to get kicked out of the Xanderson family instead!" My words seemed to fuel Jared's anger. He broke the vase beside him without a second thought, grabbed a sharp shard of porcelain, and lunged at my thigh. "How dare you run your mouth at me, you tart? I'd break your legs if you continue acting like this—see if you could still be so arrogant!" Having been pinned down, I was unable to move—I could only close my eyes in despair. However, the pain I'd anticipated did not come. I was shocked to see Mark shielding me when I opened my eyes. I hadn't even noticed when he got there. His back was slashed open, and his hospital gown was soaked in blood, but he still stood firm, protecting me. In a weak voice, Mark said, "Don't believe in what Cindy says. She's a ruthless, manipulative woman—she's not the daughter of the Spencer family at all. Also, you'd have to go through me first if you want to hurt Suzanna!" Jared was shocked to see the mix of old and new wounds on Mark's body. He was about to ask when Cindy quickly intercepted. Masking the panic in her eyes, she pulled Mark over and slapped him. She then yelled, "You're so shameless! I can't believe you're still spreading rumors about me even now! "Don't think I don't get what this is. You tried and failed to win my friend over, so you're now just bitter—trying to drag us down. You're his brother—why are you jealous that Jared gets to marry the Spencers? She continued, "Your intentions couldn't be more obvious, showing up in the hospital together with this pathetic woman, Suzanna!" Mark was already badly injured in the first place, and he was now coughing out blood. Tears sprang from my eyes and fell onto his arm, even as he struggled to stay upright. The bodyguards scoffed before knocking him unconscious and dragging him out like a dead weight. I anxiously tried to stop them, but Jared suddenly snatched Larry's baton and smashed it on me, knocking me to the ground. He was seething with rage. "No wonder…it's the same in the past—you two are in this together, trying to deceive me!" I was shocked to realize that Jared was also reborn. No wonder he had insisted that I was lying on the phone despite not asking for his help this time. But as blood poured out from my body, my head began to spin, and I could barely speak. All I could do was lie there, struggling weakly. Jared took in a deep breath and clamped his hand tightly on my wrist. "Do you know what the consequences of hurting the daughter of the Spencer family are? "When she was born, someone tried to steal her away, but the Spencers were calm. On the very same day, the thief had their limbs chopped off and was tossed into the wilderness. He continued, "During middle school, a classmate threw nails at her feet, and the same person had both their legs shattered the next day. During college, a player tried to hit on her, but he was immediately exposed for cheating—he disappeared from campus right after. "You should be grateful I'm sparing you from meeting your demise from the Spencer family." Jared then grabbed a sharp scalpel and stabbed it right against my wrist, thrusting it around. Trembling in pain, I gritted my teeth and spat, "You'd be first to die if my family found out that you've been treating me like this." Cindy snorted when she heard my words. She then lifted her leg and kicked me in the stomach. "I can't believe you're still being so delusional even when you're barely alive, Suzanna—just focus on staying alive instead! "Let me teach you a lesson on behalf of your lousy parents—I'll show you what it's like to be respectful of others!" One of them started breaking the tendons in my arm, while the other continued to kick at me. Pain shot through my entire body, and I struggled to back off. However, Larry pinned me down with a vicious stare before slapping me. He spat, "How dare you try to run! I'll make sure you pay for the wounds your men inflicted on Ms. Cindy! You'd better stay here and endure the beating!" I was completely pinned down, unable to move. All I could do was close my eyes in frustration, silently bracing myself for the inevitable. Just as I was on the verge of despair, the hospital doors suddenly swung open, and Eric stormed in with a group of people. He yelled, "What the hell are you doing here?" After that, Eric's gaze landed on me.