Chapter 1 Chapter 1 You Are Finally Home

I acquired a gossip-tracking system that informed me the world I lived in was actually a book. And I? I was the tragic side character, doomed to have the most miserable fate. The protagonist was Alicia Stone, a fake heiress showered with unconditional love by the Stone Family. After rereading countless times about the Stone Family's ridiculously irrational decisions and my own string of misfortunes, I made up my mind. I would stop hoping for familial love, respect their inevitable bankruptcy, and play along with the plot. The Stone Family adored their fake heiress and looked down on me, their real one, who had been meekly surviving outside their home all these years. Sure enough, the moment I stepped into their house, I was barely through the door when my three brothers stood in my way. "Even if you're our biological sister, Alicia is the only one we truly acknowledge. You need to understand your place and not covet things that don't belong to you.""Even if you're our biological sister, Alicia is the only one we truly acknowledge. You need to understand your place..." Before they could finish their sentence, they suddenly looked at me as if they had seen a ghost. They exchanged frantic glances and made strange faces. In my role as the unworthy real heiress, I simply responded, "Got it. Understood. All clear." But inwardly, I couldn't help thinking, 'Please, I've heard this lousy line so many times I could recite it in my sleep. If you don't respect me, it's fine. It's not like I'm desperate to be here. Do you think I have some death wish, walking into this mess willingly?' 'Seriously, you lot are unbelievable. You wouldn't agree to let me stay away, but now that I'm here, you're unhappy about it.' My third brother, Harvey Stone, raised an eyebrow at me with a mocking expression. He said, "Some people really need to stop pretending while secretly sabotaging Alicia behind the scenes." 'Oh, my temper's flaring up again. Serves this sharp-tongued jerk right if he ends up losing everything, even his dignity,' I said inwardly. His scowl deepened as he suddenly grabbed my shoulder with surprising force. "Harvey! Are you asking for trouble? Is this how you treat your sister?" A middle-aged man's stern voice sounded behind us. "Yunice!" A graceful middle-aged woman rushed toward me and wrapped me in a tight embrace. "My precious daughter, you're finally home!" I glanced at them and thought smugly, 'My parents are actually pretty good-looking. No wonder I inherited their stunning genes.' The woman holding me stiffened slightly. Her gaze flitted between her silent sons and me before she hesitantly said, "Yunice, I made soup for you. Let's go home and have dinner." My father, Thomas Stone, chimed in, "I told these useless boys to bring you inside, but here you are, still standing outside. I'll deal with them later." 'What a pity. Such kind parents, but in the end, they'll still turn their backs on me because of the heroine's manipulation. They'll refuse to acknowledge me, and their fates won't be any better. Madness for one, death for the other. Alas, the Stone Family is truly cursed.' At that moment, everyone froze in place. My mother's grip on my hand tightened so much that her nails left red marks on my skin. "Mom?" I asked, startled. She quickly let go, giving me an awkward smile as she scanned me from head to toe. "Yunice, are you feeling okay? Anywhere uncomfortable?" I shook my head obediently. "No, I'm perfectly fine." 'Though I can't say the same when I look at your three biased, brainless sons,' I thought. "Yunice Stone!" Harvey barked my name with his usual hot-headedness. "What now? I was standing here quietly, not even saying a word about you, and you're losing it again?""Harvey!" Thomas shot a sharp glance at my eldest brother, signaling him to restrain the fuming Harvey. "Yunice, ignore him. Let's eat." … Finally seated at the dining table, I eagerly prepared to dig in, only for someone to ruin my appetite. My second brother, Jimmy Stone, placed an empty bowl beside him and spoke slowly, "Yunice, you're probably aware there's another girl living here now. Her name is Alicia. She's not in good health, so I hope you can get along with her and be more accommodating." The rest of the family stayed silent, clearly agreeing with him. "Alright," I said calmly. 'Here we go again. My so-called dear brother, who's actually nothing more than the heroine's loyal lapdog, is back with his usual warnings. Isn't this all just because she was born premature and a bit frail? That was years ago. She has long recovered. She's just faking it now, milking it to keep you fools wrapped around her finger. Honestly, I can't stand how gullible these brothers of mine are.' Before I could mentally rant any further, a light, sweet voice drifted down the staircase. "Dad, Mom, guys!" Like clockwork, my parents and brothers stood up, as if the family's little princess had descended from heaven itself. My mother, Natalie Stone, glanced anxiously between me and Alicia, as if worried I would fail to get along with the fake heiress. Outwardly, I stayed as composed and serene as ever, but in my head, I had a soundtrack playing just for her grand entrance. 'Here she comes, strutting toward us with the cheerful stride of someone about to bring ruin and chaos to this household.'

Chapter 2 Chapter 2 She Tried to Hurt Me in Secret

Alicia noticed the unusually tense atmosphere downstairs and smiled faintly, moving in as if to hug me. "So, this is my little sister. Welcome home," she said warmly, her tone light and cheerful. As she spoke, she flitted toward me like a butterfly, aiming to throw herself into my arms. Instinctively, I sidestepped. 'Good thing I moved fast,' I thought. 'If I hadn't dodged, that needle in her hand would've ended up in me. And knowing myself, I'd have reacted without thinking and shoved her back. Then, the family would've accused me of bullying her over my so-called grudge about our backgrounds. That would've sealed my fate—setting the stage for me to be kicked out of this house down the road.' 'Such a schemer! She must've been some devious old hag reincarnated in her past life!' Alicia froze mid-pounce, her expression briefly stuck in an awkward grimace before she lost her balance and fell on the dining table. A mess of soup and drinks spilled all over her, soaking her from head to toe. Drenched and visibly shaken, she shot me a pitiful look and doubled down, her voice trembling as she played the part to perfection. "Yunice, do you hate me? Is it because I took your place? I understand, I really do. You have every right to resent me. But I love Mom, Dad, and our brothers so much… I don't want to leave them. Please don't make me go!" For a moment, everyone stood there in stunned silence, unsure of what had just happened. But sure enough, someone fell for her act. Harvey stormed over, his face livid as he helped her up. "Yunice! What's wrong with you? Why did you dodge her? She was just trying to say hello!" I rolled my eyes inwardly. 'Only an idiot wouldn't dodge that. Did you not see the needle in her hand? Honestly, she should've stuck it in your eye to drain that waterlogged brain of yours.' Blinking innocently, I shrugged. "It was just a reflex." Alicia, still dripping and looking utterly miserable, tried to defend herself. "Mom, Dad, I didn't—" But before she could finish, Harvey cut her off. "Yunice's been in the entertainment industry for years. God only knows how filthy her heart is! Why would anyone believe her?" Alicia curled up in his arms, a faint, mischievous smile tugging at her lips as she shot me a provocative look. She was just waiting for me to lose my temper and start shouting. 'Well, excuse me! So it's my fault I'm in the entertainment industry now, huh? Let me remind you—this whole family of yours is already neck-deep in it. Your eldest brother's some hotshot CEO, your second brother and Alicia are actors, and you? You're a singer. Not one of you is not in the industry.' 'So, what is it? Is being broke a sin? If I hadn't stumbled into this business by pure accident, I wouldn't even have enough money to eat or go to school. But sure, you lot are so noble, so pure, right?' 'Meanwhile, I've been grinding my way through, keeping my head down, working extremely hard. And why am I still stuck as a C-list nobody? Because I refuse to play along with dirty deals, that's why! But your precious little sister? The heiress flaunting her wealthy background? She's climbed her way up by hopping into bed with more men than I can count on both hands. And yet, you fools still treat her like some pure, untouchable treasure.' "You're talking nonsense!" Before the perpetually hot-headed Harvey could react, someone else cut in. Alicia's face flushed red as she jabbed a trembling finger at me, practically yelling, "You are talking nonsense!""Huh?" I blinked, taken aback. "What did I even say?" Heaven as my witness, I hadn't said a single word out loud. Sure, I might've been silently roasting them in my head, but I swear my lips never moved. "You said I was—beep, beep, beep, beep—" Alicia stammered, visibly flustered. I gave her a perplexed look. "What's wrong with your language settings? Did your system crash?" Harvey jumped in, continuing where she left off. "You just said—beep, beep, beep, beep, beep—" 'Oh, great. Does the Stone Family have some kind of contagious disease? Should I make a run for it before it's too late?' 'Now, if I were to act all indignant, slap her across the face, and pretend I've been wrongly accused, would that be enough for the Stone Family to kick me out on the spot?' I mused. "Harvey! Take Alicia back to her room to rest!" Thomas, who had been silently observing the chaos, finally spoke up, his tone sharp with irritation. I reluctantly dropped my hands. Alicia glared at me fiercely, and it felt like she was ready to kill me on the spot. But in the next moment, her face flushed an alarming red, and she clutched at her throat as though struggling to breathe, her body wracked with pain. It was as if someone had seized her by the throat of fate itself. Her terrified eyes locked onto mine. "What are you looking at me for? Do you think I've leveled up to the point where I can piss someone off without even opening my mouth?" I said sarcastically. "Hey, Harvey, hurry up!" Natalie coughed and urged. Harvey and Alicia stomped away, their faces full of indignation. I sat back down, my eyes lingering regretfully on the smashed plates scattered across the table. "I'm hungry. Food?""Yunice, just give it a moment. The kitchen is already preparing fresh dishes," Natalie reassured me gently. I nodded obediently. To break the awkward tension hanging in the air, Thomas tried to shift the conversation, turning toward my eldest brother. "Mr. Keller has returned. We were thinking of arranging a meal with their family this week to discuss your marriage to Dory Keller." 'Dory Keller… That name sounds familiar. Where have I heard it before?' The entire table seemed to freeze, everyone's actions slowing to a halt. Meanwhile, I tried to sift through my internal gossip-tracking system. Thomas smiled and let his gaze sweep across his children sitting at the dining table, though his eyes lingered on me just a moment longer than necessary. "My dear Yunice, wouldn't it be wonderful if the daughter of the Keller Family became your sister-in-law?" My eldest brother stared straight into my eyes, waiting for my response. By this point, I had already uncovered the juicy details and nodded seriously, saying, "Sounds great." The whole family visibly relaxed. But before they could fully exhale, I added silently to myself, 'A cowardly cuckold and a venomous femme fatale—how could they not be a perfect match? Ideal! Great! A match made in heaven!'

Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Strange Truths About Dory Keller

My eldest Brother, William Stone, suddenly jolted, and his fork slipped from his hand, clattering to the ground. I glanced up cautiously at him as he crouched down to retrieve them. 'Everyone here is so strange. Low IQs, weak bodies, and terrible vibes. I really need to make my exit soon. There's no way I'm dying alongside these people, especially since they've never treated me well.' 'Well, maybe my parents are okay,' I added to myself, sneaking a look at my parents, who were both gazing at me with concern. 'Not sure yet. I'll have to keep observing.' Natalie's eyes softened as she smiled at me with a warmth that made me a little uneasy. "Yunice, have you met Dory before?""No, I haven't. But I've heard about her." 'No, but I've eaten my share of the gossip about her,' I added inwardly. 'She's Alicia's best friend. That's why the family decided she was the top choice for this arranged marriage. They're two peas in a pod—both as scheming and ruthless as they come.' 'Oh, and she's pregnant, too. William's about to become an instant dad the moment they get married. How fun is that?' I couldn't help but snicker inwardly. William, who had just picked up his fork, snapped them in half with a loud crack. "William and Dory haven't spent much time together at all. Maybe we should wait a bit longer before making a decision," Thomas chimed in. William nodded hastily, and Natalie seemed equally supportive of the suggestion. I blinked at them in confusion. Weren't they just discussing wedding dates a moment ago? How did things change so quickly? 'Even so, this marriage will definitely happen—after all, Alicia is so close to her. Speaking of, do you know why they get along so well? It's because Dory bends both ways! Her true love is actually the female lead!' Just then, William spat out a mouthful of sparkling water. 'Dory's always been someone who could breeze through a crowd of admirers without forming any attachments. Her pregnancy? Purely an accident. Besides, her heart is more inclined toward soft, sweet girls. Ugh, does she actually think she can make a move on me?!' "What?!" Thomas suddenly yelled, slamming his hand down on the table with a loud thud. Startled, I glanced up in confusion. He awkwardly withdrew his hand, forcing a sheepish smile. "Oh, uh, sorry, my dear Yunice. I just remembered something frustrating at work. Don't worry about it." Everyone else at the table seemed perfectly calm, so I shrugged it off and returned my attention to the juicy gossip I was piecing together in my head. 'So that's why. Turns out Alicia's been whining to her about me, saying the 'real heiress' is coming back. She even went as far as to show Dory my photo to stir the pot, hoping she'd cause me trouble later. But instead of being annoyed, Dory took a liking to my face. Now she wants to play some twisted game of cat and mouse with me.' 'Ugh, is she out of her mind? Even if I were into women, I'd go for someone kind and gorgeous, not some cold-hearted, manipulative viper!' Natalie gave a small nod just then, catching my attention. I looked over at her curiously, only to see her reaching up to rub her neck, grumbling about a stiff neck she got from sleeping wrong. I dismissed it and refocused on the drama unfolding in my mind. 'What?! She's got a college girl locked up in her villa right now? While pregnant? And still fooling around like this? This is straight-up illegal! Hell, she has to serve time for this!' My heart raced. How was I supposed to slip away from the table and call the cops without raising suspicion? Without much thought, I shot up from my seat, blurting, "I need to use the restroom!" I dashed off without waiting for a response. Just as I reached the staircase, Harvey was coming down. He caught my loud declaration at the dining table and sneered. "So uncouth.""I'm in a hurry right now, so I don't have time to argue with you." I shot him a fierce glare before rushing out like the wind. Meanwhile, William smacked him on the back of the head and barked, "Shut your mouth!" … After finishing the call and confirming the police would arrive in time, I returned to the dining table. Just as I walked in, I saw the family huddled together, whispering among themselves. Over it all, I caught Harvey saying, "But Alicia said she doesn't want to be part of our family anymore. She doesn't want to be the Stone Family's daughter!" I looked at the back of his head. He never seemed the brightest, and a wave of affection welled up. 'You silly thing,' I said inwardly. 'That's because what she wants now is to be your sister-in-law!'

Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Are They Reading My Thoughts?

The entire family suddenly turned their heads, their piercing gazes fixed on me. Caught off guard by the five pairs of eyes staring straight at me, I flinched, then quickly acted as though nothing had happened and quietly returned to my seat. "My dear Yunice, is everything okay now?" my dad asked casually. 'What the heck? Why is he suddenly interested in my bathroom breaks?' 'Anyway, with all the evidence locked in, there's no way Dory is getting out of this one. That girl who got rescued—her body was completely covered in bruises and scars. She's been through so much.' 'Speaking of which, that girl happens to be Alicia's younger schoolmate. Can you believe it? Alicia knew about Dory's twisted preferences and still sent her younger schoolmate, who was just looking for a tutoring gig, straight into Dory's hands. It's like feeding a lamb to the wolves!' 'Alicia, you're absolutely despicable!' I exclaimed inwardly. "Impossible!" Harvey suddenly snapped, glaring at me with barely contained anger. "What now?" I asked, utterly confused as I met his glare. 'This guy's losing it again, huh? Let's see if you'll still be yelling 'impossible' when you're backed into a corner and can't talk your way out!' Harvey's face turned crimson with fury, and just as he looked ready to explode, William smacked him on the back of the head, silencing him instantly. I lowered my head, feigning sadness as I scrolled through the family gossip feed. 'Wait a second, didn't we leave off with William's drama earlier?' 'Oh, right. Turns out Alicia always knew Dory had a thing for her. But Alicia actually liked William, so she deliberately sent Dory to William, thinking it'd somehow create harmony between the three of them. Later in the original story, Alicia confesses to William, but he turns her down because he can't get past the fact that they grew up as siblings. Alicia ends up harboring resentment, and down the line, she teams up with the male lead, Jeremy Miller, to sabotage the Stone Family. Oh, and Dory played a big role in the whole mess, too.' 'Now, however, Alicia has changed her tune. It seems the family doesn't hate me as much as she thought. Instead of risking her position by driving me out, she's taken a different approach by targeting William. If she becomes the next head of the family by marrying him, wouldn't the entire family fall into her hands?' I sighed internally, shaking my head. 'Ugh, what kind of lousy love interests does William attract? But since we share the same mother, should I at least warn him?' Stealing a glance at William, I noticed he was watching me intently as if waiting for me to say something. Avoiding his gaze, I lowered my eyes, my thoughts swirling. 'Forget it. In the original timeline, I warned him, didn't I? But he still fell for Alicia's instigations, thinking I was only badmouthing her because I didn't like her. He even thought that I was trying to hurt Dory for the same reason. To punish me, he snatched several of my resources and handed them to Alicia. Later, he even helped her trick me into meeting some sleazy director with a disgusting reputation. Although he didn't mean to, if I hadn't been quick-witted, I would've fallen for it.' 'And then—well, even after finding out Dory's child wasn't his, he let Alicia convince him to keep the mother and child around out of pity. That was until Dory helped Alicia take over the Stone Family. By then, William was bankrupt, destroyed by her schemes, and haunted by the deaths of over a dozen workers on his construction site. Wracked with guilt, he jumped off the roof of a building. His brains were splattered across the pavement before Dory finally revealed the truth, that the child had nothing to do with the Stone Family and left them all behind.' 'No, no, I'm done playing the hero. Everyone's fate is their own to handle. God helps those who help themselves, but there's no saving the shameless.' "Pfft—" A sudden burst of laughter pulled me from my thoughts. Jimmy had nearly spat out his drink. His shoulders shook as he tried to contain his amusement. Harvey had the same expression of stifled laughter while William's face turned red, then pale, as if he were switching masks. Meanwhile, my parents just looked at him with thinly veiled disappointment, as if he were beyond saving. 'Everyone's so expressive today,' I thought with dry amusement. My gaze shifted back to Jimmy, and I couldn't resist the urge to mock him internally. 'And you're laughing? You're not much better, are you? After Alicia decided to take matters into her own hands and seize control of the family, you were the second one on her hit list.' Jimmy froze mid-sip, his expression stiffening. He choked on his drink, coughing violently as he sneaked a glance in my direction. I continued. 'Jimmy was manipulated into drug addiction, squandered his resources to elevate Alicia's career, and eventually became the subject of a storm of scandalous photos that ruined his reputation. In the end, reduced to a shadow of his former self, he took his own life in the bathroom by slitting his wrists on one desperate night.' 'Harvey was tricked by Alicia into attending a cocktail party, where he was drugged and handed over to her gay best friend to play with. He contracted a transmitted disease and died after waking up because he couldn't stand the pain.' 'As for my parents, losing their son in middle age shattered them. They left all their assets to their adopted daughter before tragedy struck again—one died in a car accident, and the other ended up in a mental institution.' 'And me? I didn't fare any better. Alicia had me kidnapped and sold to Pasasi, where I was tortured to death in a dark, filthy alley.' The more I thought about it, the angrier I became. I was just about to glare at my idiotic brothers when I noticed the whole family looking utterly devastated, as if the sky had fallen. Their grief-stricken expressions made me pause. "What's wrong with you all?" I asked cautiously. "Did something happen while I wasn't paying attention? Why do you all look like you've been hit by a truck?" Thomas' face was dark, while Natalie dabbed at her red, swollen eyes with a tissue. "It's nothing," she said with a forced smile. "We just thought of something sad. Are you hungry, Yunice?" Before I could respond, the butler entered the room, carrying a tray of dishes. He set it on the table and announced, "Mr. Stone, Mrs. Stone, Young Masters, dinner is served." As he turned to leave for the kitchen, I frowned, catching a fleeting expression on his face. 'Did he just glare at me?' I wondered. 'The butler had always sided with Alicia, playing no small role in getting me kicked out of the family. But did he already despise me this much?' I couldn't help but wonder. 'Let me take a closer look, let me see—Oh, gross! Ew! Yuck!' The entire family perked up, their ears practically twitching. 'So, it turns out the butler has hated me from the very beginning. But the reason he hates me is—'