Chapter 1Blessing of Fortune

I was reborn at my first birthday party. Endowed with the powers of a lucky charm, I ignored my parents’ hopeful plea.

In my past life, I used my abilities to help my parents become the richest people in the country. My eldest brother became a business tycoon, my second a renowned surgeon, and my third a pop superstar.

Only my adopted sister, Julia, received no benefit from my powers due to our lack of a blood connection. She failed her college entrance exams at eighteen, was kidnapped at twenty, and died in an accident at twenty-five.

Before she died, she tearfully said, “It’s not Mia’s fault. I was always an outsider. It makes sense she wouldn’t help me.”

My entire family believed I had let her suffer out of jealousy. They imprisoned me, conducted horrific experiments to channel my luck and resurrect Julia, and tortured me until I died.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back at my first birthday party. My father was smiling down at me.

“My darling daughter,” he cooed, “do you think Daddy should sign this ten-million-dollar project?”

I blinked once, then smeared a handful of mud right across his face.

* * *

The entire room fell silent. I gripped another handful of wet soil from a nearby flowerpot and slapped it onto my father’s cheek.

The hands holding me went rigid, his expression on the verge of crumbling.

Guests exchanged uneasy glances. Only Julia, my adopted sister, had a flash of triumph in her eyes before she let out a piercing shriek and rushed forward, her face a mask of concern.

“Daddy, are you okay? Oh, Mia is being such a handful!”

My father wiped furiously at the mud, then shoved me into a nanny’s arms in disgust. “The mystic clearly said she had a lucky charm aura, that she was born lucky! Why is she acting like a little demon?”

Julia bit her lip and whispered, just loud enough for everyone to hear, “She’s been with us for a year now, and it’s not like she’s brought us that much good fortune. Maybe it’s not real?”

She added, “I was taking care of her the other day, and she bit me. She’s not some child prodigy, she’s more like…”

My eldest brother snorted. “A demon child is more like it.”

“Mia has done nothing but torment us since she was born,” he said coldly. “Because of her, Julia has been neglected and suffered so much.”

“I think this whole lucky charm thing is a scam. She’s nothing but a debt collector sent to ruin us!”

My mother studied me with a frown before finally sighing. “She’s just a one-year-old. What does she know?”

“Still,” she mused, “the company did go public right after she was born. Maybe throwing the mud was her way of stopping you.”

My father paced anxiously. “Fine. I won’t sign the project. We’ll see if she’s really got the magic touch or not.”

With that, he hurried off to change, and my first birthday party came to an abrupt, messy end.

The moment my parents were gone, Julia’s mask dropped. Her eyes turned venomous as she stared at me. “You really are a lucky charm, little sister. Daddy is such a neat freak, and he didn’t even punish you. I guess blood really is thicker than water.”

My eldest brother immediately walked over, casting a disdainful glance at me. “Don’t be sad, Julia. We only see you as our sister.”

“If that mystic hadn’t said Mia could bring us good luck, Mom and Dad would have never had her.”

“If she ever tries to compete with you for their affection, we’ll always be on your side.”

My other two brothers nodded in agreement, taking Julia’s hands to comfort her.

In my past life, my parents had given up on having a daughter after three sons and adopted Julia. They had a deep bond. My three biological brothers saw me as an accident, an afterthought, and treated me with absolute indifference. Because my luck never extended to Julia, they were convinced I was deliberately harming her.

I was so naive then. I thought that if I just showered them with good fortune, they would finally love me.

Instead, I was tortured and dismembered.

Watching them now, a happy, loving family unit, I opened my mouth and let out a piercing wail.

Julia shot me a cold look and raised her hand, ready to pinch me. “So annoying!”

But just then, my father ran back into the room, his face alight with excitement. He swept me into his arms, interrupting her.

“The lead company for that project just skipped town with the money! The entire thing was a scam!”

He held me tight. “We were saved! Mia, you really are my lucky star!”