Chapter 4Reborn with a Cold Heart: Goodbye, Toxic Family

After a quick nap, the massive mansion had gone completely quiet.

The maid, Mrs. Gable, told me that Julian wanted a limited-edition cake from the west side of the city, so Arthur and Eleanor had personally driven out to get it for him.

"Oh," I replied. That was fine.

I began sorting through the welcome gifts. These were things my parents and relatives had given me when I returned. Aside from some cash, there were some expensive-looking designer jewelry pieces and a luxury watch.

I was going to sell them all.

I knew my future in this house would be miserable. Cash was the only real shield I had.

I wasn't familiar with this city, but I remembered a highly reputable pawn shop near the apartment I lived in during my past life.

I knew that neighborhood like the back of my hand.

When I walked into the luxury pawn shop, a tall, elegant woman in a tailored designer suit was walking out, with the shop manager bowing politely beside her.

I stopped.

It was my sister, Victoria Sterling.

In this life, this was our very first meeting.

But she recognized me—after all, she had seen photos and videos of me.

She looked me up and down, her eyes landing on the velvet jewelry box in my hand. Her voice was cold. "Logan?"

"Yeah," I replied.

The manager’s eyes lit up, and he immediately became extremely polite to me. "Oh! Is this young man related to you, Ms. Sterling? Are you looking to sell something? I can give you a great deal..."

Victoria frowned, looking highly annoyed. "It’s none of your business. Go back to work."

The manager quickly bowed and backed away.

Victoria turned back to me, her eyes filled with disgust. "You just got home. Why are you hanging around a place like this?"

"To get some cash."

I answered honestly.

"Cash? With the gifts the family gave you?" Victoria let out a mocking laugh. "I thought you would cherish them. When Julian receives gifts, he displays them like treasures."

I didn't argue.

Victoria sneered. "So young, yet so materialistic. Let me remind you, Logan. You can do whatever you want with your own trash, but don't bring family heirlooms here to embarrass us."

She was exactly the same as in my past life.

During my first week home, a family heirloom brooch had gone missing.

Victoria had immediately accused me of stealing and selling it.

She believed I was a classless, greedy thief.

I didn't expect that in this life, before the brooch even went missing, Victoria had already branded me a thief.

But I didn't care. I didn't need to defend myself.

I just wanted my money.

Victoria let out another cold snort, turned on her heels, and walked away.

That evening, my parents and Julian were all in the living room.

They were looking at brochures to choose a school for me.

Every single pamphlet was for an elite, ultra-private academy.

I cut straight to the chase. "I don't want to go to these schools. I want to go to Oakridge Central High."

A public high school.

Finish high school, get into a university far away, and leave this family forever—that was my plan.

I didn't want the title of "Sterling’s rich heir."

My parents looked shocked. Julian quickly hid the joy in his eyes and said, "Logan, families like ours don't usually go to public schools. We all go Ivy League or study abroad later."

"Yes, Logan. You should go to Lakeside Academy with Julian. We will arrange your entire future," Eleanor said, patting my hand gently.

Arthur’s eyes flickered. He was calculating something.

I knew exactly what he was calculating.

In my past life, I had gone to that elite private academy. I became "famous" overnight.

Not because of my grades, but because I was a total outcast.

A dirty kid from a foster farm, forced to sit with heirs and heiresses who had been groomed for high society since birth. I stood out like a sore thumb.

Once people found out I was the long-lost Sterling heir, crowds of bullies came to mock me. They laughed at my terrible posture, my cheap clothes, and my complete lack of manners.

To make things worse, Julian had secretly fueled the fire. He got everyone to isolate me and even set up a girl to pretend to like me.

Once I fell for her, she leaked all our Snapchat chats, where I had poured out all my insecurities.

I became the laughingstock of the entire elite circle. I ruined the Sterling family's reputation.

Back then, Arthur was so furious that he had slapped me across the face, sending me crashing to the floor.

"I should have never sent you to Lakeside! I knew you'd embarrass us! You have dragged our family name through the mud!"

Arthur cared about nothing but his reputation, and I had destroyed it.

Right now, Arthur was only thinking about his precious reputation.

Julian brought him pride. What did I bring?

"I only want to go to public school. Please send me to Oakridge Central High," I said firmly.

Eleanor wanted to argue, but Arthur cut her off. "Fine, fine. Let the boy choose. Since we love him, we shouldn't force him."

I almost laughed out loud. But I held it in.

The laugh died in my throat, turning into a cold, heavy silence in my heart.