Chapter 1The Rebirth Trap

My sister and I were reborn on the same day: the day we stood in the foster home, waiting to be chosen by New York’s wealthiest man.

She pointed at me, her eyes wide with fake sincerity. "Mr. Vance, she's... she's my big sister. She's always looked up to you."

"It would be her dream to be chosen by you. I'll be okay, really."

And just like that, I was adopted by Marcus Vance.

As I was leaving, my sister, Maya, gave me a triumphant smile. "Have fun, Ava. This time, you get to enjoy the living hell of being a Vance."

"And I," she whispered, "am finally going to get the life I deserve."

In our first life, Maya was the one adopted by the Vances. She became the city's most tragic "It Girl," a beautiful party favor passed between monsters.

I was adopted by a struggling family in Queens. I built a tech empire from scratch and became the new-money queen of the city.

When we met again, she chose to swap lives with me.

She cornered me on a rooftop, screaming, "You have no idea what they did to me! They trained me to be a whore! You had everything, and you never came to save me!"

Then she pushed me.

And I pulled her down with me.

Now, she thinks she's dodged the bullet and stolen my "lucky" path.

But my dear, stupid sister... the Vance family’s resources? The name, the connections, the power? That isn't a living hell. It's a rocket launcher.

She stole the wrong life. The "luck" was never the family. It was always my brain.

* * *

"Mr. Vance, she's my sister's hero..."

The moment I heard those words, I knew. She remembered, too.

In our first life, she locked me in a utility closet during the Vances' visit, just to make sure I wasn't seen. She got the billionaire. I got the Millers in Queens.

As soon as I moved in with the Millers, their luck changed. Because I changed it. Their tiny savings, which I "borrowed" for stock trades, grew. Their failing hardware store, which I restructured, became a profitable chain. By the time I saw Maya again, I was the one with the real power, and they were the "lucky" family she thought she’d missed out on.

She was right about one thing. Her life was hell. At that gala, she was drunk, wearing a dress that was practically transparent, fending off hands from men three times her age. The moment she saw me, poised, respected, and in control, she shattered.

She blamed me. She killed me.

And now, reborn, she thinks she's pulling a fast one. Marcus Vance, the titan himself, was charmed by her "selflessness." He agreed to adopt me.

Maya’s eyes were electric with triumph. "This time, you get to be the family puppet," she mouthed, blowing me a kiss. "Enjoy the torture."

I paused, my hand on my small duffel bag. "What was that, Maya?" "Goodbye, sister," she sang, already turning toward the Millers, who were waiting in the next room.

She’s running toward them, convinced she's captured the golden goose. But she doesn't get it. She’s swapping lives, not minds. How can she possibly steal what’s inside my head?