Chapter 3 My parents were still there. As expected, my mom quickly stepped in to comfort her. "Your sister is probably just tired and needs some rest. Don't read too much into it." My dad chimed in, "Leila, no one's taking anyone else's place in this family. Don't let it bother you." But there was. It was me. ... After a nap, the villa was quiet. The housekeeper informed me, "Miss Leila wasn't in a good mood, so Mr and Mrs. Lowe took her out shopping." I simply responded, "Oh." That was fine by me. I began organizing the cash gifts-money from my parents and relatives when they came to welcome me home. Altogether, they added up to over twenty thousand dollars. I needed to save it. Because I knew my future wouldn't be easy, and this money would be my biggest asset. The town chief had helped me open a bank account, so I grabbed my bank card and headed to the nearest branch. In my previous life, after three difficult years, I grew familiar with the area. So, I wouldn't get lost this time. At the bank, I came across a sharply dressed man in a suit, accompanied by the branch manager, who was all smiles and nods as he walked him out. I stopped in my tracks. The man in the suit was my brother, Shane. This was our first meeting in this lifetime. But he recognized me after seeing my photos and videos. He glanced at me, sizing me up, before speaking coldly, "Carol Lowe?" "Yes." The bank manager's eyes darted between us before he greeted me warmly. "Miss, what's your relationship with Mr. Lowe?" Shane frowned, clearly displeased. "That's none of your concern. Get back to work." The manager gave an awkward laugh and quickly left. Shane looked at me again. "You just got home. What are you doing here?" "Depositing money," I replied honestly and went straight to get a number. "Depositing money? Those cash gifts?" Shane sneered. "I thought you'd give the cash to Mom and Dad to manage. After all, Leila always does that." I stayed silent. He scoffed, his tone dripping with disdain. "Greedy, aren't you? Fine, keep your own money if you must, but don't even think about laying a finger on the family's!" He was exactly the same as in the previous life. In my first week back then, a gold necklace went missing at home. Shane was convinced I stole it. He thought I was poorly raised, money-hungry, and nothing but trouble. Who would've thought that in this life, the necklace hadn't even gone missing yet, and Shane had already made up his mind about me? But I didn't care, and I wasn't going to argue. I just wanted to deposit my money. With a cold scoff, Shane turned and walked away. ... That evening, my parents and Leila were all present, discussing which school I should attend. The brochures laid out on the table were all for elite private schools. I made my choice directly. "I don't want to go to a private school. I want to attend Shaw City High." It was a top public high school. My plan was simple: finish high school, get into college, and leave this house. I had no desire to be a wealthy heiress. My parents were stunned, while Leila hid her inner delight and spoke up. "Sister, there's no need for us to attend an ordinary high school. We don't even need to take the college entrance exam; we'll study abroad in the future." "Yes, Carol," my mom said, patting the back of my hand. "You and your sister should both go to Royal Rose Academy. We'll take care of everything for your future." My dad's gaze flickered as if he was weighing his options. I knew exactly what he was thinking. In my previous life, I had enrolled in Royal Rose Academy and became infamous. Not because I was dazzling, but because I stood out in all the wrong ways. A girl from a rural town among the heirs and heiresses of Shaw City's wealthiest families-I was painfully out of place. When news spread that I was the Lowe family's long-lost heiress, I was turned into a joke. Many came out of curiosity to see me, but when they found a skinny, sun-darkened country girl, the ridicule was inevitable. Worse yet, Leila fanned the flames. She not only arranged for people to bully me but even sent a handsome boy to pretend to court me.