I was reborn—together with Dewitt Fletcher.

In my previous life, he brought me out of the orphanage as his foster sister. And as we grew older, we married and shared a lifetime of deep, unwavering love.

But in this life, when his parents motioned for me as they had in the past, the teenage Dewitt spoke out against it.

"Mom, Dad, I don't want her! I want this girl to be my sister!"

He grabbed the hand of the girl standing beside me, his gaze icy as he stared me down. "You stole Heather's life, causing her tragic death. Now it's your turn to suffer in hell!" I recognized that girl immediately. She was the one who, in my last life, had been adopted by the Benton family. She'd died young back then.

In that moment, everything clicked into place.

So, this time, Dewitt fancied himself the heroic knight to rescue his princess.

"Would you like to come with me?" an elegant woman asked.

She was Denisse Benton, from the prestigious Benton family, which Dewitt branded as pure hell.

My gaze shifted from her to Dewitt, my partner of decades, as he walked away with another girl.

Then I nodded.

This could be for the best.

In this life, I wanted to carve out a different path for myself.

As I stepped out of the orphanage, the Fletchers were still there.

The moment Dewitt spotted me, he tensed up and hurriedly shoved the girl into the car, snarling at me with raw venom. "Eunice, no matter how much you beg, I'm not taking you! You're not welcome in my family!

"You're nothing but a thief, and you belong with that wicked Benton family!"

He pushed me aside and slammed the car door shut.

I stumbled, struggling to keep my balance, as the Fletcher family's cars vanished into the distance.

The swirling dust from the exhaust stung my eyes, making it hard to keep them open.

Suddenly, a sleek black Maybach pulled up right in front of me.

The window rolled down, revealing Denisse's cool, composed face. "You want to go and live with the Fletchers?"

I shook my head. "Your family is great."

She paused for a second, casting an indifferent glance at me. "What's your name?"

I replied softly, "Eunice." In my last life, it had been Eunice Fletcher.

"From now on, you'll be Eunice Benton."

Her reply was brief, but I got what she meant.

I slid into the car without hesitation and said, "Okay, Mom."

Denisse arched an eyebrow but said nothing.

She leaned back in her seat to rest her eyes. I took the hint and stayed quiet.

The car glided into the Benton's villa, and I followed Denisse inside.

She set down her bag and casually glanced upward.

"Derek, this is your sister, Eunice."

I froze, instinctively looking up.

Leaning against the railing on the second-floor atrium was a young man even more striking than Dewitt. His features were refined and handsome, and he had an air of quiet elegance.

He seemed to have been watching us for quite some time.

I was utterly stunned.

I never imagined Derek Benton would look like this...

In our previous life, shortly after I was adopted by the Fletchers, Derek was sent abroad by his family.

I didn't see him again until many years later.

By then, he had already taken over the Benton empire, but his appearance was marred. With that scarred, fearsome face and his ruthless business tactics, he was known in the corporate world as "the Phantom Reaper."

I smiled warmly and greeted him. "Hi, Derek."

But Derek acted as if he hadn't heard a word, still lounging against the railing with a distant, indifferent expression.

"Don't mind him. He's not much of a talker," Denisse said.

Then she summoned a maid to show me around and left.

As I followed the maid toward the front door, something compelled me to glance back.

My eyes locked with Derek's unreadable gaze.

My heart skipped a beat.

Before my smile could fully form, he turned away and disappeared into his room.

It had been over a month since I was brought to the Benton villa.

Aside from that first encounter at the orphanage, I hadn't seen Denisse at all.

I did occasionally run into Derek at mealtimes, though.

Each time, I'd flash him a sweet, genuine smile and say hello.

But he never once responded.

I didn't mind.

I was far too busy to mind.

Even though Denisse was rarely around, she had packed my schedule to the brim with lessons.

I had etiquette classes, dance sessions, horseback riding, and a slew of other skills to master.

It was summer vacation, so Denisse believed I had plenty of time to take all those classes.

From dawn till dusk, I was immersed in learning, utterly exhausted but exhilarated.

Even the household nanny, Kaley Finch, looked at me with pity when I came back from riding lessons covered in bruises.

"Ms. Benton, maybe you should ask Mrs. Benton for a day off today?"

I slipped on my shoes and shook my head. "No need."

When she first brought me home, Denisse had laid it out clearly.

"Benton children are born to be the best, even if you're just adopted."

"The Fletcher girl from next door doesn't have to work this hard."

Kaley sighed, handing me my backpack. "Things have been buzzing over there all morning; I hear the whole family is jetting off for a vacation abroad during the break."

I knew Kaley was sticking up for me.

To her, I was missing out on the carefree joys of childhood.

I stood up, taking the bag with a smile. "Kaley, I'm not tired. This is what I want to learn."

To others, the Benton family might seem like a living hell.

But for me, it was anything but.

The Benton family was an old-money dynasty, with a depth of heritage and resources that far outstripped the nouveau riche Fletchers.

Here, I could truly flourish and grow.

Sure, the family dynamics were tangled, with the Bentons not fully accepting me, Denisse being critically aloof, and Derek distant and detached—but this place allowed me to become stronger.

Lost in my thoughts, I was startled when a fluffy white kitten darted to my feet.

Right on its heels came a playful, indignant girl's voice. "Muffin, you've got the wrong person! Come back here!"

"Dewitt, help me get Muffin back, will you?"

"You little klutz."

I scooped up the kitten and straightened, only to meet the eyes of the approaching boy.

It was Dewitt.

The instant he saw me, his smile froze, quickly melting into outright disgust.

"You actually followed us here? You're like a curse that won't go away!"

His sarcasm dripped with unbridled malice. "Don't think lurking around will make me soften up. Keep dreaming!"

"Eunice?!"

Heather's delighted exclamation cut him off. Now, she was Heather Fletcher.

She skipped over in her princess dress, beaming. "This is great! I never thought I'd see you again after leaving the orphanage!

"Is that car waiting for you?"

She took the kitten from me, eyeing the vehicle parked not far behind with curiosity.

Then, her face paled in an instant.

"Oh no, you really got adopted by the Bentons next door?"

Before I could respond, my gaze caught on the key pendant dangling at her neckline, and I paused.

Heather noticed and awkwardly covered it with her hand.

I pretended not to see and nodded. "Yes, the Bentons."

"So now you're Eunice Benton, huh?"

I shot a glance at Dewitt, who looked thoroughly embarrassed by his misunderstanding.

"Yeah."

"Are the Bentons all super scary?

"I heard their son has some kind of illness—he's mute, right? Is that true?"

She leaned in conspiratorially, pointing toward the Benton's villa, firing off questions.

I frowned, feeling a spark of irritation.

I opened my mouth to set her straight, but Heather didn't give me a chance.

"Eunice, are you learning archery on horseback?"

She tilted her head, eyeing my riding outfit.

"Uh, yeah, but I have to get going..."

I was brainstorming an excuse to slip away when Dewitt interrupted impatiently. "Heather, why waste time chatting with someone like her? Let's go."

Heather let out an "oh" and stuck out her tongue playfully. "Don't mind him. Dewitt's usually so sweet. I don't know what's gotten into him today...

"Dewitt, wait up!"

She hiked up her skirt and hurried after him.

I watched them for a moment, then turned and walked away.

The wind carried snippets of their conversation back to me.

"Dewitt, the Bentons are way too strict. Eunice is my age, but she's got lessons every single day. I saw all those bruises—she looks so pitiful."

"Hmph, what's the point of a girl learning all that? Some people are just destined for hardship."

"Heather, all you need to do in this life is be your pretty little princess self. A Fletcher girl doesn't have to suffer like that.

"Yeah, Mom, Dad, and my brother are the absolute best!"

Hearing their words, I let out a cold, bitter laugh, thinking to myself, "Oh, really?"

"So, the Fletchers saw hard work as nothing but suffering.

I shook my head.

In our previous life, Dewitt's parents had indeed showered me with affection.

But they never supported me in learning any real skills.

When I wanted to try horseback archery, they shot it down.

"How could you? What if you fall and scar yourself? How will you ever find a husband then?"

After being stalked once, I asked to learn self-defense, but they refused.

"Girls from prestigious families don't need that. The Fletchers have bodyguards, so no one would dare touch you."

Later, when I expressed interest in business and finance, they dismissed it again.

"Why bother with all that? Your brother can handle the family affairs just fine."

Their so-called boundless love had actually molded me into a helpless dependent, incapable of standing on my own.

Denisse, on the other hand, would tell me, "Bentons should try their hand at everything—and fight for what they want."

Summer vacation flew by in a blur.

Before I knew it, the first day of school was upon us.

Denisse had already arranged for me to transfer to the same elite international school as Derek.

It was the same school Dewitt and I attended in our previous life.

On the first morning, I sat in the car, bubbling with anticipation.

When Derek slid open the door, I flashed him a bright grin. "Hey, Derek! Mom says we'll be going to school together from now on."

Derek froze mid-step, his hand lingering on the door.

Then, without a word, he settled into the seat as far from me as possible.

The next day, I greeted him with the same cheerful enthusiasm.

The day after that, too.

And so it went on for two whole months.

One morning, I noticed something different.

Though Derek never responded to my hellos, a subtle shift had occurred.

That day, I'd lingered too long over breakfast. When I noticed the time, I rushed out to the courtyard, only to find Derek standing by the car, backpack slung over his shoulder, waiting for me.

Swallowing my surprise, I beamed at him. "Derek, you're the best."

As usual, he flicked me a cool, fleeting glance before silently climbing into the car.

But this time, when he slid into the seat, he didn't sit quite so far away.

A small smile tugged at my lips.

That was a change worth celebrating.

One afternoon after school, I waited outside the classroom building for what felt like forever, but Derek never showed.

My calls to him also went unanswered.

Panic began to churn in my chest.

Then, like a bolt of lightning, a memory struck me.

In our past life, around this time, something major had happened at the school gates.

Back then, I was buried in books, scrambling to keep up with the international school's rigorous pace.

I vaguely remembered overhearing classmates buzzing about trouble involving the Benton family.

Word was, their kids had been caught up in something bad.

Many years later, I caught wind of another rumor: Derek, the head of the Benton Group, had been viciously disfigured during his high school years.

A chill ran through me. "Could today be that day?

"Oh no.

"Do I have enough time to change it?"

I snapped into action, firing off a text to the driver.

I told him to head to the school entrance and, if he didn't see me, to come looking for us immediately.

Then I bolted toward the alley behind the school.

My heart pounded as I silently pleaded, "Derek, please be okay!"

When I reached the alley, my worst fears came to life.

Derek was cornered against a wall by a group of rough-looking thugs.

"Ha, so the great Mr. Benton's a mute, huh? Doesn't even scream when he's getting his ass kicked."

"A mute won't snitch. What, you want the Bentons coming for you?"

"Damn it, this brat's still glaring at me!"

One of them, clearly a student, spat on the ground and whipped out a utility knife, aiming it at Derek's face.

My heart seized.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a baseball bat lying on the ground.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself, then charged forward, shouting at the top of my lungs. "I've already called the cops!"

I dove into the fray, swinging the bat wildly.

Thankfully, my recent physical training had paid off.

The thugs, caught off guard, scattered in a panic.

When they heard me mention the police, they hesitated.

"Damn it, this kid got lucky!"

Cursing under their breath, they started to slink away.

Relieved they were leaving, I rushed to Derek's side to check on him.

A shallow cut marred his face, blood trickling down, but it wasn't deep. His arms and legs, though, were bruised and battered.

"Derek, hang in there. I'm getting you home!"

I helped him up, ready to leave.

But a sudden, brutal force knocked me to the ground.

"Son of a bitch. Trevor, I told you this brat was faking it! Cops? Yeah, right.

"Little liar, pulling tricks with me. Huh?

"A mute and a con artist—what a perfect pair!"

The one called Trevor Lopez was spitting venom, his foot slamming into my back over and over.

I bowed my head against the blows and met Derek's wide, terrified eyes.

My lips trembled, but I forced a shaky smile, whispering, "Derek, don't be scared."

His gaze locked onto mine, frozen in place.

I shielded him, refusing to budge, as the blows rained down harder.

Just as another kick was about to land, Derek moved.

Silent until now, he lunged at the nearest thug, sinking his teeth into the guy's hand with feral intensity.

His sudden ferocity stunned Trevor and his crew for a split second.

But we were hopelessly outnumbered. They quickly overpowered him, pinning him down.

Fists and feet pummeled his head and chest, and someone even pulled out an iron rod.

I thought bitterly, "So, I was really powerless to change this fate?"

Despair clawed at my heart, but suddenly, voices and footsteps echoed from the alley's entrance.

Hope surged within me. "Could it be the driver?" I expected.

I forced my eyes open, peering through the haze of pain and blood.

In my blurry vision, a pair of white sneakers came into view.

The person in sneakers stood in the glow of the setting sun, his shadow stretching long into the alley.

Trevor and his gang turned, their faces twisting into menacing snarls.

"Hey, brat, what are you staring at?"

My heart sank at their words.

Whoever it was, it wasn't the driver.

I strained to make out the figure, but blood stung my eyes, blurring everything.

Then a voice called out from the distance.

"Witt, why are you just standing there? The strawberry cake shop's this way!"

The figure paused for a moment.

"Yeah, coming."

I blinked my dry, aching eyes, whispering faintly, "Dewitt..."

He hesitated, his steps faltering.

But in the end, Dewitt didn't look back. He just took Heather's hand and walked away.

Unable to resist her curiosity, Heather glanced into the alley and let out a startled yelp.

"Oh my gosh, Dewitt, someone's hurt over there! Did you see?"

He immediately covered her eyes. "Don't look. It's messy."

Dewitt's voice was soft, almost tender.

His words floated back to me from a distance.

"Hedy, this time I found you early. I'll keep you safe, keep your innocence intact.

"You won't have to suffer under the Benton family and die so young."

In a daze, I recalled his dying words from our past life.

Back then, he repeated over and over: "It's my fault. If only I'd found you sooner..."

I had thought he was talking about the accident that cost us our unborn child and left me barren.

Choking back tears, I'd comforted him. "Dewitt, we'll be together in the next life. We'll have a child then."

Now I realized his regrets had nothing to do with me.

What haunted him was that on that fateful day, he was with me and couldn't be there in time to save Heather.

So in this life, he chose to keep her close, guarding her like a treasure.

Dewitt hadn't come here today to save me.

He just wanted to witness how I, the "thief," took the punishment meant for the girl he loved.

But in our past life, I'd overheard classmates whispering about the Benton siblings' ordeal.

The word was that, after the incident, Derek was sent abroad.

Heather, however, wasn't allowed to leave with him, and her status in the Benton family plummeted.

A girl in the know had hinted at the truth: that day, Heather had abandoned Derek.

"Derek fought to protect Heather, but she ran without so much as a glance back..."

Yet somehow, Dewitt was convinced Heather was the innocent victim.

A bitter laugh escaped me.

I thought, "Does he really think Heather was pure and kind?

I let out a faint chuckle, wiping the blood from my eyes.

Then I staggered to my feet, wrapping my arms tightly around one of the thug's legs.

No matter how he kicked or cursed, I refused to let go.

"Don't you dare touch Derek!" I remembered I had cried in a hoarse voice.

I held on until my strength gave out, and I collapsed to the ground.

As darkness closed in, I slipped into unconsciousness.