Reborn to Take Back What Was Mine

“Lena grew up with nothing. You’re her older sister. What’s wrong with letting her have this one thing?” In my previous life, that was the sentence my mother, Margaret Hayes, said to me most often. Lena had never lived in a nice room, so I gave up my bedroom. She had missed the cutoff for an elite college program, so my mother asked me to withdraw from the Hayes Foundation’s Columbia Honors Fellowship and let Lena take the family-backed recommendation in my place. Later, when Lena wanted to work at Hayes Group, my mother said again, “The company will be yours one day anyway. What’s wrong with letting Lena sit in your office for a while?” So I gave in. Again and again. In the end, I gave away the Hayes family itself. Only after my grandfather and I were forced out of our own home did I learn the truth. The so-called poor student my mother had sponsored for years was actually her biological daughter, born in secret after she married into the Hayes family. And because Lena was afraid my grandfather and I would return to take Hayes Group back, she drove straight into us. Before I died, she stood in front of me and smiled. “Vivian, thank you for giving me everything.” When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the first day Lena moved into the Hayes estate. My mother pointed at my bedroom. “Lena has never stayed in a room this nice. Give it to her.” I looked at my mother. Then I looked at Lena, who had already dragged her suitcase upstairs. It had been exactly like this in my previous life too. My mother had not even asked whether I agreed. She simply brought Lena to my bedroom door. In her eyes, as long as she spoke, I would obey. But this time, she was wrong. “No.” My mother froze. “Vivian, what did you just say?” I smiled. “I said I’m not giving her my room.” Lena’s face paled slightly. She immediately grabbed my mother’s arm. “Mrs. Hayes, it’s okay. I can sleep anywhere.” “Being allowed to stay here is already more than enough. Please don’t argue with Vivian because of me.” Before she finished speaking, her eyes had already turned red. Exactly the same as before. Sure enough, my mother’s heart softened at once. She patted Lena’s hand, then turned to scold me. “Vivian Hayes, when did you become this selfish?” “Lena suffered so much growing up. You were born into this house. You’ve had the best of everything since the day you were born. What’s wrong with letting her use your room for a few days?” I looked at her. “What does her suffering have to do with me?” “Did I cause it?” My mother choked on her words. I had no interest in wasting more breath on her. I called the house manager over directly. “Mr. Collins, prepare the downstairs guest room.” “And from now on, without my permission, no one enters my bedroom.” Mr. Collins paused for a second, then nodded quickly. “Yes, Miss Hayes.” My mother’s expression darkened. “Vivian, what exactly is wrong with you?” “Lena just arrived, and you’re already trying to humiliate her?” “I’m humiliating her?” I laughed once, then called after Mr. Collins before he could leave. “Wait.” “Don’t prepare the guest room.” My mother’s expression eased a little, probably thinking I had changed my mind. The next second, I continued, “Go bring Max in from the yard.” “From now on, Max can sleep in the guest room.” Even Mr. Collins was stunned. “Miss Hayes, Max is a dog.” “I know.” I turned to Lena. “If staying in the guest room is too humiliating for her, she can sleep in the doghouse.” “Max can take a two-day break. She can cover his shift.” Lena’s tears fell instantly. “Vivian!” My mother’s face turned livid. But I had no patience left to listen. I turned, went into my room, and shut the door. Outside, Lena’s injured voice soon drifted through. “Mrs. Hayes, please don’t blame Vivian.” “She probably just doesn’t like me. It’s really okay. I can sleep on the couch.” My mother was heartbroken. “Don’t listen to her!” “She’s been spoiled rotten. Tonight, you’ll sleep with me. I’ll have someone add another pillow.” Lena was still pretending to hesitate. “But will Vivian be even angrier?” “This family is not hers to rule!” I listened from behind the door and found it laughable. In my previous life, I had listened to words like that again and again. Then I gave in again and again. I gave up my room. My school opportunity. My company position. In the end, I gave up my life. Not this time. After the hallway finally went quiet, I took out my phone and found a number I had not contacted in years. It belonged to a private investigation firm my father had worked with before he died. When the call connected, I sent over Margaret Hayes’s and Lena Ward’s information. “I need you to investigate two people.” “As thoroughly as possible.” The person on the other end asked, “Where would you like us to start, Miss Hayes?” I stared at Lena’s sweet, harmless photo on my screen. “Start from her birth.” “Hospital records, school history, and every financial record connected to Margaret Hayes’s sponsorship of her.” “I want all of it.” In my previous life, I had died too late. I had learned the truth too late. This time, knowing who Lena was would not be enough. I needed evidence.