Never Again be Their Family, in This Life or the Next

Early the next morning, I finished my morning routine and prepared to head to school for the orientation meeting with the incoming class.

Gazing out the window, my mind was filled with longing for the life ahead. 

In my previous life, when I returned to the Davis household, everyone was celebrating Gayle's birthday.

They were utterly embarrassed when faced with my sudden intrusion.

It turned out that they had known for a long time that Gayle wasn't their biological son.

But after so many years together, the Davis Family had long since accepted Gayle. They said, "It's good that you're back."

The Davis Family needed an heir. So, I changed my application from the National Defense University to the Finance Department of a regular university.

I plunged headfirst into the Davis Group. As a result, the Davis placed their burdens on me, yet showered their affection upon Gayle.

But later, something bad happened. 

Gayle betrayed the company's most critical secrets, causing the company to go bankrupt overnight. 

Unable to bear it, my parents jumped to their deaths. Even my sister became gloomy and despondent. 

From then on, she looked at me as if I were her enemy.

She always said I was a jinx.

If not for me, she'd still be the beloved heiress of the Davis Family, the happiest person alive.

I said nothing, just buried myself in work, determined to maintain my sister's decades-long standard of living.

Until exhaustion triggered a heart attack, finally putting an end to it all.

When I closed my eyes, I recalled my parents' faces one last time.

“Mom, Dad, in this lifetime, I cannot repay your kindness. But I hope that without me, the four of you can live happily together.”

As I opened my eyes again, I gazed at the campus just a stone's throw away and couldn't help but feel excited.

Besides the orphanage, school was my other home.

As soon as I stepped off the bus, my teacher came to greet me. "Shawn, are you certain you won't change your college application?"

I pursed my lips, just beginning to smile, when someone running from afar interrupted me, "Shawn, I knew you hadn't given up yet!"

"Want to study finance, huh? Let me tell you—your dad handed over his shares to Gayle today. Even if you study finance, you won't get a single thing."

"The Davis Family belongs to Gayle!"

Watching her hysterical outburst, I suddenly felt a wave of absurdity wash over me.

Wasn't I a victim too?

If Gayle's mother hadn't secretly swapped me out and discarded me back then, how would I have ended up abandoned at the orphanage's doorstep, barely clinging to life in the freezing snow?

And if Gayle hadn't been unable to handle the disparity and sold company secrets behind closed doors, how could my parents have jumped to their deaths?

Was all this my fault?

I didn't want to reveal my rebirth, so I lowered my head, holding back tears as I walked toward school.

My sister froze for a moment, then jogged a few steps to grab my hand, her nails digging into my arm so hard it hurt.

"Shawn, our family is happy now. Why did you have to show up? Must you watch our entire family shatter because of you before you're satisfied?"

"How could you be so cruel?"

I endured the pain in my arm, wanting to pull away but afraid to use too much force. After all, she had saved my life in my past life.

Just as our argument reached a stalemate, the teacher intervened, "Miss, Shawn is my student. If you have any concerns, please address them directly with me."

"Also, don't make things difficult for him."

She shielded me behind her, her gaze sharp as she fixed it on my sister. "Shawn, do you know her?"

I clutched her sleeve like a lifeline, "No, I don’t. She was just standing outside the orphanage yesterday saying strange things!"

The teacher immediately called security and calmed me down, "Don't be afraid, Shawn. I'm here."