Second Life but First in Line

I glanced over at their phones, catching sight of the fact that they were recording everything. That meant I already had proof in hand if I needed it.

I'd put up with their nonsense up to now, not because I was afraid, but because I was waiting for the right time to fight back. I never looked for trouble, but I sure wasn't going to run from it.

The very next second, I rammed my head into one girl's stomach and landed a hard kick to her leg.

Another girl tried to jump in, but I was quicker. I grabbed her by the hair and slammed her head onto a desk.

Then, I went for Olivia, who'd hit me the hardest. I tackled her to the ground and slammed my fists into her, targeting the places her clothes would cover.

The last girl just stood there, stunned. By the time she snapped out of it, she kicked me in the back and punched me twice in the face, leaving my nose bloody.

Nobody came out of that fight looking good. I got jumped by the group, but none of those four girls walked away unscathed either.

They liked to think of themselves as pampered rich kids, but they had no idea how to really fight.

In the end, all five of us landed in the hospital. With the video as evidence, it was clear I was just defending myself, so the others were given disciplinary warnings.

Later, Charlotte came to see me.

"You got bullied? Why didn't you tell me?" she asked.

"There wasn't any point," I said. "They just want to push me until I leave."

I got out of bed, knelt down in front of her, and looked her straight in the eye.

"Ms. Evans, I know exactly why you adopted me. You hate your family, hate all these relatives who only care about their interests. You wanted someone who could deal with them for you. I can be your sharpest weapon."

Charlotte looked at me for a long time. My knees started to ache before she finally let out a laugh.

"Get up," she said. "From now on, stop calling me Ms. Evans. Just call me Mom. Don't let me down."

I looked down and smiled. I'd guessed right.

There was no way Charlotte didn't know what I'd been through. This had all been a test. She'd seen my patience, and now, she'd seen how I fought back.

I knew I'd passed.

From that day on, I could tell her attitude toward me had really changed. She paid more attention to me, and her smiles felt genuine.

The next time I saw Amelia, it was the very same day we had met in my previous life.

She wore a custom designer dress, looking every bit the picture of elegance. Her skin was flawless, and her big, innocent eyes could have made anyone feel protective.

Meanwhile, I was hunched over at my desk, struggling to finish a client proposal Charlotte had given me just a couple of days before.

If I couldn't come up with a solid plan, I knew Charlotte would double my workload that night. I really didn't want to pull an all-nighter.

On stage, Amelia introduced herself to the class. "Hi, everyone. My name is Amelia Foster. I've just come back from studying abroad. I hope we can all get along these next few years."

I looked up and met her eyes. All I could see was pride and a challenge.

Amelia spent the whole day showing off, strolling around the campus with the principal as if she owned the place.

After school, I stood at the gate waiting for Charlotte to pick me up, when a luxury car pulled up beside me.

As the window lowered, I saw Amelia sitting inside. She got out of the car and came right up to me.

"So, how's life at the Evans residence? Is that woman always yelling at you and hitting you? How does it feel to be bullied?"

Without even looking up, I pulled out my phone and texted Charlotte.

"If things are tough for me, what about you at the Foster residence? I heard they treat you like a real princess over there..."

The moment Amelia heard that, her face went white.

Henry had only one son, Adam Foster, who was a real handful. The only reason he adopted a girl was to give Adam some company.

In my previous life, after I'd been adopted, Adam made my life hell. He wouldn't let me go out or go to school. He controlled every aspect of my life, even what I ate and wore.

With him, I didn't have an inch of private space. It was a life of humiliation I could never escape.