Seven Floors Down, Seven Years Back

"Why not?" I asked, feeling puzzled.

The air grew thick with an unspoken tension, but I was too naïve to understand what was going on.

Didn't Mom and Dad cry out of love when they saw me? Didn't Rosa place that cuddly bear where I'd be sure to see it? Wasn't I Mom and Dad's real daughter?

So what was wrong with picking what I liked? I couldn't make sense of it.

Mom's expression faltered as though she wanted to explain something but couldn't. Dad's face was grim, and he said nothing.

Rosa handed me the plush bear. "This is my favorite toy, Cora. You can have it if you like it. It should be yours anyway."

I took it from her.

Back in the countryside by the sea, seashells were the only toys I had. I'd never come across anything as lovely as this bear.

Now that I was back in the city, it felt like I was still only worthy of those cheap little shells. But here, not even a seashell could be found. I couldn't understand how it had all gone wrong.

I hadn't even held the bear for a minute when Magnus appeared out of nowhere, seething with rage.

He dragged me to the doorway and yelled, "Do you have no manners? This is Rosa's favorite toy! You can't just take it like that!"

I froze—partly because it was the first time I'd seen him, and partly because I couldn't understand what I'd done wrong.

Terrified, I called out for Mom and Dad. They hurried over right away.

Magnus quickly turned to them. "What's going on, Mr. and Mrs. Jagger? This is Rosa's favorite toy. Isn't it unfair to just give it away like that?"

"Well…" Mom and Dad looked uneasy and couldn't find the right words.

I caught the brief flash of anger in Mom's eyes. Her glare shot through me, leaving me rattled. That look, filled with disgust, reminded me of the foster dad I'd lost.

So, Mom didn't like me either. It was clear now—I was nothing more than an outsider in this house.

In my previous life, I was like a wounded bird, desperately trying to survive in this cold city for seven years, only to end it all by jumping off a building.

How ridiculous.

I wasn't about to make the same mistakes in this life. I would learn to stand on my own, without seeking affection or pouring my heart out.

I chuckled and pointed to the most unassuming thing in the corner—a necklace made from plain seashells.

"I'll take that one," I said.

Mom and Dad paused, their faces softening in relief. But they quickly put on a disapproving front and said, "It's just a trinket. Why that one? Pick something else."

"I'm used to having seashells around," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

They sighed and gave in, allowing me—the daughter they had lost for ten years—to wear the cheapest trinket.

Rosa arrived just then, her eyes widening in surprise when she saw I had picked the seashell necklace.

I gave her a blank look. She probably thought I didn't realize she had purposely placed that plush bear in the most noticeable spot to tempt me into choosing it.

I had fallen right into her trap from the moment I set foot back here. For the next seven years, she would fight for Mom's and Dad's love, and in the end, she would win.

It took my death for me to understand a simple fact—I had to love myself first before anyone else would.

In the following week, unlike my previous life, I didn't compete with Rosa for Mom's and Dad's affection. Instead, I moved into the housekeeper's room, tucked away in the most secluded part of the house.

The moment I closed the door, Rosa appeared with the plush bear in hand. "Cora, I'm sure you'll love this bear."