Part 2Death Was My Only Escape

The original owner of this body was the true heiress of the Sterling family.

She had been switched at birth due to a hospital error and grew up in a middle-class family.

It wasn't until she turned 18, just a year ago, that she was finally found.

At first, I thought this System mission would be easy.

What parents wouldn't love their own child?

But after coming home, I realized how cruel reality could be.

There was another "Miss Sterling" in the house, born on the exact same day as me.

The fake heiress: Serena.

Initially, my parents were wonderful. They cried while holding me, calling me their "precious girl" in every breath.

Within three months, I had successfully won them over. I was the apple of their eye.

I even charmed the grandparents and extended family.

Of course, I also managed to dodge Serena’s constant, petty traps.

Until one day, she pulled me close with a sisterly grin to show me around.

"Maya, look. This is Dad’s private wine cellar."

"Every bottle here is priceless. You have to be extremely careful."

I never touched that room.

But a month later, my parents went to Serena’s parent-teacher conference.

When they returned, Serena looked at me, smiled, and threw herself into the custom wine rack.

The entire unit toppled.

With a deafening crash, it shattered at my feet.

Glass shards pierced my soles, drawing blood. The wine soaked my clothes, stinging my open wounds with a blinding pain.

But a second later, Serena was the one screaming.

"Dad! Mom!"

"Serena! What happened?"

My parents, arriving a few steps late, were stunned by the wreckage.

I stood in the middle of the glass, frozen.

Serena pointed at me, sobbing. "Maya was jealous because you went to my conference today."

"She pushed me. I hit the rack, and it just... it all fell..."

I found out later that the wine on that wall was worth as much as a luxury villa.