Part 1The Author’s Revenge: A Plot Twist Nobody Saw Coming

I abruptly pulled my hit novel from publication right as it reached the climax.

The internet exploded with outrage, but I ignored it all.

Instead, I dragged two rising stars—one from the music industry and one from the art world—off to a mountain villa. We spent our days hiking, relaxing, and playing poker.

But back home, the so-called "genius heiress" was panicking. Our simultaneous hiatuses and the lackluster work she was now putting out were drawing heavy criticism online.

In our past life, the three of us were crucified for plagiarism.

We were buried under a landslide of cyberbullying and massive lawsuits.

My parents disowned me, my reputation was destroyed, and debt collectors eventually drove me to my death.

Her suitors, eager to please her, poisoned the singer's voice and severed the tendons in the artist's hands.

We tried to clear our names, but no matter how brilliant our work was, it could always be traced back to something the "genius heiress" had published just days before.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back. It was the night before her rise to fame.

* * *

Staring at my computer screen, I saw that my novel was nearing its end.

In my past life, this story had racked up millions of views as soon as I published it.

It was even adapted into a blockbuster movie, a household name.

But this time, I wasn't going to follow the original plot.

I paused and sighed.

Relying on my memories, I counted down the seconds and searched the web.

Sure enough, at 6:03 PM, a novel appeared on an obscure website.

My hands trembled as I clicked on it.

Even knowing what I would find, my heart still skipped a beat.

The content was eerily similar to mine, released exactly three days before I planned to publish my chapters. It was complete, save for the ending.

My heart sank. If I followed the path of my previous life and published this book, I would be stepping into an abyss.

"Is the ending done?" my editor messaged. "Check for typos and upload it ASAP. I can't wait for it to go live!"

Even through the text, I could feel her excitement. In my past life, we both had such high hopes for this book, eagerly awaiting its explosion in popularity.

"Sorry, babe, I need to make major changes to this book," I typed, a bitter smile on my lips.

"But it's already perfect..." she replied, confused.

"Trust me, I can make it even better." I smiled, a new plot already forming in my mind.

I looked at the screen, right-clicked on the original file, and sent it to the recycling bin.

I am Sarah Shen, the fake daughter of the Shen family, switched at birth. When the real daughter, Serena Shen, returned, I didn't cling to my position. I was ready to return to my rightful place as agreed.

But my parents, sentimental about our years together, kept me.

The reason was simple: I had brought them honor over the years. More importantly, when their business failed, I used my writing savings and scholarships to help them pull through.

I was known as the genius girl of the Shen family, the pride of our social circle.

I never expected that the real daughter, brought back from the outside, would accuse me of plagiarism at the height of my glory.

She projected comparison charts in front of everyone, tearfully accusing me of stealing her work.

The characters, the main plot—everything coincidentally matched hers.

Instantly, reporters swarmed me like sharks smelling blood.