The freezing lake water surged into her mouth and nose.
"Victoria!" Her mom, Joan Porter, and her newly found sister, Ella Scott, shouted one after another as Victoria Scott blacked out.
In the fancy single-patient room, Victoria, with her delicate features, slowly opened her eyes, her eyelashes fluttering slightly.
She thought, 'Do people see white walls after they die?'
"Victoria, you're awake!" Joan's voice was full of joy.
Victoria hesitantly looked at Joan by the bedside; Joan seemed to have gotten younger.
"Victoria, I didn't mean it!" Ella, with tearful eyes, rushed over, almost yanking out the IV needle in Victoria's hand.
Luckily, Victoria was quick to react to Ella's voice and pulled her hand away just in time.
Looking at the young and innocent face in front of her, with pale makeup, Victoria suddenly remembered. This was the second day after Ella came to her home!
She had been reborn!
Victoria had been the daughter of the Scott family for eighteen years. She was smart and studious, a role model for all the girls in Silvervale, and had brought a lot of honor to the Scott family.
But when she turned eighteen, she was told that she wasn't the biological daughter of Joan and Brian Scott.
She was switched at birth by mistake!
The Scott family quickly found their real daughter: Ella.
She was a gentle and delicate girl.
After learning the truth, Victoria felt super guilty. She felt like she had taken Ella's place, enjoying the love and upbringing of the Scott family, while Ella had suffered a lot.
Victoria originally wanted to leave the Scott family and give everything back to Ella.
But Ella cried and begged Victoria not to leave. She didn't want to seem like the bad guy who drove Victoria away as soon as she returned. They could be daughters of the Scott family together and be good sisters.
Victoria had deep feelings for the Scott family. She had grown up there, with family and friends, all there. Naturally, she didn't want to leave.
So she chose to stay, but she didn't expect it to be the start of her nightmare!
Ella seemed gentle and kind on the surface but schemed against her at every turn.
For example, this time, Victoria fell into the water because of Ella's plan. In her previous life, Victoria had genuinely believed it was an accident and had forgiven Ella easily.
Unexpectedly, Ella became more and more excessive afterward.
Everything Victoria had—family, friends, career, opportunities—Ella wanted to destroy and take away!
In the end, Victoria's reputation and career were all ruined.
Family and friends misunderstood her and abandoned her, even the person she loved followed Ella.
In her previous life, Victoria also found it strange that Ella was always one step ahead of her as if she knew in advance.
And Ella's misdeeds always went unnoticed.
Everyone thought Ella was innocent and that Victoria was just bitter about her false heiress status being revealed, resented Ella, and set traps for her but ended up harming herself.
Victoria later saw through Ella's true nature, but it was too late; she couldn't stand up to Ella.
Cornered by thugs in an alley and humiliated, Victoria fought back desperately until she was beaten half to death and left on the streets.
Ella appeared, leaned close to her bleeding cheek, and revealed the truth: she had been reborn.
In their previous life, Victoria had outshined her in every way, making Ella, the true heiress, feel humbled. So she came back to seek revenge, determined to take everything from Victoria to vent her anger.
Rebirth? She didn't believe it at the time.
Now, Victoria had also been reborn.
"Victoria, do you still refuse to forgive me?" Ella covered her eyes and started crying.
Joan chimed in, "Victoria, Ella surely didn't mean it. She must have been very scared just coming back."
Victoria curled her lips into a strange smile. "Really?"
Joan and Brian had bought Ella many brand-name clothes, but Ella was still wearing her shabby white T-shirt, looking even more pitiful as she cried, as if Victoria had bullied her.
Yet, it was Victoria who was lying in the hospital bed!
Joan also hugged Ella with heartache. "Don't cry, Ella. Victoria is the most generous; she surely won't blame you."
At this moment, Brian pushed the door open and came in. "Why is Ella crying?"
"Victoria..." Before Ella could finish, Brian looked at Victoria with a face full of reproach. "Ella just came home yesterday. She is the real daughter of the Scott family. Your fall into the water was an accident."
Joan also said, "Ella has suffered a lot. We should make it up to her."
Victoria looked on with cold detachment at the three of them, who shared a deep bond.
At this time, Joan still had feelings for her, at least caring for her while she was unconscious.
But it couldn't compare to their heartache for Ella. If there was a conflict between Ella and Victoria, they would definitely side with Ella.
After all, Ella was their biological daughter, and she, the adopted one, was just wishful thinking.
Forgiveness was out of the question; the Scott family would never treat her fairly.
Ella pushing her into the water could be considered repayment for these eighteen years of upbringing.
"I see," Victoria answered coldly.
Brian added, "Also, when you get home today, stay in the guest room. Your original room is spacious and bright; let Ella stay there."
Joan supplemented. "Victoria, it's just a temporary grievance. The guest room isn't bad either."
Yes, it was just a bit smaller, but they forgot Victoria was only accustomed to sleeping in her own bed.
In Victoria's previous life, she had felt a bit sad when she heard she had to sleep in the guest room, but out of guilt towards Ella, she had accepted it without complaint.
Now, she was used to it. Joan and Brian's favoritism towards Ella was only natural.
They were not her parents, and she didn't want them either.
In this life, she would find her biological parents, no matter how poor they were.
She looked directly at Brian and Joan, her voice steady, "Dad, Mom, this is the last time I will call you that. Thank you for raising me all these years. Now that Ella is back, it's only right to return everything to her. I will leave on my own. I can't repay your upbringing now, but when I start working and earning money, I will repay you as soon as possible."
Ella's face changed in surprise upon hearing this, forgetting to cover her tearless eyes.
She thought, 'What's going on? Why is Victoria different from the previous life? Shouldn't she be reluctant to leave the Scott family's affluent life, crying and unwilling to part with Dad and Mom?'
Brian and Joan were also shocked. Joan tried to persuade Victoria, "Victoria, no, we don't mean to drive you away. You and Ella are both our daughters."
Ella held Victoria's hand even tighter. "Victoria, the bond of upbringing isn't so easily severed. If you leave as soon as I come back, outsiders who don't know the situation will think I'm bad and our parents are harsh. We can be sisters and take good care of our parents together in the future."
