Ella screamed as she jolted awake from the nightmare, her heart pounding, engulfed in darkness.
She panted heavily, as if she had just escaped from the depths of the ocean. Struggling to open her eyes, she looked around in confusion. Where was she? Could this be hell?
The room's furnishings were so familiar—this was her bedroom!
She sat up abruptly, overwhelmed with shock, her mouth agape.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps approached, and the door was flung open. The lights came on, illuminating the entire room.
"Ella, are you okay?" Brianna rushed in, her face full of concern and anxiety. She quickly came to the bedside and gently touched Ella's forehead.
Looking at Brianna's delicate face, Ella was filled with confusion. Wasn't she poisoned and thrown into the sea?
The sensation of suffocation still lingered, haunting her heart.
Facing Brianna's feigned concern, Ella's emotions surged, but she managed to suppress them, trembling as she said, "I... I just had a nightmare."
She glanced around the familiar room, everything felt so real, but she knew this wasn't just a simple dream.
Brianna pretended to check Ella's forehead. "Ella, you seem to have a fever. I'll call the doctor."
"No need for a doctor, I'm fine, Mommy..." Ella's voice was hoarse as she suppressed her shock, a cold smile playing on her lips.
"Are you sure you don't need a doctor? I'm very worried about you!" Brianna faked a worried expression. Ella sneered internally, knowing she was likely worried about the massive inheritance.
Her grandmother's inheritance would only be accessible when she turned twenty-five. Back then, she had naively trusted her father and stepmother, transferring all her assets to her father!
Then, Hannah rushed in, wearing pajamas and with a look of fake concern. "Sister, are you okay? What happened?" Her voice was soft, but her eyes held hidden malice.
Seeing this teenage version of Hannah, Ella suddenly realized she had been reborn.
Was it possible that heaven had taken pity on her unjust death and given her a chance to start over?
Recalling the moments before her tragic death, rage burned within her, bringing with it an overwhelming sense of vengeance.
This time, she would make those vile people pay!
She would strip them of everything, make them suffer, and wish for death!
She vowed to exact revenge, an eye for an eye, blood for blood, repaying the pain they inflicted on her tenfold!
Ella took a deep breath, struggling to control her emotions.
"I'm fine, just a nightmare," she repeated, not wanting anyone to detect the turmoil within her.
Brianna quickly called Mrs. Harris to bring Ella a glass of water.
Mrs. Harris was Ella's biological mother's old servant and had always taken good care of Ella.
When Mrs. Harris walked in with the cup of water, Ella looked at her familiar face, and an indescribable wave of emotion filled her heart. Tears welled up in her eyes.
Mrs. Harris's warm smile brought back countless memories of the days she had tenderly cared for Ella.
Brianna, seeing this, thought Ella was crying from the nightmare and quickly comforted her, "Don't be afraid, Mommy is here to protect you. Don't cry, or your eyes will be swollen, and you won't look pretty at your coming-of-age ceremony."
The coming-of-age ceremony! Ella couldn't believe she had been reborn on the day of her eighteenth birthday! The events of that day only made sense to her now.
Brianna held Ella's hand and gently said, "Since you're awake, let's go see your dress. This dress was custom-made at a great expense, and you'll absolutely love it! Consider it Mommy's birthday gift to you."
Ella smiled sweetly, "Thank you, Mommy, you're the best!"
Brianna beamed, "Of course, you're my precious daughter!"
Brianna, a former actress, played her role flawlessly, fooling Ella completely in her previous life.
While they performed a perfect mother-daughter act, only Ella knew the wicked heart beneath Brianna's noble exterior.
Brianna led Ella to the dressing room, where a luxurious halter-neck gown hung.
The dress shimmered under the lights, its ivory silk fabric exuding an air of elegance.
Ella's heart sank as memories from her past life surged back, overwhelming her consciousness.
She vividly remembered that day: the opulent banquet hall, dazzling lights, guests elegantly mingling, all smiling. She wore this exquisite dress, becoming the center of attention.
But at her moment of triumph, Hannah, pretending to be affectionate, subtly stepped on her dress hem.
In that instant, Ella felt a helpless tug, followed by a deafening tear. Her dress fell apart under everyone's gaze, and she lost her balance, tumbling toward the giant cake in the hall's center.
She tried to grab something to steady herself, but it was too late. Her body crashed into the cake, sending cream and cake crumbs flying, covering her from head to toe.
The guests' laughter and whispers mixed, piercing her ears like needles.
"Ella, look how perfect this dress is for you," Brianna said, pulling Ella's thoughts back to the present.
Brianna smiled, but there was a glint of calculation in her eyes. Her voice was gentle yet carried an undeniable authority. "Tonight, you will be the most dazzling princess."
Ella forced a bright smile and nodded. "Thank you, Mommy. I really love this dress."
At her coming-of-age ceremony in her previous life, Mrs. Harris had warned Ella to be cautious of Brianna and her daughter, but Ella had trusted Brianna too much to understand Mrs. Harris's good intentions.
Ella vividly remembered that although she had a high alcohol tolerance, after falling into the cake, she had returned to the banquet hall in a new dress. After drinking a glass of wine that Hannah handed her, she felt unbearably hot and passed out.
The next time Ella opened her eyes, Mrs. Harris had been by her bedside all night. Looking back, it was clear that the wine had been tampered with. If not for Mrs. Harris's protection, Ella might have been taken advantage of by some man.
Not long after that incident, Mrs. Harris died in a car accident. Now it seemed likely that Brianna was behind it.
In this lifetime, Ella vowed to protect Mrs. Harris and ensure nothing happened to her.
...