After rebirth, I fought back at the charity dinner, exposing the scumbag stepsisters and letting them suffer the consequences.
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Julian Sterling, the A-list darling of our city’s elite, and my fiancé was planning a big surprise for me tonight at the charity gala.
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at least on paper –
In my last life, that surprise was him publicly dumping me and then proudly parading my stepsister, Chloe Hayes, as his new love.
I cried, I threw tantrums, and in the end, they teamed up to frame me. They slapped me with labels like “fake socialite” and “business fraud,” tearing me down from my peak as a top streamer. I crashed and burned, utterly shattered and ruined.
They called me greedy and vain, said I was jealous of my sister. Even my own parents stepped forward, pointing fingers and screaming, “You ungrateful snake! We should have disowned you ages ago!” Then, right there in public, they announced they were cutting all ties with me.
Finally, I jumped from the city’s tallest abandoned skyscraper.
When I opened my eyes again, I was back. Back to the moments just before the gala began.
A chill ran down my wrist, and a surge of information flooded my mind.
[Truth Recall System Activated.]
[Ability: Recall real action records of any designated target within the last seven days.]
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Instinctively, I stared at my reflection in the mirror and silently commanded, “Activate.”
My vision blurred for a split second.
I saw “myself” being thrown into a viral scandal three days ago, drowned in a torrent of
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08:28 Mon, 1 Sept
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online hate, all orchestrated by Chloe Hayes and Julian Sterling.
I watched Julian laugh as he told Chloe, “Cassie is too naive. Millions of followers and she doesn’t know how to monetize them – what a waste. Once I’ve squeezed every last drop of her influence and connections, I’ll kick her to the curb.”
I saw my own parents, bowing and scraping as they accepted a million-dollar check from Julian, assuring him, “Don’t worry, Mr. Sterling. We know what to do. That rebellious daughter? We’ve wanted to disown her for ages!”
So that was it.
Every betrayal, every calculated move, all had a price tag.
I trembled with rage, then a smile slowly spread across my face.
Good.
It saved me from holding onto any more unrealistic fantasies about “blood ties.”
I lowered my gaze, meticulously wiping my phone screen with my thumb until it gleamed
like new.
This was my bread and butter.
And my weapon of revenge.
Julian Sterling, Chloe Hayes, and my dearest “family.”
The “surprise” you gave me in my last life? This time, I’m giving you an “extra special gift,” doubled.
Clutching my custom handbag, my ten-centimeter heels clicking rhythmically, I walked back into the glittering, bustling ballroom.
Bright lights, clinking glasses, and lively chatter filled the air.
The moment I stepped inside, every eye in the room fixated on me.
08:29 Mon, 1 Sept
<
ས , 78%
“Cassie Hayes is here! No wonder she’s a top streamer with millions of followers, that
aura…”
“Why is she alone? Where’s Mr. Sterling?”
“Shhh, I heard there’s big news tonight.”
Ignoring the whispers, I walked straight to the main table.
Julian Sterling stood there, a champagne flute in his hand, surrounded by a cluster of privileged young men from influential families.
He saw me, and a flicker of almost imperceptible distaste crossed his eyes, but his face
still wore that signature, smooth and charming smile.
“Cassie, you’re here.”
Beside him, Chloe Hayes, dressed in a white chiffon gown from the same designer as my
haute couture dress but with a more “innocent” cut, glanced at me timidly. Then, like a startled fawn, she shrank back behind Julian.
Oh, a delicate little “pure” act.
I wasn’t in the mood for their drama. I cut straight to the chase: “Julian, didn’t you say we were announcing our wedding date tonight? Why haven’t we started yet?”
Instantly, all eyes in the room zeroed in on us.
The Sterling family elders, seated at the head table, exchanged a subtle frown.
Julian’s father, Mr. Sterling, the chairman of the Sterling Group, furrowed his brows. “Julian, what’s going on? Aren’t you and Cassie supposed to announce your engagement tonight?”
Julian put down his glass, gave Chloe a reassuring look, then cleared his throat and picked up a microphone.
Here it came.
08:29 Mon, 1 Sept
<
The nightmare of my last life, about to replay.
“Distinguished guests, dear friends, thank you for coming tonight.”
He paused, then gazed adoringly at Chloe, who stood behind him.
ས ༣ 78%
“Taking this opportunity, I want to announce something. The woman I, Julian Sterling,
truly love, is Chloe Hayes.”
“My engagement to Cassie Hayes is officially called off, effective today!”
BOOM-the entire room erupted.
“Holy sh*t? Engagement called off?”
“What the hell? A public breakup? How utterly humiliating for Cassie Hayes!”
“Mr. Sterling is in love with his stepsister? Ugh, such drama in high society.”
The spotlight *whooshed* off Julian and landed squarely on my face.
Countless gazes, laced with pity, schadenfreude, and disdain, stabbed into me like daggers.
My parents sprang out of their seats immediately, not to defend me, but to rush to the Sterling family, faces plastered with smiles.
“Mr. Sterling, Mrs. Sterling, what…what exactly is going on?” my mother asked frantically.
My father, on the other hand, wore a face contorted with rage, but his glare wasn’t for Julian; it was for me.
“Cassie Hayes! Have you done something to offend Julian again? Apologize to him right
now!”
Hah.
My wonderful father.
08:29 Mon, Sept
<
Julian raised a hand, signaling for silence.
“This isn’t Cassie’s fault, it’s just that we’re not compatible.”
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His words sounded pretty, but he pulled Chloe to his side, protectively wrapping his arm
around her.
“Chloe is pure and kind, unlike some people who treat their live streams like a
performance and their fans like cash cows, reeking of nothing but money. I cannot marry such a hypocritical woman and tarnish the Sterling family name.”
With those words, he immediately labeled me.
Hypocritical.
Reeking of money.
In his arms, Chloe perfectly revealed half her tear-streaked face.
“Sister, please don’t blame Julian, it’s all my fault…I shouldn’t have fallen for him, but we truly love each other, please, just let us be together…”
Act.
She was a damn good actress.
I looked at the two-timing bastards and smiled.
I picked up a glass of red wine from the table and slowly walked toward them.
Under the horrified gazes of everyone present, I didn’t splash either of them.
Instead, I raised the glass, looking out at the entire room, and at the media cameras lurking in the shadows, with a faint smile.
“Are you done talking?”
“Because if you are, it’s my turn.”
08:29 Mon, 1 Sept⚫
<
I pulled out my phone, unlocked it, and opened my live-streaming app.
“Since Mr. Sterling and Ms. Hayes like to air their dirty laundry for the whole internet to see, then as a ‘top streamer’ with millions of followers, it would be terribly unprofessional of
me not to live stream, wouldn’t it?”
The moment the live stream went online, the viewer count exploded exponentially.
“Holy sh*t! Front row! What’s happening? Goddess Cassie live-streaming at the gala?”
“Title: Century Breakup Live Stream? So much tea!”
“Who are those two-timing bastards opposite her? Julian Sterling and Chloe Hayes? I just
came from the trending scandal, is the queen herself getting involved?”
Julian’s face finally changed.
