Chapter 2
The System suddenly appeared, asking me if I regretted it.
“If you hadn’t come to this world, in your original world, you would be living a wonderful life, your family had already paved the way for your future.”
I came from another world.
There, I grew up loved and cherished.
But later, for various reasons, they died tragic deaths.
I suddenly became an orphan.
The System gave me a chance to see my family again.
It brought me to this parallel world, to live another life.
But it also told me that in this world, my family would also meet tragic ends.
Unless someone took the fall for them.
Now my mission was over, and they were finally safe.
I shook my head, denying, “No regrets. Being able to see them again, to protect them as they once protected me, I’m content.”
“I just wish for them to be safe and happy. Even if they hear the news of my death, with Chloe by their side, I’m sure they won’t be too sad.”
The System seemed to sigh, “Why are you so silly? Never mind, I’ll apply to headquarters to get you a special benefit.”
The System told me to stay in this world for now, waiting for its message.
So I lingered, staying with my family.
Then I saw my high school teacher come to the house, complaining that I’d skipped class.
Dad frowned deeply, and Chloe by his side seemed to hesitate before speaking.
“Dad, last Wednesday, I think I saw Audrey and a guy with bright dyed hair go into a hotel.”
I froze. Last Wednesday… I was already lying in the funeral home, waiting for cremation.
How could I have gone to a hotel with a guy?
She was clearly making things up.
Even though I was gone, why was she still trying to throw dirt on my name?
My family wouldn’t believe such a cheap lie.
But I never expected Dylan to immediately burst out cursing.
“Going to bed with just any guy at such a young age, how trashy!”
Michael, impeccably dressed in his suit, looked displeased and disappointed. He turned to Chloe, admonishing her.
“Sister, no matter what you saw, don’t follow your sister’s conduct. Girls need to have self-respect.”
I stood there, dumbfounded and incredulous.
Chloe pursed her lips, smiled shyly, and pulled out her report card.
“Brother, I don’t understand those things about Audrey. I just want to focus on my studies.”
Seeing her top grades in every subject, even Mom and Dad, who had been scowling, broke into relieved smiles.
Chloe struck while the iron was hot, proposing that she wanted to skip a grade.
Dad looked troubled. “The spots in the honors class for seniors are already full.”
Dylan looked at Chloe, his face full of concern.
“That’s easy, isn’t it? Someone’s just hogging a spot and doing nothing with it, kick her out, and then little sister can go to school!”
A sharp pain pierced my heart. I could only look at Mom and Dad with pleading eyes.
Mom and Dad knew how much I suffered to get into that honors class.
At least, don’t be so cruel to me.
But in the end, they disappointed me.
Mom and Dad hesitated for only a moment, then nodded under Chloe’s eager gaze.
“Then let’s process Audrey’s withdrawal and give her spot to Chloe.”
I slumped to the floor, tears splattering onto the back of my hands.
Chloe took my spot, beaming as she went to school.
In the evening, she came back with injuries.
Mom, Dad, and my two brothers looked grave and worried.
Chloe, her tears streaming down her face and looking incredibly fragile, refused to say anything.
It wasn’t until Dad threatened to call the police that Chloe stammered out a classmate’s name—Riley.
I huddled in the corner, slowly lifting my head.
Riley. She was my best friend in high school.
The next day, Mom, Dad, and my brothers took Chloe to school and summoned Riley and her parents to the dean’s office.
Riley was expressionless and refused to apologize.
Dad was so angry he was about to call the police right there.
Unexpectedly, Riley insolently threatened.
“If you dare to call the police, don’t blame me for exposing your daughter’s pregnancy!”
Everyone was stunned, looking at Chloe.
Chloe was mortified, crying that it wasn’t her.
Mom immediately hugged her, comforting her. “Don’t cry, Mom believes you, you wouldn’t do something like that.”
Dad also scowled fiercely, glaring at Riley.
“You’re an adult now, spreading rumors carries legal responsibility!”
Michael acted immediately, directly informing Riley’s parents that they would pursue legal action.
Dylan, hot-tempered as ever, stepped forward and kicked Riley.
“My sister is so well-behaved and sensible, how could she be pregnant? If you keep throwing dirt on her name, believe me, I’ll kill you!”
I bit my lower lip hard, watching this scene, my heart aching.
Was I not their daughter too?
Why, for the same thing, did they believe Chloe but not me?
Riley was enraged and cursed back furiously.
“I never said she was pregnant! Does your family only have one daughter?”
“Can you deny that your sister, Audrey, isn’t at school because she’s hiding away to have the baby?”
“If you blow this up, don’t blame me for spreading the shameful news of Audrey’s pregnancy out of wedlock all over the school!”
“And you, you like to complain, right? Next time I see you at school, I’ll beat you up!”
Chloe’s eyes welled up with tears at this, looking incredibly wronged.
“No, you can’t! Don’t tell anyone! I won’t make you apologize, just don’t ruin my sister’s reputation! If you want to hit me, hit me, I don’t care.”
Mom and Dad grew even more concerned when they saw this.
Their gaze towards Riley became even colder.
“Chloe, the good are often taken advantage of. This kind of morally corrupt student is absolutely not suitable to be your classmate.”
This farce ended with Riley being forcibly withdrawn from school.
To protect Chloe, Mom and Dad pulled strings to have Riley expelled, completely disregarding my reputation.
Sure enough, after Riley was withdrawn, the news of my pregnancy out of wedlock spread throughout the entire school.
I let out a bitter laugh. Good thing I was already dead.
Otherwise, such gossip would have been enough to drive me to death.
And those who caused all this were the very family and friends I once trusted the most, those I was willing to give my all for.
But a question still lingered in my heart.
Why would Riley say I was pregnant?
I followed Riley and found that she was secretly meeting Chloe.
Chloe, shedding her innocent little rabbit image she presented to the family, leaned against a wall, smoking, and handed Riley a wad of cash.
“Well done. This money should be enough for your mom’s surgery.”
Watching Riley walk away, I felt a knot in my chest.
So, she did it for her mother’s surgery.