Chapter 1

After my SAT scores came out, my mom Lester forcibly locked me in my room.

Because of this, I missed the college application deadline and had no choice but to go out and work.

Lester would boast to everyone she met:

"Children need strict discipline. Only then will they know gratitude when they grow up."

I got married and became pregnant early. During delivery, the baby was too large, and I was in excruciating pain.

She desperately held back my husband, refusing to let him sign the consent form for an epidural.

In the end, I hemorrhaged and died on the operating table along with my child.

Yet Lester said self-righteously: "I just wanted her to have a natural birth so she'd understand a mother's hardship. It was her own bad luck!"

When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the day Lester locked me in my room.

Before I could react, someone shoved me hard.

With a loud "bang," I fell to the ground, completely dazed.

The cursing from outside the door came through clearly.

"I feed you, clothe you, raised you until now, and you still want to run off to college to have it easy? Dream on!"

"Once the college application deadline passes, you're going out to earn money for this family. My son is applying to college next year. If you dare delay his future, I'll beat you to death!"

The shrill scolding continued endlessly. I went to the mirror in a daze.

The reflection showed someone weary but not aged, with black hair not yet dried out and whitened by life's torments.

My abdomen was flat—it hadn't yet carried a life.

Only at this moment did I clearly realize: I had been reborn.

Reborn to the first day after SAT scores were released, the first day of filling out college applications. And now, I had already been locked in my room by Lester.

In my previous life, she kept me locked up until the SAT application system closed, then forced me to go out and work to support the family.

She would boast to everyone: "She cried and made such a fuss back then, but now doesn't she obediently bring money home?"

I had resisted, but it only earned me a beating.

The moment I escaped from this house, she reported me to the police, falsely claiming I'd been kidnapped. I was sent back before I'd gotten far.

She would hit and scold me at will, belittle and insult me, then forcibly take all my wages to subsidize her most beloved son.

Even after I finally got married, I remained her blood bag, clinging tightly to suck me dry.

She didn't love me.

So during my pregnancy, my mother-in-law force-fed me nutritious soups, causing the fetus to grow too large and making delivery difficult.

Not only did she show no sympathy, but she desperately held back my husband, refusing to let him sign for the epidural.

Due to the delay, I died along with my baby.

When she heard the news, she only stiffened her neck self-righteously.

"I just wanted her to feel pain so she'd understand a mother's hardship. It was her own misfortune and short life!"

Thinking back on my previous life—controlled, drained of blood, enslaved and abused like a tool.

Living again, should I walk the same old path?

After shuddering violently, I looked at the poorly soundproofed wooden door, grabbed a nearby stool, and smashed it hard against the door handle.

Once, twice, three times...

I don't know how many times I struck it. Only one thought filled my mind.

I won't walk the same old path again!

My room door was the cheapest wooden door—thin panels, poor quality lock. After my frenzied assault, the door opened.

Lester charged out of the kitchen with a cleaver, looking fierce. The moment she saw me, her expression changed. She swung her arm wide and slapped me hard across the face.

Just breaking down the door had already exhausted most of my strength. I couldn't possibly withstand her slap.

I fell to the ground, dizzy and seeing black, beaten by continuous slaps with no ability to fight back.

In my daze, my hand was pressed down hard. Lester cursed through gritted teeth.

"You bastard, you actually dared to break down the door! Let me show you!"

My cheeks stung densely. I struggled to open my eyes and saw Lester raising the cleaver high, her face full of fat and vicious intent.

My heart stopped for a moment, then raced wildly.

Lester had worked as a housekeeper for years and had tremendous grip strength. My pinned right hand throbbed numbly—I couldn't pull it free no matter what.

Seeing the cleaver about to fall, my heart went cold. Only one thought filled my mind.

If she ruins my life again this time, then let's all be destroyed together!

"That's enough!" A male voice impatiently stopped Lester. "Can you use your brain! If you cripple her hand, will you support her?"

Lester, who had looked ready to devour me moments ago, instantly became docile as a cat. She dropped the cleaver and mumbled an explanation.

"I just wanted to teach her a lesson. Look how lawless she is—today she dares break down doors, who knows what she'll do tomorrow!"

I looked at Johnson, who had picked up his phone again and didn't want to get involved, and immediately crawled over to kneel before him.

"Daddy, please let me go to college! My teacher said my grades could get me into a good university. Once I graduate, I'll take the civil service exam to become a teacher. Not only is it a respectable job, but when my brother gets married and has children, I can help take care of them and tutor them—how convenient!"

To convince them, I didn't dare stop for a breath.

"Only by attending a good university can I find a respectable job. Then while I'm still young, I'll find a wealthy boyfriend and get married early. Not only can we collect high betrothal gifts, but I'll have him buy a house in my brother's name to support you in old age and let you enjoy life!"

I spoke with such conviction that Johnson fell into thought.

Instead, my brother Julian, playing games on the sofa, couldn't contain himself and asked excitedly.

"Can you also buy me a car?"

I paused, then agreed immediately.

"Yes! Once I've worked for two or three years and saved up money, I'll buy you a nice car!"

Julian was instantly swayed and urged our silent parents.

"Just let Colleen go to college. By the time I graduate, I'll have a house and a car—my classmates will be so jealous!"

With Julian's support, signs of wavering appeared on Johnson's hesitant face.