Chapter 1 Why Had It Changed This Time

"Prisoner 077, your time is up. Step out and start your life again," a guard said, his voice flat and empty.

A faint curve formed on Eliana Marshall's lips. She had heard those same words once in her previous life.

Slowly, she lifted her gaze toward the sky she hadn't seen in years. Sunlight spilled over her, warming her skin and seeping into her very core.

She took a deep breath, letting it fill her lungs. Everything felt different. The air, her body, even the fact that she was still alive.

She had returned to the moment three years ago, the day her nightmare began. From the moment she first entered that prison, everything had been leading back here.

"What are you standing there for? Get in the car! This place makes my skin crawl. If it weren't for Iris, who would've even bothered to pick you up?" The voice of her mother, Phyllis Marshall, cut through her thoughts, sharp and filled with irritation. The screech of brakes echoed as the car came to a stop, sending dust into the air.

It stung Eliana's eyes, but she didn't look away. For the first time in three years, she smiled. It was a quiet expression, one that didn't reach her eyes.

Nothing had changed. Three years ago, her parents' adopted daughter, Iris Marshall, had taken a life while driving drunk. To protect Iris, her own parents had forced her to take the blame and sent her to prison without hesitation.

Now, three years later, they still treated her the same way. But she wasn't the same person anymore. She wasn't that woman who longed for their approval and allowed them to step all over her.

From this moment forward, every second she lived would be used for one purpose. She would make the entire Marshall family pay.

Without saying anything, Eliana pulled the car door open. The back seat caught her attention right away. A disposable cover had been laid over it, clashing with the car's expensive interior.

"Open the windows now. I can't stand the smell," Phyllis said from the front seat, covering her nose as she directed her order at the driver.

Eliana remained silent. As soon as she sat down, she leaned back and closed her eyes, cutting herself off from everything around her. Phyllis' harsh words no longer had any effect on her.

A hint of annoyance crossed Phyllis' face when she received no reaction, but she forced it down. There would be time to deal with Eliana later.

The car had only just come to a stop in front of the Marshall family villa when Iris rushed forward and pulled the rear door open, her face damp with tears.

"Eliana, you're finally home," she remarked, her voice filled with practiced remorse. "I'm so sorry. This is all because of me. Don't worry, we'll make things right. I promise."

Eliana avoided her outstretched hand and stepped out of the car, her eyes fixed ahead. "Make things right? Are you planning to send me back to prison so I can serve more time for you?"

In her previous life, that same excuse had been used to control her. They had forced her into a marriage in Iris' place, pushing her toward a man who destroyed her. Once they had taken everything they could from her, they had abandoned her without hesitation.

Now that she had been given another chance, did they really think she would fall for it again?

She turned back slowly, her gaze sweeping over every member of the Marshall family.

Every word she spoke landed hard, like a slap they couldn't ignore. Both Phyllis and Eliana's father, John Marshall, stiffened, their expressions shifting at once.

Standing beside them, Iris was stunned. When her eyes met Eliana's, a chill ran through her. This wasn't the same person she remembered. The woman who used to give in so easily was gone, replaced by someone distant and unsettling.

For a brief second, fear showed in her eyes. Then it disappeared, replaced by something calculated. Tears followed right after. "Eliana, I know this is all because of me. Ever since you went to prison, John and Phyllis haven't stopped suffering. I even thought about turning myself in, I really did. But if we were both gone, they'd have no one. How can you say something like that to them? Do you really want to hurt them even more?"

As soon as she spoke, the sympathy in Phyllis' and John's eyes deepened.

"Iris, you're always thinking of others," Phyllis muttered, her voice soft. "Not like her. Just because she's our biological daughter, she thinks she can act however she wants."

At her words, relief spread across Iris' face, though she hid it well as she continued, "Eliana, if it makes you feel better, go ahead. Hit me, yell at me... I'll accept it. I just don't want you blaming John and Phyllis anymore."

Her expression looked fragile and sincere, as if she meant every word.

Under normal circumstances, John and Phyllis would have already stepped in to comfort her, turning their anger toward Eliana like they always did.

That had always been how things went.

But this time, Eliana didn't play along.

"Then I'll do it," she responded.

Before anyone could even respond, Eliana moved. She slipped past John and Phyllis in one swift motion, stepped forward, and seized a fistful of Iris' hair. With a sharp pull, she forced her down onto her knees. The next second, her hand came down hard, again and again, striking without hesitation.

When Eliana finally stopped, a faint sting lingered in her palm. She flexed her fingers before looking down at Iris, who had collapsed on the ground, too stunned to react.

"You wanted to make it up to me, didn't you? I couldn't just ignore such a heartfelt apology."

Only then did she let go, stepping back with a faint, unreadable smile.

John and Phyllis stood frozen for a second before rushing forward in panic.

"Iris!" they shouted.

"Eliana, what's wrong with you?" Phyllis yelled, her voice sharp with fury. "How could you treat Iris like that? She was the one who gave you the chance to marry into the Shaw family. Do you even realize what that means? That's the richest family in the city! You spent three years in prison, and you still haven't learned anything. Maybe you should've stayed there longer."

Eliana went still.

The richest family? The Shaw family?

That didn't line up with what she remembered. In her previous life, they had forced her to take Iris' place and marry her fiancé, Jeremy Ward. That arrangement had allowed Iris to walk away and chase the heir of the Shaw family.

So why had it changed this time?

A thought crossed her mind. Had Iris... come back too?