Introduction

I woke up on my 21st birthday, the sunlight warm on my face. But this wasn't just another day; it was a chilling memory, a life I'd already lived and lost. I remembered the gala, the Starlight gown, and how my childhood friend Brooke Ashley wore it, smirking.

Then came the betrayal: my fiancé Ethan, calling me a spoiled brat, and my brother Harrison, raging at me, while my sick father watched, helpless. They orchestrated my public disgrace, stripped me of my inheritance, and exiled me to a desolate vineyard. There, isolated and slandered, I withered away, dying a slow, agonizing death. Just before the end, a nurse sneered, "This is payback. For embarrassing Miss Ashley." I perished, utterly alone.

The sheer, burning injustice still seared, a visceral wound in my soul. How could they, my closest circle, plot such a cruel, elaborate ruin? Why did no one believe me, no one listen? The helplessness, the agony of that past life, was unbearable.

But now, I'm back. It's the morning of my 21st birthday again, the Starlight gown already missing. Predictable. But this time, I won't cry. I have the memories, my father' s hidden surprise, and a cold, strategic resolve. The game has just begun, and this time, I' m playing to win.