Chapter 1

The sunlight hit my face, too bright.

I sat up fast, my heart pounding in my chest.

The dream, no, the memory, was so clear.

David, my "father," yelling in my office.

Susan, my "mother," crying fake tears at that dinner.

Grandma Carol, her eyes cold in the hospital.

Then the car, the blinding headlights, the pain.

I touched my arm, expecting to feel broken bones, but it was fine.

My apartment. My bed.

I grabbed my phone. The date.

It was the day. The day David was going to storm into my firm.

The day my life ended, the first time.

My name is Sarah Miller, a junior architect.

Or at least, that's who I thought I was.

Today, I was supposed to have my promotion review for Project Lead.

In my first life, that meeting became a nightmare.

David Miller, the man I called Dad, a former groundskeeper, barged in.

He accused me of taking kickbacks.

I was fired. Blacklisted.

Then Susan, the woman I called Mom, a former housekeeper, set up a "reconciliation" dinner.

She brought her brother, an "uncle" with a hardware store.

There, she accused me of stealing her identity, racking up $50,000 in debt.

I was disowned. My reputation, gone.

I had to move in with Carol, David' s mother.

She faked a fall, a broken hip.

I got her to the hospital, worried sick.

She told the social worker I'd taken out life insurance on her, that I pushed her.

A local blog picked it up. Facebook groups exploded.

I was doxxed. Harassed.

Then, the hit-and-run.

I died wondering why they hated me so much.

Now, I was back.

The same morning. The same dread.

But this time, I knew.

This time, I wouldn't be their victim.

My hands were shaking.

I took a deep breath.

They wouldn't destroy me again.

I remembered Jess Evans, my "roommate," their real daughter.

She was raised by my biological parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harrison, wealthy people.

Jess grew resentful and worked with the Millers.

And Alex Harrison, my biological older brother. He tried to find me.

The Thanksgiving photos I posted on Instagram. A state park. A birthmark on my arm.

That' s how he' d found me the first time, just before the end.

This time, I would be ready for all of them.

I got out of bed.

I had a promotion to secure, and a family of frauds to expose.