Rebirth: Snatching Back My Stolen Luck

Dawn.

Creak.

For the first time in a long while, the locked guest room in a forgotten corner of Villa Olive opened-on its own.

A wheelchair rolled forward from inside, its wheels echoing gently across the marble floor.

The woman seated on it was morbidly thin, her bones jutting against pale, fragile skin. Her eyes, once full of warmth and life, now looked vacant-numb and lifeless.

Dressed in a plain, unflattering white dress, she looked as though she'd stepped straight out of a ghost story.

In the deafening silence, her bony hands trembled faintly as she wheeled herself forward-through the hallway, past the dining room after a left turn, then past the living room and the family portrait on the wall. A portrait that served no other purpose than to mock her very existence.

She seemed to catch a glimpse of her younger self-sweet and innocent-smiling gently in the same places she'd just passed through. The weight of those memories, once dear and precious, now pressed down heavily on her chest, making it hard to breathe.

Faster. Faster.

She urged herself silently, pushing the wheels harder, disregarding the way her brittle skin has begun to tear and bleed-and the pain that came with it.

Finally, she made it there-the sunroom.

Her favorite spot in the entire villa.

She used to like to sit there with a cup of her personal blend of coffee, watching the sunrise and sunset in peaceful solitude.

It had been her favorite pastime.

Her dim eyes brightened slightly as she crossed the threshold.

Six months ago, her entire world had crumbled into absurd chaos.

She had discovered that her childhood sweetheart-turned-husband of over thirty years was having an affair-with her dearest best friend, Claire Brooks. A woman she'd grown up with and treated no different than a biological sister.

Though devastated and heartbroken, Lilith knew better than to stay and endure it. Despite their earnest pleas and assurances that it was a one-time mistake, she insisted on divorce.

She never imagined that her refusal to believe their lies would drive them to such extremes.

They took away her access to every electronic device and locked her in the most secluded guest room. Then they began feeding her a cocktail of antidepressants and muscle relaxants. Over time, her body and mind deteriorated.

But the final blow came when she tried to reach out to the one person she thought would save her, someone she believed was oblivious to what she was going through-her sixteen-year-old son.

Only to be met with a derisive sneer. And a sentence that shattered what was left of her soul.

"You're not my mother."

That same day, she'd learnt a horrible truth from Claire's own lips, gently spoken with a smile that chilled Lilith to the bone.

"I'm sorry, Lily," she said sweetly. "But your baby was stillborn. Brandon worried you'd be too heartbroken, so he switched your baby with mine. But they were both his, so... it didn't really matter, did it?"

It didn't matter? It... didn't matter?

Lilith repeated those words in her head, over and over, like a broken record.

Then she snapped.

She grabbed a knife and lunged at the monster she had unknowingly invited into her home. But the long term drug use had left her too weak.

Lilith desperately wished to take revenge. How could she not, after all that's been done to her? She wasn't a saint!

But even her own family-the last people she could rely on for help-were easily fooled by the trio. They had spun a convincing tale: that Lilith's instability stemmed from untreated postpartum depression and the so-called empty nest syndrome, brought on by her 'son' growing increasingly distant and independent.

At some point, even she herself had begun doubting whether she was really as sick as they claimed.

So she didn't blame her family. At least, not entirely.

Because if she were in their shoes, she probably wouldn't have fared any better.

Her husband. Her best friend. Her son.

With the three of them working together, fooling others would be effortless.

Even during the rare family visits to check on her, Lilith would either be force-fed sleeping pills or stimulants-depending on the performance they wanted that day.

If they needed her quiet, docile, and vacant-eyed, they sedated her. If they needed her erratic and unhinged, they gave her pills that triggered manic episodes-just enough to make her look unstable.

It was those carefully orchestrated episodes that eventually convinced her family she was truly sick.

They were even touched-relieved-to see that Brandon and her 'son' had chosen to care for her at home instead of committing her to a mental hospital.

She had long stopped thinking about revenge or escape. She had no energy left to fight or the will to live. But suicide was never an option.

Besides, there was no need to force it as her body was already failing-death would find her soon enough. The only thing that kept her going for so long was her hatred... and the memory of the child she never even got to hold.

And now... today... she felt it.

Death was close.

All of a sudden, she realized it had been a long time since she last saw the sunrise.

So today, before she breathed her last, she wanted to see it one last time.

In the past, she wouldn't have been able to do this as the door had always been locked from the outside. But with her rapidly deteriorating health, they had let their guard down. No one cared anymore.

As if on cue, just as she finished that thought, golden light began to spill over the horizon, painting the sky in vibrant hues of orange, yellow and rose-red.

Then something even more magical happened.

Snow began to fall.

Bathed in the soft light of the morning sun and falling snow, the sunroom became a breathtaking sight to behold-like a fairy tale brought to life.

Lilith's breath hitched, then her lips curled into a faint smile.

Maybe, she thought, this was the universe's way of granting her a final moment of peace. A silent apology for all the pain and misery she'd been put through.

As she sat still, watching the breathtaking sky, her eyelids gradually grew heavy. Her heartbeat also slowed.

She knew this was a sign that she was about to die. But, she felt no fear, only a sense of relief.

Finally, she would be free.

Just as she was left with but a single breath, an abrupt mechanical voice echoed in her mind.

[System Initializing...]

Her eyes flew open.

Who was that? Who was speaking?

She tried to ask, but devoid of strength, her mouth wouldn't move. Her body was far too gone.

[Detected dying host... Activating automatic binding... Binding complete.]

[Hello, host. I'm the Luck Reversal System.]

System?

Like the ones from those serialized web novels she used to read as a teenager?

Lilith's heart, which had nearly stopped, suddenly fluttered with life.

[If you had the chance to do everything all over again, would you take it?]

Would she?

Yes. A thousand times, yes.

She had too many regrets.

So many wrong choices. So much she'd lost.

Her answer was silent but firm-Yes.

The moment the word formed in her mind, she saw the world around her freeze mid-motion.

The air. The snow. The light.

Time stood still.

Then, everything went dark.

LILITH

Soft morning light filtered through the velvet pink curtains, casting a warm glow on the sleeping beauty on the bed.

A heart-shaped face. High cheekbones. A straight nose. Full, defined lips.

She was the kind of woman whose beauty defined all standards.

Suddenly, her peaceful face contorted, brows furrowing in discomfort-as if caught in a nightmare.

A moment later, her eyelashes fluttered, and her eyelids slowly parted, revealing expressive round eyes and warm brown irises.

---

I blinked, dazed and disoriented.

Wasn't I dead?

I clearly remembered the moment my last breath left my body...

That voice. The system!

In those final moments, I'd heard it ask: If you had the chance to do it all over again, would you take it?

And I had said yes.

Without warning, my heart lost control, pounding out of rhythm.

I sucked in a shaky breath, closed my eyes, and focused on feeling every inch of my body. When I sensed it brimming with energy, I nearly yelped in excitement.

This wasn't my broken, drug-ridden body!

Had I really been reborn?

The system hadn't lied?

In the next second, my eyes snapped open, focusing on the familiar pink chandelier overhead.

I was scared and anxious that this was all just a cruel dream. But I couldn't stand the uncertainty anymore.

I yanked off the covers, jumped onto the plush carpet, and ran over to the full-length mirror by the dresser.

And then...

I saw myself.

My twenty-two-year-old self.

Youthful. Radiant. Heart-achingly beautiful.

I was back?

Had I truly returned-to the time before it all began?

I stood frozen in stunned silence.

Then, without a word, big, fat tears began to fall.

I didn't sob or cry out, but the look on my face would have been enough to soften even the hardest heart.

Just then, I heard it.

That familiar mechanical voice rang out in my mind.

[Hello, host. Congratulations on your rebirth.]

[This time around, I hope you make different choices and change your bad ending.]

Though the voice sounded hollow and devoid of emotion, to me, it was the greatest comfort in the world.

Only then did I truly believe this wasn't a dream.

I was really back.

I laughed through my tears. It was a sound laced with joy, sorrow, hope-and overwhelming relief. The kind that only comes after you've experienced the deepest despair.

Minutes later, I managed to rein in the storm of emotions swirling inside me.

I reached for a wet wipe from the dresser and gently dabbed at the tear stains on my face. Then, I turned to the bedside table and picked up my phone to check the date.

May 12.

My eyes narrowed as I plopped myself down on the bed.

So it was today.

The banquet hosted by my parents to celebrate my college graduation.

It was also the night my engagement with Brandon was formally announced.

The very first wrong choice I ever made.

The system had said it hoped I would make different choices this time around. And what better way to start than by correcting the most important one?

But first, I needed to confirm something.

"System?" I called out softly.

[I'm here, host. Do you need something?]

"Not really. I just have a few questions."

[Go ahead.]

"First of all, are you like the systems in those web novels? With magical space, pills, that kind of thing? Second, why me? Why did you choose me to be reborn?"

[I'm just an ordinary system with no fancy functions. The biggest help I can offer is granting you this chance at rebirth. Occasionally, I might provide much-needed information directly related to changing your life, but that's about it.]

I actually felt relieved hearing that. If it had been one of those all-powerful systems, I might've been wary. Apprehensive even.

Because I didn't believe in free lunches-seemingly unreserved help like that always came with a price.

The system continued.

[As for why you were chosen... it's because you weren't supposed to end up that way.]

I frowned.

"What do you mean by that?"

[To put it in web novel terms, the system explained, you were originally meant to be the female lead-destined to have a smooth sailing life until you die peacefully in your twilight years. But there was a plot twist-you had your luck stolen by your so-called best friend, the villainous character. As a result, your roles got switched. She became the new female lead, and you were forced into the role of a tragic supporting character. One who was destined for a bad ending.]

I sat frozen for a moment, my mind blank from the overload of information. But I used to be an avid reader of web novels, so it didn't take long for me to connect the dots.

And once I did... I felt sick to my stomach.

So I wasn't supposed to go through all that pain and misery?

Claire had stolen my luck, my life, and everything that should've been mine. And to top it off, she drugged me to death?

It sounded insane and absurd.

But deep down, I knew it was true.

My fingers clenched at my sides as a storm brewed behind my eyes.

"How did she get such powers? She didn't awaken them or anything, did she?"

I wasn't sure if it was my imagination, but I could've sworn I heard the system sigh helplessly.

[A corrupted system slated for destruction somehow managed to escape from its world-an extraterrestrial plane-to this one. It needs an immense amount of luck to repair itself and survive. Claire was the host it chose.]

A corrupted system? Extraterrestrial plane?

This world just kept sounding weirder and weirder-but I'd just been reborn, hadn't I? So who was I to talk?

Still, it took me a moment to digest the information.

"Am I the only one whose luck got stolen?"

[No. But you were the first. Your family-and many others-fell victim too. Her actions have thrown the world into disarray. She and that scrap metal are responsible for singlehandedly increasing the number of wronged souls wandering the earth.]

A cold laugh escaped my lips.

"Compressing all that luck to her person... isn't she afraid of choking to death?"

The words came out through gritted teeth, my voice laced with venom.

[She won't. In fact, the laws of the world would bend for her, turning illogical events and unnatural fortune into her reality.]

I froze, a look of realization in my eyes.

No wonder.

No wonder so many things hadn't made sense. Things I'd brushed off as coincidences... turned out they were all side effects of stolen luck.

"So, that's the real reason you let me be reborn, isn't it?" My tone was unnervingly calm now.

"You need someone to fix things."

[Yes. She can no longer be allowed to run wild or else the world may fall into irreversible chaos.]

[You and your family were the starting point. You brought her into the upper circles-a world brimming with people with strong luck and powerful destinies. Only you can set things right.]

"So as long as we get her away from us, she won't be able to steal anyone else's luck?"

[It's not going to be that easy as she's already absorbed a considerable part of your luck. Besides, wouldn't it be wiser to keep her under your watch?]

A flicker of irritation crossed my face. "Then what exactly do you want me to do? How do I stop her?"

[I told you already-make different choices. Change your bad ending.]

Huh? I blinked. That was it?

[Claire steals people's luck when the positive emotions-love, affection, admiration, trust-they have towards her reach a certain threshold. But she can only target one person at a time, and unless a target's luck is fully drained, she can't move on to the next.]

"And I happen to be that unlucky target?"

[Correct.]

"But now that I no longer harbor anything but hatred and disgust toward her, she shouldn't be able to drain my luck anymore, right?"

[You are right. She can't. But neither she nor her corrupted system knows that yet.]

[That scrap metal has a fatal flaw. Once a person's emotions cross the threshold and luck absorption begins, the index freezes at that point. It won't update even if your emotions change or drop afterward.]

[For instance, if the total emotional index is 10 and the threshold is 8, the index will freeze once it reaches 8/10.]

My eyes lit up with understanding.

"So even if my feelings have already turned to hate, they'll have no idea?"

[Exactly. The corrupted system won't get any notifications about the drop because it's in a dormant state. Most of its energy was burned escaping to this world. By the time it realizes something is wrong, it'll already be too late.]

I tapped my toe on the carpet, my mind racing.

Then it clicked.

"If the corrupted system tries to switch targets before my luck is fully drained, will there be backlash?"

[Yes. Severe backlash. For both the system and Claire. If you're lucky, it might even lead to the corrupted system's destruction.]

A slow, chilling smile crept onto my face.

"All right then," I said, my voice cold. "Happy cooperation."

LILITH

Maybe it was because everything had been laid out so plainly, but I felt more comfortable with the mechanical voice in my head.

"By the way, do you have an actual name besides 'system'? Calling you that every time feels too impersonal."

"We're stuck together for the foreseeable future, so I'd prefer something... less formal."

[I don't have one.]

It replied matter-of-factly.

"Then I'll give you one," I decided.

It made a mechanical hum, as if agreeing.

I pursed my lips thoughtfully, brows furrowed. Moments later, my frown smoothed out and I clapped my hands together in delight.

"Got it! I'll call you May."

[Why May?]

"Because thanks to you, I was reborn in the month of May. Coincidentally, it also happens to be my birthday month. It feels... meaningful and significant."

[Understood. The choice is yours.]

"It's settled then."

With that, I straightened my back, letting my voice take on a sharper edge.

"Now, let's get down to business."

[What business?]

My eyes glinted with coldness.

"The business of stopping my engagement with Brandon, of course."

[But it's already scheduled for tonight. How do you plan to stop it from happening?]

May paused, then added thoughtfully,

[Just so you know, revealing my existence or disclosing future events is strictly prohibited. Both actions violate system regulations.]

I chuckled good-naturedly. "Don't worry. None of those were ever within my consideration."

[Then what's your plan? Sweet-talking your parents into annulling the engagement?]

[Actually, I think it'll be better to go along with it first and then think of countermeasures later on. That'll give you enough time to prepare.]

I couldn't help but smile faintly.

It was clear that although May had told me to make different choices, it still thought of me as the same person I used to be-passive, powerless, and prone to compromise.

Although the second part was still very much true, I would never again allow the other two to define me.

From now on-

My eyes blazed with confidence and determination.

I wouldn't compromise. Not even an inch.

[I'm sorry.]

May said suddenly.

Confusion flashed in my eyes. "What are you sorry for?"

[You're right. I still don't understand you.]

In that instant, realization struck me, making a chill crawl up my spine. "Wait... can you read my thoughts?"

[Yes.]

May admitted, then quickly added.

[But I don't do it unless necessary. I only heard you just now because your emotions spiked.]

Even with the explanation, I felt unsettled. Uneasy.

"Then let's make the first ground rule: in the future, you're not allowed to read or pry into my thoughts without my explicit permission. Do you agree?"

[Yes.]

I exhaled in relief. The idea of someone having free access to my mind and thoughts felt absolutely horrifying and suffocating.

My voice softened. "Don't hold it against me for reacting this way. I don't think there's a single human alive who would be comfortable knowing their thoughts were laid bare."

[It's fine. I understand.]

With that, I finally relaxed.

"You said you could provide me with helpful information. Does that still stand?"

There was a brief pause.

[Yes. As long as it's within controllable limits.]

My tone turned razor-sharp.

"Then tell me-when did Brandon and Claire's affair begin?"

I had married Brandon one year after our engagement. Around the same time, I got pregnant. For the baby switch to go unnoticed, Claire's child had to be of similar age. If the baby were older, no matter how dumb I was, I would've sensed something off.

Which meant those two snakes had been together for far longer than I realized.

[They've been involved for five years now.]

My fingers curled into tight fists.

Five years? That meant the affair started during our first year of college.

My eyes widened in disbelief.

"That was just one year after Claire came to live with us."

How could I have been so blind? That for over thirty years, I hadn't suspected a thing?

Something so absurd could only be a side-effect of the corrupted system Claire possessed. I had been manipulated.

A new thought struck me.

"When did that corrupted system bind with her?"

[Around the same time she joined your household. That's why I said your family was her starting point.]

"No wonder I never noticed anything," I muttered. Then my face paled.

"So... she's been stealing my luck for close to six years now?"

[Yes.] May's voice sounded heavy.

[Fortunately, her system's absorption rate is slow, so she's only taken a quarter so far.]

[But as long as you do as I instructed, you'll gradually reclaim everything she's stolen from you.]

My gaze darkened.

A quarter might not sound like much to others, but after the life I'd lived... I knew better.

Even a single strand of luck could change everything.

This new life of mine-there's no way I'd allow anyone to ruin it again, I thought, my jaw clenched tightly.

Perhaps May felt sorry for me, because it chimed in with something unexpected.

[Today is one of the days Brandon and Claire meet in private. Do you want to catch them in the act?]

My eyes sparkled. This was exactly the kind of information I needed.

For a second, I was tempted to go personally. To catch them red-handed.

But I quickly shook off the thought.

In my previous life, I'd learned the hard way: getting directly involved with those two always ended badly-especially when it came to Claire.

Better to send someone else. Someone skilled. Someone professional.

A private investigator, for example.

But...

I frowned. I had no idea how to find one.

Whether in my past life or this one, I'd never been exposed to that sort of profession. And asking my family?

No way.

Though I'd told myself I didn't blame them for being deceived, pretending I held no resentment would be a lie.

I... couldn't fully trust them anymore. Or anyone else, really.

I closed my eyes, heart heavy. When I opened them again, they were calm. Cold.

"May, I have a question. Would giving me the contact info of a reliable private investigator fall under 'controllable limits'?"

[...I think so. Probably?]

A small smile tugged at my lips. It probably never expected to be used as a phone book.

Not that I gave it time to reconsider.

A moment later, a message appeared on my phone from an unknown number, containing the contact information for a Langston Consulting Services.

"Thanks, May. You just saved me a lot of trouble." I flattered it sweetly.

[You're welcome. It's what I should do.]

The sly smile at the corner of my lips deepened.

I didn't waste time. After saving the number, I opened my messaging app and reached out.

I forwarded Brandon and Claire's names, along with other relevant details and the meeting place May had revealed.

Shortly after, I received a response requesting a million deposit, with the balance due upon delivery of the results.

I wired the money without blinking.

{I need the information before 6 PM today. The more detailed, the better. Can you deliver?}

{Don't worry, ma'am. Our agency's reputation is built on discretion and speed. With the details you've provided, this case will be easy.}

{Then I look forward to your good news.}

{Happy to be of service.}

With the chat coming to an end, I leaned back and smiled, satisfaction gleaming in my eyes.

"Brandon. Claire," I whispered.

"I'm coming for you. Are you ready?"