Taking back her throne

"Congratulations, Anna, your dream has finally come true!"

The applause of colleagues rang out in the scientific research room. Anna smiled. Today, she just completed her research on CL12, a time travel machine. Anna is a young scientist and this is her greatest success at the age of 25. Soon she will announce it to the world.

"It hasn't been announced yet. Thanks, everyone, anyway." She said and waved her hand to tell everyone to continue their work.

When everyone had gone out, one of her close assistants walked up to her, holding a glass of wine in her hand, "Anna, you're too strict with yourself. At least give a toast! This drink is for you!"

Because this girl enthusiastically invited her, Anna took the glass of wine and drank it all in one gulp. When she was about to return to work, her vision suddenly blurred, her mind was dizzy, and the wine glass in her hand fell to the ground, shattering.

"Clark!"

"Anna, are you okay?" The assistant held her hand and asked.

"I... The glass of wine..." Anna muttered, trying to hold on to her assistant's hand to stand steady but could not, her body collapsed, and everything around her became blurry and then black.

She wasn't sure if she had fainted or not, but in her unconsciousness, she heard her assistant's voice telling someone, "This is the finished version of the time machine. You can use it."

The woman's voice replied: "Good job."

"What should I do with her?"

"After I leave, kill her."

At this point, Anna understood the situation. Damn it. Her assistant betrayed her. No, someone wanted to kill her to steal this machine from the beginning.

"I can't die here," thinking so, Anna tried to grope around. Grabbing a piece of glass, she used it to cut her skin. The pain made her a little more alert. She tried to crawl towards the sound of the engine. The thief was starting up the time machine. This machine had a cockpit attached to the power source. When Anna climbed into the cockpit, the thief was holding the control machine. Anna's eyes were blurry so she couldn't see the person's face clearly, but she still tried to rush to stop her.

"Get out!" That woman pushed Anna away, but she still tried to grab the controller. The two of them struggled. In the end, Anna was pushed hard against the cabin wall, her head hitting it painfully.

The wind whistled in her ears. Anna reached out to the woman, feeling herself being sucked into a black hole. She wasn't sure where she was going, but she was exhausted and fainted.

***

The hot and heavy feeling like a large rock was pressing on her made Anna wake up. Her head was lightheaded, she vaguely realized she was lying on a large bed that was so soft and comfortable that it was unfamiliar. Immediately after, the unfamiliar scent of a man entered her nostrils, and a hot feeling slid across the skin of her neck. She opened her eyes in panic, pushing the man lying on top of her away.

"Who are you?" She exclaimed as she quickly jumped out of bed, grabbed a jacket, and put it on because she now only had a revealing strappy dress on her body.

"Good question." The man responded after a few seconds of looking at her in surprise, the corners of his lips slightly raised. He sat on the bed, calmly lit a cigarette, and took a puff. Even though it didn't fit the situation, Anna couldn't help but mentally admire his attractive appearance, from his handsome face to his sturdy upper body without a shirt. But his face looked very familiar, she wasn't sure where she had seen him before.

"I know I'm handsome, you don't have to stare blankly like that, Tracy." While she was bewildered, she heard him continue speaking.

Anna tilted her head to look at him and then looked around the luxurious room, it seemed like this was a hotel room. "Tracy?" she pointed her finger at herself, "Did you call me?"

"Nice try!" He laughed, looking at her like a disaster. "If you don't want to do that with me, you don't have to pretend to lose your memory, okay?"

Losing memory? Pretend? Anna didn't understand anything, nor did she know who Tracy was.

"I don't understand what you're talking about." She concluded and walked towards the door. Although she didn't know what happened, she didn't have time to stay here. She had to return to the scientific research center to deal with the traitor.

"Where are you going?"

The man asked after her, but she didn't care and was about to leave.

However, when she glanced at the mirror on the nearby wall, she suddenly stopped, realizing something was wrong.

Slowly turning her head to look straight into the mirror, Anna was stunned. In the mirror, a beautiful girl with long wavy blonde hair, plump breasts, and an attractive slim waist was looking back at her. Trembling, she raised her hand to touch her face. She saw the girl in the mirror doing the same thing. The problem is, this girl was not her. Exactly, she was in the body of another person!

"Tracy? Tracy Thompson?" After a few minutes of terror, Anna's reason returned. She wondered, suddenly remembering that the girl in the mirror was very familiar. If she's not mistaken, this is famous model and actress Tracy Thompson, who passed away 3 years ago.

It's unclear what went wrong with the time machine, but her soul entered another person.

"Are you okay?" The man asked again.

Anna turned her head to look. Now, she recognized him as Liam Turner, the CEO of a large technology corporation and also Tracy's fiance. They previously appeared in newspapers together.

Anna walked back to the bed, searched for a moment, then picked up the phone she thought belonged to Tracy. When she clicked it on, she wasn't too surprised when the time displayed on it showed the year 2020, which was 3 years ago compared to the year she lived.

What was she doing three years ago?

Trying to search for her name online, she was startled when there were no matching results.

"What the hell is going on?" Anna exclaimed and ran out.

What freaking world has she come to?

"Today, famous scientist Rose Harris gave a speech to announce a new invention for humanity, the machine..."

While running to the hotel lobby, Anna suddenly stopped because she heard a notification from the TV mounted on the wall. This invention was hers in 2020. She raised her head to look at the screen, on it was an image of a girl with long brown hair, and an unfamiliar sharp face, smiling at the camera.

Was this the woman who stole her invention?

The phone in Anna's pocket suddenly rang. She wanted to turn off the ringer because she was quite confused, but when she saw the caller's name, she was stunned.

The person calling is called Rose. She looked up at the TV screen. Was this a coincidence?

"Hello," Anna answered the phone.

"Hey, Tracy, where are you? Did you forget we had a date for drinks? I'm waiting for you." A somewhat familiar female voice rang in Anna's ears, but she couldn't remember where she heard it.

The meeting place was a fairly large bar in the city. In the past, Anna often buried herself in the research room so she didn't often go to places like this. She should have found a more discreet outfit to wear. She thought to herself as the eyes of the customers in the bar fell on her. Now she was still wearing the revealing pink dress from before, highlighting her sexy curves and smooth white skin.

"You are as pretty as always." The person waiting for her was a young girl about her age. Even though her brown hair was straightened and her makeup was different, Anna still recognized her. Right, this was Rose Harris, the woman who stole her invention!

"Hi, bitch!" Anna blurted out a curse.

"Why do you call me that, Tracy?" Rose's face turned pale, her fake innocent eyes blinked at her.

Anna almost forgot that she was now living as Tracy Thompson. She suddenly wondered, what happened to Tracy. Three years ago, she was at the peak of her career, how did she die?

"Oh, that's the way kids call each other these days. I was just trying to sound cool." Anna smiled back. "What did you ask me to do here?"

"Why do you forget so quickly? We agreed to have a drink to celebrate my new invention, although I still find it much more gratifying that you got the main role in the new movie!" Rose curled her red lips and said, then lifted the glass of wine she had just poured. "Cheers!"

In front of Anna was another glass of red wine. Remembering the incident of being drugged in the research room, she quickly looked behind Rose and said: "Wow, there's Liam Turner!"

"Huh? Is he here?" Rose immediately turned her head back to look in the direction Anna was pointing.

Anna quickly poured half of the wine in the glass on the ground, then picked up the glass as if she had just drunk, then smiled at Rose, "Oops! I was mistaken. But that man over there was also very handsome!"

"How can anyone be as handsome as Liam? It's a pity he's already your fiance." Rose said regretfully, looking at the glass of wine in Anna's hand, a hidden smile appeared at the corner of her lips.

"Why is it a pity?" Anna blinked in confusion, then pretended to put her hand on her forehead. "I don't know why I'm so sleepy and uncomfortable."

"What's wrong with you?" Rose asked with fake concern in her voice.

"I..." Anna closed her eyes and collapsed onto the table.

***

In the luxury hotel room, Liam was sitting and smoking. White smoke surrounded his handsome face, and the afternoon sunlight from the window shone through the curtain, covering him like a halo. Just now, after Tracy ran away, he went to the bathroom to shower and change into a gray suit because he had important work to do later. But he was in no mood at all. He was hesitant, what would happen to Tracy?

"Knock knock," suddenly there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Liam said.

Martin, his close assistant, walked in and respectfully said: "Boss, it's almost time for your appointment with Mr. Turner already."

"How's Tracy?" Liam asked in a deep, monotone voice.

"Sir, I just received information from Ginny Bar. She was drugged by Miss Harris and taken to a hotel. Someone will handle her." Martin replied.

Even though Liam was determined to destroy Tracy, for some reason, when he heard that sentence, he clenched his fist, and her innocent face from the afternoon flashed through his mind. What if Rose's plan succeeds and Tracy's reputation is ruined?

Must toughen up, Liam told himself.

"Is the car ready yet?" he asked Martin.

"Okay, sir. What gift do you want to give Mr. Turner?"

"No, we're not going to him," Liam said as he took off his jacket.

"So where are we going?" Martin obviously understood what he wanted but still asked.

"What is the name of the hotel you just mentioned?" Liam rolled up his sleeves and calmly asked him.

Damn it, he still softened in the end.

The two of them quickly went to the car. Sitting in the back seat looking out the window, Liam found himself nervously loosening his shirt collar. Mr. Turner's words echoed in his head: "Son, you have to be ruthless to avenge your parents. Never forget how miserably your parents died at the hands of the Thompson family."

Actually, after many years of preparing and approaching Tracy, Liam had many opportunities to take revenge on her. This time, Rose even offered to help him deal with her, but in the end, he was not tough enough to let her complete it.

Liam shook his head vigorously, not thinking anymore. All he cared about right now was Tracy's safety. She is used to living in luxury, so it will be difficult to deal with dirty traps.

When Martin led him to the door of the hotel room where Tracy was brought, Liam did not wait for his assistant to open the door but kicked it hard.

"Bang!"

The poor door was opened wide. Liam hurriedly walked in, intending to kick the bastard who was trying to rape Tracy, but suddenly stopped and was stunned. Because before his eyes was a completely different scene than he imagined.

Lying on his back on the floor, holding his lower body with both hands, was a fat man with a familiar face that Liam couldn't immediately remember. Tracy was holding the man's collar with one hand and holding a sharp high heel shoe in his face with the other. Seeing Liam rush in, she just took a glance at him in surprise, then turned back to the fat old man and shouted: "Say it! I want you to tell me personally who is behind this! Is that Rose Harris? For what purpose does she want to harm me?"

Only now did Liam notice that on the table the phone was in recording mode. Was this girl... that sharp?

"Speak quickly, you bastard, or I'll tell you whether your head or this shoe is harder!" Anna growled threateningly at the man.

Just now, she pretended to faint and Rose called her henchmen to bring her to this hotel room. And this fat and ugly old man seemed to be a famous director in the filmmaking world. If she guessed correctly, soon the journalists would rush in and take pictures of Tracy sleeping with him and publish sensational news like "Famous actor cheated on her fiance."

"I don't know anything! That hurts!" The fat man cried out, still hugging his pitiful lower body. Just now, when he tried to take off her dress, she suddenly kicked him there.

"Are you alright?" Liam asked, walking over to carefully examine her body.

"Don't touch me!" Anna quickly pushed his hand away. She was not used to having close contact with men because she used to only bury herself in scientific research rooms.

While she was distracted, the fat man suddenly pulled away and took the opportunity to run away.

"Stop! Bastard!" She quickly picked up her shoe and chased after him.

However, Liam grabbed her hand and held her back. She quickly struggled but could not escape. What did this guy eat to be so strong? His body was as hard as iron.

"You shouldn't chase him! He has many accomplices. They will attack you." He said.

"Like I am scared. Leave me out!"

She growled ferociously. Even though she didn't have martial arts, she knew a few ways to defend herself and if someone caused trouble with her, she would fight them to the end. But he burst out laughing like he was watching something funny.

She was momentarily stunned. It was the first time she saw such a handsome man laughing in such close proximity. It made her a bit overwhelmed and confused. Was this the power of handsomeness that people often talk about?

She quickly shook her head to calm herself, pushed him away, and asked: "How did you know I was here?"

Liam gently stroked his slightly messy gelled hair and replied simply: "I'm worried about you so I sent someone to keep an eye on you. I'm your fiance."

She raised her hand in front of him: "So you have proof that Rose plotted to harm me, right? Give me."

His blue eyes flashed with surprise, "No, I don't. Is Rose the one who is behind this?"

"You're useless! Yet you dare to call yourself my fiance!" Anna snorted coldly. She thought he would be able to help her with something, but it turned out he just had good looks.

Liam: "..."

"You really..." The man accompanying him, apparently an assistant, tried to argue but Liam stopped him.

"Where are you going?" Seeing her walking towards the door after putting on her high heels, he asked.

"Going home. What do you think?" Anna said boredly. Even though she didn't know what to do with the world in this timeline, it was now very late at night now and she had to find a place to sleep.

"Let's come to my place," Liam suggested.

She turned around, smiled dejectedly in his face, and left.

Liam and his assistant: "..."

***

"Is her house here?" Anna wondered as she stood in front of a luxurious villa.

Because she didn't know much about Tracy, she looked up her home address online and came here. Fortunately, Tracy's phone had a face ID installed so she could use some money to take a taxi. While sitting in the car, she was curious so she logged into Tracy's bank account and was extremely surprised to see that she had very little money, almost no different from a normal girl.

If she remembered correctly, Tracy used to be an extremely rich and famous actress who had almost everything.

"Lady?"

A middle-aged woman wearing an apron called out and ran to open the gate. Anna smiled wryly at her, not knowing who this was. The woman continued happily: "Long time no see. How are you these days? Ever since you argued with your father and moved out, I've been worried about you."

"So Tracy, no, did I argue with my father and move out?" Anna asked again in surprise.

"Don't you remember anything?" The woman asked back, looking at her with sympathy. "Your sister and stepmother accused you of stealing their jewelry and..."

"Betty, what are you babbling?" A woman's sour voice rang out and a woman wearing a nightgown and a thin, frilly shirt stepped forward. She had curly brown hair and dark red lipstick even though she was at home. Apparently, Anna had seen her in an article about Tracy's family. She guessed she was Tracy's stepmother.

"So it's you. Do you still have the face to return to this house now? Your father won't give you a penny!" The stepmother said sourly, full of contempt.

What did Betty say just now? This woman accused Tracy of stealing their jewelry?

"This is my house, why can't I go home? I am not like someone who is trying to take something that isn't theirs." Anna smiled and said meaningfully.

Before, she didn't often read newspapers, but she heard the staff in the research department often tell each other stories about concubines using tricks to marry into rich families. She guessed this woman was the same.

"What did you just say?" Her eyes widened, looking shocked.

Did she get hit in the heart? Anna ignored her and walked past her to enter the house, "Where is my room, Betty?"

"Lady, your room... your room..." Betty stammered, glancing toward the room upstairs.

"Up there?" Anna asked, about to walk towards it.

"Dad, she's going to my room!" Suddenly, from the living room, the clear and pampering voice of a young girl rang out. Anna looked in that direction and saw a girl with short blonde hair, wearing a very cheesy pink puffy dress, holding the hand of a handsome middle-aged man. She knew this man, it was David, Tracy's father, a rich and talented boss. This girl was probably his and his step-wife's child.

"Huh!" Seeing Anna looking at him, he snorted angrily. "Do you still have the nerve to come back here, after everything you did to your sister?"

"My sister?" Anna asked again, pointing her finger at the girl in the cheesy pink dress. "Her?"

That girl looked nothing like Tracy or David except for the blonde color of her hair. Anna was a bit surprised then suddenly remembered something. Before time traveling, she remembered that when Tracy died, David was very depressed when he discovered that his remaining daughter was not his biological child. His second wife betrayed him and had a child with another man.

"Haha," Anna laughed. "What a funny family!"