Jiangcheng.

The Watsons’ mid-mountain estate.

Main house.

Living room.

“Mom, this engagement was Lila’s from the beginning. Now that she’s back, it should go back to her.”

“She’s right, Mom. Lila and Ethan’s engagement was arranged when they were still kids.”

“Mom, don’t worry, Chloe’s our daughter too. We’d never treat her unfairly.”

“Eleanor makes sense—there are plenty of prestigious young men in Jiangcheng for Chloe to choose from!”

Eleanor and Henry tried to gently reason with her.

“Hmph!”

Mrs. Watson scowled. “And how many of them are even close to Ethan Blackwood?”

“You’re just playing favorites!”

“Sure, Chloe’s not your blood, but she’s been raised like your own for twenty years! Doesn’t that count for anything?”

“Everyone in Jiangcheng knows her as Ethan’s fiancée. Now you dig up your real daughter and forget all about Chloe?”

“Do you even care how she’ll face people after this?”

“You want to ruin her whole life?”

“Grandma…” Chloe’s voice came out soft and pitiful, right on cue.

She gave a tiny shake of her head, acting mature like she didn’t want her grandma to keep arguing.

But that only made Mrs. Watson angrier: “I’m telling you now—I will never agree to let Lila marry Ethan Blackwood!”

This was getting ridiculous.

Lila sat sunk into the leather sofa, brows slightly pinched as if the noise was giving her a headache.

She had a naturally gorgeous face, the delicate oval kind.

Long black hair cascaded down her back, silky and glossy.

Her skin was pale like porcelain, smooth and flawless.

Every feature was precise, like they were painted on.

But right now, her expression said she wasn’t too pleased.

Slowly, she opened her eyes.

Those eyes—almond-shaped and glimmering like a dream—had a charm that drew you in without trying.

Did she land in a new world again?

That damn system just dropped her in without any settings or heads-up?

“Mom, think about Lila too. She’s the one who’s really engaged to Ethan. If Chloe marries him, what’s Lila supposed to do?”

Wait a second—

That voice... Mom?

Lila turned her head slightly and saw the elegant woman gripping her hand tightly sitting to her right.

Same shaped face as hers: delicate, soft, and beautiful.Even though she was pushing fifty, she looked like she was in her early thirties at most—no wrinkles in sight. Definitely graceful, definitely classy.

But right now, those familiar almond-shaped eyes—ones just like hers—were filled with resentment.

It really was her.

Mom.

Lila Watson froze, caught off guard.

Her gaze flicked around, taking in the all-too-familiar living room.

Then she spotted—

Dad sitting to her left, face stiff and unreadable.

Straight across sat Mrs. Watson and Chloe Watson, quiet but visibly tense.

Wait a second... she was really back?

Lila’s chest tightened. Her fingers curled slightly as she tried to keep it together.

She instinctively reached out in her mind for the quick transmigration system—but there was nothing. No response.

This wasn’t a simulation.

She was actually back.

Back in her first life.

The one that had been haunting her all this time.

Her entire body started trembling from excitement she couldn’t suppress.

In her last life, after her death, she was thrown into a face-slapping mission system. The deal was: complete all the assigned missions, and she could return to this very life.

And she’d be allowed to bring over everything she learnt from those worlds.

Except... she hadn’t finished yet. She remembered that clearly. There were still tasks left.

So why was she back now?

Mrs. Watson’s sharp voice suddenly cut through her thoughts:

“Who Lila marries doesn’t matter—all those rich young men in Jiangcheng? Any one of them is way more than she deserves.”

Eleanor’s face instantly darkened. “Mom, how can you even say that?”

“And what part of that is wrong, exactly?” Mrs. Watson retorted coldly.

“She grew up in some random village, didn’t even finish high school, rides on her looks to survive in showbiz, and her name’s constantly dragged through the mud online. You think the Blackwood family’s gonna accept her?”

“You think they’re just picking up strays?”

She looked thoroughly disgusted.

Henry Watson’s mouth tightened into a thin line. “Mom, Lila’s been through hell—all because of us. You really think it’s okay to keep judging her? Don’t you think we owe her something?"

“Enough,” a cold voice interrupted everyone.

They all turned toward Lila.

Her expression was calm, detached—like all this noise had nothing to do with her.

“What, I’m just telling the truth,” Mrs. Watson scoffed. “Tell us, what part of you surpasses Chloe? You—”

“I’m calling off the engagement,” Lila said, cutting her off without hesitation.