Reborn: I Won't Give Up My Future Again

The day my younger sister, Winnie Larson, gets into a mid-tier university named Caelmont State University, Mom and Dad rent out an entire hotel to celebrate. I'm assigned to the entrance to collect cash gifts from the guests. Mom shoves the guest list into my hands. "Your grades are terrible. You'll only embarrass us if you attend the party with us, so you can stay here." My brother, Wade Larson, eyes my backpack and frowns. "And don't bring all that junk inside. Today is Winnie's big day." I tighten my grip on the straps. Inside my bag is my acceptance letter from Orivelle Institute of Technology, a top-tier university known for its aerospace program. Then, out of nowhere, an unfamiliar text pops up on my phone. "Don't tell them. "In your previous life, you showed everyone your acceptance letter. Winnie burst into tears and accused you of deliberately trying to make her feel bad. "Your parents forced you to give up your place at Orivelle to take care of Winnie. Henry even changed your university application behind your back. "Five years later, you're teaching math at a tutoring center in your hometown, while Winnie's receiving research awards at the university you gave up for her." A chill runs through me. Just then, Winnie rushes over and snatches my backpack. "Did you get me a present too?" My acceptance letter slips out of the bag. My boyfriend, Henry Carter— a person I have known since childhood—sees the university logo on the cover, and his expression changes instantly. But Mom gets to it first. She snatches up the letter. "You even forged an acceptance letter just to steal Winnie's spotlight?" Dad's expression hardens. "Sadie, you failed to get into a university, did you?" Every relative turns to stare at me. I look at the acceptance letter, now crumpled in Mom's hand, and slowly lower my head. "Yeah. I didn't get in." Chapter 1 "I knew it," Mom sneered. She pinched the acceptance letter between two fingers like it was a filthy piece of trash. "You've been stupid since you were little. All you ever did was tinker with that useless junk. It'd be a miracle if you actually got into university." Right in front of all our relatives, she tore the acceptance letter bearing the seal of the Orivelle Institute of Technology, a university known for aerospace studies, in half. The scraps fluttered onto the red carpet in the hotel lobby. I stared at the torn pieces on the floor without saying a word. Ten minutes ago, I would have fought desperately to get them back. I would have shouted that it was real, that I'd gotten a perfect SAT score. But now, that strange text message felt like a bucket of ice water, chilling me to the bone. "That's enough. Stop embarrassing yourself at the entrance." Dad frowned as he pulled my younger sister, Winnie Larson, behind him. "Today is Winnie's big day. Stop making a scene." My brother, Wade Larson, stepped forward and planted his foot on the torn half of my acceptance letter. "Sadie, even if you're jealous of Winnie, you don't have to stoop this low. Forging an acceptance letter from a top-tier university? Are you trying to get yourself arrested?" Our relatives whispered among themselves, their murmurs pricking at me like a thousand tiny needles. I lowered my head. A pair of custom-made leather shoes came into view. It was Henry Carter, my childhood sweetheart, my boyfriend, and the heir to the Carter family. We had grown up together. When we were 18, he confessed his feelings and promised to protect me for the rest of my life. He stood there in a perfectly tailored suit, his demeanor gentle and refined, but his eyes were filled with scrutiny. "Sadie, this is completely unacceptable." Henry didn't even bother to hear me out. He'd already decided I was guilty. "Winnie worked herself to the bone to get into Caelmont State University. She stayed up until midnight every night, and she's always been in poor health. Instead of being happy for her, you're pulling a stunt like this just to upset her." Henry sighed and pulled out a delicate velvet box from his pocket. I recognized it immediately. Last month, we were walking past a jewelry shop when I paused to admire a celestial charm bracelet in the window. Henry had smiled and told me that once my SAT results came out, he'd buy it for me as a gift. Now, he opened the box right in front of me. Inside lay the expensive bracelet. He turned around and fastened it around Winnie's wrist. "Winnie, this is for you. A little something to celebrate getting into university." Winnie gasped and covered her mouth, her eyes instantly filling with tears. "Henry, this is too expensive. Sadie will be mad at me." She cast a timid glance at me before shrinking behind Henry. Henry gently patted her shoulder. "She didn't get into university. She doesn't deserve to wear it. You got into university. You deserve this." Then he turned back to me, his gaze turning cold again. "Sadie, apologize to Winnie." I looked at the diamonds sparkling on Winnie's wrist and adjusted my glasses. The left temple of my glasses had snapped two days ago after Winnie sat on them. I'd held them together with clear tape, just enough to keep them on my face. Back then, Henry had told me that once the SAT was over, he'd take me to get the best, lightest pair of anti-blue light glasses he could find. Now, I realized his promises were nothing more than empty words. I met Winnie's eyes, my voice calm. "I'm sorry." There were no tears, no protest, and no attempt to defend myself. Henry froze for a moment. Normally, whenever something like this happened, I would argue with him through tearful eyes, desperately trying to prove my innocence. But this time, I'd given in without a fight. The surprise on his face quickly faded, replaced by a look of satisfaction. "That's more like it. She's your sister. You shouldn't be so petty about every little thing." Out of habit, he reached out to ruffle my hair. I turned my head, avoiding his touch. Chapter 2 Henry's hand froze mid-air, and his brows furrowed slightly. "You're still upset?" "I'm not," I replied. I bent down and picked up the scraps of paper one by one, tucking them into my backpack. "I just figured it was time to welcome the guests." I pulled out a chair and sat at the reception desk, scanning the guest list. "If you brought a gift, please come this way," I announced. The lobby fell silent for a moment. Mom curled her lip in disdain. "It's a good thing you know your place." They surrounded Winnie as they made their way into the banquet hall, laughing and chatting. Henry brought up the rear. He glanced back at me. A flicker of suspicion crossed his eyes, but Winnie's laughter quickly drew his attention away. I tightened my grip on the pen and crossed the first name in the guest list. I had already accepted Orivelle Institute of Technology's offer three days ago. That acceptance letter was nothing more than a piece of paper now. I didn't need to prove anything to them. All I had to do was wait quietly for the semester to start, then leave this family for good. The celebration banquet went on until 10:00 pm. By then, the private dining room was littered with empty plates and dirty dishes, while Winnie's cheeks were flushed from all the praise she'd received from our relatives. I sat on a folding chair by the entrance, with the cold air blowing over me for four straight hours. By the time I got home, my hands and feet were numb from the cold. I didn't join them in the living room as they excitedly opened the gifts. I went straight to my room. It was a tiny partitioned space carved out of the balcony, barely 43 square feet. There was only a single bed and a plastic wardrobe. There wasn't even enough room for a desk. I pulled out the cardboard boxes from under my bed and quietly began packing my things. The door swung open. Henry leaned against the doorframe, a flyer in his hand. "Still mad?" His tone was resigned, as though he were humouring my supposed tantrum. I folded two T-shirts, their colors long since faded, and placed them in the box. "No," I replied. He stepped inside, making the cramped room feel even smaller. He laid the flyer on my bed. "Your mom asked me to tell you something. "Since you didn't get into university, don't just sit around the house. There's a tutoring center in Caelmont looking for a math tutor. They'll pay you 4,000 dollars a month. "Caelmont State University is nearby as well. You can go see Winnie on weekends to do her laundry and clean her dorm. I think it'd be good for you to get some real-world experience. Consider it a way to make up for how badly you treated her at the banquet today." I stared at the cheap flyer for Starny Tutoring Center. In my previous life, they'd forced me to work there. I spent five years teaching elementary school math in a dark, damp basement. Meanwhile, Winnie took credit for my research and stood in the spotlight. "Tomorrow's the weekend." Henry ignored my silence and continued speaking. "I'll drive you two to Caelora Mall in Caelmont to get Winnie some new clothes and supplies for university. You can come along and help carry everything." He paused, his eyes falling on the left temple of my glasses, which I'd patched together with clear tape. "And get those glasses replaced while we're there. You don't want to show up at the tutoring center looking like that." I pushed my slipping glasses back up but didn't argue. The next morning, Henry drove us to Caelora Mall, the most upscale shopping mall in Caelmont. Winnie happily bounced from one luxury shop to the next. She picked out designer bags and expensive dresses, and Henry paid for everything without giving it a second thought. Mom and Dad stood nearby, grinning from ear to ear. I followed behind them, both arms weighed down with shopping bags covered in oversized logos. When we passed an upscale optical shop on the second floor, I stopped. Through the glass display window, I could see rows of lightweight frames with crystal-clear lenses. Henry noticed me eyeing the display. He glanced at his watch and was about to say something when Winnie suddenly came running out of a jewelry shop up ahead. "Henry, what do you think of this necklace?" She pointed to a dazzling diamond necklace in the display window. The price tag read 10,000 dollars. Henry smiled. "Looks great. Get it," Wade chimed in. "Henry, you've spent way too much today. What does Winnie need all this jewelry for?" Dad winced at the price. "Winnie's going to university here. She needs to look the part." Henry handed his black card to the sales associate. Then he turned to me. "Sadie." He tapped the watch on his wrist. "We've pretty much hit today's spending limit, and it's getting late. I still need to get your parents some coffee," he said casually, without a hint of guilt. "Your glasses may be broken, but the frame can still hold together with some tape. Besides, you're just going to be teaching kids at some tutoring center in a basement. No one's going to care what kind of glasses you wear. Make do with them for a few days. We'll get you a new pair next time." The sales associate finished wrapping the necklace and handed it to him respectfully. Henry casually hooked the elegant shopping bag onto my arm, already raw from the weight of the other bags. "Come on. Stop dragging your feet." I stood in the middle of the crowded mall. I watched Winnie play with the designer sunglasses she'd just bought for more than a thousand dollars. Then, I raised a hand and pushed my broken glasses back into place. "Okay," I answered softly. That was the moment whatever hope I had left finally died. Chapter 3 I carried a dozen or more shopping bags of all shapes and sizes as I followed them into a lavishly decorated dessert shop. "You guys go ahead." I stopped at the entrance, making no move to go inside. Henry frowned. "What now?" "I've got too many bags. I might bump into someone's table or chairs. I'll wait outside." I kept my head down, my voice calm. Henry glanced at the expensive paper bags in my hands and seemed to see my point. "Suit yourself." He turned and followed Winnie inside without looking back at me. I found a bench outside the mall and sat down, neatly placing the bags by my feet. The sunlight was glaring. I took off my glasses, which had slipped down my nose, and rubbed my dry, stinging eyes. Then, I reinforced the loose temple with a piece of clear tape and put my glasses back on. I pulled out my phone and refreshed my feed. The first post was from Henry. The photo showed an elegant spread of coffee and pastries laid out across the table. Winnie wore the sunglasses she had just bought, along with the diamond necklace that cost 10,000 dollars. She was beaming. Henry, my parents, and Wade were gathered around her, raising their cups for the camera. The caption read, "Our little princess is all set for university. Wishing you a bright future." Then came the likes and comments from mutual friends. "You really know how to spoil Sadie's little sister." "The whole family is gorgeous. They look so happy together!" I scrolled past without a flicker of emotion. I wasn't angry. The picture on my screen simply felt like some cheesy movie that had nothing to do with me. By the time they finished coffee and came back out, it was almost dark. When I got home, my arms were weighed down with shopping bags, and the living room was pitch-black. I set the bags down and dragged my exhausted body toward my tiny partitioned room, pushing the door open as quietly as I could. The moment I flipped on the light, I froze. My room was a complete mess. The cardboard boxes I kept under my bed had been dragged out, their contents scattered all over the floor. But what made my heart stop was the space model sitting in the corner of my desk. That model represented everything I dreamed of. I had spent two years scrimping and saving to buy every part I needed. Now, it lay in pieces, its most important components crushed beyond repair. Winnie's bedroom door was slightly ajar, with a sliver of light spilling through. I walked over and pushed it open. She sat on the carpet, holding the solar panels from my model up against her doll, as if trying to figure out how to attach them. When she heard me, she looked up without a trace of guilt. "Hey, Sadie. You're back." She casually tossed the piece onto the floor. "I went to your room to look for scissors earlier and accidentally knocked it over. Besides, it's not like you're getting into university anyway. You don't need this junk, so I figured I'd have some fun with it." She smiled with childish innocence, but the provocation in her eyes told a different story. In the past, I would've lunged at her and fought her tooth and nail. But now, all I felt was sadness. "Who gave you permission to go into my room?" My voice was barely above a whisper. "What's all this noise about? It's the middle of the night!" Mom's bedroom door flew open. She stepped out with a jacket draped over her shoulders, her expression irritated. "Winnie's exhausted after spending all day shopping. Why are you making a fuss the moment you get home?" She glanced at the broken pieces of the model on the floor and scoffed. "It's just a cheap plastic toy. If Winnie likes it, let her play with it. "You can't even get into university, yet you waste all your time on these ridiculous dreams. What good are they going to do for you?" Mom walked over and looked down at me. "Since you're back, pack up your things tomorrow and move to the couch in the living room. "Winnie's going to university soon, and she needs somewhere to put all her new clothes and bags. We're turning your room into her walk-in closet." I looked at Mom. She was taking away the last bit of space I had in this house as if she had every right to, without a hint of guilt. "Okay." I looked at her and nodded. Mom froze for a moment. "I'm glad you know your place." She muttered under her breath before taking Winnie back to her room. I crouched down and carefully picked up the broken pieces of my model, one by one. I tucked them into the deepest compartment of my backpack. Tomorrow was the final day for incoming freshmen to register at Orivelle Institute of Technology. It was also the day I would leave this family behind for good. Chapter 4 The morning sunlight streamed onto the cramped balcony. Wade's furious voice came from the living room. "Sadie, get out here!" I slung my bag over my shoulder and opened the door. Everyone was sitting on the living room couch. Henry was there too, sitting beside Winnie with a cup of coffee in his hand. Wade pointed at a computer brochure on the coffee table, his face livid. "We went over the spending limit while we were shopping yesterday. Winnie still needs a high-end computer and a DSLR camera for school. We're short 10,000 dollars. "You've been tutoring and handing out flyers for the past two years. You must have at least 10,000 dollars saved up by now, right? "Transfer it to me. I'll get Winnie the rest of her equipment." He said it like an order, as if my money had always belonged to the whole family. I stood there and looked at them. "That money is for my tuition and living expenses," I said calmly. "What tuition?" Dad slammed his hand on the table, making the cups rattle. "You couldn't even get into university! What do you need tuition money for when all you do is teach at a tutoring center? "You eat our food and live under our roof, and now you're making a fuss over helping Winnie buy a few things?" He jabbed a finger at my face, spittle flying as he spoke. "We've raised you all these years, and you don't have an ounce of gratitude! You're nothing but selfish!" Winnie let out a soft, aggrieved sob. "Forget it, Wade. If Sadie doesn't want to help, it's fine. I can use my old computer. It can't run the design software, but I can always stay up late at the library." The more she said things like that, the angrier my family became. Henry put down his coffee cup, his brows furrowing as he looked at me with disappointment. "Sadie, you've really let me down. "It's only 10,000 dollars. If you really can't afford it, I'll cover it. But the way you shut out your own family, acting so selfish and cold… I honestly can't believe it." He stood up and walked over to me, lecturing me in his usual condescending tone. "Winnie is your sister. She's the hope of your family right now. "You're already a failure. If you won't help her, fine. But do you really have to hold her back now?" A failure, huh? I looked at Henry's handsome face and pushed up my glasses, still held together with tape. I met his eyes and spoke each word clearly, "I'm not giving her a cent." Henry's expression darkened. He'd thought that I'd obey once he stepped in, just like I always had. Wade stormed over and raised his hand to hit me. "What did you say?" Henry reached out to stop him, but he still looked at me in disbelief. "Sadie, stop making a fuss. Just apologize and hand over the money. Then, we can put this behind us. Otherwise, there's nothing I can do for you." Dad stood up and pointed at the front door, his voice thundering through the living room. "If you don't hand over the money, then don't ever call me your father again! "Take your junk and get the hell out of my house! And don't ever come back!" The living room fell silent. Everyone stared at me, waiting for me to apologize like I always did. Henry lifted his chin slightly, certain I wouldn't dare walk out that door. I looked at them. Every one of their faces was filled with the same sense of entitlement. "Okay." I nodded. "I'll leave." Without a moment's hesitation, I turned and walked toward the door. Henry froze, then stepped forward. "Sadie, have you lost your mind? Once you walk out that door, you'll have nothing!" I wrapped my hand around the doorknob without looking back. "Henry, we're done." The lock clicked, and I strode out. The door slammed shut behind me, cutting me off from the stunned silence inside. The second I stepped into the elevator, Dad's phone suddenly rang. He frowned and answered it. On the other end, my high school teacher, Jane Lowe, was practically shouting with excitement. "Mr. Larson! I've got incredible news! Sadie has been accepted into Orivelle Institute of Technology! She got a perfect score on the SAT! Your family has raised a true genius!" Dad's phone slipped from his hand and slammed onto the coffee table. Everyone's expressions froze.