She Took the Rags, I Took the Empire

After our parents passed away, two couples approached Serena and me at the same time, both wishing to adopt us. Serena dashed ahead, rushing toward the impoverished couple before I could move. “Hill, I’ll let you have the wealthy family,” she said, looking at me with a sweet smile. “I only care about your happiness.” However, I could hear her inner thoughts perfectly clear. She was privately gloating, telling me to enjoy being used as a mere tool for a business marriage, trapped inside a mansion for the rest of my life. That was when I knew—she had been reborn too. In our past life, Serena had been the one to rush toward the luxury cars, successfully becoming the pampered daughter of a wealthy family. Yet, she couldn’t handle their strict rules and discipline. She ended up sneaking out at night to wild out at bars, accidentally leaked classified family secrets, and was ultimately kicked out of the house. Meanwhile, I relied entirely on my own hard work to study abroad, eventually becoming a world-renowned scientific genius. On the day I was set to receive my grand award, Serena completely lost her mind. She stormed the stage and drove a knife straight into my body. “Why do you get to live such a free and successful life?!” she screamed. As she wished, we were both given a second chance to choose. Without a shred of hesitation, I turned around and stepped straight into the luxury car. She had no idea that without money, true freedom didn’t even exist. And this wealthy family? They were nothing more than my stepping stone in this life. Chapter 1 The very moment I heard my sister Serena’s inner thoughts, I knew she had been reborn, too. I watched as she threw herself into the arms of the impoverished couple, turning to me with a perfectly staged, saintly look on her face. “I don’t need a life of luxury and wealth,” Serena said. “I only want Hill to have a good life.” The couple showered her with praise, calling her a sensible and sweet girl. Yet, I could hear the malicious sneer echoing clearly in her mind. Serena thought to herself, “The Barrington family is only adopting a child because their business is struggling and they desperately need a tool for a marriage alliance. Enjoy that miserable taste! As for this poor couple, they must be low-key scientific geniuses. This time, that massive global research award is going to be mine!” I kept my mouth shut. Without saying a word, I simply turned around and stepped into the luxury car. Serena had absolutely no idea. In our past life, my ability to study abroad relied entirely on the money I saved by working three separate jobs while simultaneously balancing my classes. My scientific breakthroughs were achieved solely through my own grueling, relentless efforts. Did she honestly believe it was all handed to me just because of an adoptive family? I suppressed a cold sneer. Without money, basic survival was a struggle. Under those conditions, you didn’t even have the right to talk about true freedom. This time, with the vast resources and powerful background of the elite Barrington family at my disposal, I would only grow and succeed much faster than in my previous life. The luxury vehicle rolled to a smooth halt in front of a sprawling, magnificent estate. I gazed out at the breathtakingly grand architecture before me—a place I wouldn’t have even dared to dream of entering in my past life. The head butler took my hand, leading me into the manor and bringing me straight to a meticulously decorated bedroom. “The Master and Madam are currently busy and will return later tonight,” he instructed, his tone clipped and detached. “For now, stay in your room and study the family rules and etiquette. You must memorize every single regulation until you can recite them backward.” Though his tone sounded incredibly cold, his actual inner thoughts leaked right into my mind. The butler thought to himself, “This poor child. Losing both of her parents at such a young age... Now that she has entered high society, I must ensure she masters the rules before meeting the Master and Madam. That way, she won’t accidentally break protocol and suffer for it.” I blinked. It seemed the people in this household weren’t nearly as cold-blooded and ruthless as Serena had claimed. In our past life, my sister had already started throwing tantrums and crying about how miserable she was by this point. But to me? This minor level of strictness didn’t even register as a challenge. Sitting down in the comfortable, cushioned study chair, it didn’t take long at all for me to commit every single rule to memory. Right at that moment, a sudden, icy sensation brushed against my arm. I jerked my head around. A small, snow-white snake was slowly slithering up, wrapping its sleek body firmly around my forearm. Its crimson eyes stared directly into mine, its tongue hissing softly as it watched me. Chapter 2 Holding my breath, I tentatively reached out with my other hand. To my surprise, the little creature slithered right along my fingers and curled directly into the palm of my hand. “This girl isn’t even afraid of it?” A silent thought echoed from the doorway. I snapped my head up to look. A lean, slender young man stood at the entrance. Shaggy, with slightly long hair, partially veiled his eyes, framing an intense, melancholic disposition. His gaze pinned me down, tracking my movements like a predatory serpent. I recognized him instantly. He was Owen Barrington, the eldest son of the Barrington family—and my new older brother. I recalled how fiercely Serena had detested him in our past life, frequently labeling him a dark-minded, twisted psycho. High society whispered rumors about his eccentric personality, painting him as a reclusive mute whose thoughts no one could ever decipher. The public only knew that his greatest passion involved breeding bizarre, exotic pets. Owen extended his hand. Sensing its master, the small snake smoothly slithered back onto his sharply contoured palm, winding its body around his pale skin. I remained seated, keeping my eyes fixed entirely on the snake. Owen studied me with dark, brooding eyes, maintaining his absolute silence. Yet, his mind spoke volumes to me. Owen thought to himself, “Of course... She’s terrified of me, just like everyone else. What on earth was I even hoping for?” A soft chuckle escaped my lips. Breaking the tension, I reached my hand out toward him. “Hi there, I’m Hill,” I said, offering a warm smile. “Are you my brother? We’re family from now on.” Owen stiffened, staring at my outstretched hand as if thoroughly debating whether he should take it. “This little guy is incredibly cute,” I added, glancing down. “What’s its name?” He looked visibly stunned, requiring a long, heavy pause before he finally managed to respond. “Snow.” He lightly tapped the snow-white head of the little serpent. Then, he reached out and took my hand. As our palms met, Snow actively slithered across our joined hands and wrapped itself comfortably back around my forearm. “I’m Owen,” he murmured. The rumors certainly hadn’t lied about him being a man of few words; the moment he uttered those two brief sentences, his lips sealed tight once more. However, I caught his mind drifting into a deeper monologue. Owen thought to himself, “People have told me they liked snakes before. But the second they actually saw this little one, they slammed it onto the floor on the spot, and some even tried to kill it.” He continued to question secretly, “Are you going to be just like those fake, hypocritical liars? Are you only lying right now to get on my good side?” His intense gaze locked onto my face, searching for a crack in my armor. I didn’t display a single shred of fear. Instead, I carefully supported Snow and gently stroked the top of its head, treating it no differently than a regular puppy or kitten. Surprisingly cooperative, Snow tilted its head into my touch and playfully flicked its tongue at me as if saying hello. Owen’s pupils vibrated slightly, a profound look of astonishment flashing through his dark eyes. I was nothing like those hypocritical upper-class phonies. In my previous life, I had majored in medicine and possessed a solid grasp of zoology. A snake flicking its tongue was merely its way of scenting and surveying its surroundings—the exact behavioral equivalent of a dog or a cat sniffing around a room. Domesticated pet snakes were notoriously docile; as long as they didn’t perceive a threat, they would never strike out. Besides, this little guy actually seemed to genuinely like me. Chapter 3 My adoptive parents finally returned home by dinnertime. They were exactly as the rumors described them—powerful, commanding figures who naturally exuded the heavy, suffocating pressure of elite high society. “So, you are Hill?” my adoptive father asked, his sharp eyes scanning me. I offered a polite, quiet nod. Seeing how well-behaved and composed I was, he seemed reasonably satisfied. “I will lay everything out on the table right now,” he continued, getting straight to the point. “The reason we adopted you is because we need you to secure a marriage alliance with the eldest son of the Herbert family. If you are unwilling, we won’t force you. We will simply provide you with a sum of money and let you find a new set of parents.” He leaned back slightly, his expression stern. “The choice is entirely yours. You decide what you want to do.” The necessity of a marriage alliance with the Herberts arose because the Barrington family’s influence had been steadily declining in recent years. Coupled with Owen’s eccentric and reclusive personality, they deeply worried that their son wouldn’t be able to shoulder the heavy burden of running the family empire on his own. In our past life, Serena was supposed to marry the eldest Herbert son to safeguard the corporate conglomerate. Instead, she had thrown a massive fit, flatly refused, and run away from home. Then, after getting completely wasted at a bar, her loose lips leaked confidential corporate secrets, pushing the company to the very brink of bankruptcy. According to Serena’s complaints from our previous life, that eldest son of the Herbert family was cold-hearted, ruthlessly strict, and constantly nitpicked everything she did. Yet, as I looked at the powerful adoptive parents standing before me, I didn’t hesitate for even a fraction of a second. “I accept,” I answered smoothly. To solidify my place within the Barrington family, I had to agree to their terms first. As long as I eventually used my own capabilities and scientific merit to rescue the family business from its impending crisis, I was confident they wouldn’t force me into a marriage I didn’t want. My adoptive mother’s face softened, and she offered a warm, gentle smile. “Good girl. From today onward, you can just call us Mom and Dad.” She signaled to a nearby servant, who stepped forward and handed me a tablet. “As a child of the Barrington family, you will have a tremendous amount of things to learn,” she explained. “We will arrange private tutors for you. This is your schedule starting tomorrow morning.” I took the tablet and looked down at the screen. The display was absolutely packed, completely crowded with a dense, non-stop list of various advanced courses. Right then, a crisp, detached voice suddenly cut through the quiet room. “She just joined our family today. There’s no need to dump such a massive, suffocating schedule on her right away.” It was Owen. The moment he spoke up, both Mom and Dad stiffened in pure shock. They clearly had never expected their habitually dark, reclusive, and indifferent son to actually open his mouth and defend me. Chapter 4 Mom’s expression softened slightly. “Owen, you know as well as we do that the Herbert family has incredibly high standards for a marriage partner. We are doing this for the sake of the family business.” Owen lowered his gaze, his dark eyelashes casting shadows as he intensely pondered something. “If I manage to save the company in the future,” Owen asked quietly, “does that mean she won’t have to go through with the marriage alliance?” My adoptive parents exchanged a tense, conflicted look. “Well... that is…” “I don’t mind it at all.” I spoke up to break the heavy silence, bowing politely to them. “Mom, Dad, thank you so much for placing your trust in me. Please don’t worry—I promise I will never fall short of your expectations.” In my previous life, just to scrape together enough money to study abroad, I had to work three jobs simultaneously while aggressively forcing myself to study. I survived on a mere four hours of sleep every single day. Those days were ten thousand times more brutal than anything I faced here. At the very least, I didn’t have to stress over basic food and clothing in this mansion. Furthermore, the advanced training courses listed on that tablet were resources someone my age could never dream of accessing in my past life. Having such an abundance of wealth and opportunity handed to me was exactly what I wanted. A look of deep admiration flashed across my adoptive parents’ eyes. I could hear both of their minds echoing the same thought. They were secretly thinking that they hadn’t expected me to be so driven, and that they had truly stumbled upon an absolute treasure this time. Over the next few weeks, I completely immersed myself in the high-intensity academic lifestyle. Unsurprisingly, I passed the entrance exams with flying colors and got accepted into the same prestigious international university from my past life. What I didn’t expect, however, was running straight into Serena on campus. Serena was wearing a faded, washed-out shirt. She looked visibly thinner and worn down. Standing beside her was a young boy a few years her junior, struggling to haul her heavy luggage. It was Marcus, my younger brother from my previous life. The two of them were dragging the heavy suitcases under the scorching, blazing sun, completely drenched in sweat. Seeing the small army of elite servants surrounding me, a sharp flash of jealousy cut through Serena’s eyes. “Dear Hill, how have you been living in that wealthy household?” Serena asked, forcing a sweet, caring smile onto her face. “Does your new family treat you well?” Though she played the role of a doting sister on the outside, her inner thoughts actively screamed a completely different story. Serena thought to herself, “So what if you have money? I bet that suffocating, strict family environment has already exhausted you to death. Enjoy this brief moment of showing off while you can, because I’m the one who’s going to win the global research award later!” Marcus handed her a bottle of water he had already uncapped for her. “Here. Have some water and take a quick break.” Taking the bottle, Serena immediately puffed up her chest with unearned pride. “Look at how obedient and sweet my little brother is. Isn’t he just a darling?” Serena bragged, looking at me sideways. “If you’re jealous, I can always have him take you in as an adopted older sister. That way, you can finally experience what true family affection actually feels like.” I didn’t even bother wasting my breath on her. Behind me, the car door clicked open. Owen stepped out of the luxury vehicle, holding a beautifully wrapped enrollment gift in his hands. “Thank you, Owen,” I said, offering him a sweet, radiant smile as I accepted the box. Owen seemed a bit flustered and shy, immediately averting his eyes to hide his blushing face. Serena’s eyes nearly popped out of her head the moment she locked sight on the exquisitely packaged little box. “He actually bought you a gift?! That’s impossible!” Serena shrieked, instantly stepping forward to grab it. “There must be a venomous snake or something horrible hidden inside that box!” Before her hands could even touch the packaging, Owen instantly threw himself in front of me, roughly shoving her away. “Scram,” Owen muttered. He uttered only a single word, his dark gaze radiating pure, unadulterated hostility as he glared down at Serena. I deliberately opened the elegant little box right in front of Serena’s face. “Wow! It’s the exact necklace I’ve been wanting for the longest time!” I gasped dramatically. “Owen, can you help me put it on?” Owen gave a quiet nod and took the necklace back. His long, elegant fingers moved with absolute care, gently reaching around my neck to fasten the clasp for me. Serena froze completely in place, her mind utterly rejecting the reality playing out before her eyes. In her memories of the past life, Owen had always treated her with cold indifference and utter disdain. On one occasion, when she had complained about how disgusting his exotic pets were, Owen had snapped, aggressively grabbing her by the throat. Serena’s mind was spiraling in pure disbelief as she thought, “How on earth could that dark, terrifying psycho Owen ever become this gentle?!” Hearing her chaotic inner thoughts, I turned toward her with a knowing smile. “Dear Serena, what were you saying just now? Your little brother?” I asked smoothly. “No, thank you. Having this one older brother is more than enough for me.” “You...!” Serena’s face twisted into an ugly, furious grimace as she glared at me with pure hatred. However, as if suddenly remembering something crucial, she rapidly forced her features back into that harmless, innocent smile. “Well, seeing my dear sister getting along so well with her family certainly puts my mind at ease,” Serena said, her voice dripping with fake sweetness. “But... hasn’t your family’s corporate conglomerate been facing some pretty severe financial troubles lately?” “That is none of your concern, Serena,” I replied smoothly. The butler immediately stepped forward, holding a pristine umbrella over my head to shield me from the sun. I turned around with a calm smile and walked straight onto the university campus. Behind me, Serena’s furious, spiteful thoughts practically violently hammered into my mind. Serena thought viciously, “Just wait until your family goes completely bankrupt and you’re forced to marry that twisted, psychopathic man! Let’s see how much you smile then!” I simply walked forward, pretending I hadn’t heard a single thing. She had absolutely no idea. In this life, I was never going to sit around idly and wait for doom to find me. As long as I personally dragged the Barrington family business back from the brink of collapse, that marriage alliance would cease to be a necessity. My destiny had only ever belonged in one pair of hands—my own. Chapter 5 University life progressed even more smoothly than I had originally anticipated. Leveraging the memories of my previous life, I began layout preparations early for the exact same scientific research project that had won me the prestigious international award. Equipped with prior experience and ample funding, my progress this time around was a full twice as fast as before. Yet, during this process, I unexpectedly crossed paths with someone. Galen Herbert. He was the eldest son of the Herbert family—and my designated partner for the marriage alliance. In the competition during our past life, he had been my fiercest rival, ultimately losing to me and taking second place. We barely had any interaction back then, but this time, he suddenly called out to me in the hallway. “Are you the adopted daughter of the Barrington family?” he asked. The man was tall with sharp, deeply defined features and a cool demeanor. A pair of narrow, deep blue eyes fixed intently upon me. I couldn’t quite fathom why he was suddenly striking up a conversation. Was it because of that looming marriage alliance? “Yes, I am Hill,” I replied politely. “And you must be Mr. Galen Herbert?” Galen didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he simply stared at me for a long moment. It was only then that a sudden realization struck me. Why couldn’t I hear this specific man’s inner thoughts at all? “I’ve heard that your grades have consistently ranked first in the academy,” Galen said, breaking the silence. “My current project has run into some resistance. I wonder if I could trouble you to take a look at it for me?” I found myself completely bewildered by his sudden invitation. We had attended the exact same university in our past life, yet we hadn’t exchanged a single word. “Mr. Herbert, your project is also meant to compete in the upcoming international competition, isn’t it?” I questioned, keeping my guard up. “Is it really appropriate for you to invite a direct competitor to assist you?” I caught the corners of Galen’s lips curving slightly upward into a faint smile. “Scientific research isn’t done for competitions, much less for fame or wealth,” he countered smoothly. “The true essence of research is to drive societal progress. I believe you understand that point as well.” I fell silent. He was entirely correct. Competitions were ultimately secondary; the core purpose of scientific research was the advancement of human society. “Alright,” I agreed. “I accept.” From that day forward, it became a natural routine for me to travel back and forth between our two laboratories. One day, while on my way to the lab, I ran into Serena yet again. She appeared to be working on a project of her own lately, but her lack of progress had clearly left her frustrated. Seeing me only seemed to aggravate her further. “Hill, why are you soaking in the laboratory all day long anyway?” Serena complained, rolling her eyes. “You’re already so wealthy, what’s the point of wasting your time on these things?” Before I could even open my mouth to respond, Galen’s deep voice echoed from right behind me. “Hill, I reviewed that set of data,” he called out. “There’s still an issue with one specific section.” He lifted his head, his eyes landing squarely on Serena. For some reason, I caught a brief flash of displeasure in his expression. Then, to my surprise, he walked right over and naturally draped an arm around my shoulder, sliding the file into my hands. Witnessing our intimate display, the fake smile on Serena’s face froze instantly. “Oh, Hill,” she sneered, her voice dripping with sudden malice. “Now I see why you run to the lab every single day. It turns out you’re just here to hook up with men!” She crossed her arms, looking at us sideways. “Well, I suppose it makes sense. Sucking up to your fiancé now will keep you from living too miserably in their household in the future.” I raised my eyes, fixing her with a freezing glare. “He and I are not in a romantic relationship. We are merely normal classmates,” I stated firmly. “Furthermore, whoever I choose to date is my own absolute freedom.” “Is that so? Then it seems I must have misunderstood,” Serena replied. While she maintained an innocent, harmless facade on the outside, her inner thoughts were viciously cursing me to high heaven. Serena thought maliciously to herself, “Keep putting on an act! Just wait until your older brother gets kidnapped and you’re forced to drop out of school. Let’s see what kind of freedom to date you’ll have then!” Galen had clearly run entirely out of patience with her presence. “If you have no actual business here, please refrain from wandering around the laboratory building,” he commanded coldly. “We still have serious matters to attend to.” Serena glared at both of us, managing to squeeze out one last tense smile. “Fine then. I won’t disturb you any longer, Hill,” she said through gritted teeth. “I wish you the best of luck in the competition!” Her eyes radiated pure venom as she walked away. A faint, terrible premonition crept into my heart, but she had already drifted too far for me to catch any more of her inner thoughts. On the actual day of the international competition, my phone suddenly rang. I picked it up, only to hear an unfamiliar voice on the other end. “If you want your brother to stay alive, withdraw from the competition immediately,” the voice threatened coldly. “Bring your company’s core confidential data files and come to the back mountain alone.” My heart plummeted like a stone. I had taken precautions long ago, explicitly ordering the head butler to deploy extra security to protect Owen. How on earth had he still managed to get kidnapped? If I rushed to rescue him right now, it meant completely abandoning the very competition I had spent so long preparing for. I could always enter a competition again, but I only had one older brother! Without a single shred of hesitation, I turned right around and forced my way through the crowded venue, sprinting out the door against the flow of the crowd.