Chapter 3

Cordelia's POV

A week later, the opportunity I'd been waiting for finally arrived.

The school was hosting a charity tea party that all the aristocratic girls had to attend. I sat in the tea room beside the library, watching those familiar faces, feeling a strange thrill surge through me.

This was where I'd had my only successful counterattack in my past life.

I deliberately wore the antique pearl necklace my mother had left me. In my past life, this necklace would become evidence of Ophelia's first exposure of her true nature on this very day.

"Sister, your necklace is so beautiful today." Ophelia sat beside me, her gaze lingering on the pearl necklace around my neck.

The exact same opening line.

"This was left to me by my mother." I gently touched the necklace, sneering inwardly. "She said this necklace had special meaning and could only be worn by true Ashworth bloodline."

I saw a flash of jealousy and longing in Ophelia's eyes.

"I'm going to the restroom." I stood up, deliberately placing the necklace on the table. "Ophelia, could you watch my things?"

"Of course." She nodded obediently.

I walked toward the restroom but stopped at the corner, hiding behind a pillar to observe.

Sure enough, just like in my past life, Ophelia looked around, confirmed no one was watching, then reached for my necklace.

My heart raced. The counterattack was finally beginning.

I waited a few minutes, letting more classmates notice, then strode out.

"Ophelia, please give me back my necklace." I used the same tone as in my past life, loud enough for surrounding students to hear.

Before, she would have panicked and explained, then been forced to admit theft in front of everyone. This was her first humiliation before classmates, and my only victory in my past life.

But this time, she didn't panic.

Instead, a shrewdness I'd never seen before flashed in her eyes.

"What are you talking about?" She looked at me strangely. "This is my own necklace."

Impossible!

My blood instantly froze.

She should have been caught red-handed and flustered!

"Look, everyone," Ophelia held up the necklace in her hand, addressing the surrounding students. "I've been wearing my own necklace all along. Father gave it to me. Yours should be in your uniform."

Then she pulled out an identical necklace from my jacket draped over the chair.

Students began whispering.

"Why would Cordelia say that about her sister?"

"Did she get confused about something?"

"Is she deliberately picking on her?"

My face went pale. This was completely different from my past life.

"Sister," Ophelia stood up and walked over to me, "are you feeling unwell? Why did you say I stole your necklace?"

Her voice sounded aggrieved, but I caught the flash of smugness in her eyes.

"I... I was mistaken." I forced out these words.

The looks from surrounding students began to change. From confusion to accusation.

"Cordelia usually seems so arrogant, turns out this is how she bullies her sister."

"That's too much, deliberately accusing someone of theft."

"Poor Ophelia, being treated like this right after transferring."

I sat back down, my hands trembling.

This was wrong. Completely wrong.

In my past life, it definitely wasn't like this. In my past life, I clearly caught her stealing, and she was humiliated in front of everyone...

After the tea party ended and other students left, only Ophelia and I remained in the tea room.

She walked over and pulled out a chair to sit across from me.

"Sister," her voice was soft but each word pierced like needles, "why did you think I would steal your necklace?"

I looked up at her, my heart racing.

"Could it be..." she tilted her head, her gaze becoming dangerous and unfamiliar, "you've seen something similar before?"

My blood seemed to freeze.

How could she possibly know? Unless...

"Your expression is so strange." She smiled, and that smile reminded me of the smug face I'd seen before my death in my past life. "Like... you've seen a ghost."

My breathing became rapid.

No, impossible. But that look in her eyes just now, that cunning preparation, and now this confident composure...

"You also..." my voice was trembling.

"Also what?" Ophelia blinked, pretending not to understand.

But I saw it. I saw the mockery flash in her eyes.

She was also reborn.

Ophelia had also returned.

Just like me, she had been reborn with memories of her past life.

That's why she could prepare the necklace in advance, why she could so easily break my plan.

I felt the sky spinning.

This wasn't my solo revenge story. This was a war between two reborn souls.

"Sister, are you alright?" Ophelia asked with concern, but I could hear the mockery in her voice. "You look very shocked."

In her mind, maybe I had just accidentally guessed her actions, maybe I was just unlucky to be outmaneuvered by her.

I had to stay calm. I couldn't let her know I was also reborn.

"I'm fine, just... just feel like you're different today." I struggled to control my voice.

"Really?" She laughed. "Maybe it's because I'm starting to adapt to life here. After all," she paused, her gaze becoming dangerous, "some things require advance preparation."

That sentence confirmed my suspicion.

She really was reborn.

And she thought she was the only one.

I took a deep breath, trying to make myself look merely confused and wronged.

"I just wanted a harmonious sisterly relationship." I said. "If my words just now made you uncomfortable, I apologize."

"She is truly kind." Ophelia's smile became even brighter. "However, I think there might be some... misunderstandings between us."

Misunderstandings?

In my past life, you schemed and got me killed, and now you call it misunderstandings?

But I couldn't show it. I had to let her think I knew nothing.

"Maybe so." I stood up. "I'll head back now."

"Alright." She waved. "See you tomorrow."

I walked out of the tea room, my steps quickening.

Reaching the empty hallway, I leaned against the wall, gasping for breath.

Ophelia was also reborn.

What did this mean? It meant she knew everything from our past life. She knew how I would counterattack, she knew my every plan.