“You have only two months left.”

Valérie Horton left the hospital with her diagnosis. She stood in the yard of the hospital idly and mocked herself inwardly, her face pale.

She remembered how happy she was yesterday when she went home after work with a piece of birthday cake.

The second Valerie ate the cake, she felt intense pain, as if her internal organs were twisted together. She passed out in the rented room due to the agony.

She was used to feeling this pain after experiencing it for two months. At first, she was worried. Yet, she didn’t go to the hospital as she thought it was nothing and she needed to save money. She had no idea it would cost her more.

On her 20th birthday, Valerie received the diagnosis of a terminal illness…

Despite being an optimist, she was at a loss about the shocking news.

She didn’t remember how she got on the bus and returned to her cheap rented room.

As Valerie saw the dirty walls, she finally snapped out of her trance.

She put down the diagnosis and started cleaning up quietly…

“Knock, knock. Valerie, are you home?”

“Yes, Susie.”

Valerie rubbed her red–rimmed eyes and opened the wooden door. Susie Walton, Valerie’s landlady, was standing outside with a friend. She beamed when she saw Valerie.

“Valerie, I’m here for the rent.”

“Sure. I’ll transfer the money to your account now.”

Valerie quickly snatched her phone and made the money transfer.

Susie’s smile grew wider as she confirmed it on her phone.

“Good. Valerie, remember to come to me if you need anything.”

“I know, but I don’t need anything at the moment. Thank you, Susie.”

After a few conventional remarks, Susie left and slammed the door shut.

Susie’s friend immediately grabbed her arm and leaned in.

“What’s going on? Why would a young girl live in this kind of place? This room was just a shabby warehouse. Why did you rent it to her?”

“Hey. I wasn’t the one who initiated it. That girl begged me, and I had to give in. The 25 dollars is her utilities.”

Susie glanced at the door and leaned closer to her friend.

“Well, it’s a secret. Don’t tell others. That girl is the outcast daughter of the Horton family.”

“What? The Horton family? That Horton family?”

Susie hastily covered her friend’s mouth.

Susie thought, “I knew it. She’s such a big mouth.”

“Quiet! Don’t you remember that a daughter of the Horton family has gone missing? It’s said that Mrs. Horton missed her girl so much that she lost her mind. The Horton family blamed the elder daughter for not taking good care of her sister and claimed she did it on purpose. So, they kicked her out.”

Susie nodded at the door, gesturing to her friend that she was talking about Valerie.

They both knew how that story ended.

It was the news of Capstead as one of the wealthiest families had lost a daughter and kicked out the evil elder daughter.

Susie’s friend frowned.

“But she seems meek. I don’t think she’s capable of such a hideous crime.”

“Beats me. We’re just regular citizens. How would we understand rich people’s thinking? She is their daughter, yet they hate her so much. Maybe she’s a love child.”

Although the two women were gossiping in each other’s ears, they forgot how thin the door was and how loud they were.

Valerie heard every word.

She picked up the diagnosis, lost in her memories.

She was just a teenager then. When Zoe Horton, her younger sister, made a fuss about wanting to go outside and asked Valerie to accompany her, Valerie had no choice but to sneak out of the house with her.

She couldn’t say no to Zoe’s request.

On the exact same day, Zoe went missing. Valerie searched the entire block, yet Zoe was nowhere to be found. She didn’t stop walking for a second despite the blood blisters under her feet.

Valerie was so afraid.

She was afraid that Zoe would be in danger. And she feared her family would hate her more because of it.

However, Valerie couldn’t cover the news. Once the Horton family learned about Zoe’s missing, they exploded with rage.

“Where’s Valerie? Ask her to come to my study immediately!”

That night, Valerie sat on her bed in the attic. The blood blisters had broken and her feet were bleeding. Yet, the pain was nothing in comparison to her heartache.

Valerie was shaking as she bit her fingernails. Full of fear, she opened the door of Reese’s study.

The four men of the Horton family were all inside.

As the door closed, Valerie’s heart sank…

Little Valerie felt suffocated as she faced the endless scolding and curses. Her family never gave her a chance to explain herself.

Jerking out of her trance, Valerie clenched the diagnosis. Her throbbing heartache echoed with the constant pain of her internal organs. She gasped like a fish out of water.

She would never forget it.

That night, Reese’s gaze at her was filled with disgust.

How ridiculous! She was loathed by her own father.

Faced with Reese’s cruelty, little Valerie had forgotten about the intense pain in her feet. She could only feel a chill down her spine.

The next day, they kicked Valerie out, though her feet were hurt and there were grazes on her body.

They didn’t even hesitate.

Later, Valerie went to an orphanage. Instead of a warm welcome, all she got were humiliation and ridicule. And they lasted even until now…

Because she was the outcast daughter of the Horton family.

Valerie thought if she didn’t let Zoe out that day, maybe she could grow up like an ordinary child. She could go to school and find a job, even form a family…

Her headache got worse as she pondered.

Valerie quickly stopped herself from indulging in the negative thoughts, adjusting her breath to case the pain.

After a long time, Valerie felt the urge to cry.

She covered her eyes hastily and bit her lip as she sobbed.

Valerie had tried her hardest to muffle her cries.

She couldn’t cry out loud.

She didn’t have a reason to cry her heart out.

Because she couldn’t start her life over by crying. It couldn’t change her life, and it couldn’t make her live longer.

Crying would only make Valerie realize how pathetic she was.

After sobbing for a few minutes, Valerie sat on the broken chair idly, ignoring the tears and snot on her face.

After a while, Valerie wiped her face forcefully and took out a piece of torn paper and a fountain pen from her stonewashed canvas bag. The pen almost ran out of ink.

She froze in place before dropping the torn paper and the fountain pen. Then she took out a new sheet of paper and a better pen from her bag. They were too precious, so Valerie was unable to bear to use them before.

Switching on the light, Valerie started writing seriously…..

One month later, Valerie quit after getting that month’s paycheck. She also canceled her lease.

With a shabby backpack and all her money, Valerie did what she always wanted to do.

She traveled around the country without a care.

This was the last month of her life, so Valerie wanted to live for herself once…

Two years later, a lumberjack in a beautiful scenic village discovered a dead body on a mountain. He immediately called the police.

The government was alarmed, and reporters swarmed in the village.

The reporters got the pictures of the dead body with the government’s permission.

The dead body was lying on the ground peacefully with her hands on her chest.

The police found three sheets of paper in her clothes.

One was a hospital diagnosis, and one was written full of travel plans.

The reporter’s tears welled up as he saw the last sheet of paper. It was torn and had only one sentence in fine handwriting.

“I don’t need another life.”

“Ms. Valerie, it’s morning…”

Valerie heard a gentle and kind voice.

She couldn’t move her boneless limbs, but her head was spinning due to the shock.

Valerie thought, “What?

Didn’t I die? I died peacefully in a village, right?

Ms. Valerie? Is this person addressing me?

Why does this voice sound so familiar?”

Valerie fought hard to open her heavy eyelids and blinked rapidly.

She looked in the direction of the voice.

Gradually, she saw a kind old man.

“Jayvion?!”

“Yes, Ms. Valerie.”

Valerie was completely awake and sat up swiftly.

“Jayvion, did you save me?”

“What? What are you talking about, Ms. Valerie?”

Jayvion’s smile dropped at Valerie’s strange question. He looked at Valerie in confusion.

Valerie couldn’t tell if she was dreaming or not. She asked directly.

“Jayvion, did you come here too?”

“Ms. Valerie… I don’t understand. Where should I go?”

Valerie was confused too.

The old man and young woman stared at each other, their gazes full of questions.

Valerie got out of bed hurriedly. Her heart sank when she propped herself up on the bed.

Her heart had sunk to the bottom.

Valerie raised her hand and examined it carefully.

In disbelief, she touched her face and her body while looking around.

Everything looked familiar.

“Do I have to do this again in the afterlife?”

Valerie was utterly shocked.

Jayvion was at a loss. He knelt in front of Valerie softly with a concerned look.

“Excuse me, Ms. Valerie.”

The old gentleman took off his white gloves and righted his gold- rimmed glasses before putting his hand on Valerie’s forehead.

“You’re not having a fever. Ms. Valerie, are you too tired from making the nerve–calming sachet for Mr. Kieran?”

A nerve–calming sachet?

The word awakened something in Valerie. Her head snapped in the direction of her shabby desk.

The desk was covered with nerve–calming herbs and a semi–finished sachet. Valerie had picked those herbs and made the sachet all by herself for Kieran.

A dirty full–length mirror sat beside her bed. Valerie turned and looked into the mirror.

She saw a petite girl in whitish pajamas. The girl’s skin and hair both had an unhealthy yellow tone.

Valerie slapped herself hard on the face.

Jayvion jumped at the loud noise.

“No, Ms. Valerie. What’s wrong? Stop hurting yourself.”

Valerie didn’t stop and just kept on slapping herself, her eyes full of tears. She was slapping herself to vent her anger and sorrow.

She was back. What was more, she was back to her younger self.

Valerie thought, “Didn’t I suffer enough last time? Why did fate send me back?

Why me?”

Valerie asked those questions over and over in her heart. Tears ran down her swollen cheeks.

Jayvion stopped her by holding her wrists in an iron grip. Valerie kept her head down. Tears and snot dropped on the floor freely.

Yet, she wasn’t crying out loud.

The only telltale signs of her emotions were her shaking shoulder and her bent back.

Jayvion’s eyes widened in shock. He tightened his grip in case Valerie hurt her further.

His white bread shook due to his heavy breathing.

For some reason, Jayvion’s heart broke when he saw the tears of this malnourished little girl.

“Ms. Valerie … you can cry.”

After a long time, Jayvion breathed. His gentle tone made Valerie feel better and gradually calmed down.

She thought, “Fine. So I’m back.

Life goes on.”

Finally, Valerie calmed herself and looked up at Jayvion shyly. Jayvion’s eyes became red–rimmed too.

Valerie noticed the kindness in Jayvion’s eyes. She realized that this white–haired gentleman was the only person she could count on in the Horton family.

“Jayvion, I’m fine now…”

Seeing that Valerie had stopped crying, Jayvion released her. He swiftly took out a handkerchief and wiped Valerie’s face softly.

“Good. I’ll pour you a glass of water. You need that.”

Jayvion stood up and went to the kitchen for some hot water.

He didn’t dare to ask more questions as he hadn’t recovered from the shock.

Earlier, he sensed a great grief from Valerie. She was so desperate.

Jayvion didn’t want to relieve it.

Jayvion turned to look at Valerie’s room before shaking his head and heaving out a long breath. He blinked the tears in his eyes away and hurried to the kitchen.

Valerie needed to rehydrate.

Valerie stood in the middle of the room alone and looked around.

The room merely had four white walls and a few old furniture.

If Valerie needed to use a bathroom, she had to go outside.

Valerie walked to the desk and picked up the herbs she collected. She fiddled with the poorly–made sachet,

Jayvion said she made it for Kieran.

Valerie snorted.

Kieran was the eldest son of the Horton family and the future president of the family business.

He was a 25–year–old eligible bachelor with a good look and high intelligence.

In Capstead, Kieran was like a noble prince.

Besides the members of the Fisher family, everyone had to please Kieran. The Fishers were exceptions because they were as noble as Kieran.

But Valerie knew one thing from her previous life.

To maintain the Horton family’s status in Capstead…

Kieran had worked all the time and had insomnia and a constant headache.

His state of mind had gotten worse as he couldn’t get enough sleep.

But Kieran couldn’t find a proper cure for his insomnia.

In Valerie’s previous life, she would give Kieran a glass of water with vitamin B every night to improve his sleep quality.

Valerie was sure her former self had believed that Kieran had accepted her and wanted to improve their relationship by giving him the sachet.

She thought, “No.

Valerie.

You’re pathetic.”

Without a word, Valerie put the needles and yarns away before throwing the unfinished sachet and those herbs into the bin.

She did it without any remorse.

Jayvion came back with a hot water bottle.

“Ms. Valerie, have a glass of water. It’s good for your stomach too as you just wake up.”

Valerie dropped her coldness and softened up as soon as she saw Jayvion.

She beamed as she looked at the kind gentleman.

“Thank you, Jayvion.”

“You’re welcome, Ms. Valerie.”

Jayvion fixed Valerie a glass of warm water elegantly and watched her sip the whole glass.

Yet, he had been stealing glances at the bin out of the corners of his eyes.

Jayvion had a lot of surprises that morning.

At that moment, he was surprised that Valerie seemed to give up on getting on Kieran’s good side.

“Ms. Valerie, do you want to have breakfast now?”

Jayvion immediately recovered and smiled at Valerie.

Breakfast?

Memories had returned to Valerie wave after wave. None of them were pleasant.

Valerie snorted inwardly, but she put on an embarrassed face.

“Jayvion, I had a nightmare last night and even jolted awake at midnight. I’m too weak to go to the dining room now. Would you please bring my breakfast here?”

Valerie looked up at Jayvion with her watery eyes. Her fingers wriggled nervously where Jayvion couldn’t see.

Jayvion’s heart softened as he saw the dark circles under Valerie’s eyes.

“Sure, Ms. Valerie. I’ll fetch you the breakfast right away.”

Jayvion bowed slightly and hurried out of Valerie’s room.

As soon as Jayvion left her sight, Valerie dashed toward her tacky bedside table and checked the calendar.

“20…16. I was kicked out when I was 13. I’m 7 years old now. I havè six years left.”

Valerie murmured.

Soon, she frowned in frustration.

Six years?

Valerie thought, “I have to stay here for another six years?”

As Valerie remembered her family’s dismissive attitude, she felt she couldn’t stay in this house for one more second.

The crease between her brows deepened as Valerie’s mind was a mess at the moment.

She was trying to remember the significant events in those years.

Yet, she was swarmed by all her old memories.

She couldn’t think clearly.

Valerie thought, “Forget it.

That’s it.

I’ll try to jot something down after breakfast.”

Valerie followed her heart.

She returned to bed.

She folded her hands on her stomach and slowly reminisced about the significant events she could remember.

Valerie waited patiently for Jayvion.

On the other hand, Jayvion was upset after fetching breakfast from the kitchen.

When Jayvion walked past them to the kitchen for Valerie’s breakfast, either Reese or Reyna asked him about Valerie. Their sole focus was on Zoe.

They were looking at Zoe with so much love.

Kieran was having breakfast elegantly and putting food on Zoe’s plate

too.

Jayvion watched them for a while before turning around.

He let out a long sigh.

“What’s wrong, Mr. Bowman?”

“Nothing. Go back to your duty.”

The kitchen staff was shocked by Jayvion’s sigh.

One of them couldn’t help but look up and ask Jayvion the question.

After getting Valerie’s breakfast, Jayvion went straight to her room.

Jayvion didn’t think he would stand to stay in the dining room at the

moment.

“Ms. Valerie, breakfast is here.”

Jayvion collected his emotions and walked inside.

He saw Valerie sleeping peacefully on her bed.

She was so petite that she was almost the same size as Zoe, who was only five.

Valerie was even thinner.

She was lying on her bed rigidly with her hands on her stomach. The dark circle clearly showed that Valerie didn’t get much sleep last night.

Jayvion bathed his breath as he contemplated how to put down the tray in his hands without waking up Valerie.

In the end, Jayvion walked over and gently pulled the comforter over Valerie, wanting her to get some rest.

Maybe she exhausted her energy with her reborn. Valerie slept all day and it was past 6 p.m. when she woke up again.

The room was in the dark and she couldn’t hear any sound outside.

Her stomach started grumbling, so Valerie had to get up and go to the kitchen.

She dragged her feet and wandered in the dark.

The kitchen was empty. Valerie thought it was because Reese and Reyna took Zoe out for dinner.

She perked up immediately.

Valerie thought, “How wonderful. I was wondering how to face my so- called family on the way here.”

Looking at the pitch–dark kitchen and dining room, Valerie was over the moon.

After opening the fridge, Valerie had to get a stool to see what was inside due to her small size.

There were many expensive ingredients, such as high–quality beef and

caviar.

Valerie ignored those ingredients completely.

Her gaze directly went to the last shelf, which was full of roughage.

She grabbed a corn cob and closed the fridge door.

She couldn’t wrap her hands around the corn cob.

It was more than enough to feed her empty stomach.

Valerie dragged the stool under the light switch. She struggled to climb up and switched on the light.

Out of nowhere, Kieran appeared in front of her and was looking at Valerie sternly.

Valerie screamed.

She jumped and the corn dropped on the floor before rolling away.

“What are you doing?”

Kieran crossed his arms and looked at Valerie’s pale face.

His thick brows knitted tightly.

Kieran’s gaze was sharp as if he was a police officer looking at an

inmate.

The brother and sister stared at each other silently.

Nobody spoke.

Valerie looked at the corn on the floor sadly.

She then looked up at Kieran grumpily.

Kieran Horton, her eldest brother.

Being the eldest son of the Horton family, Kieran was totally a catch.

After taking over the Horton Group from Reese two years ago, Kieran had brought it and his family to a new high.

That was how great Kieran was.

It was said that he fired all the old corrupted employees on his first day as the president.

He acted fast and didn’t give other people time to react or plead.

That was all Valerie knew about it. She was kicked out of the Horton family afterward and had never heard anything about the Horton family

since.

Maybe it was because she hadn’t seen any members of her family for a long time.

Valerie felt a little awkward and didn’t know what to do.

The only thought she had at that moment was to pick up the corn and flee.

The crease between Kieran’s brows deepened.

“What? Can’t you speak now? Why didn’t you answer my question?”

All awkwardness disappeared at the second Kieran talked to Valerie in that commanding tone.

Valerie glanced at Kieran and said aloofly.

“I’m hungry, so I came to the kitchen for food.”

Although Valerie answered his question, Kieran seemed angrier.

As far as Kieran could remember, Valerie never dared to raise her voice to him. She was always timid and couldn’t even meet eyes with him.

And she always called him Kier sweetly.

Last night, Valerie had warily brought tea and a midnight snack to his study.

Yet, Valerie was talking to him dismissively. Her attitude could be counted as cold…

Kieran dropped his arms and squinted as Valerie picked up the corn.

For some reason, Kieran was upset.

“Watch your tone. Where’s your manners?”

Valerie paused from wiping the corn clean.

Valerie turned and the light was coming from her back. Kieran was standing there with his hands in his pockets.

When she came back, she thought she could face the Hortons peacefully.

Yet, when they repeated their ignorance and rudeness, the pain didn’t lessen. Valerie still felt a stab in her heart.

The 7–year–old Valerie pressed her lips into a thin line and tried her hardest to adjust her breathing so that she wouldn’t break down in front of Kieran.

Manners?

Valerie didn’t think they deserved her politeness.