Chapter 1

My daughter hired someone to kill me after her college entrance exams.

Before I died, I asked her why. I’d dedicated myself to getting her into a top university, helped her smoothly inherit the family business, and cared for her more than her own mother ever did.

Her gaze was venomous:

"You're just a home-wrecker who replaced my mom! I hated you constantly meddling in my life!"

"I'll only be happy when you're dead."

Then I opened my eyes again. I was back on the first day of her senior year of high school.

Gorging herself and getting fat? Fine by me!

Refusing to study? Absolutely!

Even skipping classes to hang out with a punk and getting pregnant early? Whatever she wanted!

This life, all I wanted was to be an "indulgent" stepmom.

"I'm still growing, and you give me *these* leafy greens to eat!"

"Mrs. Jenkins, you really are the perfect nanny for that dead mistress—you just want to abuse me!"

I woke up in a haze to Chloe Miller slamming the table and throwing a tantrum. To vent her anger, she grabbed a glass nearby and hurled it at me.

The glass whizzed past me, shattering into pieces at my feet.

I was fully awake now.

Seeing my silence, Chloe thought I was an easy target. She stormed right up to me and snarled:

"I'll never accept you as my stepmom, so stop telling me what to do!"

"I'm my dad's only child! Once I inherit Miller Corp, I'm kicking your worthless ass out immediately!"

It was then I realized I’d been reborn to the first day of Chloe’s senior year.

It was also our very first meeting.

And this arrogant, spoiled stepdaughter, Chloe Miller, was the very ungrateful viper who would later hire someone to murder me.

I quickly forced a smile and gently soothed Chloe:

"Chloe, don't be angry, sweetie. Aunt Eleanor wasn't thinking. Eating such light food late at night will definitely leave you hungry. You’re young, your metabolism is fast. It was silly of me to talk about weight control!"

"Mrs. Jenkins, please order some fried chicken, cake, and milk tea right away."

She’d just thrown a fit, and I suddenly became submissive.

Chloe thought I was scared of her, and looked at me with a mix of triumph and disdain:

"Now you know not to be a busybody, huh?"

"My mom said it's all your fault, you home-wrecker, for seducing my dad and causing my parents' divorce!"

I didn't argue. I continued to play the part of the bullied, meek wife.

Because I knew perfectly well that if I explained even one more sentence—even if I revealed that Chloe's biological mother divorced her dad because she cheated with a foreign millionaire—Chloe would twist the facts.

She’d run to her dad, Robert Miller, and tell him I was bullying her, which would only sour my relationship with him.

So, I simply said nothing.

I let Chloe stuff her face with fried chicken and milk tea, grease dripping from her mouth.

She wasn’t exactly obese, just a little chubby. But teenage girls, if they’re not careful, can blow up like a balloon overnight.

In my previous life, I meticulously managed her diet.

Controlling her weight while ensuring she ate enough and well. I spent a lot of time just researching recipes.

This life?

Let her do whatever she wanted.

I glanced at the clock behind me. Chloe's tantrum had dragged on until almost nine in the evening. Eating this kind of food now would be impossible to digest and would just turn into fat on her body.

But I just smiled, pushing a small cake slathered in cream toward Chloe.

"Chloe, try this. It's so sweet!"

Seeing my fawning attitude,

Chloe snorted, clearly looking down on me:

"I'm telling you, don't think a few bites of food will buy me off."

"You're incompetent, trying to make yourself look good to my dad by 'educating' me. And that high school success plan you gave me? I'm never going to follow it. Constantly meddling in everything I do, who do you think you are?!"

I gave her an ingratiating smile and explained:

"Chloe, please don't be upset. Aunt Eleanor was wrong before."

"Now that I think about it, you're the only child of the Miller family. You'll inherit Miller Corp someday, you'll have everything you could ever want. There really isn't any need to study so hard and make yourself miserable!"

Afraid Chloe wouldn't believe me,

I called and canceled all the arranged tutoring sessions right in front of her.

Chloe looked even more triumphant, convinced she had this spineless stepmom wrapped around her finger.

"That's more like it."