Chapter 1

The fake heiress was allergic to lies—whenever she heard one, she'd sneeze and break out in hives.

The day I was brought back, the fake heiress's whole body swelled up red, tears and snot streaming down her face.

From that moment on, my entire family labeled me a pathological liar with a rotten character.

Later, when my stroke-paralyzed grandmother tumbled down the stairs in her wheelchair, I had barely shaken my head to say it wasn't me.

The next second, the fake heiress had an allergic attack and went into shock on the spot.

Dad was furious. Mom screamed and cried.

My brother slapped me hard across the face:

"How could the Weston family produce a viper like you!"

I was humiliated. I was tormented. I was tortured.

It wasn't until after I died that I finally learned the fake heiress's secret.

The day the Weston family came to get me, I drank a cup of scalding hot water without hesitation.

Only after feeling that unbearable, burning pain searing my throat did I calmly get into the Westons' Porsche.

In my previous life, the moment I saw my birth parents and brother, I threw myself into their arms, crying uncontrollably.

Mom's eyes were red as she kept saying she'd finally found me.

Beside her, Emma spoke timidly:

"I'm sorry, Serena. All these years I've been taking your place. Now that you're back, I should return everything to you."

Derek frowned and flicked her forehead. "Don't be silly. Serena won't mind."

I quickly took Emma's hand and said:

"Of course not. I think of you as my real sister. We'll always be family."

It should have been a heartwarming scene.

But right after I spoke, Emma started rubbing her nose, then sneezed several times in a row, scratching at her reddening arms.

Derek's expression darkened slightly as he ordered a servant to bring allergy medication.

Dad and Mom also subtly let go of my hands. The warmth in their eyes was now tinged with scrutiny.

I was confused and frightened. I didn't understand how words from my heart could cause such a reaction.

I'd heard about it before—Emma Weston, the family's precious daughter, had a strange condition.

She was allergic to lies.

Supposedly, when they first adopted her, Emma had an allergic reaction to a loyal housekeeper.

After investigation, they discovered the housekeeper was a spy sent by a rival family to steal the Westons' secrets.

Later, at a banquet, Emma kept sneezing, interrupting Dad's deal with a businessman.

They found out afterward that the businessman had already gone bankrupt—the "partnership" was just a scam for money.

Even more dramatically, at Derek's engagement party, Emma broke out in hives after meeting the bride-to-be and developed a high fever.

Derek was furious when he learned his fiancée had been sleeping around and picked up some diseases—she was just looking for someone to take care of her mess.

One incident after another turned Emma into the Weston family's precious porcelain doll, treasured and protected by everyone.

They trusted her absolutely and wouldn't let anyone hurt her.

So naturally, they were wary of me—their biological daughter who'd just been found.

Mom awkwardly asked how my life had been all these years.

Remembering the beatings at the orphanage, the bullying at school, the years of scraping by at the bottom of society, I could only say bitterly:

"No matter how hard it was, it's all in the past now."

Mom looked somewhat pained when she heard this.

But unexpectedly, even after taking allergy medication, Emma didn't improve. Instead, welts rose on her arms, swelling badly.

Mom immediately called the family doctor, looking at me with wariness and displeasure.

Without a doubt, she thought I was playing the victim for sympathy.

Then Emma graciously offered to give me her room, saying it was only right to return what was mine.