She Plotted Against Me, I Won My Life

I had a dream. In the dream, I was the false heiress, and the true heiress came to the door, and she was reborn. She took my hand, weeping about how my birth family favored sons over daughters, and begged me to stay with my adoptive parents. I believed her. Later, I ate the cake she offered and was struck with stomach pain, and performed terribly in the college entrance exam. My adoptive parents gradually grew distant, suspecting I was untrustworthy. When I woke up, I dismissed the absurd dream as nonsense. But the night before the exam, I watched the girl standing at my door, and fell into deep thought. ***** One evening before the exam, a young girl knocked on our door. She wore faded clothing, standing there looking fragile and pitiable, tears welling in her eyes the moment she saw my mother. The girl's voice trembled as she spoke, "Mother, I am your biological daughter." My mother's eyes widened. She glanced at the girl, who looked strikingly like her, then turned to me. I stood frozen in place, rigid with shock, unsure how to react. I was stunned because the scene matched my dream exactly. In the dream, I had been distraught by her arrival, eaten food she gave me, and ruined my exam chances. When my mother fell silent, the girl leaned forward slightly and spoke quickly, "Mother, we can take a DNA test to prove it." My father acted immediately, picking up his phone and barking instructions to have someone come collect samples right away. As the staff prepared to leave, the girl twisted her hands and spoke timidly to my mother. "Doesn't my sister need to take the test too?" My father straightened his shoulders and said in a firm, unwavering tone. "Regardless of anything, Linnea is our daughter." The girl's eyes turned red instantly. She bit her lip and stood there, looking utterly crushed. Because of her tearful expression, my mother was already half-convinced, but eighteen years of love could not be dismissed so easily. She opened her mouth, about to speak gently to comfort the girl, but I went pale and slowly shook my head. My voice came out thin and unsteady, "I... I think I should not stay here anymore." My mother panicked at once, stepping forward and reaching out to hold my arm. "Linnea, the exam is tomorrow. Be good, stay here." After a long moment of hesitation, I nodded obediently, though my face remained drawn, tight, and uneasy. When I looked up, I caught the girl throwing me a sharp, venomous glare, but I quickly averted my eyes and pretended not to notice. My adoptive father asked for my birth parent's contact details, then went to his study. The girl lowered her head, fidgeting nervously. "Perhaps I should go back to the Hatherley family first. If they find I am gone, they will be very angry." Her tone and expression were so convincing that if I had not seen how my birth family treated her in my dream, I would have believed she was being mistreated. I knew the truth, but my adoptive mother did not. She pitied the girl, pulling her to sit down and ordering a guest room prepared. She patted the girl's arm softly and spoke in a warm, soothing voice. "Do not be afraid. Mother is here." Leaning in with concern, she asked the girl how she had lived all these years. The girl's voice trembled, eyes glistening as she stared at the floor. "Everything always went to my brother first, but I let him have it, because he is a boy. My room was small, but they treated me well enough." With just a few words, she painted the Hatherley family as poor and unfair, favoring sons over daughters. My adoptive mother believed her, and began asking after her well-being with great concern. Looking flattered, the girl glanced at me, bent over my practice papers, and hesitated, "Perhaps we should not send Linnea back there? I am sure she would not be happy with them." Before the DNA results were even out, she was already acting as if she belonged here. I forced a faint smile. "Still, they are my real parents. I should be with them." I turned to my adoptive mother, voice calm but steady. "But I will always be grateful to you and Father for raising me," I added. My mother reached out and patted my hand gently, her tone warm and emotional. "You are such a kind child." Seeing I had won my mother's attention, the girl hurried to my side. She leaned in, putting on an innocent, curious face. "Linnea, are you studying?" I nodded. "Linnea is top of her entire grade," my adoptive mother said proudly. The girl stiffened, glaring at me from the corner of her eye before picking up my phone. "Is this the latest model? I have never seen one like it before." Then she looked at my mother with a pleading look, and my mother immediately promised to get her one too. Soon after, my adoptive father came down from his study, his brow furrowed as if deep in thought. "Linnea, they said they will come see you after the exam." I nodded. His expression softened as he rubbed his temples. "Let us worry about all this later. It is late, go to bed, both of you." The girl clung to my adoptive mother's arm and asked to sleep with her. Lying in bed, I suddenly remembered something. I took out my phone and opened the alarm page. Sure enough, every alarm I had set was turned off.