She Stole My Talent

Before the dance competition, I drank the water my adopted sister, Lily, handed me.

During the performance, I fell in the center of the stage, my ankle permanently damaged, ending my dance career completely.

My parents sighed, Lily has more talent. We'll focus on nurturing her from now on.

My fianc turned and took her hand, "Lily has more vitality than you. You're too fragile."

I became a choreography assistant, watching helplessly as she took everything from me.

Until I discovered she was bound to a Life Replacement System, and using it, she had stolen my life.

I ran to confront her, and in our argument, I fell from the top floor.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back before the dance competition.

My adopted sister was bringing over that cup of water.

I took the cup, and as she activated the Life Replacement System, I whispered,

"Actually, I inherited a family illness. I'm destined not to live past thirty."

Her face went pale, and she loudly told the system to stop the replacement.

But the system's voice had already sounded: [Program irreversible, executing now]

I looked at her trembling form, a smile gracing my lips.

"Congratulations, you've inherited the curse passed down through generations of our family."

"Clara, it's almost time for your performance. Have some water to soothe your throat."

Lily held out a cup of warm water, smiling innocently, her eyes dewy like a fawn's, making anyone who saw them feel a pang of tenderness.

I looked at her, and at the water in her hand.

A familiar scene.

In my previous life, it was this spiked water that caused muscle spasms during the final of the most important dance competition, making me fall from a high pointe, shattering my ankle and my entire ballet career.

Then, my adopted sister, Lily, climbed over me, metaphorically speaking, to seize everything I held dear.

Now, she was back.

I took the cup, looking at the clear liquid inside. Under her expectant and nervous gaze, I drank it all.

"Clara, you're so good to me."

A flicker of wild joy passed through Lily's eyes, fleeting but noticeable.

She eagerly leaned in, her hands intimately wrapping around my arm, as if we were the best of sisters in the world.

"Clara, I truly envy you. Your dance talent is a gift kissed by the gods."

Her warm breath brushed my ear, carrying a strange, cloying stickiness.

I could feel something being peeled away from my body, a peculiar sensation, like a part of my soul being drawn out.

And Lily's body was visibly becoming lighter, more coordinated, even the rhythm of her breathing now carried a dancer's grace.

I heard a cold, mechanical voice from Lily.

"Life Replacement System initiated."

"Target replacement: Clara."

"Replacing talent: Top-tier ballet talent."

The greed in Lily's eyes was almost overflowing.

She thought I didn't know her secret.

This parasite, living by plundering others' talents, had set her sights on me.

She was probably already envisioning how she would mesmerize everyone in the audience with my talent on stage, becoming the true proud daughter of the family.

And I, once again, would be the crippled waste, abandoned by all.

What a pity.

I subtly tilted my head, my lips close to her ear, and slowly spoke in a voice only we two could hear.

"You want my life?"

I felt her body stiffen instantly.

I smiled, my voice gentle.

"I forgot to tell you, I inherited a family illness."

"I won't live past thirty."

The smile on Lily's face froze.

The grip on my arm tightened sharply, her nails almost digging into my flesh.

"Clara what are you talking about?"

Her voice trembled, and for the first time, those fawn-like eyes showed genuine terror.

"Talking nonsense?"

I turned my face to meet her gaze, speaking each word, clear as a bell.

"It's a hereditary disease from my mom's side. My grandma, my great-auntsnone of them lived past thirty. If you don't believe me, you can check the family tree."

"Why do you think Mom and Dad adopted you?"

"Because they needed a healthy child to inherit the family's legacy."

"Lily. My talent isn't easy to take. You'll have to bear the cost it brings."

Lily's pupils constricted, and her body began to tremble uncontrollably.

She tried to let go of me, tried to flee, but it was too late.

[Talent replacement successful. Program irreversible.]

The color drained from Lily's face in an instant.

She looked at me in horror, her lips quivering, unable to utter a single word.

And I, facing her, offered the first genuine smile since my rebirth.

Lily snapped back to reality, shaking off my hand as if burned, stumbling back two steps.

Her face was ashen, and the look in her eyes was no longer feigned affection, but fear, as if I were the grim reaper come for her soul.

"Next up, contestant number 32, Lily. Please prepare to go on stage."

Lily's body wouldn't stop shaking.

I watched her with composure, even helping to smooth a non-existent wrinkle on her dance dress.

"Go on, Lily."

"Use my talent to win your championship."

I bit off those words lightly, yet they landed like heavy hammers on her heart.

She stared with wide, terrified eyes, her lips moving, but not a sound came out.

The staff urged her on.

She was half-pushed, half-coaxed onto the stage.

The moment the spotlight hit her, I sat in the shadows of the side curtain, clearly seeing the cold sweat on her face.

The music began, "The Dying Swan."

In my previous life, I won the gold medal with this dance, rising to fame overnight.

Lily's body moved.

My talent was showcased perfectly through her. Every pirouette, every leap, was textbook precise.

The technique was impeccable.

The judges and audience gasped in admiration.

My parents, Robert and Eleanor, and Julian Smith sat in the front row, their faces alight with undisguised surprise and pride.

But I saw it clearly.

Her eyes were hollow, her movements stiff, filled with a terrifying lack of control over her own body.

She wasn't a white swan, but a puppet manipulated by invisible strings.

With the final pirouette, she stopped steadily, her posture perfect.

Applause thundered through the hall.

But she looked utterly drained, almost collapsing to her knees.

Soon, it was my turn.

I switched to music for another dance, light-hearted and full of vitality.

After I broke my leg in my previous life, I choreographed countless dances from my wheelchair. This was one of my proudest creations.

I danced with abandon, pouring all my emotions into every step.

Until the final, challenging series of turns.

In my previous life, it was here that the drug took effect, and my life came crashing down.

This time, I counted the beats.

Three, two, one.

I deliberately twisted my ankle, letting my body fall forward.

But I used a clever move, rolling once on the floor to absorb most of the impact.

A gasp.

The music abruptly stopped.

The entire hall fell silent.

I pushed myself up, trying to stand, a sharp stab of pain in my ankle.

Hmm, a sprain.

Not serious, a month's rest would fix it.

My parents and Julian rushed over immediately, surrounding me.

"Clara! What happened to you?!" My mom, Eleanor, cried, her voice tinged with sharp reprimand.

"How could you be so careless!"

My dad, Robert, frowned, telling the assistant directly, "Call an ambulance, get her to the hospital for a check-up."

Julian held my arm, his voice sounding very anxious.

"Clara, are you okay? Don't be afraid, I'm here."

Worry was etched on their faces.

But when I looked up, I saw all three of their gazes involuntarily drift past my shoulder, to behind me.

There, Lily stood in the center of the stage, clutching the newly awarded champion's trophy.

She was the only star tonight.

Julian supported me, his grip steady, his voice as gentle as ever.

"Don't be sad, it's just a competition."

He said, but his gaze was glued to Lily, the admiration in his eyes almost overflowing.

Yet, I keenly caught a flash of appraisal deep within his look.

That wasn't the way a man looked at his beloved.

It was the way a businessman sized up a commodity.

A cold laugh echoed in my mind.

See, Julian.

He never loved Clara, nor Lily.

He loved, always, the item that could stand in the spotlight, adding luster to him.

As I was thinking, Julian suddenly leaned closer, lowering his voice.

"Clara, Lily's talent it seems even better than yours."

His voice carried a hint of barely perceptible excitement.

I lowered my eyes, concealing the mockery within them.

"Yes."

"She's dancing for her life, after all."

At the celebration party, everyone wore polite smiles.

Lily, in a white cocktail dress, was surrounded by the crowd, like a true princess.

And I, with my ankle bandaged, sat in a corner sofa, like an outsider.

The air was thick with expensive perfume and the aroma of food, which made me feel a little nauseous.

My dad, Robert, walked over with a glass of wine, looking down at me.

"Clara, what did the doctor say?"

"Minor issue, rest for a month," I replied indifferently.

He nodded, his face expressionless, a true businessman.

"That's good then."

He paused, his tone brooking no argument.

"From now on, you should stop dancing. Stay behind the scenes, help your sister."

Those words were exactly the same as in my previous life.

Back then, I felt like I was plunged into an ice bath, almost collapsing.

Now, I simply looked up calmly.

"Dad, do you mean for me to be Lily's backdrop?"

Robert frowned, seemingly displeased by my directness.

"What backdrop? Shouldn't sisters help each other? You've seen Lily's talent, she has a brighter future than you."

My mom, Eleanor, also walked over, linking her arm through his, her face full of self-righteousness.

"Clara, your dad is right. I also retired due to injury when I was young; it's fate. Now Lily can fulfill Mom's dream, you should be happy for her."

"That's right, Clara," Julian interjected smoothly, crouching before me and taking my hand.

"You're not well right now, so don't push yourself. I'll take care of you, and you can just be my wife and support Lily's career. Isn't that better?"

The three of them spoke in perfect, choreographed unison.

Lightly arranging my life, clear as day.

In my previous life, I cried, asking why they were doing this to me.

Julian just coldly shook off my hand.

"Clara, can't you be more mature? What I need is a partner who can stand beside me in business, not a burden I need to take care of."

That sentence, like a knife, cut into my heart, aching day and night.

This time, I looked into his seemingly earnest eyes and suddenly smiled.

"Alright."

I answered too quickly, too readily.

All three of them were stunned.

I gently pulled my hand from Julian's grasp and slowly picked up a glass of juice from the nearby table.

"I agree."

"From now on, I'll be my sister's assistant, her practice partner, the stepping stone on her path to success."

My smile grew even brighter, my gaze sweeping past them to Lily, who was surrounded by the crowd.

She seemed to sense my stare and looked over.

Our eyes met, and a flicker of triumph and satisfaction crossed her eyes.

I raised my glass to her, then tipped my head back, draining the juice in one gulp.

My parents and Julian visibly relaxed, their faces showing satisfaction.

In their eyes, my 'sensible' decision saved them a lot of trouble.

I pushed myself up from the sofa, limping towards Lily.

The crowd automatically parted to create a path for me.

Everyone's gaze was fixed on me, carrying sympathy, pity, and a hint of schadenfreude, as if watching a good show.

Lily watched me approach, her smile stiffening, and she instinctively took half a step back.

She was afraid of me.

Good.

I stopped in front of her.

The surroundings instantly grew quiet.

I reached out, intimately brushing a stray lock of hair from her temple, my actions as gentle as the most loving older sister.

"Congratulations, Lily."

"How does it feel to take my talent?"

Lily's body instantly tensed, her pupils contracting sharply.

I kept smiling, leaning in closer, and whispered in her ear, in a voice only we two could hear:

"But, Lily, my things aren't that easy to take."

"You'll have to really bear the consequences it brings."

I drew out the word "consequences" softly and slowly, like a venomous snake flicking its tongue.

Lily's face, in an instant, drained of all color.

I straightened up, pleased with her reaction, then raised my voice so those around could hear.

"Lily, from now on, I'll support you wholeheartedly. You absolutely must not disappoint everyone."

With that, I patted her shoulder, turned, and walked step by step out of this opulent cage, under the complex gazes of the onlookers.

Behind me, Lily stood frozen in place.

In the reflection of the banquet hall's glass, I clearly saw.

The hand holding her champagne glass was trembling uncontrollably, golden liquid spilling out, dampening her pure white dress.

I knew.

The nightmare had only just begun.

Lily started having nightmares night after night.

The lights in her room were always on until morning. When I occasionally got up in the night, I could hear her suppressed sobs and neurotic murmurs.

"It's fake it's all fake"

She started losing handfuls of hair, her eyes had heavy dark circles, and her once sparkling eyes were now bloodshot, looking at everyone with terror and suspicion.

My mom took her to a psychologist, but it was no use.

I knew what she was afraid of.

The time was almost right.

I used an unregistered burner phone to send Julian a text message.

"Want to know why Lily's been acting strange lately? 3 PM, City Central Hospital, Genetic Screening Department."

Then, I deleted the record and flushed the SIM card down the toilet.

At 2:55 PM, I stood at the end of the hospital's genetics department corridor, wearing a mask and a baseball cap.

The smell of disinfectant was somewhat pungent.

I leaned against the wall, watching Lily rush out of the doctor's office, clutching a report.

She was trembling all over, the report crumpled in her grasp.

The doctor followed her out, his voice soothing.

"Miss Lily, please don't get agitated. This is just based on the sample you provided, showing a risk of a certain genetic defect. It doesn't mean it will definitely manifest"

Lily spun around sharply, her voice shrill.

"Risk? You don't understand anything! This is a curse! I'm going to die! I won't live past thirty!"

The doctor was startled by her hysterical behavior and took a step back, frowning.

Just then, a figure emerged from the shadows of the corridor.

It was Julian.

His face was ashen. He strode forward, staring intensely at Lily.

"What are you talking about? What genetic disease?"