Soul Exchange

I found myself in the legendary Soul Exchange. I pawned my capacity for love in exchange for another chance at life. When my parents brought my adoptive sister home again, I finally wasn't consumed by the same hysteria as in my previous life. This time, my parents' indifference, my brother's disdain, my fianc's betrayalI wouldn't care about any of it. But then, why... why were they holding me, crying so heartbrokenly again?

"Audrey, why are you spacing out? Your new sister will be here soon, let's go downstairs to greet her!"

Hearing that name again, I paused for a moment. I hadn't been called "Audrey" for six or seven years. I turned to look at Arthur standing beside me, and sure enough, he was twelve again. The gangly pre-teen, dressed in a fitted suit, was eagerly looking towards the staircase. One hand still clutched my arm.

I stared at his long, clean hand. Yet, what flashed in my mind was the imprint of his hand, grown-up, slapping my face. I frowned, instantly shaking him off. Arthur's expression froze; he looked at me, bewildered. "Audrey, what's wrong?"

The next moment, the villa's front door slowly pushed open. My parents' voices drifted in: "Arthur, Audrey, come down, we've brought your sister home!"

Arthur's eyes lit up. He immediately abandoned me and ran downstairs. I stood at the top of the stairs, watching the harmonious scene of the family of four below. I reached up and pressed a hand over my heart. It was a strange sensation. A tingling warmth. But the tearing pain that used to accompany it was gone.

Arthur and I were twins. For the first twelve years, the Fosters only had us two children. And with the auspicious symbolism of having a boy and a girl twin, our parents and the elders of the family doted on us like precious jewels. Arthur, though only two hours older than me, acted like a true older brother, always letting me have my way, spoiling me into a veritable little princess.

Someone once joked with my dad, "With your eldest daughter's temper, it's a good thing she was engaged to Ethan early, otherwise no one would dare marry her when she grows up."

My dad's face immediately darkened. "My daughter wasn't born to be married off. If no one marries her, she'll stay home her whole life! I can afford to keep her!"

Mom and Arthur didn't say anything, they just kept showering me with good things, spoiling me even more recklessly. A jade bracelet worth over three hundred thousand dollars was the most ordinary birthday gift I received back then.

It was also the last birthday gift I ever received.

When I was twelve, one of my fathers old comrades passed away from an illness. On his deathbed, he entrusted his only daughter to my dad. That girl, named Seraphina, became my nominal sister. From then on, my familys affection, trust, and attention slowly, little by little, drifted away from me. I admit, I hated her. I envied her!

I envied how two tears from her could send the whole family into a frantic frenzy. I envied how she slowly stole everything I owned. I grew increasingly obsessive. My temper became more volatile, more erratic. Finally, on my eighteenth birthday, I witnessed her and my fianc Ethan kissing in the garden. I completely lost my mind.

I confronted my parents, my brother, my beloved... "Why are you doing this to me?"

But they just looked at me with almost identical expressions of disappointment: "Do you even know what you look like right now? You're a lunatic!"

I laughed, tears streaming down my face. The pain in my heart made my whole body tremble. I lunged at Seraphina with a knife, only to be kicked into a rose bush full of thorns by Arthur. Everyone nervously rushed to protect Seraphina, comforting her and coaxing her to stop crying. No one cared that the knife I held was just a plastic one, meant for cutting cake.

My parents, claiming I had mental issues, had me committed to a mental institution. I think Arthurs kick must have injured me badly. I coughed up blood day and night, begging the doctors to call my parents repeatedly. But they never picked up. Finally, after another round of electroshock therapy, I took my last breath.

And then I saw itthe rumored Soul Exchange. I traded all my emotions, my capacity to love, for a chance to be reborn.

Audrey, come on! Werent you always looking forward to having a little sister?

Mom, holding Seraphinas hand, stood at the doorway, smiling and waving at me. Seraphina, with her clean, pale face, sweetly called me Sister. But I showed no reaction. I simply turned and went back to my room, leaving them all in the living room, exchanging puzzled glances.

My dad sighed, "This child, who upset her now?"

Moms voice was awkward: "Maybe she's not used to having a little sister yet, it's fine, I'll go coax her in a bit."

Seraphina's voice was tearful: "Mommy, Daddy, does Sister not like me?"

Before my parents could speak, Arthur eagerly cut in: "No, no, Audrey just has a bit of a temper, her heart isn't bad. Don't cry, don't be sad, I'll go tell her off for you later!"

My parents beamed, "Arthur's so sensible! Make sure you take good care of your sister!" Their laughter kept drifting into my room. Again, I thought how terrible the soundproofing in this mansion truly was. I hated it. It was deafening.

I simply stood up and started inventorying my valuables. So much time had passed, I couldn't remember what my twelve-year-old self owned anymore. Now, looking closely, I was astonished by the sheer wealth. No wonder Seraphina loved taking my things so much. Even my grown-up self couldn't help but feel a little jealous.

I picked up the jewelry from my vanity and stuffed it all into my backpack. Anyway, if I didn't take it now, Seraphina would soon claim it for various reasons. I held a beautifully crafted jade bracelet, remembering how Seraphina had shattered it in my previous life. That was the first time I slapped her. The small girl, red-eyed, hid behind the door, her voice filled with such injustice, as if I had broken something that belonged to her.

"Sister, I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to... I've never had anything like this, I just wanted to look, I, I didn't hold it steady..." She burst into tears, which brought my parents and Arthur running. That was the first time I went "crazy" and hit someone, and the first time my dad confined me. Seraphina cried into my mom's leg until she almost fainted, yet still managed to glance up and stick her tongue out at me. I pointed at her, accusing, but the next second, Arthur violently shoved me into my room.

"Audrey! Can't you show some sympathy? Seraphina is so pathetic, how can you still bully her? It's just a bracelet, you have countless others! What's wrong with giving it to her?"

I gritted my teeth, forcing down the sobs that rose in my throat. Just a bracelet? No! That was the birthday gift Arthur bought me with his first prize money from a creative competition! But he had forgotten...

From that year on, I never received another birthday gift. Even the dolls, clothes, and jewelry that used to flow into my room like a stream were all redirected to Seraphina's room. All because she said: "The kids at school laugh at me, they say I'm so skinny and small, and I have no taste, not as bright and shiny as Sister, like a little mud monkey..."

She was lying! It was Arthur who helped her ostracize me with the entire class! He knew. He clearly knew everything. But he didn't defend me. Watching as my parents grew increasingly disappointed in me, increasingly favoring their pitiful adopted daughter...

By the time Id packed all my belongings, there was a gentle knock on my door.

Audrey? Sweetheart, dinners ready. Moms voice was incredibly patient, unbelievably gentle.

I didnt respond. I just opened the door, allowing her to lead me to the living room. In my usual spot, Seraphina sat, looking constrained. My dad and Arthur were both helping her dish out food. I turned to Mom. "Should I eat on the floor?"

Everyone froze. Mom's grip on my hand unconsciously tightened. "Of course not! It's my fault, I forgot to get you a chair. Ms. Davies, quickly get Audrey a chair." Seraphina hesitantly stood up, her innocent big eyes instantly welling with tears. "Sister, I'm sorry, I didn't know this was your seat, I, I'll give it to you!"

Arthur quickly got up and restrained her, looking at me with reproach. "Audrey, it's all the same where you sit, don't scare Seraphina, she just got here! At the very least, you can sit to my left! Brother will sit between the two of you, how about that?" My parents remained silent, instead watching for my reaction.

Isn't this tacit approval? I sneered inwardly. Truly, so childish. The whole family was putting on a show, but their acting was unusually terrible. It was truly off-putting.

I took the chair from the housekeeper and dragged it directly to the farthest corner of the dining table, away from all of them. Arthur's hand, dishing food for Seraphina, paused. He looked at me, wanting to speak several times, but ultimately said nothing.

The meal finished in this strange atmosphere. As I stood to go upstairs, my dad called out to me. He seemed a little troubled, clearing his throat before smiling and speaking: "Audrey, Seraphina is a year younger than you and Arthur. You are her older brother and sister, you should be more accommodating to her. She just lost her biological parents, and she's been through a lot emotionally. We are her family, we should take good care of her."

My mom chimed in, "Yes, Mom knows you might not be used to having a sister yet, but look how sweet Seraphina is. If you try to spend more time together, you'll definitely grow close."

The two of them exchanged frantic glances across the table. Clearly, they both wanted the other to speak first about what was coming. I was getting impatient. My tone was cold. "So?"

Mom was taken aback by my question. Perhaps she had never heard me speak to her with such a cold tone before, and for a moment, she didn't know how to respond. My dad took a sip of tea, then smiled and began, "Audrey, Seraphina just transferred here, and her physical and mental condition aren't very good. We're really worried about her, so... how about you and Arthur both stay down a grade, and go to school with her? How does that sound?" As if to be more convincing, he hastily added, "Arthur has already agreed, we're just waiting for you."

I looked at Arthur. He had his head down, not daring to meet my gaze.

Here we go again. It was the same in my previous life. They made me, and Arthur, who was already in seventh grade, go back to sixth grade to "keep her company." A year later, Ethan, who had grown very close to Seraphina, also transferred to our class, claiming he wanted to look after me... From then on, the three of them staged various little dramas in class every day, falsely accusing me of bullying Seraphina, which led to me being ostracized by the entire class. Bravo.

Too bad I wasn't in the mood to play such boring games with elementary schoolers anymore. It was a complete waste of life. I tilted my head, my eyes full of confusion. "She needs two servants to attend her just to go to school?"

My dad was so shocked he dropped his chopsticks. "Aud-Audrey, what did you say?"

"I said, since Arthur is already willing to cater to her, there's no need to force me, is there?"

Mom grabbed my arm, her face filled with horror. "Audrey, what are you talking about? What 'cater'? Your dad and I just want you all to spend more time together, to bond earlier!"

"I have no obligation to bond with her. Whoever wants to bond with her can go cater to her." I stared at Arthur, who had been dumbfounded since earlier, and delivered my final words: "So it's settled. From now on, you two go to elementary school, and I'll continue my seventh grade. We won't bother each other."

I turned and went upstairs, leaving behind a group of people comforting the incessantly sobbing Seraphina.

Around nine that evening, Arthur knocked on my door. "Audrey, are you asleep?"

"Something wrong?"

"Uh... can you open the door?"

"No."

Silence outside the door for a long time. Just when I thought he had left, Arthur's voice came again: "Audrey, you're unhappy, aren't you?"

My hands paused as I packed my clothes. I frowned, my voice indifferent. "No."

"You are! Audrey, is it because I was only paying attention to our new sister today and ignored you?"

I was a little speechless. I really wasn't unhappy. I just didn't care. Dealing with them was so boring it made me want to throw up. The Audrey who would be so heartbroken by neglect that she'd fall into severe depression had already died alone in a mental asylum. I sighed. "Really, I'm not. Arthur, you can do whatever you want, you're free to get close to anyone you like, I don't care, as long as you don't bother me."

Silence fell outside the door again. After a while, his voice carried a hint of resignation. "Audrey, Seraphina is truly pitiful. Look how small and frail she is, and she has such a sweet, soft heart. I'm really afraid she'll be bullied... Audrey, I'll go back and stay with her for a year, and once she's settled, I'll transfer to your school, okay?"

Fine, fine, fine. The school is your family's investment, you can do whatever you want. I rolled my eyes, packed the last piece of clothing. Put on my noise-canceling headphones, and lay directly on the bed.

The next morning, I walked into the living room, pulling my suitcase and backpack. Everyone froze again. I looked up and saw Ethan, sitting next to Seraphina. The boy, my age, was already strikingly tall, even half a head taller than Arthur. The moment he saw me, he quickly stood up, his gentle, almond-shaped eyes curving slightly, his voice joyful: "Audrey! I'm here to pick you up for school!"

I lowered my eyes, seeing Seraphina's hand clutching his arm. "You won't need to pick me up anymore." "Of course, if you want to pick someone else up, that's up to you."

Ethan's smile froze on his face. "Why?"

I pointed my chin, indicating the suitcase behind me.

Screech

Chairs scraping the floor. Not just Ethan, but my parents and Arthur too, all wore confused expressions. "Audrey? What's that?" Arthur's red-rimmed eyes were fixed on my suitcase.

"Clothes, and some toiletries." And my jewelry. "I forgot to tell you, starting today, I'm boarding at school."

"What?!"

Several voices spoke in unison. My dad walked over, his face cold, and half-knelt to look at me. "Audrey? You're boarding?"

"Yes."

"Why? Isn't it good at home? Did your mom and dad make you unhappy?"

I remained silent, my eyes devoid of any emotion. My dad's hand, resting on my hair, trembled slightly. He hesitated, then looked back at Seraphina. "Is it because... Seraphina?"

At his words, before I could react, Seraphina bit her lip and let out a suppressed whimper. My mom quickly walked over and hugged her, then glared at my dad reproachfully. "What are you saying? How could it be? Audrey, you tell us, why do you want to board? It's definitely not because of your sister, you like your sister, right?"

Everyone waited expectantly for my answer. They were waiting for me to say, Yes, I like her. Boarding is my own reckless choice. I'm not upset. But I was especially good at disappointing people.

"No, I don't like her. I hate her. And it's not just her." "I also hate Mom and Dad, I hate Arthur, I hate Ethan! I hate all of you!"

In an instant, my parents' and Arthur's faces turned ashen. Ethan, surprisingly, showed little reaction. He seemed to think I was just jealous and throwing a tantrum, his eyes full of tolerance and helplessness. As I walked past him with my suitcase, he even reached out, trying to take it from me. I dodged him. He didn't get angry, still shamelessly following behind me.

My parents tried to follow, but were interrupted by Seraphina's cries. She cried more and more pitifully, her small face buried in my mom's arms, her whole body trembling. "Waaah, Mom and Dad, please send me to an orphanage! Sister doesn't like me... I don't deserve to be home!" My parents, of course, launched into another round of comforting words, but Arthur, for some reason, was unusually silent.

Ethan was still clinging to me, forcing his way into the car I got into. "Go ride in your family's car."

"Why? I don't want to! I want to be with you!" He tilted his head, showing his two front teeth, looking utterly unconcerned, like a pig not afraid of boiling water. My fingertips trembled slightly. I suddenly remembered, it was just like this in my previous life.

When everyone else ostracized me, the only one who didn't side with Seraphina was Ethan. He would stand firmly behind me when Seraphina framed me. He'd talk back to Arthur when he yelled at me. When my parents grew more and more disappointed in me, he'd hold me and whisper comforting words: "Audrey, don't be afraid. You still have me. Ethan's with you. If they like your sister more, that's their business. I'll only ever like my Audrey!"

I was like a drowning person clutching the only piece of driftwood, depending on him more completely, trusting him fully. Until Arthur and I turned fourteen. Seraphina suddenly fainted for no reason. Ethan paused, and before anyone else could react, he pushed me aside and caught her steadily in his arms. The "master" he personally brought, in front of everyone at the birthday party, declared that my name was ill-omened, suppressing Seraphina's destiny and causing her health to decline. How conveniently that "master" appeared! What a clumsy excuse!

I still remembered the shock and embarrassment on the faces of all our relatives and friends. Everyone could see it was an act of bullying and humiliation directed at me. But my parents still took me to change my name without a word. From that day on, the name that had been mine for fourteen years C Audrey Foster C became a forbidden word in our house. They called me C Amelia Foster.

Amelia... A name changed for Seraphina. It sounded beautiful, but I hated it. I hated it until the day I died!

I ignored Ethan. Anyway, it wouldn't be long before he transferred to Seraphina's class. I went directly to the dorm advisor with my paperwork and accommodation fees. Ethan saw me actually hand over the money. He finally shed his casual demeanor. He seemed to finally realize that I wasn't throwing a tantrum. I wasn't kidding with them. I wasn't waiting for them to coax me. I truly just wanted to be as far away from them as possible.

"Audrey?" His confusion was like thick, swirling ink in his eyes. "Why do you hate even me? Did I do something wrong?" His fingers gently tugged at my sleeve, his voice cautious. He didn't sound at all like someone who would eventually choke my neck with his bare hands. But those vivid images were still burned into my memory...

I violently slapped his hand away. My eyes filled with disgust, I vigorously wiped my sleeve with a tissue. Ethan, pushed away by me, stared blankly at my face. His voice seemed muffled in his throat. "Audrey..." Meeting my look of revulsion, he finally fell silent. I quickly walked away from the hallway. And before class, I submitted a request to change classes.

Even after the first period, Ethan didn't show up in class. When I was walking through the familiar hallway, carrying a stack of books, I finally saw him, his eyes red-rimmed. Ethan looked at the books in my arms, his expression even more wronged. He rushed towards me in two strides. "Audrey, don't change classes, okay?"

But the next moment, a basketball flew from Class 2, hitting him squarely on the head. I, with my books, nimbly dodged, then turned and entered my classroom. Ethan, having hit the floor of the hallway, caused a stir. A boy in my class still held the posture of throwing a basketball. His school uniform hung loosely on him, a wide, exaggerated grin on his lips. "Oops, accidentally hit someone. Are you alright, pal?"

I glanced at him. Carrying my books, I walked past him. Whether it was my imagination or not, his movements seemed to freeze for a moment. Then, he propped himself against the edge of a desk with one hand, casually pointed to the seat beside him, his voice full of swagger. "Any further back is the trash can. How about you sit next to me?"

I looked at him, but he quickly averted his gaze. "Ahem, well, the homeroom teacher said last class that a new student would be joining, and for me, the class president, to take good care of them." As he spoke, he rubbed his face, turning his ears red.

Class 2 president Jason. Notorious as the class troublemaker. The students around me were either laughing at Ethan, who had fallen, or secretly glancing our way. I sighed. Class 2s bad reputation wasnt unfounded, after all But I really didnt want to sit next to Ethan!

I pursed my lips. "Thanks, but I prefer to sit alone." I placed my books on the desk in the last row, by the corner. Jason looked a bit annoyed, his tone urgent. "Hey, you dont sit there, Ill swap with you! Im taller, Ill block your view of the blackboard."

Before I could refuse, Ethan, covered in dirt, rushed in. He slammed his hand on my books. "Audrey, come back with me!"

"Let go."

"No!"

...

"Seriously, dude... are you performing a soap opera here?" Jason's face looked like he'd bitten into something disgusting. "She wants to stay in our class, is it any of your business?"

Someone at the door, I don't know who, threw the basketball back to him. Jason balanced the spinning ball on one finger, looking at Ethan with an expression full of challenge. Ethan gritted his teeth, looking down at me. But he saw I had already started tidying my desk. Jason tutted, "Still not leaving! The bell has rung for class!" Ethan unconsciously clenched his hands. "Audrey..."

I frowned, saying nothing. He finally gave up. He shot Jason a furious look, then walked away, turning back to me every few steps. I sighed in relief. "Thank you."

"Huh? Are you talking to me?" Jason pointed to himself. I nodded. He suddenly stood up straight, throwing the basketball into the trash can behind me, almost like muscle memory. I stared at him, bewildered, not understanding what that move was. But I noticed his face was redder now.

"Force of habit... N-no problem!" I couldn't help but smile faintly. His movements grew even stiffer.