My Reincarnated Sister Stole My \"Lucky\" Daughter, So I Raised A Genius Instead

My sister, Chloe, and I were both orphans. Now, I had just reincarnated back to the day we went to the adoption agency to choose our daughters.

In our past life, I adopted Lily, a quiet and silent girl, while Chloe took Mia, who was pretty and had a sweet tongue.

Later, Lilys random doodles became a global phenomenon. She made me a billionaire overnight, lifting me from a struggling office worker to generational wealth.

Meanwhile, Chloes business was constantly blackmailed by Mias biological parents under the guise of "child abuse." She ended up bankrupt and completely lost her mind.

Before she died, Chloe pushed me off the rooftop of a twenty-three-story building. "Why was your daughter a lucky charm while mine was a jinx? Its not fair!" she screamed.

In this life, Chloe didn't hesitate. She rushed straight to Lily and signed the adoption papers before I could even blink.

Holding Lilyher supposed "ticket to wealth"she flashed me a triumphant smile. "Audrey, it's my turn to hit the jackpot in this life."

I looked at Lily, who was shivering in Chloe's arms. Then, I looked at Mia, whom Chloe had ruthlessly cast aside. Mia was staring at me with big, tearful, timid eyes.

I smiled.

What Chloe didn't understand was that a childs future is never decided by their innate nature. It is decided by the person who raises them.

In the reception room of the adoption agency, Chloe held Lily tightly, laughing like a psychopath.

"Audrey, look at this. It's my turn to hit the jackpot in this life."

Her eyes practically shone with greed as she spoke.

I knew that look all too well. It was the exact same look she had when she pushed me off that high-rise building in our past life.

Greedy, maniacal, and ruthless.

I didn't say a word. I just stared at Lily in her arms.

The little girl was as skinny as a beanpole, her face pale, her eyes filled with fear.

She curled up in Chloes arms like a terrified, wounded little animal.

But Chloe didn't care about the child's terror. She was too busy gloating.

"Audrey, do you know? I dreamed about it. Lily is my lucky charm!"

"Her random doodles will become a massive, global brand! She is going to make me a billionaire!"

Her voice shook with pure excitement.

Looking at her, I found it hilarious.

In our past life, when I adopted Lily, Chloe had hugged Mia with the exact same excitement before walking away.

Back then, she told me, "Audrey, Mia is so pretty and sweet. Shes definitely going to bring me good luck."

And what was the result?

Mias biological parents tracked her down, blackmailing Chloe with false accusations of "child abuse."

Chloe's business went under, and she completely lost her mind.

In the end, she pushed me off that roof. Right before I fell, she was still cursing, "Why was your daughter a lucky charm while mine was a jinx? Its not fair!"

Not fair?

I clutched my chest. The dull, agonizing pain of the fall felt as if it had happened just yesterday.

Falling from the twenty-third floor, the sound of my bones shattering was still crystal clear.

I remembered it was raining that day. Cold rain mixed with my blood ran into my eyes.

I looked up and saw Chloe standing on the edge of the roof, her face twisted like a demon.

"It's all your fault! Everything is because of you!"

She shrieked, then turned and walked away.

She didn't even give me a second glance.

When I died, Lily was in Europe hosting her art exhibition.

She had no idea that the mother who raised her for over ten years had been murdered by her own aunt.

"Audrey? Audrey, are you even listening to me?"

Chloe's sharp voice dragged me back to reality.

She had already signed the adoption papers and was getting ready to leave with Lily.

"I'm leaving now. Have fun taking care of Mia," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Mia stood in the corner, her eyes red and puffy.

She had been crying the entire time because Chloe had suddenly changed her mind and rejected her.

The caseworker, Mrs. Gable, was still trying to reason with her. "Ms. Chloe, you clearly agreed to adopt Mia earlier..."

"I changed my mind, okay?"

Chloe cut her off impatiently.

"Lily suits me better. It's none of your business."

She turned and walked out without looking back.

Lily struggled slightly in her arms, trying to look back at Mia.

Chloe pushed Lilys head down. "Don't look. From now on, you're my daughter. She has nothing to do with you."

I heard Lily whimpering quietly.

It was a tiny, fragile sound, like a hurt kitten.

I closed my eyes.

In our past life, when Lily first came to my home, she cried just like that.

She hated talking. She would always curl up in a corner and draw by herself.

I was dirt poor back then, living in a damp basement, unable to even afford an air conditioner.

In the sweltering heat of summer, I would buy her popsicles and sit with her in the hallway just to catch a breeze.

While she drew, I would read books beside her.

We barely spoke, but we found peace in each other's company.

Later, a gallery owner noticed her art and bought one of her paintings for five thousand dollars.

I cried tears of joy, and so did she.

We hugged each other and cried like two fools.

After that, her paintings sold for higher and higher prices, eventually turning into a massive franchise.

I went from a simple office worker to a self-made billionaire.

I bought her a mansion, sent her to the best schools, and gave her the finest life possible.

I thought we would be happy forever.

Until Chloe pushed me off that building.

"Audrey..."

Mia's timid voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

She looked up at me, her eyes overflowing with tears.

"That lady didn't want me... Are you going to leave me behind, too?"

I looked at her.

In our past life, when Chloe adopted her, she had looked just as pitiful.

Chloe spoiled her rotten, buying her the most expensive designer clothes and sending her to elite private schools.

But Chloe didn't know that Mia had already been brainwashed by her horrible biological parents.

Those parents were absolute human trash.

They had abandoned Mia at the agency on child welfare records specifically so they could track her down after she was adopted and blackmail the wealthy adoptive family.

They taught Mia how to play victim, how to win sympathy, and how to milk every penny out of her adoptive mother.

In our past life, the moment Chloes business started taking off, they showed up.

They claimed Chloe was abusing Mia, threatening to sue her and demanding massive payouts.

To keep things quiet, Chloe paid them a fortune.

But they only got greedier, demanding more money again and again.

Eventually, Chloe's business was dragged down to bankruptcy, and she had a mental breakdown.

She blamed all her failures on me.

She blamed my daughter for being a lucky charm, and hers for being a curse.

She believed I had stolen her luck and ruined her life.

And that was why she killed me.

I gently patted Mias head.

"I will take you home," I said.

Mias eyes lit up for a second, then quickly dimmed.

"But... that lady said Im a jinx..." she whispered, her voice barely audible.

I smiled gently.

"She doesn't know anything. A child's future is never decided by their nature. It's decided by the person who raises them."

I finalized the adoption paperwork for Mia and walked out of the agency with her.

As we left, I glanced back.

Chloe was happily putting Lily into her car, a smug, victorious smile plastered across her face.

I brought Mia back to the small apartment I bought with my savings from my past life.

It wasn't hugejust a cozy, one-bedroom apartment of about six hundred square feet.

But it was a million times better than the damp basement I lived in during our past life.

At least there were large windows, plenty of sunlight, and no moldy smell in the summer.

Mia stood at the doorway, hesitant to step inside.

"Come on in," I said.

She stepped inside cautiously, her eyes scanning the place.

"This is your room."

I pushed open the bedroom door.

The room wasn't massive, but I had decorated it in advance.

There were pink curtains, clean white sheets, and a small study desk.

Mia froze in her tracks.

"Is... is this for me?"

"Of course. Who else?" I asked.

Tears instantly welled up in her eyes.

"Mom..."

She called me Mom.

My heart softened for a brief second, but I quickly suppressed the emotion.

I couldn't afford to spoil her.

In our past life, Chloe had ruined Mia by spoiling her too much, which eventually led to both of them being destroyed by Mias biological parents.

In this life, I was going to raise her differently.

"Don't cry. Unpack your things, and we'll go out for dinner," I said.

Mia wiped her tears and nodded obediently.

I took her to a small diner nearby and ordered two bowls of noodles.

Mia ate ravenously, finishing every last bite in no time.

"Was it good?" I asked.

She nodded quickly.

"From now on, if you want to eat something, just tell me," I said.

"But remember, if you want something in life, you have to earn it yourself."

Mia blinked, looking slightly confused, but she nodded anyway.

After dinner, I took her to a shopping mall.

She stopped in front of a toy store, her eyes locked onto a beautiful doll.

"Mom, can I have..."

Before she could finish, I cut her off.

"If you want it, buy it yourself."

Mia was stunned.

"But... I don't have any money..."

"Then find a way to earn it," I replied.

"Starting today, you'll get an allowance for doing chores around the house."

"Once you save enough, you can buy the doll."

A flicker of resentment flashed through Mia's eyes.

But she quickly hid it and nodded obediently.

"Okay, Mom."

Watching her, a warning bell rang in my head.

This kid wasn't simple.

In our past life, Chloe was completely fooled by Mia's "good girl" act.

On the surface, she was submissive, but her mind was always calculating.

I couldn't let my guard down.

When we got home, I assigned her chores.

Sweeping, dusting, and washing dishes.

They were simple tasks, but she did them incredibly slowly.

I didn't rush her. I just sat on the couch, reading my book.

She peeked at me several times, and seeing that I didn't care, she had no choice but to keep working.

When she finished, I inspected her work.

"Not bad. Here is your allowance."

I handed her a ten-dollar bill.

Mia took the bill, disappointment written all over her face.

"Only ten dollars...?" she muttered under her breath.

"Too little?" I asked.

She immediately shook her head.

"No, it's fine. Thank you, Mom."

I smiled but said nothing.

I knew she was probably cursing me in her head.

But it didn't matter.

I had plenty of time to teach her.

That night, lying in bed, I mapped out my future plans.

I wanted to open a high-end dessert shop.

In my past life, I was an excellent pastry chef.

In this life, I would use those skills to build my own business empire.

At the same time, I had five years to raise Mia into a decent, honest person.

Five years from now, her biological parents would show up.

That inevitable "extortion attempt" was actually the most crucial part of my master plan.

I was going to show Chloe exactly what kind of "lucky charm" she had stolen from me.

I closed my eyes, and Lilys fragile face drifted into my mind.

My dessert shop was located right at the entrance of our neighborhood. It was small, only about two hundred square feet.

But my recipes were perfected over a decade in my past life. The taste was absolutely unmatched.

On opening day, I baked a hundred egg tarts, and they sold out in just two hours.

The next day, I baked two hundred, and it still wasn't enough.

Within a month, my shop had become incredibly popular.

Locals lined up every day, and some people even drove from across town just to buy my pastries.

I was working non-stop, but I felt incredibly fulfilled.

This was a million times better than sitting in a cubicle typing on a keyboard like I did in my past life.

After school, Mia would come to the shop to help out.

She handled the cash register, and she did a great job.

I paid her daily wages, and she saved every penny diligently.

A month later, she finally saved enough money and bought the doll she wanted.

She hugged the doll, smiling brightly.

"Mom! I bought it with my own money!"

I patted her head.

"Good job."

Her eyes shined with pride, but then they dimmed slightly.

"Mom, can I ask you something?" she asked.

"Go ahead."

"Why are you so strict with me?" she asked.

"Chloe is so nice to Lily. She buys her whatever she wants."

I looked down at her.

"Do you think thats actually good for her?" I countered.

Mia was stunned.

"I... I don't know," she whispered.

"Remember this, Mia: there is no such thing as a free lunch in this world," I said.

"If you want something, you have to earn it yourself."

"What other people give you can be taken away at any moment."

"Only what you earn with your own hands truly belongs to you."

Mia seemed to understand, nodding thoughtfully.

Just then, the door was pushed open.

Chloe walked in, dragging Lily with her.

Chloe was wearing a cheap, wrinkled T-shirt, and her face looked exhausted.

Lily looked even worsepale, severely underweight, and her eyes were filled with absolute terror.

My heart tightened.

It had only been a month. How did they end up like this?

When Chloe saw how busy my shop was, her face turned sour with jealousy.

"Well, Audrey, look at you. Business is booming," she sneered.

"It's alright," I replied casually.

"You must have used some dirty tricks!" she suddenly snapped, raising her voice.

"Otherwise, how could a basic office worker like you afford a shop like this?"

I looked at her, finding her jealousy pathetic.

"Did you forget, Chloe? I was a professional pastry chef in our past life. Of course I know how to run a bakery."

Chloe froze, her anger flaring even hotter.

"So what? Why do you get to live the good life while I..."

She stopped herself.

I could tell she was having a miserable time.

She thought that by adopting Lily, she would instantly get rich. But Lily hadn't shown any "miraculous artistic talent" yet.

Chloe had spent all her savings, lost her job, and was now living on instant ramen.

Meanwhile, I had opened a successful shop.

Her mind was twisted with jealousy.

Just then, Mia walked over holding a glass of lemonade.

"Here is some water, Chloe," she said politely.

As Chloe reached out to grab it, Mias hand suddenly slipped.

The lemonade splashed all over Chloe's shirt.

"Ah!" Chloe shrieked, jumping back.

Mia immediately shrank behind me.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to..." she sobbed, looking terrified.

Chloe was furious, stamping her feet.

"You little brat! You did that on purpose!"

"That's enough," I stepped in, blocking her.

"Shes just a kid. Why are you screaming at her?"

Chloe glared at me.

"Keep protecting her! Just wait until Lily's talent kicks in. You'll be begging me for money soon!"

She grabbed Lilys arm to pull her away.

As she did, I noticed a dark, nasty bruise on Lily's forearm.

"Wait," I called out, my voice dropping.

"What happened to Lily's arm?" I demanded.

Chloes face turned pale.

"None of your business!" she snapped.

"Mind your own life!"

She dragged Lily out of the shop.

I watched their retreating figures, a heavy weight sinking into my chest.

My dessert shop was ready for a major upgrade.

I had gotten in touch with a major investor, Mr. Ethan Vance.

He was a prominent venture capitalist in the city, owning several successful restaurant chains.

If I could secure his funding, I could turn my shop into a franchise and expand rapidly.

On the day of the contract signing, I wore a professional suit and arrived early at the conference room.

Mr. Vance arrived shortly after, and our meeting went incredibly well.

He loved my pastries and fully approved of my business expansion plan.

"Ms. Sterling, I have high hopes for your brand," he said, smiling.

"Likewise. I look forward to working with you," I said, reaching out to shake his hand.

Just as he was about to shake my hand, the conference room doors were violently kicked open.

Chloe burst in, followed by a middle-aged, trashy-looking couple.

"Audrey! You heartless, evil bitch!"

The woman rushed in, immediately grabbing my hair, screaming and slapping at me.

"How dare you abuse my daughter!" she shrieked.

Caught completely off guard, I felt a burning pain shoot across my face.

Mr. Vance immediately stood up, shouting, "What is the meaning of this? Stop this at once!"

Chloe stepped forward, pointing at me.

"Mr. Vance, see for yourself! These are Mia's biological parents."

"My sister not only abuses the poor girl, but she also locks her up and refuses to let her see her real family."

"How can you do business with a monster like her?"

Mr. Vances face turned incredibly grim.

The trashy couple kept screaming at me.

"Where did you hide our daughter?"

"Hand her over right now!"

"Or were calling the cops!"

Chloe kept fueling the fire.

"Audrey, how could you be so cruel?"

"They are Mia's real parents. How could you keep their child from them?"

She spoke with such self-righteousness, acting as if she were the hero of the story.

Mr. Vance looked at me, his eyes filled with deep suspicion.

"Ms. Sterling, what is going on here?"

I didn't say a word.

My face was pale, and my body was shaking.

Seeing me like this, Chloe looked smugger than ever.

She leaned in close to my ear, whispering in a voice only I could hear:

"Your lucky charm daughter is in my hands, and your little jinx has her bio-parents knocking on your door. Audrey, you lose."

Her voice was dripping with venom.

I closed my eyes, my body swaying as if I were about to collapse.

Chloe and the couple grinned, thinking they had completely broken me.

But then, I suddenly lifted my head.

I wiped away a tear that didn't exist and looked straight at Chloe.

"Chloe, who told you they are Mia's biological parents?"

Chloe froze.

"What... what do you mean?"

I turned to the trashy couple, my expression ice-cold.

"The daughter youre looking for isn't with me," I said clearly.

"Your real daughter, Lily, is currently at my sisters apartment, being beaten black and blue by her every single day."

Chloes face turned instantly white.

The trashy couple stood there, completely dumbfounded.

"What... what kind of nonsense are you talking about?" the woman shrieked.

I pulled an official document from my briefcase.

"This is the DNA test result for Lily and the two of you."

"A 99.99% match. Father and mother."

"The daughter you abandoned years ago is Lily."