chapter five

Emily's POV

The car ride home was silent, thick with an unspoken tension that pressed against my chest like a weight I couldn't shake.

The soft hum of the engine filled the space between us, punctuated by the occasional shuffle of our driver's hands on the steering wheel.

My mother and dad sat on each side of the door, with me in the middle, eyes forward and unmoving.

The DNA test had confirmed the truth: I was the long-lost daughter of the Zu family. I should have felt victorious. I should have felt relieved. But all I felt was cold.

The last time I was here, in this family, had ended in betrayal.

I had been reborn to rewrite my fate, to change the course of the story that had once ended in tragedy. And yet, sitting in the same car with the same parents who had once cast me aside like a worthless thing, I could not ignore the ghost of my past life whispering in my ears.

I glanced at my parents. Would they do it again? Would they turn against me just as easily?

My father, Zu, cleared his throat. "We'll have a family meeting when we get home," he said, breaking the long silence.

My mother nodded stiffly. "Your sister will be there."

Sister.

My jaw clenched.

Sonia, the golden daughter, the one who had orchestrated my downfall in my past life. She had played the role of the perfect child while painting me as useless, wicked, and unworthy. The lies had turned our parents, our brother, the entire household against me. And in the end, even Williams—the man I had once loved—had put a knife through my heart without hesitation.

The memories burned like fresh wounds. But this time, things would be different.

I have returned not to be a victim, but to make sure justice is served.

The Zu estate loomed before me, as grand and cold as I remembered. The gates opened soundlessly, and the car rolled through the long driveway, stopping before the grand entrance. A matter rushed forward to open the door, her expression careful, eyes downcast.

I stepped out, my heartbeat steady, my expression unreadable.

"Welcome home, my baby," my mum said happily.

"Home?" I said to myself.

I had once thought this place was home, only to be proven wrong in the cruelest of ways.

But this time, I would carve my own place in this house—whether they wanted me to or not.

As I walked inside, familiar faces turned to look at me. The staff, the people who had once served me, who had whispered about me behind my back. Some were surprised; others merely looked away.

And then, in the grand sitting room, I saw them.

Sonia sat elegantly on the velvet sofa, her expression composed, as though this entire situation was an inconvenience she had to endure.

Beside her stood Harry, our elder brother, his arms crossed over his chest, his sharp eyes assessing me with barely concealed mistrust.

I met their gazes, unflinching.

"Emily," my dad said, his voice firm. "From now on, you will live here as our daughter. We will… adjust."

"Adjust?"

Such a strange word for a family reunion.

Sonia smiled, the same sickly sweet smile that had once fooled our parents so completely. "Sister," she said softly, tilting her head in a way that made my skin crawl. "It must be overwhelming for you, returning like this."

I met her eyes directly. "Not at all. I feel right at home."

A flicker of something passed through Sonia's eyes. She hadn't expected me to be so calm, so composed.

No doubt, she had been waiting for me to act weak, unsure—like before. But this time, I knew better.

Harry scoffed. "Let's be clear about something. Just because the DNA test proved your identity doesn't mean we can pretend the past never happened. You were raised outside this family. You don't know our ways. Don't expect things to be easy."

I turned my gaze to him. My once-beloved older brother. The one who had once cared for me as a child, only to turn his back on me in the end because of Sonia.

I smiled. "I don't expect anything, Brother. I only ask that we treat each other with honesty."

Sonia let out a soft laugh. "Of course. We're family, after all."

I didn't respond. I merely held Sonia's gaze for a moment longer before turning to my dad. "Where will I be staying?"

My dad gestured toward Matter. "We've prepared a room for you. She'll show you the way."

I nodded, then turned to follow Matter up the grand staircase. As I ascended, I felt their eyes on my back, waiting, watching.

I have stepped back into the viper's den. But this time, I am not the prey.

"I am the one holding the blade" I said to myself