Reclaiming My Life, The True Heiress Strikes Back

I was born the daughter of the wealthiest family in the country. Due to my rare blood type, my parents went to a remote mountain village to find a child with a matching blood type—someone who could serve as my "spare blood bank" in emerge. They adopted her as a foster daughter to make up for this arrangement.

Three years later, I returned home after studying abroad as an exchange student. But what greeted me wasn’t a warm welcome—it was a betrayal that tore apart my world. I found my two older brothers, who had always doted on me, throwing an extravagant birthday party for Elissa Ashford, the foster daughter. In front of all the guests, they declared Elissa to be the real heiress of the Ashford Family. And me? I was demoted to the role of the “spare blood bank.”

When Elissa wanted my bedroom for her art studio, my belongings were thrown into the servants’ quarters. When she coveted my shares in the family business, my brothers handed over the equity transfer papers my dad had left for me—without hesitation. And when she set her sights on my fiancé, the man I had promised to since childhood, they canceled our engagement and gave him to her.

In my previous life, I endured it all. Out of love for my family, I swallowed my pride and refused to fight back. But I still died from their relentless cruelty.

Now, I’ve been reborn and my only goal is to destroy every last one.

——

Through the lively chatter in the grand banquet hall, I saw Elissa surrounded by a circle of admirers, basking in their endless compliments.

As they talked about how I, the adopted daughter, couldn’t compare to her on a single toe, my blood boiled. Without a second thought, I marched straight up to Elissa and yanked the pink diamond necklace off her neck.

“This,” I said coldly, holding the necklace aloft, “was my father’s birthday gift to me. He bought it at an astronomical price and named it ‘One & Only.’ And you, a nobody dragged out of a mountain village, dare to parade it around as your own? Shameless!”

The room fell silent. Then came the murmurs and jeers.

“Has Alyssa Ashford lost her mind? Causing a scene at her own sister’s birthday party?”

“She’s so desperate for attention. Once a hillbilly, always a hillbilly.”

My brothers stormed immediately, shielding Elissa protectively as if I were a villain.

Elissa clutched her neck, her eyes with an aggrieved face, playing the victim to perfection.

My eldest brother immediately took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders, calling for a maid to fetch a first aid kit as though the faint red marks on her neck were lifethreatening.

My second brother shoved me hard and bellowed, “Alyssa! Have you gone insane? How dare you hurt your sister? This necklace is the birthday gift that Dad shot to her real daughter. How dare you take that necklace!”

“Sister?” I laughed bitterly, clutching the necklace tightly in my hand. “She’s your real sister and could it be I’m fake? Gregory, are you out of your mind? Do you even know who your real sister is? I dare you to say that nonsense in front of Dad!”

Gregory’s face turned purple with rage, but Elissa tugged at his arm, her expression the perfect blend of understanding and sorrow.

“Forget it, brother,” she said gently, sighing. “She’s just… unrefined, growing up in the countryside. It’s not her fault. From a young age she has no qualities to be accustomed to. You don’t have to get into it with her. It’s my fault for not guiding her well as an older sister. I should have been a better role model for her.”

Then, with a pitiful smile, she added, “If it weren’t for my rare blood type, Mom and Dad wouldn’t have had to bring her here as a foster daughter. It’s my weak body that caused all this trouble. So, really, I should just let her have her way.”

I couldn’t help but laugh until I was nearly out of breath—this situation was all too familiar.

In my past life, I’d grown numb to Elissa’s subtle cruelty, her "soft knives" that cut deeper than any direct attack ever could. She had a knack for thriving in crowds, always speaking in a way that seemed supportive on the surface, claiming to act on my behalf. But beneath that façade, she tore me down piece by piece.

She loved pretending to be the rightful daughter of the Ashford Family, casting herself as the glowing moon in the sky while relegating me to the shadows. In her carefully orchestrated narrative, I was nothing more than an incompetent fool, someone unworthy of the Ashford Family name. And somehow, she made everyone believe it.

But the truth? Elissa was nothing more than a hollow shell—a straw bag who couldn’t even make it into a junior college without the Ashford Family pulling strings behind the scenes.

The guests, as always, ate up her performance.

“She’s so kind and thoughtful—Elissa truly deserves to be the real daughter of the Ashford Family,” they’d say, their voices dripping with admiration. “Not like certain others who think they’re phoenixes when they’re nothing but hens dressed in borrowed feathers.”

“Exactly! That foster sister should be grateful for the Ashford Family’s generosity instead of coveting what doesn’t belong to her. How dare she act out like this?”

I clenched the necklace in my hand, my nails digging into my palm. I wasn’t the same Alyssa Ashford they trampled on in my last life.

Elissa shook her head with a faint smile, wearing an expression of practiced tolerance. “It’s okay. I don’t mind suffering a little,” she said softly. “Please don’t blame my sister anymore. Growing up in such a harsh, remote environment, I can understand her jealousy. I’ll do my best to guide her and help her find the right path in life.”

Her faux magnanimity immediately won her a fresh wave of sympathy.

“Miss Elissa Ashford, you’re just too kind!” someone exclaimed, their tone brimming with admiration.

“Exactly! You’re so patient with her, but ungrateful wolves like that will never show you any respect.”

Hearing this, my eldest brother’s gaze turned icy as it landed on the diamond necklace in my hand. His voice left no room for argument. “Hand over the necklace.”

I felt a fiery sting behind my eyes as anger surged through me. “This necklace, ‘One & Only’, was a gift from Dad to me,” I said, my voice trembling with restrained fury.

My brother narrowed his eyes dangerously. “Alyssa, the Ashford Family took you in, but not so you could bully my real sister. If you can’t recognize your place as a foster daughter, then get out of this house!”

My heart clenched at his words. I simply couldn’t believe such words were coming from the same brother who had always loved and protected me.

The chill in my chest deepened, layer by layer until I laughed out loud—cold, biting laughter that sliced through the tension in the room. “This isn’t your house to throw me out of,” I said firmly. “And today, this necklace? No one is taking it from me.”

My second brother exploded in anger. He turned to the household staff scattered around the room and barked, “Are you all dead? Will you just stand there while she steals Miss Elissa Ashford’s necklace? Go grab it now!”

The housekeeper, an older woman who had worked for our family for years, rolled up her sleeves and stepped forward. I noticed the fleeting glances she exchanged with Elissa and it clicked—she’d been bought off.

Before she could get any closer, I grabbed a wine bottle from the side, smashed it against the pastry table and held the jagged neck in front of me like a weapon at her.

“Let’s see who dares take another step!” I growled, my voice laced with fury. “Think carefully—who is the real eldest daughter of this house? The Ashford Family payroll comes from my parents. If you dare touch me today, I’ll ensure you’re all packing your bags tomorrow!”

The room froze. Some staff had worked in the Ashford household for years and knew me well. Fear flickered across their faces as they hesitated, unsure what to do.

But the housekeeper didn’t falter. She suddenly lunged forward, ripping the necklace from my hand and holding it up triumphantly like a trophy. She turned to Elissa with a sycophantic smile, “Miss Elissa Ashford, I’ve watched you grow up. No one can pretend to be you or take what’s rightfully yours. This necklace was clearly meant for you.”

I didn’t hesitate. My foot shot out, kicking the housekeeper hard in the back of her knees. She stumbled forward with a gasp.

“You’re just a housekeeper in this house,” I snarled, my voice as sharp as the broken bottle in my hand. “Who gave you the guts to snatch something from me? What’s the matter—did Elissa pay you more than my parents?”

The housekeeper’s expression faltered. She avoided my gaze, her guilty conscience written all over her face.

Before I could press further, Elissa rushed forward, placing herself protectively in front of the housekeeper. Her tearfilled eyes sparkled as she whispered, “Sister if you’re upset, take it out on me. Why bully Auntie Margareth? She’s been with us for so many years. Even if she says something out of concern for me, it’s only because she cares about how often you take my things.”

Then, with a trembling voice, she continued, “I know this pink diamond necklace is Dad’s priceless birthday gift to me. You’ve always been jealous of this necklace—you even wore it behind my back several times when I wasn’t home. But that’s okay. I don’t mind, as long as, in the future, you no longer bully Auntie Margareth. If it makes you happy, I’ll just give it to you.”

At the end of her performance, a single tear rolled down her cheek—perfectly timed and pitiful.

I stared at her in disbelief, pointing at myself. “Me? Jealous?” I asked, incredulous.

What was there to be jealous of? I, the legitimate daughter of the wealthiest family in the country, jealous of a foster child dragged out of the mountains? Jealous of her shameless knack for twisting the truth?

I felt like I was going to throw up. But the crowd of onlookers had already bought her act.

“Some people really don’t know their place, red. “She gets a taste of the good life and thinks she’s a real heiress. Pathetic.” someone muttered.

“She even bullies the maids! Maybe she should take a good, hard look in the mirror—or better yet, her reflection in a puddle—before getting full of herself.”

“Exactly! Alyssa is downright cruel! She’s like the living embodiment of that story about the farmer and the snake. You take someone in and they turn around to bite you.”

“She’s the textbook definition of a delusional, ungrateful wretch.”

“Poor Miss Elissa Ashford,” a third added, shaking their head in mock pity. “The real daughter being tormented by some upstart pretender—a pheasant trying to strut around like a phoenix. How tragic!”

Their words stabbed at me, but I didn’t flinch. They could side with Elissa all they wanted. I wasn’t backing down. Not this time.

“A perfectly good birthday party, ruined by this rat shit of hers, so bad luck.” someone muttered loudly, their voice dripping with disdain.

My eldest brother’s face twisted with anger as he turned to me. “Haven’t you caused enough trouble? Are you only satisfied when the Ashford Family’s reputation is dragged through the mud?” His voice was cold, his words razorsharp.

“This necklace is called ‘One & Only’ for a reason,” he continued. “Dad wanted to make it clear to the world that Elissa is his only biological daughter.”

He sneered, his gaze cutting through me like a knife. “We’ve spoiled you for far too long, letting you forget your place. Do you even remember where you came from?”

My second brother chimed in, his voice filled with mockery. “Why don’t we just send her back to that mountain village she crawled out of? With the Ashford Family’s resources, finding another girl with a matching blood type for Elissa wouldn’t be difficult.”

Their words struck me like icy shards, chilling me to my core. These were the brothers who had once doted on me and stood by my side through everything. Now, their venomous accusations painted a far darker picture.

Memories from my past life surged forward. Back then, my parents had spent a fortune searching for children with matching blood types to mine, ultimately letting me choose one to bring home as an adopted sister.

But after seeing the photos sent by these children, out of all the candidates, my brothers unanimously chose Elissa. I thought nothing of it at the time. I hadn’t cared who it was—after all, they were only meant to grow up alongside me and donate blood when I needed it, so it didn’t matter who it was.

Thinking about it now, it all seemed far too calculated. The way they both reacted at that time was strange. Two people with very different personalities would pick a girl simultaneously. In my previous life, they also took advantage of me during this very same party when my parents had been away on a business trip.

My brothers had used the occasion to throw a grand celebration for Elissa, publicly declaring her as the true daughter of the Ashford Family. I, meanwhile, was reduced to nothing more than a paidfor foster child, a walking blood bank.

I was scolded by everyone for being shameless. And, in the end, because of a few words of provocation from Elissa, my brothers forced me to drink an entire bottle of highly concentrated white wine before locking me in the dark basement.

By the time my parents returned, my body was starting to rot from the alcohol allergy that killed me.

In my past life, their betrayal had left me broken. I had cried until my voice gave out, unable to find the strength to defend myself.

But not this time.

I straightened my back, my voice steady and resolute. “You know exactly who the true daughter of the Ashford Family is,” I said, meeting their furious gazes without flinching. “Bullying me in front of all these guests? Let’s see how you explain this to Mom and Dad when they return.”

My boldness caught the room off guard. Whispers rippled through the crowd and I noticed some of the guests beginning to waver.

“Could she really be the Ashford Family’s true heiress?” someone murmured, doubt creeping into their voice.

“Now that you mention it,” another guest said, “her features resemble Mrs. Ashford’s. And she carries herself differently—she doesn’t look like someone from a small village.”

Elissa’s composed facade cracked for a split second. Panic flickered in her eyes before she quickly replaced it with an expression of heartbreak.

Biting her lip, she forced tears to well up in her eyes. Her voice trembled as she spoke. “Sister, I already said you could have the necklace. Why do you insist on ruining my birthday? Do you hate me that much?”

She choked back a sob, her voice breaking. “Fine. If it will make you stop embarrassing the Ashford Family, I’ll admit it—I’m just the adopted daughter. You’re the real heiress. Are you happy now?”

Then, as if the weight of her words was too much to bear, she turned to the crowd and bowed deeply. “I’m so sorry, everyone. This is all my fault. I don’t deserve such a grand celebration as an adopted daughter. I’ve let you all down.”

Tears streamed down her face as she delivered her pitiful performance, each sob perfectly calibrated to stir the crowd’s sympathy. She looked like the picture of selfsacrifice, a poor, selfless girl humiliated by her cruel, ungrateful sister.

The room erupted.

“Alyssa! The Ashford Family has given you everything—food, clothing, shelter—and how do you repay them? Forcing your benefactor into such a pitiful state? Don’t you fear being struck by lightning for your cruelty? How do you even sleep at night?”

“You’re worse than an animal!” someone else spat, their disgust evident.

“What kind of terrible karma must the Ashford Family have to end up saddled with someone like you? A leech clinging to them, tarnishing their good name!”

“Apologize! Apologize to Miss Elissa Ashford immediately!” another demanded, their voice trembling with indignation.

The room buzzed with righteous fury, a storm of accusations and insults swirling around me. But just as the intensity reached its peak, a tall figure stepped out from the crowd, silencing the chatter with his mere presence.

It was James Hansley—the man I had been engaged to me as a baby.

He stepped into the room, dressed in a sharp black suit, his hair slicked back to a gleaming perfection. His looks might’ve passed for charming if the following words hadn’t overturned my stomach.

“Alyssa,” James began with the selfassurance of a man who believed the world revolved around him, “I know you’re acting out because you’re madly in love with me. That’s why you keep insisting you’re the Ashford Family’s true daughter.”

The room fell silent as he continued, each word grating more than the last. “But you’ve gone too far today.”

Seeing Elissa’s pearly appearance, he was heartbroken and immediately stated.

“The only person I love from beginning to end is Elissa and I will only marry Elissa as a wife in this life; I won’t look at you more than once, even if you stalk me.”

Then, with an air of smug righteousness, he added, “I’ve seen women like her, you—insatiable, bullying, wanting to be my wife, don’t you look at yourself as a city slut?”

He turned back to Elissa with a saccharine smile, pulling out a handkerchief to gently dab at her tears. “My wife,” he declared, loud enough for the room to hear, “must be as kind and graceful as Elissa.”

I didn’t miss the glint of triumph in Elissa’s eyes as she leaned into his gesture, though she quickly masked it with her usual air of humility. “James,” she murmured, her voice soft and trembling, “don’t speak so harshly about my sister. Sure, she’s a little jealous, a little meanspirited, a little shallow and maybe she has a habit of twisting the truth and fantasizing about being the real Ashford daughter—but apart from all that, she doesn’t mean any harm.”

When people were speechless, I almost laughed out loud.

James—a man whose family owed their entire fortune to the crumbs of business my parents had tossed their way—accusing me of scheming to marry up? I’m not poor and crazy and I’m not stupid.

Before I could respond, a few guests who were friends with Elissa jumped at the chance to add their own insults.

“Alyssa, look at that face you’re making—are you that bitter? James has made it crystal clear that he’ll only marry Elissa. You’re a clown, so get lost where you came from.”

Someone else snickered behind a raised hand. “She’s probably still dreaming herself into thinking she’s the real Ashford heiress and even dreaming about marrying The Young Master James Hansley.”

The crowd erupted in laughter, but Elissa raised her hand delicately, silencing them. “Please, everyone,” she said, her tone full of false compassion. “Let’s try to be understanding. I was born lucky, but my sister wasn’t. She grew up in a mountain village without a mother and father. Her relatives even sold her to a man in his sixties to be his wife. She’s just desperate for love. We should show her some compassion. After all, people with psychological trauma need support, not scorn.”

I stared at her, speechless.

In my twenty years, I have never seen a person who can be shameless to such an extent.

Every word she spoke was a twisted version of her own story. If my parents hadn’t intervened in time to adopt her, she’d have been married off to that sixtysomethingyearold man years ago. Yet here she was, weaponizing her past as my own, painting herself as a saint while making me the villain.

I stepped forward, my voice cold and sharp. “Elissa, if anyone here has psychological trauma, it’s you. If I had known you’d turn out to be this shameless, I would’ve begged my parents to leave you to rot in that mountain village with that sixtysomethingyearold man. The two of you would’ve been perfect for each other.”

Elissa’s face turned red, her eyes brimming with tears as she played her part to perfection. “Sister,” she sobbed, her voice breaking, “why must you twist everything around? Must all the misfortunes of the world be my fault for you to feel better? Fine, blame me. If it’ll make you happy, then go ahead. Just... don’t scare our guests anymore, please.”

My eldest brother couldn’t take it anymore. “Enough, Alyssa!” he barked. “Even a dog would be more grateful than you. The Ashford Family should’ve known better than to take you in.”

After saying that, he let my second brother go to the study to get a document.

When I looked at the equity transfer agreement that was taken out and Elissa’s name written on it, I froze in place like lightning struck me.

It was a transfer of ownership document—sixty percent of the Ashford Family’s shares, signed over to Elissa.

The room fell into a stunned silence.

Sixty percent. Enough to control every major decision within the company.

My mind raced. Before I left the country as an exchange student, my father had shown me this very same document, telling me it was meant to be my birthday gift when I returned.

I knew my father wouldn’t lie to me.

But now, here it was, with Elissa Ashford’s name on it.

The only ones who could’ve orchestrated this betrayal were Theodore Ashford and Gregory Ashford—my socalled brothers.

“Look carefully!” my eldest brother sneered, shoving the document into my face. “See the signature and the seal? Dad’s handwriting was plain as day. If you’re the true daughter of the Ashford Family, why isn’t your name on this paper?”

He hurled the file at me, letting it smack against my chest before it fell to the floor. He didn’t care that I might rip it to shreds in a fit of rage; in front of all these people, doing so would only make me look guiltier.

I bent down to pick it up, my hands trembling. The signature was unmistakable—my father’s. The seal, too, was his, the same one kept securely in his safe. My heart raced as a terrifying thought struck me, ‘Had my two heartless brothers done something to my father?’

But no, the thought was immediately rejected, that couldn’t be. Just yesterday, I had spoken to my parents on the phone. They were supposed to be home tomorrow.

Before I could think further, Elissa stepped forward, her face a mask of false concern. “Sister,” she said sweetly, her voice dripping with insincerity, “I know you’ve tried everything to take my place, but the truth can’t be faked. Reality is reality. You can’t blame anyone else, born in a mountain village, for your bad fate.”

She paused, letting her words hang in the air before adding with a saccharine smile, “But don’t worry. Since you’re my spare blood bank and I’ve been your older sister for so many years, I won’t treat you badly.”

She raised her hand, waving someone over. A squat, overweight man shuffled forward, his hands rubbing together in excitement.

Disgusted, I sidestepped quickly to avoid his touch.

I recognized him immediately—he was the housekeeper’s son, the one with the IQ of a fiveyearold. He came toward me, drooling, his grin wide and unsettling.

Seeing the saliva bared open around his mouth, I had a vicious chill.

“Why are you dodging?” my eldest brother barked. “He’s going to be your husband soon. A hug won’t kill you.”

The housekeeper’s son lit up with glee, his eyes sparkling like a child offered a new toy.

I, however, stared in shock. Are my ears broken, or is his mouth pumping?

Elissa covered her mouth, laughing lightly. “Sister, you slapped Auntie Margareth earlier, but she didn’t even hold it against you. How about this? Kneel down, serve her a cup of tea and apologize. Once you’ve shown proper respect, we’ll forget the whole thing. Then you can work on giving Auntie Margareth a plump grandson soon. Auntie Margareth’s so kind—she’ll treat you well.”

“That’s right!” Auntie Margareth chimed in, her voice grating with excitement. “Serve the tea and you’ll be my daughterinlaw. Tonight, you can sleep with my son.”

My vision went red with rage. Without thinking, I lashed out, kicking Auntie Margareth squarely in the chest. She stumbled backward, falling to the floor in a dramatic heap, wailing and screaming.

I straightened my voice ice cold. “Touch me again and when my parents come back, they’ll strip you of everything.”

Her sobs faltered, fear flickering across her face.

I turned to my brothers, my fury uncontained. “And you two—Theodore Ashford, Gregory Ashford—if you dare to pull this stunt, our parents will never forgive you.”

The room buzzed with whispers, but no one stepped forward to intervene.

“What’s the big deal?” someone muttered. “She’s just Elissa’s spare blood bank. The Ashford Family won’t really mistreat her.”

“Exactly,” another sneered. “She’s already been used by a sixtyyearold. Marrying a younger man is a step up for her. What’s she complaining about?”

Before I could react, my second brother grabbed my wrists in a crushing grip.

“Which leg did you use to kick Auntie Margareth?” he growled, his voice low and menacing. “This one, right?”

He slammed his foot into the back of my knee. The first blow sent a jolt of pain through my leg, but I gritted my teeth, refusing to cry out. The second kick, however, was too much. My legs buckled and I fell to the floor, kneeling against my will.

I struggled to rise, my voice shaking with anger. “Let me go! I’m the real daughter of the Ashford Family! Elissa is the fraud!”

No one listened. Instead, people laughed at me for being paranoid again.

My eldest brother pressed a heavy hand on my shoulder, forcing me back down.

“You’ve already stolen enough from Elissa,” he spat. “But now, you dare to lay a hand on your future motherinlaw? As the eldest son of the Ashford Family, it’s my responsibility to teach you a lesson about respect.”

Both of my brothers held me down, one pressing my shoulders while the other forced my head toward the ground. I fought against them, but the dullwitted man pinned me with his weight, drooling as he chanted, “Wedding night! Wedding night!”

Humiliation and despair welled up inside me, spilling over as tears streamed uncontrollably down my face.

Then, cutting through the chaos, came a furious, familiar voice from the doorway.

“Stop it! What do you think you’re doing to my precious daughter?”