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Summer died a brutal death in the apocalypse—betrayed by her birth family, the Moores, who drugged her and sold her to gangsters after a mudslide killed her beloved adoptive mom. But fate gave her a second chance: she’s reborn 3 days before the disaster, right when the Moores arrive to claim her and steal her adoptive family’s hill lease. This time, she’s done being naive. She tricks the Moores into giving her 1.7 million dollars, rejects their fake affection, and races to unlock the hidden Eden Realm—fertile fields, healing streams, endless storage—before the mudslide hits. She saves her adoptive family, stocks up on seeds, and watches the Moores lose everything to the disaster. No more betrayal, no more loss. Summer is now the queen of the apocalypse, growing crops to survive and protecting the ones who truly love her. ******* "This is Summer. She's the Moore family's long-lost daughter," Simon Moore said. Summer Hayes woke up from darkness, the suffocating haze of near-fatal blood loss still haunting her. She blinked, dazed, taking in her surroundings, realizing she was standing in the living room in Moore Manor. Right in front of her were her parents, Robert Moore and Evelyn Moore, dressed in fancy clothes. Sophia Moore, the so-called heiress, was standing next to Evelyn, wearing a white designer dress and clinging to Evelyn's arm. She shot Summer a nervous glance. It hit Summer that, somehow, she was back at the moment she first met her parents. Summer never thought those dramatic, rich family plot twists would ever happen to her until a week ago, when a sharp-suited young man showed up, introduced himself as Simon, CEO of Moore Holdings. He told her that he was her elder brother and that she was the Moore family's heiress, switched at birth twenty years ago, After checking out the DNA test results he brought, Summer spent a whole week mentally bracing herself before finally working up the nerve to come to Moore Manor and meet her parents. Summer had always known she was adopted. After her adoptive parents split up, her mom, Helen Hayes, raised her alone. Deep down, she couldn't help but wonder what her real parents were truly like. Summer was still reeling from the shock when Evelyn suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace, her voice trembling with emotion. "My sweetheart." The luxurious scent of Evelyn's perfume brought Summer back to her senses. She quietly slipped out of Evelyn's arms, pushing down the surge of resentment in her heart. This was the very mother of her blood, the one who had, in the apocalypse, drugged her and handed her over to a ruthless gang. In the end, Summer died along with the gang's leader, but when she opened her eyes this time, she was back here. "You must be Summer, right? Welcome home," Sophia said, stepping forward with a nervous smile. Summer sneered inwardly. In her previous life, Sophia had started the same way, acting all welcoming at first, then turning nasty once she was back home. After Summer came home, Sophia kept playing her little games. Sometimes she'd fake an injury, sometimes she'd cut up her own dresses and jewelry, and every single time, she'd blame it all on Summer. No matter what Summer said, the Moore family always believed Sophia. Their disappointment in Summer only got worse. "Is she the girl I was swapped with?" Summer asked, expressionless as she turned to Robert and Evelyn. "If I come back, does she have to move out?" Evelyn was stunned for a moment, then blurted out, "Of course not. Sophia isn't leaving." "Summer, you and Sophia are both our daughters," Robert said, a hint of annoyance in his voice. "Do you really think the Moore family can't handle having two girls?" Before Summer could respond, an angry voice shot down from the stairs. "You should be the one leaving. How dare you talk to Sophia like that?" Summer turned to see a teenage boy, maybe eighteen or nineteen, strutting down the stairs in head-to-toe streetwear. That was her younger brother, Ethan Moore. Ethan marched down, glaring at Simon with a mix of confusion and accusation. "Why did you bring her back here?" "Ethan, stop," Robert snapped, his voice low and stern. He turned to Summer, trying to smooth things over. "Summer, Ethan is just a kid. Don't take it to heart." "I'm not a kid anymore. Why should I have to accept this girl from nowhere as my sister?" Ethan shot back, his voice full of resentment. Summer instinctively glanced down at her own clothes. After graduating, she helped Helen manage the family's private lake and orchards, running across the hills frequently. She was certainly not as polished or brand-clad as Sophia. However, Summer really wasn't interested in fighting with Ethan right now. She said, "You misunderstood. I never said she had to leave. I'm not here for some family reunion. I'm here to talk about transferring the lease for Evergreen Hill." The Moore family was in the tourism business, and they'd set their sights on Evergreen Hill in Evergreen Town, planning to build a fancy resort there. The lease for Evergreen Hill used to be under Helen's name, but now it was handed to Summer. Helen had put a lot of money into the lake and orchards on Evergreen Hill. Simon met Summer when he was negotiating the lease transfer with the Hayes family. He was floored by how much she looked like Evelyn, and when he found out Summer was adopted, he secretly grabbed a hair for a DNA test. That was how he discovered Summer was actually the Moore family's daughter, switched at birth. Summer's suddenly bringing up the lease threw the Moore family for a loop. Evelyn was the first to snap out of it, and she said, "Summer, it's your first day home. Let's not get into business stuff now. Come on, let me show you the room I set up for you." Summer knew she had to make sure the lease transfer went through today because in just three days, Evergreen Hill was going to get slammed by a freak mudslide. That mudslide was the disaster that kicked off the end of the world and the start of Summer's nightmare. She lost everyone she cared about, even Helen, in that catastrophe, and had no choice but to go back to the Moore family. This time, Summer was dead set on keeping her distance from the Moore family. She was going to protect her adoptive family and survive the apocalypse together. For that, she needed a ton of cash to hoard supplies for the end times. Therefore, she had to sign that lease transfer and get her hands on the money. "The tourist season is just two months away. Signing the contract now will benefit the Moore family," Summer said, knowing exactly what Robert cared about most. For Robert, the company and profits always came first. Whether Summer was the real heiress or not meant nothing to him. Sure enough, after a brief pause, Robert turned to Simon and said, "Go get the contract from my study." Robert had been pushing hard for the Evergreen Hill project. Moore Holdings had made a few bad investments in recent years, and they desperately needed a new money-making venture to turn things around. Robert had no idea why Summer was bringing up the contract now, but honestly, he was more than happy to go along with it. There were still a few months before the peak tourist season in June, and if everything went smoothly, this investment could start making money for the company this year. "Summer, let's go check out your room. Mom and I worked on it all day for you," Sophia said, reaching out and grabbing Summer's arm. "That's not necessary. I'm not moving in," Summer said, pulling her arm back, shutting her down. Sophia blinked, looking at Summer like she couldn't believe what she'd just heard. "Cut the act. Are you playing hard to get?" Ethan said, arms crossed, voice dripping with disdain. "Ethan, enough," Robert barked. "Summer is your sister. Apologize to her." Ethan shot back, his face full of resentment, "Why should I? She's the one who should be saying sorry to Sophia. Look at the way she acts toward her. Why did Simon even bring her back here? Did he ever think about how Sophia feels?" Summer sneered. She thought, 'He definitely thought it through. It's obvious that Simon did all this for Sophia.' At first, Summer thought Simon brought her back to the Moore family because he actually cared about her, but later, she realized the truth. Simon had a thing for Sophia, and the only way he could ever have a shot with her was if the real heiress came back. Summer could never forget how, when Sophia had framed her, Simon had destroyed the surveillance footage and provided false testimony to support Sophia. Just then, Ethan walked over with a document in hand. "Here's the lease transfer contract for Evergreen Hill. This is the final version." Without responding to Ethan, Summer picked up the contract and started reading through it. Helen had invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in the lake, which yielded two harvests each year, earning tens of thousands of dollars each time. Since the lake would be ready for harvest in two months, Helen had wanted to wait until after the harvest to sign the contract in her previous life. However, it led only to a deadly mudslide, followed by years of apocalyptic disasters that devastated the entire tourism industry, rendering the agreement completely void. Summer said, "We agreed on one million dollars for the lease transfer. Let's add another 100 thousand dollars for signing today. The lake will be ready for harvest in two months, producing at least tens of thousands of pounds of trout. "You've checked it out before; it should sell for over 150 thousand dollars." "Deal," Robert said after a brief pause, nodding his approval. "Thanks, Dad," Summer said, forcing herself to sound grateful even though she felt nothing but disgust inside. "Can you send the money tomorrow?" Robert was caught off guard for a second when Summer called him "Dad", but he looked pleased about it. He smiled and said, "Normally, the payment would take a month to process, but since it's your first day home, I'll make it happen for you. I'll have 1.1 million dollars sent to you tomorrow." Summer breathed a sigh of relief. "Summer, can we go see your room now? Don't make a fuss, or Mom will get upset," Sophia said, biting her lips and looking a little upset. Summer remembered how, in her previous life, she'd agreed to stay here for a few days, and three days later, disaster struck. She lost everyone she cared about, even Helen. Thinking about all the humiliation and unfairness she'd suffered with the Moore family, Summer wanted to snap back at them right then, but she dared not burn bridges before the money was in her account. Without that money, Summer couldn't hoard supplies for the apocalypse. She was just a fresh college grad with barely any savings. Therefore, Summer put on her best conflicted look and ducked her head. "Thanks for getting the room ready for me, but this is all just too sudden. I need a few days to calm down. I'll move back once I've made up my mind." Evelyn looked a little down at Summer's answer, but then reminded herself that it was indeed overwhelming for Summer. She thought she should give her a few days to process it. She stepped up and gently hugged Summer. "Just give me a call when you're ready, okay? I'll send someone to pick you up. I really miss you, baby. Don't make me wait too long." Summer managed a smile at Evelyn, trying her best to look calm. Suddenly, Sophia spoke up, her voice trembling a little. "Summer, are you leaving because of me?" Sophia lifted her tearful gaze to Summer, looking heartbreakingly fragile. "If it's because of me, I can leave. I don't want to make things hard for you." "Sophia, don't be ridiculous. This is your home, and you're not going anywhere." Evelyn immediately dropped Summer and hurried over to fuss over Sophia. "Sophia, don't talk nonsense. Nobody is gonna kick you out," Ethan sneered, shooting Summer a nasty look. "Sophia, trust me. This will always be your home, no matter what," Simon said softly. "Summer, I know this might feel unfair to you, but it's not Sophia's fault. I hope you two can get along. You're both part of this family," Robert said, his voice low and firm. Summer had already tasted the Moore family's favoritism toward Sophia in her previous life. After she came back, not a single one of the Moore family truly cared about her; all they ever worried about was whether Sophia would be heartbroken because of her return. One time, Sophia purposely broke a keepsake from Helen. Before Summer could even react, Sophia burst into tears, and everyone immediately rushed over, comforting her and scolding Summer for not taking better care of her things. However, watching the whole family crowd around Sophia, Summer felt absolutely nothing. She had zero interest in fighting Sophia for their so-called affection. She thought, 'If she wants her so-called family, then go ahead. I just want to save my real family.' "I have to go. I expect the transfer money to hit my account tomorrow," Summer said coldly, then turned and walked straight out of that stifling house without a single glance back. .............................................................................. As Summer stepped out of Moore Manor, she noticed a drizzle falling outside. Summer felt weak as the nightmarish scenes of the apocalypse from her previous life flashed through her mind. She shook her head and fumbled for her phone to call Helen. In her previous life, at this exact moment, Helen and her uncle, Charles Hayes, were getting ready to head out of town to buy saplings. They wouldn't be back until the next evening, and when they finally returned, they got swept up in that massive mudslide. The call connected, and Helen's voice came through the phone. "Summer, what's up?" "Mom," Summer called out, her voice trembling. It had been three years since she last heard Helen's voice. It hit Summer like a storm, flooding her with joy, sorrow, and raw, uncontrollable emotion. "Summer, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" Helen asked anxiously. "Mom, you and Uncle Charles just left, right? Just come back home right now. Call Aunt Grace and tell her to come back. There's something really important I need to tell you. It's urgent," Summer said, choking back her tears. Helen replied quickly, "Okay, don't panic. We're coming home right now. We'll be there soon." After hanging up, Summer's mind raced as she replayed everything. It was March 1st, and on the early morning of the 3rd, Evergreen Hill would be hit by a massive mudslide. She had to get her family out of there before March 2nd, no matter what. Having made up her mind, Summer jumped into a taxi and sped straight toward Evergreen Town. The lady driver made small talk with Summer. "This rain has been coming down for over a week now. Who knows when it'll finally let up?" Summer gazed out at the rain streaking down the window, having mixed feelings. It was this rain that set off the mudslide at Evergreen Hill. After that came a freak tornado, then a year of relentless heatwaves. Then the volcanoes blew, ash covered the sky, and the world was swallowed by darkness. The endless cold nights began. For the next two years, people longed for rainy days more than anything. After a moment's thought, Summer turned to the driver and said, "Looks like the weather has been acting up lately. You might want to stock up on some food and medicine at home, just in case." The lady driver nodded along, but whether she'd actually listen was out of Summer's hands. After getting out of the taxi, Summer didn't head straight home. Instead, she made her way to the mid-slope of Evergreen Hill. Relying on her memory, Summer came across a huge white granite boulder nestled in the woods halfway up the hill. She and her elder cousin, Ian Hayes, used to hang out here as kids, but she'd never imagined that this granite boulder was hiding a secret realm inside. The boulder was about 26 feet long, 13 feet wide, and tall. Back in her previous life, the mudslide had sent it tumbling down the hill. When the world was hit by catastrophic floods, Sophia happened to discover and unlock the Eden Realm hidden inside the giant granite boulder. Back then, floods were sweeping through, and a pandemic was spreading like wildfire. Using the Eden Realm, Sophia created a special water with healing powers that helped the Moore family bounce back from bankruptcy. The whole family, who already favored Sophia, became even more loyal to her, following her every word. When Sophia suggested selling Summer off to an underworld gang, Evelyn made Summer drink the drugged water. Moments after Summer swallowed it, she went blind and weak, falling to the floor. In the darkness, she heard Evelyn and Robert's voices. "Sophia, you don't have to worry anymore. I promise, from now on, you'll be my only daughter. No one will ever upset you again." Then Simon and Ethan chimed in. "This is the right thing to do. She's always been jealous of Sophia. She's made Sophia's life miserable all these years. "She was never really part of the Moore family. Just look at her. She takes after her adoptive parents. Maybe she'll learn her lesson this time." In the darkness, fear and helplessness spread through Summer. She wanted to ask them why they were doing this. Summer had always treasured her family, and during the apocalypse, she did everything she could to look after them. After Robert went bankrupt and let the housekeeper go, she took on all the chores herself. When Simon and Evelyn were running a high fever during the bitter cold, she went out into the snow to get fever medicine for them. Just before Summer blacked out, she could feel Sophia walk up and nudge her face with the tip of her shoe. Sophia said in a low voice, "Honestly, I should thank that damn hill near your house. If I hadn't scratched my hand on that white boulder, I wouldn't have gotten this magical Eden Realm." Snapping out of her memories of the apocalypse, Summer bit down on her finger, pressed her bloodied palm to the boulder, and waited silently. Suddenly, a blinding light erupted. Then, in an instant, both the boulder and Summer were gone, leaving not a single trace behind. A voice rang out. [Hello, welcome to the Eden Realm.] Summer opened her eyes to find a stream before her. On one side stretched a wide field of farmland, while the rest of the world was hidden behind a thick veil of mist. The voice continued. [Welcome, host. This is your first time activating the Eden Realm. Eden Stream and Eden Farm are now unlocked for you.] A white cat hopped over to Summer's feet, stretched lazily, and curiously eyed her. "Hello there," Summer blurted out, surprised. Summer looked at the cat in surprise, noticing its fur was white with patterns, just like the granite boulder. The cat said, [I am the Eden Realm.] Summer thought, 'Wow, the cat can talk.' Pushing down her shock, Summer looked around. She thought, 'So, this is the legendary Eden Realm Sophia got her hands on in her previous life.' Summer glanced around at the swirling mist, curiosity bubbling up inside her. She asked the cat, "What's hidden behind all this fog?" The cat, who was named Snowy, said, [Everything behind the mist is still locked. Right now, only Eden Farm and Eden Stream are open to you. As for the rest, you'll explore and unlock them yourself.] [You can stock the stream with fish and shrimp, and grow crops in the fields.] "Planting, huh? What season is it in the Eden Realm right now? Which seeds do I need to get for planting?" Summer asked. Snowy said, [In the Eden Realm, it's always the right season for any crop. You can plant whatever you want. Everything grows faster and better here than anywhere else.] Snowy circled Summer and looked proud. [As the host bound to the Eden Realm, you now have the ability to manipulate objects within this space. Go ahead and try moving something with your mind.] Summer tried to control a small stone by the stream, and under her mental command, it flew out. Snowy padded around Summer and kept on explaining. [Host, you can move items from inside the Eden Realm to the outside world, and you can also bring things from outside into the Eden Realm.] [Remember, you have to be close enough to the item if you want to pull it inside. If you're having trouble bringing something in, just get a little closer and give it another shot.] Just then, Summer's phone rang. She swiped to answer, and Helen's voice came through. "Summer, we just got home. Where are you?" Summer replied in a rush, "I'll be home in a minute." After hanging up, Summer looked at Snowy and asked, "How do I leave the Eden Realm?" Snowy said, [Just picture yourself as an item and use your mind to move yourself out.] Following Snowy's instructions, Summer willed herself out with a thought. When she blinked, she found herself standing back on Evergreen Hill. The huge granite boulder that used to sit on the hillside had simply disappeared into thin air, as if it had never been there in the first place. On her way home, Summer passed by a lake and saw the automatic feeder spitting out fish food nonstop. The fish swarmed in, fighting over every bite. Watching the frenzy, Summer willed the fish with her mind, attempting to transfer them straight into the Eden Stream inside the Eden Realm. [Received 30 tilapias.] [Received 30 trout.] [Received 30 basses.] [Received 30 perches.] [Transfer complete. Eden Stream has finished cleaning the fish. All parasites have been cleansed. They're totally safe to eat now.] Summer thought, 'Wait, this stream has a purifying effect, right? Could it be that the medicine Sophia used to solve the pandemic in her previous life came from the water of this Eden Stream?' As Summer kept running through memories of her previous life, she found herself standing at her front door without even realizing it. Pushing down the flood of emotions in her heart, she gently pushed open the gate of the farmhouse she hadn't seen in years. .............................................................................. Summer walked into the house and saw Helen, Charles, and Julia waiting for her. Seeing their faces, Summer felt like crying, and she threw herself into Helen's arms. "What happened, Summer?" Julia Hayes walked over and gently stroked Summer's hair. Charles quickly spoke up to comfort her. "Summer, don't worry. Take your time and tell us what's going on. We're all here for you." Seeing the concern on everyone's faces, Summer took a deep breath to steady herself and said, "I signed over the lease rights for Evergreen Hill to Moore Holdings. The total payment is 1.1 million dollars, and the money will hit our account tomorrow." Helen looked surprised. "What? Why did you sign it so suddenly? The fish haven't even been caught yet. Weren't we supposed to wait until after the fish were harvested before selling?" Charles was also taken aback. "Summer, why didn't you talk to us? You're just a girl. Don't let the people from Moore Holdings take advantage of you. Those businessmen are very shrewd." "I had to sign the deal today. There's going to be a mudslide early morning the day after tomorrow. If we dragged, the whole contract would be worthless," Summer explained, her voice steady but urgent. Everyone was surprised. Julia hesitated, then said, "There's never been a mudslide on Evergreen Hill. I've lived here for decades, and even during the worst rainstorms, nothing like that ever happened." "Yeah, before we took on Evergreen Hill, your mom and I looked into it. The experts said the geology here makes landslides unlikely," Charles chimed in. Summer said seriously, "I know it's hard for you to believe, but I swear, I've got reliable info. This mudslide will hit our house. Plus, the two neighbors will be in danger. "We need to pack up now and leave tomorrow." Seeing the serious look on Summer's face, they couldn't help but trust her a little more. They knew she was never one to mess around or exaggerate. Ever since her parents divorced, Summer had been balancing school with handling all sorts of family affairs. As the only college student in the house, everyone relied on her for advice. After Julia and Charles got scammed out of 30 thousand dollars a few years back, whenever it came to money, they'd always check with Summer first. Seeing that they were starting to trust her, Summer pressed on. "Let's move to our apartment in the city near the school tomorrow. Just trust me. By early the day after tomorrow, we'll know. If nothing happens, we can come back." After thinking it over for a few seconds, Charles nodded. "Alright, Summer, you're always smart, and I'll trust you on this. Let's have lunch, then we'll pack up and call the movers." Helen and Julia shared a look, then nodded. Summer let out a sigh of relief. Suddenly, Julia thought of the contract Summer had just signed and asked, a bit uncertain, "If there really is a mudslide, wouldn't that mean the Moore family gets the short end of the stick? "That's not right. We shouldn't do something like that. Besides, if the Moore family found out, they'd come after you." "Don't worry about it. The Moore family is loaded. They run a huge tourism business and have all kinds of insurance to handle things like this," Summer said. She thought, 'I don't care whether the Moore family suffers a loss or not. They did worse things to me.' Julia finally relaxed after hearing that. Julia cooked up some fresh greens, pork ribs, and even made some fried chicken. Since they were moving tomorrow, it just didn't make sense to try to bring a chicken to the apartment. It might have been simple home cooking, but Summer ate a lot. In the apocalypse, regular food was ridiculously expensive; even a small pack of cookies could sell for hundreds of dollars. To save food for the Moore family, Summer often survived on government-distributed Survival Biscuits, and it had been a long time since she'd eaten a proper meal like this. After lunch, the whole family started packing up. The place they were moving to was a well-renovated and fully furnished apartment in the city, right near a school. Helen had bought it for Summer a few years ago, and it already had all the furniture and appliances they needed, so there was no point in hauling their old stuff over. Summer headed straight for the kitchen. After surviving the apocalypse, she refused to waste even a single thing and planned to take every bit of it with her. Just then, the voice of the Eden System rang out in her head. [Eden Storage has been unlocked. You can store as much as you want.] Summer entered the Eden Realm and saw a massive warehouse across the stream from the farmland. Towering several stories high, the warehouse was filled with rows upon rows of neatly organized shelves and compartments. Snowy explained to Summer, [Eden Storage lets you stash your stuff and keeps it fresh for ages. Plus, it'll automatically sort and organize anything you put inside.] Summer was thrilled, finding this storage feature perfect for stockpiling supplies. Summer raided the kitchen, snatching up everything she could get her hands on, including the cooking tools and Julia's homemade food. Helen and Julia started packing up everyone's clothes and bedding, while Charles rounded up all the electronics, wrapped them carefully in soft foam, and boxed them up. They kept busy until evening, when Grace Hayes, Charles's wife, came back from her shift at the clothing factory downtown. Grace was supposed to have tomorrow off, but once she heard from Charles about the mudslide, she asked for leave and hurried home to help pack up. She said, "Charles, are you sure about this? We've got to pack up all that bedding we just bought not long ago." Grace was a go-getter type. She started as a line worker in a clothing factory and worked her way up to a junior supervisor, managing a team of employees. As soon as she walked in, she didn't even take off her coat. She set down her bag and rolled up her sleeves, ready to get to work. While packing, she asked Charles, "Have you packed Ian's stuff yet? Make sure all his little robots go in. He'll be mad if they are missing." Ian Hayes was Summer's elder cousin, the only child of Charles and Grace, and he served in the military. In her previous life, the final time Summer saw Ian was at their family's funeral. They clung to each other, sobbing uncontrollably over the loss of their loved ones. Not long after the funeral, disaster struck. All soldiers and rookies were urgently called back for disaster relief and to restore order nationwide. From that day on, Summer never saw Ian again. "I've got everything packed up. I already called the movers. They'll come in the morning and get everything loaded up," Charles replied. The five of them spent the whole night packing, and by the time they were done, everything was boxed up except for a few pieces of furniture. To lighten the load, Summer took advantage of moments when no one was watching and quietly slipped a few items into Eden Storage, feeling a bit smug about her trick. By a little after ten in the evening, they went over everything one last time to make sure nothing was left behind. Only then did they finally wash up and turn in for the night. .............................................................................. After Summer left Moore Manor, Evelyn felt a little sad. She'd been busy comforting Sophia and hadn't even realized when Summer slipped out. She sighed. "Why did Summer leave so suddenly? She could have at least stayed for dinner. Sophia and I got a room ready for her, but she didn't even take a look." Ethan snorted. "Don't mind her. Why should we invite her to dinner after she made Sophia cry?" Sophia quickly shook her head. "Ethan, it's my fault. Don't blame Summer." Ethan let out a sigh. "Sophia, you're too kind. If you stay this nice, she'll bully you." "Alright, that's enough." Robert shot Ethan a glare, then turned to Simon. "Simon, send 1.7 million dollars to Summer from my personal account tomorrow." Simon blinked in surprise. "Weren't we supposed to send 1.1 million dollars?" Robert took a drag from his cigarette. "The extra 600 thousand dollars is for the Hayes family. After this, Summer has nothing to do with them. Once they take this money, they should tell her to come back to us." Simon nodded. "Got it. I'll get someone to handle it right away." Sophia listened to their conversation, biting her lips, her eyes shadowed with a complex gloom. Ethan complained, "Dad, that's an extra 600 thousand dollars. That's more than enough for them to never worry about money. Why should she come back at all?" "Shut up," Robert snapped, clearly annoyed. He and Evelyn had three kids. Simon and Sophia were both easy to handle, but Ethan was always causing trouble, stirring up problems at school. Sophia bit her lips and murmured, "Ethan, don't make Dad angry. Summer is our family, after all. I shouldn't have upset her. She's probably mad because of me, and that's why she doesn't want to come back." Evelyn saw the tears in Sophia's eyes and hugged her tightly, feeling sorry for her. "How could this be your fault, Sophia? You did nothing wrong. Ethan is right. You are always so kind." Sophia buried her face in Evelyn's arms, her voice choked with sobs. "Mom, maybe I should move out. Summer is your daughter, and I know you want her back. If that makes you happy, I'll do it." "Oh, my sweetheart, don't think that way. You'll always be my dearest daughter, and this is always your home, no matter what," Evelyn said, rushing to comfort her. She paused and continued, "Do you remember that painting you saw at the auction, the one that cost one million dollars? I got it for you. The auction house will deliver it in a few days, and I'll have it put up in your room." "Thank you, Mom," Sophia whispered, her face buried in Evelyn's arms. Hidden from everyone, a sly little smile crept onto her lips. Ethan chimed in, "Mom, you saw how that girl acted the other day. She even asked if Sophia was moving out. She's obviously jealous of her. If you let her move in, Sophia is just going to get pushed around by her." Robert lit up a cigarette and shot Ethan a glare. "Summer is your sister, no matter what. The Moore family's heiress can't be left out. Just think about it. If people hear about it, what would they say?" Robert believed there was simply no comparison between the insanely rich Moore family and a small-town family like the Hayes family. He was sure that Summer would rather come back and live as a rich girl. He thought, 'Summer even suggested signing the Evergreen Hill lease contract early yesterday. She probably wanted to make a good impression on us by doing Moore Holdings a favor. 'She didn't immediately agree to stay yesterday, probably because she was sulking after Ethan's insult. Girls need a graceful way to back down sometimes.' Robert turned to Ethan and said, "Go to Evergreen Hill tomorrow, apologize to your sister, and bring her home." "Why?" Ethan protested, totally shocked. He really didn't want to see Summer again. If his friends knew he had a sister from a small town, he'd be embarrassed. Robert snorted, "If you don't go, I'm cutting off your credit card starting today." Ethan gritted his teeth and muttered, clearly unhappy, "Alright, I'll go." Seeing that Ethan finally agreed, Robert and Evelyn headed out to the office. Sophia and Ethan were left in the living room. Sophia reassured him, "Ethan, they are dead set on bringing Summer back. Now is not the time to piss them off." "Yeah, I get it," Ethan replied, his tone softening as he looked at Sophia. To Ethan, Sophia was the definition of class and elegance; she could dance ballet, play the piano, and had even held her own art exhibition right after turning eighteen. He thought she was the best sister in the world, and everyone at school knew that. Before Sophia got engaged to Edward Sutton, the Sutton family's heir, plenty of rich boys tried to please Sophia by cozying up to Ethan. Ethan had always worn that pride like a badge. And now he was told that his sister wasn't Sophia, but some rude girl like Summer. He just couldn't accept it. He wanted her to stay away from the Moore family forever. ***** The Hayes family got up early the next day. After getting ready, Summer glanced at her phone and saw a bank notification. 1.7 million dollars had just been deposited into her account. That was 600 thousand dollars more than what the contract said. There was also a message from Simon. Simon said that the deal was 1.1 million dollars, and the extra 600 thousand dollars was a thank-you from the Moore family to Helen. He said that they appreciated everything she'd done for Summer and hoped that the money would grant her a good life after her retirement. Simon also told Summer to give him a call once she'd packed up and come home soon, so their parents wouldn't have to keep worrying. Summer stared at the numbers, her thoughts drifting. She thought, 'In my previous life, the Moore family sold me for 600 thousand dollars. Now they're giving me the same amount. Is this some kind of karma?' Looking at Simon's message, Summer saw right through their intentions. She knew they wanted to use 600 thousand dollars to cut her ties with the Hayes family once and for all. She scoffed and didn't bother replying. Summer thought back to her previous life, when a brutal blizzard hit and Simon was burning up with a fever that just wouldn't break. The whole family was helpless, so she went out in the heavy snow to get him medicine. Simon's fever finally broke after he took the meds, but Summer ended up sick herself from braving the snow. Back then, Sophia strolled over, acting all concerned and saying a couple of fake-sweet words. Simon saw it and got annoyed, blaming Summer for getting sick and making Sophia look after her. Summer remembered every single one of those details. She thought, 'Well, let's call it the compensation I'm taking from the Moore family.' .............................................................................. Summer stepped out of her room and saw Charles packing up the boxes. Helen and Grace picked all the vegetables in the yard. Since they couldn't take them with them, they planned to share them with the other villagers. Summer wasn't idle either. She went over to Lucy's place next door. Evergreen Town was huge, but the Hayes family didn't have many close neighbors. Most folks lived farther away. Summer remembered the last mudslide on Evergreen Hill. It had wiped out three homes: the Hayes place, Lucy's, and Peter's. Peter's family had stopped farming years ago, and all moved to the city to work. A few years back, they saved up enough to buy a house in town and have been living there ever since, so nobody lived there anymore. As for Lucy, she lived alone. Summer pushed open Lucy's door and saw Julia helping Lucy pack her bags. When Lucy saw Summer, she quickly pulled her inside. Lucy said, "Julia told me yesterday there might be a mudslide coming down the hill. I barely slept a wink all night. "No wonder I've been a total wreck lately: jittery, on edge, that gnawing feeling in my gut. Turns out my gut was right. Disaster's been looming over us this whole time." Summer's eyelid twitched, but she quickly steadied herself and comforted Lucy, "Don't worry, Lucy. Stick with us. We'll stay in the city for a while." Lucy sighed and said, "I've been living alone for so many years. I always thought I'd spend my last days here in peace, but now there's this mudslide to worry about. "If the house gets wiped out, I wouldn't even have a place to rest in peace, and I'd just end up troubling your family." Julia chimed in, "Oh, don't talk like that. We're in this together. At least we've got each other for company. If you weren't here, I don't know what I'd do with myself." Lucy and Julia were totally different. Julia was a countrywoman. Her family had always lived here, generation after generation. Lucy, though, was a city girl. When she was young, she was already a college professor. Back then, only the best of the best could pull that off at such a young age. But Lucy had terrible luck with men. Her husband ditched her and their baby years ago, ran off with his mistress, and cleaned out all their savings. He left his sick parents and newborn son behind without a second thought. Lucy spent her days teaching at school and her nights washing other people's clothes for extra cash, all while looking after her sick in-laws and raising her son. Even when her in-laws passed away, Lucy had to handle the whole funeral by herself. Her husband never bothered to show his face. After Lucy finally helped her son get into college, she thought life would finally get easier. But one day, her son suddenly brought her husband back home. After Lucy's husband ran off with his mistress, they thought they were living in paradise for a while. But once they spent all the money they took from home, the mistress bailed on him. Too ashamed to come home, Lucy's husband ended up doing odd jobs, spending every penny he made on booze. He drank himself into a stupor every single day until he ended up paralyzed in bed. With no one to look after him, the hospital had no choice but to reach out to Lucy's son. When Lucy's son saw his father in such a miserable state, he felt bad for him and decided to be a dutiful son. He insisted on bringing his father home and demanded that Lucy take care of him. Lucy was having none of it and kicked both of them out of the house. But her son wasn't ready to give up. He actually reached out to a family reconciliation TV show, hoping they'd convince Lucy to forgive her husband and let him come back. Lucy was furious and refused to be interviewed, but her son went even further. He dragged the whole TV crew to Lucy's school, causing a huge commotion in front of everyone. The school, worried about the gossip and public backlash, let Lucy go early. Thankfully, the principal knew how much she'd done for them over the years and quietly slipped her some compensation on the side. Lucy figured she'd just use that money to start her retirement early, but the TV show twisted the whole story. They cut out all the real details and painted Lucy as the villain who abandoned her paralyzed husband. Suddenly, people who didn't know the truth started showing up at Lucy's door, pointing fingers and calling her out. Lucy couldn't stand it anymore. She cut ties with everyone, left the city behind, and moved out to Evergreen Town, a place she'd visited back when she was doing research. She rented the rundown house next to the Hayes Manor for the long haul, got the locals to fix it up, and ended up neighbors with Julia. Julia's husband passed away early, so she had to raise several kids all by herself. She understood how tough things were for Lucy and would often talk Lucy through the hard times. Lucy often helped Julia out whenever she could. They supported each other through thick and thin, year after year. When Summer's adoptive parents split up, her mom was buried in debt and had no time for her, so Summer ended up living with Julia. Whenever Julia was out working in the fields, Lucy would cradle Summer in her arms and teach her to talk, word by word. To Summer, Lucy wasn't just a neighbor; she was family. Summer said, "Lucy, don't worry. Just come with us. When I was little, you and Julia looked after me, and now it's my turn to take care of you. Wherever I go, I'll take you with me. And you'll have Julia for company, too." Lucy wiped away her tears and said, "Alright, I'll go with you. If death isn't coming for me yet, then I'm going to live my life to the fullest!" Summer helped Lucy finish packing up her bags, then stepped outside to wait for the moving truck. Evergreen Hill was pretty remote, and she was worried the moving truck wouldn't even be able to get through. But instead of the moving truck, a fancy luxury car showed up. The car pulled up right in front of Summer, and Ethan stepped out. He looked around, frowning in disgust. He said, "What a dump. Seriously, what kind of middle-of-nowhere place do you live in, Summer? Even the road's all messed up." Summer hadn't expected Ethan to show up here. This never happened in her previous life. Just seeing him instantly annoyed her, and she snapped right back, "If the road's so bad, then don't bother coming!" "You think I wanted to come here? Dad insisted I come get you," Ethan snapped. Summer remembered how, in her previous life, just three days after she returned to the Moore family, Sophia trashed an expensive painting and blamed it all on her. Sophia cried, saying it was a painting their parents had just won for her at an auction, but Summer had never even set foot in Sophia's room. No matter how much Summer tried to defend herself, nobody believed her. They all thought she was just jealous of Sophia. Ever since then, Ethan had it out for Summer. Trying to stick up for Sophia, Ethan poured glue into Summer's water cup and tricked her into drinking it. He even hid needles inside her food. Summer did fight back. She complained to Evelyn and Robert, but they would always side with Ethan. Evelyn would say, "Summer, Ethan's still a kid. You're his big sister, so go easy on him. "Summer, don't come home and make a mess of things. You're just making me upset." With his parents always covering for him, Ethan just got worse. He even roped in his spoiled trust-fund buddies, and together they made Summer's life hell. Every time Evelyn dragged Summer to one of those fancy parties, those rich brats would give her the cold shoulder. One time, Ethan's friend straight-up shoved her into the pool, and another time, they spiked her drink when no one was looking. Thinking back on all the crap she'd been through in her previous life, Summer could barely hold back her rage. If the end of the world wasn't right around the corner and she wasn't so pressed for time, she would've hauled Ethan off to some blind spot and beat the crap out of him. Summer snapped at Ethan, "Get lost! Don't you guys have your own daughter? Why are you always sniffing around other people's daughters? Who the hell wants to go back to that jinxed house of yours?" Now that the money was in her hands, Summer couldn't even be bothered to pretend with the Moore family anymore. Once the move was done, she had to start stockpiling supplies and buy seeds to plant in her own space. She didn't have a second to waste on those people. Ethan was caught off guard by her outburst. He couldn't figure out why Summer had suddenly changed her tune. Just yesterday, she was all sweet and gentle with Robert and Evelyn at the Moore Manor. Ethan frowned and said, "You think acting all aloof just to get attention is going to work? Just look at this dump you're living in. Do you really think you can give up everything the Moore family has?" "If it's such a dump, then why are you so desperate to come here? Are you that pathetic?" Summer shot back. Ethan was so choked with anger that he could barely speak. He ran his fingers through his hair, frustrated, and snapped, "What do I have to do to get you to come back?" "Kick your precious Sophia out, and I might just do you the favor of coming back," Summer shot back, hitting him right where it hurt. "Why?" Ethan blurted out, totally stunned. He said, "Sophia's so nice. Why don't you like her?" Summer spotted the moving truck pulling up to her house in the distance. She just wanted to get rid of Ethan as fast as possible. She said, "I don't even like you, so why would I like her? Move it. You're blocking the way!" Ethan looked even more shocked. He said, "I'm your brother! Why don't you like me?" But Summer didn't even bother with a reply. She just turned on her heel and headed back inside. Ethan was fuming. He stomped back to the car, slammed the door hard, and barked, "Let's go home!" The driver murmured, "Are they really moving out?" Ethan didn't say a word, frowning. The driver kept quiet and silently drove back to the Moore Manor. The Hayes family and the movers loaded up all their luggage onto the truck, one by one. Then they swung by Lucy's place and helped her pack up her things as well. After that, everyone piled in and headed off together to their new home in the city.