Reclaiming My Fate
That smell wasn't just a fleeting sharpness; it drilled deep into my nostrils, embedding itself in every inch of my mucous membranes, refusing to fade.
The suffocating pain still churned deep in my throat.
My trachea was clogged with murky liquid; no air could pass through, and my lungs felt like they were about to burst.
That near-death panic still spread through every fiber of my being, even now as I opened my eyes.
I suddenly opened my eyes, my chest heaving violently.
Each breath came with a rapid gasp, as if trying to make up for all the oxygen I had lost.
Before me stood a desk that was both familiar and strangely unfamiliar.
What feels familiar is the scratch along the edge of the desk—the one I accidentally carved in junior high.
What feels strange is the senior year math test paper spread out on the desk— even though I graduated from high school so many years ago.
The densely packed formulas and calculations leapt into my eyes from the test paper.
Those once deeply ingrained points of knowledge now feel hazy, yet they slowly awaken in my mind.
My fingers gently brushed the surface of the desk.
The icy cold sensation traveled from my fingertips, spreading through my palms.
The genuine heat makes me dizzy.
I lifted my head; the calendar on the wall clearly showed—one week before the college entrance examination.
The red numbers, like burning brands, slammed harshly against my heart.
My mind went utterly blank in an instant.
All my thoughts froze, leaving only the date on the calendar looming larger and larger before my eyes.
I remember clearly—I was already dead.
Just last month, I was eight months pregnant, my belly swollen like a balloon, making every movement difficult.
That day, I went out to buy my delivery bag, and as I walked down a lonely alley, someone suddenly covered my mouth from behind.
I struggled desperately but couldn't match his strength.
In the end, I was forcibly pushed into the filthy pit in the alley.
Cold, foul, suffocating... every sensation flooded back into my mind.
The filth flooded into my mouth and nose, choking me until my chest tore apart.
But I couldn't even make a sound to call for help.
The child in my womb seemed to sense the danger, kicking me lightly a few times before falling silent.
That kind of despair—I will never forget it as long as I live.
Just as I stood there stunned, a mechanical voice sounded in my ear: "Fortune Exchange System binding in progress, current progress 98%, fifty days remaining until complete binding."
My whole body went rigid.
It was as if my blood froze in that moment; my limbs grew icy cold, and I even forgot to breathe.
That voice—I've heard it before.
Just before I died, in that blurry moment of fading consciousness, it had sounded just as cold and chilling.
It revealed a cruel truth to me — my cousin Mindy Jones had forcibly bound the System, stealing my fortune.
In that instant, I understood that all my misfortunes were manipulated by her behind my back.
Since I was a child, I had always been top of my class, and my parents adored me, but Mindy was always set against me in every way.
Later, I started dating, but she stole my boyfriend.
I looked for a job, and after finally passing the interview, she secretly sabotaged me, causing me to lose the opportunity.
So, all of this wasn't a coincidence, but something she gained by trading my fortune.
The mechanical voice sounded again: 'If the fingertip blood of the host Tina Yates is not obtained by the full moon, the system will activate the backlash program, targeting the binder Mindy Jones.'
The sound vanished.
The room grew silent once more, with only the pounding of my heartbeat remaining.
I slowly clenched my fists, my nails digging deeply into my palms.
The sharp pain sharpened my senses and fueled the deepening hatred in my heart.
Mindy Jones.
I silently repeated this name in my mind, each word laced with grinding hatred.
This time, I will never let you succeed!
What you owe me, what you owe my child, I will reclaim it all, piece by piece!
As I pushed open the door, I was engulfed by an unfamiliar scent of luxury.
The walls, once coated in white paint but yellowed and peeling in spots, had been covered with delicate wallpaper.
The old wooden coffee table, with its peeling paint, had been replaced by a gleaming marble one.
The once simple living room was now furnished with brand-new genuine leather sofas.
The sofas were light gray, looking soft and luxurious, completely at odds with the house's previous style.
On the coffee table, neatly arranged, were imported fruits I had never seen before.
There were smooth-skinned avocados, brightly colored mangosteens, and large, plump mangoes, all exuding a sweet fragrance.
"Tina's back? Try this mango—it's so sweet!" Aunt Luna Carter smiled warmly as she approached, holding a peeled mango in her hands.
The mango flesh was golden yellow, looking juicy and abundant.
Her face wore a warm smile, but I sensed a calculating scheme lurking behind it.
I cast a glance at Mindy Jones on the sofa.
She held her mobile phone, her fingers swiftly swiping the screen, a smug look on her face.
She wore the latest style of dress, pale pink fabric embroidered with delicate lace trim, and a small bow at the neckline.
Her long hair was styled with care, permed into soft waves, with a few light brown highlights at the tips.
That was a look she had never even dared to dream of before.
In the past, her family was poor, and she always wore my old hand-me-down clothes.
Some of those clothes had faded from too many washes, and some styles were outdated, but she always pretended to like them and accepted them politely.
Moreover, her grades were always at the bottom of the class, barely passing every exam, and even the teachers had headaches whenever they talked about her.
But now... in her eyes shone a light—a mix of confidence and calculation.
That kind of confidence wasn't earned through her own efforts, but was taken from my fortune.
A mechanical voice sounded in my ear again: "System notice: The binder Mindy Jones's affinity for the host Tina Yates is at 99%. Only fingertip blood is needed for a complete system binding."
My heart plummeted.
Affinity at 99%? I doubt that's genuine—it's probably just a ruse to get my fingertip blood.
Tomorrow is the full moon night.
According to the system's notice, once Mindy obtains my fingertip blood on the full moon night, she can fully bind the system.
At that point, she will completely steal my fortune, and I might face far worse consequences.
She will definitely make a move.
I told myself silently that I must stay alert.
"Mom, I'm feeling a bit unwell, so I'm heading back to my room." I said calmly, avoiding the mango Luna Carter offered me.
I knew there was probably something wrong with that mango.
She wanted me to lower my guard, then take advantage to extract my fingertip blood.
"What's wrong with this kid?" Luna Carter muttered behind me, her tone laced with some displeasure, but mostly an unmistakable urgency.
I didn't look back.
Without so much as a pause, I walked straight to my room.
The System Backlash is imminent, and Mindy Jones will have to go all in.
She must be desperate right now because once tomorrow's full moon night passes, she will suffer the System Backlash.
By then, everything she owns will disappear, and she might pay an even more devastating price.
I must be fully prepared.
Back in my room, I locked the door and began searching around.
I remember Dad gave me a small pepper spray and a fruit knife before; maybe these will come in handy.
I opened the drawer and found the pink pepper spray hidden at the very back.
I took a sharp fruit knife from the kitchen cabinet again and hid it beneath my pillow.
After completing these tasks, I moved to the window, pulled back a corner of the curtain, and cautiously observed the outside.
As the night deepened, I knew a fierce battle was about to begin.
Early the next morning, just as dawn broke, a knock on the door woke me.
"Sister, are you awake?" Mindy Jones's voice came from outside the door, gentle and sweet, yet to me, it sounded unbearably sharp.
I didn't respond immediately; instead, I first pulled the pepper spray out from under the pillow and gripped it tightly in my hand.
Then I walked to the door and softly asked, "Is something wrong?"
"Sister, I have something to give you," Mindy Jones's voice held a trace of hope. "Open the door and take a look."
I hesitated for a moment, but still opened the door.
Mindy Jones held a beautiful notebook in her hands, its cover adorned with golden patterns.
The patterns were delicate vines entwined with tiny roses, giving it a uniquely elegant appearance.
"Sister, this notebook is for you. You're about to take the college entrance examination soon, so using it to take notes will definitely be convenient." She smiled warmly, her eyes curved into crescent moons.
But I clearly saw the familiar scheming lurking deep in her eyes.
She must have tampered with the notebook, trying to seize the chance to get my fingertip blood.
"No need, my own notebook is enough." I refused outright and pushed the notebook back.
My fingers didn't touch the notebook, afraid there might be a trap on it.
Mindy Jones's smile froze for a moment, her expression briefly unnatural before quickly returning to normal.
"Is my sister still mad at me? It was my fault before; I shouldn't have fought with you over things."" She lowered her head, her voice tinged with a hint of grievance, genuinely looking remorseful.
"I'm not mad, I just don't need that." I said coldly, then turned to the bookshelf, pretending to look for a book.
The bookshelf was filled with my textbooks and study guides.
I casually picked up a math book and flipped through it, but my attention kept drifting back to Mindy Jones.
Mindy stood silently for a few seconds, a flicker of resentment in her eyes before she turned and walked away.
Only after hearing her footsteps fade away at the end of the corridor did I finally exhale and tuck the pepper spray away again.
By nightfall, the sky had grown completely dark.
Outside, the moon slowly rose, becoming fuller and rounder.
Silver moonlight streamed through the window, casting a soft glow on the floor.
At that moment, there was another knock on the door.
"Tina, are you in your room?" It was Luna Carter's voice.
I stood and opened the door, seeing Luna holding a steaming bowl of loofah soup.
Green loofah slices floated in the soup, along with a few white egg flowers, releasing a subtle fragrance.
"Tina, drink some soup quickly to nourish your body; tomorrow is the college entrance examination." Luna Carter placed the bowl of soup in front of me, a concerned smile on her face.
I stared at the bowl of soup, fully aware that something had definitely been added.
Maybe it was a sleeping pill, or some other drug meant to rob me of any will to resist.
She and Mindy Jones would stop at nothing to get my fingertip blood.
I took the soup bowl, and while Luna Carter wasn't paying attention, I quietly pulled a small packet of white powder from my pocket and sprinkled a little into it.
This is something I prepared beforehand—it can induce short hallucinations but won't harm the body.
I found the recipe online; it's made from a few common herbs ground into powder. It works well and is hard to detect.
"Thank you, Aunt." I lifted the bowl and took small sips.
The soup tasted fresh, but I found it hard to swallow.
I deliberately drank slowly, watching Luna Carter's reaction as I sipped.
Luna Carter nodded with satisfaction. Seeing me drink the soup, the smile on her face grew even brighter.
"Drink slowly. If it's not enough, Auntie will serve you more." After saying this, she turned and left.
Watching her retreating figure, I sneered coldly and poured the remaining soup down the bathroom drain.
Then I washed the bowl clean and returned it to the kitchen.
The full moon night arrived swiftly.
Outside the window, the moon hung like a gigantic silver plate in the deep blue night sky, its bright light bathing the entire courtyard.
Mindy Jones really did come looking for me.
She wore a white dress, her hair cascading over her shoulders, looking like an innocent and harmless little girl.
"Sister, I've been having nightmares lately. Can you chant sutras with me?" She grabbed my hand, her fingers ice-cold, her eyes desperate.
Her hand trembled slightly, clearly very nervous.
I pretended to hesitate for a moment, frowning as I said, "Chant sutras? But I don't know how."
"It's very simple, I'll teach you," Mindy said hurriedly, pulling my hand as she led me toward her room.
"As long as we chant together, we can drive away the nightmare."
I nodded helplessly and agreed, "Alright."
Walking into Mindy Jones's room, I saw Luna Carter was there as well.
She held a slender needle in her hand, its surface gleaming coldly, clearly prepared in advance.
Following her instructions, I sat opposite her and closed my eyes.
The room was very quiet, filled only with Mindy's soft chanting and Luna's faint breathing.
Soon, I heard Luna's voice: "Mindy, quick, while she's hypnotized, take her fingertip blood!"
Her voice lowered, laced with a mix of excitement and nervousness.
I felt a needle prick at my fingertip.
A faint pain, almost unnoticeable.
I knew it was Luna Carter piercing my finger with a needle, trying to draw my blood.
Mindy Jones shouted eagerly, "Mom, it worked! The System will definitely bind fully now!"
Her voice brimmed with excitement, even trembling slightly.
I silently curled the corners of my mouth into a smirk.
They thought they had succeeded, but I was only pretending to be hypnotized.
I had already applied a thin layer of transparent tape on my finger, with a bit of fake blood I had prepared earlier painted over it.
What they took was not my real blood at all, but a substitute I had prepared long ago.
Now, it's time to wait and watch the System Backlash unfold spectacularly.
As the college entrance examination drew nearer, the atmosphere in the school grew increasingly tense.
Students were rushing to review in these last moments, the classroom filled with the sound of pages turning and pencils scratching paper.
Yet, at the same time, the gossip about Mindy Jones grew louder and more intense.
During break time, you could always hear classmates whispering about her.
"Did you know? Mindy Jones actually ranked in the top ten in the grade on the last mock exam!" a girl's voice said in surprise as she held up a mock exam ranking sheet, pointing to Mindy Jones' name and telling her friend.
"Really?" Another girl leaned in to look, disbelief written all over her face.
"Wasn't she always at the bottom before? She was ranked over three hundred in the last midterm exam. How did she improve so fast all of a sudden?"
"I heard she has a special study method and even shared it online!" another classmate joined the conversation.
"I even saw her post yesterday; it was packed with study materials that looked really useful."
The intermittent whispers of my classmates floated to my ears.
I gripped my pen, but I just couldn't concentrate.
I couldn't help but pull out my mobile phone and open the post Mindy Jones had mentioned.
The post was made by Mindy Jones on a popular study forum, titled "The Ultimate Academic Comeback! My Exclusive Study Materials."
There were countless likes and comments below.
I opened the attachments and downloaded those study materials.
The moment I opened the materials, my entire body shook with rage.
Inside were the study materials—astonishingly, the very notes I had lost before!
Every word on each page, every highlighted key point, was handwritten by me.
That notebook was the fruit of all my hard work during senior year, containing all my study insights and common mistakes.
I had always treasured it, yet just last month, it suddenly went missing.
I searched for a long time without success, only to discover that Mindy Jones had stolen it!
Not only did she steal my notes, she passed them off as her own study materials, sharing them online to win others' attention and praise.
This is utterly shameless!
During the break, Homeroom Teacher Lee called me into the office.
The office was silent; the other teachers had gone to class, and only Teacher Lee sat behind the desk.
"Tina Yates, why have your grades dropped so drastically recently?" Teacher Lee frowned, placing my mock test paper on the desk.
The test paper was riddled with red X marks, the score was very low, and compared to my previous results, it was a world of difference.
"Look, you used to be among the top three in the grade, and now you've fallen beyond twentieth place." Teacher Lee's tone was heavy with disappointment.
"Has something been on your mind lately? Or is the revision pressure just too much?"
I kept my head down, fingers clutching the edge of my clothes tightly, and said calmly, "Teacher, I've been a bit off lately, but I'll adjust."
I know my slipping grades are because Mindy Jones took a part of my fortune.
But there's no way I can explain this to the teacher.
"Also, Mindy said she organized her study materials herself, but I noticed some of the content looks very similar to your previous notes." Teacher Lee stared at me, his eyes full of suspicion.
"Have you ever borrowed notes from her? Or has she ever looked at your notes?"
My heart tightened; I hadn't expected Teacher Lee to see through it.
I lifted my head, met Teacher Lee's eyes, and softly said, "Teacher, I believe Mindy Jones wouldn't do such a thing."
I didn't argue; now wasn't the time.
If I accused Mindy Jones of stealing my notes now, she'd surely turn it around and claim I was jealous.
Besides, I have no solid evidence.
Teacher Lee sighed helplessly and said, "Alright, I trust you." But you need to make every minute count when studying; the college entrance exam is a crucial moment in life—it can't be taken lightly.
I understand. Thank you, teacher." I said, then turned and left the office.
Back in the classroom, my deskmate Cindy Collins leaned in and whispered, 'Tina Yates, aren't you really angry? Mindy Jones obviously stole your notes! I saw her post yesterday, and the content is exactly the same as yours!'
Cindy is a close friend of mine; she knows I have a very precious set of notes and has even seen them before.
I smiled, picked up my textbook, flipped through it, and quietly said, 'What's the point of being angry? The college entrance exam is what truly matters.'
I don't want Mindy Jones's situation to affect my mood, nor do I want to waste time on pointless arguments.
Cindy Collins wanted to say more, but seeing the determination in my eyes, she swallowed her words and whispered softly, 'But you can't just let her bully you like this.'
'Don't worry, I know my limits.' I patted her hand reassuringly.
I know Mindy Jones is manipulating public opinion to create a favorable narrative.
She wants everyone to believe she became a top student through her own hard work—as an inspiring role model.
And I will be branded as jealous and slandered.
If I argue with her now, I'll only make things worse for myself.
But I won't let her affect me.
All my energy must be reserved for the college entrance examination.
This time, I'll let my abilities speak for the truth.
As long as I score well on the college entrance examination—far better than Mindy Jones—everyone will naturally realize that her so-called 'comeback' is a complete lie.
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