My Family Can Hear My Thoughts
The familiar crystal chandelier swayed, making my eyes ache, while the air was filled with a mingling scent of champagne and roses.
This isn't the smell of hospital disinfectant, nor the musty odor of dust from when I fell.
I suddenly sat up and looked around.
This is the Banquet Hall of the Stafford family's ancestral house.
The oil painting hanging on the wall is still the treasure Father photographed last year, and the antique clock in the corner ticks steadily, showing 8:13 p.m.
I trembled as I reached out my hand, staring at my fair, slender wrist—spotless—and my heart pounded wildly.
This isn't a dream. I really am back.
I found myself back on the night of my eighteenth birthday—the very first evening after being officially accepted into the Stafford Family.
Memories from my previous life crashed over me like a tidal wave.
I am the biological youngest daughter of James Stafford, Chairman of the Stafford Family. At birth, I was maliciously switched and raised in an ordinary family for eighteen years.
After being acknowledged and taken home, I was filled with joy to finally belong, but unexpectedly, I sensed something was wrong with my eldest brother Hector Stafford's fiancée, Lilith Brady.
I secretly investigated and uncovered that Lilith was a corporate spy planted by our rival, ST Group.
She got close to the Eldest Brother purely to manipulate him and seize the Stafford Family's assets.
I wanted to reveal the truth to my family, but before I could, Lilith Brady discovered it.
On a rainy night, she pushed me off the company rooftop.
I died with my eyes wide open, my soul lingering as I watched Lilith Brady execute her scheme step by step.
The Eldest Brother was completely fooled by her, signing countless contracts that harmed the Stafford Family's interests.
Father was so overwhelmed with anger that he suffered a sudden brain hemorrhage and was left paralyzed in bed.
Mother spent her days in tears, her mind foggy and unfocused.
The company veterans were either pushed out by Lilith Brady or bought off.
The Stafford Family Group was soon swallowed by ST Group; the once-glorious Stafford Family was completely ruined.
Thinking of all this, I clenched my fists, my nails digging deeply into my palms.
This time, I will never let tragedy happen again!
"Ruby, what are you daydreaming about? Come quickly and raise a glass with your eldest brother and Ms. Brady." Mother came over and gently took my hand.
I followed Mother's gaze and saw Eldest Brother Hector Stafford holding Lilith Brady by the waist, standing not far away.
Lilith wore a proper yet sweet smile, but to me, that smile was more terrifying than a snake's fangs.
Suddenly, a thought flashed through my mind: Lilith is nothing but a wolf in sheep's clothing. She's only getting close to Eldest Brother to harm our Stafford Family!
To my shock, those words were clearly heard by others.
Everyone around was stunned.
Mother's smile froze, and Eldest Brother frowned.
Lilith Brady's face instantly paled, and even a few senior company members nearby looked over at me.
I was stunned too. I hadn't even spoken, so how did everyone seem to hear my thoughts?
Could it be that after reincarnation, others can hear my heart's voice?
I silently tried again: She is a spy sent by ST Group, targeting the Stafford Family's assets.
That sentence echoed clearly throughout the banquet hall once again, and everyone's expressions grew serious.
Lilith reacted the fastest. Her eyes immediately filled with tears as she grabbed Eldest Brother's arm and said, hurt:
"Hector, I don't understand why Ruby would say that about me. I've been truly loyal to the Stafford Family, and even more so to you. Please believe me."
My eldest brother, who already favored Lilith greatly, frowned and said to me right away:
"Ruby, you just came home. Is there some misunderstanding with Lilith? No nonsense!"
Just as I was about to defend myself, a thought slipped uncontrollably from my mind: "Misunderstanding? Hector, she's deceiving you!"
"In her previous life, she played the pity card just like this, tricking you all over, and in the end, she destroyed our entire family!"
The moment those words were spoken, the Banquet Hall fell completely silent.
Father James Stafford walked over. He looked at me sternly, then glanced at Lilith Brady and said gravely, "Ruby, is what you're saying true?"
I nodded firmly, about to speak, but Eldest Brother spoke up first: "Dad, Ruby just came back and isn't used to it yet. She's overthinking!"
"Lilith and I truly love each other. Today, I have good news—I'm going to marry Lilith!"
"No way!" I shouted in my mind. The words echoed clearly again, "She absolutely cannot marry into the Stafford Family—she will destroy our family!"
Mother looked at me, then at my eldest brother's resolute face, sighed softly, and said to him:
"Hector, marriage is a serious matter; it can't be rushed like this."
"I think you should first consult a fortune teller to match your and Ms. Brady's birth time. If they're compatible, then marriage can be discussed later."
Mother's words temporarily postponed the marriage. I breathed a sigh of relief.
A flash of discontent crossed Lilith Brady's eyes, but she quickly restored her wronged expression and softly said to my eldest brother:
"Hector, your mother is right. Marriage is a serious matter that requires caution. Let's listen to your mother."
Seeing how understanding Lilith was, Eldest Brother's expression softened significantly as he nodded.
I know this is only temporary. Lilith won't let this go easily. I must find the evidence quickly and expose her true nature to the family once and for all.
Early the next morning, Lilith arrived at the Stafford family home carrying a delicate gift box.
She said it was a gift specially chosen for my mother. When I opened the box, inside was a green Jade statue of the Goddess of Mercy, exquisitely carved with a warm sheen—clearly very valuable.
Mother loved it, holding the Jade statue of the Goddess of Mercy as if she couldn't bear to part with it.
Just then, the thought flashed through my mind again: "There's something wrong with this Jade statue of the Goddess of Mercy!"
"It's laced with a hallucinogen. Keeping it close for a long time will confuse the mind and gradually erode one's judgment. Lilith Brady intends to control my mother through this!"
As soon as the news spread, Mother's hands froze, and the smile on her face disappeared.
Lilith Brady's expression instantly turned sour. She quickly explained, "Aunt, why would Ruby say something like that again?"
"This Jade statue of the Goddess of Mercy was brought by a friend from Country M. It's definitely authentic—how could it possibly contain hallucinogens?"
Father came over, took the Jade statue of the Goddess of Mercy, examined it carefully, and then said to the house steward:
"Send this to the appraisal agency for a thorough examination."
Lilith Brady's eyes flickered with panic, but she forced herself to stay composed and said, "Uncle, this is really unnecessary. How could I possibly harm you and Aunt?"
"Whether it's unnecessary or not, we'll know once the test results come back." Father's tone was stern, leaving no room for discussion.
Lilith had no choice but to stay silent, sitting off to the side with her hands clenched tightly around the edge of her clothes.
That afternoon, the test results came back. Just as I said, the Jade statue of the Goddess of Mercy was indeed infused with a hallucinogen inside, and long-term exposure could damage the nervous system.
Mother, both frightened and angry, immediately threw the Jade Statue of the Goddess of Mercy into the trash and grew cold toward Lilith Brady.
Lilith's plan fell through this time, but she didn't give up.
A few days later, she sought out her Grandfather again.
Grandfather loved collecting calligraphy from ancient masters, so Lilith spent a fortune to buy a replica of an ancient master's calligraphy and gave it to him.
She also told Grandfather, with feigned mystery, that a small secret was hidden in the replica and urged him to examine it closely.
I know, she's up to her tricks again.
In my previous life, Grandfather discovered a so-called will appendix hidden inside this replica during his research. It stated that Grandfather intended to transfer his shares to Eldest Brother.
But Eldest Brother was already under Lilith Brady's control. Once the appendix was made public, it would stir shareholder unrest and force Father to resign in disgrace.
Sure enough, after Grandfather received the replica, he couldn't wait to start studying it.
I quickly thought to myself: Grandfather, stop studying it! The replica contains a fake will appendix—it's Lilith Brady's scheme to drive a wedge between you and Father and force Father to resign!
My heart's voice carried out, and Grandfather's hand froze. He looked up at me, then at the replica in his hand, his eyes growing wary.
He carefully unfolded the replica and indeed found a folded piece of paper inside. Opening it, it was the so-called "Will appendix."
Grandfather's face turned ashen with fury. He threw the appendix on the table and shouted angrily at Lilith beside him:
"How dare you! You forged the will appendix and tried to sow discord between us!"
Lilith's face went pale with fear. She hurriedly knelt down, begging for mercy: "It's not me—I really didn't know this was inside. Someone else must be framing me!"
Father heard the noise and came over; seeing the will appendix on the table, his expression darkened.
He picked up the appendix, glanced at it, and sneered, "Lilith, do you really think such a cheap trick can fool us?"
"No matter how convincingly this handwriting is forged, it won't escape the eyes of a professional."
Then Father tore the will appendix to shreds right there.
Lilith slumped to the floor, her eyes filled with despair.
After these two incidents, Father saw Lilith's true nature clearly and decided to investigate her background in secret.
A few days later, the investigation results came out, shocking all of us.
Lilith Brady had previously said that her parents and younger brother had long since passed away.
But in reality, her parents and younger brother were all still alive—and her father was actually the vice president of ST Group!
What's even more infuriating is that Lilith and her family have been in close contact all along. Her approach to the eldest brother this time was a conspiracy entirely orchestrated by her father.
Father held the investigation report, trembling with anger: "ST Group actually dared to send someone to infiltrate our Stafford Family. This is simply outrageous!"
Father decided to hold a family meeting to reveal Lilith Brady's true identity and her conspiracy to everyone.
On the day of the meeting, the entire family was present, including Eldest Brother, Second Brother, Grandfather, Mother, and several core veterans from the company.
Father laid out the investigation report and everything about the Jade and the Will appendix in detail, then said solemnly:
"Lilith Brady is a spy sent by ST Group. Her goal is to seize the Stafford Family's assets. We absolutely cannot allow her to remain in the Stafford Family any longer!"
Grandfather and Mother both expressed their approval, and the Company's veterans were filled with righteous indignation, insisting they must expel Lilith Brady from the Stafford Family immediately and hold ST Group accountable.
But at that moment, my eldest brother suddenly stood up and shouted:
"I don't believe it! Lilith is not that kind of person! You must be mistaken; you're biased against her!"
I anxiously thought to myself, Hector, wake up! The evidence is right in front of you—how can you still be fooled by her? She's using you!
My heartfelt voice reached out, but my eldest brother seemed deaf to it and only grew more agitated as he said:
"Ruby, stop talking nonsense! Lilith is so kind-hearted—how could she be a spy? You must have investigated wrong!"
Father looked at my eldest brother, both angry and helpless. "Hector, how can you be so blind? The evidence is conclusive; why are you still in denial?"
"I'm not in denial!" My eldest brother shouted back, his eyes red.
"You just don't understand Lilith. She's been so good to me. There's no way she'd hurt me—or the Stafford Family!"
I suddenly realized Eldest Brother might have been mind-controlled by Lilith Brady.
In my previous life, I also thought Eldest Brother's attitude toward Lilith Brady was strange. Now, looking back, it must have been because Lilith used some method to control his mind.
I quickly thought to myself: Eldest Brother must have been mind-controlled by Lilith! She must have used some drug or other trick to make him obey her every command!
My inner voice went out; Father and Grandfather were both stunned. They exchanged a look, their faces lighting up with sudden understanding.
Father immediately ordered someone to bring in the Security Consultant.
After the Security Consultant arrived, he listened to our account of the situation, then observed my eldest brother's condition, nodded, and said:
"Mr. Stafford, Ms. Stafford is right. Mr. Hector does seem to be under mind control. Judging by his eyes and reactions, he has likely taken some kind of mind control drug."
"Then what should we do? Is there any way to break it?" Father asked anxiously.
The Security Consultant thought for a moment and said:
"I have strong smelling salts and an antidote that should temporarily break the mind control and help him regain clarity, but he'll need psychological counseling afterward."
Father immediately instructed the security consultant to bring the smelling salts and the antidote.
The security consultant first held the strong smelling salts up to Eldest Brother's nose. After taking several breaths, his body began to tremble slightly, and his eyes became somewhat dazed.
Next, the security consultant injected Eldest Brother with the antidote.
After about ten minutes, Eldest Brother's gaze gradually cleared.
He looked around at everyone, then glanced at Lilith Brady, who stood pale in the corner, and wore a confused expression:
"Dad, Mom, Grandfather, why are you all looking at me? What's going on?"
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