In my past life, my girlfriend’s childhood friend had brazenly impersonated a rich scion, causing chaos wherever he went. When I exposed him, he flew into a rage and deliberately slammed his car into me. As I lay dying, my girlfriend Anastasia’s older sister, Charlotte, knelt and pleaded with her to save my life. But Anastasia remained utterly indifferent. “Impossible. Zachary is far too noble to dirty his hands for a little shrimp like him. Don’t get carried away just because you’re dating me; know your place!” Charlotte knelt for three days and three nights, only to be dragged away by Zachary, brutally assaulted, and left for dead. Until my heart finally gave out, Anastasia was still protecting Zachary, covering up his crimes, refusing to believe he had run me over, let alone brutalized her own sister. Reborn, I didn’t choose to humble myself and beg Anastasia to spare me a glance. Instead, I called my older brother, Liam. “Bro, there’s a guy impersonating me, causing trouble out there. Could you have someone deal with him?” “Also, the engagement with the Reed family we’ve been planning? I’m switching the bride. From Anastasia Reed to her older sister, Charlotte.” For years, I’d poured countless resources into the Reed family, only to raise an ungrateful viper. I wanted to see how arrogant Anastasia and her childhood friend would be without me backing them. “Alex Cole! You publicly humiliated me tonight; I’ll make you regret it! You were so arrogant when you exposed me, weren’t you? Did you ever imagine this day would come?” Zachary Thorne’s familiar voice rang in my ears before I could even process it. “You’re just a pathetic nobody, a penniless loser. Anastasia doesn’t even care about you. Even if I crush you into the dirt out here in the middle of nowhere, she’ll still protect me, believe it or not!” Dazzling headlights were rushing closer, the engine howling as if to run right over me. A searing jolt of pain ripped through my body. That’s when I truly realized I had been reborn. I was back in the exact moment Zachary had slammed his car into me. My shattered phone lay nearby, somehow having dialed Anastasia’s number. Her cold, disgusted voice was still echoing from the speaker. “Alex Cole, just stop calling me. I know you’re just jealous of Zachary and me, always looking for reasons to cause trouble. Zachary would never hit you with his car. That vehicle cost millions; it’s not worth totaling it just to run you over. No matter what you say this time, I won’t believe a word of it!” She fell silent after that, apparently waiting for my reaction. But unlike my previous life, I didn’t try to argue, to beg for help, or to convince her of Zachary’s true nature. Watching Zachary drive off, leaving me for dead, I painstakingly reached out, hung up the call, and used my phone’s last ounce of battery to dial another number. Once it connected, I gritted my teeth, suppressing the agony that wracked my body. “Bro, save me.” My ears buzzed, and I couldn’t quite make out his reply, but I knew, with absolute certainty, that my brother would come. I was Liam’s favorite, the future second-in-command of the powerful Cole family, and our family’s protection around me was absolute. These past years, living under a hidden identity and dating Anastasia, had already been the absolute limit of what they would tolerate. If they ever found out someone dared to harm me, they would unleash a thousandfold retribution, tormenting them until they begged for death. I was dragging my body, trying to crawl towards the edge of the road, when Zachary’s car suddenly reappeared, speeding back towards me. The window rolled down, and his eyes, dark and sinister, fixed on me. “Anastasia said you weren’t dead. She was right.” My heart plummeted. If he hit me again, I truly wouldn’t survive. I watched, helpless, as his foot stomped down on the accelerator. Just as despair threatened to consume me, a bright red sports car screamed into view from another direction, smashing head-on into Zachary’s Maybach. A woman sprang out of the car, rushing towards me, her voice laced with urgent concern. “Alex Cole, are you alright?!” It was Charlotte Reed, Anastasia’s older sister. Memories flooded back – her desperate pleas in my previous life, her agonizing fate, abused and left for dead by Zachary right by my hospital bed. A tide of complex emotions washed over me, but most profoundly, guilt and gratitude. I vowed to protect her this time, never letting her come to harm again. Without thinking, I pushed her away. “Don’t mind me, run!” But it was too late. Zachary materialized behind Charlotte, seizing her by the hair and yanking her back. Before she could even speak, he brutally kicked her. “You wretched bitch! Where did you crawl out from? Don’t you know who I am, Young Master Thorne? Daring to stop me from teaching this nobody a lesson? Do you have a death wish?!” Charlotte crumpled, clutching her stomach, cold sweat beading on her forehead. But she mustered all her strength and bit down hard on his hand. Zachary let out a howl of pain, then grabbed a heavy stone from the ground and savagely brought it down on her. Watching Charlotte’s head crack open and bleed, my heart ached with agonizing pain. “She’s Anastasia’s sister! You hurt her, aren’t you afraid Anastasia will come after you?!” Zachary paused, then a wicked smirk twisted his lips as he looked at her bruised face. He slapped her violently, sending her sprawling onto the ground, then reached for his belt. “So what if she’s Anastasia’s sister? It’s her honor that I even look at her. Besides, I’m the Cole family’s second young master. The Reeds owe everything they have to me. If I claim this woman was harmed by you, who do you think Anastasia will believe? Me or you? She’ll finish you off, and I’ll be completely off the hook!” I was frantic, but my legs were crushed, rendering me utterly immobile. All I could do was reveal my true identity. “Enough! I am the real Cole family scion! She is under my protection. If you dare lay another hand on her, I’ll leverage every connection the Cole family has to make your life a living hell!” Zachary burst into mocking laughter. “That’s a pretty convincing lie, but Young Master Liam has already personally acknowledged me as his brother! How dare you try to impersonate me here?!” My heart lurched. I had no idea about any of this. My parents had been deeply in love; there were no other illegitimate children. My brother Liam had personally promised me, time and again, that I was his only true brother. Where had this imposter come from? Before I could sort out my thoughts, Zachary’s face twisted into a sinister snarl, and he raised his foot, intending to kick me into the river that lay just beyond the road. Rolling down there would mean certain death. Just as I braced myself, trying desperately to find a way to save myself, Charlotte launched herself from behind him, wrapping her arms tightly around Zachary’s legs. “Alex, run! I’ll hold him here!” She bit him relentlessly, and Zachary was completely enraged, about to unleash his fury on both of us when the unmistakable thrum of a helicopter sliced through the night sky. The Cole family had arrived! Liam’s secretary, Mr. Chen, sprinted from the helicopter, immediately seeing to our rescue. Zachary was promptly knocked out and dragged away, but Charlotte, overwhelmed by the terror, had fainted. I urgently ordered them to rush her to the hospital for treatment, while my own broken bones were merely set and temporarily stabilized. I waited anxiously outside the emergency room for what felt like an eternity, until Charlotte was safely moved to a private room. Only then did the knot of dread in my chest finally loosen. I immediately called Liam to assure him of my safety. Hearing I was injured, Liam’s fury erupted. He slammed his fist on a table, his voice booming. “Who dared to harm you?! If I weren’t tied up with urgent matters, I would have flown there myself with Mr. Chen and broken every one of their limbs, making them beg for death!” I didn’t want him to escalate things too much just yet. “Bro, about the engagement with the Reed family, originally set for next month… I want to change the person.” Liam sounded surprised. “You’re not marrying Anastasia? You were so devoted to her for three years; I thought you’d never marry anyone else.” “No, I don’t want that woman anymore. I want Charlotte.” “And all the resources I poured into Anastasia over the years? I want every single one of them back!” I had treated Anastasia like the love of my life, but she’d treated me like a doormat, letting her friends insult me. In both lives, she had fiercely protected Zachary. I was utterly disgusted with her. Liam’s voice grew solemn. “Understood. Your word is law.” “I’ve recalled Mr. Chen, but I’ve left the Cole family’s personal security detail to protect you. Rest well and recover at the hospital. And don’t even think about trying to hide the extent of your injuries from me; I’ll have someone investigate thoroughly. If anyone laid a finger on you, I’ll make sure they lose ten!” This time, before I could reply, the call disconnected. I had wanted to ask about Zachary, but it seemed that would have to wait. I turned to walk towards Charlotte’s room, only to hear hurried footsteps echoing down the corridor. Looking up, I saw Anastasia’s furious face. She raised her hand and delivered a stinging slap across my face, her voice seething with uncontrollable rage. “Alex Cole, have you lost your mind?! You actually hired people to bully Zachary?! Haven’t you heard how fiercely protective his brother is of him?! You’re practically asking for a death sentence!” My face was still turned from the impact, but I managed a mocking laugh. “He’s a Cole? Then why is his name Thorne?” Anastasia scoffed. “What do you know? He’s a late-in-life child, the family’s most cherished and protected. It’s not strange for him to live under a different name for safety! He and I have been friends since childhood, and even I only just learned his true identity. What hope did a backwoods bumpkin like you have?” Just then, I saw Zachary, his face bruised and swollen, emerge from behind Captain Reynolds, one of our family’s security chiefs. Anastasia looked at me with smug satisfaction, clearly believing my downfall was imminent. I wondered why Zachary had been released, when Captain Reynolds walked directly towards me. I expected him to step in front of me, to protect me, but instead, he suddenly pulled a club from his belt and swung it violently at me. “What kind of trash are you, daring to bully our Young Master?! You’re looking for a fight! This is a lesson from the Young Master!” The blow connected, and blood streamed down my forehead, painting my vision crimson. My head buzzed, threatening to pass out. Yet, his eyes were bloodshot, truly looking like he was protecting his master. I was utterly bewildered. “You’re insane! Don’t you recognize me? I’m the Cole family’s second son!” But he spat, his expression feral. “You’re delusional! I’ve worked for the Cole family for nearly ten years, and I’ve only ever known Young Master Zachary! What are you, daring to impersonate him?!” Zachary finally stepped out from behind Captain Reynolds, his gaze cold and calculating, like a butcher eyeing meat on a chopping block. He turned to Anastasia. “Anastasia, what should we do about this? Tonight, I just wanted a quiet drink with friends, but your boyfriend here publicly accused me of impersonating the Cole family’s young master.” “Our family’s motto has always been discretion, so I tolerated it, even had him politely escorted to a car. But he then had the audacity to accuse me of hitting him with my car! Damaging the Cole family’s reputation, no less! How are we going to settle this score?” Every word he uttered was a blatant distortion of the truth, utterly absurd. But Anastasia’s face paled. She immediately grabbed my collar, yanking me out of my wheelchair. Then she kicked my knee, forcing me to my knees with a sickening thud. She ordered someone to hold my head, slamming it repeatedly against the floor. “Alex Cole, I never imagined you were this kind of person! Apologize to Zachary, now! Keep bowing your head until he’s willing to forgive you!” I trembled with rage, struggling to get back on my feet. My brother Liam had always taught me that a man’s knees are sacred, never to be bent except for those he loved most. Since birth, I had only ever knelt before my parents. What they were doing was a profound humiliation of my very being! Anastasia, seeing my struggle, merely sneered, her voice dripping with haughty arrogance. “Still refusing to accept reality? I’ll let you in on some insider information: the Cole family is finally formalizing an engagement with the Reed family, and I am the chosen bride.” “People of our standing don’t associate with penniless nobodies like you. Give up your pathetic ambitions of climbing the social ladder. Apologize to Zachary now, and perhaps, out of consideration for our past, I might even persuade him to spare your life!” Veins pulsed violently on my forehead, and I laughed, a bitter, mocking sound. “Anastasia, the Cole family will never formalize an engagement with you. You’d better start preparing to be disowned by the Reed family!” This seemed to ignite Anastasia’s fury. She snatched a nearby vase, smashing it against the ground, then picked up a sharp shard. Raising it, she aimed for my thigh. “You pathetic piece of trash! How dare you speak to me like that? If you insist on being stubborn, I have no problem turning you into a complete cripple. Let’s see how arrogant you can be then!” I was held down, unable to move, and could only close my eyes in despair. But the agonizing pain I expected never came. When I opened my eyes, I saw Charlotte, who had appeared out of nowhere, shielding me. Her hospital gown was soaked in blood, but she still stood defiantly in front of me, speaking in a weak voice. “Don’t believe anything Zachary says. He’s a despicable, immoral thug! He’s not a Cole family young master at all.” “And if you want to hurt Alex, you’ll have to kill me first!” Anastasia stared, aghast, at the crisscrossing fresh and old scars on her sister’s body, about to ask a question. But Zachary reacted faster, hiding the flicker of panic in his eyes. He roughly grabbed Charlotte and slapped her, bellowing.
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