On the day Vera returned home, it coincided with Eileen’s birthday. In the early morning, Eileen was roused by the activity downstairs. She groggily checked the time, finding it was just half-past eight. No longer feeling sleepy, Eileen got out of bed, freshened up, and went downstairs, her luscious locks cascading down her back. The living room had been tidied, and Sharon busy wiping a vase. Spotting Eileen, Sharon approached with an apologetic smile. “Ms. Eileen, did I wake you? I’m so sorry. Mr. Swan called and informed me that it’s your birthday today. He wants us to spruce up the house for a birthday celebration,” she explained. Eileen suddenly realized that it was her birthday—the first one since her rebirth. In her previous life, she had been marred by illness. The diagnosis and subsequent hospital stays meant that any celebration was overshadowed. “Ms. Eileen, Mr. Swan called earlier. He won’t be able to make it back for your birthday due to work, but he prepared this for you.” Sharon retrieved a platinum card from her pocket and handed it to Eileen. Accepting the card, Eileen smiled. “Sharon, since Dad won’t be back, there’s no need for an elaborate celebration. Just a few simple dishes will suffice.” With that, she made her way upstairs to call Will. The phone rang for a while before someone answered. “Hello.” “Hi Dad. It’s me. Thanks for the card.” “You’re welcome. Go out and buy whatever you like. Eileen, don’t give Eric any trouble. Understand?” “I know, Dad.” Eileen chuckled in silence, understanding it as a warning from her father. Will had always desired a son to take over the family business, and despite having several mistresses, none of them bore him a son or daughter. In the end, he adopted Eric. As for his only daughter, Will had planned to use her to forge a marriage alliance that would benefit his empire. If it weren’t for her current inability to leave the family, Eileen wouldn’t have stayed for a second longer. After the call, Eileen sat at the table, fl*pping through her workbook. In reality, her academic performance wasn’t stellar. In her previous life, she had sought Eric’s tutoring not only to secure a spot in university but also to get closer to him. Eric, despite stopping at high school, was self-taught and well-versed in university-level material and even foreign languages. However, Will was more interested in Eileen’s performance in extracurricular activities. Her vacations were always filled with various extracurricular cla*ses, including dancing, painting, piano, and even floristry. Will closely monitored her performance in these cla*ses, with the intention of grooming her into a socialite. His ultimate plan was to marry her off at the age of twenty to his most promising business partner, forming a powerful marriage alliance. While her life appeared glorious on the surface, in reality, she was nothing more than a canary in a gilded cage. Glancing at the baking cookbook on the shelf, Eileen reached out and grabbed it, triggering a flood of memories. Among the numerous extracurricular cla*ses, painting and baking had sparked her interest the most. Recalling the baking utensils she had purchased for the cla*s, a sudden thought crossed Eileen’s mind. I’ll bake myself a birthday cake! In her excitement, Eileen rushed downstairs only to hear a familiar voice at the main door. She looked up to see Vera standing behind Eric. Both were dressed in matching outfits, appearing exceptionally well-coordinated. After years of studying abroad, Vera returned, more beautiful than ever, donning a fine cashmere coat and a pale pink knitted dress. The pearl earrings added to her elegance. Except for their family background, Eileen found herself inferior to Vera in every other aspect. In her previous life, Eileen had been jealous of Vera’s close relationship with Eric, often inflicting subtle harm with fine needles. Despite that, Vera dared not complain, for Eileen knew of her secret. Eventually, Vera tragically chose to end her own life. When that happened, Vera was merely twenty years old. Her untimely demise fueled Eric’s rage. On that fateful day, he stormed into Eileen’s room with a murderous aura, gripping her neck in a fit of anger. “This is all your fault, b*tch! You Swans deserve nothing but death!” Had it not been for Sharon’s timely intervention, Eric might have succeeded in ending Eileen’s life as Eileen was indirectly responsible for Vera’s death. When her train of thought ended there, Eileen paused on the stairs. Both Eric and Vera noticed her. They turned their heads simultaneously, directing their gaze toward her.