Reborn To Ruin Her Rivals - Chapter 4: Chapter 4

A voice, sweet as a summer breeze, broke the moment. "Hey, Mom, good morning!"
A girl glided over, her steps light and confident.
She moved like she was born to steal the spotlight—custom pink dress hugging her frame, a diamond necklace catching the light, gold earrings gleaming, and a watch that screamed big money.
Everything about her said rich and refined. Her barely-there makeup gave her a fairy-tale glow, like she'd just stepped out of a castle.
Her bright, curious eyes zeroed in on Arielle, and a wide grin spread across her face. "So, you're my big sis?"
Before anyone could respond, Sharon, all warm smiles, watched her daughter practically bounce down the stairs.
Behind her stood a tall guy in a sharp suit, his presence heavy, like he could command a room without trying.
Arielle's gaze followed the girl. Her broken heart split open again, flashing memories of blood and betrayal.
Her chest tightened, blood pounding, fingers clenching. She fought to bury the hate roaring inside.
The one who'd destroyed her was right there. She wanted to tear her apart.
She closed her eyes. When they opened, her face was stone-cold calm.
Meredith, clicking along in her pricey leather heels, stopped in front of Arielle.
She sized her up. Arielle grew up out in the boonies, but her skin was flawless—smooth and pale.
Her face? A touch prettier than Meredith's, with a vibe that said back off. Those eyes? Stunning. Enough to spark envy.
Meredith hid it well. She flashed a sugary smile and looped her arm through Arielle's like they were instant besties. "Hey, sis, I'm Meredith. Need anything around here? I got you."
Her grin was pure charm.
Arielle slid her arm free, her voice icy. "Not there yet."
Meredith blinked, thrown for a second, then bounced back with a bright laugh. "All good. You're still getting the lay of the land. Give it time, and we'll be tight." She winked, crossing her fingers.
The man behind Meredith finally spoke, his eyes pinning Arielle with a heavy, unreadable look. He muttered, "You're back. Just… stay out of trouble."
Meredith jumped in, all smiles."Arielle, meet the crew. That's Dad, this is Mom, and our big bro's off globetrotting somewhere. If you need anything, just hit us up, okay?"
Her words sounded smooth, no issues on the surface. But dig a little, and they were shady as hell.
Meredith was acting like she ran the show, while Arielle was just some random crashing their party.
Arielle's gaze trailed Meredith's gesture to Sharon. She used to be Arielle's light in the dark.
Warm, soft, like a hug one could lean into. But that glow hid a poison that had ripped Arielle to shreds.
Then there was her dad Henry—stern, put-together, same as ever. Even facing his long-lost daughter, his face stayed stone-cold, not a flicker of warmth.
Only when he glanced at Meredith did his icy stare soften, just a touch.
To them, Arielle was just an unwanted guest who'd wandered into their perfect little world.
She'd tried so hard before.Bending over backward to fit in. Playing nice, sucking up, practically begging for them to notice her, to let her be part of the family.
But they ditched their own kid to fawn over Meredith, their adopted darling.
Meredith had been brought home from an orphanage by Henry and Sharon the year Arielle went missing, a fix for Sharon's heartache.
Once Meredith showed up, the Bradfords were all laughs and love again. They treated her like their own, no hesitation.
Meanwhile, Arielle—their real daughter—felt like a stranger in her own home. Meredith was the one who clicked, the one who belonged.
Arielle had learned the hard way: family wasn't some cozy bond. It was poison, seeping through her veins, rotting her from the inside out.
Sharon gripped Meredith's hand, her eyes shining with pride. She turned to Arielle, voice soft as butter, a smile plastered on her face.
"Arielle, you and Meredith are my girls," she said. "Sisters gotta stick together, yeah? You're the big sis, so maybe cut her some slack.
"She's been with us forever, and I don't want her stressing out."
Same old spiel.
Back then, Arielle felt like crap, thinking her showing up had thrown Meredith's perfect life for a loop.
What a load. If it weren't for that DNA test, she'd question if Sharon was even her mom.
"She break her legs or something? Why do I gotta baby her?" Arielle shot back.
Sharon's smile froze like she'd been hit with a snowball. No way her classy self expected that kind of mouth.
Henry's jaw dropped, floored by his backwoods daughter's attitude.
Lexi, lurking in the corner, was so done with the day's drama she practically vanished into the furniture.
The living room turned colder than a freezer.
Meredith jumped in, all sugar and spice, cozying up to Sharon. "Mom, I'm not a kid. I don't need sis hovering over me. She just got here—we should have each other's backs, right?"
Then, with a pouty little glance, she looked at Arielle. "Arielle, don't be mad. Mom didn't mean it like that."
Sharon's icy stare thawed. She tapped Meredith's forehead with a grin. "You little sweet-talker."
"Yep! You two need to look out for each other," Henry said, finally chiming in, his eyes on Arielle. "We're family now. Something up? Just say it."
Sharon nodded slightly. "Get comfy, Arielle. Bradfords don't let people look down their noses at us."
Arielle caught the jab—Sharon was eyeing her outfit like it was a crime.
They stood there in the living room, nobody asking how Arielle had made it through all those years or who'd raised her.
Just a weak "get comfy," like that erased a decade of rough times.
After some lame small talk, Sharon and Henry headed upstairs with Meredith. Before they left, Sharon called to the maid, "Lexi, show Arielle her room."
"Yes, ma'am," Lexi said, all proper.
She stepped up to Arielle, polite as can be. "Miss Bradford, I'll take you to your room. You can crash there tonight."
"Cool, thanks," Arielle replied, playing it low-key.
Lexi led her upstairs. When the door swung open, it hit Arielle like a memory punch.
The room was huge—at least to her. Truth was, it was the smallest in the Bradford place.
Back then, she'd been over the moon. A room this pretty, all pink and soft? Straight out of a TV show. And it was hers.
She'd been so thankful to the Bradfords, thinking she must've been a saint in another life to land a family this good. They didn't even care she was some small-town kid.
Now, she just gave the room a quick look, keeping her face blank.
Lexi spoke up, cautious. "Miss Bradford, you good? Need anything?"
'Need? Yeah, I need plenty. More than the Bradfords could ever cover,' she thought.
Arielle looked away. "Can I see the rest of the house?"
"Sure thing!" Lexi said, perking up, thinking Arielle was ready to settle in.
She gave her the full rundown, pointing out every nook and cranny of the Bradford place, even the dog kennel.
Lexi just wanted Arielle to feel at home, fast.