Rebirth Reclaiming Her Self (Angela and Joseph) novel Chapter 1

Chapter 1 She Will Die It was a scorching summer day. Angela Kins wiped away her sweat, poured the chicken soup into a thermos, covered it, and made her way to Mercy Hospital. As she reached the entrance of the ward, she overheard a conversation between a mother and daughter inside. “Mom, how did I get this illness? If I can’t find a kidney donor soon, I will die. What should I do?” It was her adopted sister, Fanny Kins. She was holding the examination report in her hand and burst into uncontrollable tears. Their mother Scarlet Square, trying to console her, panicked and said, “Joseph is a doctor. He will pay more attention and find a kidney donor for you soon.”

The Joseph Scarlet mentioned was one of Angela’s brothers. “I’m afraid I won’t be able to wait that long, Mom. I’m still young, I have children to raise, and I haven’t properly taken care of you yet, I…” Fanny hesitated, but her meaning was clear—she didn’t want to die. After enduring so much hardship, there are still good days ahead. How could I die now? She’s having such a serious illness but still thinking about filial piety, even more so than my real daughter Angela, thought Scarlet. She felt heartbroken. Suddenly, an idea struck her, and her eyes lit up. “Right, Angela has gastric cancer anyway, and she is terminally ill. Why not have her donate her kidney? That way, she can finally do something for the family.” Fanny got the answer she wanted but still pretended to worry. “But she won’t agree, and it won’t be easy to explain to the brothers.” Scarlet held Fanny’s hand and reassured her, “Just focus on the surgery. Your brothers love you so much, so they won’t object. As for Angela, I have a plan.” Standing at the door, Angela heard the conversation inside and felt as if she had been plunged into an icy cave. Over the years, as the newcomer to this family, she had tried hard to please them, working tirelessly in the family, playing the role of a sycophant to the fullest. But all she received in return was this. When she was ten years old, the Kins Family discovered that she and Fanny were switched at birth, so they took her back from the village. Everyone thought her good days were about to begin, and she believed so, too.

However, due to the difference in environment, it was difficult for her to integrate into this family. Angela became cautious and worked hard to please every member of the family. Although she didn’t gain their recognition, because of her sycophantic nature, she managed to maintain a relatively ‘harmonious’ relationship with the family members. Angela had four older brothers, all of whom were outstanding and doted on their younger sister. However, the one being doted on was not Angela but the adopted girl, Fanny. Whenever there’s a fight between Fanny and Angela and the former began crying, the entire family blamed Angela and demanded an apology from her, even though it wasn’t her fault in most cases. If Fanny made a mistake, it was all Angela’s fault. If Fanny bumped into something, it was all Angela’s doing… Sometimes, Angela even thought that Fanny was the true family member, while she was just an outsider. The Kins Family was one of the first to venture into business in the neighborhood, so their financial situation was quite good.