The Substitute's Escape: Rewriting My Destiny Chapter 1

Julian came to the orphanage to pick a sister.

All the girls crowded around, praying they would be the lucky one chosen.

I was the only one hiding in a closet, fast asleep.

I thought that by doing this, I could escape the miserable fate of my past life—becoming the Sterling family's adopted daughter, and eventually, Julian's wife.

I thought I could finally live a free, happy life this time around.

But when I woke up, Julian was standing right in front of the closet doors.

He smiled and asked, "Luna, come home with me. Okay?"

* * *

When Julian's face appeared in front of me, I honestly thought I was still stuck in my nightmare.

It wasn't until the orphanage director called my name sternly, "Luna, what are you doing sleeping in here?"

I snapped back to reality and realized this wasn't a dream.

Seeing me frozen in shock, the director reached in and pulled me out of the closet.

She smoothed my collar and pushed me toward Mr. and Mrs. Sterling. "You fell asleep, and Young Master Julian insisted we shouldn't wake you."

"We've all been waiting for you."

Julian, the young master in question, was standing in front of his parents. He looked at me with a faint smile playing on his lips.

The Julian standing before me right now was very different from the cold, distant Julian etched into my memory.

He initiated the greeting: "Hello, Luna."

I didn't know why, but hearing my name coming from his mouth felt incredibly bizarre.

I frowned and quickly averted my gaze.

My mind was racing. They had so many other girls to choose from. Why did they insist on waiting for me?

"Waiting for me? For what?"

The director bent down to explain: "They want to adopt you. Luna is finally going to have a home, with a mom, a dad, and a big brother."

The normally strict, unsmiling director was actually smiling at me.

I guess she was genuinely happy for me.

For an orphan, being adopted is the ultimate stroke of luck.

But the director didn't know: I had been reborn.

I knew Julian was coming to the orphanage today to pick a sister, which is exactly why I deliberately hid in the closet.

"Luna, come home with us, okay?"

Mrs. Sterling took my hand, her voice gentle: "Julian has always wanted a little sister. From now on, you'll be his sister."

This scene was playing out exactly like my past life.

Memories from that life flashed through my mind like a slideshow.

I immediately yanked my hand back and looked up at the director. "Director, I don't want them to adopt me."

My words shocked everyone in the room.

The most intense reaction came from Julian. His brows furrowed as he asked, "Why not?"

"Because I don't want to be your sister."

Even though I flatly rejected him, Julian didn't show a single trace of anger.

Instead, his tone grew even softer, laced with an almost imperceptible indulgence.

"Then you don't have to be my sister. Just come back to the Sterling estate with me and live with us. How about that?"

The director discreetly tugged on my sleeve, but she couldn't stop me from rejecting Julian a second time.

"No."

I thought Julian would just give up.

But when the director tentatively asked the Sterlings if they wanted to choose a different girl, Julian suddenly spoke up, his voice loud and clear: "Mom, I only want her."

He said, "She is the only one who looks exactly like my sister."