Chapter 1

In my past life, my brother-in-law fell gravely ill.

His son begged my daughter to help with some acupuncture, and in the end my brother-in-law died.

I paid the compensation, and still the nephew sued my daughter for practicing medicine without a license and causing a death.

His girlfriend used that opening to take the guaranteed graduate-school placement that belonged to my daughter.

My daughter sank into depression, and after she got out she drowned herself in the river. Grief burned through me, and I died too.

When I opened my eyes again, the whole family was gathered together.

Every face was drawn tight, everyone worrying over my brother-in-law's illness.

"We've been to every big hospital there is. Nothing works." Melissa Acevedo wiped at her eyes.

The nephew looked at my daughter. "Barbara Edwards, why don't you take a look at my dad? You study Chinese medicine, and you got the graduate placement. Maybe it'll help."

"Give it a try. Take a look at your uncle." My husband spoke up.

A shiver ran through me. This wasn't a dream. I really had been reborn.

"No." I moved at once to block my daughter as she started to rise.

"What's that supposed to mean, Barbara's mother?" Melissa stared at me, offended. "I know you look down on us. But this is a person's life."

"Don't listen to your mother. Go take a look at your uncle." My husband spoke again.

"..."

"When I say no, I mean no."

I stood and took my daughter's hand. "Come home with me."

"You stay right there." My husband got up too and planted himself in front of me. "You really think a little dirty money means you get to run this family."

Being reborn wasn't something I could explain.

But I would never let Barbara walk the same road twice. I softened my tone.

"We'll talk about this at home."

"And they call themselves family. What a joke." The nephew spoke now, his eyes fixed on me. "If my girlfriend were here, she'd offer to treat my dad without being asked."

I shot him a look. "Call your girlfriend and have her come, then. I'll cover the travel."

Melissa wiped her eyes and stared at her son. "Enough. It's just our rotten luck, the two of us. Your father's no good, we can't measure up to rich relatives like your uncle's family."

"What is all this? Is this any way to behave?" My father-in-law slammed the table and glared at me. "Barbara studies medicine. What's the harm in her taking a look at her uncle?"

"You think because you've made a little money you can look down on this whole family?"

"Dad, it's true Barbara studies medicine, but she's still a student. She doesn't have her license yet. Legally, she isn't qualified to practice."

"If something goes wrong during the treatment, who answers for it?"

"Barbara's mother, if that's all you're worried about, then you've really wronged us. We're family. Even if Barbara did make him worse, of course we'd never blame her."

Melissa came forward and took Barbara's hand. "We've run to every major hospital already. At this point we're just trying anything we can."

She made it sound so pretty. If I hadn't seen her true face, I might actually have believed it.

Back then, when they sued Barbara, she was the one who screamed loudest.

My husband looked at Barbara. "That's enough. Stop stalling. Go take a look at your uncle."

"She can treat him. Just not now." I looked at my husband. "You and Barbara come home with me first. We'll talk it over, then decide."

My father-in-law glanced at my husband. "Ervin Edwards, I think you'd do well to let your wife run the household."

Ervin's face went dark at once.

"There's nothing to talk over. I can decide this myself. Barbara, go take a look at your uncle right now."