Whack! A thunderous slap echoed through the room, sending Selina Harvey crashing to the floor. Her father, Quinton Harvey, towered over her, his face contorted with fury. "Selina, you snake! How could you drug Ashley and leave her in some man's bed? We found her just in time!"
Weak and frail, Selina protested, "No... Dad, it wasn't me. I swear!"
"Shut up!" Quinton kicked her hard in the stomach. She vomited, filling the room with a nauseating odor. He loomed over her, his eyes blazing with rage. "If anything happens to Ashley, you're finished!"
But then, Quinton's wife, Sara Harvey, cried out in panic, "Honey, forget her. We need to get to the hospital. Ashley needs us!"
"Coming!" Quinton responded.
They slammed the door shut, leaving Selina curled on the cold floor, shaking and foaming at the mouth. She whispered, "I didn't do it. I didn't hurt Ashley..." Shivering, pain lancing through her, she lost consciousness.
Time blurred. She was jolted awake by a sharp tug on her hair. Quinton glared down at her. She struggled, pain evident in her voice. "Dad! Stop it! It hurts..."
"Hurts? You think this is pain? Your sister's fighting for her life in intensive care because of you! You're a terrible daughter. Why did I even bother bringing you back?" he yelled, ignoring her pleas. He dragged her, a rag doll, past the murmuring servants, from the basement to the roof.
Along the way, Selina sustained numerous bruises and began to bleed, but Quinton remained indifferent. With a loud bang, he slammed her head against the glass roof door. Her forehead split open, blood gushing forth. He crushed her hand under his foot, demanding, "I'm asking you one last time, Selina. Will you confess?"
"I... I didn't... Dad, I really didn't..." she sobbed.
"Denying it? Then kneel here until you confess!" He left her there, locking the door.
In the December cold, Selina shivered in Ashley's old pajamas, ripped and stained from her ordeal. She shook violently, whispering, "I didn't... I didn't..." Each word was a physical torment.
'Why doesn't my family trust me? I wanted their love so desperately, and they worked so hard to bring me back. Why is everything going so wrong?' she wondered, her eyes dimming.
After an indeterminate time, the door burst open. At the sight of her brother, a flicker of hope ignited in her eyes. "Hey, I..."
But he slapped her hard. "You monster! How could you hurt Ashley? She's pure! I should just kill you now!" His grip tightened around her neck, choking her. Her other brothers joined in, their blows relentless and brutal.
Battered, bruised, and frostbitten, Selina's body succumbed. Her mind drifted away, the cold seeping into her very bones.
Quinton's voice, cold and cruel, cut through the air. "Dump her from the roof! I refuse to believe she's my child. When she's gone, let the dogs have her."
Selina struggled to look up, meeting the furious glares of Quinton and Sara. Her own brothers had done this to her, while her parents watched. They were consumed by rage over something she hadn't done, all because it hurt their favorite, Ashley. 'Where does that leave me? Aren't I a Harvey too? Why do they see me as less important than Ashley? If she's all that matters, why did they bother bringing me back? They reel me in with hope, only to knock me down again. What a joke...' She thought, then, as her brothers hurled her from the roof, she smiled. For the first time, she felt free, and closed her eyes.
Trapped beneath Ashley's flawless image, yearning for love while being constantly manipulated – Selina was done. In another life, she would stay far away.
Selina thought she had died, but she found herself alive, standing in a dressing room. It was June 21, 2030. A month into her second chance with the Harvey family. Selina, Sara, and Ashley were in an exclusive shop, shopping for the new Chanel collection. The memory of her horrific end was still vivid. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and resolved to make the most of this second chance. When she opened her eyes, they were filled with steely determination. This was her do-over.
Ashley Harvey swept aside the curtain. "Selina, you've been in here forever! Here, Mom sent you the latest Chanel blouse to try," she smiled.
Recalling what was to come, Selina simply said, "Got it."
She took the blouse and quickly pulled the curtain shut, leaving Ashley's smile frozen on her face.
Ashley couldn't help but think, 'What's with Selina? She's changed. Before, she was all over me, desperate for approval. Now she's talking back? Huh!' But she smirked, anticipating Selina's inevitable downfall.