Guilty Before Sunrise

On the day the SAT scores were released, the police showed up at my front door. They said I had murdered three of the top students in my class. The evidence was conclusive.

However, on the day it happened, I had been sitting alone at home, drowning in regret over my poor exam performance.

"Worthless girl! Useless burden! How did this family end up with a monster like you?!" My grandmother screamed at me, hurling insults as her fists and kicks rained down.

The only thing that could have proven my innocence—the security camera—had been unplugged by her the night before.

She said the camera gave off radiation and claimed that we installed it to harm her.

In an instant, I became the disgrace of everyone around me.

After I was convicted, my parents couldn’t bear the blow. They both took their own lives.

As for me?

Under the crushing weight of public outrage and endless condemnation, I spiraled into depression and died.

Even at the very end, I never understood why every piece of evidence pointed straight at me.

Then I opened my eyes again and found myself back on the night before the scores were released.

With the memories of my past life still fresh in my mind, I immediately checked the time. It was exactly the moment the crime was supposed to happen.

So I really had no chance to stop the tragedy from unfolding.

The only thing I could do… was save myself.

I quickly checked the security cameras in the house. As expected, they were already disconnected.

I had just plugged the power back in when I heard footsteps behind me.

"What are you messing with in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?"

Judith Wallace, my grandmother, strode over and shoved my head hard. I lost my balance and crashed straight to the floor.

"Studied yourself into insanity, didn’t you? I’ve said it before. Girls should just finish middle school, and that’s it. Every extra day in school is a waste of money!"

In my last life, if the cameras had been working, I would have had proof that I wasn’t at the scene.

It was all because of her.

Who knows where she heard that nonsense about security cameras giving off radiation and causing cancer? She even said installing them was basically cursing her to die early.

Before, because she was my elder, no matter how awful the things she said were, I endured it all in silence.

Not anymore.

"This is our house. Those are our cameras. What right do you have to turn them off?"

Her face twisted instantly, the wrinkles pulling tighter as her expression turned vicious. "You ungrateful brat! I’m your grandmother! Your parents listen to me. Who do you think you are, talking back?!"

My words had struck a nerve.

After Leonard Wallace, my grandfather, passed away, he had left the house to her.

A few years ago, when Uncle Owen Wallace’s family wanted to upgrade to a new place but didn’t have enough money, Grandma sold the old house without hesitation and gave them all the proceeds.

Just because Uncle Owen had two sons. In her mind, only boys carried the family line.

However, Grandma's hygiene was terrible. A few months ago, Aunt Marissa couldn’t take it anymore and kicked her out.

My parents, Glenn and Elise Wallace, were softhearted. Grandma only had two sons: Dad and Uncle Owen. They couldn’t just leave her out on the streets.

Ever since she moved into our home, not only had she shown no gratitude, but she nitpicked everything every single day. She complained that my mom didn’t take good enough care of my dad.

She grumbled that too much money was spent on me and that we didn’t know how to save.

"If you hate it here so much, why don’t you go back to Uncle’s place? Oh, right, I forgot. They kicked you out." I didn’t back down at all. "Aren’t you afraid we’ll kick you out, too?"

A flicker of panic flashed across her face, but it was quickly replaced by rage.

"You little brat! Your parents have spoiled you rotten. Fine, today I’ll discipline you myself!" As she spoke, she raised her hand to hit me.

I turned and bolted toward my parents’ bedroom.

"Mom! Dad! Grandma’s hitting me!"

By the time she tried to stop me, it was already too late. My parents stood in the doorway, frowning, still groggy from sleep.

"Mom, Tammy didn’t do well on her exam this time. Please try to be a little understanding."

My grandmother practically exploded. "What does her exam have to do with me?!

"She’s a girl, so what’s the point of studying so much? In the end, she’ll just get married and have kids. What a total waste!

"No matter how she scores, you two won’t be able to rely on her in this lifetime anyway!"

Her words made me frown.

Could what happened in my past life actually be—

Right then, the doorbell rang, cutting off my thoughts.