“Ah!”

I shot up from my seat, heart pounding, cold sweat sliding down my forehead.

…The nightmare again.

“Wendy, what are you yelling for? You do realize we’re in class, don’t you?”

The teacher on the podium hugged her book to her chest and glared at me, resentment written all over her face. Around me, my classmates glanced over with teasing, mocking looks.

“…Sorry, ma’am.”

Maybe she saw how pale I was, because she didn’t press the issue. She just rolled her eyes and went back to the lesson.

I stared blankly at the blackboard, not taking in a single word.

It’s been a while since I was reborn, but the terror from the moment I died still clung to me like a shadow.

And what disgusted me even more was Daphne.

In my last life, after Mason stabbed me again and again, Daphne was scared out of her mind. She dropped to her knees, kowtowing frantically, promising over and over she’d never dare do anything again.

To prove her loyalty to Mason, she actually snatched the knife from his hand and stabbed my already mangled corpse several more times.

Later, she even took the initiative to help Mason dispose of my body and clean up the scene. Not only did she help him fabricate an alibi, she also stole the money I’d hidden in my locker and gave it to him so he could lie low for a while…

Up in the sky, watching it all, I was so furious I was practically bleeding from every orifice.

Fortunately, heaven opened one eye for me and granted me a second chance.

This time…

I turned my head to look at Daphne, who was absentmindedly twirling her pen, and smiled.

Daphne, puzzled, curved her lips at me in a stiff little smile.

A moment later, a crumpled ball of paper landed on my desk.

“Wendy… do you think I should say yes to Mason? I heard he’s kind of unstable and that he’s even tortured cats before.”

I picked up my pen and wrote in bold, flowing strokes:

“Of course you should. Where else are you going to find such a catch if you let him slip away?”

“I believe you can heal him.”

Daphne’s grades were excellent—everyone knew that.

Our families had been neighbors since we were kids. And Daphne had always been the “perfect daughter” my parents loved to compare me to.

In my previous life, thanks to my relentless nagging, Daphne managed to finish the college entrance exams and even scored pretty well.

So even though she later kept getting tangled up with Mason, with her education, at least she could still make a living.

This time, without my nagging, Daphne completely let herself go. She hadn’t shown up to class for days.

During that time, she’d sent me tons of photos of Mason taking her out drinking, racing cars, and clubbing, showing off like crazy. I responded to every single one with over-the-top praise.

“Wow! He’s so handsome! I’m seriously jealous, Daphne. You actually landed such a gorgeous boyfriend like Mason.”

“Now this is what youth is supposed to look like. Unlike me, stuck in this classroom every day. What a waste of time.”

I had her so flattered her tail was practically up in the clouds. She tossed me a generous line: “I’ll take you out to see the world when I have time.”

I put my phone down and went back to burning the midnight oil.

I’d abandoned my high school studies for too long; picking them back up all at once was definitely rough.

But even if it’s only for Daphne’s sake, I’ll keep going.

In my last life, she’d used her actions to teach me exactly how important an education is.

Daphne had been missing from school for days. The teacher couldn’t reach her and came to me for information. To everything, I only answered, “No idea,” “I don’t know,” “Maybe.”

Helpless, the teacher had no choice but to summon Daphne’s parents.

When Daphne showed up again, everyone’s jaws practically hit the floor.

Hair dyed in some garish punk color, heavy smoky eye makeup, bizarre clothes—and worst of all, she’d actually had Mason’s name tattooed on her arm.

Using the excuse of helping the teacher sort homework, I watched with my own eyes as Daphne got a mixed double beating from her parents.

“Are you out of your mind? What the hell is this hair? Your father and I work ourselves to the bone to send you to school, and you—what, you just run around like a delinquent every day?”

“If your teacher hadn’t called us, we wouldn’t even know you’ve been hanging around with some thug! Do you not care about your future anymore? How can you have so little self-respect? How did I give birth to something like you?”

Daphne dodged her parents’ blows, but her mouth didn’t let up for a second.

“What do you know? He’s not a thug—he’s the one who loves me most in this whole world!”

“So what about my future? It’s not like I’ve stopped studying. My grades are great. What’s wrong with going out to have some fun for a few days?”

“And besides, I’m almost nineteen! Whoever I’m with has nothing to do with you. Mind your own business, will you?”

Her dad clutched his chest, almost fainting from rage.

“You… get out! Get out of my sight! From now on, I don’t have a daughter like you!”

Daphne gave him a flat, indifferent look.

“Fine, I’ll leave. You think I care about you two? All you ever care about is my grades. Have you ever cared what I actually want? In this world… only Mason really treats me well.”

“And anyway, what’s the point of going to school now? After college you still end up working for somebody else.”

“Feudal. Old-fashioned.”

Rolling her eyes, Daphne stormed off.

I looked out through the classroom window and saw Mason waiting for her on his motorcycle at the school gate, cigarette dangling from his lips, sleazy as hell.

In full view of the other students, Daphne climbed onto the back of his bike. The way she held her head high, chest out, you’d think she was proud of it.

I let out a cold little laugh and drew my gaze back.

I was genuinely curious just how far Daphne could go on a path she’d chosen for herself.

Just then, Daphne’s mother suddenly turned to me, tears streaming down her face. She grabbed my hand.

“Wendy… you’re Wendy, right?”

“Good girl, you and Daphne have been close since you were little. Tell me, what happened to her? How did she suddenly become like this…?”

I stared into Mrs. Donnelly’s grief-stricken eyes and said nothing.

A commotion suddenly broke out around us.

Daphne’s father clutched his chest and collapsed, falling straight to the floor.

The ambulance arrived quickly, and with the teachers on-site performing CPR right away, Mr. Donnelly pulled through.

I bought some fruit and set it by his hospital bed. Looking at the gray at his temples, I felt a sour twist in my chest.

Whatever Daphne was like, her parents had always treated me well.

When I was a kid, my mom and dad were always busy with work and often forgot to make me dinner. Mr. and Mrs. Donnelly would warmly invite me to eat with them. They were afraid I’d be scared sleeping alone, so they’d send Daphne over with snacks to keep me company.

So, in my last life, part of the reason I poured my heart out for Daphne was because of her parents.

“Wendy…” Mr. Donnelly gripped my hand, tears streaming down his lined face.

“You and Daphne grew up together… Could you ask her to come see me?”

“She’s older now… If I sit down and talk to her properly, maybe she’ll understand…”

I wanted to tell him it was useless. Daphne was beyond saving.

In my previous life, when Daphne took Mason home to meet her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Donnelly had strongly opposed their relationship.

And who could blame them? Daphne had just graduated from a prestigious university, while Mason was some lowlife without a proper job—and he hit women.

But for Mason’s sake, Daphne still cut ties with them.

Later, when Mr. Donnelly died from a heart attack, she didn’t even go back for one last look.