I was in a vegetative state, but I could hear sounds.
The maid's son, Ethan Brooks, was playing with my girlfriend right beside me.
He used my secondary card to become the generous rich kid in the eyes of my classmates.
So when he took my phone to secretly photograph the girls' restroom and accused me of being a peeping tom, everyone at school believed him without exception.
I was vilified and doxxed online.
My parents sought help everywhere to clear my name, but he framed them for bribery and covering up.
The company's stock price plummeted and went bankrupt. My parents were driven to suicide by the creditors.
I wandered the streets in despair and was hit by a car, ending up in a vegetative state. He moved into my house under the guise of caring for me and took over my girlfriend.
I was bedridden and tortured, eventually starving to death.
He, on the other hand, was praised for his high morals and generosity. He got a special research grant and climbed to the pinnacle of life over my family's corpses.
When I opened my eyes again, I was back in my freshman year.
Ethan brought the classmates to a seafood restaurant and said generously, "Eat and drink as you like. I'll cover the bill for everything today!"
Seeing my classmates cheer and order crazily, I quickly canceled the secondary card.
"To hell with being the rich fool. I'm not playing that role anymore!"
"Ethan is truly good with both looks and wealth!"
"Being classmates with someone as handsome and wealthy as Ethan is the luck of several lifetimes."
"Ethan is just that strong!"
...
Ethan curved his lips into a perfect smile. He was striking a regal pose and arrogantly enjoying his classmates' compliments and flattery.
My girlfriend, Layla Bell, pushed me and said disdainfully, "Why are you spacing out? Ethan is treating us to a feast, and you don't even say thank you."
Ethan glanced at me disdainfully and pretended to help me. "Luke has always been a loner. Don't make it hard for him."
As he spoke, he pulled Layla away from me and said affectionately, "Come, I ordered your favorite food."
They sat at the main table, enjoying the feast. Ethan even wrapped his arm around Layla's waist without a sound.
Layla blushed but didn't refuse.
The scene before me jolted me awake. Only then did I realize I had been reborn.
In my previous life, I treated Ethan as a good brother and trusted him completely.
He said to be low-key and not let classmates know I had money, or I wouldn't make friends.
He told me to pretend to be poor before Layla to test her sincerity.
He also said he would take good care of Layla and not let her lack anything.
Back then, everything he said made sense to me. So, I always kept a low profile and never flaunted my wealth.
Ethan, under the guise of helping me get along with classmates, crazily used my secondary card to treat them to feasts.
He also took Layla on various spending sprees.
I only realized something was wrong when I found out he had cared for Layla in his bed. When I confronted him, he stole my phone to take photos in the girls' restroom and framed me as a peeping tom.
He had a good reputation, and everyone believed him. I couldn't defend myself and was labeled a perverted peeping tom, leading to administrative detention.
With no surveillance or witnesses, my dad had to use his connections to investigate the truth.
Ethan took the opportunity to accuse my dad of bribery and corruption.
My dad was investigated and eventually released due to insufficient evidence, but the company went bankrupt due to the huge public outcry. When I got out of detention, I found out my parents had been driven to suicide by creditors.
As for me, Ethan had someone run me over, putting me in a vegetative state. I eventually starved to death.
Remembering everything from my past life made my heart tremble uncontrollably.
Without hesitation, I canceled the secondary card.
"Ethan, you can enjoy your miserable life in this life!"
I met Ethan on the day I received my acceptance letter.
When Ella saw my acceptance letter, she immediately started crying.
She said her son got into the same university as me, but her husband was seriously ill and being treated in the hospital.
She couldn't afford to send Ethan to school, so she had him work at a construction site during the summer to earn money for his dad's medical bills.
I was deeply moved when I heard this and immediately asked Ella to take me to see her son.
I saw Ethan wearing loose, faded clothes and worn-out shoes at the construction site. He was moving bricks under the scorching sun.
His tall, skinny body was sunburnt and darkened. He struggled to lift the bricks.
He looked very pitiful.
Seeing someone my age living such a miserable life softened my heart.
I immediately gave Ethan a secondary card. I told him to use it for medical bills, university tuition, and living expenses.
At that moment, Ethan and Ella were extremely grateful, saying they would repay my great kindness in the future.
I never expected them to repay me. I just wanted to do my part to improve their lives.
So, I let Ethan stay at my house. He was eating and living with me.
Even when we went to university, we rode together in my private car.
When buying clothes, I took Ethan along and let him choose whatever he liked.
At first, Ethan was shy. However, he soon became comfortable.
He even bought more and pricier items than I did.
He frequently used my secondary card to buy limited edition luxury items.
Every time he went to school, it caused a sensation in the class.
Everyone said Ethan was a rich young master with endless money to spend.
Ethan never denied this.
I didn't think much of it. I thought he had suffered too much before, so it was normal for him to enjoy sudden wealth.
But later I found out that once he secured his identity as a rich young master, he started secretly spreading rumors about me.
He said I was the son of his servant, living off him and shamelessly riding in his car.
In the eyes of our classmates, Ethan was a generous, handsome, and wealthy victim.
And I was just a poor leech taking advantage of him.
The key point was that I was ungrateful and had never thanked Ethan.
Over time, I became the despised ungrateful wretch.
In the end, when I got into a car accident and became a vegetable, my classmates all thought I deserved it.
Ethan openly took over my house, claiming he was kindly taking care of me.
As a classmate, he said he had to look after me.
His actions earned him even more goodwill. Everyone praised him for his kindness and generosity.
Only I knew that Ethan's so-called care involved throwing trash on me every day.
When he was in a bad mood, he would slap me several times.
Every day, he would be intimate with Layla right next to me.
I was really foolish for not seeing his true colors sooner.
Even more foolish was that I had nurtured this ungrateful guy myself.
To this day, I vividly remember Ethan's triumphant voice ringing in my ears before I died.
"Why can an idiot like you have vast wealth while I have to suffer?
"Layla is so beautiful. She should belong to me. I'm so smart. I was born to be a young master!
"Luke, don't blame me. Blame yourself for being stupid enough to help me."
After I canceled Ethan's supplementary card, I quietly left the restaurant.
I hadn't gone far when my phone kept ringing.
It was Ethan calling. I ignored all of them. Ethan kept sending me messages.
"Luke, what do you mean? You knew I was treating everyone to dinner. Why did you cancel my card?
"Didn't you say you'd cover all my college expenses? That card is mine. Why did you cancel it without my consent?
"I maintain your relationships with classmates and take care of your girlfriend. Doesn't that cost money? Restore my card now!"
...
His so-called help in maintaining relationships with classmates was actually making them isolate me.
His so-called care for my girlfriend was actually seducing her.
In my previous life, I actually believed his lies.
"Ethan, canceling the supplementary card is just the first step.
Next, I will settle our accounts one by one."
When I got to the classroom, my classmates returned in a large crowd.
However, their faces all looked unusually grim.
Their gazes at me were full of resentment and disgust.
Ethan's best friend, Elias Reed, slapped my desk and cursed loudly, "Luke, are you disgusting? What business is it of yours that Ethan invited us to dinner? Why did you rat him out to his dad? Now his card is frozen because of you!"
Others also looked at me with disdain.
"Exactly. We all had to pool money to pay the bill. My credit is maxed out!
"No wonder you're just a servant's son. With your petty attitude, you deserve never to have more than three dishes in a meal!"
I asked calmly, "Did Ethan say I'm a servant's son?"
"I did not."
Ethan walked in from the door and explained seriously, "Luke, how could I possibly tell everyone that you're a servant's son? You know I've always treated you like a brother."
Seeing this, Layla couldn't help but scold me. "Luke, are you done? Ethan spared your dignity by not revealing your identity publicly, yet you're here trying to oppress him? How did I ever fall for a loser like you?"
Before I could speak, Ethan pretended to be kind and said, "Don't be like that, Layla. We're all classmates...
"Sorry, everyone. I'll treat you all next time. As for this time, there was a reason.
"It has nothing to do with Luke. Don't make things difficult for him anymore."
Ethan seemed to speak up for me. However, his words carried obvious grievance and helplessness.
The classmates believed even more that I bullied him and looked at me with more disgust.
His acting skills really made me have to admire him.
Just as I was about to say something, my dad's call suddenly came.
"Luke, I'm planning to donate a library to your school in your name. What do you think?"
In my previous life, my dad also mentioned this to me.
But at that time, Ethan kept telling me to keep a low profile and not let my dad come, so I refused.
Thinking about it now, Ethan was just afraid that my dad's arrival would expose his identity.
I smiled and replied, "Sure."
As soon as the class bell rang, the school broadcasted that the richest man in the city was going to donate a library in his son's name.
Upon hearing this, the classmates all turned their attention to Ethan.
Ethan was known for his generosity in school. Everyone naturally thought he was the son of the richest man.
Elias immediately asked, "Ethan, tell the truth. Is your dad the richest man?"
Ethan silently wiped his cold sweat and reluctantly nodded.
Seeing this, others immediately started to flatter, "Ethan, your dad is really generous. He just donated a library!
"I envy your dad spoiling you. Once the library is built, you'll be in the school's hall of fame.
"So what if some people tattle? The bond between father and son is stronger than gold. It's not something he can ruin."
While flattering Ethan, they also took the opportunity to denounce me.
Ethan held his forehead, looking guilty and awkwardly smiling.
Layla's face was beaming with joy.
She leaned on Ethan's desk and said coquettishly, "Ethan, you're too low-key. Why didn't you tell me earlier? I didn't know!"
Layla was so happy she almost threw herself into Ethan's arms.
Ethan awkwardly smiled and said, "I've never liked showing off."
After saying that, he glanced at me.
I shook my head speechlessly.
In my previous life, I was really blind and foolish.
When class ended, Ethan pulled me to a deserted corridor and whispered, "Luke, didn't I tell you to keep a low profile? How could you let your dad donate to the library so publicly? Your identity will be exposed."
Ethan looked nervous, as if he were genuinely worried for me.
I feigned innocence and said, "I didn't know. It was my dad's sudden decision."
Ethan frowned and thought for a while, then said seriously, "If your dad really reveals your identity, Layla will definitely break up with you.
"You've deceived her and your classmates for so long. Everyone will isolate you.
"How about this? Since everyone thinks I'm the richest man's son, tell your dad to donate the library in my name. This way, your identity won't be exposed.
"I'll take the blame for you!"
Ethan was afraid of his own identity being exposed. Yet, he made it seem like he was doing it for my sake.
Seeing his righteous demeanor, he seemed like he was really taking the fall for me.
If I hadn't seen his true colors in my previous life, I might have been fooled by his superb acting.
But I didn't expose him directly. Instead, I pretended to be moved and said, "Ethan, I'm touched that you care so much for me. I'll tell my dad later."
Seeing me agree so readily, the tension on Ethan's face disappeared instantly.
He patted my shoulder reassuringly. "We're all brothers. It's what I should do."
After saying that, he walked away. There was a smug smile on his lips.
"Huh.
Still playing tricks with me. Watch how I deal with you!"