School had just dismissed us for the exam-break when my roommate begged me not to leave her alone in the dorm. She said she was scared and wanted to come home with me.

Out of kindness, I brought her back with me.

I had no idea that the very first night, she would sneak into my brother's room, and by the next morning, she was screaming that he had assaulted her.

Because of that, my brother missed the exam, and his reputation was ruined. When the school board found out, they expelled him. No other school would take him in.

To keep me from getting involved in this mess at school, my parents had no choice but to let that roommate live with us.

After that, she treated our home like her personal hotel: never lifting a finger, demanding that my parents wait on her every night, and even having them wash her feet.

My brother dropped out and took up work at an illegal factory just to support her spending.

Then one day, a machine crushed him at that factory. My parents, already exhausted and heartbroken, fell gravely ill and passed away soon after.

I was consumed by hatred. In the end, I dragged the roommate who destroyed my family down into the flames with me.

Even as I died, I still couldn't understand. What kind of bitter grudge did her family have against mine for her to ruin us like that?

But when I opened my eyes again, I was back on the very day she asked to come home with me…

"Lizzy, everyone else is going home for the study break. If I stay in the dorm alone, I'll be terrified. Can you please take me home with you?"

The moment my roommate Marilyn Jones said those familiar words, a chill shot straight through me.

I took a full step back before I even realized it.

That familiar line, one I knew way too well, made me realize that I had been reborn.

In my previous life, that exact day was when the school dismissed us for the college entrance exam.

Everyone in our dorm left for home except Marilyn, whose family lived way out in the mountains.

She had begged me pitifully to take her home with me. Thinking we had lived together for so long, I figured it would be fine.

My brother, Steve Warren, was sitting for the exam that year, but Marilyn and I were both juniors. She would not be stupid enough to disturb a senior studying for the most important test of his life.

Thus, I brought her home.

Who could have known that that one decision would destroy my entire family?

As soon as we arrived, Marilyn turned on the sweet, well-behaved act, charming my parents until they were grinning ear to ear.

They did not want her to feel slighted, so they gave her the master bedroom and squeezed themselves into the tiny attic.

That very night, she snuck into Steve's room in the dark, and the next morning, a scream tore through the house like a siren.

My parents and I rushed out, only to find Marilyn sobbing away, pointing at Steve, accusing him of assaulting her.

My parents were about to leave to buy groceries, so the front door was wide open. Every neighbor on our floor heard the commotion.

No matter how much we explained, she stuck to her story, insisting Steve had tried to take advantage of her.

By the time Marilyn was done, she had already called the police, and Steve was taken away on the spot.

He missed all three days of the exam.

He was one of the school's top hopefuls for the best universities, but all of that was gone in an instant.

Three days later, he came out of the police station with the exam long over and a forced confession on his record.

Branded a predator he had never been, he was expelled, and not a single nearby school was willing to accept him.

It was then that Marilyn threatened us.

If we did not do whatever she wanted, she would go to my school and announce to everyone that I had a demon for a brother.

For the sake of my future, my parents and Steve swallowed the humiliation and let her move in.

Marilyn forced Steve to drop out and work in a dangerous, illegal factory. Every penny he made went straight to her so she could spend it however she pleased.

My parents became her personal servants. She slapped and scolded them constantly, and every night, she even made them squat by her feet with a washbasin to clean them.

They endured that hell for almost a year, holding on only because my own college entrance exam was nearing.

Then, Steve died. A machine malfunctioned at the factory and crushed him.

When the news reached my parents who were already half-broken by Marilyn's abuse, they seemed to age decades overnight. Soon after, they fell gravely ill and passed away one after another.

The home that used to be warm and full of laughter became nothing but ashes, with only me left standing.

Hatred consumed me.

The night before my exam, I tied Marilyn up and forced her to kneel before the photos of my parents and Steve. Then, I set a fire that took both of us.

However, when I opened my eyes again, I was back on the very day she asked to come home with me.

Hearing the same request, the one that ruined my entire life, I did not hesitate for a second.

I replied coldly, "Sorry. Steve's about to take the college entrance exam. We're not hosting any outsiders."

My icy statement caused Marilyn's face to freeze over for a second.

"Lizzy, how can you say something so hurtful? Aren't we best friends? How could you call me an outsider?"

Did she finally remember that we were supposedly best friends?

I had never once wronged her. From the very first day we met, I knew her family situation was dire. Her parents adored her younger brother and gave her barely 20 dollars a month to live on.

So, I helped her however I could. I shared half my meals with her every day, saved and scrimped so I could buy her clothes and blankets.

I even lied and told her they were just things my family did not need anymore just to protect her pride, yet somehow, I had earned a hatred so deep she ruined my entire family in my previous life.

Witnessing her pitiful act, I forced myself to calm the rage burning in my chest.

I replied nonchalantly, "That's the truth, isn't it? That's my home. You and I aren't related, so how are you not an outsider?"

In my past life, the moment she looked the slightest bit hurt, I would rush to comfort her. However, I was not that same girl anymore.

After everything she did, the fact that I was not already strangling her was me being calm.

Marilyn's expression cracked.

"Elizabeth Warren, what's that supposed to mean? You call me your best friend every day, and now, I'm suddenly an outsider? Fine. If that's how you feel, I'll leave!"

With red eyes, she stormed out of the dorm.

I let out a long breath as her figure disappeared down the hallway. Then, I packed up my things as fast as I could and took a taxi straight home.

I did not bring her home, so that nightmare from my past life should not repeat itself, right?

Steve would be able to take the exam the next day and would not end up dying in some horrible factory accident.

I stepped out of the taxi with those thoughts haunting my mind. When I reached my front door and glanced up, I felt all the blood drain from my body.

Standing right there at my house, smiling and chatting with Steve, was none other than Marilyn, the same girl who had run out crying from the dorm not even half an hour ago.

When Steve saw me, he waved cheerfully. "Lizzy, you're back!"

I did not even know how I made my legs walk toward him.

My voice came out dry. "What... What's she doing at our house?"

Marilyn hurried up and looped her arm through mine like we were joined at the hip.

"Sheesh, Lizzy, we already talked about this, remember? You said you didn't want me staying alone in the dorm during the exam break, so you'd bring me home for a few days."

Steve nodded with a smile. "Your friend came over to the senior building looking for you. She said you promised to bring her home but forgot because you were busy. So, I brought her over."

He flicked my forehead lightly. "How do you forget your own classmate?"

My whole body went stiff.

Of course, I could not explain the memories from my past life. Who in the right mind would believe something like that?

They would think that I had lost my mind.

Besides, I still did not know why she had done all those things before. Steve's exam was the day after.

If I pushed her too hard, who knew what she might do?

If she insisted on showing up, maybe it was safer to keep her where I could see her.

My brain spun for a few seconds before I finally forced myself to smile. "Yeah, my memory's terrible. Thanks, Steve. Let's head inside."

As we walked in, Marilyn trailed behind me, her voice dripping with smugness.

"See, Lizzy? I knew you couldn't stay mad at me. I knew you wouldn't mind me talking to Steve myself."

I muttered a few meaningless replies, but the whole way in, my mind was racing, trying to figure out what I needed to do that night to protect my brother.

My parents had no idea there was an entire lifetime of hatred between Marilyn and I.

The moment Steve introduced her as my best friend, they rushed over to welcome her warmly.

My dad even made a special trip to the supermarket and came back with bags of snacks, telling her to help herself and make herself at home.

Marilyn did not hold back one bit. She sweet-talked my parents, flattering them until they were beaming with joy.

Watching her pretend to be all innocent and grateful made my stomach turn.

That night, just like in my previous life, my parents said they wanted to give up their master bedroom for her so she could sleep more comfortably.

I noticed her discreetly glancing at the distance between the master bedroom and Steve's room, calculating just like before.

My fingers clenched.

Then, I stood up and said, "Marilyn, since it's your first night here and you might not be used to the place, I made you a cup of warm milk."

I handed her the mug and added casually, "My dad bought it just for you tonight. It's an imported brand."

I knew Marilyn too well. She could not resist taking advantage of anything fancy.

Sure enough, she stopped pretending to decline and downed the whole cup instantly.

I watched her walk into the master bedroom.

At first, I could hear a bit of noise, probably her scrolling on her phone. Then, it went completely quiet.

I pushed the door open a crack and called her name softly a few times.

There was no response. She was completely out cold.

Right then, I hurried to Steve, who was about to go to bed. "Steve, go stay at your friend's place tonight. Didn't he move into the next building?"

My parents were stunned.

"Why on earth would you make Steve go sleep at someone else's house? His exam is tomorrow! How can you ask him to bother someone else like that?"

I gritted my teeth and insisted, "I don't care what it sounds like. He has to stay at his friend's place tonight."

They tried to talk me down, but I rarely pushed for anything this hard. The more they argued, the more I felt myself spiraling toward a breakdown.

In the end, Steve gave in first.

"Alright, alright. It's just one night at my buddy's place. We're close. How is that bothering him? Mom, Dad, don't worry."

He grabbed his phone, shot his friend a message, and headed to the building next door.

Even after he left, my parents kept scolding me for being unreasonable, saying I was stressing him out on the eve of his exam.

Only I, being reborn and remembering everything, knew the truth.

Seeing Steve safely walk out of the house filled me with a wave of relief so strong it almost made me lightheaded.

The next morning, I was jolted awake by a scream.