I had been secretly in love with my dream man for ten years, and when he finally confessed to me, I rejected him without hesitation.

Because in my previous life, I had said yes with overwhelming joy.

What I didn’t know then was that Daniel Foster only confessed to me out of spite, to provoke his adopted sister.

Three days after I accepted, she cried with red eyes, apologized sweetly, and Daniel’s heart softened. On a stormy night, he left me alone in a dark alley for three hours, where I was harassed by drunkards and couldn’t get help.

When I came back, clutching my torn clothes, I demanded an explanation. He only answered coldly with a few words:

“Let’s break up.”

Later, his adopted sister, Isabella Reed, discovered my presence and deliberately drove into me, leaving me half-paralyzed. I filed a lawsuit against her, but Daniel threatened me with chilling words:

“Drop the case, or the next thing you see will be your mother’s corpse.”

I didn’t believe he would truly cover up for a criminal at the cost of my mother’s life. Until one day, I saw my mother lying in a pool of blood at our doorstep, already lifeless. Only then did I understand this man was a true devil.

This time, I had no intention of being entangled with them again.

When I rejected him, everyone was shocked. Even Daniel looked at me in disbelief.

But I walked past him and turned to the boy behind him.

“Hey, handsome, want to be my boyfriend?”

Within an hour, the entire campus at Columbia University was buzzing with the news. Everyone knew how I had chased after Daniel for years, shamelessly devoted. Now, suddenly, I had a change of heart—

and set my eyes on the rebellious, charming campus king, Ethan Walker.

Realizing I was speaking to him, Ethan froze for a second, then raised an eyebrow and smirked as he twisted open a water bottle with one hand.

“You sure about that?”

In front of everyone, he pinned me against the wall.

“If you want to be my girlfriend, there can’t be another man in your heart.”

His gaze deliberately flicked toward Daniel.

Not only he knew, but the whole school knew I, Claire Thompson, was famous for being a lovesick fool, chasing Daniel for years.

I nodded. “I’m sure. From now on, I’ll only like you.”

Then I added softly:

“Even now, it’s only you.”

A flicker of shock flashed in Ethan’s eyes before quickly turning into something more complicated, almost playful.

“Alright then, I’ll believe you this once.”

He slipped the string of wooden beads off his own wrist and clasped it around mine.

“This is my family heirloom. Wearing it means you’re mine. No take-backs.”

The friends behind him stared, stunned.

“Ethan, what’s going on? You’ve always brushed her off.”

“This is Claire Thompson we’re talking about—didn’t you always give her the cold shoulder? How come…?”

Ethan shot them a sideways glance. “Shut up and go get me a ring and some flowers.”

Even his tone grew lighter when he spoke, as if he couldn’t help it.

I knew why he had always worn a scowl when he saw me before.

He couldn’t stand watching me chase after Daniel like a pathetic fool.

He had always liked me in silence. This time, I decided to give him—and myself—a chance.

Just as Ethan and I were about to walk away together, a voice called from behind.

“Claire!”

Daniel frowned, clearly not understanding what was happening.

“Claire, are you sure you’re awake?”

“You rejected my confession? Then why did you send me a love letter every day?”

“And the breakfasts you brought me every morning…”

Daniel looked baffled. He had always thought winning me over would be effortless. He never expected that I wouldn’t even spare him a glance now.

I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Those breakfasts? You always threw them straight into the trash.”

“Professor Foster, no one will wait forever—and besides—”

“All of this before was just me being foolish. We’re teacher and student, nothing more.”

I turned to leave, but Daniel Foster’s frown only deepened.

He was a young entrepreneur from outside the university, who had taken on a part-time position as a guest lecturer because of his friendship with the dean.

I had only taken a few steps when someone grabbed my arm.

“Claire.”

“Didn’t you say you liked me?”

Daniel was truly strange. Back when I had recklessly chased him, he never even glanced at me. But now that I wanted nothing to do with him, he clung on relentlessly.

“I see your worth now. As long as you accept my confession, you’ll be my girlfriend.”

I tilted my head, staring at him in disbelief.

“Oh? Anyone overhearing this would think you’re some emperor choosing a concubine.”

“Why should I accept just because you confessed?”

“Who I like is my choice. And honestly—how could I like someone so much older than me?”

A smirk of disdain tugged at my lips.

“I prefer guys my own age.”

His face drained of color inch by inch, until at last he let go of my arm. I seized the chance to walk quickly away.

Even after I turned the corner and could no longer see him, my heart was still pounding wildly.

The truth was, I had lied.

After being reborn, I couldn’t bear the thought of this man appearing in my life again. Every time I saw his face, I thought of my mother lying lifeless in a pool of blood. I thought of the anguish in her eyes, how she couldn’t rest in peace. I thought of her last words to me, whispered with her final breath:

“Good girl, stay away from that man… run for your life…”

This time, I had to listen to her.

I thought that after making myself clear that day, Daniel would give up. After all, his confession had only been impulsive, a way to spite Isabella Reed, his adopted sister, by making her jealous.

In my previous life, I was too foolish to understand the truth, too eager to be the scapegoat. This time, I swore I’d keep my distance.

But Daniel clung to me like a shadow I couldn’t shake.

“Claire Thompson, look—Professor Foster keeps staring at you!”

In class, while I was spacing out, my classmate nudged me with her elbow.

“The day he confessed to you went viral on the campus forum. You’re famous now, don’t you know?”

“Just look at the lovestruck way he watches you. Maybe being his loyal puppy for so long actually moved him?”

I followed her gaze, and sure enough, my eyes met Daniel’s. But only for a second—I quickly looked away.

It was exhausting.

Back then, I had pulled every string possible just to get into his classes. Now, even though I wanted nothing more than to avoid him, I couldn’t skip them—my credits depended on it.

Beside me, my classmate kept gossiping until I finally pressed a hand over her mouth.

“Pay attention to the lecture.”

“And stop spreading those stupid rumors. There’s nothing between me and Professor Foster.”

I didn’t hear a single word of the lesson. My head was full of my dinner plans with Ethan Walker—we were supposed to grab Korean BBQ.

When class ended, the rain outside was pouring hard. Of course, I had forgotten my umbrella.

One by one, the other students left the building. I stood under the eaves, waiting like a fool.

Then suddenly, a black umbrella appeared above my head.

“You can take this one.”

Daniel’s voice was low and magnetic, sounding far too close to my ear.

In the past, just hearing him speak to me was enough to keep me giddy for hours, even sleepless through the night.

But now, all I wanted was to stay as far away from him as possible.

“No need. My boyfriend is coming to pick me up.”

I pulled out my phone and texted Ethan Walker. The moment the screen lit up, Daniel Foster’s expression darkened.

“Your wallpaper… when did you change it?”

I glanced down at my phone, puzzled. “Oh, this? Of course, the day I started dating my boyfriend.”

“And since I already have a boyfriend, it wouldn’t be appropriate to keep another man as my wallpaper, would it?”

Daniel’s face turned completely black.

For five years, my wallpaper had been a candid shot of his back. He’d even stumbled across it once before.

But after my rebirth, the very first thing I did was replace it.

I couldn’t find anything better, so I simply chose a selfie Ethan had sent me.

The more I looked at it, the more I liked it.

As soon as I finished speaking, the air around us grew heavy.

“Claire…” Daniel’s voice was low, as if he was about to say more—

But before he could, a familiar voice rang out from not far away.

“Claire!”

Ethan’s car pulled up in front of me. His eyes landed on the black umbrella in Daniel’s hand, and he gave a short laugh.

He stepped out, opened his own umbrella over me, then slipped an arm firmly around my waist.

“Thanks for the offer, Professor Foster, but I’ll be the one to pick up my girlfriend.”

I followed Ethan into the car.

Even after we’d driven far away, I couldn’t help glancing back. Daniel still stood there like a statue, staring at me as if rooted to the spot.

If not for all the cruelty he had shown me in my past life—seeing that look in his eyes, I might have almost believed he truly loved me.

“Stop looking. Your professor has already left.”

Ethan gave me a mocking side-eye, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

I punched him lightly.

“What do you mean, my professor? He has nothing to do with me, okay?”

Ethan quickly surrendered.

“Alright, alright, I said the wrong thing.”

When we arrived at the Korean BBQ restaurant, he held my hand tightly the entire time, his gaze so tender it nearly melted me.

“Claire, I honestly feel like I’m dreaming. I wake up, and you’re my girlfriend.”

I swatted him again.

“Cut it out and go grill the meat. I’m starving.”

After dinner, we went to see a movie. I was so exhausted that I fell asleep on the couch afterward.

When I woke up, I found myself resting on Ethan’s lap. He had kept the same position the entire night, not daring to move an inch.

“Are your legs numb?”

He forced a cool expression, face impassive.

“Of course not.”

But I caught the way he winced in pain when he turned, reflected in the glass behind him.

I laughed silently to myself. Maybe liking someone else wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

I wanted to go home to see my mom—the person I owed the most from my past life.

Back then, because of my foolish relationship, I was deliberately run down by Isabella Reed and left half-disabled.

I wanted justice for myself, but instead, my mother became a hostage—Daniel’s weapon against me.

“Drop the lawsuit, or you’ll find your mother’s corpse.”

Those cold words still haunted my nightmares.

That afternoon after class, I shouldered my bag and hailed a cab outside Columbia’s gate, planning to visit her.

But just then, a pink Porsche came speeding straight toward me.