“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.

My legs nearly gave out as memories from my previous life flooded back, threatening to drown me.

That was Isabella Reed’s car!

All I could think was—I couldn’t let her hit me again. I stumbled and scrambled out of the way, just in time for her pink Porsche 911 to slam into a stone pillar, crumpling its front end.

She stepped out in a frilly princess dress, not the slightest bit distressed over her wrecked car. Instead, her face was twisted with pure hatred for me.

“You bitch, how dare you try to seduce my brother? Do you even have the qualifications?”

“With a face that ugly, women like you—scheming and shameless—I’ve seen too many of them.”

I honestly wondered if Isabella was insane. Who runs someone down with a car without a second thought? Clearly, Daniel Foster had spoiled her rotten. If she didn’t serve time in prison, it would be an injustice to everyone she tormented with her arrogance.

I stared at her blankly.

“Excuse me, do I even know you? What gives you the right to try to run me over?”

“This is a civilized society. If you come at me again, I’ll call the cops.”

Isabella glared at me with open contempt, her eyes brimming with hatred.

“Look at you—ugly and pathetic. I don’t even know what my brother sees in you.”

Finally, it clicked.

She must have heard the rumors spreading around Columbia University—that the aloof Daniel Foster had been relentlessly pursuing a female student. Jealous, she had stormed onto campus demanding to know who it was.

Someone pointed at the Dean’s Honor List board, where my name and photo were posted.

“That’s her. Claire Thompson.”

And so, Isabella floored her Porsche straight at me.

Crossing her arms, she looked down at me with smug disdain.

“Don’t you know who my brother is? Even if I kill you today, nothing will happen to me.”

“Is that so?”

I sneered as I pulled out my phone and dialed 911.

“Yes, officer, I’m outside Columbia University. Someone just tried to kill me with their car.”

She thought I was an easy target. She had no idea—I was just as ruthless as she was.

In my past life, Daniel shielded her after she murdered my mother. I took justice into my own hands, killing them both before turning myself in. I’ve always believed in repaying blood with blood.

And this life would be no different.

Soon, Daniel arrived—this time with the police.

“What happened here?”

Isabella immediately rushed over, clinging to his arm with a pitiful look.

“Brother, she bullied me! I was just driving along, and she threw herself at my car. Now my car’s totaled because of her!”

I almost laughed out loud. The lies rolled off her tongue without a pause.

When the officer asked me, I simply pointed at the nearby security camera.

“Check the footage. Everything’s recorded.”

Daniel nodded and went to look, but Isabella yanked his sleeve desperately.

“Brother, don’t you believe me?”

Daniel gently pulled his arm away.

“At home, I can indulge your tantrums. But outside, there are laws. If you’re not at fault, I’ll protect you. But if you are… I won’t cover for you.”

Panic flickered across Isabella’s face.

Moments later, the footage confirmed everything—she had deliberately driven straight at me.

She was taken to the police station for questioning. As the officers escorted her into the squad car, she twisted back, glaring at me with venom.

“Claire Thompson, just you wait!”

I brushed the dust off my hands, unbothered.

Let her wait. I’d already been through hell once. What did I have to fear?

Back home, I cooked dinner with my own hands for my mother.