Chapter 3

“Never judge a book by its cover. Having a coworker like her is seriously the biggest stain on my life.”

I ignored everyone’s mocking comments and simply smiled as I escorted Elijah and his group out. After everything I went through in my previous life, words like these meant nothing to me anymore.

After that, I took a day off work and went to handle the paperwork for the house transfer and pick up the car. By the time everything was done, it was already evening. So, I drove back to the apartment I once shared with Cole, planning to pack my things and move out for good; this time, I was completely done with him.

The moment I opened the door, I saw Cassie and Cole sitting closely together on the couch, looking disgustingly affectionate. Cassie was smiling sweetly as she fed him grapes, their eyes filled with affection. Yet, in my past life, I had been too blind to notice any of it. They had fooled me completely, toyed with me behind my back, and eventually even caused my death. Thinking back on it now, I really had been stupid.

Sensing my gaze, Cole looked toward the door. The moment he saw me, panic flashed in his eyes, and he immediately put some distance between himself and Cassie.

Then, he asked, “Why are you back, Sadie? We broke up. What are you doing at my place?”

I laughed in disbelief. “Your place? Don’t forget I paid half the rent here, too. This is my home just as much as yours. If an outsider like Cassie is here, why can’t I?”

Cassie’s expression stiffened for a moment, but she quickly forced out a fake smile and said, “Sadie, please don’t misunderstand. Cole’s been in a bad mood, so I came to help talk things out between the two of you. Cole, stop giving her the cold shoulder. Sadie came all the way back here to ask for your forgiveness.”

Listening to Cassie’s usual manipulative nonsense, I found it ridiculous. In my previous life, every time Cole and I argued, she would play the peacemaker, acting as if she were trying to help us reconcile. Yet somehow, after every single one of her “mediations,” our fights only got worse, and now I understood why. She was never trying to help; she was deliberately stirring the pot while getting closer to Cole behind my back.

Seeing me smile, Cole mistakenly thought I believed Cassie’s act. He lifted his chin and snorted.

“Sadie, since Cassie’s been saying good things about you, I’ll give you one last chance. As long as you return those gifts, I can overlook everything and forgive you, I guess,” he said.

I was speechless for a moment. “Cole, stop being so full of yourself. I don’t care about your forgiveness. I meant it when I agreed to break up with you at the office earlier. We’re over. I only came back to pack my things before moving into my new home.”

The moment I snapped back at him, Cole’s face turned pale. At the mention of the mansion, both his and Cassie’s eyes turned green with envy, and they gritted their teeth in frustration. Suddenly, as if she thought of something, Cassie leaned toward Cole and whispered a few words into his ear.

I couldn’t be bothered to care, so I went straight into the bedroom to pack. I took the wooden doll Cole had once hand-carved for me—a keepsake I had kept in the drawer—and smashed it in half. Then, I tore down every cute photo strip we had hanging on the wall and threw the shredded pieces into the trash.

I had no idea what Cassie had said to Cole, but when I walked back out after packing my things, he immediately stood in my way.

He looked at me with his scheming eyes and said, “Sadie, since we’ve broken up, we should settle things once and for all. You wasted five years of my youth. For that, you need to make up for the breakup and emotional damage I’ve suffered. I’m not asking for much. Just transfer that mansion under your name to me to make up for it. Besides, what use does a woman have for a house anyway?”

I nearly laughed from sheer anger at his shamelessness. So this was what they had been secretly plotting earlier.

When I didn’t respond, Cole grabbed my wrist, a vicious look flashing through his eyes.

“Sadie, if you don’t make it up to me, don’t even think about leaving here today.”

Clearly, he had no intention of letting me go unless he managed to scam a mansion out of me.