A Perfect Swap

My fiance, Damian Hale, looked me over with open contempt, his voice dripping with scorn. "Look at you. Your double chin is practically hanging down to your chest. You look like a disgusting pig. Yet, you still think you're worthy of becoming my bride?"

He paused, his tone turning even colder.

"Let me make this clear. The wedding's off if you fail to get down to 80 pounds."

I stared at my reflection, still reeling from the shock of waking up again.

I was five-foot-six and weighed 110 pounds. Frankly, my height to weight ratio was on the healthy side of the scale. Yet to Damian, I was huge.

In my last life, I had loved him enough to believe every cruel word he said.

I starved myself down to one meal a day and exercised like I was trying to punish my own body. I kept going even though I was so tired I could barely stand and even when hunger left me weak and dizzy.

I wanted nothing more than to lose weight, to be thinner just so I could earn his approval.

Alas, he had never once felt sorry for me.

If anything, the more desperate I became, the crueler he got.

Talia Cross sat on the couch, eating the imported fruit I'd bought, looking far too entertained by all of it.

"Seriously, Elise, it's not just your double chin anymore. Your stomach's gotten huge, too. At this point, Damian would probably crumple if you punched him."

She paused on purpose, her eyes gleaming with mockery.

"You're not pretending to diet while secretly stuffing your face behind our backs, are you? Damian is seriously going to dump you if you keep this up."

The smug look on her face made my chest tighten.

Talia was the scholarship student I had supported for years.

I covered for her when she couldn't afford her tuition fees. When she had nowhere to go, I gave her a place to stay when she had nowhere to go. I never failed to lend her a helping hand when she was short on money. I was also always there for her when she needed a shoulder to cry on.

I had treated her like a little sister, yet this was how she repaid me.

Still, I knew this wasn't the right time to expose them.

"Elise, are you deaf?" Damian snapped. "Why aren't you saying anything?"

I swallowed the fury rising in my chest and forced a smile. "I heard you. Don't worry. I'll take the diet seriously."

"Really?" Talia's eyes lit up a little too fast.

She leaned forward, practically glowing with anticipation. "It should be enough as long as you lose 40 pounds. Personally, I think 80 pounds is the perfect weight. That's the best weight, really."

The way she kept repeating that number sent a chill down my spine.

However, my sweet smile never fell from my lips as I slipped my arm through Damian's, playing the part of the devoted fiancee.

"Of course, I'm serious. I should listen to my boyfriend if he wants me to lose weight. Otherwise, how am I supposed to become his beautiful bride?"

Damian finally looked satisfied.

…

Meanwhile, Talia went stiff. Her expression darkened instantly, jealousy flashing bare in her eyes.

Then, she grabbed my wrist and yanked me to my feet.

"All right, that's enough," she said. "Save the lovey-dovey act for someone else. You should be working on that diet plan already before you somehow end up even heavier."