Chapter 1

"Lexi's just cold. It's one night. What's the big deal about letting her borrow your jacket?"

Preston's impatient voice snapped me back to reality.

The dizzying neon lights, the sharp sting of alcohol in the air.

I was in a private room at the class party.

My vision slowly focused on Preston's smug, self-righteous face.

Next to him stood Lexi, her eyes red, a look of pure grievance etched on her features.

My gaze dropped, locking onto the black custom-made trench coat in the crook of my arm.

A chill shot down my spine, like being plunged into an ice bath.

I was reborn. Back on the night that sealed my fate.

"Vanessa? What are you spacing out for?" Preston frowned and, without another word, reached out and violently yanked the coat from my arms.

"Give it here. Lexi's fragile. Do you want it on your conscience if she gets sick?"

The classmates around us immediately chimed in.

"Come on, Vanessa, you're loaded. What's one coat?"

"Everyone's watching. Don't be so cheap."

"Lexi is always so sweet. Why are you always picking on her?"

I watched as Lexi lowered her head, a flash of triumph in her eyes.

My stomach churned. The hatred from my past life erupted into a burning rage.

I shot my hand out and snatched the coat back from Preston.

"I don't like people touching my things."

Preston froze, stunned that I, who had always been so compliant, would dare to defy him in public.

Lexi's eyes immediately welled up, and two perfect tears streamed down her face.

"I'm sorry, Vanessa, it's my fault." She bit her lip, her voice trembling. "I know your clothes are expensive, so it's normal you don't want to lend them to me... Preston, just forget it. I'll be fine, I can handle the cold. Don't make Vanessa mad because of me."

She had the innocent act down to a science.

Seeing this, the other students started defending her.

"Vanessa, we're all classmates. You're being heartless."

"Yeah, besides, if Lexi and Preston hadn't invited you, none of us would want a spoiled princess like you at our party anyway..."

Their blatant hostility was ironic.

In my past life, to experience a normal college life and make real friends, I'd hidden my identity as the Falcone heiress, only saying I was from a regular rich family.

But my social life was terrible. Besides Lexi and Preston, no one wanted to hang out with me.

Only after I died did I learn it was because those two bastards had been spreading rumors about me the whole time.

They told everyone I bossed them around with my money and was physically abusive...

That's why when I was framed for bullying, not a single person spoke up for me.

Seeing I wasn't budging, Preston roughly grabbed my wrist and yanked.

"You're giving Lexi the coat today, and then you're going to apologize to her, right now!"

He used all his strength.

Caught off guard, I slammed hard into the corner of the wall. A sharp, piercing pain shot through me.

In that instant, the shattering pain of falling to my death in my past life seemed to merge perfectly with the pain I felt now.

I steadied myself and violently shook his hand off.

Then, I raised my right hand and swung with every ounce of strength I had.

SLAP!

A crisp, loud slap landed squarely on his arrogant face.

His head snapped to the side. Everyone stared at me, dumbfounded.

Preston clutched his face, his eyes red with humiliation as he stared at me in disbelief. "Vanessa! You dare hit me?!"

"I slapped an ungrateful leech, that's what," I said, my voice ice-cold as I stared him down. "Don't you forget, your tuition, your living expenses—my family pays for all of it. Since you love her so much, we're done. Go protect your precious Lexi."

The moment I said we were breaking up, Preston's face changed.

"Vanessa, what is this nonsense? Lexi is my sister, and you're her future sister-in-law. Isn't it natural for you to take care of her? I only act this way because I already see you as family!"

I curled my lip into a sneer.

"Preston, do you really take me for an idiot?"

"And let me tell you, I have no interest in being part of your family."

With that, I grabbed my bag and turned to leave.

Provoked, Preston started yelling at my back.

"With that spoiled princess attitude, who else would want you but me? All you know is how to humiliate me with your filthy money! You're so high and mighty, you have no respect for anyone. You're disgusting!"

I couldn't help but laugh.

He didn't seem to feel humiliated when he was swiping my secondary card, or when he was happily accepting gifts from me that cost tens of thousands of dollars.

I pulled out my phone and called my financial assistant. "Cancel the secondary black card under my name. Immediately."

"And print out the last three years of transaction history for that card."

"Yes, every single one. Also, get the family's legal team on standby."

He felt humiliated? Fine. Then he could pay back every last cent of that humiliation.