Her Turn to Break the Rules

The final memory of my previous life was the blinding, searing agony of acid burning into my eyes, pushing me to the brink of death.

Through the haze of excruciating pain and blurred vision, I spotted Linda Lowe hiding behind my brother. Gripping a cake knife, I lunged forward and drove it into her chest.

“Let’s go to hell together!”

…

When I opened my eyes again, the unexpectedly vivid scene before me left me stunned for two seconds.

Then I saw Linda, younger and almost unrecognizable, standing a short distance away.

Dressed in a washed-out school uniform, she twisted the faucet open, letting the water cascade over her head.

While drenching herself, she laughed and asked, “Who do you think they’ll believe, me or you?”

That was when it hit me.

So, it was today. The very day the rumors of me bullying her began in my last life.

Seeing me frozen in place, Linda’s smile widened.

“Have you thought about how you'll apologize to me, Miss Wood?”

“Ah—!”

A surge of old grudges and fresh anger roared to life within me.

I rushed over, grabbed her by the hair, and dragged her into the bathroom.

Her sudden, shrill screams echoed as I shoved her face into the toilet.

“Pouring a little water on yourself and you think you can frame me? Let me show you what real bullying looks like.”

Linda thrashed like a madwoman, her arms flailing as if powered by engines, but she couldn’t break free from my grip.

Her face was forced into the filthy water, and her muffled voice bubbled up, “Sierra Wood, let me go… gurgle… ugh—”

I threw my head back and laughed.

“Since your mouth is so filthy, make sure to wash it clean before you go telling tales!”

Whether this was some chance to rewrite the past or just a hallucination after death, I didn’t care anymore.

I let go of my sanity completely.

…

In my previous life, I died on what should have been the most glorious day of my life.

That day, I won my third Best Actress award, dressed in a couture gown, standing next to my childhood sweetheart and fiancé, Alec Rivers, at our grandly live-streamed engagement party.

Then he announced to the entire world, “I would never marry a despicable woman who bullied her classmates in high school.”

I stared at him in stunned disbelief.

From the audience, Linda stepped forward, her eyes brimming with tears, her lips curving into a soft, triumphant smile.

“Sierra, do you remember me? The Linda Lowe you bullied for ten years. I bet you never imagined a day would come when we’d stand on equal ground.

“But it’s fine. I don’t blame you anymore. What’s done is done. The past is behind us now.”

The live stream made her an overnight sensation.

Before I could even process what was happening, the reporters that Alec and my brother had arranged swarmed in, surrounding me.

“Miss Wood, is it true that you’re still bullying newcomers on set?”

“Recently, someone spotted you visiting a gynecologist. Is it because you caught an STD from your promiscuous lifestyle?”

A fanatic fan burst through the crowd and flung acid straight at my face.

“Die, you shameless woman!”