Chapter 1

A sharp crash rang in my ears, and I opened my eyes wide.

A runaway truck had slammed into a luxury car.

The car door burst open, and Nicholas stumbled out. His face was pale, and blood seeped from his forehead.

Before I could move, Vicky shot forward like an arrow and shoved me aside. She even threw me a wary glance over her shoulder.

She knelt beside Nicholas. Her voice trembled with concern. “Sir, are you alright? Does anything hurt?”

Then she turned and shouted at me, “Lydia, go to your interview, or you’ll be late! I’ll handle things here! It’s a matter of life and death!”

Her face was full of urgency and worry, but I could clearly see the suppressed delight and smugness hiding in her eyes.

I knew then that she had been reborn too.

I gave her a faint smile. “Fine. I’ll leave it to you.”

Vicky froze and glanced back at me. “Why aren’t you helping him? In the last life, you—”

Realizing what she had said, she fell silent. I already knew what she meant to say.

I stopped paying attention to her. I turned and walked into the Wells Group building.

As I entered the interview room, I felt an unprecedented calm.

The chief interviewer was Peter White, the firm’s investment director. He was also known as the Iron-Faced Director.

He adjusted his glasses, and his gaze was sharp. “Lydia Sterling, right? One of the two top aces of Princesston University’s Finance Department. I’ve heard a lot about you.

“There’s a case I would like you to analyze.”

He slid a file toward me.

“A traditional manufacturing company is being overtaken by rising internet enterprises. Its market share has dropped by seventy percent in three years, and it is on the verge of bankruptcy. If you were part of our strategic investment department, how would you handle this?”

I thought for a moment, then spoke with confidence. “I suggest abandoning acquisition plans and opting for equity partnership instead.”

Peter stayed silent for a long time, then suddenly smiled.

“Lydia, report to my office tomorrow. You’ll be a strategic analyst directly under my supervision.”

We exchanged a knowing smile.

In my previous life, I missed this interview because I stopped to save someone. I lost my chance at Wells Group and at the finance career I loved.

However, in this life, I would not miss out on any opportunities.

When I walked out of the Wells Group building, a black luxury car slowly passed in front of me.

The window was lowered. Vicky sat in the back seat, while Nicholas’ assistant was attending to her every need respectfully.

She noticed me, and her gaze was filled with contempt and pride. It was as if she was trying to say that I still lost after all.

I met her gaze calmly, then looked away as if she were invisible.

Even after being reborn, Vicky still did not understand.

One man’s treasure was another man’s trash.

Nothing ever came without a cost.