Chapter 3

The soft click of the seat belt release sounded unnaturally loud in the dead silence of the car.

I straightened up and looked toward the front.

"Frank, something urgent just came up. Please pull over up ahead and let me out."

Frank stared at me through the rearview mirror.

I clenched my fists and met his gaze. I knew he was sizing me up, trying to decide whether he could take me in a fight.

After a moment, he finally replied, "Fine."

The car pulled over and came to a slow stop at a fork in the road.

I pushed open the door and had barely stepped onto the gravel-strewn dirt when I paused.

I turned and looked at Tiffany, who was still scrolling through short videos with her head down.

'Though she had caused my entire family's deaths in the previous timeline, the tragedy hadn't happened yet,' I thought.

I looked at her foolish face and allowed myself one final moment of compassion. After all, a life was still a life. It was the last chance I would give her.

"Do you want to get out here with me?"

Tiffany's finger abruptly stopped mid-scroll.

She looked up and gave me a once-over as if I were insane. The corner of her mouth curled into a deeply mocking sneer.

"Huh? Get out with you?"

She rolled her eyes dramatically and scoffed, her voice shrill and grating.

"It's the middle of the night, and you want me to get out? What are you planning? Hitting on me didn't work, so now you want me to get out with you?"

She leaned back and folded her arms across her chest. Her gaze was filled with contempt and disgust.

"Take a good look at yourself. You're wearing cheap bargain-bin clothes that cost less than two hundred dollars altogether, and you think you can pull a trick like this on me? You must be out of your mind if you think you have a chance with me."

I stared at her expressionlessly and said nothing.

My silence only worked Tiffany up further, as if she had finally found an outlet for her anger.

"What are you looking at? Did I hit a nerve? Cat got your tongue?

"Look at you, acting all high and mighty when you're nothing but a broke nobody. Did your parents forget to put a brain in your head? They raised a useless piece of trash with no common sense and nothing but filthy thoughts in his head!"

My fingers tightened inch by inch around the door handle. I took a deep breath and slowly loosened my grip.

Whatever lingering urge I had to get involved was gone for good.

Those who refused to listen were beyond saving. I had to let her face the consequences of her choices.

"Fine. Good luck."

With a sneer, I stepped back and left the car.

Afraid I might change my mind and get back in, Frank immediately turned and said, "Hey, since you're getting out before reaching your destination, I won't charge you for the ride.

"I'll mark the trip as free in the system. It's late. You should get going."

Tiffany exploded the instant she heard that.

"Oh, really? I said I'd pay you as soon as my mom gave the money, and you had a problem with that, but now you're giving him a free ride? What's this, some kind of gender discrimination?

"I'm telling you right now. I'm not paying you either. If you try to stop me from leaving when we get there, I'll expose you online!"

Frank glanced at her. A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth as he nodded.

"Got it. I won't charge you either."

Tiffany let out a contemptuous snort toward the back of Frank's head.

"See? I knew you'd back down. Start driving right now. If we arrive even one minute later than the estimated time, I'll report you."

I closed the door and watched the car's two red taillights disappear in the distance. I stared in the direction it had gone. A cold smile slowly spread across my lips.

'Tiffany, in the previous timeline, you built your success on the destruction of my life while millions of followers showered you with adoration. This time, you can enjoy the nightmare you brought upon yourself,' I thought.