Chapter 3

A few days later, I heard Heidi's "inner voice" again. The timing didn't surprise me in the least.

"What should I do? Those thugs told me to meet them behind the school tomorrow. If I don't, they'll burn down the garage…

"Only Daniella can save me. No, I can't possibly trouble her again!"

In that instant, Heidi looked at me, her eyes brimming with pity and desperation.

In my past life, I had trusted her inner voice. I had gone all the way to the mountain behind the school, only to realize too late that it had led me into a trap.

This time, I had no intention of responding. I pretended as though I hadn't heard a single word.

Noticing my silence, Heidi quickly adopted a wounded expression. "What should I do? They'll beat me to death tomorrow…" she whispered, her voice choked with tears.

I kept my gaze fixed on my phone, pretending to ignore her. But just as I was about to return to my room, she suddenly grabbed the hem of my shirt.

Feigning surprise, I asked, "What's wrong, Heidi? Are you being bullied?"

The moment I finished speaking, her tears came rushing out.

"Daniella, some thugs are forcing me to go to the mountain behind the school tomorrow. If I don't, they'll do something terrible to me…

"Please, Daniella! I'm begging you. You're the only one who can save me!"

As I looked at Heidi's pitiful face, memories from my past life surged back. When she had stood on that mountain before, she hadn't flinched in the slightest.

The thought filled me with fury. Before long, a plan started to take root in my mind.

After steadying myself, I gave her a faint smile. "Don't worry. I'll make sure those bad guys get what they deserve."

Since I couldn't avoid what was coming, I decided to make the most of it instead.

The next day arrived sooner than I expected. Following the location Heidi had given me, I headed to the mountain behind the school.

As soon as I reached the designated spot, several thugs stepped out from behind the trees.

I scanned the area, but Heidi was nowhere to be found.

The group's leader had blond hair. After yanking the stick from my hand, he shoved me down beside a filthy, stagnant puddle.

I struggled fiercely, my voice shaking with fear. "What do you want from me? Let me go!"

His stern voice rumbled in my ear. "Don't even think about it. You're not getting away."

In a heartbeat, the dreadful memories of my past life came flooding back, consuming my thoughts.

My hands trembled as I shouted, "Who ordered you to do this? I'll pay you whatever you want! Just let me go!"

As my words fell, the blond thug laughed mockingly. "Are you kidding me? What could you possibly offer us? Did you know that your sister handed over a whopping five thousand bucks?"

At the mention of the amount, his grip tightened around me.

"She said that once you're out of the picture, your family's billion-dollar fortune will be hers. From then on, she'll live a life of endless luxury."

With his hand clamped over my mouth, I was completely silenced. I could only stare at him, my eyes widening in horror.

Without warning, he shoved me down harder, forcing my face into the puddle of stagnant water. I gasped for air, my awareness fading with every second.

Soon, my strength ebbed away, and my body went limp. Noticing how I no longer struggled, the blond thug finally let go of me.

Rising to his feet, he whistled sharply. Heidi slowly emerged from the edge of the woods.

With her neat dress and eager expression, she looked nothing like the timid, pitiful sister she pretended to be every day.

She nudged me with her foot, worry flickering across her face. "Daniella, are you alright?" she asked nervously.

Realizing that I wasn't moving, she broke into a satisfied smile. "Excellent work, everyone. Clean up the scene and make it appear to be an accident. I'll pay you afterward."

Just as she was feeling pleased with herself, Dad's voice suddenly thundered from afar. "Heidi! What on earth are you doing?"