Chapter 1

Gabert Yates, the third son of the Yates family, became the general manager of his family's company at a young age. He was a rising star in the business world, basking in endless glory.

However, one day, a business rival exposed the truth. He was not his father's biological son but the illegitimate child of his mother and her childhood sweetheart. As a result, he was whipped 30 times by Mr. Yates Sr., then cast out of the family. Eventually, he became a stray with nowhere to go.

I was the girl next door and his childhood friend, always trailing behind him with tears shimmering in my eyes since we were kids. I was someone he had long been annoyed with.

I should have been the one to comfort him at his lowest point. I was supposed to be his savior.

However, the floating comments before my eyes would not allow that to happen.

[Stop crying. Crying won’t solve your childhood friend’s problems. You’re just being a jinx.]

My hands trembled as I held the medicine. “But Gabert is badly injured. It must hurt a lot…”

Gabert had delicate, handsome features. However, his eyes looked sharp and cautious, making him unapproachable.

Even on his knees, his back remained perfectly straight. His bare back was exposed. His muscles were sharply defined, but they were streaked with bloodstained wounds that looked terrifying.

A comment drifted by: [Crybaby, your childhood friend has a great body!]

Was that really the point?

I hesitated for a long time before finally stepping forward. As I moved, some of the hot water accidentally spilled, burning my hand and causing blisters. It was a terrible start, and I almost started crying again.

I walked up to him. “Gabert… Does it hurt?”

[Crybaby, be fiercer. Acting all teary will only make your childhood friend hate you more.]

Fine! I would be fierce!

Gritting my teeth, I splashed the hot medicated water straight onto him. Unfortunately, my hands were shaking, and I missed. Only a bit of hot water splashed onto his thigh.

Gabert’s expression darkened instantly. Before he could question me, tears were already shimmering in my eyes.

It was because the comments were scolding me.

[You’re so useless! You can’t even do something as simple as splashing hot water. How are you supposed to win your childhood friend’s heart?]

[Is it really that hard to act like a vicious heiress?]

[No wonder the male lead is annoyed with you. Who would like a girl who cries all the time?]

I lowered my head. “I’m sorry. I’ll become fiercer.”

[Do you even want your Gabert to fall for you? If you keep acting like a simp, you’ll only make the male lead hate you more.]

[You have to become a vicious heiress to win your crazy childhood friend’s heart.]

[Otherwise, once Gabert turns into a devil, he’ll make anyone he dislikes disappear, including you, crybaby.]

My heart trembled. In my previous life, it was because I kept acting like his devoted lapdog that Gabert locked me in a basement and tortured me miserably.

Thinking of that, my shoulders trembled with fear, and I quietly sobbed.

Seeing my tears, impatience crept up on Gabert’s face.

“Get lost!”

A cold, bloodthirsty aura radiated from him, frightening me so much I could not even move.

[Hurry and fix this! Remember, you’re a vicious heiress. Go and kick him. Kick him hard a few times!]

[Do you still want to change your fate? If you do, then do it!]

The comments kept urging me on.

Without thinking, I lifted my right foot and kicked. My foot landed on the inner part of his thigh.

[Didn’t you eat? Put some strength into it!]

[Just stepping on him isn’t enough. Step harder and curse him too!]

[Crush him! Ruin him! Indulge in this game with him!]