Chapter 1

I put on a smile and pushed the glass of wine to my best friend, Rachel Jost. I urged, "Go, Rachel. You and your dream guy should drink from the same glass to celebrate!"

"Don't joke around, Stella. How could I possibly…"

Rachel's face flushed red as she tapped my arm playfully in mock anger. Then, she looked at Carter Slade with eager anticipation.

Her voice was feminine and coy as she said, "Don't mind Stella, Carter. She likes to joke around. If you feel awkward, we can… We can just clink glasses."

Upon hearing that, Carter finally looked up and shot me a cold glance.

When he spoke, his tone was laced with mockery. "You sure know how to liven up the atmosphere, Stella Leigh."

I found his response amusing.

In my previous life, he had been exactly like this. Even though he loathed Rachel to the core, he didn't dare show it openly as he was wary of the Jost family's power and influence.

So, he staged this so-called gathering today to shift all of Rachel's attention onto me.

In my past life, I knocked over that spiked glass of wine to save Rachel. I saved her life, only to be killed by her in return.

After I died, I saw Carter standing in the shadows on the rooftop. He called the police excitedly, "Hello, police? There's been a murder!"

He reported Rachel and had her sentenced to life while keeping his own hands completely clean.

Now that I'd been given a second chance at life, I wouldn't let either of these lunatics with their hidden agendas get away this time.

"Since it's a celebration, let's not spoil the mood." Carter's voice pulled me back to the present.

I watched as he picked up the wine bottle—the very one he had tampered with—and poured a glass. Then, he pushed it toward me.

The dark red liquid swirled in the glass. To me, it was like a venomous snake flicking its tongue.

"Stella is our guest. You should have the first toast," Carter said.

As I stared at the glass in front of me, my heart jolted with fear.

Carter was a suspicious man. My unusual behavior just now had put him on guard. So, he was testing me. He wanted to gauge whether I had seen him spike the drink or if I was just pretending to be clueless.

My life was on the line.

I had seen with my own eyes that he had tampered with the wine. If I drank it, whether I lived or died would be entirely up to fate. But if I didn't drink, Rachel would take all her frustration from this failed date out on me.

It seemed that only death awaited me either way.

"What? Are you going to reject my kind offer?" Carter asked with a raised brow. "Or do you think there's something in this wine, and you don't dare to drink it?"