System: Womb for Womb

"From now on, we'll be roommates. This crystal bracelet is a little welcome gift. It's said to bring good luck," Ruby declared, her words brimming with excitement. With a cheerful smile, she placed the delicate bracelet into my hand.

Staring at the familiar crystals, I suddenly realized I had been reborn.

"Thank you for the thoughtful gift, but this bracelet looks expensive. We've just met, so I don't think it's appropriate for me to accept something so costly. I'm afraid I can't take it." As I spoke, I tried to return the bracelet to her.

Ruby and her mother, Edith Klein, were dressed in plain clothes. Their attire seemed to reflect a life far from luxury. Still, something about the situation felt off.

Though there were four of us in the dorm, Ruby was only offering the bracelet to me.

Daniel gently placed his hand over mine. "Ruby's offering the bracelet to you out of kindness. You'll be roommates for the next four years. Accepting it is just basic courtesy."

"Exactly," Ruby chimed in. "If you don't take it, you're just being rude to me."

A smirk played at the corner of my mouth. Daniel was my best friend growing up. The only reason I had even applied to this university was because of him. But before the semester even started, he was already getting close to Ruby in the freshmen group chat. He had even told me to keep my distance from him.

I reached out, grabbing his hand. "I think this bracelet would look good on you. Why don't you try it on?"

Startled, Daniel yanked his hand back and stepped away. "But this is Ruby's gift to you. How can you give it to me? Won't that upset her?"

Sure enough, Daniel knew exactly what this bracelet was capable of.

I quietly stashed it away, deciding not to say another word.

When Ruby and Daniel weren't looking, I seized the chance and quickly slid the bracelet onto Edith's wrist. As I watched the bracelet glow with an eerie light, I knew that her bond with Ruby had been successfully forged.

Edith ran her fingers over the bracelet, a smile crossing her face. "It's good that you're so sensible. I can't believe my daughter insisted on giving you such an expensive gift. I couldn't bring myself to part with it.

"With that outfit, I'm guessing you're trying to turn some heads. Just make sure you don't lead Ruby down the wrong path in the future. Anyway, I'll take the bracelet back. Don't let her know, or she'll make a fuss."

I smiled. "Don't worry, Mrs. Winslow. I won't say a word."

In my past life, I had worn this same bracelet. The instant it made contact with my skin, something unseen threaded my womb to Ruby's.

Her goal was to sleep with a hundred boys. She'd stay out all night, diving into new fantasies with each of them. But no matter how promiscuous she was, she never conceived.

Meanwhile, I found myself constantly pregnant, only to suffer endless miscarriages. But unlike her, I had never been in a relationship.

Before long, the news of my repeated pregnancies and miscarriages spread across the university. Nearly everyone I encountered blamed me for being reckless.

No matter how much I tried to explain, no one would believe me. Even the doctors at the hospital shook their heads when they saw me. "Young women today have no respect for themselves. They don't bother with precautions and treat their bodies like they're disposable."

During my 66th miscarriage, I bled out and died on the operating table.

But this time round, I wouldn't let Ruby's plans succeed. Edith would have to bear the consequences of Ruby's actions.