Chapter 2

"Mr. Sterling's always been so protective of those two. He drives them everywhere, and brings them lunch himself every day even though he's the heir to the whole company. What's going on with him tonight?"

"If you ask me, they're the ones who don't know how good they've got it. Have you noticed? Ever since Mr. Sterling's car accident, those two have been glued to that intern."

My chest tightened instantly.

How had I forgotten something this important?

In my last life, I'd been walking across a crosswalk when a car came out of nowhere and sent me flying. The blood banks nearby had all run dry. Derek had been out delivering food, and he stepped up and donated his own blood to save me.

I wanted to pay him back with a small fortune in cash, but all he'd asked for instead was an internship at my family's company.

Once I recovered, the annual gala was the first time I'd shown my face in public. And that was exactly when Raine and Skye started changing toward me.

Could the problem be in the blood Derek gave me that day?

A chill crawled over my whole body, and I sent my most trusted people to investigate immediately.

After I set that in motion, I noticed everyone was already looking at me differently.

"Mr. Sterling's really gone too far this time. Can't he see Raine and Skye are practically drunk? Either one of them could end up marrying him someday, and he doesn't even care?"

"Usually, he'd be the first one on his feet the second anything happened to them. You don't think he's had a change of heart, do you? That would be pretty heartless of him."

"Doesn't Derek know they're basically promised to Mr. Sterling? Yet he kept pressuring them to drink like that. Isn't that just humiliating Mr. Sterling in front of everyone?"

I pursed my lips, unwilling to make a scene.

Raine and Skye were swaying on their feet. Just as the whispers died down, they shot up out of their chairs and pointed at me, screaming.

"Julian Sterling, we really misjudged you!"

"Drinking tonight was supposed to be a test! Do you even care about us at all? How could you just sit there and pretend not to see us?"

"At least Derek understands what we're going through, even if it means people get the wrong idea about him. You've disappointed us more than you'll ever know!"

They finished with matching scoffs and turned their faces away from me.

In my last life, every time they lashed out at me like this, I'd remember our past and grovel, begging them to forgive me. I'd apologize repeatedly, throwing money at expensive gifts, and turning myself into a pathetic doormat just to win back their smiles.

This time, I just gave them one flat, indifferent look and snorted.

"And who exactly do you two think you are? A pair of orphans who grew up living off my family's charity, testing me? What gives you the right?"

The room that was loud with chatter just a second ago went dead silent, fast enough to be unsettling.

But the person who reacted the strongest was Derek.

He shot up out of his seat and shouted at me.

"Julian, have you lost your mind? You're supposed to be coaxing and spoiling them! You three grew up together! Aren't you humiliating them by saying something like that in front of everyone?"

His question was exactly what everyone else was wondering.

But I didn't owe anyone an explanation.

I looked at Derek like he was an insignificant bug, then waved dismissively at the emcee, who was standing frozen on stage.

"Go on. What are you standing there for?"

Every single person in that room worked for my family's company. None of them were fools. Everyone except Derek, Raine, and Skye turned their faces away and pretended to be absorbed in the show.

The gala had reached its final segment, the grand prize drawing. The top prize was a pair of top-grade emerald bracelets.

In my last life, our VP, Chloe Bennett, won the grand prize. However, I swooped in and bought it off her for an outrageous sum just to give it to Raine and Skye.

They happily put the bracelets on, then turned around and called me a disgusting simp. They said it was only because Derek was their lucky charm that they got so lucky.

When I recalled the twisted, spiteful looks on their faces that day, I turned instead toward Chloe, who stood there in shock at winning. I led the round of applause, congratulating her over and over.