The Gift and the Ghoul

“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you…”

With a loud bang, the door flew open. My best friend, Zoe Walker, walked in holding a cake with lit candles. Only then did the rest of our roommates realize it was my birthday.

“Oh my god, Zoe! You’re so thoughtful!”

“I’m so jealous Maisie has a best friend like you.”

Zoe suppressed the smug look on her face and pretended to be shy. “Oh, it’s nothing. Of course, I should treat Maisie well.”

She handed me a gift box and asked me to open it. Inside was a gold lock-shaped good-luck pendant.

Everyone gasped. “That must have cost a fortune!”

In my previous life, I was pleasantly surprised that Zoe even remembered my birthday. Seeing such an expensive gift moved me even more. However, I had not known then that the pendant was a cursed one! Once worn, it would swap my fate with her boyfriend’s!

Back then, I ran a high fever for an entire week. There was no warning, no explanation. Even the doctors were helpless.

After I recovered, everything in my life started going wrong. I fell into poverty and constant misfortune. I could barely even afford food.

Meanwhile, her husband began living a charmed life—finding money on the street, winning the lottery, and enjoying endless good luck.

I only managed to live ten more years before I was hit by a car.

As I lay dying, a fortune teller who had once read my fortune happened to pass by. He said my fate should have been one of unimaginable wealth and prosperity. How could it have ended so tragically?

That was when I finally realized the truth. My fate had been stolen the moment Zoe put that lock on me when I was 20.

A ruthless gleam flashed across Zoe’s eyes, but she gently held out the lock.

“Maisie, let me help you put it on. I spent so long picking out this gift. It’ll definitely suit you.”

My heart jolted. The lock had been specially crafted and fitted. Once it was on, I would never be able to take it off for the rest of my life.

I quickly stepped aside to avoid her.

She froze for a moment, then immediately looked hurt. “Don’t tell me you don’t like the gift I got you? I saved up my allowance for half a year just to buy it.

“Forget it. I’m used to people not liking me anyway. My gift is probably trash too, so, of course, you’d reject it.”

As soon as she said that, our roommates immediately felt sorry for her and started criticizing me.

“Maisie, she put so much thought into that gift! How heartless can you be to ignore her like that?”

“I seriously misjudged you. In that case, we won’t give you any gifts either.”

Left with no choice, I said I appreciated both the gift and her intentions, but I was already wearing a necklace.

Zoe’s eyes reddened. “The one I'm giving you is more expensive than that. Doesn’t it deserve a place around your neck?”

Just then, Miles Gray's rough voice came from downstairs. “Maisie! C-Come down!”

It was my brother.

Only then did I remember that my family had planned to take me out to celebrate my birthday. I used that as an excuse to slip away downstairs.

However, Zoe followed me and grabbed my arm. “Maisie, just try it on. I promise you’ll like it!”

Even though I had already accepted the gift, she looked determined not to give up until she personally put it on me.

Miles’ eyes widened, and he suddenly shoved Zoe aside.

“She already said she doesn’t want to wear it. Stop bothering her!”

Zoe was startled for a moment and stood there frozen.

I quickly made an excuse that I had something to do and pulled my brother away.

However, I never expected her to make a post about my brother on the campus' online forum. The photo attached was taken by a passerby.

It captured the moment my brother pushed her away. Her face was full of shock and panic.

The caption read: [I was just trying to give her a gift out of kindness, but her brother yelled at me. Am I really the one in the wrong here?]