Whispers of the Pearl Curse

The last notes of the birthday song still hung in the air when my best friend dropped a bombshell.

"Our very own heartthrob has gone all out to show his devotion to Yasmine with a surprise gift—the Peterson Group's legendary heirloom pearl bracelet!"

The word 'heirloom' sent a ripple of excitement through my friends, who started whooping and hollering.

I was buzzing with a different kind of excitement, not like the joy I felt in my previous life. Gazing at the softly glowing pearl bracelet, my hands balled into fists as the truth hit me—I had a second chance at life.

"Yasmine, let me put this on you," said Jeffrey Peterson, my boyfriend, oblivious to my inner turmoil.

He reached for my wrist, ready to help me put on the bracelet, as everyone cheered him on.

Memories of their betrayal in my previous life flashed before me.

I yanked my hand back with a swift motion.

Crash! The sound of a wine glass shattering echoed through the sudden silence.

Jeffrey gave me a puzzled look. "What's wrong, Yazzy?"

Meanwhile, my so-called best friend was broadcasting the whole drama live on her phone.

She shoved the camera in my face and said with a snide, jealous sneer, "Yasmine, Jeff's a total catch, and he's into you. You're not turning your nose up at his gift, are you?"

In my previous life, I was clueless, thinking Sophie Kane was just crushing on Jeffrey from afar. Little did I know, they were partners in crime.

There she was, pretending to throw me a birthday bash when it was all just a show with Jeffrey.

If I dared to admit it…

Tomorrow, I'd be slapped with the label of a gold-digger, the whole online world throwing shade my way.

However, if I caved in to their expectations, I'd be stripped of everything—my cash, my health, my youth.

That thought got me feeling mischievous.

I flashed Sophie a sly grin. "No way. It's just that him giving me an heirloom treasure after only a month of dating seems a bit over the top, don't you think?"

Sophie's eyes practically bled green with envy at my words.

Jeffrey, on the other hand, let out an almost audible sigh of relief. "Yazzy, you're always down on yourself about your weight, but I've said it a million times—I'm all about what's on the inside!

"I racked my brain before I picked out this bracelet. Sure, it might be a little predictable, but it's the thought that counts, right?"

Jeffrey was treading on eggshells by the end.

"Unless you agree with Sophie, Yazzy, thinking the gift is just cheap?"

It was like a replay of my previous life.

I had that gut reaction to shy away from the shimmering pearl bracelet.

Caught between Sophie's pushiness and Jeffrey's guilt-tripping, I had felt forced to take it.

This time, with everyone watching, I snorted with a hint of defiance.

Just like before, I snatched the bracelet quickly.

The twist? As they both exhaled in relief, I slid the bracelet onto someone's wrist in one smooth motion.

"Ah! How did you get that on my wrist?"

Sophie screamed.

She recoiled as if she had touched something disgustingly lethal, her body jerking upright as she frantically tried to yank off the bracelet.

Amid her panic, she spat venom at me. "You, you're such a jerk, sticking this freaky thing on me! It's going to be the death of me!"

I could not help but smirk to myself.

Funny how people never felt the sting until the blade was on their own skin.

In my previous life, even when I was left paralyzed, Sophie thought it was just a car crash. Clearly, Jeffrey had not trusted her completely.

She knew fully well the bracelet could swipe someone's luck, and still, she went after me for him, no second thoughts.

All I did was give her a little scare, and she turned ghostly pale, forgetting the fact that the bracelet's curse only kicked in when a wish was granted.