All Chapters of Reborn in a One-Way Ride: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

9 Chapters

Chapter 1

"Gosh, this car is ancient! Even our maid wouldn't ride in something like this."The moment I opened my eyes, Sadie Thornton's soft voice hit me, edged with open disdain."And this seat cushion, what is this even made of? My dog's bed is softer than this."Across from me, Lillian Clarke yanked the cushion free, pinched her nose, and tossed it at her feet. "Seriously. I wouldn't even use this as a footrest. It's filthy."My phone buzzed. Sadie was still pushing them in the group chat.[This driver looks like the type who bullies the weak and sucks up to anyone with money. Out here, you are whatever you say you are. Keep it up, girls. Lean into the rich-girl act!]The scene in front of me overlapped perfectly with what I remembered from before.Last time, I had stepped in because I was worried their act would get us into trouble. I tried to smooth things over.They turned on me for it, dumped me in the Uber, and ignored me when I begged for help.Not this time. This time, I wasn

Chapter 2

My breath hitched, my chest tightening as if my heart might break through it.There was no time to think.I grabbed Andrew's phone, woke the screen, and turned it toward them. "Of course, he has a family. Look."A small, bright photo filled the display, a family of three smiling at the camera. Andrew looked younger, enough to place it years back. The child stood out immediately, with his pale skin and white hair.In my last life, I learned later that Andrew's son had a rare genetic condition. He couldn't afford treatment, and the boy died at six. So his son was his biggest trigger.Sadie raised a brow and took the phone from me, her tone dripping with contempt. "What kind of cheap phone is this? The screen's so blurry."She leaned in, then wrinkled her nose. "Wow. This kid's ugly! Looks like an alien."Andrew snapped his head around, his face twisting. "What did you just say?"The car jerked, swerving hard enough that it nearly hit a roadside pole.Sadie screamed and thr

Chapter 3

Andrew glanced at me, his eyes unnervingly calm.I knew that look. It crawled under my skin. I had seen it too many times before, in memory, in dreams I couldn't shake. I looked away almost at once.Daphne leaned back and glanced out the window, frowning. "Why are there fewer cars? Are you sure we're going the right way?"Andrew gave a quiet chuckle, both hands steady on the wheel. "There's traffic up ahead. I'm taking a different route."After everything that had just happened, I thought they might at least be a little cautious.I was wrong.Lillian folded her arms, still full of herself. "At least you've got some sense."The other two nodded in agreement."This car stinks. We're not paying extra just because you wanna take a longer route," Sadie said, waving a hand in front of her nose.Andrew didn't react. He kept driving, his tone even. "Just change the destination in the app. I won't charge you for the rest."They paused at that, then all three looked at me."Go on. Can

Chapter 4

Without a phone, I had no choice but to walk back to the city. Rain came down hard, soaking through my clothes, mixing with the tears on my face as I kept moving forward.I walked for hours, long enough for exhaustion to dull the fear, long enough for the rain to wash the past out of my head.By the time the sky began to lighten, I saw a woman setting up a small roadside stall."Oh my goodness! What happened to you?"She wiped her hands and hurried over. The moment she touched my arm, she flinched, then frowned and pressed her palm to my forehead."Good Lord, you're burning up. Where's your phone?""I lost it," I said, coughing, my voice barely holding.She studied me for a second, then handed me her phone. "Call your family. Have someone come get you. You need a hospital."I nodded and dialed 911.The ambulance arrived quickly. Before I got in, she pushed a sandwich into my hand and waved me off with a warm smile, like the first bit of sunlight after a long night. For a momen

Chapter 5

"You've got some nerve saying that!" Claire snapped. "You knew it was dangerous. Why didn't you tell them to get out of the car?"She jabbed a finger at my face, her voice sharp with anger. "You did this on purpose. There's something wrong with you! I've always treated you well, and this is how you repay me? This is what you do to my daughter?"I let out a quiet laugh.Of course. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.An officer stepped in, frowning, and pulled Claire back, warning her to calm down. She shot me a look full of resentment.Since I had to cooperate with the investigation, they kept me at the station. It gave me a chance to call my mom.The moment I heard her voice, simple and familiar, I tightened my grip on the phone. The urge to cry came up more than once, but I forced it down.I wasn't going to let her worry.Not this time. This time, I would protect her.An hour passed, and there was still no progress."We lost the feed after the bridge. We can't track

Chapter 6

Another half hour passed, and Daphne's parents were coming apart.They cried, shouted, and demanded that the police arrest me and interrogate me on the spot."She was the only one who thought to get out of the car! She had to know the driver was dangerous. She might even be working with him!"The more she spoke, the more certain she sounded, her eyes sharpening with anger.The officer pressed his fingers to his temple and corrected her. "Ms. Bartley didn't get out on her own. Lillian and Daphne made her.""That's a lie!" Lillian's parents stood up immediately."Our daughter is obedient and well-behaved. There's no way she would force someone out of a car!""Exactly. She's making it up!" Sadie's parents added.The three families closed ranks, pointing at me, insisting the police question me more aggressively.The officers, worn down by the noise, finally took me into the interrogation room."Sit here for now. I'll be back."I nodded. I was too tired to argue.I hadn't slept

Chapter 7

The police found Lillian in a patch of weeds.Her body was covered in tears and bruises. When they found her, she wasn't wearing anything at all. She had been out in the cold too long. By the time they got to her, she had a high fever and had already lost consciousness.Even then, she kept muttering in fear, "No… I'm sorry…"Once, faint but clear, she said, "Mabel, I'm sorry."Her parents lost it the moment they heard. They handed her off to a caregiver and rushed back to the station, coming straight for me. Lillian's mother, Judy Clarke, grabbed at my clothes, crying as she shouted, "It was you! You worked with Andrew to hurt Lillian!"The police stepped in, but the other parents blocked them."This is live right now. Are you still going to protect her?"My jacket was yanked off and thrown to the floor, then my thin T-shirt.Judy looked at me and smiled, cold and cruel. "You're going to pay for the horrible things Lillian went through!"The fabric tore, exposing the edge o

Chapter 8

The livestream blew up almost instantly, and every comment turned on me.People were furious. Some of them were calling for my death.Even the officers started to hesitate."You said Lillian threw your phone away?" one of them asked me.I nodded.Sadie cut in right away, her voice sharp. "That's not true! Lillian was begging you for help. She told you to call the police as soon as possible! Mabel, I know you've always had issues with us, but we never thought you'd just stand there and let something like this happen!"I met her eyes and caught it, that flicker of resentment, mixed with something close to satisfaction.They couldn't accept that I walked away unharmed, so they were going to drag me down with them.The online comments kept coming. [It's not like Sadie and the others bullied her that badly at school, right? Did she really have to take it this far?][What a cold snake!][She should be expelled!][This is insane. I heard one of the other roommates is already in t

Chapter 9

When I woke up, my mom was sitting by the bed, quietly crying. The moment she saw my eyes open, she froze, then hurried out to get the doctor."Her fever's down, and the head injury isn't serious. She just needs to rest."My mom nodded while walking the doctor out, then came back.I pushed myself up against the pillows. "How did you get here?"She looked at me and started crying again. "By train."It was a 20-hour trip from home. I glanced at the date on my phone, and something in my chest tightened."You saw the livestream?"She nodded, wiping her eyes. "They're monsters!"I reached out and held her arm. "It's okay. No need to be angry. I'm alive. That's what matters. I'm really fine."I kept talking until she calmed down a little.During that week in the hospital, packages kept arriving: flowers, fruit, even a new phone. The police said they were all sent by viewers.I just smiled and left it at that.Later, I heard Lillian had woken up, but something wasn't right. She ke

SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP