In my past life, Liam’s beloved Maya died because of me.
Liam was utterly devastated. He pretended to enter an arranged marriage with me, then ruthlessly dismantled my family’s empire, driving us into ruin.
He tortured me into a deep, suffocating depression, until I had no choice but to leap from a building.
In my final moments, Liam stood coldly before me, reaching out to cover my eyes.
“Chloe,” he said, his voice devoid of warmth, “if there is another life… if you ever meet me and Maya again… do us all a favor and stay away.”
When I opened my eyes again, I was back seven years in the past, standing on the familiar school path I walked every day.
In the distance, Liam and Maya were walking towards me.
Maya, with her sharp eyes, spotted me first and waved enthusiastically.
“Chloe! We’re over here!”
My mind, still reeling, jolted in shock. Like I’d seen a ghost, I hurled my backpack at them with all my strength, then turned and ran!
“Chloe Davies! Class is starting! Where are you going?”
I ignored my classmates’ shouts, weaving against the stream of students in their school uniforms.
The passing breeze caught the sunlight, piercing through my chest, again and again.
It felt so good!
Being alive felt so good!
Those oppressive shadows that had permeated my thoughts and body, tormenting me to the point of unbearable pain… they were gone.
Now, I was seventeen-year-old Chloe Davies.
Healthy, lively, radiant.
Our families, the Davies and the Hayes, had been close for generations. Liam was a year older than me and had always been especially doting.
From a simple candy when I was little, to a fancy princess dress in my youth, to a dazzling sapphire necklace for my sixteenth birthday, his kindness had filled a third of my life.
Many girls liked him, but his side was always reserved for me.
He was like an older brother to me, and also the boy I had secretly fallen for, I wasn’t even sure when.
Then, during the school’s freshman sports meet, I suddenly fainted on the field. It was Maya who took me to the infirmary.
From then on, Maya became a constant presence between Liam and me.
They shared the same hobbies, both were brilliant students with impeccable reputations, and when they were together, they always had endless things to talk about.
I slowly became their constant shadow.
In my past life, the story of Maya being abused by her stepfather spread throughout the entire campus.
Before she jumped, her hair was disheveled, and she stared at me with venomous hatred.
“Chloe Davies, remember this! It’s your fault I’m doing this!”
Then, with a resolute leap, she didn’t even give anyone a chance to stop her.
She didn’t even give me a chance to explain.
Liam went wild when he saw the note she left behind.
He gripped my shoulder so tightly, his bloodshot eyes burning with a hatred that made my heart seize up.
“Chloe! Why? Why would you do this?”
“This… only you knew about this!”
“I…”
My throat constricted, dry and raw, but I managed to endure the sharp pain in my shoulder, forcing out a few broken words-
“I didn’t.”
“It wasn’t me.”
But no one believed me.
Maya’s unwavering certainty in her dying accusation, spoken in front of everyone, had already branded me a murderer.
Any defense, when faced with the victim’s direct accusation, seemed pale and powerless.
As a result, I faced an unprecedented wave of bullying and isolation.
Everyone looked at me as if I were a killer; every student’s eyes in school held a sharp knife when they looked my way.
Especially Liam.
Four years later, the Hayes family proposed an arranged marriage with mine, and he agreed.
It was as if he had forgotten all about Maya, returning to the way he used to be, showering me with kindness.
I thought, finally, Liam believed me.
Because he ruffled my hair, just like he had countless times growing up, his eyes warm and gentle.
“Chloe, let’s get married.”
The Liam in my memories had always been so gentle and doting. I thought my old Liam was back.
Until the Davies family’s confidential information fell into Liam’s hands. He ruthlessly crushed my family’s businesses, my parents were forced to leave Westlake, and I was kept a virtual prisoner in my own home.
Hatred, cold indifference, and silent cruelty filled every moment of my existence.
Liam stopped pretending. His eyes were cold and distant when he looked at me.
“Chloe, every bit of suffering Maya endured, you deserve to experience it too.”
“Chloe, why don’t you just die? If you die, perhaps… I can forgive you.”
As Liam wished, seven years later, Chloe Davies, like Maya, jumped to her death in despair.
…
I stood dazedly on the street, the school bell still echoing in my ears.
The agonizing pain of a fractured skull, the soul tearing itself away from my body, and Liam’s cold, heartless whisper in my dying moments finally began to fade from my mind.
“Chloe, if our paths cross again in another life – mine and Maya’s – do yourself a favor and stay far, far away from us.”
I let out a long, shaky breath.
This time, I would definitely stay far, far away from Liam and Maya.
Then I turned and ran swiftly towards home.
“Chloe? Shouldn’t you be in class right now?”
As I burst through the door, my mom was sitting in the backyard, leisurely sipping coffee. She looked surprised to see me.
My eyes welled up, and I rushed to hug her tightly.
In my past life, their life’s work was destroyed, and they were forced out of Westlake by Liam, a boy they had watched grow up. Before I died, I didn’t even get to see them one last time.
“You’re so grown up and still clinging to your mom. What will you do when you get married?”
My mom’s gentle, complaining voice drifted down from above.
But that word, “married,” sent an involuntary shiver down my spine.
I hugged her even tighter.
“I’m not getting married. I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying right here with you and Dad, looking after the family business, and being a carefree heiress with no ambition beyond enjoying my family’s wealth…”
Mom feigned helplessness but her smile deepened. “Oh, is that so? I suppose we’re stuck with our little moocher for life, then.”
After a night of trying to compose myself, I went back to school normally the next day.
Our driver, Mr. Clark, dropped me off at the school gate.
As I got out, I caught a glimpse of Liam and Maya standing at the intersection nearby, laughing and talking.
That was our usual meeting spot; they were waiting for me.
Fearing they would spot me, I quickly buried my head, clutched my backpack, and hurried into school.
The school path, the three of us walking together. My eyes were on Liam, but Liam’s eyes were always on Maya.
This unspoken crush, it should have ended long ago.
But in my naive youth, I always secretly rejoiced that I could steal another glance at Liam on this path.
After school, I dawdled, slowly making my way out. Liam and Maya were waiting at the school gate.
There was no escaping them, so I had no choice but to push through.
Maya didn’t ask about me running away the day before; she still linked her arm through mine, as affectionate as ever.
“Chloe! We waited for you so long at the intersection today, why didn’t you come?”
I tried my best to resist, but couldn’t. I subtly pulled my arm away from hers.
Maya’s expression froze for a second, but she quickly recovered, her smile unwavering.
“It’s my birthday today, Chloe. Aren’t you going to celebrate with me?”
My heart suddenly trembled.
In my past life, it was on Maya’s birthday night that she got drunk, and with teary eyes, we confided in each other. She unintentionally told me about being abused by her stepfather when she was young.
This time, how could I dare to listen to her secrets?
I avoided looking at Liam, who stood beside her, and stammered, looking down.
“I… I have something at home. I can’t go. Happy birthday.”
Then, without waiting for Maya’s eyes to instantly redden, I turned and walked away quickly.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps echoed behind me.
“Chloe Davies.”
It was Liam.
My heart seized up, and I hurried even faster, head still down.
Liam caught up to me in a few strides, blocking my path entirely, his shadow instantly falling over me.
“Why are you running?”
Finally, for the first time, I lifted my head to look at the just-turned-eighteen Liam.
He was wearing the familiar school uniform, his face sharp and chiseled, but the deep, distant look in his eyes, unbefitting his age, was identical to the Liam of my past life.
Suddenly, I realized that the eighteen-year-old Liam wouldn’t look at me like that.
I was startled, instinctively stepping back a few paces, almost losing my balance.
But the Liam before me stepped closer, his shadow following mine.
“Chloe, you seem… afraid of me?”
The next second, Liam’s expression softened. He reached out to ruffle my hair, just as he always had.
“Chloe, are you feeling unwell? Why are you hiding from Maya and me?”
“It’s Maya’s birthday today. She’ll be really sad if you don’t come. How about we go celebrate with her, okay?”
Liam was smiling, but I detected a hint of suspicion.
It made sense; since yesterday, I had been acting completely out of character, avoiding them whenever possible, and not showing Liam the same eagerness as in my past life.
If… Liam wasn’t the eighteen-year-old Liam, he would definitely suspect if I was truly the seventeen-year-old Chloe.
After three years of marriage, my feelings for Liam had long vanished, replaced by all the mental torment.
Now, I both hated and feared Liam.
“I… I…”
I managed a strained smile, but Liam had already spoken first, addressing Mr. Clark, who was waiting by the road to pick me up: “Mr. Clark, it’s a friend’s birthday today. I’ll take Chloe to celebrate for a bit and then bring her home.”
Mr. Clark, aware of the Davies and Hayes families’ close ties, smiled and nodded before driving off.
I could only follow silently behind them.
In the past, when the three of us were together, I mostly watched Liam and Maya talk and laugh with perfect synchronicity, my heart aching.
But now, I simply watched them, my emotions flat.
I was even calculating what excuse I could use to leave midway.
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