Chapter 1
The laboratory explosion had leaked crucial data, but as the project lead, I found myself unexpectedly calm, savoring a cup of instant noodles. Meanwhile, my boyfriend was in a frenzy, bombarding me with messages, urging me to return. In my previous life, I had come back to find my computer brimming with papers supposedly written by my "junior colleague." I was accused of being a plagiarist as she tearfully claimed I had stolen her research. My boyfriend testified against me, alleging I had a history of dishonesty. I was ousted from the team, and the online backlash invaded my personal life. I lost my job, spiraled into despair, and eventually succumbed to severe depression, ending my life.
Yet they thrived, reaping profits from the vaccine developed using my research. Upon being reborn, I resolved not to repeat the same mistakes. Instead, I headed to the countryside to farm, eager to see if the habitual plagiarist could develop the vaccine without me.
The moment I submitted my resignation, my boyfriend couldn't stay quiet. "What are you doing? You've finally made it into the lab, and now you want to quit? Are you out of your mind? How can you risk your future like this?" His endless droning, masquerading as concern, made me sick. In my previous life, I worked in bioengineering. A recent virus outbreak had put our lab's vaccine development in the spotlight. As the lead on the project, I was naturally at the center of public attention, with everyone eager to know how things were progressing.
Determined not to let anyone down, I immersed myself in the lab for a solid month, finally discovering a promising direction. I promptly published a paper to share my findings. However, instead of praise, I was bombarded with insults. Just an hour earlier, my junior colleague, Freya Wagner, had published a paper with exactly the same research focus and data as mine. Since she published first, I was inevitably branded a plagiarist, tarnishing our entire lab’s reputation. "Fabricating data for research? How could you?" "Don't you realize the vaccine will be used on children and the elderly? Do you understand the stakes?" "You're beyond despicable, a disgrace to humanity!"
The online harassment spilled into the real world. Investors pulled out, and my mentor, Tanner Fisher, driven to despair, took his own life. I was held responsible. "If it weren’t for you, we wouldn't be in this mess!" The unbearable weight of it all led me into a deep depression, culminating in my decision to end it on a rooftop.
After being reborn, the first thing I did was withdraw from the vaccine venture. My boyfriend, Lochlan Hoffman, was frantic. "You've worked so hard for so many years, how can you just quit? Don’t you understand what developing this vaccine could mean for you if it succeeds?" Yes, I understood. It would make me a pioneer in the field.
"Then why are you being so reckless? Didn't you once say we'd work together for the betterment of humanity? Do you really want to abandon that promise?" Promise? The audacity he had to even mention that word. In my past life, when I was accused of plagiarism, he was the first to step up and throw me under the bus. He claimed I was a habitual plagiarist and had frequently used him as a cover. He further alleged that I had purchased my thesis from overseas. He apparently came clean this time to ease his conscience.
These words condemned me. I was labeled a serial plagiarist. And Lochlan? After my disgrace, he quickly dumped me and got together with my "junior colleague." They exploited my research to develop the vaccine, making a tidy sum before leaving the field and moving abroad for a carefree life.
Now that I've been given a second chance, why would I stay here and let them benefit from my efforts? Instead, I decided to leave and start anew in the countryside. I was eager to see how they would manage without my data to back their vaccine development!