Chapter 4

William's birthday party was held right in the cozy courtyard behind the archaeology department. It was nothing fancy—just a long table set up outside, a few candles flickering overhead, and a dozen friends laughing and swapping stories.

"Everyone, this is Claire Winters. She designs jewelry, and she's super into ancient artifacts too," William said, waving a hand to introduce me.

The people there greeted me with real warmth, no fake smiles or status games. That pure, down-to-earth vibe was something I'd never felt in my last life. Back then, Charles always threw his birthday parties at some fancy hotel—crowds of…