Chapter 1

I deliberately bankrupted the company registered under my name, yet I stayed calm while my best friend was the one losing it.

In my previous life, she used my identity as the company's legal representative to throw lavish parties for our partners, splurge on luxury cars and mansions, and saddle me with over 30 million dollars in debt.

When I found out the truth and demanded that she settle the debt, she burst into tears and threw herself into my fiance's arms. "Your mismanagement sank your firm and racked up a mountain of debt. Now you want to pin it on me?"

My fiance jabbed a finger at me and snapped, "Claire Winston, you blew through your family's money and now you want Emily to take the fall for you? How shameless can you get?"

Later, my best friend and my fiance walked down the aisle, while I was hacked to death by debt collectors.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back at the party.

"Claire, what are you spacing out for? Hand me your ID. What, you think I'm going to steal your identity?" Emily Grant stood in front of me, smiling, but there was a barely hidden urgency underneath it.

I lowered my eyes to the wineglass in my hand. My knuckles tightened around it, and my hand trembled slightly. I had actually been reborn.

The pain of being hacked to death still seemed to cling to my body. And the people who had caused my tragedy were Emily and my fiance, Ethan Shaw.

I stared at Emily coldly. Emily froze for a beat, then grabbed my arm like we were still close. "Claire, we grew up together. You won't even do me this tiny favor?

"I need your ID to sign up for a luxury VIP membership. You're not even the one paying, so why do you look like the world is ending?"

I wanted to tear her apart. In my last life, I trusted her for one simple reason. She was my closest friend. What I never expected was that she had already been sleeping with my fiance, and worse, she wanted me dead.

I let out a cold laugh. "If you want a membership, don't you have your own ID?" Emily blinked, then put on that pitiful little act of hers.

"Of course I do. But my account tier isn't high enough. You've got a company under your name, so only your ID qualifies." As she spoke, she shot Ethan a look.

Ethan walked over and rested a hand on my shoulder, wearing that fake smile of his. "Claire, everyone's here to celebrate today. Don't make this awkward. It's borrowing your ID for a second. You're not really this stingy, are you?"

The second I thought about him sneaking around with Emily behind my back, I felt sick to my stomach. I turned my head away in disgust and shook off his hand. "You don't lend your ID out. That's basic common sense."

Ethan's face darkened. "What exactly are you trying to say? Emily threw this whole party for you. Now you're acting like she's some thief. Don't you think that's too much?"

Emily instantly started fake crying, her voice shaking. "I just wanted to make Claire look good. Didn't she say she wanted to talk business with those overseas clients? That's why I invited so many people.

"She can say she doesn't trust me, but she shouldn't humiliate me in front of everyone."

Ethan immediately stepped in front of her. "Claire, are you done acting crazy? Making a scene in a place like this, are you not embarrassed enough already?"

I swallowed the urge to smash my fist into his face. Emily secretly signaled the crowd, and right away a few business partners walked over pretending to play peacemaker while really trying to pressure me into giving in.

"Ms. Winston, hand over the ID. No need to hurt your friendship over this," someone said.

"Everyone's watching. If you refuse, you'll look petty as hell," another echoed.

"You've known Ms. Grant for years. If you can't even give her this much trust, then you're way too calculating," someone else chimed in.

Emily leaned into Ethan's arms and sniffled. "If Claire thinks I've done something wrong, she can tell me. But humiliating me like this in front of everyone? I'm really hurt."

Ethan tightened his arm around her and shot me a vicious glare. "Claire, cut the dirty little schemes. If it weren't for Emily, do you think you'd have all these partners? Are you trying to make everyone pull their money out?"

I laughed coldly inside. I wished they'd all get lost. Most of these so-called partners were relatives Emily had planted in the company.

I knew they loved taking little advantages, but I'd always let it slide. What I didn't expect was for them to join forces, edge me out of my own company, and in the end drive me to my death.