Chapter 3
As I pushed open the door, the smell of pork ribs hit me right away.
My dad was busy in the kitchen, apron tied around his waist.
He poked his head out when he heard me.
He said, "Welcome back."
"Thanks," I replied, kicking off my shoes and heading over.
There was less gray at his temples than I remembered.
I felt a little relief.
In my previous life, his hair had turned white overnight thanks to all those relentless debt collector calls.
"Dad, let me help you," I said.
"No need, just go sit down and have a rest," he said, nudging me away. "Your mom is in the living room."
Mom was sitting on the couch, holding some vegetables. When she saw me, she smiled.
"You must be tired. Have some water," she said.
There was a glass of water waiting for me on the coffee table.
I picked up the glass and took a sip—sweet, the way it used to taste when I was a kid.
During dinner, my dad suddenly mentioned Eric.
"Eric seems to really care about you," he said.
I paused for a second.
"Dad, how do you know?" I asked.
"We saw him under your office building last time. He brought you breakfast," My mom cut in. "He looks handsome, and quite polite, too."
My chest tightened.
Turned out they knew him so early.
"Mom, he's just a colleague," I said.
"Really?" Dad raised an eyebrow. "The way he looks at you—looks like more than just coworkers to me."
I set my fork down. "There's something I need to tell you."
They turned their eyes toward me.
"Stay away from Eric," I said.
My mom froze for a moment.
"What happened? Did he do something wrong?" she asked.
"No." I shook my head. "I just don't think he's as nice as he appears."
I couldn't tell them the whole truth. I couldn't tell them that this man would one day ruin our home.
My dad frowned. "Hey, don't go talking shit about people like that."
"I'm not," I said, looking at them. "Just listen to me. Don't get too close to him, especially if it involves money."
My mom thought for a moment, then nodded.
"Alright, I know," she said.
My dad didn't say anything, but he didn't object either.
I felt a little more at ease.
At least now, they wouldn't just trust Eric so easily.
After dinner, I helped clean up the dishes when my phone rang from the living room.
It was Eric.
My mom picked up the phone.
She said, "Hello? Oh, you're looking for Claire. She's washing the dishes. Okay, I'll tell her to call you back."
After hanging up, she gave me a knowing look.
"It's Eric," she said.
I wiped my hands and picked up my phone.
Only when I went to the balcony did I call him back.
"Hello?" I said.
"Hey, Claire, are you home yet?" Eric sounded cheerful.
"Yeah," I replied.
"Megan said you told her to stay away from me. Isn't it true?" Eric asked.
Ah, Megan did tell him.
I leaned against the railing, staring at the streetlights below.
"Yeah."
"Why?" His voice took on a more serious edge.
I replied casually, "Nothing. I just don't think you're good for her."
"Then who am I a good fit for?" he suddenly asked.
I paused, then let out a quiet laugh.
"Definitely not me," I said.
There was a brief silence on the phone.
"You're acting weird today, Claire," Eric said.
"Am I?" I fiddled with my shirt. "Maybe I'm just tired."
He changed the subject. "Tomorrow is the weekend. Do you want to catch a movie?"
"I can't. I've got plans," I replied.
"What kind of plans?" he pressed.
"None of your business," I said.
I hung up, blocked his number, and breathed a sigh of relief. The whole move was smooth, like muscle memory.
Seriously, in my previous life, I cared too much about what he thought. That was how he got to manipulate me.
This time, not a chance.
No sooner had I slid my phone back into my pocket than a text came through. It was from the bank.
It said my new savings card ending in 3791 had a deposit of 1.5 thousand dollars.
Wait, what?
This card was the one I'd just opened today. Nobody but the bank knew the number.
And who the heck would send me money?
I tapped the transfer details. The sender was an unfamiliar name, but the note read: [Sent on Eric's request.]
My chest tightened.
Eric? What trick was he playing?
1.5 thousand dollars. It was exactly the amount he had asked to borrow the first time in my previous life.
Back then, he told me his mom was sick and desperately needed cash to pay the medical bills. I sent him my paycheck without thinking.
Turned out he used that money to buy a bag for his mistress.
I stared at the message for a long time.
He was testing me, trying to see whether I had let my guard down.
If I returned the money, he would know I had seen through him.
If I kept it, he would think I was still the same fool.
I took a breath, opened the transfer info, copied the sender's account number, and sent the 1.5 thousand dollars back.
I left the memo with just two words. [No, thanks.]
When it was done, I put my phone on silent and went back into the living room.
My mom was sitting on the couch watching TV. When she saw me, she smiled.
"Who were you talking to? You really had a lot to share," she said.
"Just a colleague," I said, walking over to sit beside her. "Mom, do you want to go on a picnic next weekend?"
My mom's eyes lit up.
"Sure. Your dad's been wanting to go for ages," she said.
Her smile warmed my heart.
'Eric, whatever tricks you had up your sleeve, I wouldn't ever let you mess with my life again.