Chapter 1

My cousin saw on the news that someone had smashed a CEO's luxury car, and instead of getting into trouble, the CEO ended up marrying her.

So, she went out and bought some tools, ready to smash the luxury car parked in the basement.

I quickly told her not to believe everything she saw on the news, and she finally dropped the idea.

But to my surprise, that very night, a girl broke into the underground garage, wrecked the luxury car, yelling she wanted to marry the CEO.

The CEO who came out didn't demand compensation. Instead, he instantly fell for her, confessed his love, and proposed on the spot.

My cousin went crazy with jealousy. She rushed upstairs with a knife and stabbed me to death.

"You bitch, you just can't stand seeing me happy. If it weren't for you, I'd be Mrs. CEO," she screamed.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day my cousin saw that news about someone smashing a CEO's luxury car and getting scooped up by a rich CEO.

*****

"Jessica, do you think if I smashed a luxury car, I could get myself a rich husband too?" she asked.

"Jessica, I bought this little hammer just for that. It's perfect for smashing the car and won't hurt my hand. Don't worry, once I'm living the high life, I'll forget all about you," she said.

I snapped out of my daze and met my cousin Christine Gunter's bashful, nervous gaze.

"I've already looked into it. That Rolls-Royce in our basement belongs to your boss. He's not only insanely handsome and rich, but the best part is that he's single. If I smash his car and show up in this dress, he'll be head over heels for me," Christine said.

Seeing her in that white dress, her face practically glowing with fantasies, I was so angry my whole body was shaking.

In my last life, when I heard her delusional plans, I tried to warn her, telling her most news these days is just fake.

The CEO wasn't stupid. If she just went and wrecked his luxury car, she was not going to end up as some rich wife.

Instead, she'd just end up drowning in debt, which was totally not worth it.

After hearing me out, Christine's face turned ghostly pale. She hugged me tightly, still shaken by what could have happened.

She said, "Jessica, good thing I didn't act on it right away. Otherwise, I'd probably be locked up now.

"Daydreams really aren't worth it."

But that night, a neighbor from our complex barged into the basement and trashed the Rolls-Royce.

When the CEO showed up, he didn't ask for a dime in compensation. Instead, he got down on one knee, gazed at her with deep affection, and proposed right there on the spot.

Christine lost her mind with jealousy when she saw that.

She hated me for blocking her shot at becoming a rich wife.

She grabbed a knife, rushed upstairs, and stabbed me twenty-seven times, making sure every single one missed anything vital, just to keep me suffering.

"You bitch, you just can't stand to see me happy. If it weren't for you, I'd be Mrs. CEO," Christine screamed.

To vent her rage, she tortured me all night, making sure I died in agony.

Later, to cover up what she'd done, Christine cut herself a few times, sobbing as she rushed to the police. She claimed I was delusional, obsessed with marrying into a wealthy family.

She said I lost it when someone else got ahead of me, and in a moment of insanity, I grabbed a knife and tried to hurt myself.

She claimed she desperately tried to stop me, but ended up getting slashed a few times herself.

She cried her heart out, and with no security cameras in the house, my parents quickly believed her story. The case was wrapped up hastily.

Afterwards, she seized all our assets and left my family with no heirs, leaving my parents destitute and alone in their old age, until they starved to death.

Just thinking about the misery of my past life and my parents' frail bodies, I dug my nails into my palms and bit my lip until it bled.

"Christine, I'll be waiting for you to marry into a rich family, so we can live the good life together," I said.

Christine's smile turned even sweeter, the smugness shining in her eyes.

She said, "Don't worry, Jessica. I promise I won't forget you.

"Too bad you're not cute enough. This trick wouldn't work for you."

But then, she snapped out of her daydream, nervously pacing around the room.

She asked, "Jessica, do you think this plan could actually work? What if Mr. Flynn doesn't even notice me? Will I get thrown in jail?

"You've worked there forever, and Mr. Flynn is your boss. Give me some advice here. Do you really think this is gonna work?"

I straightened her long hair and pulled her over to the mirror.

"Christine, you've been pretty since you were a kid. I always wished I had your face. But you're right to worry. If you're scared, just don't do it," I said, keeping my tone vague on purpose.

Christine was super paranoid. If I told her yes or no, she'd find a way to blame me no matter what.

Leaving things vague was the best way to tempt her. Who wouldn't want to be a rich wife instead of rotting away in this dump?

Sure enough, Christine made up her mind right away.

She said, "I'm going for it. If other girls can do it, so can I. No guy has ever managed to escape me since I was little.

"But you can forget about it, Jessica. Guess you just got unlucky with your genes. Too bad you're not pretty enough.