Chapter 2

After I left the classroom, Edward followed right behind me, calling me "boss" over and over. I was too embarrassed to even look at him.

"Can you please stop calling me that?" I said.

He gave a small smile and kept his face dead serious. "You bought me, didn't you? What else am I supposed to call you?"

I shot him a glare. "You've got plenty of money. I can't afford you."

He pinched my cheek. "Sure you can. I come cheap."

I stared at him for a long moment, then pulled out a card and tossed it his way. "Seventy thousand dollars. Spend a cent more and I'll end you."

He studied the card and gave a flat "Oh." Then his voice turned mocking. "You threw cash at Nathan like it was nothing. With me you're this stingy?"

I rushed to explain. "Everything I spent on Nathan wasn't even close to seventy thousand."

Edward let his gaze drift over me from head to toe, slow and lazy.

He smirked and his Adam's apple bobbed once. Something flickered in his eyes. "What's your deal today?

"You trying to mess with me?

"Am I just some piece in your little game with Nathan?"

He was deeply suspicious of my sudden turnaround.

"No." I shoved him away, annoyed.

And remembering all the crap I put up with in my last life made my eyes sting with tears.

"I'm done being a simp. I'm done making a fool of myself," I said.

Edward searched my face inch by inch, trying to read how much of it was real. His stare locked me down.

He narrowed his eyes and warned me, his voice low and rough, "It better be real, or I'll..."

After Edward gave me that warning, I headed home.

I lay in bed staring at the ceiling, replaying it all. Last time, I died horribly. This time, I couldn't make the same mistakes.

I wasn't about to fumble my second chance like some fool in a second chance story.

I'd pull the rug out from under Nathan and Lily, so they'd stay rotting in the gutter for good and could never lay a finger on me again.

I thought it over and fell asleep, only to be jolted awake by Edward's call.

He wanted to go shopping. I got up, washed up, and got dressed.

Edward couldn't stand how crazy I was for Nathan. He mocked me and picked at everything I did. We fought for seven years in my last life and became sworn rivals.

I thought he despised me, but after I died, he destroyed them both and ended his life at my grave.

He said, "I'm dying for love."

Dying for love...

Edward and I hadn't been out long before we spotted Nathan trailing behind Lily like a pack mule, loaded down with shopping bags.

I glanced at Edward and knew right away he'd set this up. He wanted to see if yesterday was real or just talk.

I noticed the bags in Nathan's hands. Yesterday was his scholarship payday. No wonder he could afford luxury goods for Lily.

In my last life, I faked a scholarship through my family's foundation so he could save Nathan's pride.

His grades were nowhere near good enough to qualify for a scholarship the proper way.

So I shamelessly used my family's money, funneling it through our charity foundation to hand him that scholarship.

It wasn't until after I died that I learned he blew every dime on Lily.

I gave those bags a quick look and called my assistant. "Mason, that scholarship we arranged? Claim a system error and claw it all back."

Edward arched a brow at me, clearly caught off guard.

I ignored him and walked into the shop. As I reached for a bag, another hand snatched it away.

I turned. Lily stood there smirking at me without even glancing at Nathan. "I'll take this one."

Nathan grabbed it to pay. I said nothing and moved to another bag. Lily snatched that one too. "And this one."

I couldn't help but shoot back, "Can you even afford it?"

Her face fell with embarrassment, and she snapped, "Excuse me?"

I blinked at her, innocent. "Didn't you check the price? Got the funds?"

I looked her up and down. "Selling you wouldn't even cover it."

Edward stood there silent, watching the drama unfold.

Lily, red-faced and furious, snapped, "Think you're hot stuff with all that goddamn money?"

I was getting impatient. Same line again. Weren't they sick of it yet? I sure was.

"Sorry, but goddamn money does make me better." I shrugged, all casual arrogance. "I never check price tags. I could buy this whole mall and my balance wouldn't even flinch."

Shout out to that rich jerk quote. That felt satisfying.

Nathan was at the counter, and his voice suddenly cracked. "What? Why won't it go through?"

The saleswoman kept a polite smile. "Sir, your card appears to be frozen."

"That's impossible. I just got my scholarship," Nathan said.

Lily rushed over. "What's wrong?"

Nathan's eyes flickered away. He couldn't stand being embarrassed in front of his girl. "Probably a bank error," he said stiffly. "I'll use another card."

His phone rang before he could pull out a new card. He answered, and his face drained of color. "Return the whole scholarship?

"That's your mistake. Why should I cover it? I—"

The call ended. Nathan stood there muttering in disbelief, "No... this can't be..."

The next second, his phone rang again. He answered, and his face went ashen.

His voice cracked with desperation. "The hospital? Stopped treatment? I'll pay right now. Please don't cut off my mother's care."

Lily frowned at him, disdain flickering in her eyes.

I had stopped his mother's medical coverage that morning. The hospital moved fast.

I stepped forward, held up his IOU, and asked, "When will you pay me back? I need the money."

I had covered so many of his mother's bills, and I never expected anything in return. Those amounts were pocket change to me. But Nathan was too proud and insisted on signing IOUs.

He never paid back a dime in my last life, but this time, he would pay every cent.

Nathan looked up at me with reddened eyes, his fury barely contained. He hissed through clenched teeth, "It was you. The scholarship and my mom's bills. You did all of this."