Chapter 2 · Reborn Cold-The Player's Nightmare Ex

I was terrified.

I'd always been the good girl growing up, the one who followed all the rules and never stepped out of line.

College was supposed to be the time for romance and dating, sure, but this didn't feel right. This wasn't what love was supposed to be like.

Eric must have noticed my hesitation because he pulled me into his arms and asked softly, "Baby, don't you love me anymore?"

Of course I loved him. In my past life, I'd loved him the entire time.

I dragged my feet getting through the shower, and when I came out wrapped in my bathrobe, everything happened so fast I couldn't even process it. One moment the robe was on, and the next it wasn't, and then...

My first time didn't feel like love at all. It felt rough and mechanical, like he was just using me to get something out of his system. That was exactly what it was, just him releasing his frustrations.

When it was over, my body was covered in bruises that were already turning purple, my lower abdomen ached terribly, and there was this indescribable pain everywhere else.

Then it hit me, something I should've thought about beforehand.

"We didn't use protection!"

He hadn't taken any precautions at all, and I knew this cheap motel kept free condoms in the drawer.

"I need to get the morning-after pill," I said.

I'd never been through anything like this before, but I was a college student living in the information age. I'd heard enough to know what adults did in these situations.

Eric just laughed and pulled me closer, his arm draped over my shoulders. "Baby, relax. It's just one time. What are the odds? Besides, I've heard those pills are really bad for your body. Don't take it."

I'd heard the same thing about how the pill could harm your body, so I believed him. But what I didn't know was that everything—every single thing—was part of Eric's plan to save Emily.

Back in our senior year of high school, when Eric was tutoring me, he'd already been sleeping with Emily, who was staying at my house.

The whole "unattainable gentleman" image he cultivated, and Emily's "pure and innocent" act? It was all carefully crafted bullshit. Deep down, they were greedier and more disgusting than anyone.

I opened the shopping app and returned the men's necklace, then headed straight to the campus package pickup station.

After I dropped off the return package and walked out, I spotted Eric standing at the entrance, staring at me with an intense look in his eyes.

"Sophia?" he called out.

"What's up?" I buried all the hatred I felt and looked up with the same carefree smile I always wore.

Eric said cautiously, "Sophia, my birthday's coming up in a few days."

"Oh?" I nodded and smiled. "Happy early birthday, then."

"Sophia, didn't you get me a birthday present?" he asked again.

Something clicked in my mind. This wasn't right.

In my past life, I was supposed to go to Eric's dorm today and give him that expensive necklace for his birthday, then hand him my confession letter.

He would accept my confession, take me to the food street to eat cheap meals and whisper sweet nothings that meant nothing, then drag me to some rundown motel to satisfy his urges and get me pregnant.

But now I hadn't gone to him, and he'd come looking for me instead. Did that mean he'd been reborn too?

At that thought, I immediately pulled out the love letter I'd spent several nights writing and tore it to pieces right in front of him before tossing it in the trash.

"Sophia, what was that?" Eric sounded nervous and grabbed my wrist. A few pieces had fallen on the ground, and he bent down to pick them up.

"Was this for me?" he asked.

I shook off his hand and nodded. "Yeah, it was supposed to be for you."

"Why did you tear it up?" His tone carried blame and what seemed like hidden anger.

Standing in the warm spring sunlight, I looked him over carefully for a long moment before finally saying, "Eric, I did like you for a while, so I thought I'd chase after you for fun.

"But now I'm realizing you're not really all that special, so I'm moving on to someone better."

I spread my hands wide and put on my most innocent expression. "What's the point of going after some untouchable ice prince who's basically just a broke loser anyway? My new target is Alex Carter. You know, the hottest guy in our school."

Eric's face darkened immediately.

I could tell he'd been reborn too, even though he hadn't said a word about it or given anything away. But I just knew.

I patted my mouth theatrically and shook my head. "Oh, Eric, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to call you a broke loser."

I paused for effect. "But honestly, whether you forgive me or not doesn't really matter. I don't care either way. When it comes to dating, you've got to find someone on your level to make it worth your time, right?"

With that, I waved my arms dramatically and turned to run. "Bye!"

He grabbed me hard enough that I nearly fell.

"Sophia, what the hell are you doing?" His voice was cold and harsh.

When I looked up at him, I saw something vicious lurking in his eyes—the same look I'd seen in my past life, now overlapping with the present moment.

I shoved him away and said icily, "Mr. Brooks, please have some self-respect. You've already rejected my confessions multiple times, so stop bothering me."

Then I turned and walked away.

Chapter 2

I was terrified.

I'd always been the good girl growing up, the one who followed all the rules and never stepped out of line.

College was supposed to be the time for romance and dating, sure, but this didn't feel right. This wasn't what love was supposed to be like.

Eric must have noticed my hesitation because he pulled me into his arms and asked softly, "Baby, don't you love me anymore?"

Of course I loved him. In my past life, I'd loved him the entire time.

When it was over, my body was covered in bruises that were already turning purple, my lower abdomen ached terribly, and there was this indescribable pain everywhere else.

Then it hit me, something I should've thought about beforehand.

"We didn't use protection!"

He hadn't taken any precautions at all, and I knew this cheap motel kept free condoms in the drawer.

"I need to get the morning-after pill," I said.

I'd never been through anything like this before, but I was a college student living in the information age. I'd heard enough to know what adults did in these situations.

I'd heard the same thing about how the pill could harm your body, so I believed him. But what I didn't know was that everything—every single thing—was part of Eric's plan to save Emily.

Back in our senior year of high school, when Eric was tutoring me, he'd already been sleeping with Emily, who was staying at my house.

The whole "unattainable gentleman" image he cultivated, and Emily's "pure and innocent" act? It was all carefully crafted bullshit. Deep down, they were greedier and more disgusting than anyone.

I opened the shopping app and returned the men's necklace, then headed straight to the campus package pickup station.

After I dropped off the return package and walked out, I spotted Eric standing at the entrance, staring at me with an intense look in his eyes.

"Sophia?" he called out.

"What's up?" I buried all the hatred I felt and looked up with the same carefree smile I always wore.

Eric said cautiously, "Sophia, my birthday's coming up in a few days."

"Oh?" I nodded and smiled. "Happy early birthday, then."

"Sophia, didn't you get me a birthday present?" he asked again.

Something clicked in my mind. This wasn't right.

In my past life, I was supposed to go to Eric's dorm today and give him that expensive necklace for his birthday, then hand him my confession letter.

But now I hadn't gone to him, and he'd come looking for me instead. Did that mean he'd been reborn too?

At that thought, I immediately pulled out the love letter I'd spent several nights writing and tore it to pieces right in front of him before tossing it in the trash.

"Sophia, what was that?" Eric sounded nervous and grabbed my wrist. A few pieces had fallen on the ground, and he bent down to pick them up.

"Was this for me?" he asked.

I shook off his hand and nodded. "Yeah, it was supposed to be for you."

"Why did you tear it up?" His tone carried blame and what seemed like hidden anger.

Standing in the warm spring sunlight, I looked him over carefully for a long moment before finally saying, "Eric, I did like you for a while, so I thought I'd chase after you for fun.

"But now I'm realizing you're not really all that special, so I'm moving on to someone better."

Eric's face darkened immediately.

I could tell he'd been reborn too, even though he hadn't said a word about it or given anything away. But I just knew.

I patted my mouth theatrically and shook my head. "Oh, Eric, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to call you a broke loser."

With that, I waved my arms dramatically and turned to run. "Bye!"

He grabbed me hard enough that I nearly fell.

"Sophia, what the hell are you doing?" His voice was cold and harsh.

When I looked up at him, I saw something vicious lurking in his eyes—the same look I'd seen in my past life, now overlapping with the present moment.

I shoved him away and said icily, "Mr. Brooks, please have some self-respect. You've already rejected my confessions multiple times, so stop bothering me."

Then I turned and walked away.