Chapter 2

In my previous life, I thought my parents had some important reason for making me come home today. But when I got here, I realized it was all about Eric wanting me to buy him a new car. He was just trying to test the waters by asking to borrow mine.

And then Martha's daughter, who needed money for a down payment on a house. My parents just passed her off to me.

But I'd been pouring money into a project and had just bought a new business car for work, so I was pretty strapped for cash. I couldn't afford to buy Eric a new car or lend Martha any money, and they just wouldn't stop badmouthing me behind my back.

This time around, I wasn't going to put up with any of their crap.

My buddy shot me a message—he'd be here in twenty minutes.

I was just putting away my phone and about to stand up when Eric suddenly snarked, "Jessie, Mom's trying to talk to you. Why are you still glued to your phone? That's really rude."

Linda was teasing her three-year-old son, Henry, nearby. She piped up, "Henry, be a good boy. Don't copy your aunt. She's being rude."

Henry, quick to imitate, grabbed the toy car I'd bought him and, without hesitation, hurled it right at me.

"Aunt Jessie is rude. I won't be like her. Aunt Jessie is bad," he yelled, copying the tone.

I didn't manage to dodge the flying toy. For such a little kid, Henry had a surprisingly strong arm, and that car was heavier than it looked. I grimaced from the pain.

Henry found it hilarious when he saw me flinch. He burst out giggling, clapping his hands with glee, and quickly snatched up two more toys, getting ready to throw them at me for round two.

In my previous life, after Eric and Linda got into that car accident, they were pretty lucky. The airbags saved them from any serious injuries.

But Henry wasn't in a car seat. He was bouncing around in the back of the van. When the car went off the cliff, he got the worst of it. He almost didn't make it.

If I hadn't poured my heart, soul, and every dime I had into saving Henry, and then spent ten long years looking after him day in and day out, he wouldn't have bounced back, let alone gotten into a top university.

But he was never grateful. He acted like it was all owed to him, like I was just making up for some crime or something.

The day before he went off to college, Henry actually pushed me right off the rooftop. Even now, just thinking about that hateful sneer on his face makes my skin crawl with fear.

He shouted, "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have spent all those miserable years crippled. Do you even know how everyone looks at me? Their pity and fake sympathy make me sick.

"I shouldn't have had to go through any of this. And it's all because of you. Parading that stupid car around, like you're better than everyone else. If you hadn't tried to show off, my parents never would've borrowed it from you. Why couldn't you just keep your head down for once?

"If it weren't for you, my parents would never have abandoned me. I wouldn't be an orphan. It's all your fault. You ruined me and my whole family. You should've died instead. Why are you even still alive? Just die already."

But in this lifetime, I'd never let him have his way anymore.

I picked up the toy car he'd chucked at me and fired it straight back with zero mercy.