Chapter 1

- Claire’s POV -

I opened my eyes and looked around in confusion, holding a meticulously arranged bouquet in my hands. The Oakridge Vipers hockey team and Daniel’s friends surrounded me. The chill radiating from the ice rink jolted me completely awake.

I had been reborn into the very day I confessed to Daniel, right after he became an official team member. My past life's nightmare had begun at this exact moment. I was betrayed, humiliated, and murdered, dying in utter resentment. It was all because of the two people standing right in front of me: Daniel and Jane. But in this life, it’s my turn to control the game.

“I can’t believe this fat girl actually has the nerve to confess to Daniel,” one of Daniel’s close friends scoffed, pointing at my face.

“Daniel has great grades, plays hockey well, and comes from a wealthy family. This fat chick really has some guts,” another chimed in with contempt.

A wealthy family?

I raised an eyebrow, debating whether to burst out laughing. Daniel was nothing more than a poor student striving to escape the slums. I was the one funding him so he could attend this expensive school. Thanks to my money, he put on the facade of a rich young master and squeezed into the hockey team despite his mediocre skills. He was a vanity-obsessed fraud. He let everyone believe I was just after his money, and right now, he stood by while they hurled insults at me.

“Look, Claire,” Daniel sneered, hands in his pockets. “You know I prefer girls who are kind and polite. Jane just told me she’s feeling a bit under the weather. She only asked you to buy some medicine, yet you refused. Is that true?”

Jane stood beside him, intentionally leaning close to his arm. Her face was caked in pale makeup, making her look chronically anemic. This fragile act never failed to draw sympathy from the guys at school.

“I didn’t think you could be so heartless,” Daniel questioned me with a frown. “You better apologize to her right now. Otherwise, I won’t accept your confession.”

Jane tugged at Daniel’s arm, whining coyly, “Daniel, don’t be too hard on Claire. She was probably busy preparing her confession and didn’t have time to buy medicine for me. Just hearing you care about me like this makes me feel so much better already.”

Daniel patted her hair, offering a look of absolute indulgence. The sight made my stomach turn.

After my grandfather passed away, I had no family left. Lacking a sense of security, I treated Daniel as my sole reliance. But he used my vulnerability to keep me under his thumb, using my money to pamper Jane instead. Watching them display their intimacy so brazenly in front of me, I realized they had been colluding all along.

When Daniel turned back to me, his expression instantly shifted to pure disgust. “If you don’t apologize to Jane, don’t blame me for ignoring you from now on.”

I smiled. “Is an apology really enough?”

Daniel frowned. “What do you mean?”

“You said I made her upset.” I stepped forward, putting on the same pleasing facade I used in my past life. “How about I give her an extra gift?”

The moment the words left my mouth, I caught Daniel scanning my body. I had never mistreated myself, so I was always draped in high-end designer items. Every time his eyes grazed a luxury item on me, I saw the scheming intent I had previously turned a blind eye to.

“Fine.” Daniel’s voice sounded rushed, his head tilting higher. “As long as you give her a gift and apologize properly, I’ll consider accepting your confession.”

My smile widened. “Really?”

Daniel couldn’t hide his smug smile. “You better cherish this chance. So, what are you giving Jane to make amends?”

He held out his hand, urging me to hurry. Instead, I slowly walked up to them, gripped the large bouquet tightly, and swung it hard right into both of their faces. Consider this my gift to the cheating pair.

Still unsatisfied, I shoved the bouquet directly at Daniel’s face. He stumbled back and would have crashed to the ground if Jane hadn’t caught him.

Flicking my hair back, I declared loudly, “I hope you two stay together forever - a match made in hell. May you spend every night doubting each other, wondering who the other is secretly texting. Hold hands tightly all the way to the end!”

In my past life, that was exactly how I lived alongside Daniel. He accepted my confession on the condition that I pay his tuition and cover his lavish living expenses. Later, I used my grandfather’s resources to help him become a famous hockey player. Thousands of girls swarmed him, but Jane’s contact remained pinned at the top of his phone. He never publicly acknowledged me. Yet, every time he whispered sweet nothings, I chose to believe him.

Eventually, Daniel proposed, and I agreed. I thought all my struggles had finally paid off. Daniel announced his retirement from sports, claiming he would help me manage my grandfather’s company. Gradually, I handed full control over to him - even transferring my company shares to his name. He claimed he needed me to prove how much I loved him, promising to take care of me forever.

Until that fateful day, when I returned home after visiting my grandfather’s grave. I heard Daniel laughing and chatting with his friends through the door. I was surprised - hadn't he said he would be away on a business trip for a few days?

“If Jane hadn’t told me the scenery there was boring, I wouldn’t have come back early,” Daniel said.

Jane? Why was he mentioning her?

I cracked the door open slightly. To my shock, Jane was sitting on Daniel’s lap. He held her waist, cherishing her like a treasure. My heart tightened. Didn’t he promise to cut all ties with her? He lied to me.

“Hey, why don’t you just divorce that fat chick? Doesn’t staying next to a pile of grease make you sick?” one guy sneered.

“I haven’t gotten her to transfer her car and house yet. Let's play with her a bit longer,” Daniel replied, taking a glass of wine from Jane and kissing her cheek.

“Haven’t you two been flirting since college? By the way, have you actually slept with Claire?” The group leaned in, eager for details.

Daniel burst out laughing, making no effort to hide his disgust. “Touching her makes me want to wash my hands ten times. How could I ever sleep with her?”

“Huh? Then why does she keep saying you two have a great relationship and that you make love every night?”

Daniel glanced at his friends and gestured for them to come closer, his hand never leaving Jane’s waist. What he said next shattered me completely.

“I drug her sleeping pill every night, then bring in a homeless guy to have his way with her. I’ve recorded everything. If she doesn’t obediently hand over all her assets, those videos go straight online.”

Everyone stared at each other in silence before shaking their heads. “Damn, you’re ruthless.”

Standing outside, I staggered back a few steps, steadying myself against the wall. What did I just hear? Daniel let homeless men sleep with me, then pretended every morning that we had an intense night together. A sickening crawling sensation spread across my skin. It was filthy. I wanted to shower immediately, to peel my skin off and scrub it raw.

My trembling body collapsed against the door, causing it to swing wide open. Panic flashed across their faces before they quickly composed themselves, acting as if I wasn't the person they were just talking about.

Daniel, however, panicked and pushed Jane away.

“Claire, let me explain!”

I gripped the doorknob tightly, struggling to stay upright. “Explain? You trampled all over me - what is there left to explain?”