Chapter 5 · Revenge Of The Unwanted

I took an ibuprofen and forced myself to go out for something to eat.

The cheap canteen I usually hit was closed for winter break; with the New Year around the corner, most owners had headed home. I wandered until I finally stumbled into a little noodle shop.

While waiting for my food, I was scrolling through my phone and saw a post from Kelly pop up on Instagram.

She posted: [Winter break with Mom and Dad by my side—never felt lonely at all.] A photo was attached.

In the picture, Kelly was smiling sweetly, holding a strawberry cake, with a whole spread of barbecue in front of her—the kind of feast I'd never even let myself try.

I licked my parched lips, and a wave of frustration welled up inside me, shooting straight to my head.

Then everything went dark, and I blacked out again.

Groggily opening my eyes, I was greeted by white walls, pale blue curtains, and the faint scent of disinfectant lingering in the air.

A guy walked in, carrying a tray of food.

"You are awake. You must be hungry. Here, eat up," he said with a smile that showed off a dimple, making him look both handsome and friendly.

I stared at him for a few seconds, couldn't help but sigh at fate's tricks—here he was again, right back in my world.

He was Leonard, my boyfriend from my previous life.

I numbly stuffed food into my mouth, listening to him recount how I'd passed out.

He explained, "My friends were so freaked, they literally just plopped right down—thought something awful had happened. Lucky for you, it was just a hunger faint.

"You haven't eaten in days, have you? The doctor said your stomach's all messed up and you're majorly malnourished.

"Oh, and you kinda talked a bunch in your sleep. Is everything okay with your folks?"

That question made me pause. Leonard instantly looked awkward and blurted out, "Sorry—guess I'm terrible at keeping my thoughts to myself.

"If you ever run into trouble, just drop my name at my friend's spot—order whatever you want, it'll all go on my tab."

I lowered my head, staying quiet. In my previous life, Leonard was totally into me from the very beginning.

And now, I could see that same longing in his eyes.

But what did it matter? In the end, he turned his back on me and ended up marrying Kelly.

After I finished eating, the doctor prescribed me a bunch of supplements, and Leonard insisted on walking me back to campus.

From then on, it was like he was under some kind of spell. No matter how many times I blew him off, he showed up outside my dorm every day.

He didn't miss a single day, even once school started.

One of my classmates forwarded me a post from the campus forum. The headline screamed: [Love-Struck Rich Kid Relentlessly Chasing the College Belle.]

Leonard's family was pretty influential in this city, and Leonard himself was an up-and-comer in the business world—everyone was talking about him.

The photo really made him pop. It showed Leonard standing alone beneath a faded streetlight at stormy dusk, looking like the kind of guy who didn't need anyone—cool, proud, and just a little dramatic.

Outside, the rain was falling in a steady, melancholy rhythm.

I pulled back the curtain and watched as Kelly dashed out of the dorm building, holding up a blue umbrella.

Leonard and Kelly exchanged a few words, then walked off together under the umbrella, looking like the perfect couple—handsome guy, beautiful girl, like they were made for each other.

Earlier, Kelly walked right up to me and said, "I'm into Leonard now. So you better keep your distance from him."

I just nodded, didn't even try to argue.

Because I knew—once Kelly set her sights on a guy, he was as good as hers. There was never any stopping her.

Just like in my previous life, Leonard kept his distance at first. But then he decided I was desperate enough to work in some sleazy nightclub for cash, figured I was shameless, and ended up choosing Kelly—the sweet, innocent dream girl.

I was broken back then. But now, things were different.

I knew it for sure—Leonard wasn't mine. Anything tied to my family was never meant for me.

Whether Leonard cared about me or not was none of my business.

The only thing I truly had was myself—my own strength to survive. That was the one thing nobody could take away from me.

Chapter 5

I took an ibuprofen and forced myself to go out for something to eat.

The cheap canteen I usually hit was closed for winter break; with the New Year around the corner, most owners had headed home. I wandered until I finally stumbled into a little noodle shop.

While waiting for my food, I was scrolling through my phone and saw a post from Kelly pop up on Instagram.

She posted: [Winter break with Mom and Dad by my side—never felt lonely at all.] A photo was attached.

In the picture, Kelly was smiling sweetly, holding a strawberry cake, with a whole spread of barbecue in front of her—the kind of feast I'd never even let myself try.

I licked my parched lips, and a wave of frustration welled up inside me, shooting straight to my head.

Then everything went dark, and I blacked out again.

Groggily opening my eyes, I was greeted by white walls, pale blue curtains, and the faint scent of disinfectant lingering in the air.

A guy walked in, carrying a tray of food.

"You are awake. You must be hungry. Here, eat up," he said with a smile that showed off a dimple, making him look both handsome and friendly.

I stared at him for a few seconds, couldn't help but sigh at fate's tricks—here he was again, right back in my world.

He was Leonard, my boyfriend from my previous life.

I numbly stuffed food into my mouth, listening to him recount how I'd passed out.

He explained, "My friends were so freaked, they literally just plopped right down—thought something awful had happened. Lucky for you, it was just a hunger faint.

"You haven't eaten in days, have you? The doctor said your stomach's all messed up and you're majorly malnourished.

"Oh, and you kinda talked a bunch in your sleep. Is everything okay with your folks?"

That question made me pause. Leonard instantly looked awkward and blurted out, "Sorry—guess I'm terrible at keeping my thoughts to myself.

"If you ever run into trouble, just drop my name at my friend's spot—order whatever you want, it'll all go on my tab."

I lowered my head, staying quiet. In my previous life, Leonard was totally into me from the very beginning.

And now, I could see that same longing in his eyes.

But what did it matter? In the end, he turned his back on me and ended up marrying Kelly.

After I finished eating, the doctor prescribed me a bunch of supplements, and Leonard insisted on walking me back to campus.

From then on, it was like he was under some kind of spell. No matter how many times I blew him off, he showed up outside my dorm every day.

He didn't miss a single day, even once school started.

One of my classmates forwarded me a post from the campus forum. The headline screamed: [Love-Struck Rich Kid Relentlessly Chasing the College Belle.]

Leonard's family was pretty influential in this city, and Leonard himself was an up-and-comer in the business world—everyone was talking about him.

Outside, the rain was falling in a steady, melancholy rhythm.

I pulled back the curtain and watched as Kelly dashed out of the dorm building, holding up a blue umbrella.

Leonard and Kelly exchanged a few words, then walked off together under the umbrella, looking like the perfect couple—handsome guy, beautiful girl, like they were made for each other.

Earlier, Kelly walked right up to me and said, "I'm into Leonard now. So you better keep your distance from him."

I just nodded, didn't even try to argue.

Because I knew—once Kelly set her sights on a guy, he was as good as hers. There was never any stopping her.

I was broken back then. But now, things were different.

I knew it for sure—Leonard wasn't mine. Anything tied to my family was never meant for me.

Whether Leonard cared about me or not was none of my business.

The only thing I truly had was myself—my own strength to survive. That was the one thing nobody could take away from me.