Chapter 2
I picked the most flattering photo and sent it to the younger guy I met online, along with a message."
Me: "Just so you don't mix me up with someone else tomorrow, here's a preview of the dress I'll be wearing.
He replied almost instantly: "Is that you?"
Me: "Take a guess. Do you like it?"
Boyfriend: "You're so pretty. Hehe."
Boyfriend: "I'll send you a pic of what I'm wearing tomorrow too, so you won't mix me up with someone else."
A few minutes later, he sent a photo without showing his face.
Tall, lean, standing straight, with a minimalist and fresh vibe, totally my type.
Me: "Looking sharp."
Boyfriend: "Hehe. Glad you like it."
Me: "Of course I do. Can I get your number?"
Boyfriend: "Sure thing."
Then he sent me his number.
We didn't talk for long before I wrapped up the chat, pretending to be sleepy as an excuse.
[Thank goodness, the side character doesn't seem to have any real issues. Maybe she just doesn't like the taste of herbal tea and is too shy to say it out loud.]
[Yeah, if she knew what the female lead was up to, she would've just dropped a clear selfie instead of only showing off her figure to catch the male lead's attention.]
Why would I just send a clear selfie?
Making Nicole believe she'd got him, only to yank it away at the last moment, that would hurt even more.
[Honestly, the side character's looks and figure are absolutely killer. No wonder she knows how to use her beauty to get what she wants.]
[Pretty faces are everywhere, but a fun personality is rare. So what if the side character's gorgeous? The male lead isn't some shallow guy, he's all about personality, not just looks.]
[And the female lead isn't bad-looking either, just not as stunning as the side character. She's still an adorable cutie.]
[A sweet girl who looks innocent but has a mischievous streak? That kind of twist makes things even more interesting. Maybe that's exactly what the male lead likes, hehe.]
Heh.
We'd see if the male lead was shallow tomorrow.
After my mom passed away, my dad brought Nicole's mother, Anna Lawrence, in to take care of me.
Anna was single after her divorce, and she treated me well.
Eventually, she and my dad developed feelings for each other, and with my approval, they got married.
After they got married, my dad asked Anna to bring Nicole to the city so we could all live together.
Even after Nicole moved in, Anna still treated me well, sometimes even better than Nicole, her own daughter.
My dad was aware of everything and treated Nicole like his own, always reminding me to get along with her.
I knew Anna treated me well, and since I was a few months older than Nicole, I always looked out for her.
Especially when she was bullied at school, I'd rush to her side and defend her without a second thought.
Even though Nicole and I had the same material advantages, there was still a big gap between us.
I was born with fair skin, killer looks, a great body, and I was quick-witted and always top of my class.
Nicole just couldn't measure up to me, no matter what.
So I always got more praise and attention than she did.
But I never thought I was above her because of that. If anything, I just felt guilty and kind of bad about it.
To look out for her feelings and self-esteem, I kept a low profile on purpose, and I always told my dad and Anna to give her more compliments and not compare us.
But I never expected that, even though I always put her first, she didn't see it as kindness at all. Instead, she thought I was always putting her down.
And after she was reborn, she did whatever it took to steal my boyfriend.
So, looking back, I must've been out of my mind to treat her so well.
I was both furious and chilled to the core.
*****
My boyfriend and I had agreed to meet at a café at 10 a.m.
The next morning, my alarm went off at 8 a.m.
But I didn't get up right away, I just kept pretending to be asleep.
At nine, Nicole slipped into the exact same dress I wore when I met up with my online boyfriend in my last life, and left the house, practically buzzing with excitement.
Before heading out, she even came to my door and softly called out to me a couple of times. Only when she saw I wasn't responding did she finally head out, looking relieved.
After Nicole left and the door clicked shut, I texted my boyfriend: "Something came up, I might be a bit late."
Boyfriend: "No worries, big sis. Take your time and stay safe on the way."
Me: "Alright, see you soon."
Boyfriend: "Yeah, see you soon."
[Holy crap. The rival actually knows what the female lead is up to.]
[How did she find out? Did she get reborn too?.]
[Doesn't matter how she knows, the female lead's cover is about to be blown.]
[I'm freaking out. If only the female lead could see the comments.]
[Chill, chill, there's definitely a twist coming. The author's just messing with us.]
[Yeah, probably. That scheming author...]
Don't worry. Your female lead might not see the barrage, but I sure can.
Seriously, thanks.
After I finished getting ready, I took my sweet time driving over to the café.
*****
By the time I got to the café, it was already half past ten.
Standing outside, I spotted Nicole right away, her back was to me.
Across from her sat a good-looking guy with a bright vibe, wearing a relaxed smile and clearly in a good mood.
Looks like he's pretty happy with his "online date."
The comments were right, Nicole wasn't ugly. Once she got dolled up, she actually looked pretty cute, but…
She still couldn't hold a candle to me.
I never actually got his name, but the comments said his name was Adrian Parker.
After scoping things out for a few seconds, I pulled out my phone and sent Adrian a message.
A bright red exclamation mark popped up in the chat window.
This was totally expected, so I wasn't fazed at all. I leisurely dialed Adrian's number.
The phone rang for quite a while before he finally picked up. A low, attractive voice came through the receiver, but he sounded distant and a little annoyed.
"Hello?"