I donated blood to save the sister of a powerful wealthy heir. The man insisted on repaying me for saving her life. Not only did he gift me a luxury sports car worth hundreds of thousands as a gift, but he also handed me the keys to a multimillion-dollar mansion.

Just as I was about to accept the gifts, my female coworker slapped my hand away.

“If you do a good deed, you shouldn’t expect anything in return. It’s fine to accept gratitude, but how could you accept the gifts? We may not be rich, but we still have dignity. If you accept charity like this, people will only look down on you!”

Then, my boyfriend of five years, who was also our manager, sided with her.

“Sadie, you can’t take handouts like this. If you do, don’t blame me for breaking up with you.”

Brainwashed by the two of them, I turned down the wealthy heir’s generosity just to preserve my so-called “dignity”. However, the moment I refused, they immediately claimed the car and mansion in my name behind my back. Worse, they even used my life-saving act to secure high-paying jobs for themselves from the wealthy heir.

When I found out, I confronted my boyfriend in fury, only to discover he had gotten together with that coworker. During the fight, they shoved me down the stairs and I died on the spot.

However, after my death, the two of them started livestreaming online. By mocking me for being fake and refusing wealth out of pride, they became internet celebrities and rose to fame and fortune.

The moment I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the day the wealthy heir offered me the gifts. This time, I accepted all of it without hesitation.

“Miss Stevens, my sister lost a massive amount of blood after her car accident. If it weren’t for your lifesaving donation, she wouldn’t have survived. Here is a small token of my gratitude. Please accept them.”

The wealthy heir, Elijah Foster, gave a subtle look to the assistant beside him. Immediately, the assistant stepped forward, holding out the deed to a luxury mansion and the keys to a high-end sports car.

People in the office instantly erupted in shock.

“That villa is in Bluewater Bay, isn’t it? I heard one of those costs over thirty million dollars!”

“And that car is a limited-edition Porsche Cayenne! It’s the rich people’s favorite toy. How did Sadie get this lucky?”

Among the crowd, only Cassie Bennett kept her head lowered in silence, her expression dark and unreadable.

Just as I reached out to accept the gifts, she suddenly rushed forward and slapped my hand away.

“Sadie, if you do a good deed, you shouldn’t expect anything in return. It’s fine to accept gratitude, but how could you accept the gifts? We may not be rich, but we still have dignity. If you accept charity like this, people will only look down on you!”

The moment I heard those familiar words, I realized I had been reborn.

In my previous life, she had stopped me the same way. Brainwashed by her self-righteous nonsense, I rejected Elijah Foster’s gifts without hesitation, all for the sake of preserving my so-called dignity. Yet afterward, she teamed up with my boyfriend, Cole Tory, and secretly claimed the mansion and car in my name.

When I eventually discovered the truth, the two of them pushed me down the stairs to silence me. I died from the fall, and after my death, they even started livestreaming online, profiting shamelessly from my tragedy.

“Guys, Sadie was the one who refused the gifts in the first place. Later, when Mr. Foster transferred them to us, she got jealous. And during the argument, she accidentally fell down the stairs herself. If you ask me, it was karma.”

Under her manipulation, the internet called me a ‘fake saint’, saying that I was too prideful for my own good and that I deserved what happened to me. I died so full of hatred, while they became millionaire influencers and rose straight to fame and fortune. Fortunately, I had been given a second chance in life.

Coming back to my senses, I looked into Cassie’s reddened, jealousy-filled eyes and finally understood the vicious ambition hidden beneath her fake concern. This time, I ignored her manipulative lecture completely.

Ignoring the ugly look spreading across her face, I calmly took the deed and the car keys before slipping them into my bag.

“Mr. Foster, I’ll gladly accept your kind gesture.”

Cassie was taken aback. She clearly hadn’t expected me, the person she could always manipulate so easily, to refuse being controlled this time.

A flash of malice crossed her eyes before she pointed at me and exploded. “Sadie, how can you accept them? You have no shame at all! Taking handouts from people like this makes you no different from a beggar on the street!”

“People shouldn't lower themselves for money, yet you’re throwing away your dignity over cash. You’re embarrassing the entire company! Return the house deed and car keys right now before people laugh at us for this.”

As she spoke, Cassie reached for my bag, trying to search through it. I simply stepped aside to avoid her and then looked at her coldly.

“I earned these gifts. Why shouldn’t I accept them? And honestly, Cassie, you’ve been trying so hard to stop me… Is it because you’re jealous? The truth is, you want the luxury car and mansion too, don’t you? You just can’t stand seeing me have something you can’t get.”

Having her thoughts exposed, Cassie’s face instantly turned ugly. However, a second later, her eyes turned red, and she pressed a hand to her chest as if deeply hurt.

Cassie said, “Sadie, I’m saying this because I consider you a close friend, but I just can’t bear to see you lose yourself. I just don’t want you sacrificing your dignity for money and getting judged for it later. I’m only thinking about what’s best for you. How could you see me that way?”

Cassie already had the kind of soft, sad-looking appearance. The moment she put on a pitiful act to gain others’ sympathy, several male coworkers immediately started defending her.

“Sadie, Cassie was only trying to help. How can you accuse her like that?”

“You’re a woman. Why do you even need a car and a mansion? Just listen to Cassie and give them back. At least you’ll keep your reputation.”

Some of them were speaking up for Cassie, while others simply couldn’t stand the idea of someone my age suddenly owning a luxury property and an expensive car.

Elijah, who could no longer stand by and watch, tried to speak up on my behalf. “Miss Bennett, this isn’t charity. It’s a token of my gratitude. Miss Stevens saved my sister’s life. If she refuses the gifts, I’ll feel bad about it.”

Still, Cassie refused to let it go.

“If she truly did a good deed, then she shouldn’t accept gifts for it. Otherwise, doesn’t that turn a good deed into something transactional? It goes against basic principles.”

Just then, a man’s voice sounded from behind me.

“What’s going on here?”

I didn’t even need to turn around to know it was my boyfriend, Cole Tory.

In my previous life, if it hadn’t been for the relentless guilt-tripping from Cole and Cassie, I never would’ve given up the gifts just to prove I had dignity. In the end, my refusal only gave them an opportunity. They took everything that should’ve belonged to me, and after I uncovered the truth, they murdered me. It was only right before my death that I learned Cole and Cassie had been seeing each other behind my back.

I would never forget the cold look in Cole’s eyes as he shoved me down the stairs. Both of them were murderers, and this time, I wasn’t going to let either of them off the hook.

When I snapped back to reality, Cassie had explained the situation to Cole and was asking him to judge fairly.

Just like in my previous life, Cole looked at me with disgust as he said, “Sadie, Cassie’s right. You can’t accept handouts like this. If you do, don’t blame me for breaking up with you.”

The moment he said that, Cassie shot me a smug look. She was clearly convinced she had me under control.

The people around us also watched eagerly. They were certain I would compromise like always. After all, I had always obeyed Cole in the past, and more than anything, I couldn’t bear the thought of losing him. Every time we argued, all he had to do was threaten to break up, and I would immediately give in. It had worked perfectly in my previous life, but too bad for him, I had been reborn.

Facing his threat this time, I simply nodded and sneered. “Fine. Let’s break up. I was thinking the same thing anyway.”

The moment those words left my mouth, everyone stared at me in shock. Even Cole looked shocked.

“Sadie, you’d break up with me over these gifts? I never realized you were so materialistic!”

Cassie immediately chimed in from the side. “Sadie, I can’t believe you care so much about money that you’re willing to throw away a five-year relationship for it.”

At once, everyone looked at me with undisguised contempt.

“I thought Sadie truly loved Mr. Tory since she always obeyed him. Who would’ve thought she’d be so selfish and greedy deep down?”

“Never judge a book by its cover. Having a coworker like her is seriously the biggest stain on my life.”

I ignored everyone’s mocking comments and simply smiled as I escorted Elijah and his group out. After everything I went through in my previous life, words like these meant nothing to me anymore.

After that, I took a day off work and went to handle the paperwork for the house transfer and pick up the car. By the time everything was done, it was already evening. So, I drove back to the apartment I once shared with Cole, planning to pack my things and move out for good; this time, I was completely done with him.

The moment I opened the door, I saw Cassie and Cole sitting closely together on the couch, looking disgustingly affectionate. Cassie was smiling sweetly as she fed him grapes, their eyes filled with affection. Yet, in my past life, I had been too blind to notice any of it. They had fooled me completely, toyed with me behind my back, and eventually even caused my death. Thinking back on it now, I really had been stupid.

Sensing my gaze, Cole looked toward the door. The moment he saw me, panic flashed in his eyes, and he immediately put some distance between himself and Cassie.

Then, he asked, “Why are you back, Sadie? We broke up. What are you doing at my place?”

I laughed in disbelief. “Your place? Don’t forget I paid half the rent here, too. This is my home just as much as yours. If an outsider like Cassie is here, why can’t I?”

Cassie’s expression stiffened for a moment, but she quickly forced out a fake smile and said, “Sadie, please don’t misunderstand. Cole’s been in a bad mood, so I came to help talk things out between the two of you. Cole, stop giving her the cold shoulder. Sadie came all the way back here to ask for your forgiveness.”

Listening to Cassie’s usual manipulative nonsense, I found it ridiculous. In my previous life, every time Cole and I argued, she would play the peacemaker, acting as if she were trying to help us reconcile. Yet somehow, after every single one of her “mediations,” our fights only got worse, and now I understood why. She was never trying to help; she was deliberately stirring the pot while getting closer to Cole behind my back.

Seeing me smile, Cole mistakenly thought I believed Cassie’s act. He lifted his chin and snorted.

“Sadie, since Cassie’s been saying good things about you, I’ll give you one last chance. As long as you return those gifts, I can overlook everything and forgive you, I guess,” he said.

I was speechless for a moment. “Cole, stop being so full of yourself. I don’t care about your forgiveness. I meant it when I agreed to break up with you at the office earlier. We’re over. I only came back to pack my things before moving into my new home.”

The moment I snapped back at him, Cole’s face turned pale. At the mention of the mansion, both his and Cassie’s eyes turned green with envy, and they gritted their teeth in frustration. Suddenly, as if she thought of something, Cassie leaned toward Cole and whispered a few words into his ear.

I couldn’t be bothered to care, so I went straight into the bedroom to pack. I took the wooden doll Cole had once hand-carved for me—a keepsake I had kept in the drawer—and smashed it in half. Then, I tore down every cute photo strip we had hanging on the wall and threw the shredded pieces into the trash.

I had no idea what Cassie had said to Cole, but when I walked back out after packing my things, he immediately stood in my way.

He looked at me with his scheming eyes and said, “Sadie, since we’ve broken up, we should settle things once and for all. You wasted five years of my youth. For that, you need to make up for the breakup and emotional damage I’ve suffered. I’m not asking for much. Just transfer that mansion under your name to me to make up for it. Besides, what use does a woman have for a house anyway?”

I nearly laughed from sheer anger at his shamelessness. So this was what they had been secretly plotting earlier.

When I didn’t respond, Cole grabbed my wrist, a vicious look flashing through his eyes.

“Sadie, if you don’t make it up to me, don’t even think about leaving here today.”

Clearly, he had no intention of letting me go unless he managed to scam a mansion out of me.