“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.

After a long silence, I smiled.

“You’re right. We should settle everything once and for all.”

Cole’s eyes lit up. He assumed I had backed down, and a triumphant smile spread across his face.

“In that case, let’s go and transfer the ownership of the house right now–”

Before he could finish, I cut him off. “What I mean is this: over the years, you’ve eaten my food, used my money, and even claimed you were saving up for marriage while holding onto my salary. You’ve been managing my income all this time. Now that we’ve broken up, return my salary and repay everything you owe me.”

In my previous life, Cole had used the excuse of “saving for marriage” to control my salary. Yet, every time I needed money, he refused to give it back. Instead, he accused me of being irresponsible with money and made me doubt myself constantly, trapping me in emotional exhaustion.

Only after I died did I realize he had been using my money to buy jewelry and luxury items for Cassie. Not only had they been together behind my back, but they had also used my money. I had been nothing more than their financial support system.

So, in this life, I would not let them take a single cent from me, and I was going to take back everything that belonged to me.

Cole felt embarrassed as he tried to play dumb. “What do you mean, I was holding your salary? Quit talking nonsense.”

Cassie immediately chimed in. “Exactly, Sadie. If you’re saying Cole kept your salary, where’s your proof? Without proof, you’re just trying to extort money from him!”

They tried to twist the situation against me, but I snickered and pulled out years of bank transfer records. I also displayed every expense I had spent on Cole over the years, every cost carefully recorded.

“You want proof? I have plenty. Cole, the total amount you owe me is $129,876.76.”

Thankfully, I had always kept detailed records. Otherwise, I would have been trapped with no way out.

Having not expected this, both Cole’s and Cassie’s faces turned ashen with rage.

Cassie bit her lip hard. “Sadie, you and Cole were together for five years. Do you really have to be so petty about it? Besides, you’re not short on money now. Why bother fighting over such a small amount?”

I replied, “You two were the ones being petty about it, and this is my money. What’s wrong with me taking it back? Don’t try to guilt-trip me. If you’re so kind, then why don’t you pay it back for him?”

Cassie fell silent.

Cole initially refused to pay, but when I threatened to take legal action, he reluctantly transferred the money back. After receiving the transfer, I left, and as I walked away, I didn’t miss the evil glare Cole fixed on my back. I knew he wouldn’t let this go easily, but even so, I had underestimated just how shameless he could be.

That day, as soon as I arrived at my desk, a lavishly dressed woman in a mink coat stormed into the company with a group of bodyguards behind her. While I was still taken aback, she strode up to me and slapped me hard twice across the face. Then, she grabbed her designer handbag and smashed it against my head.

“So you’re the woman who seduced my husband, Elijah Foster? You shameless homewrecker, I’ll kill you!”

Instantly, everyone in the office stopped working as they turned toward me, waiting to watch the show unfold.

I was hit so hard that stars flashed across my eyes, my face burned with pain, and I could taste blood in my mouth. After a moment, I forced myself to steady my breathing.

Confused, I said, “Ma’am, I think there’s been a misunderstanding. I have nothing to do with Mr. Foster–”

Before I could finish, Cassie interrupted me, “Mrs. Foster, I can vouch for this. Sadie has been constantly trying to seduce Mr. Foster behind your back. She’s mentioned more than once that she wants to become his wife.”

Cole also chimed in, supporting her side. “That’s right. Sadie is exactly that kind of woman. She has no shame and is willing to do anything for money. That’s why I broke up with her.”

With their coordinated lies, the woman now looked at me as if she wanted to kill me.