Chapter 3
I finished showering that night and stepped out of the bathroom. I had only opened the door when Sia slipped inside. She wore a pitiful expression.
"Luna…" she said pitifully, trying to play the victim.
I glared at her and asked, "What is it?"
"N-Nothing," she stammered.
"If it's nothing, leave," I said. I moved as if to push her out.
Sia panicked and bit her lower lip. She sobbed and asked, "Are you upset with me, Luna? Why are you targeting me? You know my family isn't well-off, so why did you make me pay for your bedsheet?
"Your bedsheet costs me an entire year's living expenses. You don't even need the money, so why can't you just let it go? Are you doing it on purpose to humiliate me?"
I was stunned. I could not believe anyone could be so shameless, and yet, judging by her expression, she truly felt discriminated against.
I had no patience for her games, so I simply admitted it.
"Yes, I look down on you, and I am targeting you. So what?" I asked.
Her expression stiffened for a moment. I saw resentment and realization in her eyes.
A chill ran through me.
I had treated her decently in my previous life. She repeatedly used my name on campus forums to fish for rich boyfriends and ruined my reputation, but I had not confronted her or exposed her.
However, the truth was clear. Someone like Sia could only thrive by hurting others, unless you gave her everything she wanted without conditions, resentment would always grow. No matter how much you helped her, she would only see you as an enemy.
I could sense her hatred towards me at that moment.
I stared into her humiliated eyes and warned in an unfriendly tone, "I suggest you stop your little tricks and compensate me for my loss. Don't be surprised if the truth ends up plastered on the campus wall if you keep it up. Do you think your rich boyfriend would stay with you then?"
"No, please don't!" she begged.
She panicked when I mentioned Joel. She grabbed my arm and begged, "Please don't tell him. I'll pay you back for the bedsheet. It was my fault for leaving the packages on your bed by accident. I won't do it again!"
I coughed lightly, and I felt weird.
Clearly, she was terrified of losing him. Her reaction was so extreme that it almost made me look like the jealous villain trying to break them apart.
I scoffed and asked, "You say it was an accident? What about the times you secretly wore my clothes and carried my purse to meet Joel? What about when you threw my speech draft into the washing machine, copied my style while hinting to others that I was copying you? Were those all accidents, too?"
She turned pale, then she looked flushed. Her expression looked twisted for a second.
I shook her hand off me. The memory of my previous life came rushing back, and suddenly the spot where she had touched me felt filthy, as though insects were crawling across my skin. Disgust welled up inside me.
I pushed the door open. I caught sight of her distorted, resentful face in the bathroom mirror behind me.
"I won't let the past go so easily, Sia. You better watch it," I warned.
Then, I picked up my toiletries and walked out.
She probably tossed and turned that night, eaten up with worry, but that was none of my concern.
There was something I did not know. The moment I left, she lowered her gaze to the strand of hair she had plucked from my clothes. Her expression twisted into a vicious smile.
I flipped through the censer instruction manual that night while lying in bed. Following the shop name printed inside, I managed to track down the online store of the seller.
Unexpectedly, the store was empty, there was not a single item for sale.
I had no choice but to tap on the customer service icon at the bottom of the page. I cautiously sent a message.
[User2345: Hello, may I ask if the incense burners in your store are still available for purchase?]
It was half past eleven at night, but to my surprise, the customer service replied quickly.
[Satanic Shop: Hello dear, the products in our store can only be purchased with a strong desire. It seems we’ve detected that you don’t have a wish you truly long to fulfill.]
My hand trembled as I locked my screen.
'What did that mean? Could the customer service somehow detect my emotions through the phone? Was such technology possible? What exactly is Sia's relationship with this store?' I wondered.
My screen lit up just when I was hesitating. The customer service had sent another message first.
I was shocked when I saw the words on the screen.