Maybe the universe heard my plea and took pity on me, giving me a chance to live again.

When I opened my eyes again, the first thing I saw was Leia’s young face – exactly as I remembered it from all those sleepless nights haunted by dreams of the past.

Looking around at the familiar decorations in the room, I was both shocked and thrilled. I had really been reborn.

But since Leia was still there, I had to suppress my excitement and listen to her complaints just like before.

“You know, I’ve been so good to him, bringing him breakfast every day, buying him clothes and even those AJ sneakers he wears all the time. But why did he have to cheat on me? Skye, what should I do?”

Thinking about what happened in my previous life, I remembered how her influential father quickly pulled some strings after the fire, making sure she faced no consequences, leaving me to bear the brunt of it alone. And then she disappeared in my life, never crossing paths with me again.

I could no longer keep up the pretense of a comforting smile. Coldly, I said to her, “He just made a mistake that any man could make. A reformed rake makes the best husband – you should forgive him.”

“Skye, are you even my friend? How can you take his side? I’m so disappointed in you. I’m done with you!” Leia stormed out, slamming the door behind her, her face flushed with anger.

Her departure filled me with glee. She was finally gone – maybe we could be done with each other for good.

But deep down, I knew that was unlikely.

Leia came from a wealthy family, an only child who had been spoiled rotten. She had a domineering personality that made it difficult for anyone to get along with her, and I was her only friend since childhood.

The reason we became friends wasn’t just because I was patient and tolerant; it was also because, growing up poor, I often wore old, unfashionable clothes, which made my classmates avoid me. Leia, on the other hand, was willing to befriend me.

Back then, Leia was as delicate and pretty as a doll, and her willingness to be my friend made me feel incredibly fortunate.

Even when classmates called me Leia’s shadow or tagalong, I didn’t mind. She was the only one who wanted to be my friend, my angel.

But now, she was nothing more than a demon, a ticking time bomb. I couldn’t wait to distance myself from her.

There was about a month left before the fire would occur, according to my previous life’s memories. After this argument, Leia wouldn’t come looking for me for about a month, so I needed to take advantage of this time to change my fate.

If I remember correctly, in two weeks, I should receive an email confirming that I passed the interview at the company I had dreamed of working for since I started university.

For my classmates and me, landing an offer from this company was considered the best graduation gift, something to be truly proud of.

Only about 20% of graduates from our school managed to secure such an offer each year.

In my previous life, I was so close to achieving my dream, only to have it all ruined at the last minute.

This time, I was determined to change that.

My lease was signed until the end of the year, so I had more than five months left. The rent was paid quarterly, and I had already paid for this quarter. If I broke the lease now, the landlord wouldn’t refund my money.

I just graduated, and my parents struggled to put me through college. I couldn’t ask them for help again.

Ugh, no money, and I’m stuck in a lease I can’t break – this is rough.

[Hey Skye, there’s a short-term project that Professor Graham is hiring for. It’s two weeks long, pays about 3,000 bucks, and it’s a full-time, on-site gig. Interested?] A text popped up from Kylie.

Full-time on-site work? Perfect.

If I was not at home for two weeks, Leia wouldn’t be able to find me, and I could wait to start my new job – and I’d get paid too. This is amazing!

“Count me in, Kylie. How do I sign up?”

“Perfect, we can go together. We’ve both worked with Dr. Graham on projects before, so just shoot him a message. We’ll probably need to be at the downtown site by tomorrow.”

“Got it. I’ll start preparing. See you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow.”

A smile crept onto my face. Things were finally taking a different turn from my previous life.

In my last life, this opportunity with Professor Graham never came up.

Even though I wouldn’t be at home during this time, I still needed to protect myself in case Leia lost it and set my place on fire.

I just looked up the relevant laws – if a fire is caused by a third party, they’re responsible for the damages.

So, during this period, I needed to make sure there was proof I wasn’t at home.

I immediately sent a message to my landlord: [Hi Mrs. Smith, I’ll be away for two weeks starting tomorrow. I’ll make sure all doors and windows are locked, and the utilities are turned off. If anything comes up, I’d appreciate it if you could keep an eye on things.]

She replied quickly, “No worries, Skye. You go ahead and enjoy your time away. I’ll take care of everything.”

I then knocked on my neighbor Beatrice’s door. “Beatrice, it’s Skye. Are you home?” I called out loudly.

Beatrice, in her forties, lived alone since her child had gone off to college. She was always friendly and often shared her cooking with me since I lived alone next door.

“Skye, what brings you over? Come in, come in,” Beatrice welcomed me warmly.

As soon as I sat down, I got straight to the point. “Beatrice, I need a favor. I’ll be away for two weeks for work, and it’s a full-time, on-site project, so I won’t be home at all. I don’t really know anyone else around here, so I’m hoping you wouldn’t mind looking after my cat, Chestnut. I’ll provide all the supplies, and I’ll pay you $1,000 for your trouble.”

Beatrice frowned at the mention of payment. “Oh, Skye, don’t be silly. I don’t need your money. I know Chestnut well – I’ve fed her a few times before. She’s such a sweet and affectionate cat. Don’t worry about a thing. I’d be happy to have the company. And forget about the money.”

“Thank you, Beatrice. But it’s not just about the cat. I’d also feel better knowing someone’s keeping an eye on the house. If anyone comes looking for me, could you just tell them I’m away for work and that you don’t know where I went?”

“Of course, that’s no problem at all. And if you still call me your friend, you won’t mention money again. You’re just a young thing, about the same age as my son. But do make sure you leave enough food for Chestnut.”

“I will, I promise,” I said, relieved. “Thank you so much, Beatrice. I’ll drop everything off tomorrow morning.”

After a quick chat, I said goodbye and returned home to continue preparing for my trip.

After a busy day of preparations, everything was finally in order.

I relaxed on the couch, scrolling through my phone, savoring the joy of being reborn.

Suddenly, I came across Leia’s social media post – pictures of her on a trip with her boyfriend.

The comments were full of admiration: [What a perfect couple!] and [So jealous of your trip together!]

I couldn’t help but scoff. Just this morning, she was crying to me about how awful her boyfriend was, and now she’s out having fun with him, showing off on social media.

Honestly, if she ever complained about him again, I’d just ignore it. Why should I get all worked up and sympathize?

If she ended up getting hurt, that was on her; if she ended up happy, that was on her too.

You reap what you sow, and it’s better not to get involved, which saves you from being the bad guy in the end.

It was a shame it took me two lifetimes to learn that lesson.