Reborn to Save My Brother from Her Lies

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The new girl, the intern, posted in the company group chat in the middle of the night asking for help.

She said her place had flooded in the storm and wanted my brother to drive over and move her to a hotel.

In my last life, I went soft and let him go.

The next morning, Lorraine Pruitt showed up holding a torn bra,

crying that my brother had assaulted her.

Ray Barnes had just started college. He couldn't defend himself, and he was expelled.

The family company took the hit, and the stress gave my parents heart attacks.

Lorraine rode the public outrage to a settlement of ten million, then got fast-tracked to a permanent position and took my job.

She came to me on purpose to gloat.

“Willow, I made it to the top of my life, and it's all thanks to you sending Ray to pick me up that night.”

When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the night of the hurricane.

Lorraine was in the company chat, asking for help.

【My apartment's flooded, and the rain's too heavy to get a car.】

【Willow, could you have your brother do me a favor and take me to a hotel?】

I reached out and pressed down my brother's hand as he was already going for the car keys,

and I typed back in the chat:

【My brother's not coming. I'll call 911 for you.】

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The chat went quiet for a few seconds.

Lorraine sent a voice message.

Water rushing in the background.

“Willow, I don't mean anything by it.”

“The fire department's got to be swamped in weather like this. I don't want to tie up rescue resources.”

“It's just that your place is close to mine, and your brother's a good driver, so I thought I'd trouble him to run me to a hotel nearby.”

Someone in the chat backed her up:

【The fire department's slammed on a night like this. Better not to bother them if you don't have to.】

【Willow, didn't your brother take first place in a racing event not long ago? Driving's basically a game to him.】

【Right, and that custom off-roader of yours cost a few million. It's made for driving out in weather like this.】

I answered in the chat:

【It's a red alert. No going out unless it's necessary.】

【My brother isn't a rescue team, and an off-roader isn't a lifeboat. If something happens, are you going to take responsibility?】

Lorraine stepped in to smooth things over:

【Willow's right, I wasn't thinking it through.】

【I'll figure something out.】

I thought that would be the end of it.

Instead she followed up with one more line:

【If I'm not at the office tomorrow morning, could someone please call the police for me.】

The second that landed, the boss spoke up.

He sent a long voice message.

“Willow Barnes, you're a department supervisor. Looking after new hires and coordinating employee safety is your responsibility.”

“Lorraine just joined the company. She's new to the area, and now she's stranded in a flood. What's wrong with having your brother make one trip?”

“If you dodge even something this small, how is the company supposed to trust you with anything bigger?”

My brother heard the message playing out loud and quickly stood up.

“Sis, why don't I just go.”

He'd only just started his freshman year, his eyes still clear, with no idea how ugly the world could get.

I pressed his hand down.

“Sit.”

“But didn't your coworker say her place flooded and she can't stay there?”

I looked at him.

“Even if it did flood, it's none of your business.”

I opened the company chat again.

【My brother has personal matters. He can't go.】

【Lorraine Pruitt, if you're really in danger and you don't show up at the office tomorrow morning, I'll be the first to call the police for you.】