I wanted to drive home but realized that Kristoff still had my bag.

Left with no choice, I hurried to catch up with the three of them.

As I passed through a grove of trees, I overheard Kristoff’s impatient voice.

“Sandy, how much longer do we have to keep pretending? I really can’t stand it anymore. Who knows if Amelia, who’s been messing around so much, has some kind of disease?”

“And Amelia is so pathetically stupid. She can’t even tell the difference between antiques and fakes. No wonder she could be sweet-talked by some old guy into bed. How can someone like her possibly be worthy of being the Johnson family’s mistress? Sandy, only you deserve the real heirloom bracelet,” Henry added.

Sandy, with an innocent and pitiful look, glanced at them both. “It's true Amelia has done a lot of bad things. But she’s been kind to me. How can I just abandon her? If you two don’t do as I say, I’ll never speak to you again!”

At her words, the two supposedly proud and aloof young masters immediately panicked and began apologizing to Sandy.

They practically groveled, eager to trample on me if it meant putting her on a pedestal.

Over a decade of friendship and shared memories meant nothing compared to Sandy’s few manipulative words.

Holding back tears, I turned and walked away into the endless night, my heart heavy with exhaustion.

By the time I reached home, my sprained ankle had swollen so badly it was unrecognizable.

My grandmother, filled with concern, brought out cooling ointment to massage my injury.

To ease her worries, I shared the good news about my university acceptance.

Her face lit up with surprise and joy. “My baby is so accomplished! Grandma is getting old, and the future of the Nicolas family rests on your shoulders.”

I nodded, tears welling up in my eyes.

“After all these years, the Nicolas family finally has something to celebrate. Grandma will throw a big banquet for you—a proper celebration!” she beamed.

Her joyful expression was the same as when she sent me off to get married in my previous life.

Back then, she believed I had found happiness and was filled with hope, only to pass away at my wedding from the shock of Henry’s betrayal.

This time, I vowed to change everything. Neither I nor my grandmother would suffer again.

Since my grandmother was elderly, I took charge of planning every detail of the banquet.

When my two childhood friends heard about it, they showed up uninvited to “help” and even brought my favorite strawberry cake to apologize.

“Amelia, you’ve been ignoring our messages. Are you still upset about that day?” Henry sighed.

“We didn’t mean to blame you. We were just worried you’d go down the wrong path. For people like us, reputation is everything,” Kristoff said.

I didn’t forgive them, but I allowed them to stay and help.

In our past lives, they owed me far too much. I didn’t need closure; I just wanted to part ways completely in this life.

After my parents passed, the once-prosperous Nicolas family fell into decline, leaving us vulnerable to scorn and bullying.

Now, my success was proof to the world that the Nicolas family had a future and was no longer to be trifled with.

Because of this, my grandmother took the banquet very seriously, attending to every detail.

On the day of the banquet, prominent figures from all over gathered to celebrate.

Sandy, dressed in a custom-made gown, entered with my childhood friends by her side.

Her eyes burned with envy as she took in the grand venue.

“Amelia’s life is truly charmed,” she muttered. "But so what if you’re born into wealth and excel academically? I’ll make sure you live the rest of your life wishing you were dead.”

As she finished speaking, the large screens in the banquet hall suddenly lit up with photos of me.

One after another, they displayed explicit images of me in bed with different men.

“Isn’t that the eldest miss of the Nicolas family? Wow, she really gets around. I guess the rumors were true—children without proper parents really don’t turn out well.”

“No wonder people said Amelia slept her way through university. It all makes sense now.”

"The Nicolas family is truly finished, resorting to having their daughter play mistress and social butterfly."

These mocking words and disdainful glances were all too familiar. In my previous life, I endured them twice.

Once at my wedding.

Henry openly fled the ceremony for Sandy, which caused my grandmother such grief that it ended her life. The scandal turned both me and the Nicolas family into a laughingstock in San Francisco.

The second time was at my funeral.

Before my body was even buried, Kristoff eagerly proposed to Sandy right at the service, reducing my entire life to a cruel joke.

The memories from my past life flooded my mind, and panic gripped my chest. My eyes darted to my grandmother, whose breathing was labored as she stared at the photos in disbelief, her eyes brimming with tears.

"My granddaughter would never do something like this!" she exclaimed.

Noticing her worsening state, my heart sank. I begged those around me to help take her to the hospital. But they all backed away as if avoiding contamination from someone as "dirty" as me.

In the end, it was my two childhood friends who stepped forward.

Henry offered to drive, while Kristoff and I supported my grandmother as we rushed her to the hospital.

"Good thing you brought her on time," the doctor said. "Any later, and her life might have been in danger."

I quickly thanked the doctor and stayed by my grandmother's bedside, my heart heavy with guilt.

While keeping vigil, I reviewed the security footage. As I suspected, Sandy’s figure appeared on the screen. She had deliberately swapped the photos. Each of the scandalous images was fake—carefully and maliciously doctored.

Clutching the evidence, I prepared to go to the police. But my two childhood friends blocked my way.

"It was just a prank. Do you really have to blow this out of proportion?" Kristoff scolded. "Do you even realize what kind of damage you’ll cause Sandy if you report this?"

I froze in place, stunned by his audacity, before erupting in rage. "And what about me? My grandmother nearly died! Doesn’t she care that she’s destroying me and the entire Nicolas family?"

Kristoff immediately stepped in front of Sandy protectively and shoved me forcefully. "Enough, Amelia! Your grandmother is fine now, isn’t she? Besides, flies don’t land on eggs without cracks. If people are saying these things about you, it’s probably because you did something to deserve it!"

Those words no longer pierced my heart. Numb, I brushed past them.

But Henry grabbed my wrist tightly, his expression cold and unreadable. "Amelia, don’t waste your time. You know how powerful our families are. No lawyer would dare take this case."

When I didn’t respond, his grip tightened.

"And don’t forget—your grandmother is still in the hospital. With one word, I can have her treatment stopped."

He pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

"Three."

"Two."

"I was wrong!" I collapsed to my knees, tears streaming uncontrollably down my face.

I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t risk my grandmother’s life.

Kristoff snatched my phone and smashed it into pieces. Shards of glass flew, cutting into my skin.

He looked down at me coldly. "As long as we’re here, you’ll never hurt Sandy."

I remained motionless on the ground, watching their figures disappear before the pain in my chest spread, overwhelming me.

The grievances and sorrows of two lifetimes finally erupted. I cried, wrenching sobs tearing through me.

Youthful promises had been lies.

The affection of childhood friends was nothing but a facade. Only their cruelty had ever been real.

I didn’t know how long I cried before I dragged myself back to the hospital, moving like a lifeless shell.

Fearing that Henry or Kristoff might try to harm my grandmother, I refused to leave her side for days.

During this time, only Sandy kept sending me messages.

The two of them had taken her on a trip, going bungee jumping and completing all the plans we had once made but never fulfilled.

With a trembling hand, I blocked her number.

When I lifted my head, I saw two dignified men standing by my grandmother's hospital bed. They saluted me.

“Miss Amelia, we are medics assigned by the organization. Please rest assured, while you’re away, we will ensure your grandmother’s safety and health.”

It was then I realized the time had come for me to leave.

After thanking them, I went back home. I discarded every item related to my two so-called childhood friends.

Without a glance back, I boarded the plane.

Henry and Kristoff were not my pillars of support.

For my grandmother, for the Nicolas family, I had to rely on myself to carve out a bright future.