I'd just finished making my bed when my mom's call lit up my phone.
The sound of her soft, warm voice nearly made me tear up.
After the nightmare of last life — her screaming, broken, locked away in a mental ward — this gentle tone felt like a distant dream. I fought hard not to break down.
We talked for a few minutes, then she said:
"Your Uncle Shen and Lila came by a few days ago. I gave her that card we made with your ID. It has a hundred thousand dollars in it."
My eyes turned cold.
My entire family — my parents, my grandparents, me — we'd spoiled Lila like she was our own daughter.
And she'd repaid us by lying about marrying me, stealing our company secrets, and feeding my family straight to hell.
This debt would be paid in blood.
"I know, Mom. Don't give her any more money if she comes back."
"Honey… you two didn't break up, did you?"
I almost laughed.
"We're done. Even if we weren't, no future daughter-in-law collects huge red envelopes every time she visits. And honestly? The Shen family isn't good enough for us anyway."
My mom was quiet for a second.
She'd always thought we were giving too much, but she'd gone along with it because I'd been so obsessed.
"Alright. Your call."
"I'll talk to you later."
Lila was in a fancy French restaurant, stabbing her food like it owed her money.
A 2,888-dollar set meal, and she was acting like she owned the place.
"Bastard Dared to talk back to me I went too easy on that simp. I need to put him back in his place."
If Kael hadn't disobeyed her, she wouldn't be wasting her own money.
Furious, she pulled out her Nokia, blocked my number, and slammed the phone down.
"I'm ignoring him for days Let him sweat!"
She stared at her old 7610 model and already started plotting what new phone she'd force me to buy her.
"Waiter, check."
A waiter in a suit brought the tray.
Lila placed her card on it, acting elegant and wealthy.
A minute later, he came back.
"Miss, I'm sorry — this card isn't working."
"What?!" Lila snapped, already on edge. "You call this a high-class restaurant if your machines don't work?!"
"Our machines are fine, miss. The card itself has been frozen."
Lila shot to her feet.
A hundred thousand dollars — gone, just like that?
"Use another card, perhaps?" the waiter suggested.
She had nothing else.
Panicked, she called my mom.
My mom picked up mid-work.
"Auntie ~" Lila whined in her most sickly-sweet voice. "Why did the card you gave me get frozen?"
My mom smiled politely.
"Dear, that card was registered under Kael's name. I can't unfreeze it — you'll have to ask him."
"But Auntie —"
"I have a business meeting. Talk to Kael."
She hung up.
Lila's face twisted.
She didn't even realize how cold my mom's attitude had become.
"Damn you, Kael Playing dirty tricks!"
She tried to call me — then remembered she'd blocked me.
Unblocked, redialed.
I was hanging out with my roommates.
In my past life, I'd acted too high-and-mighty to be friends with them. I bought an off-campus apartment and moved out within days.
This time, I was staying.
My phone rang.
I saw Lila's number.
Once, my heart would've jumped with joy.
Now, I only felt ice.
"Hello."
She exploded like a firecracker.
"KAEL VOSS, HOW DARE YOU FREEZE MY CARD?! You're shameless! Low-class trick! I'm so disappointed in you! I hate this! You'll never get me to forgive you!"
She still thought she was the princess I worshipped.
I said one word.
"Oh."
Lila went silent.
…Oh?
What the hell was that supposed to mean?
"Kael! I'm ordering you — bring me the money right now! I'm at White Oak French Restaurant, and I'm only waiting ten minutes!"
[ Divine Choice System Activated ]
Option 1: Bring her the money. Reward: Lila's Affection +3, Lila's Contempt +5.
Option 2: Agree, then turn off your phone and ignore her. Reward: A pair of Lila's personal stockings.
Option 3: Refuse directly. Reward: New future vision clip.
What the hell is wrong with this system?
I hated her. I wouldn't take anything that belonged to her — not even if it was gold.
"Lila, you really have no shame. You're nobody to me. I'm not doing anything you say. Anything else?"
I chose Option 3.
She completely lost it.
"YOU'RE FINISHED! THAT'S MY MONEY! MY CARD! HOW DARE YOU FREEZE IT?! YOU BASTARD!"
Her screaming made everyone in the restaurant stare.
These people loved pretending they were high-class, listening quietly to piano music.
And here was a pretty girl yelling like a madwoman.
I said calmly:
"If you really think it's yours, call the cops. I'm busy."
I hung up.
Lila stood there, stunned.
This wasn't just about the money.
He hung up on her.
As far back as she could remember, I'd only hung up on her once before — when we were nine. I'd been playing with a neighbor girl and rushed off the phone.
She'd cried, I'd panicked and promised:
"I'll never hang up on you again."
And I'd kept that promise — until today.
She'd blocked me, ignored me, hung up on me countless times.
I'd never once done it back.
A flicker of guilt hit her — then she crushed it.
"Simp! He doesn't even deserve a personality How dare he hang up on me I'll destroy him!"
Back in the dorm, all my roommates were grinning at me.
"Girlfriend trouble?"
"Did you fight?"
"Is she hot?"
One chubby, acne-covered kid named Jasper — the youngest in the room, barely eighteen, but already the perviest — made a lewd gesture with his hands.
He was obsessed with adult videos, which led him into computers. He was a naturally gifted genius.
I just laughed.
"Crazy chick. Not my type. Not even close."
They didn't buy it.
Then my phone rang again.
"Ooooh! Still saying she's not your girlfriend?!"
I hit decline.
Blocked her number completely.
"Believe me now?"