Chapter 1In my last life, Vaughn Castellano's first love died because of me.
He was completely destroyed.
So he married me—not out of love, but revenge.
He took my everything. My business. My family. My future.
He broke me down until I couldn't take it anymore.
Until I jumped.
Right before I died, Vaughn stood there, cold as ice, and covered my eyes with his hand.
"Josie, if there's a next life... stay away from me and Piper. Just stay away."
When I opened my eyes, I was seventeen again.
Same path to Lincoln High I'd walked a thousand times.
Down the street, Vaughn and Piper were heading my way.
Piper spotted me first and waved like crazy.
"Josie! Over here!"
I froze.
This time? Of course I'm staying the HELL away from both of them.
So I grabbed my backpack, hurled it straight at them, and RAN.
---
"Josie! Hey! What's going on? We're gonna be late!"
I didn't stop. Just kept running against the crowd of students in their uniforms.
The wind hit my face, warm and real.
God, it felt good.
Being alive felt so damn good.
All that darkness from before—the kind that gets inside me and won't let go, the kind that makes me want to die—it was gone.
Right now, I was just seventeen-year-old Josie Hartwell.
Healthy. Happy. Alive.
The Hartwells and Castellanos went way back. Vaughn was a year older than me, and he'd always looked out for me growing up.
Candy when we were kids.
Pretty dresses when we got older.
A sapphire necklace for my sixteenth birthday…
He'd been good to me for as long as I could remember.
Plenty of girls wanted him, but I was the one by his side.
He was like a brother. But somewhere along the way, he also became the guy I secretly loved.
Until freshman year happened—
I passed out during the sports meet, and Piper Ashford took me to the nurse.
After that, there were three of us instead of two.
Vaughn and Piper had everything in common—same interests, both straight-A students, always talking about something I couldn't keep up with.
I slowly became the third wheel tagging along.
...
In my last life, the rumors that Piper's stepdad raped her spread through the whole school.
Before she jumped, her hair was a mess and she stared at me with pure hate.
"Josie Hartwell, remember this—YOU killed me!"
Then she jumped. Didn't hesitate. Didn't give anyone time to stop her.
Didn't even give me a chance to explain.
When Vaughn saw the note she left, he lost it.
His fingers dug into my shoulders so hard I thought my bones would break. His eyes were bloodshot, filled with this hatred that scared the hell out of me.
"Josie! Why? Why would you do this?"
"You're the only one who knew!"
"I..." My throat felt like sandpaper. I could barely get the words out through the pain.
"It wasn't me."
"I didn't do it."
But nobody believed me.
Piper accused me in front of everyone before she died.
That was it. I was guilty.
Any defense I tried just sounded pathetic next to a dead girl's final words.
So I got bullied. Isolated.
Everyone looked at me like I was a murderer. Every single person at school had it out for me.
Especially Vaughn.
Four years later, the Castellanos wanted to merge with my family. Vaughn agreed to marry me.
It was like Piper never existed. He went back to treating me the way he used to—sweet, caring, perfect.
I thought maybe Vaughn finally believed me.
He ruffled my hair the way he'd done since we were kids, his face soft and warm.
"Josie, let's get married."
I remembered Vaughn being like this—gentle, protective. I thought the old Vaughn was back.
Until he got his hands on the Ashford family's private files.
Until he destroyed my family's business piece by piece.
Until my parents got kicked out of Seattle and I was trapped in that house.
Hatred. Silent treatment. That's all I got, every single day.
Vaughn stopped pretending. When he looked at me, his eyes were empty and cold.
"Josie, everything Piper went through? You're gonna go through it too."
"Why don't you just die? Maybe then... maybe I could finally forgive you."
So seven years later, I did exactly what Vaughn wanted. I jumped, just like Piper did.
...
I stood there on the sidewalk, the school bell still ringing in my ears.
The feeling of my skull cracking open, my soul being ripped out, Vaughn's cold voice in those final seconds—all of it slowly faded from my mind.
"Josie, if there's a next time... stay the hell away from us."
I let out a long breath.
This time, I'm staying far away from Vaughn Castellano and Piper Ashford. Both of them.
Then I turned and ran home as fast as I could.
Chapter 2
"Josie? Shouldn't you be in class right now?"
The second I burst through the door, Mom was in the backyard with her coffee, looking totally relaxed. She seemed surprised to see me.
My eyes got hot and I threw myself at her, holding on tight.
In my last life, they lost everything. Vaughn—the kid they'd watched grow up—forced them out of Seattle. I didn't even get to say goodbye before I died.
"You're still so clingy. What are you gonna do when you get married someday?"
Mom's voice was gentle and teasing above my head.
But the word "married" made me flinch.
I held her tighter.
"I'm not getting married. I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying right here with you and Dad, helping with the company, being a spoiled rich kid who does absolutely nothing..."
Mom pretended to be annoyed, but she was smiling.
"Well then, I guess we'll just have to let you mooch off us forever."
...
I spent the whole evening pulling myself together.
The next day, I went back to school. The driver dropped me off at the gates.
As I got out, I caught a glimpse of Vaughn and Piper at the corner, laughing about something.
That was our usual spot. They were waiting for me.
Terrified they'd see me, I ducked my head, grabbed my backpack, and rushed into school.
That path. The three of us walking together. I'd always watch Vaughn, but Vaughn only ever watched Piper.
This crush should've ended a long time ago.
But back then, young and stupid, I was just happy to steal one more look at Vaughn on that stupid path.
After school, I dragged my feet leaving. Vaughn and Piper were still waiting at the gate.
No way around them. I had to walk out.
Piper didn't ask why I ran yesterday. She just linked her arm through mine like always, warm and familiar.
"Josie! We waited like forever. What happened?"
I tried to hold it together, but I couldn't help it—I pulled my hand away.
Piper's face froze for a second before she recovered.
"It's my birthday today. You're coming, right?"
My heart dropped.
In my last life, Piper's birthday was when she got drunk and we talked about everything. That's when she told me about her stepdad—that he raped her when she was younger.
How could I risk hearing her secrets again?
I didn't dare look at Vaughn standing next to her. Just kept my head down, stumbling over my words.
"I... I can't. Family stuff. Happy birthday though."
With that, I turned and walked away fast, ignoring Piper's eyes turning red behind me.
Suddenly I heard footsteps behind me.
"Josie."
Vaughn.
My heart jumped. I kept my head down and walked faster.
Vaughn caught up in like three steps and blocked my path. His shadow fell over me completely.
"Why are you running?"
Finally, I looked up at eighteen-year-old Vaughn.
He wore the familiar uniform. His face was sharp and handsome. But his eyes had this depth, this coldness that didn't match his age—exactly like the Vaughn from my last life.
Wait.
Eighteen-year-old Vaughn would never look at me like this.
Panic hit me hard. I stumbled backward, almost losing my balance.
Vaughn stepped closer, literally standing on my shadow.
"Josie, you're scared of me, aren't you?"
Chapter 3
The next second, Vaughn's face softened. He reached out and ruffled my hair like he used to.
"Josie, are you okay? Why are you avoiding me and Piper?"
"It's Piper's birthday. She'll be really upset if you don't come. Let's go celebrate together, yeah?"
Vaughn was smiling, but I could feel him testing me.
Made sense.
Since yesterday, I'd been acting completely different, avoiding them whenever I could, not hanging on Vaughn's every word like I used to in my last life.
If Vaughn wasn't actually eighteen-year-old Vaughn, he'd definitely suspect I wasn't seventeen-year-old Josie either.
After three years of marriage, whatever I'd felt for Vaughn died along with everything else he put me through.
Now? I hate him. And I'm scared as hell of him.
"I... I..."
I forced a smile, but Vaughn had already turned to the driver waiting by the curb. "Hey Marcus, friend's birthday. I'll drop Josie off later."
Marcus knew our families were close. He nodded and drove off.
I had no choice but to follow them.
Back when the three of us used to hang out, I'd mostly just watch Vaughn and Piper talk and laugh with perfect chemistry while my heart twisted with jealousy.
But now? I just watched them blankly, feeling nothing.
Actually, I was trying to figure out what excuse I could use to leave early.
...
The night before I jumped in my last life was the anniversary of Piper's death.
Vaughn, who usually stayed out partying, came home for once. He smiled at me—that gentle smile—while he destroyed me.
"Josie, remember senior year? When those kids cornered you in that alley? I was there that day. I stood at the entrance... and I watched."
The window reflected my face going white.
That day. I'll never forget that day.
Several students trapped me in the alley behind Lincoln High. They called me a murderer. They took turns slapping me. They ripped up all my books and threw the pieces everywhere.
Then they made me post a video on Instagram saying "I'm sorry, Piper" over and over while they filmed.
I did what they wanted because that was the only way to make it stop.
On graduation day, I thought it was finally over. I tried so hard to forget those awful memories, to bury everything about Piper.
I thought I could start over.
But seven years later, Vaughn told me that on that day—that horrible, humiliating day—he was there. He'd been there the whole time.
Vaughn, who'd held my hand since we were kids, who'd been like a brother watching me grow up—he stood there and watched me get beaten, cursed at, humiliated.
And he did nothing.
Vaughn leaned down and whispered in my ear.
"Oh, and Josie. Your mom's sick—can't even afford her medication. And your dad? He's out there working construction. At his age. Threw out his back last month."
"That's all you, Josie. They could've been comfortable forever. But now they're paying for what you did."
I watched my own eyes go dead in that window with every word he said.
Turns out, as long as I was alive, as long as Vaughn was in my life, nothing could ever end.
I could only escape through death.
On the way to the party, Vaughn called the manager at his family's club and had them clear out a private room.
Listening to his voice—calm, in control, like he owned the place—I suddenly thought of Vaughn after we got married.
This was how he sounded after taking over the family business.
Had he been reborn too?
The thought made me nervous.
No matter what, I couldn't let Vaughn figure out I was different.
If Vaughn really had been reborn, and if everything from my last life happened again, I'd still be the one who hurt Piper in his eyes.
After all, I was the ONLY one who knew Piper's secret.
In the private room, Piper picked a love song and asked Vaughn to sing it with her, all shy and cute.
Everyone immediately started teasing them.
In their eyes, Vaughn and Piper were basically together already—they just hadn't made it official yet.
I watched it all. Just felt the whole birthday thing was boring and endless.
Suddenly the door opened. A woman in an expensive suit walked in.
