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.