In my previous life, even though Joel had become my boyfriend due to the bet, he often used "discussions" as an excuse to leave me and go out with Juliette.
"You and he are in different fields—design and computer science—what could you possibly discuss?" Joel noticed something was off, just like in the past when I questioned him.
I mimicked Joel's previous behavior, feigning annoyance. "If you don't trust me, maybe we shouldn't be together."
Back then, Joel was the one cheating and getting defensive. This time, he was the one desperately trying to hold on.
Joel's face softened immediately. "Go ahead with your discussion. Call me when you're done, and I'll come pick you up."
Not wanting to push too hard, I nodded.
Joel reluctantly left. The scene was identical to my previous life, except the roles were reversed. It was oddly satisfying!
As soon as Joel was out of sight, Duncan leaned in and whispered with a chuckle, "Using me as a decoy, huh?"
I looked at Duncan and said apologetically, "Sorry about that. I won't do it again."
Duncan's eyes sparkled with a smile. "I'm not sure what you're up to, but if you need my help, I'm more than willing to assist."
Shortly after, another piece of gossip spread through the school.
Everyone was talking about how Erica Contreras had supposedly lost her mind and bought a plot of land in the middle of nowhere.
Later, I discovered that the person handling the paperwork when I signed the contract with the original owner was a distant cousin of Juliette's. She inadvertently shared the information with Juliette.
Everyone knew that the land was so remote that even farmers wouldn't want to cultivate it. The original owners had been desperate to sell it, but no one was interested, so it sat abandoned.
No one expected that I would end up acquiring it. The rumor spread that I had lost my mind, and the land would end up being a massive failure for me.
While I was picking up some documents from my teacher, I ran into the teaching assistant. It seemed like she finally had an opportunity to attack me, and her nose was in the air.
"I heard you used all your savings to buy a piece of land? No offense, but you should know your limits. Don't fantasize about becoming a real estate mogul. You're just a small-time player!"
I remained calm. "Well, at least I'm not someone who was born with a silver spoon in my mouth but still fixates on the mundane."