A Beautiful Collapse

My best friend was obsessed with playing the part of a socialite, always chasing after rich heirs.

When she saw posts online about guys making money over the summer by 'renting themselves out,' she decided to copy them.

Two thousand for a hike. Five thousand for a dinner date. Twenty thousand for a trip. The prices kept climbing.

I was worried she would run into the wrong kind of people, so I tried everything to talk her out of it, to keep her from walking straight into trouble.

Later, the wealthy guy she had her eye on went public with another influencer who had built the same 'socialite' persona.

She took it out on me. Sold me to a nightclub.

I was abused in every way imaginable until I died. There was not even enough left of me to bury.

Then, I opened my eyes again.

She was already scheming:

"Guys like that can make 500 just tagging along on a hike. I'm way prettier. Charging 2,000 isn't too much, right?"

"If I show up to dinners and parties in full glam, I should charge at least five grand, right?"

The moment I heard my best friend, Janet Rogers, muttering to herself, something slammed into me.

I had been reborn.

"I can even rent myself out as a travel companion. If they cover my flights and hotel, I can make at least 20 grand."

Memories of how miserable my previous life had been flashed through my mind. This time, I refused to be the overly nice pushover I used to be. Instead, I played along with Janet.

"That's not even all. You can expand your services. Go watch movies with people, go clubbing, and try escape rooms with them.

"People these days are all about emotional value and companionship. And you're gorgeous. You're definitely worth that kind of money."

Janet's eyes lit up as her imagination took off.

"If someone booked me every day, by the end of summer, I can easily afford two designer bags."

Janet loved luxury brands.

However, since she did not really have the money, she could only buy high-quality knockoffs to keep up appearances.

She tried everything to package herself as a socialite, all just to break into the rich kids' circle and land herself a wealthy boyfriend she actually liked.

In my previous life, when I heard her say things like that, I kept trying to stop her.

"This kind of thing, renting yourself out, it's way too easy to run into guys with bad intentions. If something happens, you may not even be able to explain yourself."

Back then, I also warned her that being rich did not automatically make someone a good person. A relationship could not be judged on money alone. Their character mattered, too.

However, I kept my mouth shut and said exactly what she wanted to hear.

"Carrying a real designer bag versus a fake one gives off a totally different vibe. Once you step out with the real thing, everyone will assume you're the real deal."

I thought Janet would jump at that without hesitation.

However, to my surprise, now that I was not stopping her, she suddenly hesitated.

"But…I'm pretty. If I go out alone with those guys, what if I run into someone dangerous?"