The next day, I arranged to meet my mom for dinner.
My mom is an executive at Vance Group, holding an equal stake in the company as my dad.
Even though they’ve been divorced, Vance Group will always have a place for my mom.
Maybe that's what they mean by love and how men can betray you, but money and career never will.
My dad, after receiving the divorce papers, immediately took Selene to get their marriage certificate.
This turned my dad into a laughingstock in the business world. Many partners were polite to him in public, but privately, they couldn't help but laugh at how he had been charmed by some sorceress.
Wait a minute...
Charmed by a sorceress?
Now I’m certain that Selene was one of the ones who cast that spell on me. But could it be possible that she tested it on my dad first, before turning her attention to me?
After all, my dad's fortune and company still have half of their shares in my mom's hands. She must want to use me to drain my mom’s money.
A chill ran down my spine.
My mom sat down across from me, her gaze cold.
"Did you skip class again? I told you..."
"Sorry, Mom."
My sudden apology left my mom stunned.
When my parents divorced, I chose to stay with my dad, mostly to annoy Selene and find ways to get under her skin.
I didn’t expect to be swayed by her, lured by a man named Marcus, and turned against my mom at every turn.
Like my dad, I too had betrayed her, caught between Selene and her manipulations.
I deserve to feel ashamed.
Seizing the moment while my mom was in a daze, I said, "Mom, I’ll listen to you. Once I get into a university abroad, let’s leave this place together, okay?"
My mom stared at me for a long time, her eyes red, before she finally nodded.
In my past life, I gave up my future, my dignity, and even my life.
Now, it’s their turn.
After saying goodbye to my mom, I went straight to Mercy General Hospital.
The problem was, I’d never been hospitalized in this life, so there was no record of my visits. I couldn’t find the doctor who had said that last line to me.
Just when I was about to lose hope, someone walked toward me.
He stared at me for a long time and then suddenly smiled softly.
I was confused at first, but then I quickly realized. Grabbing him, I dragged him into a hallway.
"You know everything, don’t you?"
I glanced at his nameplate.
Head of Neurosurgery, Dr. Malcolm Pierce.
"You should be dead," he said, locking eyes with me. "But you were unwilling to accept your fate. And someone cast a love spell on you, which unexpectedly shortened your original lifespan. There was no record of your death, so you’re alive again."
"Love spell?" I asked, feeling uneasy. "Can you tell me if someone has cast one on me right now?"
He shook his head. "The spell from your past life was extremely powerful. It requires at least 81 days to take effect. Once you’re under the spell, you won’t wake up unless you're dead or near death. There’s no way to break it."
No wonder, in my previous life, I only woke up after Marcus had killed me.
"So how does this spell work? How can I stop it?"
He gave me a brief glance. "The most powerful love spell is one where both parties' fluids are mixed with water, soaking dolls representing you both for forty-nine days. Then, every day, you burn a strand of both your hair in front of an altar. On the 81st day, the spell is complete."
I could feel the clarity settling in my mind.
No wonder, in my past life, someone had suggested to me that I make things official with Marcus.
My eyes narrowed, and a plan began to form.
When I returned home, Lydia was already back.
She smiled sweetly when she saw me. "Sister!"
I narrowed my eyes and gave her a subtle smile in return.
In my past life, I was so stupid, I genuinely believed that this person, who called me "sister" so affectionately, truly cared for me.
But then she convinced me to give up on studying abroad and stay with Marcus, while she happily took my money to travel the world.
Snapping out of my thoughts, I saw Lydia’s sweet face and suddenly decided to test her.
"I’m so tired lately. I was thinking about going to Disneyland tomorrow for a bit of fun," I said.
Lydia smiled and nodded. "Have fun, sister!"
The next morning, I "coincidentally" ran into Marcus at the entrance of Disneyland.
"Hey? It’s you? What a coincidence!" Marcus walked over and extended his hand. "Since we’ve met, I really want to explain. That day, I wasn’t with them. I was just passing by, and when I saw you guys in danger, I tried to help."
I listened coldly, keeping a smile on my face.
"I see. I misunderstood you that day. Sorry about that," I said, sizing him up. "But next time, if something like this happens, don’t try to play hero. I can tell by your build that if you can’t save someone, you might end up getting yourself hurt."
The smile on Marcus’s face, which had once been gentle, froze.
He gritted his teeth and forced a smile. "Are you alone? Since we’ve met like this, why don’t we hang out together?"
I casually smiled. "Sure."
A moment later, Marcus spoke gently.
"I’ve already queued up for an hour. I had someone watch my spot, so let’s go straight to the roller coaster now."
He did his homework, knowing I liked thrill rides.
I waved my hand dismissively. "No need for all that. I have a VIP pass—no waiting."
Marcus froze.
A few moments later, he stubbornly continued, "I bought the Stella Luna backpack. I heard you…"
"I have too many at home. I don’t have space for more," I interrupted, pointing behind him. "Besides, I like Lingna Bell now."
Marcus clenched his jaw, trying everything he could to win me over.
"I brought your favorite orange juice."
I pointed casually toward a five-star restaurant in the park.
"I only drink fresh juice."
