In my last life, I freaked out. I begged him to stop, promised I'd be his girlfriend, and tried to explain that the video was just some creep filming me without my knowledge. I was so desperate to prove I was still worthy of him that I gave him my virginity that same night.

But it wasn't until I was dying that I learned the truth—Liam's family hadn't gone bankrupt at all. He only pursued me because his friends said I was hard to get. They thought I was pure and decent, but Liam said I was just a gold-digger who needed more cash.

All those times he talked about making a comeback, getting his connections back, and making loads of money—I didn't care about any of that. I loved him, stupidly, with everything I had. I sold my parent's house just to pay off his debts, thinking we'd build a life together.

And in the end, he held Grace close, shoved me off a building, and made it look like I'd jumped.

Now that I'm back, I'm not going to make the same mistake twice.

I'm just grateful I came back to this point before he took anything more from me. Any later, and the thought of it would make me sick.

Liam watched me, stunned into silence. "Bella, are you seriously just going to stand there? Are you really going to let me die?"

I slipped off my shoes, feeling drained as I sank into the couch. "Can you do it somewhere else? If you jump here, it's gonna be a nightmare trying to get tenants."

Liam's jaw dropped. He couldn't wrap his head around my reaction. He thought he had me figured out—always the girl who couldn't hide her feelings.

Grace rushed over, sitting beside me and clutching my hand. "Bella, how can you say that to Liam? He's already suffering enough. You really want to push him over the edge?"

I glanced at her, my voice icy. "I'm busting my ass working three jobs to support you both. Now I'm being humiliated with a video, and instead of helping me out, you're piling on?"

They both just stood there, speechless. They never expected me—the one who always gave and never asked for anything in return—to finally speak up.

I'd treated Grace like a sister since our freshman year of college. She moved into my apartment and stayed for two years, always promising she'd pay rent but never actually doing it—not a single cent, not even for utilities. I covered everything, even stocked up on double the bathroom supplies. And how did she thank me?