trast to the stifling heat of the crowded room. Music vibrated through

and everywhere I looked, people were smiling, laughin

the air conditioning. This wasn't right. I shouldn't

tal room, the rhythmic beep of a heart monitor that wasn't mine, a

bleeding myself dry to save, had finally collapsed,

tiful tonight," a swee

ale pink dress. The sight of her sent a jolt of pure, undiluted hatred through me. In my last life, this was the night

my voice sounding distant an

ace unlined by the years of failure and resentment that I knew were coming. He caught my eye and gave me a lazy, possessive smile. The same smile

ould hand me a specially prepared drink. I would become dizzy, disoriented. A waiter, paid by Chloe, would conveniently bump into me, leading me away to "clean up." He would guide me to an upstairs bedroom where pho

tunity. I was forced into a loveless marriage with Liam to "save the family's reputation." I spent the next twent

this

rew into a fire, burning away the fear and despair. This time, I

t way she had, the one that made everyone think she was an angel.

unch, the same one from my memory.

nd unyielding. I took a step back, letting my own champagne glass slip from my fingers. It shattered on the

oice clear and stead

, accidents happen. Just be more careful. Here, ta

, meeting her gaze dire

sk of sweetness faltered, a flicker of irritation

ly, Ava. It's

mile on my lips. "It's my party. A

with the poisoned glass in her hand. I walked directly toward Liam. He was wa

I reached him, his tone low and pro

I was once supposed to marry, but as the weak, arrogant man who had le

he dismissed, turning

rip surprisingly strong

ather' s disapproving glare. I led Liam to a relatively qu

d, pulling his arm free. "Wha

I said calmly. "I wanted to tell

augh. "What are you talking about? Is this some kind

You' re weak, easily swayed by whatever Chloe whispers in your ear. You let her play you like a fool because y

lief to flushed anger. "How d

n' t love me. You love the idea of possessing me, of having the one thing your

f for twenty years. I slapped him. Hard. The sound was sharp and fi

s eyes wide with shock a

giving him a second glance. The weight of two decades of

. My stepfather looked furious. Chloe was watching from a distance, her expression a mixture of confu

ut into the cool night air of the garden. The music and voices faded behind me. I walked quickly down the stone path, past the manicured rose

nt blue light caught my eye. A figure was huddled on a stone bench, almost completely hid

In my past life, I barely knew she existed. But I knew her future. I remembered reading a magazine profile years later, a story about a tech billionai

my presence, and quickly

tly, stepping close

ry eyes. "I'm sorry, Miss Chen

n't tell anyone." I paused, my mind racing. This was an opportunity, a chanc

orithm you're writing," I began, my voice steady. "You're desig

n pure shock. "How...

age. It's in streaming. In three or four years, a company called StreamFlix is going to launch. They'll need a way to stream high-quality video without using massive amounts o

was speechless. I had just laid out her future

pkin from my small purse and scribbled a number on it. "This is my personal number

had dodged the bullet of my past and just fired the first shot of my new future. I slipped through the servi

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