Chapter 72
Chapter 72
After a long hesitation, Valerie finally picked up the call.
Juliette’s voice came through, surprised and trembling. “Valerie, you finally answered.”
Then, her voice broke into a sob. “Can you come see me? I need someone to sign off for a minor surgery… and I don’t even have anyone to do that for
me.”
“Surgery?” Valerie frowned.
Juliette cried louder. “Last night… those two perverts shoved something inside me. There’s a key and a ring still in there, Valerie–it hurts so much. Please… I’m begging you, just come see me. I know I was wrong, just help me sign the form, please…”
Valerie’s chest tightened. Juliette sounded pitiful, the kind of desperate sobbing that could wear down anyone’s defenses.
But Valerie also knew–if she hadn’t prepared ahead of time, if she hadn’t anticipated everything–she would’ve been the one lying in that hospital bed. And if the roles were reversed, would Juliette have shown her the same mercy?
Valerie let out a cold laugh. “Juliette, when people make mistakes… they have to pay for them.”
Juliette hadn’t expected her to be so heartless. She froze for a second, then broke down again. “Valerie, are you really going to be this cruel to me? After all the years we’ve spent together, after everything I’ve done for you–how could you just forget all that?”
“You did things for me?” Valerie sounded genuinely confused. “When you were broke, I gave you money. When you got in trouble, I cleaned up your mess. And when I had nothing to eat, when I was freezing and starving–what did you give me besides a few pretty words?”
Juliette was silenced, completely caught off guard.
Valerie’s voice turned icier. “No one was born into this world owing you anything. And not every sin earns you the luxury of an apology. Our ten years of friendship… ended last night.”
Juliette’s hand trembled as she gripped the phone. Her voice sharpened into a shriek. “So that’s it? You’re really going to do this to me? Valerie, I was your best friend! I know all your secrets, everything about your past. What if I go to Aiden and tell him everything? Ever thought about how he’d react? What he’d do to you once he found out?”
Valerie gave a soft chuckle. “Secrets? Oh, I’ve got plenty of those. Go ahead–see how far that gets you.”
For the first time, Juliette felt like she was speaking to a stranger. Was this really the Valerie who used to follow her around like a shadow?
Juliette lay in the hospital bed, trembling all over as she spat out, “Valerie… you’ve changed. Just wait, just wait for it. I’m telling you, no one stays unlucky forever. Look at what you’ve done to me, do you think you can be proud of that?”
Valerie remained silent, coldly watching her.
“Even a salted fish will flip over one day. I’ll make you regret this. I’ll make you regret it,” Juliette’s voice grew shriller as she continued. “You’ll regret it. Just wait. One day, I’ll return all the pain I’ve suffered today, doubled, right back to you.”
Valerie’s heart sank. She remained quiet for a long while before finally responding, “Then come at me.”
Juliette lay in the hospital bed, trembling all over as she spat out, “Valerie… you’ve changed. Just wait, just wait for it. I’m telling you, no one stays unlucky forever. Look at what you’ve done to me, do you think you can be proud of that?”
Juliette went still. The line went dead.
Valerie put her phone away, eyes cold and unmoved.
Regret… that was an emotion she knew far too well.
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Chapter 72
Juliette’s promise to “rise again” wasn’t to be taken lightly.
Valerie remembered that in their previous life, Juliette had eventually found her biological family through those rich, sleazy socialite friends the use
cling to.
That notorious Eastern family—the ones who’d made Valerie’s life a living hell in her last life hadn’t shown up this time. Hot yet.
And with Valerie severing Juliette’s ties to her former social circle, it would be hard for her to climb back up without completely debasing herself.
Valerie wasn’t in a hurry. She made her way back to campus.
As soon as she reached her dorm building, her only real friend there ran up and threw her arms around her. “Valerie! You’re finally back!”
The warmth of that embrace surprised Valerie. She smiled, a little taken aback. “Yeah, I’m back.”
Her friend was Adrienne Petty–roommate, classmate, and the only one who’d stood by her side.
Tears brimmed in Adrienne’s eyes as she pulled Valerie closer. “I missed you so much. I had no one to eat with while you were gone!”
Adrienne was petite, with a baby face and thick bangs under a pair of oversized glasses. Her clothes were always faded but clean, her whole person neat and careful.
She was soft–spoken, introverted, not someone who made friends easily.
Valerie knew her well. She chuckled and said, “Well, I’m back now. I’ll eat with you from now on.”
Adrienne broke into a smile through her tears and then pouted. “You have no idea how awful those two were while you were gone. They used your skincare stuff every day like you’d never come back. That wasn’t even the worst of it–they wore your clothes and shoes too! I told them off, and they called me names.”
Valerie’s eyes darkened. “Let’s go see.”
She stopped by the guard booth to pick up her packages before heading upstairs. What she saw made her blood boil.
Her bed was a disaster–clothes thrown everywhere, empty hangers, used tissues. It was filthy.
Valerie’s face turned grim. She hated filth. She hated disrespect even more.
Adrienne fumed beside her. “You see? They’re disgusting. Especially the one next to me–she never showers or even washes her feet before climbing into your bed. It’s so gross.”
Valerie opened her locker and found it ransacked. Her skincare bottles were all empty, and her clothes had been pulled out, her underwear openly exposed. It was humiliating.
And that wasn’t even the worst of it.
In her last life, Adrienne had ended up with depression because of these girls.
Adrienne had been poor, shy, and gifted–an up–and–coming writer with a small but loyal following online. She used to handwrite her outlines and keep them locked away… until one day, those outlines became their stories.
The other girls, jealous of Adrienne’s success, stole her work and used it to write their own novels, which exploded in popularity.
When Adrienne confronted them, they turned around and accused her of being a liar, a thief, even a pervert. They dragged her family backgro throwing every slur imaginable her way.
Valerie’s expression darkened further. This time, those two wouldn’t get the chance.
it,
Chapter 73
