Chapter 2

I follow Rachel back to her home.

For some reason, I can’t leave her side, forced to go wherever she goes.

There’s a noise inside the house.

Rachel becomes alert.

The next moment, a familiar face emerges from the kitchen carrying a plate.

My gaze sharpens.

It’s Derek, the scam kingpin, my old nemesis.

Seeing him, Rachel instantly drops all her defenses. Like a swallow returning to its nest, she throws herself into his arms with complete dependence. “Derek, why are you here?”

Derek smiles indulgently, “You’re back in the country, of course I had to come see you. I still have food on the stove.”

“No, I won’t let go,” Rachel pouts, her eyes shining with a light reserved only for those she trusts most.

She used to look at me like that too. We were childhood sweethearts, and I was the person she trusted most. Back then, I was the only one in her eyes.

My heart aches with a dense, gnawing pain, as if being eaten by ants.

Derek helplessly moves to the dining table in this position, casually bringing up, “I heard you went to see someone?”

Rachel grins proudly, “Yes, Jack’s father came begging me. I even threw money in his face to humiliate him.”

Derek’s smile falters slightly before returning to normal.

“Do you still remember Jack?”

Rachel puffs up angrily, “Back then, their whole family ruined me so badly, I won’t let them off, especially that Jack. I’ll make him lose everything.”

I look at Rachel. She’s still as grudge-holding as she was when we were young.

Probably even if someone told her I was dead now, she wouldn’t believe it. She’d likely think it was another of my tricks to deceive her.

That’s fair. I did deceive her. She trusted me so much; it’s right for her to hate me.