A Lifetime Misplaced

The classroom instantly erupted.

"Logan, you've gone too far! You've been dead last on practically every exam for years. Now you're suddenly ranked tenth in the class? Who would believe that? You're obviously the one who stole the exam papers!"

"Exactly! Avery's kind and sweet. How could you hurt her like this? I'm ashamed to have a classmate like you."

"And could your lie be any more ridiculous? Avery's already a top student. Why would she need to steal just to make the top three? Do you think we're all idiots?"

I ignored their accusations and looked at Mr. Whitaker. "Sir, do you believe me?"

Mr. Whitaker's face immediately darkened. Without warning, he snatched up a book and threw it at me.

"Logan! Call your parents!

"Not only are you trying to frame an innocent girl, but you're even dragging students from other classes into this. At your age, you're already trying to get away with things. If you keep going down this road, you'll end up a criminal when you grow up!

"I can't let you continue like this. I need to have a serious talk with your father and make sure he teaches you properly!"

This time, I was the one whose eyes widened in disbelief.

Setting aside the fact that he hadn't even bothered to investigate before throwing a book at me, my family had given him plenty of gifts over the years. No matter what, he shouldn't have treated me like this.

Could something be going on between him and Avery?

Before I could think it through, he took me to the office and called my father.

No matter how hard I tried to explain, Mr. Whitaker refused to believe me. Even the other teachers in the office took his side, lecturing me one after another.

Eventually, I stopped talking altogether and stood there waiting for my father to arrive.

I knew there was no way I was escaping a beating.

Despite that, I was happy. At least, he was still healthy enough to beat me.

In my previous life, during the twentieth year of my marriage to Avery, my parents went hiking and supposedly slipped and fell to their deaths.

Back then, I kept telling the police I didn't believe it had been an accident. My father, Daniel Bennett, was a veteran, and my mother, Karen Bennett, had spent years performing in a military band. Neither of them was the type to be careless.

Still, Avery and our daughter, Emma, kept trying to convince me otherwise. They said my parents were getting older. It wasn't unusual for someone their age to get dizzy or lose their footing. They even withdrew the case with the police on my behalf and had my parents cremated right away.

At the time, I trusted them completely. I never gave it a second thought.

Now that I'd been given a second chance at life, I suddenly understood. Avery had to be behind it. She wanted me to inherit my parents' estate so she could eventually take everything the Bennetts owned for herself.

The old saying was true. A favor can become a grudge.

My mother paid for her college education, and I gave her decades of a comfortable life.

In the end, she repaid us with betrayal.

Before long, my father arrived. My mother came with him.

The moment they stepped into the office, tears started pouring down my face. I rushed over and threw my arms around my father.

"Dad. Mom. I've missed you so much."

My father awkwardly pushed me away, his face turning red. Growing up, the way we communicated was by yelling at each other. I'd never been this affectionate with him before.

My mother had no idea why I was crying, but she gently wiped away my tears anyway.

Mr. Whitaker explained the situation with the stolen exam papers.

Before my father could speak, I held out my hand.

"Dad, go ahead and hit me."

He froze, but instead of raising his hand, he frowned and asked, "Tell me exactly what happened."

So I told him everything from beginning to end.