Reborn to Dump You

Seeing my calm expression, everyone else relaxed as well.

"A partner? Isn't she already right in front of our eyes?" someone asked with a laugh while pointing at Whitney.

Others started chiming in as well.

"Exactly. Back then, you voluntarily scored lower in your college entrance examinations just so you could go to the same college as your crush."

"That's right. Back when Whitney needed surgery, you not only gave her all the money you had, but you also donated a considerable amount of blood to her. Honestly, Whitney would probably have to devote her life to you to repay you for what you've given her."

I struggled to keep my expression calm, but my heart was bitter.

It turned out that in my previous life, Hayden had lied to me when telling me about his college entrance examination results. He lied to me about being a volunteer for an earthquake relief team for three months. He said that his funds could not cover the cost of his meals.

I had felt genuinely sorry for how pale he looked, so I went hungry myself just so I could save on living expenses and send the extra to him.

I worked five odd jobs outside of classes and fainted several times just from exhaustion caused by low blood sugar alone. The most dangerous of those occasions had been when I was almost crushed under a bus' wheels because I had passed out.

In the end, all of my hard-earned money had been used on another woman's recovery.

I could no longer taste the food I was eating. Before I knew it, all I could taste on my tongue was bitterness.

It felt similar to when I had been on the verge of death in my previous life.

Back then, I had been eight months pregnant and in the middle of moving. I had been struggling to move the furniture up to the sixth floor without an elevator when I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my abdomen.

Hayden had been absent from beginning to end, because Whitney had just gotten a new job that day. He had accompanied her while she went through the formalities. When he received my calls for help, he continued to hang up time and time again.

I was suffering even as I waited for the ambulance to arrive, to the point that I didn't even notice I had bitten my lip so hard that it was bleeding.

Of course, it was still my heart that had hurt the most.

"If you guys continue to gossip, I'm going to leave," said Whitney, picking up her bag.

She was still as elegant and graceful as ever.

"It's not safe for Anna to go back alone, Hays, so remember to escort her home," she added.

Hayden stood and replied before I could say a word. "There's no need for that. She's already an adult. Why would she still need me to escort her back? You, on the other hand, just returned from studying abroad, so there are many places you're not familiar with."

There were hoots from all around. Hayden's attention was solely on Whitney.

She glanced apologetically at me and asked, "Is Hays' arrangement alright with you, Anna?"

I wiped my mouth. "You're too polite, Ms. Sherbon. Isn't it up to Hayden to decide what he wants to do?

"Furthermore, even if you don't mind, for Hayden's sake, I'd still like to avoid causing any misunderstandings. There's no reason to ask me about something like this."

My voice was calm, causing Hayden to glance at me in surprise. "You don't have to be so passive-aggressive with Whitney, Annabelle. I'll come get you after I send her home."

I didn't even bother saying anything. I simply waved a dismissive hand before dragging Florence out the door and heading straight for a nail salon.

Less than two hours later, I received a call from Hayden.

"Why aren't you at the restaurant anymore?" he asked.

I ignored his question. Instead, I asked one of my own in return. "Is something the matter?"

He paused for a moment, then said, "You really don't have to act like this, Annabelle. I'm just doing all this purely because Whitney just returned from abroad, and we haven't seen each other for years.

"After all, we were classmates back then. It’s natural for me to behave more enthusiastically."

"Do as you like," I told him flippantly. My attention was on the nail art designs I was looking at with Florence. "If there's nothing else, I'm hanging up."

"Anna," he said, calling me by my nickname, which he hardly ever did. "Whitney just returned to the country and is only just finding her footing back here. Don't you work at a company listed in Fortune Global 500? Can you put in a good word for her?"

It turned out that people really would laugh out loud when they found themselves completely speechless.

Setting aside the fact that I had only been employed there for a year and hardly had any standing within the company, why should I help Whitney?

I had gone to great lengths to get this job back then. And when had Hayden ever helped me?

Hayden's urgent voice sounded from the receiver. "Are you listening, Anna?"

Feeling a surge of irritation, I hung up the phone.

I did not expect Hayden to come knocking on my door the very next day with Whitney in tow.