chapter 5

When my parents finally found Bella, she was near Uncle David's place, crying and saying she missed home and just wanted to go back for a bit.

She claimed she didn't want to ruin my happy family, and that she left only because I hated her.

When they got back, mom and dad chewed me out for a long time and even cut off my allowance.

They froze me out for a whole month. I lived like a total pauper.

After rebirth, I wasn't dumb enough to fall for it again—then William called. But then I got a call from William, "Wanna come out? I'll throw you a birthday party."

Then I went out. True to his reputation for being wealthy and generous, William had booked the entire amusement park, so I could play to my heart's content.

While I was having fun, my parents found Bella and brought her home, only to notice I was missing.

They called me.

I picked up, didn't even get a word out, and got yelled at right away.

"Zoe! You never learn the good stuff, only the bad! Playing missing now? You are trying to give me and your mom a heart attack?" dad said.

"You're old enough to know better. Can't you at least call when you leave? Even Bella says she misses home. But you? Always running off," mom said.

"Zoe, even if you hate living with me, I still like you. Can you please come back?" Bella said.

"Zoe, can't you be a little more sensible, like Bella? Seriously, I'm at my wits' end with you," Daniel said.

They all took turns talking, and I couldn't get a single word in.

William could tell I was frustrated. He snatched the phone and said coldly, "This is William Bennett. She's with me. Any problem?"

"Oh, Mr. Bennett, if she's with you, we're fine. But this brat didn't even tell us. We were worried, that's all," Mom said, trying to smooth things over.

Bella piped up softly, "But Zoe has a fiancé...is it really okay for them to be together?"

William shot back in a low voice, "Zoe is my family. What's your point?"

Bella, clearly not used to being snapped at like this, started crying again. "I was just worried about Zoe's reputation. I didn't mean to upset you, Mr. Bennett. I'm sorry."

Mom and dad comforted her and told her to ignore me.

I took back the phone and said coolly, "Bella, you're overdoing it. It's painfully fake."

Then I hung up.

William drove me home and left me at the door.

When I walked in, my parents were on the couch, looking dead serious. I knew what was coming.

But I spoke first. "I'm tired. I don't wanna fight."

Mom and dad opened their mouths, but finally didn't say anything, just letting me off.

Maybe they finally realized they'd drifted away from their own daughter.

After the birthday, I applied to live at college.

The college asked for living expenses, but I didn't want to see Bella's annoying face, so I called mom.

Mom's answer hit me cold. "Zoe, tell them to wait a bit. Money's tight right now."

Last life, "money's tight" meant she'd spent it all on Bella's study trips.

So that was why I barely saw Bella on campus lately.

I really couldn't learn my lesson, always insisting on having expectations.

"Forget it." I hung up and took leave to go home and get my own stash of money.

When I got home, the living room was empty. I went upstairs and saw the guest room door was ajar.

I heard Daniel laughing inside, and mom and dad clapping.

I pushed the door open and froze. My tiny room was now a study—pink walls, pink curtains, stuffed toys all over the window seat.

All my stuff was dumped in a corner.

"Zoe, what are you doing back?" Mom's eyes flicked with guilt.

Daniel saw my icy stare and instinctively blocked Bella, clutching my little gold piggy bank.

In my last life, I never lived at college, so this never happened.

Now that I was living on campus, they couldn't wait to turn my room into Bella's study.