REBORN WITH CASHBACK SYSTEM

Chapter 2: The System Rebate Is Real!

Jessica heard Nicole sigh, and felt a gentle pat on her back.

In the dimness, her eyes burned as she stared at the two figures entering through the bar door.

Of course she wouldn't give up.

After all, in her past life, she had yet to avenge herself for being pushed off a truck and torn apart alive by zombies.

The process was the same as before: Tyler followed his friends into the booth, laughing, while the bar server she'd hired emerged from the shadows to set off the prepared sparklers.

At that moment, she stepped up to Tyler. Unlike her past life, she didn't recite those heartfelt confessions.

Instead, she coldly said, "I like you."

She clearly saw the shock on Tyler's face after she said it.

But just like before, Tyler agreed to her confession.

Jessica checked Tyler's affection level through the system and found it was a mere 10 points.

Affection levels: 0-10 means stranger. 11-60 means ordinary friend. 61-80 means close friend. 81-100 means romantic partner. The max is 100 points.

Now, Tyler had agreed to her confession, yet his affection was only ten points—no wonder he'd said back then, "Who even knows you?"

It was true; he didn't know her.

To Tyler, she was just a stranger.

So why had he agreed to her confession?

Because of that promise she made back then?

A trace of coldness glinted in Jessica's eyes, but the corners of her mouth curled into a smile.

"Alright, 'boyfriend'!"

She emphasized the last three syllables, and sure enough, she saw Tyler's expression shift for a moment.

But she didn't give him a chance to refuse; she grabbed his sleeve and pulled him over to sit on the booth sofa.

A server from the earlier sparkler display came over and handed her a drink menu.

Jessica waved her hand dismissively. "What's the most expensive drink here? Just bring one set."

The server was taken aback. "Our bar is a quiet lounge, but the drinks aren't cheap. The priciest set right now is Napoleon..."

"Just tell me the price."

"$5,500."

Jessica recalled her bank balance. Before today's confession, her three part-time bosses, knowing she planned to confess, had paid her early, leaving her with about $10,000.

Deciding the price was acceptable, she pulled out her phone.

"Apple Pay or digital wallet?"

After the face recognition payment went through, the system's cold voice echoed in her mind.

[System detected host spending $5,500 on target Tyler. System rebates $55,000, credited to host's account.]

Jessica opened her bank app and saw her balance jump from $4,500 to $59,500.

The system rebate was real!

Realizing this, Jessica was about to dive into a shopping spree when Nicole, sitting beside her, suddenly grabbed her arm.

"Jess, I need to go to the restroom. Can you come with me?"

Seeing the displeasure on Nicole's face, Jessica understood what she wanted to talk about.

Jessica didn't refuse. She smiled apologetically at Tyler and followed Nicole out of the booth.

In the restroom, Nicole shook her head in disapproval. "Jess, I know you like Tyler, but you don't need to spend that much on him. He's not worth it..."

"I know," Jessica said, taking Nicole's hand. "I know you might not believe this, but Nikki, I'm actually Jessica from three days later."

Under Nicole's suspicious expression, as if she thought Jessica had gone crazy, Jessica recounted everything that happened three days later from start to finish.

When she got to the part where Tyler pushed her out of the carriage to save himself, Nicole was completely stunned.

"Jess, after what he did, why are you still with him?!"

"Because I need revenge," Jessica said seriously, looking at Nicole. "Also, after I was reborn, I got bound to a system: whenever I spend money on a man, I get a tenfold rebate."

As she finished, a soft, warm hand pressed against her forehead.

"No fever... why are you talking nonsense?"

Jessica didn't expect Nicole to accept it right away, but she knew exactly how Nicole had treated her in her past life.

Back then, even after Jessica told her to cut ties, when Jessica spent all her money on a phone for Tyler the day after they got together and ended up starving, Nicole still brought her food.

She wanted to keep this friend.

Besides, in the apocalypse, having a battle partner you could trust with your back was crucial.

"Let me show you, and you'll know I'm not lying."

Jessica opened her bank account balance for Nicole to see. "Remember this number."

The two left the restroom and headed back to the booth. Since the restroom was behind the booth, Tyler didn't notice them approaching.

He was still chatting and mocking with his friend.

"Bro, Jessica really treats you well! She just ordered over five thousand worth of drinks without blinking..." He took a sip. "Tsk tsk tsk, expensive drinks really are different!"

"She likes me."

As Tyler elegantly raised his glass to his lips, the man spoke again.

"Bro, since Jessica is so rich and generous, aren't you going to actually date her for real?"

Jessica's breath caught. Even though she no longer cared, she still wanted to know what Tyler was thinking.

And why he did what he did.

"No. It was just a gamble anyway. I'll date her for a week, then find an excuse to break up."

Those words turned the past three years of Jessica's life into a joke.

Maybe she'd worn her contacts too long; her eyes felt dry, and her nose was as sore as if someone had punched her.

Then she found herself in Nicole's warm embrace.

"I... I actually knew this all along. But you liked him so much back then, and I didn't know how to tell you in a way you'd accept... That's why I kept opposing you..."

A tear fell to the floor, shattering like her heart.

"It's okay. I've let it go."

Unlike their tender moment, Tyler and his friend in the booth were still chatting away.

"But hey, if Jessica wants to take you away when this is over, are you going?"

"Why would she take me away?" Tyler asked, puzzled.

"Are you stupid? She spent all that money on drinks just to get you drunk, right? But come on, Jessica's good-looking, has a great figure, and spends money on you. What more could you want?"

Jessica clearly heard the system's cold tone after the guy finished speaking.

[Tyler affection +10.]