She Provoked Me, I Let Them Fall

Chapter 2

The national swimming team competition had a grand prize of approximately $74,500. Neo's elderly mother was critically ill in the hospital, and they were desperate for cash.

I'd just gotten home and finished a cold shower when my phone started blaring nonstop.

"Elodie, you cut off my mom's medical bills?"

I listened to Neo's voice, thick with barely suppressed rage, and took a calm, slow sip of warm water.

He was practically grinding his teeth hard enough to c***k enamel through the line.

"Elodie, you've gone too far this time. You're just throwing a tantrum over what happened tonight, aren't you? Fine, I'm apologizing, okay? Happy now?

"Reinstate my mom's medical payments right now, or don't act surprised when I dump you."

I let out a sharp, bitter laugh.

In my past life, I'd worked my fingers to the bone day and night to pave the way for his future, so he could focus entirely on pushing further in his swimming career. I'd even pinched every penny out of my own salary to keep his sick mother alive.

And what did I get for it? The second his mom woke up, her first move was to set him up with Cecilia.

Even the stupid "simp" nickname his teammates stuck me with? And what did all that get me? Him fawning all over his childhood sweetheart Cecilia, and a brutal, untimely death, that's what.

My hands shook so hard with rage I almost spilled my water at the memory.

"If that's how you want it, Neo, then as of today, we're no longer boyfriend and girlfriend."

I didn't wait to listen to his furious shouting. I hung up the call straight away.

Without me around to pick up half his slack this lifetime, I knew he needed that prize money more than anyone else on the planet.

But after chugging that cold medicine Cecilia mixed up for him? Good luck competing ever again, loser.

The next day, the stands around the competition venue were packed full of spectators.

I scanned the crowd once, and immediately spotted several familiar rabid fans. One of them was that unhinged superfan who'd slipped me rat poison and killed me in my last life.

I hadn't figured it out until the second I died back then, it was Cecilia who'd deliberately leaked my home address and training schedule, and sneaked that deranged fan into the swim center to give her the perfect chance to poison me!

This fangirl worshiped Neo specifically for his insane swimming skills. I couldn't help but wonder what her reaction would be when she found out her precious idol had been drugged with performance-enhancing drugs.

Cecilia was glued to Neo's side, dabbing sweat off his forehead with a look of pure, fake concern plastered all over her face.

"Babe, you've got this, okay? Good luck!"

Neo looked back at her like she hung the whole moon and stars, his voice soft as he made a promise, "Once I save up enough money, I'll take you somewhere super fun. Remember that Island we didn't get to go to last time? We'll head there, yeah?"

Cecilia broke into a syrupy sweet grin, throwing her arms around Neo in an overly affectionate show. All the while, her eyes flicked over to me, sharp with smug, sneering triumph.

Neo flicked a cold, disdainful glance my way and huffed. "Elodie, if you want me to talk to you again, it's simple. Go pay my mom's medical bills first."

I couldn't be bothered to waste a breath on him. Back in the day, I'd dropped so many hints about wanting to travel with him, and he'd come up with every lousy excuse under the sun to turn me down.

But now? He was over there promising Cecilia a whole island vacation like it was nothing.

It was almost laughable, honestly. If he knew that Cecilia was the one who'd just destroyed the dream he'd slaved away for years to achieve, along with the life-saving medical money he so desperately needed for his sick mom, would he still look at her like she was his whole world?