My Ex's first love Is My Soulmate

At the welcome banquet, Mason Calloway fastened a genuine diamond necklace he had brought back from Paris around Vivian Monroe's neck, his first love. Then he turned to me and handed me a blue velvet box. "This pearl is for you, Celia. It's just as sparkly, and it makes a great cheap substitute." Everyone at the table stared at me, Celia Whitmore, waiting for the stand-in to burst into tears. I weighed the pathetic little stone in my hand before hurling it straight at Mason's forehead. "If you can't afford it, just say so! If you can't buy two real diamond necklaces, then what's the point of playing this ridiculous 'stand-in romance' game?" I retorted. "Trying to fool people with a fake? Are you deliberately trying to piss both of us off?" Vivian froze in shock. I immediately linked my arm through hers. "You see him clearly now, right? He's so stingy that he can't even give a decent gift. Just imagine how much you'll have to put up with if you marry into his family someday." I scoffed. "Come on. Let's max out his supplementary card." That night, I dragged Vivian from one jewelry counter to the next and cleaned out the entire mall. Mason chased after us, his forehead beaded with sweat, while I lectured Vivian. "From now on, whenever he gives you a gift, there have to be two identical ones, and both better be top-of-the-line! If he ever tries to pass off cheap junk as something valuable, he's nothing but a broke poser." Vivian nodded vigorously. On Valentine's Day, Mason was so distraught that he actually knelt down in front of the Hermes counter and wailed, "Come on! There's no way you can find two identical copies of this discontinued bag, right?" ***** At the welcome banquet, Vivian looked at me with clear, understanding eyes. The next second, she linked her arm through mine and turned toward Mason with undisguised contempt. "Wow, Mason. You really do love treating people like garbage, don't you? If you have to belittle someone else just to prove how much you care about me, then maybe I'm not as precious to you as you claim." She then took off the priceless diamond necklace and threw it onto the floor. "I'm not staying for the rest of this banquet." The two of us walked out of the banquet hall arm in arm, leaving everyone staring after us. A cold gust of wind swept past me, and only then did I realize I was covered in a cold sweat. Because I had been given a second chance. In my previous life, it was at this very welcome banquet that I learned I was nothing more than a stand-in Mason had found. Clutching that cheap pearl, I cried my eyes out and cursed Mason until my voice was hoarse. From that day forward, Mason made my life a living hell with his relentless harassment. To add to that, I couldn't find a job and had no source of income. My savings quickly ran out, and because I never knew when I would have my next meal, I eventually developed a perforated ulcer. The pain became so unbearable that I could barely breathe. Desperate, I finally called Mason and begged him to lend me money for my medical expenses. I never expected him to roar furiously over the phone. "Celia! You know damn well I'm proposing to Vivian today, yet you still have the nerve to call me! Are you deliberately trying to ruin us?" Then he hung up. That same night, I died alone in the basement room I was renting. My soul drifted from my body, and I watched as Mason held my corpse and wept bitterly. Then, in a fit of rage, he turned on Vivian and tormented her using the same methods he had once used against me, only this time, he was even more vicious. He went around telling everyone how deeply he had loved me, claiming that he had only been blinded by Vivian. But I could only find Mason ridiculous. If he had truly loved Vivian, he never would have needed me as her replacement. And if he had ever loved me, he never would have let me die. Mason was nothing more than a pathetic, delusional clown who loved putting on dramatic performances for himself. And Vivian was just as much a victim as I was. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day of Vivian's welcome banquet. Holding her hand, I took her to the mall and stocked up on jewelry without feeling even the slightest bit guilty. After all, Mason owed me this much. At first, Vivian looked a little uncomfortable. "Is it really okay for us to spend his money like this?" "Of course. For starters, he has more than enough money to cover it." I squeezed her hand and spoke earnestly. "Besides, he announced in front of all those people that I'm just your substitute. That's an insult to me, but it's an even bigger insult to you. This money is nothing more than the emotional damages he owes both of us. From now on, anything he gives us has to come in two identical top-of-the-line sets! If he dares to palm off cheap garbage on us again, he's just a broke loser trying to pretend he's rich." Vivian looked at me, and the uncertainty in her eyes slowly gave way to quiet determination. "You're right, Celia. He doesn't love either of us. He's just playing the role of the devoted lover he's created in his own head." With that, she turned to the Bulgari sales assistant. "Except for the three styles I just pointed out, wrap up two of everything else." Vivian and I practically cleared out every jewelry counter in the entire mall. Mason, who had been chasing after us the entire time, looked absolutely livid. He was just about to explode when Vivian spoke up casually. "I'm tired from shopping. Treat me to a meal." Mason's face twisted instantly. I couldn't help snickering, and Mason immediately redirected his anger toward me. "You made me lose so much face back there, and you still have the nerve to laugh?" he said. "It's all because of you. Now every well-connected young lady and wealthy wife is laughing at me for being a cheapskate. I can't even hold my head up in public!" He grimaced. "Anyways, Vivian and I are going to dinner. You go home alone and reflect on what you've done." He was about to hold Vivian's hand when she spoke again. "I want to eat with Celia," she said firmly. He blinked in confusion. "But, Vivian..." "Didn't you say you love me more than anything? Didn't you say you'd do anything I asked?" Vivian threw his own words right back at him. "You can't even let Celia join us for one meal?" In the end, Mason could only mutter curses under his breath as he took the two of us to a luxurious three-Michelin-star restaurant. He didn't forget to warn me along the way. "Don't even think about pulling any tricks. Vivian and I have an unbreakable bond." I didn't even bother responding. Instead, I huddled together with Vivian, happily picking out a gigantic, meter-tall cake for dessert. In this life, I'm teaming up with Vivian. Together, we're going to take Mason down and ruin him completely.