Chapter 1

I collapsed onto the cold corporate floor, my heart seizing in acute cardiogenic shock.

Not a single coworker dialed 911. They just stood there, staring coldly as my life slipped away.

In my final moments, a familiar, gloating voice echoed in my head.

“I can broadcast my thoughts directly into everyone’s minds. What did you honestly think you could beat me with?”

“Chloe, poor white trash like you belongs on food stamps. You never belonged in our world.”

Until the very second I died, I couldn't comprehend how a normal girl who worked three jobs to put herself through college and land a spot at a Fortune 500 company could have earned such venomous hatred.

Then, I opened my eyes.

I was back in the conference room, right on the day I reported the expired meal kits before my sudden death in my previous life.

While I was still reeling from the memory of that sickening voice, a thought suddenly invaded my mind.

{Should I tell Director Hayes that Chloe altered the expiration dates herself? Once it blows up, our entire team's annual bonuses will be wiped out.}

I whipped my head around and stared in shock at my supposed best friend, Harper.

She was smiling at me, sweet as honey.

She had no idea that this time, I could hear every single word she was thinking.

I could hardly believe that the girl who had acted like an angel ever since I was hired was the very monster who had orchestrated my death.

In my last life, Director Hayes heard Harper's "thoughts."

Assuming I had forged the evidence just to steal credit, he canceled our entire department’s annual bonuses on the spot.

Afterward, the whole team ostracized me.

Too terrified to challenge the director, my coworkers took all their rage out on me, freezing me out completely.

Back then, I blamed myself. I thought I just hadn't explained things clearly. I drowned in guilt.

And that relentless stress and isolation had triggered the fatal heart condition that killed me.

Snapping out of my trance, I watched Director Hayes scrutinize the photos of the expired meal kits I had submitted earlier.

Suddenly, his eyes narrowed, and he shot a piercing glare in my direction.

"Chloe, did you take these photos during your store inspections?"

I slowly stood up, letting my gaze drift across the room before lingering on my dearest "best friend."

Right on cue, Harper's thoughts rang loud and clear inside my skull.

{No wonder I saw her messing with Photoshop yesterday. She was manufacturing fake evidence.}

{Director Hayes is staring right at her. He definitely knows something is off.}

I pulled my gaze away from Harper’s innocent, wide-eyed face.

When I looked up, Director Hayes was glaring at me with contempt.

He slammed the photos onto the mahogany table and marched over.

Knowing the truth this time, I stood completely calm.

Director Hayes leaned in, his voice dripping with venom.

"Chloe, Sterling Retail has hundreds of field auditors. How is it that you were the only one to stumble across expired inventory?"

"Are your eyes special?"

"Or is everyone else in this company completely blind?"

I kept my head slightly down and spoke softly.

"Director Hayes, I didn't fake anything. I found them during my routine inspection."

He let out a harsh bark of laughter.

"You had the nerve to fabricate evidence just to chase a promotion and a bonus."

"You’re going to pay for this! Starting right now, your entire team's annual bonuses are revoked!"

"Anyone who has a problem with it can come to my office, pick up their severance, and walk. I won’t hold back a single cent."

Every set of eyes in the conference room locked onto me.

My teammates looked ready to rip me to shreds.

"Are you out of your damn mind, Chloe?"

"You selfish bitch! We were counting on those bonuses to pay off our mortgages, and you ruined everything!"

Instead of returning to my chair, I stepped back toward the wall and discreetly pulled out my phone. I fired off a quick text to the store manager where I had found the spoiled food:

I can't cover for you anymore. Director Hayes rejects the report, and the GM will find out soon. I suggest you go directly to Mr. Vance and confess before it's too late.

Director Hayes caught the movement out of the corner of his eye. He lunged forward and snatched the phone straight out of my hands.

"You really have no shame, do you, Chloe?"

"You just cost your entire team their bonuses, and you're hiding in the corner texting? Do you feel even an ounce of remorse?"

I bit my bottom lip hard, remaining completely silent.

Our floor supervisor strode over, red-faced.

"Cat got your tongue, you little parasite?"

Just as I slowly unclenched my jaw, ready to speak, the conference room doors swung open.

The executive secretary rushed in, whispered urgently into Director Hayes’s ear, and hurried out.

As Director Hayes rushed after her, I was left alone in the room, battered by a relentless barrage of curses and insults.