Chapter 1

Chapter 1

My roommate is a beauty influencer.

She does not just film makeup tutorials every day; she also sells the samples sent to her by brands on her social media.

I once kindly warned her that cosmetics from shady, uncertified brands could ruin someone's face.

She just flashed her verified badge at me, claiming she was a professional who knew what she was doing.

She promised to take full responsibility and even tried to pressure me into running her little online shop with her.

I was foolish enough to believe her―until a girl from the dorm next door ended up with a chemical burn that scarred her for life.

Lana framed me for it, spreading lies online and letting her rabid fans tear me apart with insults and death threats.

Unable to clear my name, I ended my life by jumping into the cold river in a fit of despair.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back at the very moment she first started selling those samples.

...

I was struggling in the freezing water, gasping for air as the darkness closed in.

Suddenly, a familiar voice drifted from the bed next to mine, pulling me back to reality.

It was my roommate, Lana Thorne, recording a beauty vlog.

In person, she was totally average, the kind of girl you would pass on the street without a second glance.

But with heavy filters and ring lights, she was a goddess with hundreds of thousands of followers.

I checked the date on my phone and pinched my thigh hard. It stung so much I could not help but yelp.

I had actually traveled back in time.

My cry made Lana whip her bed curtain open, glaring at me with a sharp look.

"Hailey, what the hell? Can't you see I'm recording? You just ruined the whole take. Have some decency and shut up!"

In my past life, I would have swallowed my pride to keep the peace in the dorm.

I used to follow her every command like a loyal dog just to be nice.

But I had already died once because of her, and I was not going to take her baseless insults anymore.

"Why are you recording while I am trying to sleep? You woke me up, and you're the one who should be apologizing."

This was the first time I had ever talked back to her since we became roommates.

Her jaw dropped, a look of pure shock crossing her face.

Since she knew she was in the wrong, she just muttered under her breath, "What is gotten into you? Freak."

Just then, our other two roommates walked in.

Tina Brooks had brought dinner for Lana. She had become Lana's little lapdog just because Lana gave her leftover makeup.

From grabbing food to picking up packages in the summer heat, Tina did it all for her.

The other roommate, Yina Ward, was the quiet type who stayed out of the drama.

She spent almost all her time in the library, only coming back to sleep.

I remembered that when I was framed in my past life, Tina was the one who kicked me while I was down.

Yina had not been able to do much, but she was the only one who believed me and tried to comfort me.

Lana hopped off her bed. "Thanks for the food, Tina! To show my appreciation, do you want to make some real money with me?"

Tina came from a struggling family and was on a needs-based grant. Her eyes lit up instantly.

"How? I am in!"

Lana swung open her vanity cabinet, which was packed with various cosmetic products.

"We can't use all of this ourselves. Why not sell it? I will give you a fifty percent cut for every sale you make."

Lana was always bragging about how expensive her makeup was.

Tina thought she had hit the jackpot and agreed immediately.

To see if I could change the course of this life, I spoke up.

"Some of those brands are sketchy and uncertified. You should not sell them. What if someone has a reaction and ruins their skin?"

"Please, I am a verified influencer. Do you think I don't know my stuff? I test these things for a living."

It was the exact same script from my past life. I wondered if I was truly stuck in an unbreakable loop.

"Hailey, what is your problem today? I was going to invite you to join us, but with that attitude, forget it!"

Wait, that was different. In my last life, she had begged me to join her business.

It seemed like my small act of defiance when I woke up had already started shifting the timeline.