Chapter 1

The holidays were approaching, but the weather was insane. It had been snowing non-stop for an entire month.

My bestie, Skylar, was dead set on going back to the remote, backwoods mountains to meet her deadbeat boyfriend's family. I was terrified for her safety and tried everything to stop her, but she wouldn't listen to a word I said.

Even my fiancé, Gavin, who grew up with me, was worried about her. He actually forced me to drive them all the way up there in the middle of a blizzard.

Three days in, the snow completely blocked the only road out of the village. The power went out, and the water pipes froze solid.

We tried to call for help, but the signal was dead.

Luckily, I had packed a ton of food, and the locals usually stocked up for winter. If we had been careful, we could have survived until spring.

But Gideon's family―Skylar's boyfriend―started acting like I was a parasite eating their food. They tried to force me to become Gideon's side chick to 'earn my keep.'

I fought back with everything I had. In the end, they dragged me out into the wasteland and buried me alive in the snow to freeze to death.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back at the exact moment Skylar was begging me to go to the mountains.

01

"Jade, what the hell are you staring at? I told you to drive Skylar to Gideon's hometown. If you don't, our engagement is off."

My fiancé, Gavin, shoved my shoulder, his voice dripping with threats.

Skylar stood beside him, looking at me with those pathetic, expectant puppy-dog eyes.

The horrors of my past life flashed before me like a movie. I suddenly realized I had been reborn.

A cold shiver ran down my spine.

"I'm not going, Gavin. If you want to be the hero, drive them yourself. Leave me out of it."

Hearing this, Skylar's eyes filled with tears instantly. She looked at Gavin, playing the victim.

"Gavin, please don't fight because of me. Jade, it's okay. I'll go by myself. I don't want to force you."

I watched her act and felt a wave of disgust. I wanted to laugh.

In my last life, after I died, Skylar conned my parents into giving her their entire inheritance. She sent them to Gideon's village to 'work the land,' which was just a death sentence.

Meanwhile, she brought Gideon's trashy family into my house to live like royalty. My fiancé just stood by and let it happen.

My parents ended up starving to death in the middle of nowhere.

"Fine by me. I didn't want to go anyway."

Skylar was so shocked she actually forgot to keep crying. She couldn't understand why I was being so blunt.

After all, I used to pay for everything in her life, including her boyfriend's expenses.

But it was exactly that kindness that made her resent me. She thought I was looking down on her, so she dragged my entire family into hell.

"Jade, how can you be so cold-blooded? It's just a small favor!"

Gideon hadn't even said a word, yet Gavin, the ultimate simp, was already barking at me.

I sneered. "Fine, I'm cold-blooded. Go drive them yourself then. Are we done?"

Gavin's face twisted in rage, his jaw tight. He pointed a finger at me, his eyes looking like he wanted to rip me apart.

"Jade, you better not regret this. When I get back, we're done for good."

I looked at him coldly. Why would I regret you going to your own funeral?

Skylar saw Gavin's support and couldn't hide a smug little smile.

Gideon, on the other hand, looked uneasy. He kept his head down, probably plotting something.

Skylar turned to me, her voice dripping with fake sincerity. "Jade, you know you're my best friend in the world."

Suddenly, her eyes sparkled with greed. "Jade, can I have your red Ferrari? I really love it. Just think of it as compensation for not driving us there, okay?"

I smirked.

"Sure. If you love it that much, take it. I even put some gifts in the trunk for you."

In my last life, she had begged to borrow it to show off to Gideon's family.

Back then, I worried about the mountain roads and gave her a heavy-duty Range Rover instead.

She spent the whole trip complaining to Gideon about how 'cheap' I was for not giving her the sports car.

I laughed internally. She'd find out soon enough that a Ferrari can't carry supplies and will bottom out on the first dirt road.