Chapter 2

2

If I hadn't been reborn, I probably would have lost my temper on the spot.

Instead, I merely smiled and feigned helplessness:

"Toby, you're sixteen now, yet still acting like a spoiled child. When I married your mom, your biological father's kid with another woman was already running around in diapers."

Rachel's mouth twitched.

"Now that you're older, I should respect your wishes. Don't worry, I definitely won't follow you around to play full-time butler. We can swear on it today in front of everyone, okay?"

I did my best to look at him like a loving, accommodating father.

Toby's eyes lit up, believing he had successfully put me in my place.

"That's more like it. But you better keep your word."

"Of course. All our friends and family here can be our witnesses!"

With just a few words, everyone at the tables saw my supposedly low status in the family.

Seeing that I had agreed not to chaperone Toby, Rachel panicked:

"Garrett! Toby is just a kid who doesn't know any better. Are you out of your mind too, letting him mess around like this?"

I cut her off with a wave of my hand:

"Today is Toby's celebration banquet, so whatever Toby wants, goes. Come on, everyone, let's raise a toast to Toby for ranking number one in the entire county!"

What did being a full-time school chaperone really mean?

It meant waking up before dawn and sleeping past midnight.

Not only did it mean driving him to every expensive tutoring session and meticulously prepping nutritious meals, but it also meant enduring Toby's constant verbal abuse.

In my previous life, I had looked after him for three grueling years and aged a decade in the process.

He got into a top university, while I ended up with severe nervous exhaustion and chronic insomnia.

And now they expected me to be his unpaid servant all over again?

Keep dreaming. Especially since his betrayal had cost me my life!