Chapter 1

1

My roommate returned from her rural hometown with several large bags of wild mushrooms.

She didn't just invite us to eat; she was generous enough to share them with other dorms. Soon, people were even offering to buy them from her.

Lacey caught the scent of profit and started selling the wild mushrooms on a large scale.

I tried to be kind and warned her that some wild mushrooms were toxic and couldn't be eaten blindly.

She snapped at me, saying she grew up eating them. She even accused me of trying to sabotage her business.

Then, a massive wave of food poisoning hit the college. Dozens were rushed to the ER, and three students didn't make it.

Lacey played the victim, crying that she was only doing it to help me. She let the grieving parents vent their rage on me.

A father who lost his child pushed me off the balcony. I died the moment I hit the pavement.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day she hauled those bags into our dorm.

Lacey Miller walked into the room, huffing and puffing under the weight of the bags. Seeing me in a daze, she clicked her tongue in annoyance.

"Sonya, what are you doing? Help me out here!" she snapped.

Jessa, who was nearby, rushed over to help her put the bags down. "What's all this?" she asked curiously.

Lacey gave her a mysterious wink and opened one of the bags.

Jessa gasped at the sight of the fresh, vibrant mushrooms.

Looking at this familiar scene, a storm of emotions surged in my heart. I had been reborn.

In my past life, Lacey had claimed these were fresh wild mushrooms picked from the mountains back home.

She made a mushroom stew for us in the dorm. The aroma was so incredible it drifted into the hallway.

Lacey shared them freely with the other girls on our floor. Soon, the whole building knew Lacey had the good stuff, and people were knocking on our door to buy more.

Lacey loved the attention and the cash. Every few days, she'd head back to her village to harvest more.

I had tried to warn her then, telling her that some species were deadly.

She just rolled her eyes and dragged me to see her foraging process.

She told me she grew up on these and knew exactly which ones were safe. She said I was just a city girl looking down on her, trying to ruin her hustle.

I saw how determined she was, so I apologized and dropped the subject.

Lacey's business grew until the mass poisoning happened. When three students lost their lives, she finally panicked.

Amid the accusations, she framed me. She told everyone I was the mastermind behind the whole operation.

The parents, blinded by grief, pushed me to my death.

"What's wrong with you today?"

Jessa nudged me, snapping me back to reality. I looked at the bowl of soup Lacey was holding out.

I waved it away. "I don't have an appetite today. I'll pass."

Lacey's face darkened immediately. "Are you looking down on me?"

I almost laughed at the irony. Just then, girls from the neighboring dorm knocked on the door. It was exactly like my previous life.

Lacey shared the mushrooms with them generously. Our dorm became the center of attention.

As she handed them out, Lacey subtly insulted me, telling everyone I didn't know what was good for me.

One student insisted on paying her. Lacey's tanned face lit up with greed, but she quickly lowered her head.

"It's nothing expensive. You don't have to pay," she said, playing the humble card.

The student insisted. "The city craves this kind of fresh, organic stuff. If you bring more, I guarantee you'll make a killing."

After everyone left, Lacey sat in her chair, deep in thought. She had made nearly a thousand dollars that day alone.

Jessa was on the phone with her boyfriend, so Lacey turned to me. "Sonya, do you think I should start selling these?"

In my past life, she had asked the same thing. I had told her I was worried about her and warned her about the toxins.

I was right, but my big mouth ended up getting me killed.