On New Year's Day, my husband drank way too much and collapsed.

By the time the paramedics loaded him into the ambulance, he was already gone.

I was wrecked with grief, holding his hand and asking if he had any last wishes.

He was on his deathbed, but his mind was terrifyingly clear.

First, he apologized to me.

"I'm so sorry, Grace, but it was you who got into college back then. I took your acceptance letter."

I was so stunned I just froze on the spot.

Before I could even process it, his next words hit me like a sledgehammer.

"After I die, I want you to bury me with Lila. She's the only one I've ever loved."

The rage hit me so hard, I died right then and there.

He wasn't even dead, and I was.

As my consciousness faded, I heard my son crying over my husband's body.

"Dad, you can rest in peace. I'll make sure Aunt Lila's funeral is a beautiful one."

Then I opened my eyes.

I was back in my senior year of high school, looking at a young Ethan.

That familiar, yet strange, face was etched with obvious annoyance.

"Grace! Can you just stop making a scene?"

My mind was slowly coming back to me.

Before I was fully aware, he shoved me hard against the wall, and the papers in my hand scattered across the floor.

"There's no way you're getting into college anyway, so these books are a waste on you! They're better off with Lila; she actually gets good grades."

The pain shooting up my back snapped me fully awake.

I had returned to the day Ethan tried to steal my SAT prep materials.

Those materials were something my dad had to swallow his pride for, calling in a favor from an old army buddy to get them.

In my past life, I hadn't wanted to give them up at first, either.

But I couldn't stand up to Ethan's mix of threats and promises.

He threatened to break up with me if I didn't give the materials to Lila.

He also promised that if I helped Lila this one time, he would never see her again.

Back then, I was so naive, completely blinded by what I thought was love.

One word from him, and who cared about some study guides?

Realizing I was back, and remembering everything from my past life, my heart turned to ice.

"Lila gets good grades? The girl who's barely passing, who needs you to explain a simple algebra problem three times before she gets it? You have the nerve to say she gets good grades?"

Ethan froze, clearly shocked that the normally quiet me would talk back to him.

"What are you talking about? She's just not feeling well; she always chokes on test day, that's all."

"Yeah, what a coincidence. She just happens to get sick every single time there's a test."

Hearing that, Ethan fell silent, a flicker of doubt in his eyes.

I ignored him, scrambling to pick up the review materials from the floor and hugging them tightly to my chest.

This time, no one was taking them from me.

Seeing me guard them like a thief, Ethan's anger flared up again.

"Lila was right. You really are a vicious person, always thinking the worst of her behind her back."

"Me, vicious, Ethan? Hah. Fine. So I'm vicious. What are you going to do about it?"

"I'll make it crystal clear for you today. My dad worked hard to get these, and I'm not giving them to anyone."

"If you want to be with her, then go right ahead. Don't stand here and pretend to care about me."

Ethan clearly didn't expect me to be so forceful, and a flash of panic crossed his face.

He tried to compose himself, his tone softening.

"Okay, don't be mad. I was too harsh just now. I'm sorry."

"Save your apology. You want the materials? The answer is no."

At this point, I couldn't be bothered to waste another word on him.

Ethan's brow furrowed; he was clearly losing his patience.

But he kept pleading softly.

"You're not going to get into college anyway, so just give them to Lila. If she gets in, she'll pay you back."

"In your dreams."

"You... you're being... ugh, just stop it, okay? I already told you, I'm going to marry you. I've only ever seen her as a little sister."

I rolled my eyes at him.

Here we go again with his little act.

In my past life, he loved to pull this routine.

Every time he wanted something from me, if I resisted, he'd sweet-talk me until I gave in.

"Say whatever you want. I'm not giving them to you."

With that, I clutched the materials and ran home, afraid he'd try to snatch them.

When I got home, Mom and Dad had dinner ready.

"Where's Ethan? Why didn't you bring him home for dinner?"

Seeing me still clutching the books, my dad continued.

"Hey, didn't you say you were taking those over so Ethan could help you study? Why'd you bring them back?"

"I changed my mind. I'd rather study on my own. He's just a distraction."

My parents exchanged a look, sensing something was off.

I didn't want to hide it from them anymore.

"He doesn't want to help me," I said, my voice quiet. "He said I'm stupid, that I'll never get into college, and that I should just give the materials to Lila."

My parents' faces darkened immediately.

They'd always doted on me and couldn't stand hearing someone put me down like that.

"Did that boy really say that?"

"Yeah. He looks down on me."

I didn't want to marry him again, and to break the engagement, I needed my parents to see his true colors.

I told them everything, every single time Ethan had belittled me and praised her.

Like how when I did well on a test, he would make snide remarks, asking if I had cheated.

Or how if Lila cried, his first instinct was to assume I had bullied her.

And how he'd constantly ask me to cover her shifts at the diner, saying she was a city girl who couldn't handle hard work, so I should just help her out.

As they listened, my parents' faces grew uglier and uglier.