Turns out, just before I died in the last life, I heard a heavy thud next to me. It was her body, following mine as I fell.

She had planned it all along, wanting to take me with her. Her hatred for me was so deep she wanted to drag me down even in death.

Now, Paige had again acted first, taking the immediate cash benefit and actively trying to set Blaine and me up.

“I hear Mr. Albright rarely socializes, loves to read, and is especially obsessed with math. Coincidentally, my sister, Iris, is also quite the scholar. I’m sure they’ll have plenty in common.”

Marry Blaine Albright?

Become his twisted plaything, just like she was, while she walked away with five million dollars to live a life of luxury?

I’d been reborn, not lost my memory.

So, while Paige was off guard, I snatched the still-warm check from her hand in a flash.

I presented it neatly and respectfully back to Ms. Albright.

“Ma’am, thank you and Mr. Albright for your kindness. But we can’t accept such a valuable gift. Although our family isn’t well-off, Grandma always taught us to be honest and kind. Helping you that day was simply the right thing to do. There’s really no need for thanks.”

With that, I stood up and glanced at Blaine, who sat beside his mother, silent the entire time.

Honestly, the man was incredibly handsome. If I hadn’t been reborn, no one would believe that beneath such a refined appearance lay a sick, twisted mind.

Paige thought she had secured her ultimate wish, taking the easy money and trying to push me into a pit of fire?

Well, then, let’s show some traditional American generosity and ensure neither of us got it.

“Iris, are you crazy?!”

Back home, Paige reamed me out. “Ms. Albright is worth hundreds of millions, and Blaine is her only son! He’s introverted, socially awkward, and uninterested in managing the company. It’s obvious Ms. Albright intends to pass all her wealth to a trustworthy daughter-in-law. Why would you give up such a golden opportunity?”

Paige urged me on. “Iris, even if you don’t think about us, you have to think about Grandma. We’ve had no parents since we were little. Grandma worked her fingers to the bone to raise us. She’s over seventy, still picking up recycling every morning and selling soup dumplings at night. We can’t get her to slow down; she just wants to save more for our dowries. Don’t you want to give Grandma a better life in her old age?”

I smiled wryly. “I’ll graduate with my master’s next year. I’m confident I can find a great job and take good care of Grandma. Sister, I’m not marrying him. If you don’t want to give up, why don’t you choose to marry Blaine Albright?”

“You’re making this difficult for me!” Paige looked at me with teary eyes. “You know Leo and I have been together for almost a year. Am I supposed to betray Leo just to be with Blaine? Ms. Albright said she’d give us three more days to think. Iris, just go with Blaine. Otherwise, it’ll be awkward if we just take the money and reject the person, making it seem like we’re looking down on Ms. Albright’s son, wouldn’t it?”

I inwardly cringed. It was like she hadn’t been the one who kicked that poor sap to the curb in the last life.

But no sooner had I kicked Paige out of my room than Grandma had an accident.

She collapsed while packing up her stall that night. When she was rushed to the hospital, her condition was critical.

The doctor said it was an acute allergic reaction that triggered a stroke, accompanied by various complications from her long-term diabetes. But they couldn’t yet identify the allergen.

And when Grandma collapsed, Paige was the only one with her.

Only Paige knew what she had eaten…