Chapter 1

I was reborn and sent back to the day I had a blind date with the guy who used to bully me.

Outside the familiar high-end restaurant, I raised my hand to shield my eyes from the glaring sun while slowly adjusting to my surroundings.

Afterward, the bully sat across from me. Even though he was dressed to impress, the sleazy look in his eyes gave him away.

His name was Willem Leigh. We had gone to the same high school.

Mom was present too. She sat next to me, chatting away happily with him.

When Willem started bragging about his two houses and three cars, Mom's smile grew even wider. With such a catch, she was practically ready to seal the deal on my behalf.

Mom noticed my silence and called my name several times, but I was lost in the joy of my second chance at life.

Suddenly, a hand slid over from the side to clasp mine and gave it a little squeeze.

The disgusting sensation snapped me right back to reality. Instinctively, I grabbed the glass of water on the table and threw it at Willem.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I yelled.

Willem was caught off guard and took the full splash to his face. His shirt was soaked, and his expression darkened immediately.

Mom frowned as well and quickly grabbed a napkin to wipe Willem's shirt. Her anger was barely restrained as she scolded me, "Zara Sommer, what on earth are you doing? How can you be so rude!"

I let out a small chuckle and arched an eyebrow at her. "Me? Rude? Could I possibly be worse than the guy who bullied me all through high school?"

Both of them froze.

Even Mom was dumbfounded. She hadn't expected things to take this turn. Still, Willem was by far the best match I'd had in years, and she wasn't about to let a minor issue ruin things.

Mom stopped wiping and spoke up in Willem's defense, "There must have been some misunderstanding back then. Meeting again today is fate. You should give each other a chance. I'm sure you'll grow to like him."

Willem jumped in to agree with her, though his tone was less than sincere. He said, "Yeah. Time reveals a person's true character. We can give it a shot."

He clearly didn't remember me. Which, I guess, made sense.

Back then, I had been malnourished and all skin and bones. My appearance had been a far cry from the confident, vibrant person I'd become.

In high school, I barely had enough to eat while my younger brother, Jake Sommer, was handed a generous allowance to spend however he wanted.

Willem had been one of the troublemakers in class, and nobody had dared to cross him. To show off for his friends, he had picked on me, the weak, quiet girl who posed no threat.

There was no other reason behind his action. Timid and not much to look at, I had become the perfect target. For two long years, he had made my life hell.

As I recalled everything I had gone through, the anger inside me almost boiled over. I clenched my fists so tightly that the sharp pain in my palms jolted me back to the present.

Mom was still trying to push us together.

With a derisive laugh, I snapped, "Fate, you say. If you like him so much, you can marry him yourself."