After I Removed My Corneas, His Childhood Sweetheart Panicked

The day I got my license, I went to the hospital and removed my corneas.

In my past life, my boyfriend’s childhood friend Lila stole my car on the first day of school. She ran red lights, killed a pregnant woman and an old man, then fled.

But my classmates blamed me. When the police came, I swore Lila was driving.

She collapsed into Ethan’s arms, fake tears in her eyes. "Nora, why frame me?"

Then Ethan showed the dashcam footage—my face behind the wheel.

"Still lying?" he sneered.

The victims’ families saw it. One stabbed me until everything went dark.

Then I woke up—back to the day before it happened.

…

“Welcome to Harborview, everyone!” Lila’s voice, sweet and cloying, echoed through the classroom. “Since I’m a local, I thought I’d play the good host and take you all to the mall tomorrow to pick up some souvenirs. My treat, a little welcome gift from me to you.”

The familiar words sent a tremor through my entire body. I was back. I had been reborn.

The classroom erupted in praise.

“Wow, Lila, you’re seriously the best! Harborview’s little princess!”

“Lila, there are so many of us, that’s going to cost a fortune!”

She just laughed, a picture of effortless generosity. “Don’t worry about it! You’ve all come so far to be here. It’s the least I can do.”

Suddenly, all eyes turned to me. “Nora, the roster says you’re from Harborview too, right?”

I nodded, my throat tight. “Yeah. Welcome to our city.”

Lila’s hand shot out, her fingers wrapping around my arm. “Nora, my car won’t fit everyone. You just got your license, didn’t you? Could I please borrow your car?”

It was like being doused in ice water. I froze, the memory of her last life’s request washing over me.

That was how it started. She’d borrowed my car, driven like a maniac through the city, blown through eighteen red lights, and ended two lives. Then, my entire class, my entire world, had turned on me, branding me a murderer. When the police came, I screamed my innocence, but Lila’s crocodile tears in Ethan’s arms were more convincing. He’d slapped me, produced the doctored dashcam footage, and sealed my fate. Before I could even process the betrayal, the victims’ family had delivered their own brutal justice.

The memory was a phantom pain, so sharp it made me shudder.

Before I could react, my purse was snatched from my hands.

Ethan, my boyfriend, was already digging through it. He pulled out my car keys and tossed them to Lila.

“Go ahead, Lila. Take it.”

The sight snapped me out of my trance. I lunged forward, snatching my bag and keys back.

“Sorry,” I said, my voice cold and firm. “I need my car tomorrow. You’ll have to ask someone else.”

Ethan’s face darkened instantly. “What could you possibly need it for, Nora? Just admit you don’t want to lend it to her.”

I met his glare without flinching. “You’re right. I don’t want to. So what?”

Lila’s eyes welled up, a perfect picture of wounded innocence. “Nora, I don’t understand why you hate me so much. I just wanted to do something nice for our new...