After being reborn, I fell in love with my new boyfriend

To save my childhood friend, Jason, I became a vegetable. The next year, he brought a girl, Ashley, home to my parents and said, "She's an orphan. She can take care of you in your old age."

For ten years, I was trapped in my own body, witnessing Jason and Ashley fall in love. I also witnessed Ashley inheriting all of my parents' estate. The day I was finally about to wake up, Jason pulled out my oxygen tube. "Finding a new identity for Ashley has been a real headache," he muttered. That's when I realized it was all his plan.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day Jason got into trouble. I stood frozen in place. If I remembered correctly, Jason had a half-brother…

1.

"Hey kids, where do your parents work?"

Ten-year-old Jason, standing beside me, puffed out his chest. "My parents are the CEOs! We’re loaded!" Those familiar words were the first thing I heard when I was reborn. I was stunned to find myself back at the beginning, back before everything went wrong.

The middle-aged woman offered me a piece of candy. "And what about you, little girl? Rich parents too?"

Before Jason could answer, I quickly spoke up, my voice cold. "Nope. My parents are just regular office workers. Nothing like his family."

Jason, not yet catching on, boasted, "Yeah, her family's got nothing on mine!"

The woman's smile widened. "Is that so?" She grabbed Jason's arm and signaled to the others behind her. "Take them both! Their families must be rich. Once we get the money, we’ll off the boy, and the girl…we can sell her for a tidy profit.”

Realization dawned on Jason’s face. Before anyone could react, he sank his teeth into the woman’s wrist.

"Agh! You little brat! You're dead meat!"

We both bolted, Jason panting beside me as we ran. "You’ll be fine even if they catch you," he gasped. "Just a little roughing up. I’ll tell my parents, they’ll get you back." He reached out to pull me behind him, as if to shield me.

I didn’t hesitate. I elbowed him hard in the nose. The unexpected pain stopped him in his tracks. “Have faith. Your parents will come for you," I said, letting the words drip with sarcasm.

The kidnappers were gaining on us. Taking advantage of my smaller size, I darted into a narrow alleyway. The crowd thickened at the street corner, deterring our pursuers.

"Damn it! We can't ransom her anymore. She’s seen our faces!"

They overpowered Jason, throwing him over their shoulders like a sack of potatoes. I watched from my hiding spot as they carried him away, his face streaked with tears and snot, his hand reaching out to me, begging for help.

"How can you be so heartless? Help me! Please! I’m their only son! They won't let you get away with this!"

He was quickly silenced with a rag doused in something pungent. He went limp, tossed into a van like a discarded toy.

As the van disappeared, I whispered to myself, "I save people, not monsters."

And about him being their only son…I remembered Jason had a half-brother. From today onwards, he wou...