Gave Roommate the Dog

My luck turned the day I found a stray poodle.
It wasn't just landing the company's biggest account and getting a promotion with a hefty raise. The matriarch of a powerful family, Eleanor Wayan, hand-picked me to be her daughter-in-law. She offered me a car, a house, and promised to transfer all her assets to my future child.
I was ready to refuse, but then she showed me a photo of her son, who was away on business overseas. And I, a total sucker for a handsome face, was sold.
The wedding was arranged in a flash, but the groom missed his flight and didn't make it. My mother-in-law had me walk down the aisle holding the poodle instead, and to make up for it, she transferred an extra million dollars to my account on the spot.
Just like that, I married into high society. A few days later, my roommate pushed me off our apartment building's rooftop.
"We saw that dog together! Why do you get to marry a billionaire while I get nothing?" she screamed, her face twisted with rage. "If you die, I get a do-over!"
When I opened my eyes again, I was back at the beginning. And this time, I let her have the dog.

1
"Oh, you poor little thing! Are you lost?"
My roommate, Sophie, who was normally a notorious neat freak, scooped up the filthy poodle that was circling our feet. Before I could even react, she shot me a look, her voice sharp.
"Diana, I'm keeping this dog, and you can't have him!"
I saw the fierce determination in her eyes, a stark contrast to how things played out the first time.
I knew instantly. She'd been reborn, too.
Sophie watched me, a smug smile playing on her lips. "I just feel a connection with this dog, you know? Like he's a lucky charm. Maybe he'll bring me good fortune."
She feigned concern. "I know you wanted him too, but you already have two dogs. You probably can't handle another one, right?"
I glanced at the poodle in her arms and gave a nonchalant shrug. "You're right, I've got my hands full. If you want him, he's all yours."
In my past life, I only took him in because he followed us all the way home. He was a mess, so I gave him a bath and some food out of pity, and he refused to leave. I never imagined that simple act of kindness would completely derail my life.
At my words, Sophie could barely contain her glee. "You promise? No take-backs!" she chirped. "Even if he helps me marry... well, anyway, you can't get jealous!" She caught herself, afraid of revealing too much and making me change my mind.
Only after I swore a solemn oath that I wouldn't regret it did she happily cradle the dog and head home.
At that exact moment, a notification materialized in my mind.
Congratulations. You have been granted a second chance. Upon the death of the key individual from this timeline, you may return to this moment and change your fate.
The message was a revelation. The starting point wasn't random; it was tethered to this specific moment. And the trigger was simple: the other person's death.
No wonder Sophie had shrieked, If you die, I get a do-over! She'd been given the same chance.
But from her reaction just now, it was clear she had no idea I was back, too.
The moment I stepped through the apartment door, Sophie blocked my path. "Diana, did you just hear a weird voice?" Her expression was a mix of panic and confusion.
I knew exactly what she was talking about, but I just furrowed my brow. "What voice? Is someone breaking in?"
"No, not like that. It was... robotic. It said something about a second chance and death."
I gave her a dismissive look. "Have you been reading too many web novels, Sophie? There's no such thing as rebirth in the real world. Stop daydreaming."
She scrutinized my face, searching for any hint of a lie. Seeing none, she let out a sigh of relief and headed to her room, humming a cheerful tune.
I watched her go, a cold smile touching my lips.
She had no idea that some poodles have a dark side. I just hoped she was ready to pay the price for adopting him.

2
That night, just as I was about to go to sleep, a frantic knock rattled my door.
"Diana, wash this beast for me, and make sure he's spotless!" Sophie demanded.
For some reason, the mere thought of touching that poodle made my skin crawl. I felt a primal urge to stay away.
"I can't," I said, my hand on the doorknob. "I have a report to finish for work."
I tried to close the door, but she stuck her hand in the way. "What's with the attitude?" she snapped. "You'd better watch your tone with me. Don't be an idiot. Once I've made it, you'll be lucky if I hire you to be my dog's nanny!"
As if on cue, the poodle trotted out of the bathroom and started humping her smooth leg. Sophie let out a cry of disgust and kicked the dog away. It yelped in pain as it hit the corner of the wall.
I frowned, my heart twisting with a flicker of pity, but I forced myself to remain cold. "If you can't handle it, just take him to a groomer. They're professionals."
After I shut the door, I could hear her cursing me out in the hallway.
In the days that followed, she not only started mimicking my style of dress, but she also began bringing the dog to the office. At first, our colleagues cooed about how kind-hearted she was. That lasted less than a day.
Sophie didn't use a leash or a crate, and the poodle, clearly in heat, became a menace. He was peeing everywhere, leaving little presents under desks, and constantly trying to mount people's legs.
"Sophie, can you please control your dog? Look, he got my pants all wet!"
"Ugh, he just tipped over my trash can and now there's garbage everywhere."
"Damn it, Sophie! He just shredded the documents I finished printing!"
Sophie ignored the chorus of complaints.
Our manager was already on edge because a major client was scheduled for a visit that day. When he walked in and saw the state of the office, he exploded.
"Sophie, who the hell gave you permission to bring a pet to work?" he roared. "Do you have any idea how important today's client is? The company's entire second half depends on this deal! You have ten minutes to clean this mess up, or you can take your dog and get out!"
But Sophie was completely unfazed. She wasn't even afraid of the manager she used to tremble before.
"I know exactly who's coming," she said with an air of superiority. "That's precisely why I brought my dog today." She smirked. "And just so you all know, without me, you won't be closing that deal. So I'd advise you to stop yelling at me. Otherwise, when this is all over, I might just make sure you don't have a manager's job to yell from."
A stunned silence fell over the office, followed by snickers of derision.
"Has she lost her mind? She's just an intern, talking to the manager like that."
"I think she's finally cracked. Earlier, she was going on about marrying into a rich family and telling us not to get on her bad side."
"She's delusional. Her? The girl who budgets every single takeout order? Marry into wealth? The only 'rich' she's getting is rich in crazy."
But I knew. I knew Sophie wasn't bluffing.
Because the important client arriving any minute was the dog's original ownerEleanor Wayan, the formidable chairwoman of the Wayan Corporation.
The manager, though furious, was a seasoned veteran of the corporate world. Seeing Sophie's unwavering confidence, he decided to play it safe. "You'd better be right about this, Sophie. Or else"
After ordering the cleaning crew to blitz the office, he straightened his tie just as Eleanor Wayan walked in, flanked by a group of executives.
The poodle immediately scampered over to her, nipping at her trouser leg and yapping excitedly.
Eleanor Wayan's expression shifted, and a wave of panic washed over the room. The manager rushed forward, bowing his head. "Mrs. Wayan, I am so terribly sorry. I'll handle this immediately. Sophie, get over"
But before he could finish, Eleanor bent down and lifted the poodle into her arms. She examined it closely for a moment before turning to Sophie. "Is this your dog?"
Sophie stepped forward, her voice a picture of shy humility. "I'm so sorry, ma'am. He's usually very well-behaved. He's such a poor, sweet thing. He would have starved to death if I hadn't found him. Please, don't hurt him."
Eleanor's eyes scanned Sophie from head to toe. "Hurt him? Why would I do that? On the contrary, I should be thanking you for taking him in. This is my lost dog." Her voice was smooth as silk. "You have a kind heart. Name your reward. Anything you want, I can provide."
Watching the scene unfold from this new perspective, I couldn't shake a strange feeling. Eleanor's gaze wasn't one of gratitude or admiration. It felt predatory. As if she were a hunter, dangling the perfect bait to lure her prey.
Sophie suppressed a shiver of excitement, her face lighting up with feigned surprise. "Really? What a coincidence! I only took him in because I fell in love with him, I never expected anything in return." She paused, as if struck by a brilliant idea. "But if you really want to thank me, maybe you could give our company's proposal a serious look during the meeting. I'm the one who pulled all-nighters for weeks to write it."
The people around us gasped, their eyes darting to Sophie in disbelief.

3
Someone started to speak up, but the manager silenced them with a sharp glare.
Eleanor Wayan seemed momentarily surprised by the request, then nodded. "Since you're in charge of the project, let's just sign the contract. I'm sure a person as kind as you must be equally dedicated to her work."
She turned to leave, then paused at the door and looked back. "Sophie, was it? Join me for dinner tonight. I'll have my driver pick you up."
The look of pure ecstasy on Sophie's face was impossible to miss.
Our manager beamed as he escorted Eleanor out. The moment she was gone, he turned to the staff and announced Sophie's immediate promotion from intern to full-time employee.
"Diana," he said, his tone brisk. "Hand over your files to Sophie. She'll be handling the project from here on out. You're off it."
"But sir, that proposal was" one of my colleagues started to protest on my behalf.
I saw the manager's face darken and quickly grabbed my friend's arm, shaking my head. I gathered my materials and handed them to Sophie. The manager's expression softened instantly.
"See? Diana understands the bigger picture. When the company thrives, we all thrive."
After he left, Sophie sauntered over to my desk, preening like a peacock.
"I bet you're regretting it now, aren't you, Diana? Too bad. You're the one who gave him up," she gloated. "Are you angry? Do you feel humiliated? Watching a project you slaved over for six months become mine? Good. I'm glad. This is payback for refusing to help me yesterday!"
She leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a venomous whisper. "Just so you know, I'm going to be Mrs. Julian Wayan very soon. And you? You'll be stuck as a corporate drone, slogging through a 9-to-5 for the rest of your life!"
Then she turned to the rest of the office. "And as for the rest of you peasants, you'd better start showing me some respect. Once I'm a Wayan, if I'm in a good mood, I might throw a big client or two your way."
With that, she flounced out of the office.
Her arrogant demeanor left a bitter taste in everyone's mouth, and the complaints started immediately.
"She found a lost dog, so what? The woman is repaying a favor, and Sophie actually thinks she's about to become a princess?"
"What is wrong with her? Stealing Diana's project and acting like one stroke of dumb luck makes her better than everyone else."
"She's living in a fantasy world. A rich woman says a few polite words, and suddenly she thinks finding the dog means she gets to marry into the family? Get real!"
"Don't let it get to you, Diana," a colleague said, patting my shoulder. "We'll just wait for reality to hit and watch her come crawling back."
I just smiled without saying a word.
Because I knew that tonight, Eleanor Wayan really would ask Sophie to be her daughter-in-law.
That's why she was acting so invincible, looking down on all of us.
But a marriage born from a lost dog could it really be that simple?
Sure enough, two days later, Sophie appeared at the office, dripping in jewels and designer clothes, handing out wedding invitations. She stopped at my desk, looking down at me with disdain.
"Diana, you must be dying to come to my high-society wedding, right? After all, some people will never get to see something like this in their entire lives."
I kept my voice even. "Sophie, I hear Mr. Wayan is still overseas. You haven't even met him. Don't you think it's a bit rushed to be holding a wedding now? What if"
She cut me off with a sharp laugh. "Ha! I've seen pictures of Julian. He's gorgeous and rich. Why wouldn't I marry him? My mother-in-law said that even though it's last minute, it will be a wedding fit for a queen. You're just jealous because you can't have what I have!"
Seeing she was beyond reason, I dropped the subject.
As she held out the embossed invitation, I reached for it, but at the last second, she let it go. It fluttered to the floor, and she promptly pinned it under her sharp stiletto heel.
"Want it? Polish my shoe, and it's yours."
I didn't really want the invitation, but there were too many unanswered questions from my past life. I needed to get inside that hotel.
After a few seconds of tense silence, I knelt down and wiped the dust from her shoe.
Seeing me humbled before her, Sophie burst out laughing. "That's more like it!"
She gave my shoulder a light kick with her other foot before putting on her sunglasses and striding away.

4
The wedding day arrived, and the venue was decorated exactly as I remembered. And, just like last time, the groom had missed his flight. The hall buzzed with whispers and speculation.
Before Eleanor could even make an announcement, Sophie stepped forward and bravely offered to complete the ceremony by herself. Eleanor, who had likely been planning to suggest the same thing, was impressed by Sophie's "understanding" nature. She agreed immediately and transferred another million dollars to Sophie's account as a gift.
With Julian absent, the reception ended with Sophie heading to the bridal suite alone, clutching the poodle.
I immediately pulled out my phone and opened the live feed from the hidden camera. Following the map of my past life's memories, I had slipped into the room earlier while the staff was distracted and planted it.
On the screen, Sophie was giddy, rolling around on the large red bedspread as she stared at the new balance in her bank account. A moment later, Eleanor came in, handed her a glass of milk, and told her to get some rest.
Soon after, Sophie was fast asleep, still in her wedding dress.
In my first life, I had also drunk that milk and passed out. I woke up the next morning to find my clothes strewn across the floor and my body covered in strange marks.
Now, finally, I was about to see what really happened after I fell asleep.
The next thing that appeared on the screen made my eyes go wide.
I stared in shock as a shimmering, spectral figure of a man materialized over the bed. He began to caress Sophie, his ghostly hands expertly unfastening her dress. His expression was lecherous, and he muttered filth under his breath.
"Been a while since I had a taste of a woman... God, I've been dying for this."
"So soft... and you smell so good... Don't worry, I'll take good care of you..."
Then, as if remembering something, he backhanded her across the face. "Bitch. You dared to kick me, again and again. Let's see how you like it when I teach you a lesson!"
Even though he was just a phantom, angry red welts immediately appeared on Sophie's sleeping face. The voice was familiar, and as I studied the phantom's outline, I realized he looked exactly like Julian Wayan from the photographs.
In my past life, when I'd discovered the marks on my body, I had asked Eleanor about them. She'd explained that her son, Julian, had returned during the night. They had consummated the marriage, but he'd had to leave again for an urgent matter. As it was my first time, I was inexperienced and too embarrassed to question a senior about such things, so I let it go.
I never could have imagined that the "consummation" she spoke of was with a ghost.
The phantom's actions grew rougher. He ripped the skirt of her gown away, showing no hint of tenderness. But just as he was about to descend upon her, he froze.
His eyes narrowed, turning sinister.
"Damn it. You filthy whore!" he hissed. "I thought you were pure, but you're foul! What a waste of my time."
I frowned, confused. A moment ago he was saying how good she smelled. Why was he suddenly calling her foul?
Perhaps Julian's enraged shouts were too loud, because Eleanor soon entered the room. Seeing Sophie's body now covered in bruises from Julian's spectral blows, she rushed to intervene.
"Son, what's wrong?" she asked urgently. "We finally found a suitable woman. Take it easy! If you damage her body, how is she supposed to carry the child?"
Julian was seething. "Suitable? She's not suitable at all! We've been deceived!" he raged. "Mother, she's faking it! She reeks of impurity. There's no way she can bear the child."
This only confused me more. I had no idea if Sophie was "foul" or not, but what did that have to do with having a child?
Their next exchange gave me the answer.
Eleanor frowned, sniffing the air. "Foul? I don't smell anything."
"Mother, would I lie to you? Don't you remember the master opened my spiritual senses? I can tell if a woman is a virgin just by her scent," Julian's voice echoed. "This woman must have been covering her stench with perfume. Now that her clothes are off, the filth is overwhelming. God knows how many men she's been with."
His voice filled with despair. "Mother, what do we do? We chose the wrong one!"
Eleanor looked equally bewildered. "How could that be? The master was clear: at that specific time and place, we would find a virgin with a pure life essence, perfect for you. He said she would be kind-hearted, soft, and a lover of animals, and that she would surely take you home."
She looked from the ghost to the poodle. "Everything matched the time and place where Sophie found you. How could it be wrong?"
Hearing this, I clamped a hand over my mouth to stifle a scream.
If what they were saying was true, then their original target was me.
It was only because of my rebirth that Sophie had intercepted their plan.
But even if I had this "pure life essence," why were they so desperate for me to have Julian's child?
What they said next sent a chill down my spine, freezing the blood in my veins.

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