The Lottery of Revenge

The moment Jessica shoved past me into the convenience store, rattling off that all-too-familiar string of numbers, I knew.
She’d been reborn, too.
In my previous life, just before graduation, Jessica and I both landed final interviews at the same Fortune 500 company. There was only one spot.
On the day of the interview, I bought a lottery ticket on a whim. That single decision made me miss my slot. Jessica, of course, got the job.
But then my ticket hit the jackpot: fifty million dollars. After graduation, I retired before I even started, living comfortably off the interest.
Jessica’s dream job, on the other hand, turned into a nightmare. The pay was garbage, she was bullied relentlessly, and eventually, she took all her rage out on me. She cornered me on the roof of my penthouse and sent me plunging to my death.
After I was gone, my own boyfriend, Leo, helped her cover it up. He told the police I’d become mentally unstable from having too much time on my hands and had jumped myself.
The two of them built an empire on my corpse, becoming celebrity influencers with millions of followers, monetizing my tragedy and raking in a fortune.
Now, I’ve opened my eyes again. I’m back on the day I bought that ticket.
…
“I need a lottery ticket, quick!”
Jessica darted around me, rushing into the store. As she breathlessly recited the numbers etched into my memory, my suspicions were confirmed.
She knew.
With the ticket clutched in her hand, Jessica turned, a triumphant smirk playing on her lips. “Sorry, Sophie. I bought this one.”
I shrugged, a perfect mask of indifference. “I wasn’t planning on buying one anyway.”
She didn’t believe me for a second. With a cold snort, she tucked the ticket safely into her purse. “How could you not? This ticket is the reason…”
She stopped herself, catching the words before they spilled out.
I knew exactly what she was about to say. In our last life, this ticket was the reason I missed the bus, the reason I was late for the interview. The reason she landed that coveted offer from a Fortune 500 company.
But it was also the ticket that won me fifty million dollars.
While she slaved away at her new job, I was at home, living a life of leisure. Her life at the company spiraled—low pay, constant harassment, utter misery. And in a fit of bitter jealousy, she had murdered me.
Jessica’s eyes glinted with smug satisfaction. “You know what? I don’t think I’ll go to the interview. Since you love being a corporate drone so much, the spot is all yours.”
I just nodded.
Fine by me. The fifty-million-dollar ‘jackpot’ is all yours, too.
Without a moment’s hesitation, I turned, boarded the bus, and headed for my interview.
That evening, when I got back to the dorm, I found Leo with his arm wrapped possessively around Jessica’s shoulder.
I’d been so blind in my last life. Only in death did I realize they’d been plotting behind my back all along.
Seeing me, they didn’t even flinch. Their faces were masks of pure provocation.
Leo’s expression soured into one of disgust as he looked at me. “Sophie, the person I really love is Jessica. I was only with you for those two rundown apartments your family owns.”
He pulled Jessica closer. “But things are different now. My Jessie just won fifty million dollars. We’re rich. I don’t have to compromise for money anymore. I don’t have to stomach being with someone as gross as you.”
My fists clenched, my nails digging into my palms. So that’s how it was.
Jessica and Leo both came from small, rural towns with nothing to their names. One was my best friend, the other my boyfriend. I’d never been stingy with them, always happy to share what I had.
Only now did it click. They weren't my friends; they were leeches, sucking me dry.
If fate has given me a second chance, I’ll make you pay back every drop of blood you took from me—a thousand times over.
Jessica let out a sharp, mocking laugh. “Sophie, I used to let you have things because your family was a tiny bit better off than mine. But now? I’ve won fifty million. I’m financially free. How could you possibly compete with me?”
She gestured dismissively at me. “You’re destined to be a miserable wage slave for the rest of your life. But Leo and I,” she said, her voice dripping with condescension, “we’re about to travel the world. A life you can only dream of.”
They packed their bags and moved out of the dorm right then and there.
As I watched their retreating backs, a cold smile touched my lips.
Fools. Did you really think a windfall like that would ever fall into your laps?
My interview had been a success. I nailed every question and secured the offer from the Fortune 500 company—the absolute pinnacle for someone with my degree.
The office was far from my parents’ house, so after talking it over with them, I decided to buy a condo nearby.
I was at the sales gallery for a new high-rise, looking at a few units with an agent, when a familiar, brash voice cut through the quiet atmosphere.
“Someone get over here! Show us the best places you’ve got!”
I turned to see Leo, his arm slung around Jessica, swaggering in like he owned the place. When they spotted me, they made a beeline in my direction, their faces twisted in derision.
“Sophie, what are you doing here, playing pretend?” Leo sneered. “You can’t afford a place like this.”
“I’ve already checked,” Jessica added, chiming in. “Even if you sold both of those little shoebox apartments your family owns, you wouldn’t have enough for a down payment in the city center.”
At their words, the sales agent, who had been bubbling with enthusiasm just moments before, visibly cooled.
I fired back, “I can’t afford it? And you can?”
Jessica threw her head back, her chin held high. “Of course. I won fifty million. I could buy several of these in cash.”
The agent’s eyes lit up, and she immediately gravitated towards them. “Ma’am, how can I help you?”
Jessica pointed a perfectly manicured finger at a model of the penthouse suite. “That one looks… acceptable.”
The agent beamed. “An excellent choice, ma’am! That unit has the best location and the most breathtaking views in the entire building. For someone like you, the price is certainly no issue. It’s a mere two million dollars.”
“Two million!?”
Leo and Jessica froze, their jaws dropping in unison. They hadn’t imagined a 1,000-square-foot apartment in the city could be so outrageously expensive.
“Of course, if that feels a bit steep, you could always finance it,” the agent offered smoothly.
Jessica’s face flushed with embarrassment. She stiffened her neck and snapped, “Finance? I won fifty million. I’m paying in cash, obviously.”
The agent’s smile returned, wider than before. “Of course! If you’d like to secure the unit, you can put down a hundred-thousand-dollar deposit now. If the lottery winnings haven’t cleared yet, we can help you arrange a short-term bridge loan from the bank.”
Leo and Jessica exchanged a hesitant glance.
I chose that moment to cut in, my voice laced with impatience. “I’m starting to doubt you even won anything. Are you two just here to waste everyone’s time? If you can’t afford it, stop holding things up and get out.”
My words hit their mark. Leo’s face turned crimson with rage. “Shut your mouth! Jessie won fifty million, I swear! The money just hasn’t come through yet.”
I waved a dismissive hand at them. “Whatever. Just get out of the way. I’ll take this unit.”
That sent them into a panic.
Jessica, biting her lip, blurted out, “I want it! I’ll get a loan from the bank for the deposit right now!”
For the next few days, Jessica and Leo’s social media was a non-stop parade of their world travels. Every photo was a carefully curated tableau of luxury brands and five-star resorts. It was clear that on top of the mortgage, they had taken out a mountain of other loans.
Let them fly high. The fall will be that much greater.
They even sent me a flood of pictures directly, which I promptly ignored before blocking both of them.
I spent those days buried in work. A Fortune 500 company was no joke. I hadn’t even officially started, but my team lead had already sent over piles of material for me to get up to speed on.
Then came the day of our graduation party. Jessica, as the class president, sent a message to the group chat.
【Everyone, please be at the designated restaurant by 11:30 AM sharp for the graduation party.】
After sending it, she specifically tagged me.
【@Sophie, you have to be there.】
I replied immediately: 【Okay.】
A few people grumbled in the chat, asking why she’d chosen a restaurant so far from campus.
But I knew why.
The restaurant was right next door to that fateful convenience store.
At 11:30, with all the students and professors assembled, Jessica finally made her grand entrance, arm-in-arm with Leo.
The entire room fell silent. They were transformed, dripping from head to toe in an aura of extravagant wealth.
Jessica handed out a small, sought-after designer toy to every single classmate.
“Everyone,” she announced, her voice ringing with authority, “order whatever you want today. It’s all on me!”
Most of our classmates just stared, as if watching a pair of clowns. Some even whispered that the toys she’d given out were probably fakes.
Unfazed, Jessica pulled the lottery ticket from her purse and waved it in the air for all to see.
“I won the fifty-million-dollar grand prize.”
The announcement hit the room like a bomb.
“Fifty million!”
“Did I hear that right? Jessica is that lucky?”
“Oh my god, I’ll never make that much in my entire life.”
As if that wasn’t enough, she had a massive banner hung across the restaurant wall.
【CELEBRATING JESSICA’S $50 MILLION LOTTERY WIN!】
One of the professors, looking skeptical, asked, “The drawing hasn’t even happened yet, but you have the ticket. So where did all this money come from?”
Jessica waved a dismissive hand. “The money will be in my account soon enough. I’m just enjoying it a little early.”
Someone in the crowd muttered, loud enough for others to hear, “Wait, wasn’t Leo dating Sophie? How did he end up with Jessica?”
Faced with a sea of questioning eyes, Leo remained utterly shameless. He squeezed Jessica’s hand and addressed the room.
“Everyone knows you climb the ladder of success, right? It’s only natural.” He gestured toward me with contempt. “After graduation, Sophie is just going to be another cog in the machine, a miserable little wage slave. But Jessie… Jessie is different. Besides,” he added with a shrug, “my true love was always Jessie.”
His speech left many of our classmates speechless.
One girl finally stood up for me. “But Sophie got an offer from a Fortune 500 company. That’s the best offer anyone in our class got.”
Jessica burst out laughing, tears welling in her eyes. “The best offer? So what? Will she ever make fifty million in her entire lifetime? In today’s world, what does a good job even mean? It just means you’re a well-dressed slave in a fancy cage, treated worse than an animal!”
She then turned her venomous gaze on me. “Sophie, you’re not even worthy of shining my shoes. But if you serve me well, maybe I’ll be merciful and toss you a few scraps.”
Her words made others blush with shame and anger, but no one dared to argue. Some of the more opportunistic students were already starting to suck up to her.
“Jess, I always knew you were destined for great things! I just never imagined your luck would be this incredible!”
“Yeah, don’t forget about us when you’re on top!”
“Exactly! Give your old classmates a hand up!”
They knew her words were vile, but they couldn’t deny the truth in them. No matter how good a job they landed, earning fifty million dollars was a pipe dream.
The mood shifted, and soon others were piling on.
“Jessica’s right. So what if Sophie got a fancy job? She’ll just be working herself to death for someone else. She can’t compare to Jessica.”
I just smiled faintly. The truth was, the company’s benefits and culture were excellent. The only reason Jessica had crashed and burned in her past life was because she’d tried to seduce her boss the moment she walked in the door, making herself an office pariah and a target for everyone’s scorn.
Finally, the meal ended, and it was time for the main event.
Jessica touched up her makeup, smoothed down her designer dress, and stepped onto the small stage at the front of the restaurant. At the same moment, a dozen influencers suddenly swarmed in, cameras and ring lights at the ready.
She gave them a subtle nod. It was all planned.
Jessica held up the lottery ticket again.
She leaned into a microphone, her voice broadcasting to thousands of viewers online. “To all my followers, I’ve just graduated from college, and I’ve already won a fifty-million-dollar lottery. From now on, I am financially free. I can travel the world while the rest of you pathetic drones slave away at your miserable jobs.”
Her voice dripped with malice. “You’ll get pennies for pay, you’ll be trampled on by your superiors, stripped of your dignity, and you’ll stare down a long, bleak road to a meaningless end.” She shot a pointed look in my direction.
The live chat exploded with angry comments, but Jessica ignored them completely.
She pointed a finger at me, her tone imperious. “Sophie, the store where I bought this is right next door. Go get the owner. Tell him to come here and verify my ticket, live.”
I didn’t move. Leo stepped forward, his face a mask of annoyance. “Sophie, are you fucking deaf? What are you waiting for? Jessie is honoring you by even asking. At your level, you’re not even fit to carry her shoes. You should be grateful she’s giving you a task. Serve her well, and maybe she’ll throw you a bone.”
A few classmates couldn’t stand it anymore, whispering behind their hands.
“This is disgusting. A sudden fortune, and she acts like this? She won’t hold onto it for long.”
“She was supposed to be Sophie’s best friend, then she steals her boyfriend and has the nerve to order her around? Who does she think she is?”
When I still didn’t budge, Jessica’s voice turned threatening. “Sophie, I suggest you wake up. Given the gap between us now, I could crush you with a single word.”
I just glanced at my watch. “Let’s wait five more minutes.”
Jessica looked confused, unsure what game I was playing. She scoffed. “Fine. We’ll wait five minutes. But let me tell you, Sophie, even if we wait fifty minutes, it won’t change the fact that I’ve won fifty million dollars.”
A cold smile played on my lips. Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure about that.
Her words had barely faded when a woman burst through the restaurant doors. She stormed toward the stage, screaming at Jessica.
“Are you out of your mind, you little brat? That lottery ticket is mine!”

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