Reborn To Stop My Coworker’s Evil Scheme

After finding out that Austin gave Chloe a $300,000 pre-wedding gift, Brooke insisted on coming home with me to attend their wedding.

In my past life, I didn't think much of it and brought her along.

But the next morning, Brooke ended up naked in Austins wedding bed, screaming that Austin had assaulted her.

Chloe, who was five months pregnant at the time, was so traumatized that she miscarried on the spot.

Austin couldn't clear his name. He fell into a deep depression and passed away within two years.

Brooke, however, used that "accident" to blackmail my parents into accepting her as their daughter-in-law.

She moved into the master bedroom that Chloe had lovingly decorated and pocketed the $300,000 that was meant for Chloe.

Years later, she looked at me with a smug smile and said:

"Maya, the best thing I ever did in my life was going back to your hometown with you."

When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the exact day Brooke asked to join me.

Brooke poked her head out from the next cubicle, her eyes glittering with anticipation.

"Maya, I heard that attending weddings brings good luck. My big project is signing next month. Just to be safe, can I come home with you to get some of that good energy?"

I swallowed hard, pushing my office chair back with a loud scrape.

"Im so sorry, Brooke. I actually just got a text. Austin called off the wedding."

The light in Brooke's eyes instantly vanished.

"Called off?!"

Her voice went up an octave.

Several colleagues nearby turned to look at us.

Realizing she had lost her composure, she quickly lowered her voice, squeezing out a worried expression.

"Why would they suddenly call it off?"

"Is Chloe feeling unwell?"

I clenched my fists so hard my nails dug into my palms, and nodded.

"Yeah, shes pregnant."

"Austin doesn't want her to get too tired. They're just going to sign the papers at the courthouse first. The big party will be later."

Brooke's eyes flickered, but she quickly put on a sweet smile.

"I mean, that makes sense."

"They're legally married anyway, and she already got the $300,000 wedding gift."

She paused, then asked as if it were just a casual thought:

"By the way, Maya, did Austin really give Chloe $300,000?"

I looked up at her.

She immediately waved her hands.

"Don't get me wrong! I just think Chloe is incredibly lucky."

"Most guys these days complain about spending even thirty grand, but Austin casually gave her three hundred grand."

"Any girl would be blessed to marry a guy like that."

She smiled sweetly.

But all I felt was a freezing chill running down my spine.

In my past life, she did the exact same thing.

First, she praised Austin.

Then, she talked about how lucky Chloe was.

In the end, she destroyed our family and moved into Chloe's house.

I forced a weak smile.

"So, there is no wedding party. You don't need to come."

The smile on Brooke's face faded.

She lowered her head, nervously playing with the corner of her folder.

"It's fine. I was being too pushy."

"I was just thinking about my big deal next month."

"The client is super superstitious about luck."

"My mom even paid a psychic who said I have a bad aura this year. She said I need to attend a close friends wedding to cleanse my bad luck."

"But if it's inconvenient, forget I asked."

She forced another smile, but her eyes were red, brimming with tears.

In my past life, I was fooled by this exact act. I agreed to take her home, which triggered the downfall of my entire family.

Seeing her fake tears now only made me sick to my stomach.

I rolled my eyes mentally, not wanting to deal with her. But just as I turned to leave, our boss, Vance, walked out of his office.

"What project?"

Vance frowned as he walked toward us.

"Brooke, which project were you talking about?"

Brooke looked startled. Her eyes grew redder as she sniffled.

"It's the deal with Mr. Zhang... our team has been working on it for six months..."

"I knew he cares about good vibes, so I wanted to attend a wedding to bring some luck to the project... but Maya..."

Brooke stopped halfway. Vance, not knowing the truth, immediately turned on me.

"Maya, we're all a team here. Look at Brooke, she's putting the company first. And you? You won't even let a coworker tag along to a wedding."

"I'm making the executive decision. You're taking Brooke with you. The travel expenses will be covered by the company. Just submit the receipt to HR."

Other colleagues immediately chimed in.

"Yeah, Maya, it's just adding an extra plate at the dinner table."

"It's not like your family has to adopt her."

"If this deal falls through, our team bonuses are gone."

"Don't be so selfish, Maya."

I tried to explain that Austin wasn't hosting a ceremony.

Brooke's eyes welled up even more.

She whispered:

"It's okay."

"If a wedding is inconvenient, just a casual dinner with the couple is fine."

"I just want some peace of mind."

I was speechless.

The colleagues grew bolder, throwing sarcastic remarks at me.

Vance even threatened that if the project failed, I would be held fully responsible.

Sitting at my desk, I felt suffocated.

Brooke was still pretending to cry, but the corners of her mouth twitching upward gave away her triumph.

Looking at their faces, I took a deep breath.

"Fine. I agree."

"Brooke can come with me."

Vance immediately beamed, patting my shoulder.

"That's more like it! A wedding is about sharing joy, not bad luck. What's there to be afraid of?"

He then turned to Brooke.

"Make sure to expense the trip. Clearing bad luck is important. Don't be cheap about it."

Brooke smiled brightly.

"Don't worry, Boss. I won't let the team down."

"Wait, I'm not finished yet."

I interrupted them, pulling up a destination wedding ad on my phone, and smiled.

"Austin just decided to do a destination elopement. Brooke, you're welcome to join, but the bride and groom won't be there. That's not a problem, right?"

I purposely emphasized the words "the bride and groom won't be there."

Brooke panicked, grabbing my sleeve.

"How does that work? A wedding without the bride and groom isn't a wedding!"

"If Austin isn't there, how am I supposed to"

She cut herself off.

I looked at her, a cold smile on my lips.

"Why did you stop? How are you supposed to what?"

Brooke's eyes darted around. She quickly took my hand, acting like the victim again.

"Look, I don't want to make things hard for you."

"The psychic said as long as I can have a meal with the couple, the bad luck will be cleared."

"Maya, we've been colleagues for so long. Just help me out this once, okay?"

She looked like she was about to cry again.

Vance and the others began to frown at me.

I laughed.

"Fine. I'll help you out."

Once we arrived in my hometown, I took her straight to a hotel and booked a private dining room.

Brooke was stunned.

"Aren't we going to your house?"

I shook my head and asked back:

"Didn't you say you just wanted a meal? Austin and Chloe will be here soon."

"Or did you only want Austin to show up?"

Brooke's face flushed with awkwardness.

"What... what are you talking about?"

A faint blush crept onto her cheeks.

"Why would I care about Austin..."

I watched her, holding back my disgust, and pushed her into the room.

"Great. You'll have dinner with the couple, and my job is done."

As soon as dinner was over, I would buy her a ticket straight back.

I wanted to see how she could trap Austin this time.

After ordering, I made an excuse to get some fresh air and blocked Austin and Chloe at the hotel entrance.

"When we have dinner with my colleague in a minute, don't say a word to her. And do not get close to her. Got it, Austin?"

Austin looked at me with pure confusion, scratching his head.

"Huh? Why?"

"Don't ask questions. Just do as I say."

I then took Chloe's hand.

"No matter what happens tonight, you must stay with Austin. Understood, Chloe?"

Chloes face flushed red instantly.

"Maya, it's broad daylight. Why are you saying things like that..."

"I'm not joking."

I stared into Chloes eyes, speaking slowly and seriously.

"Listen to me. Tonight, you must stay by Austin's side. Do not leave him for a single second."

"I'll explain everything later. Just trust me on this."

Seeing how serious I was, Chloe's embarrassment faded, replaced by a solemn nod.

"Okay. I trust you."

Seeing them agree, I finally let out a sigh of relief and led them into the private room.

During the entire dinner, Brooke acted exactly as expected, constantly trying to get close to Austin.

She gestured for him to sit next to her.

I cleared my throat, and Austin immediately took the seat furthest away from her.

She tried to put food on his plate.

Chloe frowned, and Austin immediately swapped his entire plate and bowl for clean ones.

Then, Brooke brought up the $300,000 wedding gift, her voice dripping with envy.

"Chloe, you're so lucky. Austin is so sweet and generous. He didn't even mind that you got pregnant before the wedding."

"Unlike me. I'm very traditional. I've never even held a guy's hand..."

Chloe was stunned. She turned to me, mouthing the words:

"No wonder you told me to watch out for her."

I forced a bitter smile.

Remembering how Chloe had miscarried from shock in my past life, my nose stung, and tears threatened to fall.

As soon as dinner ended, Austin and Chloe practically ran out of the restaurant as if they were being chased.

I immediately booked a train ticket for Brooke and personally escorted her to the station.

Only when her figure disappeared into the crowd and the train pulled away did I finally breathe a sigh of relief.

This time, things had to be different. Right?

I didn't dare go home that night. I ended up dozing off on a bench in the station waiting room.

At 8:00 AM the next morning, my phone rang frantically, jolting me awake.

"Maya, Austin is in trouble!"

My mothers voice felt like a knife stabbing into my brain.

I snapped awake and bolted toward the house like a madwoman.

When I arrived, the front yard was already packed with people.

Our relatives, Chloes family, and nosy neighborsdozens of people were crowding around, whispering and shouting.

Some were gossiping in hushed tones, some were crying, and others threw complicated, pitiful looks at me.

I pushed my way through the crowd, my heart hammering against my ribs, a loud buzzing in my ears.

Inside Austin and Chloe's bedroom, Brooke was lying in the middle of the bed completely naked, clutching the blanket to her chest as she cried.

Austin stood by the side of the bed. He was still wearing the pajamas Chloe had bought him, his face deathly pale.

Chloe stood nearby, holding her pregnant belly, her eyes red and swollen. She was clearly still in shock.

Seeing me, Austins eyes welled with tears, and he rushed over.

"Maya! Maya, please explain to them! I didn't do anything... I swear I was sleeping next to Chloe last night... I don't even know how this girl got here..."

Brooke screamed:

"You're lying! You texted me last night saying Maya left something for me and told me to come get it! When I got here, you... you did this to me! If you don't believe me, look at this!"

She pulled down the blanket to reveal a sharp bite mark on her shoulder.

Austins voice went hoarse from screaming.

"I didn't do that!"

"Then who did?" Brooke looked up, her eyes as red as a rabbit's. "Could I bite myself on the shoulder?"

The crowd erupted into whispers. Some gasped, some pulled out their phones to record, and others started shouting insults.

"The poor girl is crying like that, and you're still lying!"

"His fiance is five months pregnant, and he does this? He's going to hell!"

Chloes family looked furious.

"You piece of trash!"

Chloes dad, Mr. Davis, punched Austin in the face, his eyes wild with rage.

"This is my daughter's wedding house! How could you... how could you..."

His eyes rolled back, and he collapsed onto the floor.

"Dad!"

Chloe screamed, grabbing her stomach as large beads of sweat rolled down her face.

"My stomach... it hurts so bad..."

My parents panicked. My mom held Chloe, crying hysterically.

"How did this happen..."

My dad tried to help Mr. Davis up, but Chloes relatives shoved him away. He crashed into the wooden table, groaning in pain.

But he didn't dare complain. He just kept bowing and apologizing.

My dad, who had lived a dignified life, was now bending his spine, wishing he could bury his head in the concrete.

Austins voice was completely hoarse. His palms were bleeding from clenching his fists so hard as he pleaded:

"I really didn't touch her..."

Brooke cried even louder, a look of desperate resolve on her face, acting like a victim with nothing left to lose.

"Fine! Since you won't admit it, call the police! Let them handle it!"

"I'll make sure you rot in jail..."

She reached for her phone, and the crowd started murmuring again.

"If they call the cops, how many years will he get?"

"His life is completely ruined."

"Well, he brought it on himself. It's sexual assault. Who knew he was such a monster?"

The comments kept coming.

The light in Austins eyes slowly died, replaced by a hollow, lifeless stare.

He knew that no matter how much he explained, nobody would believe him.

My mom bit her lip until it bled, almost falling to her knees.

"Please don't call the police... please..."

My dad seemed to age ten years in an instant.

Watching this scene play out, my mind spun.

How?

I had sent Brooke away.

Why was this still happening?

Why wouldn't she leave our family alone?

I slowly turned my gaze to Brooke. A flash of triumph crossed her eyes, though she quickly masked it with a look of fake martyrdom.

"If you don't want me to call the police, there is another way. He has to marry me. And I want the same $300,000 wedding gift. My reputation is ruined anyway, who else would marry me now..."

"No way!"

Austin roared, his eyes bloodshot.

"Then I'm calling the cops. You will pay for what you did," Brooke sobbed.

My parents' shoulders slumped even further.

The room fell into a tense, suffocating silence.

At that moment, I finally spoke.

"Fine. We agree."

Brooke's face lit up with joy.

"You agree to let him marry me?"

I shook my head, my voice so calm it made everyone think I had lost my mind.

"No. We agree to call the police."

"Maya!"

My mom shrieked, looking at me in disbelief.

I grabbed her hand, keeping my grip firm and steady.

"Mom, trust me."

Hearing that I wanted to call the police, Brooke's body trembled. Not out of fear, but excitement.

It was as if everything was going exactly according to her plan.

In my past life, Brooke did call the police.

With the scene, the physical evidence, and the "witnesses" all pointing to Austin, he was arrested on the spot.

The lawyer said he was looking at at least twelve years.

My parents couldn't take the shock. Their hair turned white overnight.

In the end, they had to beg Brooke for mercy and accept her as their daughter-in-law.

Remembering my past life, I clenched my fists so tight my nails cut into my palms, but I couldn't feel the pain.

Ignoring my parents' begging looks, I called the police.

Ten minutes later, two officers arrived.

"Move aside. What's going on here?"

The officers pushed through the crowd and entered the room.

"Who called?"

Before I could speak, Brooke burst into loud, dramatic sobs.

"Officer! You have to help me! I was assaulted..."

She loosened her grip on the blanket, deliberately showing the bite mark on her shoulder, crying hysterically.

If I didn't have the memories of my past life, even I would have been fooled by her acting.

My dad closed his eyes, unable to watch.

My moms hand was shaking in mine.

The officer walked over, examined the bite mark on Brooke's shoulder, and then looked at Austin.

"Do you have anything to say?"

Austin's face was pale, his voice cracked.

"I didn't touch her. I was sleeping with my fiance last night. She got up to use the restroom in the middle of the night, and when I woke up, this woman was next to me."

"I swear, I didn't touch her!"

Chloe had recovered slightly and spoke up weakly:

"He's telling the truth. I went to the bathroom last night, but when I came back, the bedroom door was locked."

"I didn't have my phone on me... and I didn't want to make a scene, so I just slept in the guest room. I had no idea this would happen..."

Chloe closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face.

The officer frowned.

"So, you don't have an alibi for the rest of the night?"

Austin's face went completely white.

The officer turned to the crowd.

"Did anyone else see anything?"

The crowd exchanged looks.

Suddenly, our next-door neighbor, Mr. Miller, spoke up.

"Last night... I saw Austin pulling a woman into the yard..."

"The girl looked like she was resisting... and she wasn't pregnant... Now that I think about it... it must have been her."

Mr. Miller pointed at Brooke.

"You're lying!" Austin roared. "I didn't see anyone last night! I was asleep in my bed! You're making this up!"

"Why would I lie?"

Mr. Miller crossed his arms, sounding self-righteous.

"It's not my reputation on the line. Why would I lie to the police?"

"Do you think everyone is like you, cheating on their pregnant fiance? Disgusting!"

With that statement, the case seemed clear.

The officer looked at Austin with disgust, then turned to Brooke, his tone softening with pity.

"What do you want to do, ma'am?"

Brooke looked up, her tear-filled eyes looking incredibly fragile.

"It's simple. Everyone saw what happened. My dignity is gone. If Austin doesn't marry me, I don't want to live anymore."

"So, either he marries me and I drop the charges, or... I'll press charges and send him to jail. I've never even been married before..."

Austin clenched his teeth so hard they nearly shattered.

"In your dreams!"

My mom dropped to her knees.

"Please, spare my son..."

Brooke ignored her, continuing to sob quietly.

The officer sighed and pulled out his handcuffs.

"Alright, Austin. You're coming with us..."

"Wait!"

I stepped forward, blocking the police from Austin.

"Brooke, let me ask you one more time. Are you absolutely sure my brother assaulted you?"

Brooke didn't understand why I was asking, but she answered with firm conviction:

"Of course! I barely even knew Austin before this. If he didn't force me, why would I risk my own reputation to make this up?"

Good. Very good.

I smiled, wiping away the tears that had been falling since I entered the room.

Pointing at the stuffed bunny on top of the wardrobe, I said loudly:

"Everyone! The moment I got back yesterday, I placed a hidden spy camera inside that stuffed bunny."

"Whether Austin brought a woman in last night, or whether he touched Brooke, it was all captured on video!"