He Chose My Best Friend, so I Restarted

My husband, Jared Casey, and I decide to host another wedding ceremony on our 20th wedding anniversary. Just before the ceremony begins, my best friend, Noelle Stark, and Jared are suddenly nowhere to be found. They don't pick up their phones when I call them. I search every nook and cranny and finally hear them arguing inside a private room. "I'm going to come clean to Lilian after the ceremony is over. The children need their father," Jared says. "Don't you dare!" Noelle hisses. "You already secretly tampered with her university application form all those years ago for my sake. I even gave birth to your children. We've already wronged her too many times. We can't hurt her again." The blood in my veins turns to ice. There's a loud buzzing in my ears. The door swings open in the next second. The bewildered look in Jared's eyes is swiftly replaced by indifference when he sees me. "So, you've heard everything. Noelle didn't give birth to her two children via IVF. They belong to me. It's up to you whether you still want to go through with the wedding ceremony." The ground suddenly starts to shake. When Jared realizes that it's an earthquake, he reflexively lunges at Noelle and protects her with his own body. The chandelier that's hanging from the ceiling loosens and comes crashing down on my head. "Lilian…" I have a splitting headache when I force my eyes open and come face-to-face with an 18-year-old Jared. My university application form is tucked under my arm. Chapter 1 The world spun when I leaped to my feet. My entire body was covered in a layer of cold sweat. I was in my husband Jared Casey's old apartment, which was demolished years ago. The calendar on the wall made me realize that I had traveled back in time to 20 years ago. Jared placed the cake into the fridge, while my best friend, Noelle Stark, pulled out the birthday present she had prepared for me. She sounded a little flustered as she explained, "Jared and I ran into each other downstairs." Noelle's face was flushed. Her lips were red and swollen, and she kept unconsciously pressing them into a line. "Why did you fall asleep on the table?" she asked. "You have a red mark on your face now." She then tried to touch me with her wet hand to tease me. "Don't touch me!" I snapped. Moving on instinct, I reflexively slapped her hand away. Noelle lost her footing and stumbled backward. Her back collided against the hard corner of the fish tank, causing her to hiss in pain. "What do you think you're doing, Lilian Mefford?" Jared roared as he dashed out of the kitchen. He reflexively tried to lift Noelle's shirt to check the damage, but his hand froze the moment he touched her shirt. Noelle also snapped back to her senses and hastily put some distance between herself and Jared. Although she insisted that she was fine, her eyes had reddened. "I'm sorry, Lily. I know that this dress is really cheap and doesn't suit someone like you. I just thought that the color would look really nice on you. I'll buy another present for you after I get my salary and make it up to you, okay?" Jared grew even angrier upon hearing her words. He shot a reproachful look at me and snapped, "Wash your face if you're not fully awake yet. Don't throw a tantrum." I barked out an indignant laugh. I treated Noelle too well in my past life. I felt sorry for her because her parents passed away when she was still young and she was constantly passed around by her relatives. Thus, I treated her as if she was my own sister and took good care of her. As a result, she never had a chance to show her true colors. Naturally, Jared also didn't have a reason to protect her. In fact, I even got mad at him once, demanding why he always looked so repulsed and annoyed whenever I mentioned Noelle. In the end, he cracked under my barrage of questions and said in frustration, "I don't need a reason to hate someone. Can you be a little more mature? She's your best friend, not mine. Stop behaving like a child who wants all her friends to play together." It turned out that the truth had been the opposite. Jared didn't hate Noelle. On the contrary, he loved her. I had been too blind to see the truth when I was 18. I was completely oblivious to their clandestine relationship and was kept in the dark for most of my life. Since some omnipotent being had given me a second chance, I wasn't going to make the same mistakes again. My hand was trembling slightly when I turned around and grabbed my university application form from the floor where I'd dropped it. It was my birthday that day. We filled in our forms during the day, prepared a meal together, and had cake to celebrate. The next day, I left the country to go on a vacation with my parents, so I asked Jared to submit my form for me. However, when the acceptance letters started coming in one month later, Noelle, who had gotten the same score as me, was accepted into Avalium University's law school. Meanwhile, I was only accepted into a regular university that was my last choice. Everyone was shocked. Noelle even burst into tears due to how anxious she was, promising me that she would accompany me if I decided to repeat the year and take the college entrance exams again. My parents, Freya Linnell and Corey Mefford, were just about to use their connections to launch an investigation when a male student suddenly stepped forward and admitted that he had tampered with my university application form. He claimed that he had always had a crush on me, but I never once looked his way because I was too outstanding. Feeling inferior and jealous, he secretly tampered with my university application form. That was when we found out he and I had indeed been accepted into the same university and even the same major. Feeling enraged by the absurdity of his actions, I believed his words. I never once suspected that Jared and Noelle were involved in the incident since they were the two people I trusted the most. "Let's break up, Jared," I said. "Also, let's go our separate ways from now on, Noelle. I don't have a friend like you." Chapter 2 Both Jared and Noelle were shocked and bewildered. They exchanged glances with each other for a brief moment before swiftly averting their gazes. "What the hell are you thinking, Lilian?" Jared demanded. "You're doing all of this over a dress? Have you lost your mind?" Jared was clearly annoyed. He also raised his voice, as if to hide his own guilt. My chest tightened as I glanced at them, saying, "The two of you should know better than anyone else what you've been doing behind my back. Don't forget to hook Noelle's bra back in place after you're done fooling around next time." Noelle's face flushed an even darker red as she reflexively reached behind her to touch her back. Meanwhile, a steely expression appeared on Jared's face. I barked out a mocking laugh. I had just grabbed the door handle when Noelle suddenly felt nauseous and dashed into the bathroom to throw up. There was a loud buzzing in my ears as I looked at Jared. He also seemed to think of something, his face twisting into an upset expression. "It's too hot outside," he said. "She must be suffering from a heatstroke. Why don't you… No… I'll buy something for the nausea." The words tumbled from his lips in a rush before he whirled around and rushed out of the apartment. I scoffed, saying, "You should buy a pregnancy test for her instead." However, Jared didn't hear me. Noelle's eyes were completely bloodshot when she emerged from the bathroom, but she no longer looked like a spooked rabbit. "I don't know how you found out," she said. "But you're right. Jared and I have been sleeping with each other. It happened the night after the college entrance exams. He came back and looked for me after he sent you home after the gathering. "I took some birth control pills a few days before because I didn't want to be on my period during the college entrance exams. That's why I didn't tell him to wear a condom. "Do you remember how you texted us at 3:00 am to ask us if we were asleep yet and if we wanted to hike up the mountain to watch the sunrise together? Jared was grabbing my legs at the time, asking me how I planned to hike up the mountain when my legs were already like jelly." Although I was very familiar with Noelle, I couldn't help but feel as if I was looking at a stranger at that moment. I couldn't believe that someone could wear a mask and put on an act for over two decades. Noelle moved closer to me and whispered, "I've tested Jared for you. He's very good. I don't mind keeping the bed warm for the two of you. I'll take my leave after you tie the knot with him." I felt incredibly disgusted and slapped her across her face. "Since you think he's so amazing, you can have him all for yourself." Noelle immediately sank to her knees when she heard the sounds of hurried footsteps coming from the stairwell. Tears welled up in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks in an instant. "I'm sorry, Lily. I'm the one who seduced Jared," she blubbered. Jared rushed into the apartment and pulled Noelle back up to her feet. His eyes burned with fury when he noticed the red mark on her face. He then grabbed my wrist in a death grip as if he wanted to crush my bones. "If you want to hit someone, hit me! I'm the one who fell for Noelle first. I'm the one who forced her to sleep with me. Go ahead and hit me!" I gritted my teeth and scoffed before aiming a kick at Jared's crotch, causing him to immediately double over in pain. "Is that enough for you?" I sneered before throwing the door open and storming out of the apartment. I didn't stop to catch my breath for even a second when I ran home. I grabbed the familiar bunch of keys from my pocket and unlocked the door. When I pulled it open, I saw Mom and Dad chatting with each other as they packed their suitcases. I couldn't keep my emotions in check anymore. Tears streamed down my face. "Dad… Mom…" I blubbered as I rushed into the house. My entire body was shaking violently when I pulled them into a tight hug. "What's wrong, Lily? Did that jerk Jared bully you? Or did you get into a fight with Noelle?" I couldn't say a single word. Instead, I just shook my head wildly. In my past life, I decided to repeat the year, promising Jared and Noelle that I would definitely get accepted into Avalium University and be their junior. However, I suddenly had a terrible stomachache during the exam and couldn't perform as I usually did. As a result, my score was 20 points lower than the previous year. Dad was furious. Instead of sleeping, he left the house in the middle of the night to drown his sorrows in alcohol. He suffered a sudden cerebral hemorrhage and collapsed into the bushes on the side of the road. He was only discovered by a janitor the next morning. Mom was overwhelmed with despair. She slapped me across the face and screamed, "You don't deserve to cry! Your father wouldn't have died if your mind wasn't constantly occupied with thoughts of love. If only you had paid more attention to your studies—" She pressed a hand to her heart with a pained expression before she could finish her sentence. The color had drained from her lips. Mom was born with a congenital heart condition and had to undergo surgery when she was a child. In fact, she took a huge risk when she gave birth to me. From the moment I became cognizant of my surroundings, Dad told me that I should never make Mom angry no matter what happened. It was the most important rule in our family. I lost two of my most important family members overnight. I felt like my very soul was trembling back then. In fact, I felt even more disconnected from reality at that time compared to when I had been reborn. I didn't give it too much thought when both Jared and Noelle apologized to me with tears running down their faces. Only later did I understand why they were wracked with guilt. They had destroyed my family and my life with their own two hands. Chapter 3 I couldn't hold myself together anymore. I cried until I struggled to breathe, scaring both Mom and Dad to death. I developed a high fever that night. They were the ones who woke me up in the middle of the night. Not only was I burning up, but I was also mumbling incoherently through my tears. They had no choice but to send me to the hospital. "The university application form…" I mumbled when my thoughts became lucid for a brief moment. "I want to go to Avalium University…" Mom comforted me with a heartbroken expression. "You've already filled in the form. Your father will personally drop by the school and submit it on your behalf tomorrow." I reminded them over and over again that Dad had to personally hand the form over to my homeroom teacher. My racing heart only began to calm down after they assured me that they would do as I said. Dad carried me on his back as he descended the stairs. We didn't expect to run into Jared at that moment. "Noelle has gone missing. Did she come here to look for you?" he asked. Dad kicked Jared aside and spat, "Out of my way!" Jared chased after us and grabbed the car door. "I'm the one who wronged you, Lily. You can pin all of the blame on me. You know better than anyone else that Noelle struggles with depression. She can't handle any stress. "I'm begging you. Please don't give her a hard time if she looks for you. Don't let her leave by herself either. I'm scared that she'll do something drastic." Jared's voice was thick with tears, and his eyes were full of pleading. In my past life, he had called Noelle pretentious. Coincidentally, she had overheard him, causing her to run off with bloodshot eyes. I got into a huge fight with Jared because of that incident. I even suggested that we break up because of our differing opinions. Noelle was the one who talked me out of it, telling me that she didn't take Jared's words to heart. In the end, my anger was only appeased after I ordered him to write a thousand-word apology letter. However, it turned out that I had been the fool all along. … The next day, I heard a few people whispering among themselves when I went to the restroom. Apparently, a female high school student had tried to take her own life by slitting her wrists, but the doctors managed to save her life. "I heard that she got knocked up. Her results are pretty good. She could have gotten into a good university. Why didn't she take better care of herself?" My heart plummeted into my gut. I whirled around and was about to head back to my room when Jared suddenly appeared behind me. He rushed up to me and grabbed my wrist. "You used to be so kindhearted, Lilian. What happened to you?" he demanded. "Didn't you say that you thought of Noelle like she was your own sister? How could you be so cruel and force her to her death? "Don't you understand that you're toying with someone's life? Will you still be able to sleep at night if Noelle actually dies?" There was a cruel glint in his eyes. He looked as if he wanted to kill someone. Noelle had called and sent hundreds of messages to me before she tried to take her own life. In fact, the last call had gone through and lasted two minutes according to the call log. However, I had left my phone in Jared's apartment. Jared scoffed after he heard my explanation, making it clear that he didn't believe me. The repulsion in his eyes intensified when he looked at me and sneered, "What are you trying to say? Are you suggesting that Noelle orchestrated everything to frame you? "What about those slanderous posts of her that you uploaded on your social media account and the school forum? Are you trying to say that she ruined her own reputation just to drag your name through the mud?" I was nearly overwhelmed with the urge to laugh at how absurd the entire situation was. Jared dragged me toward the exit of the hospital, saying, "Apologize to Noelle right now and tell her that you'll forgive her. This is your only chance to atone for your sins." I swatted his hand away and retorted, "That's impossible. I didn't do anything wrong. The only mistake I made was being too blind to see the two of you for who you really were." Coincidentally, Mom returned from the store right at that moment. "What do you think you're doing, Jared?" she roared. "You've got some nerve. How dare you show your face here and harass my daughter?" Jared shot an indignant look at me before turning around and leaving. Mom pulled me into a hug and wiped my tears. "It's okay. Don't be upset. Everyone's bound to meet a jerk or two when they're young." I nodded and said, "I'm not upset, Mom. They're not worth it." … Two days later, I returned home after I was discharged from the hospital. I had just sat down when I received a call from my homeroom teacher. She told me that someone had reported me for cheating during the college entrance exams, accusing me of peeking at and copying Noelle's answers. The person who reported me was none other than the male student who had tampered with my university application form during my past life, Clive Haycraft. Chapter 4 Clive was already there when I arrived at the principal's office. He timidly kept his eyes on the floor as he said, "Lilian kept peeking at Noelle's answer sheet during the math exam. All the teachers and students know that Noelle's math results are much better than Lilian's. "After the exams were over, I heard Lilian talking to her boyfriend when I was walking behind them. She was smugly telling him about all the answers that she copied." A strange glint flickered in the eyes of the supervisor from the Department of Education when he heard the word "boyfriend". Someone else also scoffed. "I did no such thing!" I exclaimed firmly. "You can check the surveillance—" The rest of my sentence died on my tongue. I had traveled back in time, and I had forgotten that the exam halls weren't equipped with surveillance cameras yet. The school only installed them when I took the college entrance exams for the second time. Just then, Jared knocked on the door and entered the office with Noelle trailing behind him. The principal was all smiles when he greeted them. He sounded exceptionally proud when he introduced them to the supervisor, saying, "This is Jared Casey, the top scholar for science of our city." Jared nodded respectfully at the supervisor before glancing at me. "I can vouch for Clive. Lilian threatened Noelle before the exams started, forcing Noelle to help her cheat. She didn't give up even after Noelle firmly refused, intentionally getting a new pair of glasses that improved her vision. "When the results were released, Lilian started a rumor that Noelle and I were involved in a clandestine relationship just because she was jealous. She didn't have any proof when she spread the rumor that Noelle was pregnant. She only saw Noelle throw up when she was suffering from a heatstroke, forcing Noelle to slit her wrists and take her own life to prove her innocence. "I would like to apologize to everyone here. Due to my own personal feelings, I didn't immediately inform the teachers even after I found out that Lilian cheated during the exams. I've already taken the time to seriously reflect on my mistakes." Noelle's face was pale when she weakly said, "When Lilian begged me to help her cheat, I told her that I was too scared to do such a thing. She called me selfish and accused me of not treating her as a friend. She even offered to give me money, but I refused." I stared at Jared and Noelle. Although I no longer expected anything from them like before, I couldn't stop my heart from throbbing painfully at that moment. They were truly planning to ruin me. Just then, a group of reporters with cameras and microphones barged into the office, demanding, "Which one of you is the student who cheated?" A female reporter quickly determined it was me by following everyone else's line of sight. There was a fierce and intimidating glint in her eyes when she said, "According to the information we received, your results were always in the top ten of your year during the mock exams. Why did you take such a risk? Did you do it because you believed that no one would find out or report you? "Do your parents know about this? Do you think that they'll be disappointed in you? I heard that your father used to serve in the military and made some significant contributions. Don't you think that you're dragging his name through the mud by doing such a thing?" Unable to hold himself back anymore, Dad shoved the reporters aside and shielded me behind him. "My daughter didn't cheat! All of you are slandering her without any evidence! I know her better than anyone else. With her results, she has no reason to cheat!" The reporters ignored Dad. Instead, they turned around and pointed their microphones at the principal. "How do you plan to deal with this cheating incident? Are you going to intentionally sweep everything under the rug for the sake of the school's admission rate? Are you going to pretend that nothing happened?" "Of course not," the principal answered with a stern expression. "We've already reported this incident to the Department of Education. Lilian's university application form has been sealed for the time being. As for how we plan to deal with this, the administrators will have a meeting and make a decision then." My blood boiled, but the words were stuck in my throat. Dad's face and neck turned a ruddy red. His hands started shaking violently before he suddenly crumpled to the floor in the next second. "Dad!" My heart stopped beating for a split second as my eyes widened. Dad's phone started ringing at that moment. Another group of reporters had shown up at my house, causing Mom's heart condition to act up due to the sudden stress. I held Dad's hand tightly as I sat in the ambulance that rushed us to the hospital. Powering through the pain throbbing through my heart and my trembling hands, I dialed an unknown number. "Hello, Mr. Murphy. I'm Freya Linnell's daughter. I need your help."