Reborn,I'm Done Being the Genius's Maid

The year I turned sixteen, I was reborn. I only did one thing. I stayed as far away from Julian as possible. In my past life, everyone saw him as a freak. He had severe autism. On our first day of high school, he was mocked for his stutter and suddenly fell to the ground, seizing. I was the one who carried him to the nurse's office. After that, I stayed by his side, constantly encouraging him. By the time he was thirty, he won the Fields Medal—the highest honor in mathematics. But right after winning, he committed suicide, leaving behind only a single diary. That diary was filled with confessions to another woman: Vivian. It turned out that all those years, the one he loved wasn't me. It was Vivian. He had even left our house to her in his will. Heartbroken and devastated, I died on a freezing, snowy Christmas Eve. Now that I was reborn, I watched as Vivian actively went up to greet Julian. As for me, I quietly moved my desk to the farthest corner of the classroom, as far away from Julian as possible. Vivian became Julian's lab partner, and because of that, she was instantly ostracized by the rest of the class. The boy sitting behind her slipped a dead rat into her backpack. When she opened it, her face drained of all color, and she let out a bloodcurdling shriek. Nobody expected Julian to snap. He flipped the boy's desk over, slammed the rat right into his face, and tackled him to the ground. They instantly ended up in a brutal fistfight. I just watched coldly from my seat. In my past life, I was the one who had a rat thrown at me. But when I screamed in terror, Julian had only glared at me, annoyed by the noise. He hated how loud I was. Seeing his reaction, the rest of the class mocked me for "simping for a freak" and called me desperate for attention. After that, the bullying only got worse. Yet, I was naive enough to think Julian and I were in the same boat. When he refused to clear his cluttered binders off our shared desk, I would hunch my shoulders and write on a tiny corner of the wood. When he blocked the aisle and wouldn't let me out of my seat by the wall, I would hold my breath and wait. I'd have to climb over the back desks when the rowdy boys in the back weren't looking. For three years of high school, I barely dared to drink a sip of water just to avoid using the bathroom. But he remained completely indifferent, treating me like air. Yet now, Julian—who had always lived in his own bubble—actually cleared his things for Vivian. He even fought someone for her. How hilarious. The things I couldn't achieve in a lifetime, Vivian did in a single minute. After the teacher broke up the fight, Vivian gratefully slid a piece of fruit candy onto Julian's desk. She gently patted his head, treating him like a kicked puppy. "Thanks for helping me. You're so sweet." "It's their loss if they don't want to hang out with you." As she spoke, she threw a provocative glance in my direction. I frowned. At the same time—though I wasn't sure if it was just my imagination—Julian's gaze drifted toward me for a split second before darting away. Could it be... he was reborn too? By lunchtime, the temperature in the classroom rose, and a foul odor began to emanate from Julian. Vivian had already gagged twice and quietly dragged her chair outward three times. By the time her chair was halfway into the hallway, Vivian forced a smile, trying her best to sound gentle. "Julian, do you want to go to the restroom and clean up a bit?" Julian had injured his leg when he first enrolled, so he walked with a heavy limp. Because of this, he was always the first to arrive in the classroom and the last to leave. He hated getting up from his seat. In my past life, to protect his fragile self-esteem, I lied to everyone and said I worked a night shift at a greasy seafood shack, claiming the fishy smell came from me. Even when the stench made me sick to my stomach, I swallowed my vomit and never made a sound. But Vivian's gagging drew the attention of the entire class. She seemed oblivious to it, continuing to coax him with fake patience. She probably thought Julian liked her, so he would do whatever she said. But Julian just kept shaking his head, as if that was the only gesture he knew. Vivian got a little annoyed. "Julian, hygiene is important. I'm only doing this for your own good!" Julian's jaw clenched tight. That was a sign of his extreme impatience. I had seen that expression once in my past life. That time, he had sunk his teeth into my arm, leaving a bloody, mangled mess. The wound kept getting infected, and it took a whole month to barely heal. Vivian kept nagging. To my surprise, Julian didn't bite her. Instead, he pulled out a pocketknife and slashed his own arm. Blood welled up instantly. I subconsciously touched the faint scar on my own arm. So, Julian could control his violent urges. He just chose not to control them for me. Ignoring the sight of him bleeding, I turned around and started laughing and chatting with my new friends. This time, Julian was just a stranger. He had nothing to do with me anymore.During gym class, when we were pairing up for the buddy fitness run, Julian's eyes locked onto me. "Julian, do you want to partner up with Chloe?" the teacher asked. He nodded without a single second of hesitation. The buddy run meant one partner had to carry the other's heavy gear—or even carry them physically if they couldn't keep up. Partnering with Julian meant I would have to drag him across the finish line. It had always been like this in my past life. But back then, I was the one who volunteered. This time, I hadn't said a word. My heart skipped a beat as I met his expectant, entitled gaze. He really was reborn. I spoke up immediately. "Coach, I already have a partner." Julian's face froze. He hadn't expected me to reject him. He shot a hostile look at Logan, who was standing next to me. Logan just smiled back at me reassuringly. In my past life, Logan was the only person in class who had never joined in on the bullying. Hearing my response, the coach sighed and tried to find Julian another partner. But Julian shut down completely. He stood in the middle of the field with his head bowed, refusing to move. He looked like an abandoned puppy. I used to be fooled by this exact look. Now, it only annoyed me. But the coach didn't know his true nature. He forced the two of us into a group anyway. Julian climbed onto my back with practiced ease. On my shoulder, his raspy voice whispered the first words he had spoken to me since our rebirth: "Why didn't you choose me?" I countered, "Then why didn't you choose Vivian?" Didn't he leave her a hundred love letters and his entire estate? Why didn't he choose her now? He gripped my collar tightly. "She... she'll hold me back..." My chest tightened, a wave of bitter resentment washing over me. He really was consistent, wasn't he? "Chloe," he called my name. "Let's just keep things the way they were." I couldn't take it anymore. I dumped him right off my back onto the grass. "Keep things the way they were? Servicing you for over twenty years, making my entire life revolve around you?" He frowned, looking genuinely confused. "Is that not okay?" My heart felt like it was being sliced by a dull blade, over and over. "No, Julian," I said, coldness dripping from every word. "In my past life, I didn't know you loved Vivian. But now I do. So, stay the hell away from me." "Once high school is over, I'm applying to a college on the other side of the country." "We will never see each other again." I choked back my tears and ran off. But the moment I stopped running at the end of the track, Julian suddenly stumbled over and threw up all over my head and shoulders. The entire class burst into roaring laughter. Without a shred of mercy, I pushed him straight to the ground. Julian stared up at me, dazed by the fall. He looked at my covered, filthy clothes, his eyes still filled with that innocent, uncomprehending look. I thought he just didn't get it. But when Vivian rushed over to help him up, Julian pulled a clean handkerchief from his pocket. With obsessive care, he wiped Vivian's hands clean. "I'm dirty..." he mumbled. Vivian chuckled. "How could you be dirty, Julian?" She then turned to me, standing on her moral high ground with an annoyed expression. "He only threw up because you ran too fast and jostled him! How could you just dump him on the ground like that? Don't you know he could have been seriously hurt?" Covered in vomit, I only wanted to change my clothes. But Vivian wouldn't let it go. "No way. You have to apologize to Julian right now." I looked at Julian. "Julian, if I apologize, will you leave me alone?" He avoided my eyes, turning his head away, and practically ran off. I let out a cold laugh. "See that, Vivian? He doesn't want my apology."Though I couldn't partner with Logan for the gym run, we quickly became close friends. This was the first time I had ever had a friend other than Julian. We often went to the local library to study, and on weekends, we went to amusement parks. Life was peaceful and beautiful. I thought I had finally broken free from Julian's shadow and could live my own life. Until one day, in the middle of a packed public library. Julian limped up to my table. In front of everyone, he threw a damp, dirty gym bag right onto my open textbook. Inside were his soiled underwear. "Wash it," he demanded. Mutterings and whispers instantly broke out around us. The stares directed at me were filled with shock and disgust. My face flushed crimson, my hands shaking with rage. I slammed the bag onto the floor and tried to focus back on my study guide. But the bag was thrown right back. This time, it hit me square in the face. Vivian, who had followed Julian inside, spoke in a sweet, dripping voice: "I'm so sorry, Chloe. Julian said you've always done his laundry." "I offered to help, but he held my hand and said this kind of dirty work isn't for me." The whispering around us grew loud enough for me to hear every word. "Oh my god, does Chloe actually wash Julian's underwear?" "But isn't Vivian Julian's girlfriend? Chloe is still doing his laundry? That's so shameless!" In that instant, I felt like I was dragged right back into the nightmare of my past life, being pointed at and judged by everyone. Logan grabbed my hand. "Chloe, let's go study somewhere else." "Okay," I choked out. But Julian grabbed my arm from behind. He glared unhappily at our joined hands. "Why won't you wash it?" "Is it because you're going to wash his instead?" A few people in the library snickered. I couldn't stay there for another second. Logan looked at me with deep worry. I covered my face, feeling a sense of self-destructive despair. Maybe to Julian, I was never anything more than a maid. Someone destined to serve him. Even though we were reborn, he still refused to let me go. Logan comforted me, "Chloe, Julian is out of his mind. Don't listen to a word he says." I forced myself to pull things together. I applied for the Early Decision interview for Apex University. Julian had already been admitted to Beacon University. This time, we wouldn't be at the same school. I wouldn't have to follow him around like a shadow anymore. But the moment I pushed open the door to the interview room, my heart sank. Julian was sitting right there in the student assistant's chair, staring at me blankly. And after I finished answering all the professors' questions, he offered a single evaluation: "Chloe has zero talent. She is not cut out for this major." The very next day, his words spread like wildfire across our high school. People whispered: "Chloe isn't made for academics, but she sure has a talent for washing a guy's underwear." Some bullies even started calling me "Laundry Girl" straight to my face. Julian's presence was dragging me back into my worst nightmares. Logan didn't know the full history between us, but seeing my agony, he gently asked: "Why don't we just study abroad?"Logan's words woke me up. I immediately started preparing my transfer applications with him. We stopped going to school altogether. With me actively avoiding him, Julian didn't show up in front of me again. Finally, Logan and I boarded a plane to Europe. A month later, I had fully adjusted to my new life in Scotland. I excitedly shared some news with Logan: "There's a prestigious mathematics competition group here! If I get in, the scholarship will cover my entire tuition!" He encouraged me to go for it. To step out of Julian's shadow and prove my own worth, I studied day and night, barely even remembering to eat. My hard work paid off. A senior student, Austin, said he would introduce me to the head of the competition group. I thought everything was finally going my way. Until I saw Julian again. He was the head of the competition group. Austin patted my shoulder warmly. "You should have told me you knew the legendary Julian Vance! He specifically requested you to join. But hey, your test scores are actually amazing!" My entire body began to shake uncontrollably. Julian's voice sounded like a demon whispering in my ear: "Long time no see, Chloe." "From now on, you'll be my personal assistant." With that, he dropped a heavy laundry bag right in front of me. "Please wash these for me." My hands and feet went icy cold. I looked at him, practically begging. "Why? Why do you have to humiliate me like this?" That familiar, confused look returned to his eyes. "Chloe, isn't it good for us to be together like we used to be?" As I spiraled into fear and anger, Vivian pushed the door open with a sweet smile. "Am I late? We should start the meeting to discuss the thesis problem." Austin nudged me. "Hey, snap out of it! It's meeting time." But Julian stopped me from entering the conference room. "She isn't attending the meeting," Julian said flatly. "She needs to stay out here and do my laundry." Vivian smiled and explained to Austin, "Austin, you didn't know? Chloe is Julian's exclusive assistant! Why else do you think he brought her into this elite group?" Under Austin's strange, judgmental gaze, I fled the building, humiliated once again. Logan was waiting for me at the entrance, holding a bouquet of red roses. The moment he saw me, his smile faded. "Hey, it's your first day with the group, I was worried you wouldn't get used to..." Seeing my pale face, I threw myself into his arms, sobbing. His expression darkened. "What happened? Who messed with you?" "Logan," I cried out, "it's Julian. He's here. He's at this university too!" "How is that possible?!" I didn't understand either. He was supposed to be at Beacon University in the US. I had literally moved across the ocean, choosing a completely different country, yet he was still here. Julian, who was supposed to be in the meeting, walked out of the building. He stared dead at Logan and called out to me: "Chloe, get over here." Logan shielded me behind his back. "She's resigning from the group. She doesn't have to listen to you anymore." "Chloe belongs to me," Julian said, his eyes filled with dark, obsessive possession. Logan patted my back comfortingly. "She doesn't belong to you. She's my girlfriend." "And I want you to stay the hell away from her. Stop harassing my girlfriend." Austin, who had followed Julian out, looked utterly shocked. "Julian! Are you seriously chasing after a girl who has a boyfriend? And making her do your laundry?!" "Dude, that is incredibly messed up!" But Julian looked genuinely blank. "Messed up?" "Of course it's messed up! They're dating, they're probably going to get married and spend their lives together. Stop trying to ruin their relationship." When the words "get married" and "spend their lives together" registered in Julian's brain, his eyes suddenly turned bloodshot. He took a step forward, trying to grab my hand. "Chloe is mine. She can only marry me."