I Died For His Greed. Now I'm Free

My brother's online girlfriend wanted him to buy a house just ten days after they started chatting.

He told me his girlfriend didn't want any fancy engagement gifts or even a diamond ring. She didn't even care about getting legally married right away.

Just a house, and she'd move in. I thought it sounded shady and urged him to be cautious. Liam listened. He didn't agree to her terms.

As a result, his girlfriend furiously broke up with him, then quickly fell in love with Liam's colleague and, with her support, bought a wedding home.

Liam believed the house and the bride should have been his, but I'd completely ruined it for him. In a fit of rage, he pushed me from the twelfth floor. I died instantly.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day he wanted to buy that house.

This time, I smiled and said, "Liam, you're so smart, there's no way this could go wrong." "Chloe isn't just pretty and sweet; the most important thing is she's nothing like those golddiggers," Liam, my brother, bragged, beaming. "All she wants is a house, a home for us.

She even said she'd contribute thirty thousand dollars for the down payment and doesn't need her name on the deed." Liam continued, getting more excited. "Once we have the house, she'll move in right away, saving us money on a wedding.

We'll get legally married after we have a son, and she'll even help with the mortgage payments. I get a wife for free, who can have my son and even chip in money.

It's a winwin!" Watching Liam's smug face, I couldn't help but shiver. The agonizing pain of my bones shattering from my last life washed over me.

I had been reborn, back to the day he decided to buy the house. At that moment, Mom sounded a bit suspicious. "She really doesn't need her name on the deed?

She won't change her mind at the last minute when you're about to buy the house, will she?

These young girls nowadays are so sly; they don't want to lose a single thing." Liam confidently laughed. "Chloe adores me.

She said not putting her name on the deed was her way of showing her parents she found a capable man, someone who could buy a house all on his own." Mom still wasn't entirely convinced. "What if you wait until she's pregnant to buy the house?

What if you buy the house and she turns out to be barren?" Liam shrugged nonchalantly. "Chloe is a traditional woman. She's never even had a boyfriend until now.

We agreed that we'd only move in together after I bought the house, so how could there be any 'issues' with her body?" "Besides, she herself promised to get married only after we have a son.

If she really can't have kids, I'd still have had her in my bed for ages, and she'd help with the mortgage for a few years.

Even if I ditch her later, I'd still be a firsttime groom, so we wouldn't lose anything." Mom looked at the girl's photo again and again, finally breaking into a satisfied smile. "My son is so capable.

Otherwise, how could such a beautiful girl be willing to be with you without even a proper title?" "Before, when Mrs.

Henderson next door tried to set you up, she thought your job was unstable.

Now I'll make sure she sees how amazing my son is!" Watching Mom's overjoyed expression, I felt a cold laugh bubble up inside me.

Liam had been a slacker since graduation, only taking a job at an insurance company because he thought it would look bad to potential girlfriends if he was unemployed.

Even with a job, he was inconsistent, barely showing up half the time. Any normal person wouldn't introduce him to someone, just to avoid wasting the girl's time.

The mother and son were in perfect harmony, dreaming their sweet dreams, when Liam suddenly turned to me. "Ava, what do you think about this?" What did I think?

A beautiful young girl, rushing to shower him with money and effort, all just to have his son? Only a scammer could make that promise. But I wouldn't tell them the truth this time.

In my previous life, I had carefully analyzed the situation, even showing them social news about romance scams, urging him to be extremely careful.

Ultimately, I discouraged Liam's impulse to buy a house and get married immediately.

To my surprise, the girl instantly broke up with him and quickly hooked up with Liam's colleague.

When Liam found out they were buying a wedding house and the girl had indeed contributed thirty thousand dollars for the down payment, his resentment towards me grew.

In a fit of rage, he grabbed my hair, punching and kicking me.

Mom just stood by, watching coldly. "If you hadn't put off getting married for so long, would my son have struggled to afford a wife?" "He finally found someone who didn't want money and even offered to chip in, and you ruined it.

You're a jinx; you deserved what you got." Hearing those words, Liam felt even more justified. Finally, he pushed me from the twelfth floor.

I died instantly. "I asked you something, why are you spacing out? Don't you think I should buy the house now and lock her down?" Liam's impatient voice jolted me from my memories.

I let out a long breath. "Liam, you're so smart, there's no way this could go wrong."

In this life, I was determined to get away from this family. If you believe in handouts from heaven, then go ahead and make a mess of things.

Unlike my usual cautious advice, Liam beamed with confidence after getting my support. "See? I told you this was a surefire way to make a fortune, a deal where you can't lose.

I'll take Chloe to buy the house tomorrow!" Mom quickly asked, "Which neighborhoods are you looking at? Is it close to our place?

What's the price like?" Liam looked utterly unconcerned. "Chloe already picked out the house. It's in the Waterfront Residences.

She said she loves the name, 'Waterfront' means encountering water generates wealth, so I'll definitely get rich later." I almost burst out laughing.

That development was notorious in the industry for being the hardest to sell. Not only was the location remote, but it had no amenities whatsoever.

Kids would have to travel seven or eight miles just to get to a kindergarten. The worst part was that even the smallest units started at 1400 square feet.

Such an illdesigned house made it incredibly difficult to sell; anyone who bought it would be a sucker. "Ava, you've been working in real estate for years, right?

What do you think of this development?" Mom asked anxiously, and Liam looked at me curiously.

By now, I had pretty much guessed Chloe's motive, but I had no intention of exposing it. "Since it's Liam's wedding home, what matters most is that you two like it." "After all, it doesn't matter where you live; what truly matters is that the people living in it have a good relationship." Liam's eyes crinkled in a smile. "Ava actually said something sensible for once.

Mom, stop worrying. Tomorrow, after I buy the house, I'll bring Chloe home for you to meet her.

You won't find a pretty girl like her on any dating app!" Mom nodded happily, again and again.

Watching them enjoy their happy moment, I was about to leave when Liam spoke up again. "The down payment for the house will be at least three hundred thousand dollars, right?

You two discuss how to come up with that money." Ah, there it was. So this is what he was waiting for.

Mom naturally looked at me. "Ava, you've been working for so many years, you must have saved up a lot of money.

The down payment for Liam's house is all on you." When people are speechless, they really do laugh.

Mom always said it wasn't easy raising us two kids by herself, and I had always believed that once I started working, I should repay her.

So, ever since graduation, I'd faithfully send three thousand dollars home every month, without fail. That money was more than enough for Mom's living expenses alone.

Not to mention the cash gifts for holidays, festivals, and birthdays. All in all, I must have given her two hundred thousand dollars over the years.

Now Liam's threehundredthousanddollar down payment was just casually being placed on me?

If she hadn't been viciously cursing me, calling me worthless as I lay dying in my previous life, I probably still wouldn't have woken up.

Turns out, all my heartfelt contributions were just seen as a blood bank to support my brother. I wiped away a tear and started to cry. "I've had such bad luck this year.

I lost all my savings in the stock market. Next month's rent is even a problem.

I was actually hoping to ask the family for some money to get through this tough time." Liam was shocked, then immediately furious. "What!

You lost all the money you should have been saving for me in some stupid stock trading? If I can't come up with the down payment, how am I supposed to get a wife?

Who gave you permission to squander all that money?" Mom also complained relentlessly. "You useless girl, you're completely clueless.

I told you to give all your money to me, but you wouldn't, you guarded it like I was a thief.

Now look, all the money's gone down the drain, and you have the nerve to ask us for money?" I suppressed the anger in my heart, knowing that the money I had transferred home before was long gone.

Fine.

Now, I just wanted to cut my losses and escape this terrifying home as quickly as possible. "Mom, even though I don't have any money right now, I've given you three thousand dollars every month for years, which adds up to two hundred thousand.

Let's just consider that as my contribution to Liam's down payment." Mom instantly panicked. "You useless girl, what are you talking about?

There's no two hundred thousand!" Liam stared at her, wideeyed in surprise. "Why have I never heard about you having that much money?"

So, they weren't as united as I thought. I pulled out my phone's transfer records.

Under Liam's angry gaze, Mom slumped there like a cat caught by its tail. "Mom's income is low, and you haven't really worked hard since you graduated.

Everything costs money these days, there's no extra left." "It's all your sister's fault. How can she be so irresponsible?

Doesn't she know to save money for her brother to buy a house?" I quickly seized on the key phrase. "Oh, so buying a house for Liam is "my" responsibility?

So, did you also pay for Uncle's new house last year?" I had just blurted it out as a guess, but it hit Mom right where it hurt.

She frantically explained, "I was just helping your uncle out; he'll return it eventually." Liam's face turned red with anger. "You actually gave him money? What about me then?

How can I get a wife if I can't pay the down payment tomorrow?" Mom's crying, Liam's shouting—the house instantly turned into chaos.

I broke the deadlock. "Our old house is worth something, isn't it? Why don't we just sell it to cover Liam's down payment? As long as his fiancée likes it, it's fine.

What's the big deal?

Mom can just move in with you two, right?" Mom quickly objected. "No way, this is the only house I have left!" Liam, however, thought for a moment and then agreed to the suggestion. "Why are you so unwilling?

If you hadn't given all that money to Uncle, would I be in this position, having to sell the house? Besides, you'd get to live in a big house with me and enjoy life.

You could take care of us, and when I have a son, you could help raise the kids. It's a great deal, isn't it?" Mom lowered her head, silent.

Liam showed a neverbeforeseen level of initiative. He immediately contacted a real estate agent and listed the house.

Seeing that it was a done deal, I quickly made an excuse about a business trip and rushed back to my company that very night. It wasn't entirely an excuse.

The company had offered me a great opportunity before; if the new project was completed successfully, I'd get a promotion and a raise.

But the project wasn't in my current city, and I had hesitated to accept because I wanted to take care of my family.

Now, I didn't hesitate to contact my boss, hoping to go on that new project. My boss readily agreed. "I thought you'd be stuck in this city forever.

Finally had a change of heart?" I smiled and replied, "I'm in the prime of my life; I have to live for myself." The guilt from years of being manipulated by Mom had long vanished.

How could I give my all to people who didn't deserve it? They were sucking my blood while mocking me as a fool. Even my life seemed so insignificant in their eyes.

Before boarding the highspeed train to a distant city, I looked back one last time at the city where I had lived for so many years.

Among the myriad of lights in the night, I had never found a single glimmer that belonged to me.

I thought this matter would no longer concern me, but no sooner had I arrived at the new project than I received a call from Liam. "Ava, Chloe knows she has to wait a bit longer, and she's not even talking to me anymore.

What's even worse is that jerk, Dylan, my colleague, is taking advantage of the situation! Seeing that we're having problems, he's actually trying to pursue Chloe.

What a scumbag!" "You work in real estate, don't you? Hurry up and find someone to sell our house quickly!" Dylan?

Wasn't that the guy who was going to buy a house and get married to Chloe in my previous life? That guy always seemed to intervene at surprisingly convenient times.