After Rebirth, I Hand My Own
Research to My Cheating Boyfriend
I watched my boyfriend drug my drink, his eyes
gleaming with malicious intent. As I drifted into
unconsciousness, he stole my research
proposal and paper.
In my past life, he gifted my work to his crush, Tiffany, allowing her to win the National Youth Science Award. Then, they turned around and accused me of stealing her research.
I was condemned, labeled an academic thief, and ostracized. Professor Thompson kicked me out of his lab. The university expelled me. My parents lost their jobs because of the scandal. We were all victims of relentless cyberbullying.
Consumed by despair, I ended my life by
<
jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge. But then, I
woke up, reborn.
Watching as Chad left with my flash drive, a
smug look on his face, I smirked inwardly,
keeping my thoughts to myself.
The next day, Tiffany was facing accusations of plagiarism.
That evening, Chad barged into my apartment, demanding answers.
“What the hell is wrong with you, Abby? You’re researching arctic mosquitoes?”
I focused on my keyboard, but my attention was
on the reflection on the computer screen.
My boyfriend, Chad, had his back to me. He
Join the bookshelf
opened a packet and poured its contents into a
glass of lemonade.
Thinking I couldn’t see him, he placed the
spiked drink in front of me. “Babe, take a
break. Here’s some lemonade.”
I picked up the glass and took a sip. “Almost
done. Let me just finish this paper.”
He didn’t press the issue and went to the
bathroom.
While he was gone, I poured the lemonade into
the sink and put the empty glass back on the
desk.
Ten minutes later, I slumped onto the couch,
listening to Chad’s footsteps.
L
“Abby? Abby?”
He nudged me, and when he was sure I wasn’t
going to wake up, he took out a flash drive and went to my computer.
I squinted, watching him repeat the same actions as in my previous life, copying all my project files onto the drive. Then, he grinned and left.
I got up and watched him practically skip down the street. A bitter smile crept across my face.
In my past life, Chad had casually asked about my research. Naively, I shared everything with the man I trusted, blind to the greed in his eyes.
It wasn’t until the Academy of Sciences presentation, when I heard Tiffany presenting
presentation, when I heard Tiffany presenting
my work, that I realized my hard work had been
stolen.
Seeing Tiffany and Chad holding hands and kissing backstage, I knew I had been betrayed.
When I confronted Chad, I underestimated their audacity.
Tiffany publicly accused me of stealing her research.
My boyfriend, the man I trusted, stabbed me in the back. He presented my laptop, displaying the file dates. He had altered the timestamps of all my research reports and papers.
I tried to explain, but no one believed me. The academic committee sided with Tiffany, who
–
<
came from an academic family. I, an ordinary
graduate student with no connections, was
branded an “academic thief.”
Professor Thompson dismissed me, and the university expelled me.
But Tiffany’s persecution didn’t end there.
She posted my story online, revealing my personal information. My parents were fired from their jobs.
I was subjected to relentless cyberbullying. I couldn’t find work, and people recognized me in the street, mocking and insulting me.
Overwhelmed, I ended my life.
Ironically, as the icy water closed over my head,
L
Tiffany won the National Youth Science Award
with my stolen research.
As she thanked Chad for his “help and support”
on the podium, I choked on my last breath.
I woke up, reborn a month before Chad drugged me.
To play my part, I spent a month carefully crafting this trap.
I shelved my previous research topic and created a folder on my computer called
“Seasonal Pest Control,” filled with seemingly
rigorous but flawed experimental data and draft papers.
To lower Chad’s guard and make it easier for him to steal, I would deliberately leave myself
logged in and “accidentally” send him a text with my password.
The convenience I provided accelerated his actions. With my cooperation, he successfully obtained all my research data and the final draft of my paper.
After he left, I returned to my computer and
saw that the timestamps of all my research- related files had been manipulated.
Tears streamed down my face. Even in this new life, the pain of betrayal felt fresh.
I cleared all data, formatted the system, and
deleted everything.
Now, Tiffany had no evidence to accuse me of
being an “academic thief.”
