Chapter 9: Enemy From Past Life

Words : 2456 Updated : May 22nd, 2025

"Whatever. Believe what you want." Liam shrugged. He was about to spill the beans about Helena's grim fate to warn her, but Marisa cut him off, and he didn't feel like it anymore. "But how did he know I wanted to apply to Beckin Film Academy? I'd only just talked about it with my family. I hadn't told anyone else." Helena pondered this, but couldn't voice her question in front of her two friends. Although she thought Liam was weird, there was something strangely attractive about him. Just then, many well-dressed teens appeared outside the Starbucks window, waving and calling out. "It's Brian! They're here!" Marisa exclaimed, jumping up. After waving to them, she turned to her friends and said, "Let's go. The fun officially starts tonight." As Liam left Starbucks, he saw Marisa leaping into the arms of a tall, handsome young man, and his eyes narrowed. Brian Yare, Marisa's boyfriend, was Liam's biggest rival when he was a student in Cadell City. Liam remembered his past life. Whenever he tried to pursue Catherine, Brian gave him the most trouble. Marisa would always compare Liam to Brian, putting him down every chance she got. Brian loved showing off in front of the girls, making Liam look bad whenever he could. "Who's this guy, Marisa?" Brian asked, wrapping an arm around her and giving Liam a weird look. Most of them weren't good-looking, but they all dressed way more mature and stylish than most kids their age. With all that energy, they stood out, and Liam felt totally out of place. "He's the child of a friend of Catherine's mom, tagging along for fun," Marisa explained. She shot Brian a look and whispered something in his ear. Brian nodded in understanding, a hint of disdain flashing as he looked at Liam. Extending his hand, he introduced himself. "Brian Yare, Marisa's boyfriend. My family owns the Skycrest Hotel in Zenos District. You have the guts to pursue our school beauty, Catherine. Your family must be impressive. Where do they work?" His words were dripping with sarcasm. He knew Liam didn't come from a wealthy family. He deliberately bragged about his family and tried to make Liam look bad in front of everyone. Liam didn't even look at Brian. Hands in his pockets, he just said, "Liam Casson." Brian was constantly putting Liam down in his past life. No way Liam was gonna give him any respect this time around. "Quite the character, aren't you?" Brian was momentarily taken aback. He glanced around, noticing the suppressed laughter on everyone's faces. They hadn't expected anyone to brush off Brian's authority. He nodded, still sizing Liam up. "Alright, we all go to the same school. We'll have plenty of time to hang out." He ignored Liam and began discussing the evening's plans with the group. Helena shot Liam a worried look. Brian was not someone you wanted to mess with. Someone had once offended Brian, who ended up with a broken leg and was forced to drop out. Brian's family could hush it up with just some compensation. Hardly anyone dared to cross him at school. Liam returned her gaze with a reassuring look, which made her huff and turn away. She was trying to help, and he was ungrateful. "It's still early. Let's go to the karaoke first. After that, we'll head to my family's hotel for a grand birthday party for Marisa. Then, we'll visit Bar Street in the Downtown District. No one leaves early tonight." Brian's announcement was met with cheers from the crowd. "A new KTV just opened in the New District, called Royal Entertainment. The decor is nice. Let's go there," suggested a wealthy young lady. "Alright, Royal Entertainment KTV it is!" Brian decided. "Damn, with their plans, we'll be out until dawn. No wonder Mrs. Leila's worried," Liam thought, standing outside, feeling impatient. He had to treat Nikolai's injury at night and didn't have time to waste. The distance from the city center to the New District wasn't short. About fifteen people had arrived in six or seven cars. Audi A4s, BMW 330 convertibles, and Peugeot 308ccs were not exactly luxury cars, but they were pretty flashy in Cadell City. More importantly, the car owners were only sixteen, indicating notable backgrounds. The nicest ride was Brian's Porsche Cayenne, worth over two million. Marisa and her two friends rode with him. Brian, being the ringleader, took charge. Once everyone was settled, Liam was the only one left standing. Brian pretended to notice Liam, smacking his forehead like he remembered finally. "Oh no, buddy. I forgot about you. My bad, my bad." He was having a blast messing with Liam, but pretended to be apologetic. "Looks like we're all full. Why don't you grab a cab? Any driver will know Royal Entertainment KTV in the New District." Everyone in the cars cracked up. They had been watching Liam with disdain, standing there with his hands in his pockets as if he were someone important. As Catherine's suitor, they were eager to see him humiliated. There were still a few empty seats, but nobody was about to go against Brian. Liam frowned slightly, his gaze toward Brian growing cold. This guy had been picking on him nonstop since their meeting. Did he think Liam wouldn't fight back? Sitting in the car, Catherine frowned when she saw Liam getting clowned on by the rich kids. Regardless of the situation, Liam was someone her mother had invited to accompany her, and seeing him ridiculed like this wasn't very pleasant for her, either. Just as she was about to ask Brian to find a seat for him, Helena suddenly said, "Hey, you can sit next to me. We'll squeeze in." Her suggestion left everyone momentarily stunned, and even Catherine glanced at her curiously. Brian thought to himself, "What's up with Helena today? Has she taken a liking to this guy?" It was absurd. Everyone at Ivy High School knew Helena was notoriously hard to impress. Even Corbin Cutmore had pursued her for ages without a clear response. Sitting in the front seat, Marisa rolled her eyes. "Seriously, Helena is always playing the saint. Fine, whatever. Liam, right? You take the shotgun, I'll move to the back." She jumped out of the car, vacating the front seat, and climbed into the back. The Cayenne SUV was spacious enough for the three girls to sit comfortably. Liam looked at Helena, surprised. She was as kind-hearted as she was in his previous life. Back then, whenever Brian made things difficult for him, Helena often stepped in to help. Without saying much, he quietly got into the car. "Alright, let's head out," Brian said, annoyed that his attempt to embarrass Liam had failed. He shot Liam a dirty look, then floored it and took off first. One by one, the cars roared away. The New District was a recent development focus in Cadell City. It was bustling with new restaurants, hotels, and entertainment venues like KTVs. When Liam and the others arrived, Royal Entertainment KTV was already ablaze with lights. In the lobby stood a line of hostesses, all of whom were above average in appearance. Many of them were students from nearby schools working part-time. They greeted the group with synchronized bows. The rich kid who suggested Royal Entertainment walked in front, and the lobby manager quickly came to greet him. "My friend has a birthday. Can you arrange a room for us? Is the Emperor Hall available?" "I'm sorry, Mr. Denford. Our boss has booked the Emperor Hall for special guests tonight. How about the Queen Hall?" Cedric looked at Brian, and seeing no objection, he nodded. Since it was Marisa's birthday, her boyfriend was the host. They picked a few attractive hostesses and ordered liquor, draft beer, and fruit platters. Under the manager's expectant gaze, Brian generously ordered two bottles of Rémy Martin Louis XIII, each costing two thousand dollars, making the manager grin from ear to ear. Liam felt out of place with this group, seated in the lavishly decorated private room. Though the room was filled with fashionable young men and women, they were all familiar with each other, leaving Liam, the outsider, excluded and isolated. Even if he wanted to join their conversations, their worlds were too different to find common ground. Liam had no interest in trying. He slipped to a corner, poured himself some Hennessy XO, and sipped it, wondering if he should tell Catherine to dip out early. He had promised Nikolai to treat his injury that night, thinking the birthday would involve a quick meal. He hadn't expected it to become a full-blown event with karaoke, a party, and bar-hopping. He didn't have the time to waste. The microphone made its rounds, but never ended up in Liam's hands. It was no surprise that Helena was the best singer. Egged on by everyone, she picked Mariah Carey's song and sounded a bit like the diva herself. The whole room cheered. "She is a future starlet," Liam thought, recalling how Helena had represented Ivy High School in a national high school music competition in his past life, winning first prize. She was always the highlight of school events. Halfway through the night, a woman in her thirties, dressed in a low-cut black evening gown that revealed a deep cleavage, elegantly entered the room.

Chapter 9: Enemy From Past Life

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