"Come on, it'll be fine. I'm about to get promoted. I'll pay it all back sooner or later!"
As he spoke, he reached into his suit pocket with practiced ease and produced a small red velvet box.
He opened it right in front of me.
Inside, nestled against the satin lining, sat a gold four-leaf clover necklace.
"Did you forget what today is? It's your birthday."
"Your husband remembered. Look, I got this just for you."
In my previous life, I'd been moved to tears when Joel gave me this necklace.
I threw myself into his arms, laughing and crying at the same time, and from that day on I devoted myself to this family without reservation.
But now, knowing the necklace was fake, all I felt was a chill creeping up my spine.
He was using the same playbook from my last life to keep me tethered.
To make me pour everything I had into this family.
He and Laurel were running a textbook good-cop-bad-cop routine.
The goal was simple: make me give in.
A flash of jealousy crossed Maya's eyes.
But her voice was all concession:
"Don't worry, Leila. I won't take your money for nothing. Once I'm settled in my job, I'll save up and pay you back. Every cent."