Tiffany gasped. "OMG! Am I so lucky? To find someone barely alive in Sanctuary Mountain?" she thought, rubbing her temples. Ignoring Jeremy was impossible, so she knelt, patting his face. "Hey, wake up. Can you get up?" she called. He was too heavy to carry. After a few pats, Jeremy opened his eyes, grabbed her foot, and mumbled, "Save me, and I'll repay you," before passing out again.
A surge of frustration washed over Tiffany. How did this badly injured man even get here? she wondered. But seeing his dire condition, she gritted her teeth and hauled him down the mountain. She rushed him to the nearest hospital. Fortunately, the rescue was timely, and Jeremy survived.
Watching him sleep, Tiffany called Thalia, claiming she was having fun. After hanging up, she turned to find Jeremy awake. He was unremarkable, the kind of person who blended into a crowd. But his eyes—like black obsidian—were strikingly bright and deep. They seemed familiar, stunning Tiffany. Her past-life memories were hazy, but those eyes were unforgettable.
She remembered: Jeremy Cooper. He'd fled to Lovell City years ago, hunted and constantly on the move, with no fixed address. Most importantly, he was highly skilled. In her past life, he wasn't famous, but he was fiercely loyal and righteous, ultimately dying shielding someone—an act of selfless gratitude. She'd saved him by chance. Tiffany stroked her chin. Such a person—to not recruit him would waste my efforts, she mused.
"You said you'd repay me," she said. "Is your word good?"
Jeremy nodded. She saved my life. I owe her, he thought. "What do you want me to do?" he asked.
"My company needs a security guard," Tiffany said with a smile. "Meals, accommodation, and a monthly salary. What do you think?"
Her company, though slowly recovering from bankruptcy, was deeply in debt and lacked resources. While appearing detached, Tiffany desperately needed to support it. Jeremy was a valuable asset, capable of handling troublemakers.
Jeremy was surprised. "That's it?" He'd expected unreasonable demands, but this was fair, even advantageous. "Are you helping me?" he asked, scrutinizing her face.
Tiffany smiled. "No, I have my own agenda. When I need help, no matter how tough it gets, I hope you'll be there for me." Her honesty was admirable.
Jeremy, momentarily taken aback, smiled. "Okay, I agree." It was a commitment sealed with his life.
Relieved, Tiffany said, "Rest up. Report to the company when you're healed."
She then informed Caleb, her manager, about Jeremy, instructing him to assign all physically demanding tasks to him. Caleb was ecstatic. The company had recently faced numerous issues: successful advertising had led to sidelined partnerships and frequent office disturbances, with security guards frequently injured. Tiffany, who had previously declared she'd handle finances but not operations, had clearly been considering every aspect of the company's well-being. Reassured, Caleb cautiously mentioned their low operational funds.
"I'll transfer the money in three days," Tiffany replied, sighing after the call. She was broke. The start-up company still faced significant debts, and her previous investment of $1.2 million had dwindled. Charlie, her benefactor, only gave her a small allowance; she was secretly investing in Legendary Enterprises.
Determined to prevent another collapse, she needed money. Seeing a lottery advertisement, she searched her past-life memories for winning numbers, but to no avail. She wandered aimlessly, ending up at Lovell City's largest Treasure Tower.
The Tower housed priceless treasures, offering appraisal services. Tiffany possessed exceptional appraisal skills, taught by her former master, James Quinn, whom she'd met at age five. He'd offered her an apprenticeship: ten times calling him "Master" would teach her appraisal, and one hundred would ensure her lifelong safety. Six-year-old Tiffany, finding it fun, often secretly sought him out.
At sixteen, she'd stopped him from killing Kenneth, severing their ties. She'd never forget his disappointed look and his words: "You'll regret this, Tiffany." She had, deeply. Now eighteen again, it was too late to apologize; he had vanished.
A wry smile touched her lips. She'd been foolish in her past life. The pain of losing James was acute.
Looking up, her gaze hardened. She stepped into the Treasure Tower. There was still a chance. She would prove to James that she would never again descend into that abyss. And she would send everyone who wronged her to hell.