Now, reborn, he had taken the lead. He had turned the unconscious Jasmine McLaughlin into his "conquest."
The woman's gaze was clouded and confused, but the moment she heard him mention marriage, her face flushed crimson. The joy in her eyes—usually hidden behind a mask of stupidity—couldn't be contained.
She lowered her head, her voice solemn and clumsy.
"Even though the fool girl is dumb-dumb, the fool girl will treat you well!"
It was exactly what she had promised me in our past life.
But my parents exploded.
*Slap!*
My mother's hand connected with my face. My cheek burned.
"What kind of older brother are you? How could you let him get tangled up with a retard? He's destined to marry a rich city girl!"
They tried to drag my brother away, refusing to let the marriage happen. They argued that the villagers only knew *someone* in the family had defiled the fool girl, not specifically who.
Their plan was obvious: I would go to jail for him.
Again.
Even though the trajectory of this life had completely shifted, I was still the designated sacrifice.
My heart turned to ice.
My brother leaned in and whispered something in their ears.