3 The world twisted , and I blinked . I was standing beside a shimmering pool , soaked to the bone and shivering violently . Caleb stood before me , looking impossibly handsome and utterly contemptuous . " Well ? Get back in there and find my ring . " The woman clinging to his arm , a girl with a deceptively sweet face , pouted . " Oh , Caleb , be nice. I mean , Ava's your girlfriend now , isn't she ? And I don't think she can swim . This seems a little mean . " A cruel smirk played on Caleb's lips . " Girlfriend ? Please. She's a pathetic stray who follows me around . She's my girlfriend when I say she is , and she's trash when I say she is . " I remembered . This was the seventh life . The woman was his childhood friend , a snake named Maddy . A few days earlier , Caleb had cornered me and told me he loved me . Desperate for a new angle , a new path to success , I had agreed to be his girlfriend . It had all been a bet , of course . In this life , he killed me . I couldn't swim , so I refused to jump back into the pool . He kicked me in . As I thrashed in the water , screa- ming for help , he forbade anyone from moving a muscle . He let me drown in front of a dozen people . He found me , he pursued me , I did nothing , and he still murdered me . Now , seeing me just stand there , shivering and silent , his patience snapped . He strode toward me . " What the hell , did my words stop working ? I told you to get back in the goddamn pool and find it . You're not leaving here until you do . " My eyes , red - rimmed and burning , stared up at him . As he reached out to grab me , my hand darted to a nearby cocktail table . I snatched a small paring knife left on a fruit platter and lunged , burying it in his stomach . Once wasn't enough . I ripped it out , the sound slick and wet , and plunged it in again . And again . And again , with all the strength I had , driving it to the hilt . Blood splattered across my face , obscuring my vision , but the more I saw , the more satisfying it felt . Caleb clutched at the wound , his face a mask of agony and rage . He staggered back , crashing into a lounge chair , a river of red Chapter 1 pouring from his designer shirt . He stared at me , his eyes wide with disbelief . " You ... you ... " The party guests were screaming , running in every direction . 09:57 0 A cold , harsh laugh escaped my lips . I didn't want to hear his pathetic last words . " You're the pathetic one , Caleb . You're the one who told me you loved me , then you told everyone I was a slut who chased you . You lied . " did nothing to you , " I screamed , my voice cracking , " and you were still going to kill me ! Just die ! Die ! " My strength gave out , and I collapsed onto the blood - soaked pavement . Caleb's body slid from the chair , his blood turning the crystal - clear pool a sickening shade of crimson.