Chapter 1
“Josie, you know you screwed up, right?” Vincent Oldham’s voice yanked Josie Pearson out of her fog.
Her eyes zeroed in on his face, sharp and familiar. Wait, didn’t I die? she thought.
Two years after her mentor sold her out and landed her in prison, she’d hit rock bottom, crashing her head into a wall to escape the depression. So why am I staring at Vincent, my old college buddy? Josie blinked hard, her eyes burning. Am I tripping again? Imagining my crew’s here to spring me from jail?
“Look, we get it—you’re gunning to join Professor David Lawson’s research team. But that’s no excuse for throwing Natalie under the bus,” Vincent said, his tone sharp. “You realize what you’ve done? You accused Natalie of jacking your paper, and now she’s so messed up she hasn’t shown her face at school in days. Keep this up, Josie, and you’re gonna push her off the deep end. When did you turn so cold-blooded?”
Vincent was getting pissed, slamming his coffee mug on the table when she didn’t respond. The sharp clunk snapped her out of it. This wasn’t a dream. She was really here, face-to-face with Vincent—ten years younger Vincent. Holy crap. She’d somehow jumped back a decade. Right now, she was still a senior at Aloville Medical School, fresh off nailing the written exam for Professor David Lawson’s elite research team. She’d crushed it, landing a spot in the final round.
But then came the sucker punch: Natalie Kinberg’s thesis was a near clone of hers—same angle, same methods, same vibe. No way that was a coincidence. While Josie was digging for answers, rumors about Natalie plagiarizing spread like wildfire. David’s project was a big deal—first of its kind in the country, with a team of rockstar researchers, including five of Josie’s seniors. Those five had been her crew since sophomore year, always having her back in class and life. They were family. Then Natalie showed up, and it all flipped. The support, the late-night study sessions, the laughs—they all went to her.
Even David, who used to praise Josie’s grind, started treating Natalie like the star pupil. When the plagiarism rumors hit, her seniors swore Josie was the one stirring the pot. Even David tore into her, face red with anger.
Josie wasn’t Natalie’s biggest fan, no lie. She’d been competitive, always trying to outshine her, desperate to reclaim the spotlight. But she never spread those rumors or accused Natalie of stealing.
“You really blew it,” Vincent said, his voice softening a bit. “Professor Lawson’s giving you a shot, though. Apologize to Natalie in front of the whole school, and he’ll let it go. He’ll even keep the administration from nailing you with a punishment. But if you keep doubling down and dragging her name through the mud, you’re done. Expulsion’s on the table.”
“Fine. I’ll apologize,” Josie said, her voice flat, eyes locked on his. Vincent was a year ahead, a small-town kid like her who’d fought his way into this school. She’d known him longest—four years. She thought he’d have her back, trust her when she said she didn’t start this drama. Nope. He was the first one here, pushing her to eat crow.
Vincent blinked, caught off guard by her quick surrender. Josie didn’t cave this easy, not the Josie he knew. Still, an apology was a win, so he didn’t push. “Alright, it’s a deal,” he said. “I’ll tell Professor Lawson. Write that apology letter tonight. You’re reading it to the whole school tomorrow.”
Josie’s lips curled into a sharp, bitter smirk. She wasn’t that gullible girl anymore. She knew the truth: Natalie spread those rumors herself, playing the victim to turn everyone against Josie. Depression? Just a sob story to make the seniors fawn over her.
But that wasn’t the point now. Josie wanted to know how Natalie jacked her thesis without leaving a trace. In her old life, she’d refused to apologize. The mess blew up, the school investigated, and they found nothing on Natalie. Meanwhile, Josie got hit with a disciplinary record, her seniors called her heartless, and that stain wrecked her job prospects after graduation. Not this time. She wasn’t taking the fall. If someone was going down, it sure as hell wouldn’t be her.
The next morning, Josie steeled herself to eat humble pie and make her public apology. She threw on her backpack and stepped out of the dorm, chin up despite the knot in her gut. As she crossed campus, the whispers and side-eyes trailed her like a bad smell.
“There she is—Professor Lawson’s former golden girl. Got all jealous and trashed the department’s darling for supposedly jacking her paper.” “She thought she was all that with her grades, catching the eye of our five campus hotties.
Then Natalie rolls in—just as smart, drop-dead gorgeous, and actually nice.” “Look at that sour face. She’s not even in Natalie’s league. Why those guys still have her back is beyond me.” “Have her back? Please. They’re all Team Natalie now. This whole ‘say sorry in front of everyone’ thing? Aiden’s call.”
Aiden’s idea, huh? Josie let out a sharp, bitter scoff and picked up her pace to dodge the gossip. She’d barely hit the quad when Jaden Monroe, her senior, caught up. Jaden was a first-year grad student who’d saved her bacon back in her senior year. She’d been floundering in her toughest classes, and he’d tossed her his killer notes, helping her ace her exams. When he was stressing over grad school apps, Josie had pulled all-nighters hunting down research and reference books for him. She’d never owed him or any of the guys a thing.
Jaden shot her a look, heavy with disappointment. “Josie, I always thought you were one of the good ones. Never figured you’d pull something this low just to get ahead. And Natalie? She’s too kind to even hold it against you. You didn’t see her after what you did. She’s a mess—skinnier, totally worn out. Those big, bright eyes? No spark left.” “And still, she’s got your back. Went to Professor Lawson on the down-low, begging him to let you off this public apology crap. But you gotta have a heart, yeah? So when you see her, you better say sorry—and mean it, okay?”
Josie dropped her gaze, lashes hiding the fire in her eyes. “Got it, Jaden. I’ll make things right with her, I swear.”
“Should’ve thought twice before pulling that stunt.” Jaden almost kept going, but seeing her stand there, head down like a kid who got caught, made him ease up. Deep down, he’d always seen Josie as a solid kid—smart, hardworking, always chasing her academic dreams. Everyone respected her grind. So how the hell did she think screwing someone over for a spot was okay? Jaden wondered, shaking his head. “What a letdown.”
With a heavy sigh, Jaden led her toward Professor Lawson’s office.