The Sip That Stole My Life

All it took was a single sip of my new roommate's welcome milkshake on the first day of college for everything to spiral out of control. My mom suddenly decided to transfer the one million she'd originally set aside for my living expenses to her instead. My brother even planned to give her the luxury car that had been intended as my go-to college gift. I was so blindsided by their irrational actions that I rushed to stop them, only to be scolded in return for not knowing how to treat a classmate with kindness. When my roommate said she wanted to break into the entertainment industry, they poured every last resource into launching her career. It drove the company into bankruptcy. In the end, they all jumped to their deaths. Meanwhile, I suddenly fell gravely ill for no apparent reason, left barely clinging to life. It wasn't until my final moments that I learned the truth—the milkshake had been tied to a Usurpation System. After I drank it, everyone around me began treating her with unconditional devotion. When I opened my eyes again, I was back at the moment my roommate handed me the milkshake. This time, I took it from her. However, I held the straw up to her lips instead of drinking it. Chapter 1 The Milkshake That Stole Everything "Annie, look at you. You've been so busy handing out milkshakes that you haven't even had a sip yourself! Go on, have a sip." I took the milkshake from my roommate's hand and brought the straw up to her lips. "No, Sienna, you should drink it. I bought this to welcome you, after all." Annie Redwood waved her hands quickly, pushing the milkshake back toward me. However, I saw how her eyes lingered on my lips, unable to hide the anticipation as she waited for me to take a sip. That was exactly how it had happened in my previous life. I had taken the milkshake Annie handed me without a second thought. The very next second, my mom, who had been about to give me a one-million allowance, suddenly turned and handed the card to Annie instead. "You must be Sienna's roommate. This card has her living expenses on it. You take it. From now on, you and Sienna can use it together." I had stared in shock as my mom even told Annie the password before I could stop her. Then, my brother, Sylvan Gavell, pulled out the keys to a brand-new car and held them out toward Annie. It had been my reward for getting into college. He'd kept it hidden all summer, saving it for the first day of school so he could surprise me. Yet, he was now handing it over to her. "It's much easier if you two have a car when you go out. I just heard you say you got your driver's license, so this car is yours. I'll transfer the ownership of the car to you later." Annie hadn't even said a word, but Sylvan had already decided the fate of my car. "Mom, Sylvan, weren't these supposed to be for me?" I had rushed forward, completely bewildered. Alas, my attempts to stop them were received with harsh reprimands. "Sienna, you need to learn how to share nice things. You insisted on staying in the dorm, didn't you? Wasn't that so you could build good relationships with your classmates? Annie already gave you a milkshake. So, shouldn't you give something in return? That's just basic courtesy." I understood what they meant by returning a favor, but this was way beyond that. I tried to stop them again, but this time they shoved me aside. They even asked Annie if there was anything else she wanted, so they could buy it along with the car transfer. From that moment on, they blindly indulged her every demand. It got so bad that they eventually drained the family's savings and let the company fall to ruin just to satisfy Annie's whims. It wasn't until my final moments that I learned the truth, that our misfortune had all started with that milkshake. This time, there was no way I was going to let her succeed. Chapter 2 The Plan That Should Have Worked "Sorry, Annie. My throat's been hurting these past couple of days, so I really can't drink a milkshake." "C'mon, drink it. It's already open. People might actually think there's something wrong with it if we keep passing it back and forth." I handed the milkshake back as I carefully watched Annie's expression. "What are you talking about, Sienna? We just met today. Why would I ever poison you?" Annie's eyes flickered with a trace of panic before she quickly forced herself to sound calm. "I'm kidding. Go on, drink." I nudged the milkshake a little closer to her. I hadn't just learned that the milkshake was bound to a system before I died. I had also learned that the one who initiated the binding would suffer a backlash if they drank it themselves. 'I'll find a way to make you drink it even if you try to wriggle out of this, Redwood. This time, you're going to pay for what you did.' I was already considering slipping it into her food if she kept turning away from it when she did something I didn't expect. She picked up the milkshake and took a sip. "You know, the milkshakes from that shop by the school gate are actually pretty good. It's too bad that your throat hurts, Sienna. I'll treat you to one next time." She kept drinking as she spoke. Her expression remained completely normal even after finishing more than half the cup. There wasn't the slightest sign of the backlash she was supposed to suffer. 'How's that possible?' It was Annie herself who had told me that drinking the milkshake would trigger the backlash. In my previous life, I had cursed her when I was on the verge of death, saying she would get what she deserved. She had only smiled and told me that the system could indeed backfire, causing her to feel as if 100 needles were piercing through her body. But then, she added that I had already drunk the one milkshake that could have triggered that backlash for her. I had been on death's door at the time. So, there was no reason for her to lie to me. Yet, she wasn't showing any signs of pain even after drinking the milkshake. What was going on here? Chapter 3 No More Dorm, No More Risk When my mother heard me, she looked at me with concern. "Sienna, your throat hurts? Have Sylvan take you to a doctor later. The weather's been so hot lately. It'll be awful if you fell ill now." She immediately told Sylvan to bring over the first-aid kit they'd prepared, saying there were some basic medicines inside in case I couldn't get to a doctor at school right away. I nearly burst into tears when I saw the worry on their faces. It had been so long since I'd felt such unconditional love. In my previous life, they had devoted themselves entirely to Annie after I drank that milkshake, ignoring everything I said and looking at me as if I were their enemy. In the end, they had given up everything for her, even their lives. I wasn't going to let that tragedy happen this time around. "Mom, I don't want to stay in the dorm anymore. Didn't you buy me an apartment unit near campus? Can I move there instead?" I had actually enrolled in a local university. Although home wasn't too far away, my mom had still bought an apartment nearby as soon as she found out I'd been accepted—just so I wouldn't have to stay in the dorm and could live more comfortably on my own. "The dorms are crowded. I was worried you wouldn't get used to it. And with a roommate… what if your lifestyles don't match?" Back then, my mom had listed a whole string of concerns, but I had insisted on staying in the dorm. I thought it would help me build better relationships with my classmates, so I didn't want to stand out by living off-campus right from the start. My mom respected my decision and agreed without much fuss. What I hadn't expected was to be assigned to a mixed dorm. The other two roommates were seniors who were out on internships most of the time and rarely came back. In the end, it was just me and Annie left in the room. Even though I had no idea how Annie could drink the milkshake and come out completely fine, I decided to play it safe. I thought I could at least avoid her if I couldn't fight her. As long as I kept my distance, it didn't matter what tricks she had up her sleeve because she wouldn't be able to use them on me. Chapter 4 The Influence I Couldn't Escape To my dismay, my mom shot me a disapproving look. "Sienna, your luggage is already here, so just stay for now, alright? Moving everything back and forth is too much trouble. And it's just you and Annie in the dorm. She's such a nice girl. It'll be good for you to have each other for company." I froze for a moment. In the past, my mom would've immediately bought one the moment I said I wanted to move out. It wouldn't have mattered to her if there hadn't already been an apartment near the school. Yet, she told me no despite already having a place waiting, simply because moving was inconvenient. "And Sienna, I asked Annie just now, and she only gets 500 a month for living expenses." My mom didn't even look at my expression as she continued speaking. "I thought about it, and giving you one million all at once is too much. It'll only encourage you to spend recklessly. I'll be giving you 500 as your allowance. I've also canceled your supplementary card." "Mom, didn't you say the one million was to help me learn how to manage money? Even the allowance I got back in high school was more than 500." I was utterly flabbergasted. Even though this time she hadn't handed the money to Annie, it was obvious she was already being influenced. Still, I hadn't taken a single sip of that milkshake, barely even interacted with Annie. So… just what was going on here? "Sylvan, didn't you say you had a gift for me on the first day of school?" I could only turn to Sylvan. He'd been downstairs directing the staff moving the luggage and hadn't stayed in the dorm for long. He shouldn't have been affected. "Don't worry, I didn't forget. Here's your gift." I finally let out a sigh of relief when I saw the familiar indulgent smile on his face and the set of keys resting in his palm. It looked like he hadn't been affected after all. Maybe my mom hadn't either. Perhaps she'd just changed her mind on a whim after hearing Annie talk. 'Forget it. What matters is that they're okay. Worst case, I'll just get a part-time job and rent a place myself.' I smiled and reached out to take the keys, but something felt off the moment they landed in my hand. These weren't the keys to the car he had prepared for me. They didn't even look like car keys. "Sylvan, this is…" "This? Annie mentioned just now that it's more convenient to ride an electric scooter around campus, so I picked up a secondhand one for you. What do you think? Pretty thoughtful of me, right?" he said proudly. "But Sylvan, you know I don't even know how to ride one." I couldn't understand it at all. I hadn't even known when Annie had spoken to him. I'd seen that car myself right after I finished the SAT. I knew what I saw. He'd kept it hidden on purpose, saying he wanted to save it for the first day of school. He had said something about how special occasions should be celebrated. So how had it turned into a secondhand scooter? I felt panic rise in my chest upon hearing my mother and Sylvan constantly bringing Annie up. I was terrified they would fall even deeper into this thrall, so deep they wouldn't even care about their own safety anymore. "Mom, I really don't want to stay in the dorm. Why don't you give me the keys to the apartment, and I'll move everything over by myself, okay?" I grabbed onto her arm anxiously, desperate to get her away from this hellhole as soon as possible. Alas, my mom shook me off. "Sienna, just stay here for now. Get along with Annie. I'm sure you two will become good friends. When you have time, you should bring Annie over as well." Why? Why was this happening? They had barely even spoken to Annie. Yet, shit had already hit the fan. It didn't matter how much I argued, as I couldn't change my mom's mind. To make matters worse, there were no spare dorm rooms available for me to switch into right now. In the end, I had no choice but to stay. Chapter 5 She Still Made It Through "Well, if it isn't Ms. Gavell. What are you doing here, shaking milkshakes?" "Aren't you your family's precious little princess? Yet you're now stuck living in a dorm, can't even afford food, and have to work a job like this." "Did your family company go under, or did that perfect image you worked so hard to build finally fall apart?" I was working part-time at the time, trying to save up enough to move out and stay far away from Annie. I hadn't expected to run into my old high school classmates. They had never liked me back then. Now that they'd caught me like this, they didn't hesitate to pounce. I didn't want to engage. I just focused on making their milkshakes as quickly as possible, hoping they'd leave. However, they took my silence as avoidance and laughed even harder. Then, they ordered 80 cups of whipped frozen lemonade. They even specifically requested that I be the one to make them. "You were so cocky back in high school. This is what you get, Sienna!" "Do it properly. I'll file a complaint if even one of them tastes off." Right then, the boss showed up. The moment he heard about the large order of 80 cups, he immediately smiled and arranged seats for them. Then, he turned to order me to finish everything quickly. He even told me that I wouldn't pass the probation period if I mess things up, and that the past ten-plus days of work would go unpaid. I wanted to throw everything down and walk out on the spot. However, the image of my family lying in pools of blood from my previous life flashed in my mind, along with the helplessness and despair I'd felt back then. So, I clenched my teeth and endured the humiliation. I had to move out as soon as possible. I didn't even have the time or energy to argue, even if the boss had threatened not to pay my wages. … I worked until nightfall. My arms were so sore I could barely lift them before finally finishing all 80 cups. I hadn't even had dinner, but I still had to listen to their endless mocking and nitpicking. As I dragged my weary bones back, I happened to get a call from my mom. She asked if I'd eaten, if I'd been doing okay these past few days. When I heard her voice, all the frustration I'd bottled up that day came rushing out, and tears threatened to spill over. I forced them back down, silently resolving to move out as soon as possible. My mom and Sylvan seemed to be gradually returning to normal after returning home. They hadn't brought up the allowance or the car again, but they also hadn't mentioned Annie anymore. Instead, they kept calling to check on me, especially after I'd said my throat wasn't feeling well a couple of days ago. After I saw the doctor, my mom even started texting me at every mealtime to remind me to take my medicine. It seemed that they had simply gotten too close to Annie and couldn't avoid being influenced back then. Now that there was some distance between them, Annie's thrall on them was fading. It likely also helped that I hadn't drunk the milkshake this time. My hypothesis was right. My family would return to normal as long as I stayed away from Annie. Just when I thought everything was finally looking up, Annie suddenly dragged me over to show off her outfit when I walked into the dorm one day. Apparently, she was going to audition for a girl group reality show. I immediately went on red alert. In my previous life, her entry into the entertainment industry had started with that very show. Back then, our family had nothing to do with the entertainment world. Yet, they had poured in everything they had just to secure resources for her. They even went as far as to jump to their deaths in a final act to generate publicity and buzz for her. Otherwise, she would never have made a name for herself with her abilities. This time, she shouldn't even have been able to pass the initial auditions without my family's help. I quickly realized I was wrong. That weekend, I decided to go home for a meal. After all, it had been a while. However, my mom insisted that I bring Annie along. "Mom, Annie's been busy with audition rounds these past couple of days. She doesn't have time," I said casually, brushing it off. The last thing I wanted was for them to get close again. "I know that show. Don't worry. Your dad has already connected her with the organizers. She'll definitely pass the auditions." I froze on the spot. "Mom… have you been in contact with Annie?" My voice was already starting to tremble. "Of course. We added each other on WhatsApp the day school started. Oh, right, you might've gone to the restroom then, so you didn't know. Sienna, you were absolutely right to stay in the dorm. You would've missed out on meeting such a wonderful girl otherwise." There was even a trace of fondness in my mom's voice as she spoke. "But Mom, our family has never been involved in the entertainment industry." I still held onto a sliver of hope that she would give up helping Annie. "We haven't, but your dad met someone connected to the show during his business trip a couple of days ago. And Sienna, you don't understand. Annie grew up without parents. It hasn't been easy for her to get this far. "Now that she's your roommate, it must be fate. If I can help, I will," her tone grew increasingly sympathetic. "No, you can't. That's basically helping her cheat. Annie's such an upright person! She wouldn't want to get in through the back door," I cut in quickly, grasping at any excuse I could find. I couldn't let them start helping her again. Then, I softened my tone. "Mom, think about it. If you help her this time, what about next time? We can't support her forever. If she doesn't pass on her own ability this round, then getting eliminated in the next stage would just be false hope. She might even resent you for interfering." It seemed that my words worked as my mom seemed to realize the problem and quickly said she wouldn't get involved anymore. I finally let out a long breath of relief. Annie spent all her time on appearances, so she knew nothing about singing or dancing. Plus, her looks were nothing extraordinary. In my previous life, there was no way she would've become popular if our family hadn't spent so much money building her image and fighting for resources. This time, she shouldn't even be able to step into the industry without anyone backing her. My part-time wages finally came in right after dinner. I immediately packed up and moved out. Since Annie and I weren't even in the same major, we wouldn't run into each other in class either. I had truly distanced myself from her this time around. I also used my mom's phone to delete Annie's WhatsApp contact, cutting her off from my family entirely. I made more frequent trips home over the following days, making sure my mom had completely stopped contacting Annie. Not only that, but my mom and Sylvan eventually returned the one-million allowance and the luxury car to me. They even gave me the keys to the apartment near school, telling me I could move out anytime I wanted. I had completely escaped Annie's evil clutches, and my life returned to normal. Now that all that nonsense was behind me, my mood improved so much that even the air felt sweeter. More than a month passed like this. One day, I was lying on my bed scrolling through my phone when a video suddenly caught my attention. It was the girl group show Annie had auditioned for, and the contestants had already been selected. They had released clips from the preliminary rounds as part of the promotion. I saw Annie in those clips. Still, what really caught my eye was the person who had been standing beside her in that fleeting shot. That was because that person looked like my mom. 'What the hell is going on?'