Chapter 3: The Cycle of Betrayal

Derek was always hung up on his size. Before meeting the rich girl, he claimed bead implants would make up for what he lacked. He spun it like he was doing her a favor—giving her an experience she’d never forget.

I flashed back to sophomore year, Derek cracking self-deprecating jokes at frat parties, then obsessively researching weird supplements at 3 a.m. He’d convinced himself drastic measures were the only way to win over women like her.

I did everything to stop him. Sent him WebMD links, made him watch Vice documentaries on botched surgeries. “Look, Marcus, if a woman only wants you for this stuff, she’s not worth it. Work on yourself, not on some TikTok challenge.”

He finally got scared after all the horror stories. He bailed on the surgery, decided to just bring her flowers and his best jokes. For a second, I thought he’d finally listened.

But after one night, the rich woman dumped him. "She said I was nothing special, Caleb. Not even worth a second try." His voice was so crushed, I wanted to break something.

I tried to help—pulled strings to get him a job at my dad’s warehouse. He never said thanks, but I figured he just needed a win.

Didn’t matter. The rich woman posted her new influencer boyfriend all over Instagram—luxury LA homes, brand-new cars in his name. Our group chat roasted the whole saga. Derek just doom-scrolled, jealousy simmering beneath his silence.

The influencer went full A-list—parties, Lakers games, hanging with celebs. My feed was nothing but his face and overpriced brunches.

Then the influencer spilled the real secret: the bead surgery was what won over the rich woman. He bragged about it everywhere. Derek read every word, his envy boiling over.

Next thing I knew, Derek was inviting me out for drinks, saying he owed me. He drugged me, tied me to a table, and stood over me with a bag of beads and a face full of resentment.

“It’s all your fault. If you hadn’t meddled, I’d be the one living the dream.”

He cut me open. I died from the pain—again.

And when I woke up, I was back at the start. Stuck in this nightmare loop, cursed to watch Derek’s obsession destroy us both.