Karma Wears DesignerChapter 1

My best friend became an overnight billionaire and tossed me a limited-edition Louis Vuitton bag like she was throwing a bone to a stray dog.

I took it and used it to haul rotting trash from the dumpster behind the cafeteria.

Why? Because I’ve died before.

In my past life, Bella Sterling bound herself to a parasitic entity—a supernatural curse that allowed her to siphon off every ounce of my luck through the objects she gifted me.

She became the untouchable "It Girl," the natural-born genius who went viral with a single makeup-free selfie and signed million-dollar contracts before graduation.

Meanwhile, I spiraled. I developed a severe metabolic disorder, flunked every class, and eventually died from cardiac arrest during the gym class mile run, my body giving out under the weight of a stolen life.

But I’m back. I’ve been reborn.

And if she wants to trade lives, I’m going to make sure she gets exactly what she paid for.

* * *

I was walking back from the water fountain during passing period when I saw a crowd gathered around my desk.

"Harper! Oh my god, you're finally back! Look what I brought you from the shoot!"

Bella Sterling spotted me and waved enthusiastically. Her smile was dazzling, the kind that stopped traffic. Every movement she made was calculated perfection.

I walked over. Sitting on my desk, basking in a sunbeam like a holy relic, was a pristine Louis Vuitton Capucines bag. The leather shimmered under the fluorescent lights.

The surrounding classmates let out a collective gasp of envy.

"No way. That’s a legit LV. Bella is literally the best friend ever. Harper Vance must have saved a country in her past life to deserve her."

"Please. Look at Harper. She’s a total mess. She looks like a bloated tick. A bag like that on her? It’s like putting lipstick on a pig."

"Seriously. If I had a friend like Bella, I’d be on my knees thanking her right now."

Bella heard every word. She tilted her chin up slightly, soaking in the praise, before turning her "concerned" gaze to me.

"Harper, are you in shock? Come on, swap your stuff over! That old backpack you're carrying is falling apart. It’s practically leaking pens."

It was almost funny. A long time ago, Bella was the poor, insecure, overweight girl. I was the one who bought her lunch, who helped her study.

Then came my sixteenth birthday. Bella gave me a bag she had "hand-stitched" herself.

That was the moment my perfect life shattered.

Bella had bound the Curse to me. That handmade bag was her extraction tool.

If I put a mirror in it, she stole my beauty. If I put my textbooks in it, she drained my intelligence.

I remembered the time I caught the flu. I carried my medicine in that bag to school. The next day, I could barely walk without wheezing, while the historically sickly Bella suddenly ran a six-minute mile.

I had spent years in a spiral of self-hatred, while Bella quietly encouraged the school to isolate the "weird, fat girl."

Staring at the designer leather, I let out a cold laugh and looked up.

"Bella, didn't you hear everyone? Someone like me makes a bag like this look like trash. Honestly, my old backpack matches my vibe way better."

I paused, scanning the room. "But I’d hate to waste your generosity. So, I’ll pay it forward. Does anyone else want a free Louis Vuitton? First come, first served."

The room exploded. The classmates who had just been mocking me lost their minds.

"Me! I want it!"

"Back off! I need that bag!"

"Move, losers!"

A girl named Roxy—tall, broad-shouldered, and mean—used her linebacker build to shove everyone aside.

She slammed her hand on the desk, glaring at the crowd. "Anyone who touches this bag gets a black eye!"

Bella’s face went pale. The air of superiority vanished, replaced by sheer panic. She shrieked, "No! You can’t! That was a gift for Harper!"

"But she said she didn't want it," Roxy sneered, clutching the leather handle. "Besides, look at her. She’d probably just get mugged for it in five minutes anyway."

Bella looked like she was choking. She watched Roxy claim the bag with a mix of urgency and terror, her entire body trembling with rejection.

Watching her panic, a thought crossed my mind.

If the bag holds someone else's belongings... does the extraction spell work on them instead?