Chapter 1

My boyfriend died for his first love, and I died in a car accident as a result.

After we were reborn, we stayed out of each other’s lives. That was the silent agreement.

I never expected to run into him again at a nightclub—

down on one knee, proposing to that same first love.

When he noticed me, his eyes swept over me with open disdain.

“So this is what your life has come to without me?”

“Don’t pretend. You followed me here because you want me back, didn’t you?”

“Beg. Maybe I’ll be generous enough to take you back.”

I just stared at him, genuinely caught off guard.

Then I laughed.

Apparently, no one had told him yet—

I was already married.

I never thought I’d see Lucas again, especially not in a place like this.

I got stuck in traffic and missed the reunion dinner, so I drove straight to the club where I had another commitment. To my surprise, I bumped into my old classmates—they’d moved the party here.

They were lost in the music on the dance floor. Lucas, with his fair skin and tall build, stood out in the crowd. He held Olivia close, his eyes full of affection.

"Lucas is a real prodigy. So young and already owns multiple Formula 1 teams," someone commented.

"Absolutely. He rented out this entire club just for Olivia tonight."

"This has to be the most expensive venue in the city. A night here must cost at least a million."

"Well, you can't put a price on making your girl smile."

As the music faded, Olivia stood there, flushed and slightly breathless.

Suddenly, the big screen lit up, playing a montage of Lucas and Olivia's romantic moments. The crowd cheered as Olivia was guided to the stage. Lucas, holding a bouquet of roses, got down on one knee in front of her.

"Olivia, will you marry me?" His voice was soft, brimming with emotion.

Someone in the crowd muttered, not too quietly, "When did Lucas and Evelyn break up?"

The question hung in the air, reaching everyone's ears.

Hearing my name, Lucas’s expression darkened, his smile vanishing.

Olivia’s face stiffened for a second before she recovered, accepting the flowers with a polite smile. "Lucas has always been popular, but hey, who didn’t make mistakes when they were young? What matters is that it all worked out in the end."

The crowd laughed, chiming in about what a perfect match they were.

I stood in the corner, watching their intertwined fingers. Was I the "mistake" she meant?

But she didn’t know—in our past life, Lucas was the one who chased me.

He fell for me at first sight and pursued me intensely. Back then, who could resist a handsome, brilliant man who seemed utterly devoted?

So I said yes.

The day we made it official, Lucas cupped my face, hesitating before a kiss. "Evelyn, is this a dream?" he whispered. "If I kiss you, will I wake up?"

I laughed, brushed my fingers over his beautiful eyes, and stood on my toes to kiss him.

That night, he promised, "Evelyn, I’ll spend my whole life making you happy."

I believed him.

But he lied.

I took a deep breath and moved toward the elevator through the dim light.

A sharp-eyed former classmate spotted me. "Evelyn? What are you doing here?"

"What happened to you? You look… tired."

"Don’t tell me you’re still jobless. Since Lucas is here, just ask him for a favor. I’m sure he could hook you up with something that pays at least five grand a month. For old times’ sake."

Their mockery was thinly veiled. I ignored it, politely smiling as I poured myself a glass of ice water.

From the moment I walked in, Lucas’s eyes were locked on me. Seeing me take the free water, he seemed to relax a bit. "Order whatever you want," he said casually. "It’s on me tonight."

"Thanks, but I’m good," I replied, my tone polite but distant.

Lucas’s step faltered. Half his face was shadowed, his expression unreadable.

After a long moment, he let out a low, bitter laugh. "Still as proud as ever, Evelyn."

Olivia watched me with wary eyes, lacing her fingers with Lucas’s in a possessive gesture. "Evelyn, no offense, but as a woman, you could at least try to look presentable in public."

"Look at you—mismatched clothes, messy hair. What man would want you like this?"

"I have tons of old clothes at home. If you want them, you can have them. Lucas buys me so much, I can’t even fit it all in two walk-in closets."

The group chuckled.

I glanced at my reflection in the glass. After two straight days on set, I was exhausted and hadn’t bothered fixing up. Next to Olivia’s flawless appearance, I did look rough.

"No thanks," I said, waving her off as I reached for some chilled fruit at the bar. I was too hungry to care about manners.

Lucas suddenly walked over and held out his phone. I looked up, confused.

"Give me your account details. I’ll wire you three hundred thousand," he said.

"Your situation… it’s partly my fault."

"But that’s in the past. Don’t be so stubborn."

"Stop waiting around for me. Move on."

Lucas’s phone wallpaper was a picture of Olivia holding a huge bouquet. Her carefree smile made me pause.

In our past life, I wasn’t even his wallpaper. My number wasn’t saved because he never needed to call me—I handled everything for him, both in life and work.

Guess it’s true—you can always tell when someone’s really into you, and when they’re not.

We started dating in college and married right after graduation.

He dreamed of being a race car driver. I wanted to be a film director.

Two completely different paths, never meant to cross.

Seeing the disappointment in his eyes, I gave in.

I gave up my chance to study abroad without a second thought, following him around day after day, hauling heavy toolboxes.

When he didn’t have professional gear, I delivered food on my bike late at night, saving up to buy him the best racing suit.

When he had no pit crew, I taught myself mechanics, doing the work of a whole team for him.

But he still lost.

His second-hand car, bought cheap, couldn’t compete with the latest models.

And when I tried to comfort him through the slump, he pushed me away, his eyes filled with a disgust I’d never seen before:

"I’m so sick of this boring life with you."

"If I’d chosen Olivia back then, I wouldn’t be stuck like this."

Those words shattered every hope I had.

I didn’t even get to look back at the road we’d traveled before we both died in that crash off the cliff.

I wanted to beg him to save our baby.

But the words were swallowed by the flames before I could speak.

Since fate gave us a second chance, we both chose to live the lives we wanted.

There was no reason to stay in touch.

I pushed the phone back toward him. "We’re not connected anymore. This isn’t necessary."