Chapter 1

My wife tampered with my paragliding gear.

All so her first love could take home the championship.

By the time I noticed the defect mid-air, it was already too late.

In the final seconds of my life, I called her.

Before I could even speak, she cut me off, her voice thick with annoyance.

"Logan, can't you just be the bigger person for once?"

"You've won so many gold medals already. Couldn't you just let Tristan win this one?"

"The doctors said he has terminal cancer. He has less than a month to live. I promised to grant him this dying wish. After this, we’ll go back to living our normal lives."

Surrounded by her callous complaints, I plummeted into the deep, untouched forest.

While I fell to my death, she was already celebrating Tristan’s victory.

What she didn't expect was that the event organizers, desperate to locate me, released the full aerial race footage.

And our final phone call was about to be exposed to the entire world.

During the paragliding championship, my wife, Samantha, secretly sabotaged my rig just so her ex, Tristan, could win.

By the time I realized it mid-air, it was too late to deploy my reserve.

I could only watch helplessly as the massive canopy dragged me down into the wilderness below.

Right before I crashed, Samantha's indifferent voice still echoed in my ears.

"Aren't you supposed to be the prodigy? Even with a rigged harness, you should still be able to take first place."

After a flash of blinding agony, I slowly opened my eyes.

Only then did I realize my body was translucent. I was floating in mid-air.

Below me, cheers roared through the crowd at the podium ceremony.

Samantha, acting as the event's emcee, beamed as she hung the gold medal around Tristan’s neck.

She stood on her tiptoes to hug him, planting a sweet, lingering kiss on his cheek.

When asked for his winner's speech, Tristan looked at Samantha and spoke with pride.

"Standing on this podium is an absolute honor. I want to take this moment to thank Samantha. Without her daily support and dedication, I would never have returned to the sport, let alone won this gold!"

Samantha covered her mouth in joyful shock, blushing like a smitten teenager.

"It's all your own talent and hard work. I just couldn't bear to see you miss out on your dream."

Even the reporters gushed over their "storybook romance."

Watching them clasp their fingers tightly together on stage made my ghost-heart ache like it was being shredded with needles.

Why?

Samantha was my wife.

And that gold medal belonged to me!

In reality, I was the one whose dreams were shattered. I was the one dying with bitter regrets.

I suddenly remembered this morning before I left the house. Samantha had grabbed my hand, telling me paragliding was too dangerous and begging me to forfeit.

I had only chuckled, fondly ruffling her hair, promising I’d bring home the gold for her.

Back then, I truly believed she was worried about my safety.

Now I saw the truth. All she wanted was to clear the path for Tristan.

Tristan and I had been fierce rivals ever since our rookie days.

Whenever our names were on the same roster, it became the hottest betting match of the year.

Countless fans placed massive wagers on us.

Yet Tristan had never beaten me once.

Not until three years ago, when he was caught taking performance-enhancing drugs before a major race and was handed a suspension, leaving the country in disgrace.

Only then did our rivalry fade from the headlines.

During those three years, I swept every major national title, becoming the top pilot in the sport, affectionately nicknamed "Peter Pan" by my fans.

Even for today's race, the odds were overwhelmingly in my favor.

Yet here they were, and I was nowhere to be found.

The bettors in the stands were already rioting, demanding an explanation.

How could an elite pilot in peak condition simply drop off the map?

"Where is Logan? Make him come out and explain!"

"Did he take a bribe to throw the match? How else could a scrub like Tristan beat Logan? Do you think we’re blind?!"

As the host, Samantha had no choice but to step forward and smooth things over.

"Please, everyone, calm down! Our race is completely fair and transparent. I promise you, the organizers will release the full flight footage and conduct strict medical checks on all athletes. We will not tolerate any rule violations!"

Instead of calming the room, her words only stoked the flames.

Right then, a staff member rushed out from backstage, visibly panicking.

"A pilot suffered an equipment malfunction mid-flight! He likely crashed into the mountain wilderness. We've lost all contact with him!"

The moment the words landed, the microphone slipped from Samantha’s fingers, crashing loudly onto the floor.