Chapter 1

After my wife Levitt got pregnant, I applied to join the polar research team.

During the mission, Levitt's first love Matthew and I both fell into an ice crevasse, our lives hanging by a thread.

Faced with the rescue rope Levitt threw down, I resolutely gave up saving myself and left the chance of survival to Matthew.

Because in my previous life, I was successfully rescued while Matthew was swallowed by the ice, his body never recovered.

After his death, Levitt showed no reaction. She withdrew from the research team to peacefully nurture her pregnancy.

It wasn't until after the child was born that Levitt said to me with a face full of hatred:

"This is mine and Matthew's child. You're the one who killed my child's father. He's dead—what right do you have to live? Go die and atone for your sins in hell!"

She pushed me off the rooftop and made it look like suicide.

When I opened my eyes again, I had been reborn to the moment of the rescue...

"Quick, grab the rope!"

Levitt stood in the distance and threw a rope that landed right beside me.

I instantly became fully alert. Turning my head, I saw Matthew behind me.

In temperatures of minus twenty degrees, the two of us clung desperately to the edge of the ice crevasse with our hands, a bottomless abyss beneath our feet.

The rescue rope was closest to me, but with Levitt's strength, she could only save one person.

My hands trembled. Gritting my teeth, I made sure Matthew beside me saw the rope.

"Matthew, grab the rope quick! I'll pull you up!"

The next second, Matthew firmly grasped the rope.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Levitt's whole body relax with relief as she pulled hard to drag him ashore.

"You're injured. Let's get back to the base quickly!"

Seeing Matthew rescued, I breathed a sigh of relief.

In the wind and snow, the two embraced tightly, supporting each other as they left. As she walked away, Levitt tossed the rope on the ground aside.

"Christie, I'll have someone else rescue you!"

Gritting my teeth to hold on, my strength completely depleted, I waited until they were far away before my hand slipped and I fell into the ice crevasse.

Fortunately, at the critical moment, the tool in my hand wedged into the crevice, temporarily stopping my descent.

I don't know how much time passed. Cold wind rushed through my torn protective suit, my fingers had lost all feeling but I kept holding on, until finally I heard voices from above.

"That Christie guy is probably already dead."

"If you fall down there, there's no way to survive. Who told him to show off and insist on coming out here."

I desperately called for help, finally getting the people on shore to notice this crevice. Looking up, I made eye contact with several people.

Seeing me, the few members of the research team all fell silent at once.

No one reached out to me, letting me continue sliding down.

"Christie, do you know you were wrong?"

"Who told you to deliberately lead Matthew this way, trying to harm him, only to nearly kill yourself instead."

Finally someone sneered and tossed down a chunk of ice that hit my face shield.

The slight movement made my nerves tense and cold sweat broke out on my back. I humbly begged them to save me.

Like watching a clown, several people gathered around the edge of the crevice, their faces full of mockery.

"Don't be a coward! Be a real man, own up to what you did, and climb up yourself!"

Lives were at stake, yet they were treating it like a joke.

My fingers had lost all feeling, my body was losing heat—I couldn't hold on much longer.

Finally, after they'd had their fill of enjoying my misery, a rope was thrown down from above. I tried to reach it but couldn't.

"Climb up yourself. We're leaving."

My whole body tensed. I could hardly believe it, but when I looked up, I saw Levitt's face.

"Levitt, help me out. Just pass me the rope."

These words filled her face with disgust. Not only did Levitt not help, she actually took an instinctive step back, then spoke in an icy tone.

"Why should I help you? If I hadn't been there today, Matthew would have been killed by you!"

"Climb up yourself. If you manage to survive, you have to apologize to Matthew. If anything happens to him, we're getting divorced!"

"You don't deserve to be this child's father!"

Losing strength, I listened as the sounds above went quiet. No matter how humbly I called for help, no one was willing to lend a hand.

I couldn't wait any longer. I would die.