Chapter 1

Chapter 1

After being reborn, I decided to give my fiancé back to his precious first love.

When he threw a singles party for her and didn't want me around, I bought a one-way ticket to Paris.

When he said looking at me annoyed him, I resigned from the company without hesitation.

When he claimed living in the same country suffocated him, I packed up and moved across the ocean.

Finally, he said he needed to give his first love a sense of security.

I simply nodded and accepted another man's marriage proposal.

I obeyed his every wish, over and over again, all because of what happened in my past life.

In that life, after he and I married, Vivian ended her own life in a hotel bathroom.

Chase blamed me for tearing them apart. He dragged me into a dark basement, tore me apart piece by piece, and drained every drop of blood from my veins.

In this life, all I wanted was to stay alive.

Years later, as I was taking a walk with my husband and child, Chase dropped to his knees before me, sobbing his heart out.

"Maya, please leave them. Come back to me, and I'll give you everything."

…

"Maya Hayes, Chase is throwing a singles party for Vivian Brooks tonight. Aren't you going?"

Hearing my name snapped me out of my trance.

I blinked, staring blankly at my friend. She gave me a worried look. "Did you and Chase get into another fight? You've been spacing out for days."

I shook my head quietly.

Right then, my phone buzzed. It was Chase calling.

Looking at his familiar number, a wave of bitterness washed over me.

It took me several seconds before I finally answered.

His voice came through the speaker, cold and detached. "Vivian just broke up with her boyfriend. No partners or plus-ones are allowed tonight. I don't want your presence upsetting her."

I bit down hard on my lower lip until I tasted iron, the metallic tang grounding me in reality.

He kept rambling on, but I didn't process a single word.

Cutting him off, I fought back the overwhelming pain in my chest.

Forcing my voice to stay steady, I replied, "Understood. I won't ruin your night. Besides, I have a business trip to France."

Chase fell silent on the other end.

Perhaps he was surprised that I didn't argue or demand to know why I couldn't be near Vivian like I used to.

After a brief pause, his tone softened slightly. "Good. You're finally acting mature."

A sharp ache pierced my heart. I squeezed my eyes shut, desperately fighting back the tears.

My friend watched me with wide eyes, stunned by my reaction.

I knew why she was surprised. In the past, I loved Chase to the point of losing all self-respect.

Yet this time, I didn't scream, throw a fit, or spiral into insecurity over Vivian.

Seeing how pale I looked, my friend didn't press further. She only sighed and poured me a glass of warm water.

The warm water slid down my throat, slowly easing the icy chill in my body.

I offered her a weak smile, tidied up my desk, and opened my laptop to book a flight.

"Are you really flying to France?" she asked softly.

"Yeah," I murmured, my voice heavy.

"I've wanted to go for a long time. This is the perfect chance to clear my head."

Seeing the deep concern in her eyes, I pulled her into a tight hug.

Her warm embrace almost broke my resolve.

She didn't know why I seemed so utterly drained, but she gently rubbed my back and whispered comforting words.

"I'm done loving Chase," I whispered. "I'm just so tired."

Though she didn't know the full story, she smiled encouragingly. "Then congratulations on your brand-new start."

A single tear slipped down my cheek.

She had no idea that I had already died once. God had shown me mercy and given me a second chance.

This time, my only goal was to live.