Chapter 1

My company had just landed a massive deal, and we were celebrating at a gala.

My wife, Mila, suddenly claimed she was having an allergic reaction and begged me to go buy medicine.

I spent forever searching for a pharmacy and finally found one with a long line.

While I was waiting, an old man charged in and tried to cut ahead of me.

I stood my ground, but the old man suddenly suffered a heart attack and died on the spot.

Public outrage exploded, and I was crucified by millions of strangers online.

Even Mila and my best friend, Landon, turned on me, calling me selfish and leaking edited videos of me shouting at employees.

Under the weight of the endless cyberbullying, I lost focus while driving and ended up in a fatal car wreck.

Mila and Landon inherited my entire company and lived happily together with their two children.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day Mila claimed she was having an allergic reaction.

1.

"Sir, we have these two types of allergy medication. Which one would you like?"

The clerk's sweet voice snapped me out of my daze.

She repeated her question, and it hit me like a lightning bolt―I had been reborn.

Across the street, I saw an old man walking toward the pharmacy in a hurry.

He was hunched over and wearing a mask.

I recognized him instantly; he was the man who had started the fight and died of a heart attack in my previous life.

Cold sweat soaked through my shirt as the memories of my ruin rushed back.

I knew I had to get out of there immediately.

"Actually, I don't need it anymore. Sorry," I muttered.

I lowered my head and hurried out of the store, watching from a distance as the old man entered.

A few moments later, the familiar sound of a loud argument drifted out.

"What's the big deal if I cut in line? I'm old enough to be your father!"

"Oh! My heart! Don't you dare touch me, or I'll die right here and sue you for every penny!"

The suspicion that had been haunting me started to clear up.

In my last life, everything had happened too perfectly, making me suspect my wife was behind it.

But looking at it now, that old man was just a naturally miserable person looking for a fight.

Was I just incredibly unlucky the first time around?

Suddenly, a text message from Mila popped up on my phone.

"Honey, did you get it yet? I had some seafood and my whole body is breaking out in hives!"

"You have to go to that specific pharmacy I told you about! Nowhere else has the right brand. Don't mess this up!"

I stared at the message and decided to test her.

"Is it that bad? Maybe I should just take you to the emergency room instead."

Mila blew up instantly.

"Do you even love me anymore?"

"It's just a bottle of pills! Why are you making this so difficult?"

"Lincoln, if you keep acting like this, I'm done. We're getting a divorce!"

In the past, Mila used the word "divorce" like a weapon.

She always acted like she had done me a favor by marrying me right after graduating college.

I felt guilty because I was older than her, so I tolerated her temper and gave her everything.

But she seemed to forget that she was the one who chased me because of my status as a CEO.

Thinking back on our marriage, I didn't want to believe she was capable of murder.

There was no logical reason for her to go that far.

While I was lost in thought, another notification popped up from a gift supplier we used.

"Mr. Ford, for this year's holiday gifts, are we sticking with the premium seafood platters?"

I started to type a reply.

"Yes, but swap out the one for my house. My wife is allergic to shellfish."

I froze mid-sentence as the realization hit me.

Wait, Mila grew up on the coast and absolutely loved seafood.

In all our years together, I had never once seen her have an allergic reaction to it.

Why would she suddenly be breaking out in hives tonight?

I remembered her earlier―covered in red spots, yet refusing to see a doctor.

I typed the name of the medicine she requested into a delivery app.

Dozens of pharmacies in the city popped up with the item in stock.

It wasn't a rare drug at all, and it certainly wasn't exclusive to that one pharmacy.

The shop she sent me to was miles away from the party venue.

I stood there in the cold night air, realizing I was being lured into a trap.