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.”
Lucas frowned, his voice trembling slightly though he didn’t seem to notice. “No connection? What’s that supposed to mean? Are we strangers now?” I met his gaze evenly. “Aren’t we? Our lives don’t cross anymore. How I dress, how I live—it’s none of your business.” “If you’ve got money to burn, maybe donate to people who actually need it.” Maybe feeling I’d embarrassed him in front of everyone, Lucas’s face hardened. “Evelyn, cut the act. You came here to get my attention, didn’t you?” Olivia gently patted his arm. “Lucas, don’t be so harsh.” She turned to me, contempt barely hidden behind a gentle tone. “Evelyn, don’t mind him. He’s just concerned about an old friend.” “How about this? I opened a private clinic on South Street. We need a receptionist—$7,000 a month, plus room and board.” “If you’re interested, it’s yours.” Someone nearby exclaimed, “South Street? That’s prime real estate! Olivia, you’re amazing.” “Evelyn, you hit the jackpot! Quick, thank her!” I rolled my eyes, calmly eating my fruit. “No need. I’m happy with my job.” Seeing I wasn’t grateful, the bootlickers turned on me. “Evelyn, poverty has messed with your head. Lucas and Olivia are trying to help you, and you’re acting all high and mighty.” “We’re all old classmates here. We know what you’re worth. Don’t let your pride ruin this chance.” After he finished, Olivia pretended to stop him. “Don’t say that… Maybe Evelyn really likes her life now.” As she spoke, her eyes welled up, as if she’d been wronged. Seeing her tears, Lucas pulled her close. “Olivia, you’re too kind.” He turned to me, his voice cold. “Evelyn, I didn’t expect you to still be so selfish and fake.” “You’re beyond help. You deserve the life you’ve got.” I wondered why he’d say such things. In both lives, I’d never done anything to hurt him. Why, after all this time, was he still so cruel? I didn’t want to engage further. I stood to head to the private room upstairs, but a former classmate blocked my way. He held a drink, leering as he approached. “Evelyn, I always hated that stuck-up act of yours. Never thought I’d see the day.” “How about a drink? Five hundred bucks a glass, sound good?” “Let me hold your hand, and I’ll throw in extra.” I looked closer—barely recognizing him as the guy who’d confessed to me at graduation. Jack, I think his name was. Back then, I was focused on landing a study-abroad spot, so I turned him down flat. Guess he held a grudge. Everyone laughed. No one stepped in. I frowned. I hadn’t meant to crash their party. If not for my prior commitment, I’d have left long ago. Security was nowhere. As I was about to shove him away, Lucas—who’d been watching silently—suddenly hurled his glass at Jack. “Stay away from her,” he said, his voice icy. Jack, now drenched, spun around ready to fight but froze when he saw it was Lucas. He just shot me a vicious glare. The glass shattered on the floor. Olivia’s smug smile vanished as she stared at Lucas in disbelief. “Lucas, what are you doing?” Lucas didn’t even glance at her, his eyes fixed on me. “My event, my rules. I don’t want trouble.” I stepped back, wiping alcohol off my pants. “The security here is terrible.” Olivia glared at me, her eyes blazing. “You’re complaining?” “Do you even know where you are? This is Adrian’s place—the movie star. Without Lucas, someone like you wouldn’t get within a mile of here.” At the mention of Adrian, several women perked up. “The Adrian who’s won all those awards and been on the city’s rich list for five years straight?” “I heard he has a kid, but no one’s ever seen the wife.” Just then, the main door swung open. A little girl walked in, surrounded by bodyguards. She glanced around curiously. A butler in a suit followed closely. “Miss, please slow down. Watch your step.” The old classmates buzzed with excitement. “Someone who can just walk in here, called ‘Miss’—must be the movie star’s daughter!” “Oh my god, she looks just like Adrian!” I was about to step forward when Jack blocked my path again. He didn’t dare confront Lucas, so he took it out on me. “Evelyn, if it weren’t for Lucas, someone like you would never get to see a celebrity’s kid. How about you kneel and apologize? If I’m in a good mood, I might even marry you.” “A solid guy like me making five grand a month is a catch. You should be grateful!” I ignored him, watching as the girl got swarmed. They bombarded her with questions, some already pulling out phones to snap pictures. Olivia’s earlier arrogance was gone, replaced by a fawning smile. “Sweetie, is your daddy Adrian?” After getting a nod, Olivia’s smile widened. “What brings you here? Want some fruit? Let sister get it for you.” She reached to touch the girl’s cheek. The little girl pushed Olivia’s hand away and walked straight to me. Under everyone’s stares, she threw herself into my arms. “Mommy!” Her bright eyes filled with tears. “Mommy, Lily missed you so much!” “Why didn’t you answer Lily’s call yesterday?” I held her close, soothing her. “Mommy was rehearsing on set and didn’t check her phone. I won’t do it again. Can you forgive me?” Lily beamed and planted a loud kiss on my cheek. “Lily’s not mad. I was just worried.” I poked her cheek. “My Lily is the best.”
Everyone in the room was stunned, staring at us in disbelief. Lucas stood frozen, frowning as if about to speak. A handsome man in sunglasses rushed in. “Honey, why didn’t you text that you got off early? I would’ve picked you up. The traffic’s awful—I worry.” “The manager said your reunion was here?” He put an arm around my shoulder, took off his sunglasses, and smiled at the crowd. “Hey, everyone. I’m Evelyn’s husband, Adrian.” “Tonight’s on me. You’re Evelyn’s friends, so order anything. Hope you all have a great time.” Jack, who’d tried to get me to drink, turned pale. The women could barely contain their excitement. “Evelyn is married to Adrian?!” “Oh my god, this is like a movie! This is too perfect!” I just smiled without responding. Adrian turned, his gaze sweeping over Lucas. After a moment, he gave a faint, dismissive smile. “So you’re Evelyn’s college boyfriend?” “I should thank you. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have met my perfect wife.” Lucas didn’t answer, his eyes fixed on me. “Evelyn, are you lying again?” “Did you hire some actors?” I sighed, taking Adrian’s hand and showing Lucas the wedding ring on my finger. “He’s my husband, Adrian.” “I don’t lie. And I have no reason to lie to you.” Lucas suddenly panicked. “But you said you’d only love me forever!” Worried Adrian might misunderstand, I quickly clarified, “I never said that. Never.” Those words drained the color from Lucas’s face. He wanted to argue but knew he had no ground. In our past life, I had vowed at our wedding to love only him. But in this second chance, he’d chosen a different path. What right did he have to hold me to a promise from a life that no longer existed? Lucas couldn’t accept it. “Even so, we loved each other once. How can you just move on? Did our past mean nothing?” Beside him, Olivia had gone pale. I glanced at the proposal photos still rolling on the big screen and sighed. “Aren’t you with Olivia now?” “Half an hour ago, you were proposing to her. Now you’re accusing me of not cherishing the past?” Lucas had organized this gathering, and almost everyone had come to butter him up. When that guy harassed me, no one lifted a finger. Now that they knew who I was married to, they turned on Lucas and Olivia. “Come on, Lucas, let it go. Evelyn’s happy. You should be happy for her.” “I mean, who wouldn’t want to be with a guy like Adrian?” Olivia couldn’t take it anymore. She reached for Lucas’s hand. “Lucas, let’s go. I’m your fiancée now. You and Evelyn are over.” But the moment she touched him, Lucas shoved her away violently. Olivia lost her balance and fell onto the broken glass. Her hands were cut in several places. Her face flushed with humiliation, and she shot me a resentful look. Adrian’s smile deepened. “Mr. Summers, you’re not having second thoughts, are you? Trying to win my wife back?” “Evelyn is incredible, but she’s not interested. Don’t overestimate yourself.” Exposed, Lucas stammered, “No… I…” I raised a hand to stop him, my tone cold. “Lucas, the past is the past.” “I have a family now, and you’re with the person you always wanted.” “Let’s not do this.” Our daughter was clearly bored. She tugged Adrian’s hand and pouted. “Daddy, I don’t wanna stay here for my birthday. I wanna go home and eat the food you and Mommy make.” Adrian asked the butler to take her to the car. Holding my hand, he gave a meaningful look to the room. “I heard someone offered five hundred dollars for my wife to drink with him?” Jack went pale, trembling as he stammered, “It was me… I was an idiot, I offended Mrs. Smith. Please… please forgive me.” He hung his head, shaking. With a glance from Adrian, bodyguards stepped forward, lifted Jack, and dragged him into a side room. Then Adrian turned to Olivia. “And I heard you offered my wife a cleaning job at your clinic?” “Funny, I own the entire block in South District. If the clinic owner is personally hiring cleaners, maybe I should rethink the lease renewal.” The threat was clear. Olivia forced a smile, hiding slightly behind Lucas. “I was just joking with your wife… Please don’t take it seriously…” Adrian’s gaze swept over the others who’d disrespected me earlier. They all looked down, not daring to breathe loudly. Finally, he turned to me and gave a playful wink. I knew what that meant—he wanted praise for standing up for me. I took his hand and we turned to leave. Just outside the door, Lucas caught up. “Evelyn!”
The late autumn wind was chilly. I instinctively hugged my arms. I motioned for Adrian to wait in the car. After a moment’s hesitation, he draped his coat over my shoulders before getting in. Even now, he chose to trust me. I held Adrian’s coat tight, watching Lucas approach unsteadily. His eyes were dark, unreadable. “Why did you marry him? Is he really better than me?” His question was absurd, but thinking back to everything before I married Adrian, I couldn’t help but smile. That year, I was a rookie director trying to break into the industry. Even new-media producers wouldn’t look at my scripts. I’d almost run through my savings chasing that dream. When I was at my lowest, Adrian picked up my script. He didn’t look down on me. Instead, he went over every detail with me, suggested actors, helped me win my first director award. The day I won, he confessed. I won’t deny I’d fallen for him during those long collaborations, but because of my past-life scars, I held back. I asked him, “If I’m with you, can I still direct?” Adrian seemed surprised. “You’re your own person. You don’t need my permission. I love you, so I’ll support whatever you want to do.” I took a deep breath. “I want kids.” Adrian smiled softly. “Me too.” I said yes, and from that day on, he became my new beginning. We married. Adrian respected my wish for a simple church wedding with just close friends and family. Then came Lily. Seeing my expression, Lucas looked as if he’d been stabbed. Eyes red, he asked again, “That girl… she’s really yours?” “Yes.” “You never wanted a child with me. Why him?” His words brought back the ultrasound photo I’d clutched until I died in that crash. That baby had a steady heartbeat but died with me in the fire. My chest ached, tears blurring my vision. Lucas kept accusing me of betrayal. Finally, I couldn’t take it. I slapped him. Lucas held his cheek, staring at me in shock. “We had a child once.” “The day you drove us off the cliff, I was going to tell you.” “I used to feel so guilty about that baby. But now I’m just relieved. At least my child didn’t have a father like you.” Lucas froze. He covered his mouth, trembling. “No… you went to the clinic that day. Olivia said she saw you go in for an abortion.” “She said you thought I was too poor to have my child.” Then I understood why he’d called me selfish all those years. “If I looked down on you, why would I have married you without hesitation?” Lucas shattered. He collapsed, mumbling, “I killed my child… I killed them.” Tears fell as I looked at him, feeling only ridicule. “I walked with you for so long, gave you so much, and you believed someone else so easily.” I turned to leave, but Lucas grabbed my wrist. “Evelyn, I was wrong. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have doubted you.” “Please come back. I can’t live without you.” I shook my head, pulling my hand free. “Lucas, you forgot.” “‘Let’s never see each other again in this life.’ You said that.” I knew the past couldn’t be changed. Thankfully, I’d truly moved on. One night, police cars surrounded the Stevens’ private clinic. The next day, headlines blared: Oliver Stevens, Olivia’s father, arrested for illegal organ trafficking, corpse sales, and baby auctions.
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