Chapter 1

My wife and her side piece murdered me. Right before I drew my last breath, she leaned in close and whispered in my ear:

"The kid is his. I never loved you. Marrying you was just my only way out!"

Back in high school, I couldn't bear to see her get terrorized by the school bully, so I stepped up to protect her.

Little did I know, she ended up falling for him, eating up every bit of abuse he threw her way.

Under their mocking glares, my eyes slowly closed.

When I opened them again, I was back in high school—on the exact day that thug cornered her outside the school gates.

This time, I decided to pull up a seat and enjoy the show.

"Go right ahead and mess with her. I'll just treat it like dinner and a movie!"

"Damn it, this bastard just won't die!"

A burly guy with bleached-blond hair stood behind me, looping an electrical wire around my neck and yanking it back with everything he had!

The cord dug deep into my flesh. No matter how wildly I clawed at it, I couldn't loosen it a millimeter; I only managed to rip open bloody gouges in my own throat.

My lungs burned like fire, convulsing uncontrollably from lack of oxygen. I opened my mouth wide, desperate to pull in air, but couldn't catch a single breath.

The world began to go dark, and the cold shadow of death closed in over me.

Right then, the bedroom door swung open.

My seemingly sweet, gentle wife, Miranda, appeared in the doorway, her eyes wide with shock.

A spark of hope flared in my chest. I waved frantically at her, mouthing for her to call 911.

Yet the words from behind me froze me down to the marrow of my bones.

"Bitch, get over here and give me a hand!" the burly guy barked.

And Miranda, once so graceful and demure, actually scurried over obediently, pinning my hands and feet down so I couldn't struggle at all!

"Why?!"

My eyes bulged as I glared at her in sheer disbelief.

Maybe she saw the utter confusion in my eyes, because right in front of me, Miranda planted a kiss on the guy's lips, her hands already wandering over his chest.

The guy grunted impatiently, "I'm busy here! You little slut, I'll take care of you in a minute! Let's get the job done first!"

Miranda kept holding me down, leaning in close to my ear. "Remember Chase?"

I tried desperately to turn my head, but the man behind me didn't give me the chance.

Of course. I had felt he looked familiar from the very start. With Miranda's reminder, it all clicked into place—the thug behind me was Chase, the high school bully who used to harass her!

"How could this happen?"

When did they start sleeping together behind my back? And why would Miranda do this to me?!

Right now, I couldn't utter a single syllable. The edges of my vision narrowed into blackness, and the last of my strength drained away.

Miranda pressed her lips against my ear and whispered softly, "The kid is his. I never loved you. Marrying you was just my only way out!"

With that, a sickening burst of triumphant laughter escaped her lips!

From the hallway, our daughter started crying—the scene had probably terrified her. But I had no room left to care. My vision plunged into pitch-black void, and my consciousness sank into nothingness.

I didn't know how much time had passed.

"Hey! What are you spacing out for? Wait, did you fall asleep?"

A familiar voice called out in my ear.

I opened my eyes to a familiar classroom. Outside the window, the bell was ringing, and teenagers in school uniforms were laughing and chatting in the hallway. I looked down and saw that I was wearing our high school uniform, too.

Was I reborn?

Back to my high school days?

"Earth to you! I'm talking to you!"

A slender, pale hand waved in front of my face.

I turned my head. My desk partner was staring at me with a puzzled frown. It was none other than the woman who would later become my wife—Miranda!

For a moment, I didn't even know how to look at her.

Only in this life, I already knew that beneath her pure, innocent facade lay a rotten, filthy heart.

"Don't forget to walk me home after class. I'm scared I'll run into Chase again!"

Miranda packed her backpack as she spoke.

Her words unlocked a flood of buried memories.