Chapter 1

On the day the fire broke out, my firefighter wife happened to be on patrol nearby.

I snatched my father’s phone away, refusing to call her for help, and led my parents straight to the rooftop to await rescue.

In my past life, the moment she got my call, she rushed over in a panic and dragged us out of the blaze.

Yet that very night, her childhood sweetheart slit his wrists because she stood him up for a movie.

My wife never blamed me aloud; she even smiled and hosted a lavish welcome-home dinner for my family.

Then, in the dead of night, she locked all of us inside the house and set it on fire.

"It’s all your fault! If it weren’t for you, Julian would never have died! You should have burned in that fire! Your entire family is going down to the grave with him!"

When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day the blaze began.

This time, she abandoned us without a second thought to run to his side.

So why, in the end, did she beg for my forgiveness?

Piercing screams echoed around us, and thick, choking smoke swallowed the corridor.

My parents and I crouched in the corner of the room, pressing wet towels firmly over our noses and mouths.

Mom suddenly remembered something and scrambled for her phone to call Daisy.

I lunged forward, grabbed the device from her hands, and cut the connection immediately.

I hauled them toward the balcony, shouting downward for help.

Daisy’s colleague spotted me through the smoke. She deliberately turned away and barked orders to the firefighter beside her.

"Head up to the tenth floor. There are people trapped up there."

"As for the eighth floor, ignore it."

Hearing that, Mom panicked and screamed at the top of her lungs.

"There are people on the eighth floor too! Please, help us!"

"My husband has severe asthma! The smoke is choking him to death!"

Chloe rolled her eyes, her voice dripping with callous indifference.

"Daisy told me everything! Your floor isn't even on fire!"

"You set a trash fire on purpose just to create smoke and stage a scene!"

In that split second, I knew I had been reborn.

I was back to the exact afternoon the apartment complex went up in flames.

I didn't waste another breath on Chloe. Supporting my parents, I guided them up the stairwell toward the rooftop.

Dad collapsed onto the concrete, gasping frantically for air. Cold sweat poured down his forehead, and his face was terrifyingly pale.

I tore off my white shirt, bit into my own finger, and scrawled a desperate SOS in blood across the fabric.

A rescue helicopter circled above, descending slowly toward the roof.

A wave of relief washed over me, and I screamed toward the sky.

"Here! Down here! We're trapped!"

The cabin door slid open, and my face drained of color.

Chloe stood at the opening, glaring down at me with pure disgust.

"Wow. You really committed to the act, didn't you?"

"What's with the red ink? Did you raid the fridge for ketchup?"

The paramedic next to her sneered in agreement.

"I don't know what makes entitled pricks like you think you can abuse city resources like this."

"Pulling such cheap, dirty tricks!"

Mom’s voice cracked from screaming. She held Dad tightly against her chest, tears streaming down her face.

She couldn't fathom it.

How could the very first responders sworn to protect the public sneer at victims trapped in a deadly fire?

I clenched my fists as sheer helplessness and cold rage consumed me.

Was I doomed to watch my parents burn to ash all over again?

Seeing the fury in my eyes, Chloe burst into a cruel laugh.

"What? Not happy about it?"

"Let me tell you right now: I wouldn't save you if my life depended on it. You reap what you sow!"

"Daisy told me everything. If you hadn't forced her into marriage, she’d already be with the love of her life. Scumbags like you deserve to rot in hell!"

The venom dripping from every word finally made me understand.

This was why her crew had always treated me with icy hostility every time I stopped by the fire station with lunch for her.