A chill crept up from the soles of my feet.
So the people I had considered my closest, dearest family had been planning to kill me all along.
I searched my conscience — I had never wronged Jason Miller.
Back then, he was just a lowly caregiver for my father. I’d admired his diligence and steadiness, and despite everyone’s dissuasion, I had insisted on marrying him.
Five years of devotion, and what I got in return was a death sentence.
That meant his connection with Emily Brooks couldn’t possibly have been only a month old…
In the sweltering summer heat, the brightly lit house felt ice-cold to me.
I was about to stand when suddenly the power went out, plunging everything into darkness.
The next second, I completely lost consciousness.
When I opened my eyes again, I was tied to a chair in my own home — and standing before me were Jason and Emily.
Feigning composure, I said, “Honey? You’re back early. Why am I tied up like this?”
I tried to struggle, but the bindings were too tight; there was no escape.
Jason doused me with a bucket of ice-cold water.
His expression was as vicious as the moment in my last life when he cut my throat.
My eyes widened in shock as I saw the enormous number above his head change to 0.
That couldn’t be — in my previous life, he hadn’t killed me until at least a month later.
Why was it happening earlier this time?
Panic laced my voice as I pleaded, “Honey, what’s going on? Please, untie me first, okay?”
Emily’s eyes gleamed with malice as she slapped me hard across the face.
“Shut up, Rachel Evans! Keeping you alive this long has already been more mercy than you deserve!”
“That’s impossible, honey. We’ve been married five years, we love each other — you wouldn’t really want to kill me, would you?”
I tried to awaken whatever shred of conscience Jason might have left, but deep down, I knew he had none.
Still, every minute I could buy mattered.
As Jason raised the knife again, tears streamed down my face.
“Please, honey, don’t kill me — just calm down!”
The blade was already pressed against my neck.
“Jason! If you kill me, you’ll leave evidence behind! This is murder!”
I shouted with my eyes squeezed shut, and sure enough, he hesitated and lowered the knife.
I exhaled slowly in relief.
Steeling my voice, I tried to negotiate.
“Honey, you still love me, don’t you? I’ll give you all my shares in the company, okay?”
“This house and the beach house — I’ll sign them over to you. We’re married; what’s mine is yours.”
As I spoke, my eyes kept flicking to my phone lying nearby, but I couldn’t reach it.
When Jason didn’t respond, I turned to Emily.
“Emily, you’re still young. Committing murder will ruin your entire life. Is it because you weren’t satisfied with the promotion I gave you?”
“How about I make you vice president instead? Jason can be president — the whole company will be yours…”
“Or… we can get divorced, Jason. You’ll get half my assets — that’s enough to live in luxury for several lifetimes. Please, I’m begging you.”
I kept my gaze locked on the countdown above Jason’s head.
Sure enough, it flickered — from 0 up to 3,052… but then Emily glanced at him, and it dropped back to 0.
Jason yanked my hair hard.
“Rachel, I’m not afraid to tell you — the only reason I married you was for your family’s fortune.
What, you thought your dad’s death was an accident?”
A jolt went through me. Could my father’s death have been Jason’s doing?
“I don’t care about half your shares. I want everything from the Evans family!”
“I was going to keep you alive a bit longer, but too bad — today, you die.”
