My childhood companion went missing while hiking, but this time, instead of searching the Alps myself, I contacted the rescue team.
In my previous life, I slipped and broke my leg trying to save him. Out of gratitude, the Larson family arranged for him to marry me. I thought my long-held crush had finally blossomed into reality, and with a heart full of joy, I agreed. But for twenty years of marriage, he was utterly indifferent to me, never once meeting my eyes.
It wasn't until the day a fire broke out in a shopping center that, sitting in a wheelchair, I used my whole body to hold up the collapsing debris, pushing him and my daughter into the safety of an escape route while I was crushed under the shelves. They didn't try to save me; instead, they mocked: "Serves you right. You broke up Dad and Elaine. You, this cripple, should have died long ago!"
Rhett Larson even pulled Elaine Price into his arms, exclaiming, "Thank God, we can finally be together!" Watching the three of them standing united, I died with resentment.
When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day he went missing. This time, I would let them have what they wanted.
---
“Giovanna, you just won the mountain climbing challenge last month and you’re familiar with this terrain. You’re the only one who can find Rhett. Please, go save him,” Rhett’s brother, Reid Perez, pleaded with me, his voice riddled with worry.
In my past life, he did the same thing, urging me to save Rhett by insisting that the rescue team was too slow. Overcome with concern, I ignored the treacherous mountain path and hurried into the depths of the forest with a climbing rope in hand. When I finally found Rhett stranded on a ledge, I lost my footing while trying to save him and ended up breaking both my legs.
At that thought, I shook off Reid's grip and said coolly, "The rescue team has professional equipment and search experience—far better than anything I can do."
He frowned and insisted, "The rescue team won't arrive for at least half an hour; Rhett can't wait that long." Seeing my lack of response, he added, "Your childhood friend is missing, and you're just going to sit back and do nothing? Giovanna, do you have no conscience?"
It was laughable.
In my last life, I risked everything to save Rhett, and what did it get me? Twenty years of emotional abuse. His disdainful looks. His cruel words when he held Elaine and said, "Seeing you makes me sick."
The first time I caught him kissing Elaine, I asked for a divorce. He refused, saying he didn’t want to worry his parents. After that, his coldness only grew, day by day, until I was drowning in self-doubt. I thought my disability was why he and our daughter didn’t like me.
It wasn’t until I lay dying, listening to their harsh words, that I realized how absurd my devotion had been.
This time, I refuse to make the same mistakes.
“If you really want to save him, then contact the rescue team right away,” I said steadily, not bothering to glance at Reid’s shocked expression as I turned to leave.
He grabbed my wrist again, disbelief etched on his face. “Giovanna, how did you become so cold-hearted? If you walk away now, you'll regret it for the rest of your life!”
The cold rain pounded against my skin, momentarily bringing back the bone-chilling cold from the cliff fall of my past life. I pulled my hand free and walked away, ignoring the raging voice that echoed behind me.
