Chapter 1

In my past life, my wedding car suddenly burst into flames. My fiancé, Ethan Thorne, to save his delicate adopted sister, Serena, who suffered from claustrophobia, cruelly locked me inside the burning vehicle.

He carried a pregnant Serena out of the inferno, telling me through the car window, "Serena is pregnant and can't stand the smoke. You're strong; just hold on a little longer."

I burned alive inside that car, listening to the crackle of my own flesh, watching their figures disappear, entwined. I died consumed by hatred.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day of our cruise engagement party. Serena had once again fallen into the water, and when she was rescued, her baby bump was clearly visible.

This time, facing the pressure from the entire Thorne family and Ethan's desperate pleas on his knees, I let out a cold laugh and shattered the entire event.

I opened my eyes.

The salty sea breeze hit my face. The deck was brightly lit, and the champagne tower glittered, reflecting the harsh lights.

I looked down at my dry, couture gown, my fingertips digging sharply into my palms.

It hurt.

Not the agonizing pain of being consumed by fire, but a vivid, stinging pain.

I was back.

Back at the cruise engagement party for the Thorne-Davies alliance.

"Splash--"

A loud splash interrupted my thoughts. Followed by a terrified scream: "Serena fell overboard!"

I looked up, unsurprised to see my 'devoted' fiancé, Ethan Thorne. Without even stopping to take off his jacket, he plunged into the icy seawater. His movements were so frantic, as if a second's delay would cost him his life.

The surrounding socialites and guests instantly gathered, gasps and whispers erupting.

"Mr. Thorne is way too concerned about his adopted sister, isn't he?"

"Well, they did grow up together at the orphanage. And I heard Serena's always been frail."

"But it's his engagement party! Leaving his actual fiancée high and dry, what's that about?"

I stood my ground, my eyes cold, watching Ethan cradle a drenched Serena as if she were a priceless treasure, bringing her back onto the deck.

Serena was wearing a thin white dress, which now clung to her body, soaked through by the seawater. Because of this, her normally flat stomach now had an undeniable curve.

Ethan tore off his suit jacket, wrapping it tightly around her, his voice trembling. "Serena, don't be scared. I'm here."

Serena leaned into his embrace, her face ghost-white, her eyelashes fluttering. One hand instinctively moved to cover her stomach, then she turned her head and retched violently.

The gesture was too obvious.

The whispers around us instantly died down, and everyone's gazes became subtly weighted with meaning.

Eleanor, Ethan's mother, pushed through the crowd, her face a thundercloud. "What are you waiting for?! Get Serena to the lower-deck lounge! Don't let the media get a shot of this!"

On my family's side, my father, Richard Davies, also frowned. He turned to his assistant. "Go. Make sure no media cameras on this cruise get *anything*."

I looked at the puddle on the deck, a slow smile spreading across my lips.

Still the same old act.

It was like this in my past life too. No matter how scandalous the situation, their first reaction was always to cover it up, then push me out to clean up their mess.

"Dr. Davies." I pushed through the crowd, my voice clear and cold, cutting through the sudden silence on the deck. "If someone isn't feeling well, don't bother dragging them downstairs. Let's examine them right here."