Chapter 2

"The patient in Room 12 is so pitiful. Her husband comes every day but never goes in to see her."

"Yeah, he goes straight to the next room to visit that patient named Willow Hayes."

The nurses' voices drifted in from outside the door.

After the car accident, I had multiple fractures and had been lying in the ICU for seven days.

Though unconscious, my mind was clear. I heard the nurses call Lucas Knight over and over.

But he never came to see me.

He was with someone more important.

The salvation I thought I'd found was just another lie.

I used all my strength trying to open my eyes, but my vision filled only with a flat line on the heart monitor.

When I opened my eyes again, the sunlight was blinding.

I sat at my familiar desk. The calendar showed three months before I would give up my study abroad spot for Ethan Rivers.

This time, I answered the call from the school's international exchange office: "Professor, I confirm I'm participating in this year's exchange program. Thank you for giving me this opportunity."

The professor's voice was pleased: "I'm glad you've thought it through. It would be such a waste to give up such a good opportunity."

Yes, such a waste.

Giving up my own life for a man was the stupidest thing I'd ever done.

After hanging up, I contacted a real estate agent and listed the house my parents left me.

I had only one requirement: full payment, as soon as possible.

Once that was done, Ethan called.

His voice was cold: "Anna, Willow's graduation project hit a snag. You're good at this stuff, go help her."

Willow again.

Her business always came between us.

In my previous life, I stayed up three nights straight because of that one sentence, revising her design from rough draft to final product.

The award-winning work bore only her name.

Ethan's explanation was: "Willow's health is poor. She needs this award for her resume."

I actually believed him back then.

I gripped my phone and said softly, "Okay, send me the materials."

Ethan's voice came through the phone: "Good girl."

One word, and he thought he could dismiss me.

I looked out the window, thinking back to my past life, and felt nothing but absurdity.

Before long, Lucas Knight knocked on my door carrying macarons from my favorite shop.

His tone was gentle: "I know you've been stressed about Ethan and Willow. Don't wear yourself out."

He always appeared when Ethan hurt me, coming to care for me.

Then he would casually mention: "That project is pretty important for Willow. Ethan doesn't have much choice. That girl's been frail since childhood, can't handle it alone."

See, they always had a thousand reasons.

Willow's health was poor, so everything she did was justified.

I bit into a macaron and smiled at him: "I know. I won't make things difficult for Ethan."

Lucas smiled with relief.

They all thought I was still that Anna Sullivan who would compromise endlessly for Ethan Rivers.

The next day, I took my laptop to the library to prepare my study abroad application materials.

I was searching for references in the materials section when I looked up and saw Ethan and Willow not far away.

Willow was leaning against Ethan, her face rosy, looking nothing like someone with poor health.

She was laughing, saying to Ethan: "Ethan, thank goodness for you. I really wouldn't know what to do otherwise."

Ethan looked down at her with a tenderness I'd never heard in his voice: "Silly girl."

Ethan turned to buy water, and when he looked back, he saw me.

His expression froze for a moment, then quickly turned to a frown.

My presence disturbed them.

I didn't rush up to confront them like in my previous life. I just gave him a slight smile from afar.

Then I turned back to continue searching for my books on the shelf.

The gaze from behind made me uncomfortable all over.

I didn't care.

Anyway, these days would be over soon.