I was reborn.

Trapped at the bottom of a cliff again, I didn't wait for my husband, Anton, to come for me. This time, I chose to save myself.

In my first life, when Sloane and I had a climbing accident, he chose to save me and our unborn child. That decision, however, cost Sloane her life as she fell from the cliff.

From that day forward, the fierce love Anton had for me curdled into a hatred that cut to the bone.

I was not only despised by him but also blamed by his entire family, who held me responsible for the death of Sloane—the heiress they had always considered Anton’s perfect match.

They claimed I had deliberately lured Sloane into a dangerous area, causing her death.

To punish me, they conspired to cast me out. I lost my child, sank into poverty, and eventually died in despair.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back on that cliff, on the very day of the accident.

Anton had been reborn, too. And this time, he chose to save Sloane.

He had no idea it was a choice that would haunt him for the rest of his life.

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1

The moment I opened my eyes, a single, jarring thought pierced through the fog of pain: I was reborn.

Ignoring the fire in my limbs, I willed myself to be calm. As an experienced landscape architect, my training took over, and I quickly scanned my surroundings.

Recognition dawned with a sickening chill. I was at the bottom of a cliff in a national park in Wyoming.

This was it. The day of the accident with Sloane.

Sloane, Anton’s childhood friend, had approached me with an irresistible offer. She’d found a secret location, she said, perfect for a top-tier resort. She claimed it was a crucial project for the Vance Group, a chance for me to finally prove my worth to Anton's family.

She insisted on inspecting it herself, claiming it was crucial for Anton's career. But the site was in a restricted area deep within the park, and she needed a professional guide.

At the time, I was two months pregnant. I shouldn't have considered such a high-risk job, but Anton insisted I accompany her.

The trails in the restricted zone were treacherous, the weather volatile. Slippery moss coated the rocks, and the shadows seemed to writhe with unseen wildlife.

I protested, telling Anton I didn't want to take the risk.

But his refusal was cold and absolute.

"If another architect were free, I wouldn't ask. I know you and Sloane don't get along, but this is for the company's future. Besides, you're barely showing. A little fresh air won't hurt you or the baby."

I felt I had no choice but to agree.

After we ventured deep into the park, it became clear there was no such site.

Instead, the moment my attention wavered, she led me off the main path and toward the restricted zone—a geologically unstable cliff face.

The ground was littered with loose scree. To make matters worse, a massive, precariously balanced boulder loomed directly above us.

As a professional, I couldn't just abandon her. I urged her to turn back immediately.

But before I could pull her back, she let out a sharp cry. The sound seemed to trigger the disaster—the boulder overhead crashed down, and the ground beneath my feet crumbled, sending me plummeting into a deep chasm.

Through the surrounding bushes, I saw a pair of eyes glinting with cold satisfaction.

It was Sloane.

As her mocking laughter echoed in the sudden silence, I understood everything. It was jealousy.

Sloane stood at the edge of the cliff, peering down at me with a smirk.

"Anton's wife? You're so naive, Yukio. Let me tell you the truth: there is no secret location. I brought you here to bury you under a rockslide. As long as you and that brat in your belly disappear, Anton will finally be mine."

A cold dread washed over me.

I clawed my way up the side of the pit, only for another cascade of falling debris to send me sliding back down.

As I struggled, Sloane's wild laughter from above attracted the attention of park rangers on patrol nearby.

A flicker of panic crossed her face. She scrambled away, deeper into the forest, nearly stumbling in her haste.

She clung to a tree trunk for support, glancing back in terror. But no one else saw her disheveled panic. Only me.

By then, I was hopelessly trapped.

Eventually, battered, bruised, and utterly spent, my strength gave out. I collapsed at the bottom of the pit.

Fortunately, a thick carpet of decaying leaves cushioned my fall and saved my life.

In my previous life, the first thing I did after waking up was use my satellite phone to frantically call Anton for rescue. At the same time, a hysterical Sloane had also called him.

Back then, Anton chose me. But afterward, he pinned all the blame for Sloane's death on me.

He accused me of luring her to that cliff. No matter how I explained, he refused to believe me.

So this time, I didn't make the call.

I gritted my teeth against the pain, fashioned a crude splint for my fractured leg, and used my professional knowledge to find a way out.

This time, I wouldn't ask for Anton's help; I wanted nothing more to do with him.

But even with the memories of my past life, escaping was hell.

The fracture was severe, and my hasty splint did little to dull the excruciating pain with every movement.

I could feel my strength seeping away, my consciousness starting to fray at the edges.

The sky was darkening. A thick, disorienting fog began to rise from the damp ground, swallowing the landscape.

Weakness, hypothermia, getting lost—any one of them could be a death sentence for my baby.

I had no choice. I pulled out my satellite phone and called the park administration.

"This is Yukio Prescott. I've fallen down a cliff. I'm seriously injured and lost. I need help."

I never expected the park administration to transfer my call to the Vance Group's head of security, who oversaw this area. And, of course, Anton was right there with him. After my desperate plea echoed from the phone, I heard his cold, mocking laugh.

"Yukio, drop the act. You're a top-tier landscape architect; you don't get lost. I know you're fine, so find a place to rest. As for Sloane—the woman you deliberately led to a cliff's edge—I'm sending the helicopter for her first. Then, I'll send someone to deal with you."

With that, he hung up.

I froze, my mind going utterly blank.

In my previous life, Anton had chosen me without a second thought. He'd never spoken to me with such cruelty.

But this time, he was choosing to save Sloane.

There was only one possible explanation: Anton had been reborn, too.

In this life, his choice was Sloane.

The distant roar of a predator snapped me back to reality.

I couldn't wait for a rescue that would never arrive. I had to save myself.

I forced myself forward, dragging my broken leg. Every movement sent waves of agony up my spine, and I knew the bloody trail I left behind was an open invitation to the predators lurking in the wilderness.

Their howls and growls echoed around me, a chorus promising a violent end.

Finally, my exhausted body gave out, and I collapsed.

Despair washed over me. My child and I were going to die here.

"Ma'am! What are you doing out here?!" a familiar voice shouted.

I looked up. Through the dense fog, several men in uniform were striding toward me. A surge of relief, sharp and overwhelming, shot through me.

They were Anton's security team!

"Oh, thank God! I'm so glad to see you. I'm badly injured, please, take me back to the city!"

The men exchanged an uneasy look.

"Ma'am, Mr. Vance ordered us to get Miss Sloane. She's waiting in a cabin up ahead."

I stared at them, my voice trembling. "So, you're not going to save me?"

They hesitated, looking uncomfortable.

Just then, a walkie-talkie on one man's belt crackled to life. It was Anton.