In my previous life, my fiancée accused me of being the murderer in a serial killing case. I couldn’t prove my innocence and was stabbed to death by the furious families of the victims.

Even my parents were implicated and burned alive in our home.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the very day my fiancée accused me of being a deranged killer.

In my previous life, I had been with my colleagues at the time of the crime, yet my fiancée produced a video showing me at the scene, plunging me into a hopeless abyss.

To avoid repeating the tragedy, the best plan was to create a sensational piece of news that proved I wasn’t at the crime scene. But that was no easy feat.

Suddenly, my eyes lit up—wasn’t that the billionaire’s daughter?

I started a livestream on my phone and rushed forward, pulling her into a hotel room.

“Miss Hamilton, I’m your childhood fiancé. Please honor your promise now and marry me.”

Claire Hamilton was terrified. Immediately, her bodyguards and a crowd of classmates and admirers surrounded the scene.

“Miss Hamilton, if you won’t acknowledge the engagement, then tonight I’ll make sure things go far enough that you can’t deny it.”

...

Gasps filled the room.

Claire cried out in shock, “Who are you? I don’t even know you!”

She was the daughter of a billionaire, twenty-three or twenty-four, delicate features, refined manners. I held her soft hand at the doorway; she seemed as fragile as glass.

She had grown up shielded like a hothouse flower, with little ability to deal with sudden crises.

Holding such a girl hostage made me uneasy.

But thinking of my fiancée’s ruthlessness, I could only sneer. “Have you forgotten? Our grandfathers betrothed us when we were born.”

“My family was poor, not in your league. Now that you’re wealthy, you want to break the promise?”

I tried to guilt-trip her.

Claire’s face flushed red, and she yanked her hand back. “Sir, I don’t know you, and I’ve never heard of any childhood engagement!”

I gave a bitter smile to the livestream camera. “Everyone, you see this? She’s the billionaire’s daughter, while I’m just an ordinary office worker. My words carry no weight—she’s breaking the promise!”

As I spoke, I produced a marriage contract I had just paid to rush-print from a street vendor’s ad.

It read: Our son Jason Miller and your daughter Claire Hamilton are hereby bound in engagement, to wed when the girl turns twenty-four.

Viewers in the livestream, half-skeptical, immediately began cursing Claire.

“So what if you’re rich? A promise is a promise!”

“Because she’s a billionaire’s daughter, she can just call it off?”

The onlookers at the scene also began criticizing Claire for breaking her word.

“Didn’t think the Hamiltons would be so faithless.”

Stomping her foot in anger, Claire cursed, “You—you’re full of crap!”

Her admirers and companions fumed.

“You broke loser, waving a scrap of paper and claiming Claire is your wife?”

“Bastard, I think he’s just here to cause trouble—beat him!”

Most of them were spoiled rich kids, reckless and fearless. They all rushed at me.

I hurriedly slammed the door shut.

Now it was just the two of us alone in the room, the atmosphere tense.

Claire grew frightened, instinctively covering her chest. “Don’t… don’t you dare. That’s a crime!”

Outside, her companions shouted threats, pounded the door, and even warned they would call the police.

This was exactly what I wanted—the bigger the scene, the better for me!

I looked at Claire. “Miss Hamilton, don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt you.”

Her voice trembled. “If you won’t hurt me, then let me go!”

I shook my head with a bitter smile.

There were still three or four hours until the crime would occur. If I released her, my fiancée would accuse me again, and I’d face the same fate as before.

I still couldn’t figure out how she had obtained that surveillance video of me at the crime scene.

“Miss Hamilton, my name is Jason Miller. Don’t you remember me? This engagement was arranged by our grandfathers. Please take it seriously.”

I deliberately gave my name.

“Mr. Miller, you don’t seem like a bad person. If you need something from me, just tell me!”

As the billionaire’s daughter, Claire quickly calmed down, even trying to regain control.

“Or, if it’s money you want, name a price. Ten million dollars? Or… a hundred million? Five hundred million? As long as you let me go, I’ll agree.”

I sucked in a sharp breath. She really was rich! My monthly salary was barely a few thousand.

“Miss Hamilton, you misunderstand me.”

“I only want you to honor the childhood engagement. I’m not here for money.”

“And I’ve admired you for a long time. If you refuse, then I’ll have no choice but to force the matter.”

I stepped closer as I spoke.

“Help! Stay away!” Claire backed up quickly until she hit the wall.

With a thud, I placed one hand against the wall beside her, trapping her.

Her face turned scarlet instantly.

Outside, the men cursed louder.

“Kid, if you touch Claire, I’ll kill your whole family!”

“Find his parents and drag them here!”

They could indeed do that, and I couldn’t let her go just yet.

I looked at Claire. She squeezed her eyes shut in fear, then angrily shoved me.

I staggered back, making a show of it.

After all, I only wanted to make headlines and create witnesses for my alibi. I had no intention of harming her.

“Miss Hamilton, you might as well agree.”

I leered at her deliberately, letting my eyes rove over her figure.

Her full chest and long legs beneath her gown were tempting sights.

“If you try anything, I’ll—I’ll hit you!” she stammered, grabbing a high heel.

I snatched it away.

Outside, her admirers groaned in despair at her cry. They rammed the door furiously.

“Kid, I’ll kill you!”

“Do you know who Miss Hamilton is? If you don’t open this door, her father will send a sniper to shoot you dead!”

At that, my heart sank.

The room had two open windows. If there really was a sniper outside, I’d be done for.

I pulled Claire with me, shut the bulletproof windows, and drew the curtains.

“Please, Mr. Miller, don’t hurt me,” she sobbed helplessly, struggling in vain.

A pang of guilt struck me.

“Stop crying!” I barked.

“O-okay, I won’t cry. But please let me go. I won’t cause you trouble.”

She stopped crying, then looked at me pitifully after a while.

I shook my head. “Miss Hamilton, if you agree to marry me, I’ll release you immediately.”

I actually feared she might say yes, since that wouldn’t buy me enough time.

Claire made a bitter face. “Mr. Miller, where did you even get this marriage contract? It must be fake.”

“Even if it’s real, I’d have to check with my parents. How could I agree right away?”

“If I let you go now, I’ll never see you again.” I refused firmly.

At that moment, pounding shook the door again.

“Listen up! This is the police—you’re surrounded!”

“Come to your senses immediately. Release Miss Hamilton and put your hands on your head!”

I peered through the peephole. Outside stood dozens of armed officers.

Though I had expected this, my nerves tightened.

I had to explain myself, or they’d treat me like a rapist.

I opened the inner door, speaking through the metal gate.

“Officers, I haven’t harmed anyone. Miss Hamilton is my childhood fiancée. I’m asking her to honor our promise.”

I showed them the forged contract.

The moment they saw me, their guns trained on me.

“No matter what, you can’t hold Miss Hamilton hostage. That’s a crime!”

The squad leader, Captain Mark Evans, eased slightly but still warned me.

“Let her go now, and I’ll guarantee your safety.”

I shook my head. “No.”

“If she won’t marry me, then I’ll have to force the issue.”

“Kid, look at yourself. Do you really think you deserve the billionaire’s daughter?”

“Even if that contract were real, what then? A toad lusting after a swan!”

“Captain, arrange a sniper and take him out,” someone shouted.

In the commotion, two familiar figures were dragged out from the crowd.

“Son, don’t do anything foolish!”

“Jason, where did you get that contract? Look closely—that’s Miss Hamilton. She’s out of our league!”

Several men hauled out Mr. and Mrs. Miller.

A young thug with an earring smirked at me. “Kid, release Miss Hamilton now, or your parents will suffer!”

He punctuated his threat with a vicious punch to my father’s head.

Dad cried out, blood streaming down his face.

“Well? Will you release her or not? If not, I’ll beat him until you do!”

He didn’t stop, hammering Dad until he doubled over in pain.

My heart ached terribly, yet I laughed wildly.

“Go on, hit him! That old bastard never treated me well. If you didn’t hit him, I would!”

The crowd froze, then erupted in curses.

“What kind of monster of a son are you?”

“Better if his parents had given birth to a slab of meat!”

When my indifference didn’t sway me, the thug turned on my mother.

Mom was frail; a few punches knocked her unconscious.

Because it was for the billionaire’s daughter’s sake, no one intervened.

Blood dripped from my heart, but I couldn’t show the slightest trace of sorrow.

If I did, those arrogant heirs would beat my parents to death on the spot.

“Is that all you’ve got? Hit harder! There’s a stick over there—use it!”

I laughed maniacally, feigning madness.

“You bastard, fine—you’re ruthless!” the thug spat as the police pulled him back.

My father held up my unconscious mother, tears streaming.

“Jason Miller, you beast—you actually told them to beat us!”