To save a female colleague who had fallen into the water, my husband, who didn’t even know how to swim, leapt in after her. He ended up paralyzed from the waist down.

For ten years, I cleaned up his feces and urine, stayed by his side day and night, until I was utterly worn down, so much so that I collapsed and had to be hospitalized.

He wheeled himself into my room, eyes gleaming with hatred and twisted excitement.

"Even if you took care of me for ten years, my heart only belongs to Savannah."

"If you die, I can finally be with her!"

The machines beside me screamed with piercing alarms. My chest burned like it was set ablaze, every organ screaming in agony.

And then, when I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day she fell into the water.

——

"Diana, let go of me right now! If something happens to Savannah, I won’t forgive you!"

As I watched Savannah thrashing in the water, crying out for help, the fog in my mind slowly cleared.

Beside me, my son stared up with eyes full of contempt and disappointment.

"Mom, you always said boys should be brave. So why won’t you let Dad save Aunt Savannah?"

"Aunt Savannah might die. Can’t you stop being a jealous hag for once?"

Around us, the crowd began to murmur, their judgmental whispers sharp as knives.

"This woman’s too selfish. Not only is she refusing to save someone, she won’t even let her husband step in."

"Even kids are more sensible than she. I feel bad for her son, growing up with a mother like that."

"If they keep wasting time, that woman’s not going to make it."

In my past life, I had stood my ground and stopped Jeremiah Hansen from jumping in. He flew into a rage and beat me in front of everyone.

Even my own son never forgave me.

He thought I was cruel, heartless; he never called me ‘Mom’ again.

Remembering everything, I gripped Jeremiah’s arm tighter and pulled out my phone.

"Honey, you can’t go. You don’t know how to swim. Think about me and our child. What would we do if something happened to you?"

"Bad omen! Get lost!"

Jeremiah kicked me aside.

"You selfish woman! All you ever think about is yourself!"

"If something happens to Savannah Kelley today, I don’t want to live either!"

He turned and dove straight into the water.

"Ah!"

My son exhaled in relief, then looked at me with righteous indignation.

"You’re the adult, but I’m the one who’s acting more sensibly. If anything happens to Aunt Savannah, I’ll…."

Before he could finish, I slapped him.

"You’ll what? You ungrateful brat! Did you forget who gave birth to you?"

"Since when do kids get to meddle in adult affairs? Get lost!"

He stood there in shock.

But in his eyes, there was no fear, no respect, only defiance and suppressed rage.

If he had been older, he probably would’ve hit me back without a second thought.

I let out a bitter laugh.

I truly had no idea what kind of spell Savannah had cast to enchant this father and son so completely, so deeply, that they could no longer recognize their own wife and mother.

Across the water, the moment Jeremiah jumped in, he realized something was terribly wrong.

He didn’t know how to swim. In fact, he had always been terrified of water.

If it had been me drowning today, I was certain, he wouldn’t have had the guts to take that leap.

"Jeremiah, I knew you wouldn’t abandon me..."

Savannah barely had time to feel relief before she saw him flailing helplessly, gulping mouthfuls of murky water.

"You… you can’t swim? Then why the hell did you jump?!"

Before he could answer, the cold, foul lake water surged into his lungs through his gaping mouth.

In panic, he pressed down hard on Savannah’s shoulders, desperately trying to stay afloat.

Savannah’s head was shoved beneath the surface. She clawed at him, her manicured nails slashing across his face, leaving deep, angry cuts.

The two of them struggled, dragging each other under and gasping for air as they took turns breaking the surface.

That move just now left the people who had been criticizing me completely stunned.

"What the… is he out of his mind? He can’t even swim! What was he thinking, jumping in like that? Isn’t that just making things worse?"

"No wonder his wife tried to stop him earlier. He just wanted to play the hero and forgot he didn’t even have the ability!"

"Enough with the sarcasm! Can any of you swim? Someone go save them, now!"

At the scene, there were only a few elderly folks around, barely able to stand without help.

If there had been anyone capable nearby, Jeremiah wouldn’t have been the one to jump.

Watching the two of them about to sink, my son finally panicked.

"You’re just going to stand there and let Dad and Aunt Savannah drown? Go save them!"

I looked at him, my gaze cold. "Why don’t you go?"

He stomped his foot in frustration. "You know I can’t swim!"

Watching Jeremiah bob in and out of the water, I let out a cold laugh.

"You can still save someone even if you can’t swim. Just like your dad, so brave, so manly."

My words left my son stunned. He could only pace back and forth along the water’s edge, anxious and helpless.

"Aunt Savannah, don’t be scared! I’ll find a way to save you!"

I had no interest in continuing this pitiful little drama. Instead, I lowered my head and began searching.

According to my memories from my past life, today was the day Lilith Guerrero from Guerrero Group would take a walk here and accidentally drop one of her earrings.

It wasn’t just valuable, it was a keepsake from her grandfather, something deeply sentimental.

Lilith had offered a two-million reward. In the past, a child eventually found it buried beneath a sandcastle.

But now, having lived one more life, I was naturally a step ahead of everyone else.

Soon enough, I unearthed the sky-blue earring and tucked it safely away.

Meanwhile, Jeremiah and Savannah were dragged ashore, both collapsing onto the ground like lifeless fish.

Savannah coughed up several mouthfuls of filthy water, then spat furiously in the direction of the unconscious Jeremiah.

"Damn it! How can someone be this stupid? Dumber than a pig! He almost got me killed!"

"If you can’t swim, then stay on land and watch! God, what a burden!"

My son rushed over with my sun jacket and gently draped it over Savannah’s shoulders.

"Aunt Savannah, please don’t be upset. You have to understand how my dad felt. He was terrified something might happen to you."

"Even though he can’t swim, he still jumped in. That just shows how important you are to him."

Savannah had just crawled back from the edge of death and had no patience left. She shot him a glare and stormed off in a huff.

Only when she completely disappeared from view did my son finally pull his gaze away.

"Dad, Aunt Savannah’s gone. Stop pretending... Dad? Dad?"

No matter how loudly he called, Jeremiah kept his eyes tightly shut.

His belly was grotesquely swollen, as if it might burst, and filthy water trickled endlessly from the corners of his mouth.

"Mom, come look! What’s wrong with Dad?!"

With nowhere else to turn, my son finally remembered me.

I answered flatly, "It’s nothing. He’s probably just asleep."

"Really?"

He looked half-convinced, but someone nearby had already dialed for an ambulance, just in case.

When they lifted Jeremiah onto the stretcher, he stirred.

"Sa… Savannah…"

Still calling for Savannah. He didn’t even realize yet that he’d never walk again in this lifetime.

I spoke gently, "She’s fine. She went home by herself."

Only then did Jeremiah seem to relax, his eyes slowly drifting shut, as if he had nothing left to worry about.

As the ambulance pulled away, my son suddenly turned to me.

"Aren’t you going to the hospital with Dad?"

I glanced around.

More and more people had arrived, all searching for the earring. Lilith herself would show up soon.

"No time."

"No time?"

My son’s eyes widened in disbelief. "He’s your husband! How can you be so heartless?"

"And he acted bravely today. He’s a hero..."

"He’s not my hero."

I waved my hand dismissively.

"If you want to go, then go by yourself. Don’t lecture me. You have no right."

My son opened his mouth, wanting to speak again, but when he recalled the slap from earlier, he fell silent.

A dozen minutes later, crowds flooded in from every direction.

Lilith arrived, flanked by several bodyguards, her face tense with worry.

"Whoever finds my earring, I’ll transfer two million on the spot. Please, help me!"

The crowd scattered instantly, searching frantically. Lilith and her bodyguards joined the search themselves.

I approached her and calmly took out the earring I had found earlier.

"Miss Guerrero, I picked this up just now. I’m not sure if it’s the one you lost."

Lilith looked up. Her expression shifted from disbelief to elation, then suddenly collapsed into tears.

"It’s mine, it’s mine! This is the earring my grandfather left me... I thought I’d never see it again…"

Curses erupted from every direction.

"Damn it, she found it that fast? Just our luck!"

"Two million, gone just like that! I was counting on that to pay off my mortgage."

"Guess luck wasn’t with us today. Let’s go, let’s go."

Lilith gradually calmed down, then grabbed my hand, her eyes shining with excitement.

"Thank you so much! Give me your bank details, I’ll transfer the money right now!"

I smiled and shook my head. "Miss Guerrero, I don’t want the money."

Her eyes widened in disbelief. "It’s two million, are you sure you don’t want it?"

I nodded firmly.

If I took that money, knowing Jeremiah’s family, they would cling to it like leeches for the rest of their lives.

Just the thought of that mess gave me a headache.

It was better to use this moment to change my life entirely.

"I just want a job, Miss Guerrero. A chance to prove myself."

Lilith’s expression shifted, her eyes instantly cautious.

"Alright. But let me be clear, I won’t give you special treatment just because of the earring. You understand what I mean, right?"

I nodded. "I understand."

After leaving my phone number, Lilith departed with her bodyguards.

I hailed a taxi and headed to the hospital. Jeremiah’s parents were already there waiting.

"Where have you been?"

Jeremiah’s father questioned coldly.

My son stood beside him, looking smug, clearly eager to see me get scolded.

"I had something to take care of."

"And what could possibly be more important than your husband’s life? Do you even realize he’s still in the ER, fighting for every breath?"

My mother-in-law stormed over and grabbed me by the collar.

"You knew he couldn’t swim! Why did you let him jump in? Why didn’t you stop him?!"

I answered calmly, "I did try to stop him."

"No, you didn’t!"

Suddenly, my son stepped forward.

"You’re the one who told Dad to save Aunt Savannah! You said a real man shouldn’t be a coward!"

As he spoke, he shook his head, his eyes burning with defiance, daring me to deny it.

My chest tightened, the pain sharper than when my oxygen tube had been torn out.

I truly couldn’t understand what I had done so wrong to deserve this kind of hatred from my own son?

"What more is there to say? You’re just waiting for my son to die so you can snatch the inheritance and run off to remarry, aren’t you?!"

My mother-in-law’s voice rose in fury before her hand struck my face with a sharp slap.

I didn’t flinch. I raised my hand and slapped her back, even harder.

She froze, one hand pressed to her cheek, eyes wide in disbelief.

Ever since I married Jeremiah, I had endured, swallowed my pride, and worked myself to the bone, so much so that they all thought I was someone easy to trample on.

She never imagined that even in death, I still had this strength left in me.