A gas explosion kills both me and my wife, Riley Sawyer.

When I open my eyes again, we have both returned to our lives before we ever got married.

In our previous life, Riley and I grew up together. We were inseparable as kids, and after we married, our relationship only deepened. People envied how well we got along.

But in this life, she doesn't choose me.

She accepts the romantic pursuit of Benjamin Prescott, the son of the wealthiest man in the city.

I quietly erase every trace of her from my life and act as if she never existed.

Five years later, the two of them announce their engagement in the grandest way possible and invite all our former classmates.

When I show up wearing the same custom suit Benjamin has on, a diamond ring in hand, Riley's face tightens with anger.

"Jared, it's been years. Why can't you let me go?"

When I followed the address and found the banquet hall, Riley Sawyer stood in the center of the crowd in a crystal-studded wedding gown. She held Benjamin Prescott's arm and smiled as if she had never known sorrow.

Our old classmates circled around her in admiration.

"Riley, that gown must've cost a fortune. One of those stones alone would take me years to pay for."

"Please, Mr. Prescott is the richest man's son. This is pocket change for him."

"But Riley, you hid this so well. You only announced you were with the Prescott heir after getting engaged?"

"I swear, I never imagined the future Mrs. Prescott would be my classmate. I can brag about this for the rest of my life."

Riley lowered her gaze with a shy smile. "I love Ben for who he is," she said. "It has nothing to do with money. We actually wanted a low-key engagement party."

Benjamin drew her into his arms and gently said, "I would never shortchange you."

A few people squealed with envy.

Someone suddenly asked, "By the way, where's Jared?"

"Yeah, Riley, you two grew up together. You were practically joined at the hips as kids. We all thought you'd end up marrying him. How did you two suddenly lose contact?"

At the mention of my name, Riley's lips twitched, and a flicker of disgust crossed her eyes. But with Benjamin beside her, she forced herself to remain gentle and gracious.

"That was all when we were kids. Childhood feelings don't count."

Someone nudged another person with a look.

"Drop it. Riley's engaged to Mr. Prescott now. Why bring up old stories?"

Benjamin gave a calm smile. "It's fine. Everyone has a past, but a past is nothing more than that. We're all here to enjoy ourselves today, so feel free to say whatever you like."

That opened the floodgates for more flattery. They praised the two of them for their generosity and good looks, calling them a perfect match.

In our previous life, Riley and I had grown up together. Our love felt inevitable, and we got married naturally. After the wedding, we got along so well that people envied us.

They used to praise us the same way.

Looking back, it almost felt laughable, as if fate had played a cruel joke.

After getting off the plane, I had spent several more hours in a car to get here. My back felt stiff with fatigue.

I found an empty seat nearby and was just about to sit when a server carrying a tray bumped into me by accident.

A sharp-eyed classmate, Dylan Scott, spotted me.

"Well, speak of the devil. Jared, why does your suit look like it's from the same designer as Mr. Prescott's."

"That brand was a custom line by Astoria's top designer," Dylan said. "Money alone couldn't buy it. Only people in Mr. Prescott's social circle had access to pieces like that. A tiny company like yours was nowhere near qualified. Don't tell me some rich woman is keeping you.

"We graduated from Eldridge University, one of the best universities in the state. You could have chosen any respectable career, but you insisted on doing… this. You're really making us look bad."

I was taken aback, but I still managed a polite smile. "Oops. What a coincidence."

Riley looked displeased but still greeted me with courtesy. "It's been a long time."

She couldn't stop herself from looking me up and down. When her gaze finally landed on the diamond ring in my hand, her expression shifted instantly.

The others noticed something was off and followed her gaze. Once they saw the ring, their scorn deepened.

"Jared, they're getting engaged. Why are you holding a ring? Don't tell me you're trying to crash the engagement."

I was speechless but kept my composure. "You're misunderstanding."

One classmate snatched the ring from my hand. "Look, there's an R engraved on it. It must stand for Riley?"

Dylan scoffed. "What else could it be if not a proposal? Jared, you should know your place. How dare a kept man like you try to steal the richest man's fiancee?"

Riley glared at me and impatiently said, "Jared, I thought I made myself clear years ago. We're from two different worlds. It has been so long. Why can't you let me go?"

Anger flashed in Benjamin's eyes, though he kept a pleasant smile as he walked over and took the ring.

"Come on, don't be harsh. Jared seems like someone who knows his limits. This ring is just a gift. Even if he got it from questionable sources, it's still a gesture from an old classmate," he said, giving my shoulder a patronizing pat.

"Since we're classmates, here's some advice. Being a kept man is still a job, but you can't let your desires wreck your health. What if you get sick?" he added, clicking his tongue.

He frowned, quickly pulled his hand back, and continued, "I'll have my personal physician give you a check-up later. Don't worry, I won't charge you."

The moment he said that, everyone stepped back as if I had brought in a plague. Their faces twisted with disgust, as if I truly carried a contagious disease.

I didn't bother reacting. "There's no need. Thank you," I said and stepped forward to reclaim the ring.

I sat off to the side and carefully wiped away the fingerprints on the band.

After the crowd drifted away, Riley suddenly walked over. She snatched the ring from behind me, slipped it onto her finger, and sat down in the chair next to mine.

"Jared, I know you've never truly let me go," she said, "not in your last life, not in this one. But look at me now—I'm getting married, and I'm happy. Please stop waiting for me.

"I've taken your feelings to heart. Didn't you once say all you wanted was to see me wear a ring? That wish has been fulfilled. Now, please go. I don't want Ben to get upset."

I stared at her in confusion. "Who said I came for you?"

Riley slammed her palm on the table. She frowned and rubbed her temples. "Stop pretending. I know exactly what kind of person you are. Do you really need me to tear off the last bit of politeness before you finally back off? You already ruined my life once. Do you really have to do it again?"

In my past life, Riley and I had grown up together. We were inseparable from childhood and fell in love naturally. As soon as we graduated from college, we got married.

The Langleys and the Sawyers were both affluent, upper-middle-class families and longtime business partners. Our households were harmonious, our careers flourished, and everyone envied the life we led.

However, that happiness didn't last. The Sawyers were reported for tax evasion. Sawyer Group went bankrupt, and Riley's parents were arrested. My family got caught up in it too, and overnight, our world turned upside down.

We didn't complain. I worried that Riley wouldn't be able to handle the blow, so I was more attentive than ever. I reminded her that as long as we were alive, there was still hope.

Riley's pride was unyielding. To make sure she never had to be embarrassed in front of anyone, I slept only four hours a night, worked three jobs to support her, and bought her every luxury I could.

My parents stepped down from their status to work as well, paying off the Sawyers' debts so the family could be reunited sooner.

Our classmates were moved by our love and offered words of encouragement. However, Riley couldn't bear the humiliation of having once been the admired school beauty reduced to this state. She even interpreted our kindness as mockery.

"Are they laughing at me because I'm pathetic now?" she muttered.

One day, a close-up of Benjamin at some event appeared on TV. The host introduced him as the youngest, most accomplished heir in the city.

A strange light flickered in Riley's eyes.

"If I had chosen Benjamin back then, even if my family had faced trouble, we wouldn't have ended up like this."

Once that thought took root, there was no undoing it. Riley grew increasingly resentful toward me and even hurled cruel words in my face.

I was exhausted to the point of mental breakdown, and her sharp remarks kept me awake at night. I lost so much weight that I looked like a skeleton. Yet I still blamed myself, thinking I hadn't done enough.

I pushed harder to win her back, sometimes going days without sleep. Finally, on our anniversary, I scraped together enough money to buy the diamond ring she had been longing for.

"Riley, wear this ring. I've always wanted to see you smile while wearing it. Trust me. I'll give you the life you've always wanted. No one loves you more than I do."

Riley flew into a rage and threw the ring into the sewer.

"Look at yourself! Are you trying to make me feel guilty, or are you just trying to use our past to earn sympathy? If I hadn't valued our childhood bond, I never would have agreed to your proposal. I gave up a better choice for you. Now I realize that nostalgia is the cruelest thing in the world!"

She vented all her anger, shoving me so hard that the gas valve on the stove was knocked open. Even after punching and kicking me, she wasn't satisfied. She grabbed my clothes and forced me toward the window. When it opened, a deafening explosion blasted both of us across the room.

My parents died soon after from heartbreak-induced heart attacks.

It wasn't meant to happen this way. Who had truly destroyed whose life?

I gathered myself and calmly took back the ring. "Sorry, you've misunderstood."

I cherished my current life too much to be dragged down by the past.

Riley pursed her lips and stood there with a resentful glare fixed on me, unwilling to leave.

Benjamin watched silently, his knuckles turning white from anger. But due to his status, he forced a calm smile, picked up a glass of wine, and wrapped his arm possessively around Riley's waist.

"Riley, these are all guests. How could we turn them away just because of their lower status?"

He smiled and, whether on purpose or not, spilled red wine onto my head.

"Oh, sorry. My hand slipped. Jared, you're not going to misunderstand, are you?"