After being accepted into Doctors Without Borders, I handed over the position of Chief at the capital’s hospital to Elaine Brown.

My best friend frowned at me. "You’re destroying any chance of a future with Jeffrey if you go.”

I gave him a faint smile. "I'm just returning him to the woman he's always had in his heart."

In my previous life, Jeffrey Carter and I were the infamous bickering couple everyone in our circle knew to avoid.

He resented me for refusing to replace Elaine when she applied to join Doctors Without Borders. She later caught an infection and died on the job.

I resented him for his hypocrisy. If he loved Elaine so much, why did he agree to my parents' demands to care for me for the rest of our lives?

We spent seven years of marriage together, yet the best we ever wished for each other was a miserable death.

However, amid the gunfire and chaos on the battlefield, he used his last ounce of strength to shield me completely when his heart was pierced by a bullet.

"I've arranged for someone to meet you. Once the sweep ends, run. You must survive!" he whispered, his voice fading. "I'll protect you fully in this life… and in the next, we’ll never meet.

"Elaine, I'm doing this for you."

However, the bomb dropped from above gave us no chance to escape, and we were both annihilated.

When I opened my eyes, I had returned to the eve of our wedding.

Jeffrey… In this life, I would fulfill your wish.

"Are you giving up on Jeffrey?" my mentor, Samuel Jones, asked with wide eyes.

I just gave him a sad smile and nodded.

Samuel knew how much I cared about Jeffrey Carter, but he never thought we were right for each other.

I still remember his warning right before I was supposed to get married in my previous life.

"No one wants to break off their engagement, but I can't stand to see my two star students make each other miserable for the rest of their lives.

"Carol, you can't force a relationship to work."

Back then, I was too stubborn to listen. "I don't care. I'll make things work out, no matter what I have to do!"

The sourness in my heart woke me up. I looked up at Samuel and quickly changed the subject. "Mr. Jones, I've signed up for Doctors Without Borders.

"I'm leaving in three days. I came to say goodbye."

Samuel saw the tears in my eyes and looked like he wanted to say something comforting, but he stopped himself.

"It's good to see the world. Doctors Without Borders is risky, but it's a great chance."

I did not expect to run into Jeffrey after leaving Samuel and going back to the Carter family's place.

It was the first time I had seen him since I was reborn.

His back and legs were wrapped in bandages, which were dotted with little spots of blood.

His dad had punished him harshly for not wanting to marry me.

He would not look at me, perhaps because he had turned down the marriage.

I grabbed the first aid kit, cleaned his wounds, and put on fresh bandages.

We did not exchange a word the whole time.

It felt strange.

If I counted my previous life, it had been seven years since we sat together without fighting.

Every time we met, it was always a battle of words. It had long become the norm.

Seeing the pained sweat on his forehead, I carefully told him, "Elaine snuck onto my computer and said yes to a big job from Doctors Without Borders. The hospital needed to send someone, and I thought it made sense to pick her."

Jeffrey stayed quiet for what felt like forever, then finally said, "Elaine told me it was just an accident. She's sorry. She shouldn't have to pay such a big price for her mistake."

I could not help but laugh at myself.

Elaine Brown knew exactly what she was doing. She thought she could use my ID to apply to Doctors Without Borders under my name, but she did not realize the computer would check her eyes to verify my identity.

She wanted to push me away from Jeffrey and take all his love for herself.

I did not bother explaining because I knew Jeffrey would not listen to me. From behind me, he said, "Elaine's never had to tough it out before. Going to a place like that could be too much for her."

"Carol, you're so strong, and you're a great doctor. Could you take her place? Please?"

I felt a knife twist in my heart. I could not recall when Elaine became such a wedge in our relationship.

She was supposed to marry Jeffrey's friend, Hank Sullivan, who died protecting Jeffrey in another country. With his last breath, he asked Jeffrey to take care of Elaine. Jeffrey got her a job at the capital’s hospital and even let her live in his house. Little by little, Elaine took my place and became the most important person in Jeffrey's life.

I let out an icy laugh. "Why should I clean up her mess?"

Jeffrey held my hand, his eyes full of sorrow. "Carol, I wouldn't even be here right now if it wasn’t for Hank. Could you help me pay back this favor?

"Take her place for one year, and when you come back, I'll send her away to another country. Then, we can go back to how we were when we were little, okay?"

Jeffrey's eyes were so honest, but they made me feel lost.

He sounded so serious, but he did not think about what his plea meant for me.

He was worried about Elaine getting into trouble out there, but he did not consider my safety at all.

I laughed at the sheer ridiculousness and pulled my hand back. "I don't need to help you.

"If you're worried about her, you could go with her.

"I think there's still one spot open for an armed escort."

When I said that, Jeffrey looked surprised for just a second, but then he composed himself and gave me a book.

"This is the medical book you wanted. While you were sick, I made a copy for you."

I grabbed the book fast, scared that I might start crying at any moment.

Back in my room, I looked through the copied book, touching the confident writing.

There was only one copy of this medical book in the entire world, and it was kept by a collector. The borrowing process was difficult, and anyone who got it had to return it within a day.

Jeffrey probably stayed up all night to copy it.

He was always so nice, but it led people to misinterpret his intentions.

However, I did not need his comfort anymore.

...

When I woke up, the sunset was covering the entire city.

While I was packing my bags, I saw the tiger plushie by my bed.

The stitches were coming apart, and it was washed out from being washed so much, but I had taken good care of it.

It was a birthday present Jeffrey made for me when I turned eight.

I bit my lip, unsure if I should take it with me.

Suddenly, the door was kicked open with a loud bang.

Jeffrey’s face twisted with anger as he yelled at me, "Elaine's already said yes to the job. Why are you trying to ruin her good name?!

"Your mom and dad must've known you were the spawn of evil and would do anything to get your way. That’s why they left you behind. They didn’t even want you to join them in the afterlife!

"You deserve to be alone!"

I felt like I had been hit by lightning, frozen in place.

I started shaking all over, my voice high and shrill, "Jeffrey! Do you even know what you're saying?"

My tears spilled out, pulling me back into memories I had locked away.

My parents were just like Jeffrey and me, always fighting.

During one terrible fight, my mom turned on the gas and took my dad with her in a fire.

I was standing outside our home, happily holding a family photograph for my homework.

From then on, people would look at me and shake their heads, saying how sad it was that no one wanted me.

Before I got into college, being ‘unwanted’ was the bane of my life.

Then, Jeffrey came along.

He took my hand, his voice soft, "You're not unwanted. You're my sister now.

"If anyone insults you again, I'll stand up for you."

Those words used to comfort me, but they were now a knife stabbing into the weakest part of my heart.

Jeffrey realized what he had said, regret flashing in his eyes.

"Still, you have to pay for trying to ruin Elaine's reputation!

"Come with me to apologize to Elaine and take her place as a volunteer doctor, and we'll forget this ever happened!"

I squeezed my eyes shut. "I didn't do anything, so why should I say sorry?

"In three days, she won't be a part of my life anymore!"

Jeffrey was so worried about getting back to Elaine at the hospital that he did not really hear what I said.

He just snapped at me harshly before hurrying off to take care of her.

I stared at the tiger plushie on the table, felt a pang of sadness, and tossed it into the trash.

'Jeffrey, you'll get your wish for our lives soon enough!' I thought to myself.

...

The next morning, I found a gift box right outside my door.

I did not even need to open it to know it was Jeffrey's way of saying sorry.

After seven years of marriage, I knew him all too well.

I picked it up and threw it straight into the trash can.

When I looked up, I caught Jeffrey's eye.

He saw what I had done. He swallowed hard and gave me a sad smile.

I kept my cool, ignored him, and called a cab to the hospital to get my things from the office.

I wanted to surprise Jeffrey in response to his past stubbornness.

I kept my resignation as Chief and my new role with Doctors Without Borders a secret from everyone—except Elaine.

I figured that when Jeffrey realized I was gone in two days, he and Elaine would be thrilled to finally be together without me bothering them.

As I walked past the hospital garden, I saw a man and a woman.

Jeffrey was spending time with Elaine in the sunshine, helping her during her recovery.

He knelt in front of the bench, gently rubbing her calf.

He asked softly, "Does it hurt here? Looks like you might need more calcium.

"Don't push yourself too hard in Eastoria. I've asked a friend to look after you."

I could not stand watching them.

Elaine spotted me and quickly turned her gaze my way. Her smile was fake, like she was trying to start a fight, and she said in a sweet, fake voice, "A little higher… My thigh kinda hurts."

Jeffrey did not know what to do. He did not want anyone to misinterpret his actions.

While Jeffrey was still confused, Elaine grabbed his arm, bent down, and kissed him.

Elaine and I looked at each other for a moment.

Her eyes were saying she was sure she would get Jeffrey in the end.

However, I did not make a scene like I usually would.

I just looked away first, laughed quietly to myself, and walked off.

Jeffrey turned around quickly and caught sight of my stiff side profile walking away.

He ran after me, out of breath, and said, "Carol, don't get the wrong impression.

"There's nothing going on between her and me. I didn't think she'd just... kiss me."

I saw the nervous sweat on his forehead and smiled like I was not bothered.

"You don't have to explain anything to me."

Jeffrey looked worried. Even though I was acting calm like he wanted, he felt like he was missing something.

I did not wait for him to say more. I just turned and walked away fast.

I left Elaine's angry expression behind me.

...

The next day, before my flight, I received a call from a number I did not recognize.

Elaine's loud voice hurt my ears.

"You witch! Did you come over yesterday to show off, thinking Jeff cares about you? That's funny!

"Let me tell you this: Jeff only cares about me. He thinks of you as just a sister, so you’d better stay away from him."

I listened to her crazy voice and laughed a little, as if I knew something she did not.