Chapter 1

When my fiancée, Ashley, came to pay the ransom for me and my half-brother, Cody, the kidnappers changed the deal at the last minute.

They told her she had to choose one of us.

After a lot of back and forth, she picked me.

When we finally got Cody back, he was messed up bad. He was in the hospital for a month, and the doctors said he couldn’t have kids.

Later, Ashley and my dad felt super guilty about it. They acted like Cody being a bastard didn’t matter and made him the heir to the family company.

After we got married, Ashley wasn’t into me anymore. She even wanted to let Cody adopt our future kid.

I was like, “No way!” She snapped back, “We owe this to Cody. You have to pay for what happened forever.”

I used to be Mr. Golden Boy, but I became a nobody in my own family. Then, I caught Ashley and Cody together, doing the nasty.

I went crazy and started fighting Cody. Ashley knocked me out with a vase. Then they tossed me off the balcony and made it look like I was depressed and killed myself.

Then I woke up, and I was back at the ransom exchange.

This time, it’s my turn to choose.

“I choose Jason Baker,” Ashley said. She was dragging two huge suitcases, looking all stressed out and pointing at me.

The kidnappers had just made up this new rule about needing a million bucks for each person, instead of one lump sum.

Ashley was crying, telling Cody how sorry she was. She’d thought about it a lot and decided I was the one to save, since I was her fiancé. She was scared of getting heat from her family if she picked him.

The kidnappers were laughing, loving the drama.

I turned and looked right at Cody. He looked so noble, saying, “Bro, just go. Take care of Dad for me, and don’t hate Mom anymore.”

He’s a bastard, and my mom killed herself because of him and his mom.

Seeing the same scene play out again, I knew I was back in time.

This time, I don’t want to owe them anything. If anyone’s choosing, it’s me.

“No, I’m the older one. You go,” I said, knowing the cops were almost here. I didn’t want this so-called debt hanging over me my whole life.

I wanted the kidnappers to keep me, so I shouted that they should let Cody go. I was the Baker family heir, and worth more to them. The head kidnapper seemed interested. After checking the cash, they kicked Cody out of the car.

Ashley ran to Cody, just like how she grabbed that vase before hitting me. Cody was her college crush, but she had to marry me because of a family deal. She’d always regretted it.

“Jason, you wanted this. Don’t blame me,” Ashley said, blurting out what she really thought. Then she added that she’d get more money to save me later, and I just had to hang in there.

Watching them rush off, it was clear they were afraid I’d change my mind.

Last time, she kept looking back, all guilty and sad. She cried the whole way in the car.

I thought she was just stressed about choosing who lived or died. I even swore I’d love her forever.

After we got the cops to rescue Cody, she took care of him nonstop. She kept saying we owed him.

Later on, I said she could break off our engagement and marry Cody.

But she just smoothed my worried forehead and said that was all in the past. Taking care of him was just her way of paying me back.

Now I see it. Back then, I was still the Baker family heir. The Ashley family needed cash from the marriage. It was all part of their plan to screw me over.

She married me so she could get in my ear and make me feel guilty so I’d give everything to Cody!

Did I do anything wrong?

The kidnappers watched them drive off and joked that I was a real stand-up guy, even if my girl ended up with my brother.

When it comes to love, it’s either over or you’re getting cheated on. I’m not worried about that.

Right now, I need to get out of here. I don’t even know if they’ll really try to save me this time.

The kidnappers used a satellite phone again and straight-up demanded thirty million in cash before they’d let me go.

I could tell from the call that my dad was freaking out. It takes time to get that kind of cash together.

The kidnappers hung up and drove like maniacs out of town. Then, the car broke down.

They were cursing and checking it out. One of them even kicked me. I looked around and saw a little church. That’s where we rescued Cody last time.

I remembered the kidnappers thinking that the monks were all clueless and kind and would help them out. But the church didn’t have the right tools, so the car was stuck there and Cody got beat half to death.

That was my way out.

As the head kidnapper took a few steps, I called out to him.

“You guys look scary. The monks are gonna be afraid of you. They won’t help you, even if they have the tools.”

I said I looked friendly and could help them. The kidnappers talked it over and figured I was right. But they were worried I’d try something, so one of them put his arm around my shoulder, pretending to be friendly, but really keeping an eye on me.

I knocked on the church door. A young monk opened it just a crack and said the church was closed for visitors.

I stuck my hand in the crack, and the door pinched my skin and made it bleed. It hurt like hell.

But I still smiled and asked the monk to do me a favor and tell someone we were there.

The young monk hesitated. Then an older monk told him to open the door. He gave me iodine to clean the wound and said that they had a VIP visiting the church, so they weren’t taking visitors. They also didn’t have any spare tires or tools. It was a pretty remote place, but he could call a tow truck for us.

The kidnappers got pissed and pointed at the pickup truck outside, yelling that they were being looked down on. They had a car and a spare tire, but they just didn’t want to help us. They said they were gonna take the truck.

This was my best chance to get away. I started causing trouble too. The more people came out, the longer it took, and the better chance I had to get away.

The noise brought a bunch of guys in black suits out of the main hall, guarding a classy-looking woman in a dress.

The black suits joined the fight. I ducked into a corner, ready to run into the side hall. But I saw the head kidnapper climbing over a wall and running straight at the woman in the dress.

I grabbed a stick and ran over to her, putting the stick around the kidnapper’s neck and telling the woman to hide in the main hall.

I should have run away, but I couldn’t let that woman get hurt.

The woman looked surprised, like she couldn’t believe I’d turn on my own guys.

The head kidnapper was strong. He broke free pretty fast, gasping for air. Then he threw a punch at me.

But before he could hit me, he fell to the ground. The woman in the dress had elbowed him in the back of the head and knocked him out.

She was good. No wonder the bodyguards didn’t stick around to protect her.

She helped me up and gave me a familiar smile.

“Jason Baker, long time no see,” Her smile was warm and sincere.

It was Lily Lancaster, who always asked me to open her water bottles in high school!

When I stood up, I saw the bodyguards had captured all the kidnappers, and the priest had called the cops.

Lily frowned when she saw the cuts on my arm, and pulled me into her room.

She was just like the quiet, kind girl I sat next to in high school, and went to college with. But after seeing her fighting skills, she’s definitely trained.

I was glad I never messed with her in school. It would have been pretty embarrassing to get beat up by a girl.

She looked up and saw me staring, and she turned bright red.

“I… I thought you were with them…”

I explained what happened, and she let out a sigh of relief. Her eyes lit up, and she grinned.

“I just saved your life!”

Then she went back to bandaging my wounds. She was so focused, she didn’t even notice her hair falling down.

I felt a warm feeling inside.

Last time, the company that was my mother’s. I was forced to give up my place as heir to Cody because of this so-called debt. I was so sad. I was drinking alone when I heard a noise at the door. I was afraid Ashley would worry, so I got up too fast and hit my head.

Ashley saw me and got annoyed, saying I was just pretending to be hurt so she wouldn’t go to Cody’s party, and to make the Baker family look bad.

“Ashley, I’m not a stranger. I’m your husband! Stay here with me,” I begged.

But all she said was that I owed this to Cody.

I sat there on the cold floor, laughing bitterly as I watched her get dressed and leave.

I was like a forgotten outsider, my heart torn out. I stood up, shaky, and looked at my bloody face in the mirror and started laughing.

I never asked Ashley for anything after that.

Now, there was a woman who was careful, worried about hurting me.

The sunlight shining through the window turned Lily golden, like a statue.

I was lost in the moment.

She seemed to remember something and quickly poured me a glass of water, saying I must be exhausted and needed to hydrate.

I reached out to take it and accidentally touched her hand, spilling water everywhere.

She rushed to wipe me off, and I pushed her away, and then accidentally grabbed her hand.

The room was silent, with only our breathing.

Then the door opened.

“Lily, the kidnappers have been taken to the police,” a bodyguard said.

The bodyguard saw us and quickly closed the door.

I could hear the men outside talking.

“No way! Someone actually touched Lily’s hand!”

“Seriously? Last time someone touched her, their arm got broken.”

“Should we call the boss and tell him the good news?”

Lily coughed and told me to ignore them. The bodyguards were her dad’s students, and were here to donate to the church.

We talked for a bit, and she naturally asked me to open a bottle of water.

I looked at my bandaged hand, and then remembered how easily she took down the kidnapper.

She muttered, “Okay, no more acting…”

I took the bottle and opened it. “I’m happy to help.”

Her face turned red, and she asked why I didn’t run and came back to save her.

I explained that I couldn’t let her get attacked.

She nodded, satisfied, and told me to stay safe next time.

I was so close to her, I could barely breathe. I could smell the sandalwood in her hair.

My mouth was dry, and I wanted a drink, but I couldn’t take my eyes off her.

“What are you doing?” A sharp scream.

The door opened, and Ashley walked in with a group of cops.

“Jason, we came to save you!” Cody said, pushing through the crowd.

If I didn’t know the truth, I would have been touched by their concern.

“Jason, we spent all our time trying to find you, and you’re here with another woman?” Ashley asked.

I didn’t bother explaining. Later, I found out they took the cops in the wrong direction.

The local cops found out about the kidnapping and called them.

They didn’t want me to live. It would have been perfect for them if I died.

During the questioning, Cody tried to tell the cops, “This kidnapping is weird. The kidnappers suddenly wanted more money. And my brother is working on a new energy project that’s costing him a lot of money.”

That got everyone’s attention.

“When I paid the ransom, Jason was tied up tight. How did he get free so fast, and end up at the church when the Lancasters just happened to be there?” Ashley said, sounding jealous, but making it seem like maybe I planned the kidnapping to get the ransom money.

I just wanted to stop owing Cody, but they were twisting it like this.

I saved him, and he was trying to make the cops think I was the one who started it all.

He was trying to steal my identity and my stuff, so he wouldn’t pass up this chance.

I was about to argue when Lily stood up to defend me.

“My family planned to donate to this church a year ago. Jason was brave and saved my life. You’re his family, and you’re accusing him?”

The cops took us to separate rooms to take our statements.

When I came out, I ran into Ashley. She looked embarrassed, then quickly changed her expression.

“Jason, I was just jealous of you being with another woman. I didn’t mean it. You know I’m not that smart.”

Ashley played the dumb card all the time. I used to fall for it.

Now, I just thought it was fake and disgusting.

Lily came out and stood next to Ashley, looking classy and confident.

“Ashley, aren’t you gonna offer your rescuer something to eat?”

Ashley got angry and told me to come with her. It was my turn to choose?

I reached out to Lily, but a man interrupted us.

He pulled Lily close and looked her over, making sure she wasn’t hurt.

“Who touched my daughter? I’ll mess them up.”

Lily’s dad looked at me, sizing me up.

I was glad I didn’t touch Lily. This guy looked like he could kill someone with his bare hands. Was this the leader of the Lancaster family?

Someone whispered something in his ear, and he turned friendly.

“You’re Lily’s old friend?”

Lily stomped her foot and dragged her dad away. I could hear him inviting me over to their house.

My dad showed up too, but he checked on Cody first, then yelled at me for not taking care of him.

I gave him the chance to live, and he’s saying I didn’t take care of him?

My parents never got along, and I wanted my dad’s love. I thought I wasn’t good enough. I tried to be the best, but I found out my dad had a mistress and a bastard.

My mom and his mistress both drowned, and I took in Cody.

My dad said it was his fault, not Cody’s. We were brothers.

Brothers? He just wanted to take everything from me!

Ashley was the first person he stole from me.

Then he took my money and my place.

I looked at my dad and held up my bandaged hand.

“Dad, I’m the only one who’s hurt. Shouldn’t you be worried about me?”

He started stammering, and said, “Don’t talk to me like that.”

I left the police station. I realized how I failed. I tried so hard to have a happy family, but it was all one-sided.

That’s what led to my horrible life last time.

I walked like a zombie, the rain washing away the memories of my past life.

This time, I’m living for myself!

I went back home.

“Jason, you came back?” My dad said coldly. Cody was handing him water and medicine, making me look like the bad son.

“You just got kidnapped, and you’re running around outside? You’re gonna get killed! How can I trust you to run the Baker Group?” My dad coughed a few times. “I think we should get you married to Ashley. If you’re married, someone can keep an eye on you, and you’ll be more responsible.”

He seemed to forget that the company was my mother’s.

His words made me angry.

“You say that like you were responsible after you got married!”

I had been holding that back for two lives. The source of my problems was his cheating after he got married!

Cody tried to smooth things over, saying I was in love with Ashley and getting married would make me happy.

I glared at him, leaning against the door.

“Cody, I know you and Ashley used to date. You were high school sweethearts. If we have to have a marriage, you should marry her.”

Cody looked nervous, like he’d been caught. He said it was just a fling when they were young.

I said to my dad, “It wouldn’t be good for a younger brother to marry his older brother’s ex.”

My dad knew I was making fun of him.

My mom and Ashley’s grandma arranged our marriage.

If my mom knew about them, she would have supported me getting a divorce.

I was getting a divorce!

The next day, I went to Ashley’s house.

Ashley’s family was shocked.

“Jason, are you mad that I didn’t pick you?” Ashley looked innocent and sad.

She said she was scared, and that she always did what I said, and I told her to take Cody.

“You listen to me? Then get a divorce. It’s the same as yesterday when you took Cody!” I said angrily.

Ashley’s family figured out what happened.

Ashley’s parents tried to convince me to stay, mostly for the Baker family’s money.

Ashley’s grandma took the marriage certificate.

“I understand. Husbands and wives are supposed to go through hard times together. This is Ashley’s fault. I wrote this certificate, and I’m taking it back.”

I stood up to leave, and Ashley said, “Jason, I don’t agree! I’m pregnant!”