Chapter 1 Pushed Him Down the Stairs

• The sky appeared cloaked in a dense, black shroud, devoid of any light, pressing down with an oppressive weight.
• After weeks of stifling heat, September in Avereland finally ushered in its first storm.
• The girl was outside with her head down, her entire body soaked by the relentless rain, teetering on the verge of collapse. A man stood before her, peering through the thick downpour, his eyes reflecting a profound sense of desolation and disappointment.
• "Zoey, do you realize the doctor said Jonathan's leg might be permanently crippled? Even if you don't love him, you can't treat him so cruelly! Stand here and reflect on your actions!"
• "Dad, Zoey is still young. Please, calm down. I'll explain everything to the Holmes family..."
• It's the voices of Dad and Marcus...
• Zoey Saldana fought to open her heavy eyelids, barely discerning two blurred figures through the dense veil of rain.
• So, it's true that after death, people experience hallucinations. Dad and Marcus have been gone for three years. This is the first time I have seen them in a dream.
• She knew they despised her, despised her for ruining the Saldana Family, which was why they wouldn't even appear in her dreams.
• And then there was Jonathan Holmes, the man who loved her with every fiber of his being...
• The rain pounded down like stones, merciless and unrelenting. Zoey yearned to speak to her dad and brother, but she had no strength left, not even a bit.
• Her body crumpled weakly, and the world once again dissolved into darkness.
• ...
• When Zoey awakened, the storm was still raging.
• The first thing she saw was a white ceiling, her mind momentarily blank.
• Wasn't I locked in the warehouse by Yvette and Zeke and burned to death? Where is this...
• "Zoey, you're finally awake!" A man's surprised voice reached her ears.
• Zoey trembled all over. That voice...
• She stiffly turned her head, and the man's handsome features came into view.
• It was her twin brother, Marcus Saldana.
• Three years ago, he was framed for colluding with a foreign party and leaking secrets and was sentenced to death.
• Is this a dream...
• Zoey felt the blood rushing through her veins as she stared at Marcus. Her lips trembled, unable to form words, and only silent tears streamed down her face.
• Seeing Zoey crying uncontrollably, Marcus was terrified. "What's wrong? Are you still feeling unwell? I'll go get the doctor."
• "Marcus..." Seeing him about to leave, Zoey urgently grabbed him.
• The real feel of his skin made her shiver again. Now, Zoey was certain this was not a dream.
• I have been reborn to the time when Dad and Marcus are still alive. What about Jonathan?
• "Marcus, where's Jonathan? Where is he?"
• As soon as she uttered the name "Jonathan," a wave of pain spread from her heart to her entire body.
• That god-like man, whom she had caused to become disabled, who lost everything because of her, and who ultimately rushed into the fire to save her without hesitation.
• She had been so foolish, believing the lies of Zeke Gregg and Yvette Saldana, not realizing the extent of her mistake until the moment she was burned alive.
• "He's still in the hospital. Zoey, you're going too far this time. How could you push Jonathan down the stairs? Even if you didn't want to get engaged to him, you shouldn't have harmed him."
• Pushed him down the stairs...
• Back then, she had refused to get engaged to Jonathan, pretending to jump off a building to commit suicide. When Jonathan came to save her, she pushed him down instead.
• Since then, Jonathan had been paralyzed, unable to stand.
• "Marcus, I want to see him. Please, take me to him!"
• Zoey desperately wanted to see Jonathan, to say she was sorry, but Marcus thought otherwise.
• He knew Zoey had always despised Jonathan. Seeing him would only lead to harsh words. Now, insisting on seeing him must mean she had some other scheme in mind.
• "Rest here and recover. No more nonsense."
• "But Marcus, I..."
• "If you keep this up, I can't protect you anymore." Marcus' face turned stern, his voice harsh.