Chapter 2

Theo stiffened for a split second before letting out a harsh scoff.

"Seven years, Evelyn, and you haven't changed a bit. Still scraping the bottom of the barrel."

Leah tightened her grip on Theo's arm, publicly marking her territory.

"Theo, don't be mean. Evelyn's life is hard enough; we shouldn't rub salt in the wound."

She looked me up and down, her eyes swimming with manufactured pity.

"But Evelyn, your outfit really is a bit... out of place."

"You really should put some effort in. Otherwise, as you get older, it'll be hard to find a man. Who wants to come home to someone looking so worn out?"

"Want to borrow some lipstick?"

Low snickers rippled through the crowd.

Leah was draped in seasonal haute couture, her makeup immaculate, not a single hair out of place.

Meanwhile, I had been in the operating room for twenty-four hours straight.

I was physically and mentally drained, pale, wearing nothing but a cheap, comfortable jacket. No designer labels.

The contrast was exactly what she wanted it to be.

"No, thank you," I replied curtly, walking straight to a table and sitting down to eat.

After back-to-back surgeries, I hadn't eaten a thing all day.

I had barely taken a bite when Theo strode over and slid a check for $100,000 across the table.

"Take it. Consider it a favor for old times' sake."

"Treat yourself better. Find a decent job, buy some presentable clothes, and learn to take care of yourself."

"Evelyn, the past is over. Stop drowning in memories."

"If it wasn't for you back then... never mind. It doesn't matter."

"I just hope you don't throw your life away just because I left you."

I looked up at him.

His unfinished sentence left me genuinely puzzled.

What exactly did I do in our past life that made him abandon me so ruthlessly the second we were reborn?

In our past life, we went from high school sweethearts to a married couple.

Theo harbored dreams of becoming a pianist while simultaneously joining the FBI.

Meanwhile, my sole ambition was to get my Ph.D. in surgery.

Both paths required an immense amount of money and energy.

One of us had to compromise.

Because I loved him, I gave up my spot in the MD-PhD program at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and entered the workforce early.

My single salary kept a roof over our heads and funded his dreams.

Every time he came home from a grueling case, he would collapse onto the couch.

Whenever he hit the wrong key on the piano—perhaps just to vent his frustration—he would violently tear at his own hair.

And every time, I was his endless source of comfort.

Pushing past my own exhaustion, I patiently talked him off the ledge.

I thought my sacrifices meant something.

But later, Theo wanted to buy an outrageously expensive, custom-made piano.

We didn't have a dime to spare, so I had to say no.

He flew into a blind rage and smashed his old keyboard to pieces right in front of me.

"Do you know what?!" he screamed. "If I had just listened to Leah and left this city with her, I wouldn't be living this pathetic, penny-pinching life!"

"I regret ever getting together with you."

After that, he barely touched a piano again, abandoning his childhood dream.

And I was left to choke on that word—regret—crying alone through countless sleepless nights.

I made one last attempt to save our marriage. I gently hugged him from behind and whispered, "Theo, let's have a baby."

He shoved me away so hard I hit the wall, his eyes filled with pure disgust.

"How are we supposed to raise a kid in this apartment? Besides, I've told you before—I hate kids. I don't want a family with you!"

Those two sentences completely killed the last sliver of hope in my heart.

On the drive home for Christmas, an out-of-control truck slammed into us, ending both our lives.

In that final second, I felt no fear. Only relief.

Now that we were both reborn, the line between us was permanently drawn. There was absolutely no need to rehash the past.

I calmly pushed the check back across the table.

"Keep it. I don't take handouts from strangers."

Chapter 2

Theo stiffened for a split second before letting out a harsh scoff.

"Seven years, Evelyn, and you haven't changed a bit. Still scraping the bottom of the barrel."

Leah tightened her grip on Theo's arm, publicly marking her territory.

"Theo, don't be mean. Evelyn's life is hard enough; we shouldn't rub salt in the wound."

She looked me up and down, her eyes swimming with manufactured pity.

"But Evelyn, your outfit really is a bit... out of place."

"You really should put some effort in. Otherwise, as you get older, it'll be hard to find a man. Who wants to come home to someone looking so worn out?"

"Want to borrow some lipstick?"

Low snickers rippled through the crowd.

Leah was draped in seasonal haute couture, her makeup immaculate, not a single hair out of place.

Meanwhile, I had been in the operating room for twenty-four hours straight.

I was physically and mentally drained, pale, wearing nothing but a cheap, comfortable jacket. No designer labels.

The contrast was exactly what she wanted it to be.

"No, thank you," I replied curtly, walking straight to a table and sitting down to eat.

After back-to-back surgeries, I hadn't eaten a thing all day.

I had barely taken a bite when Theo strode over and slid a check for $100,000 across the table.

"Take it. Consider it a favor for old times' sake."

"Treat yourself better. Find a decent job, buy some presentable clothes, and learn to take care of yourself."

"Evelyn, the past is over. Stop drowning in memories."

"If it wasn't for you back then... never mind. It doesn't matter."

"I just hope you don't throw your life away just because I left you."

I looked up at him.

His unfinished sentence left me genuinely puzzled.

What exactly did I do in our past life that made him abandon me so ruthlessly the second we were reborn?

In our past life, we went from high school sweethearts to a married couple.

Theo harbored dreams of becoming a pianist while simultaneously joining the FBI.

Meanwhile, my sole ambition was to get my Ph.D. in surgery.

Both paths required an immense amount of money and energy.

One of us had to compromise.

Because I loved him, I gave up my spot in the MD-PhD program at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and entered the workforce early.

My single salary kept a roof over our heads and funded his dreams.

Every time he came home from a grueling case, he would collapse onto the couch.

Whenever he hit the wrong key on the piano—perhaps just to vent his frustration—he would violently tear at his own hair.

And every time, I was his endless source of comfort.

Pushing past my own exhaustion, I patiently talked him off the ledge.

I thought my sacrifices meant something.

But later, Theo wanted to buy an outrageously expensive, custom-made piano.

We didn't have a dime to spare, so I had to say no.

He flew into a blind rage and smashed his old keyboard to pieces right in front of me.

"Do you know what?!" he screamed. "If I had just listened to Leah and left this city with her, I wouldn't be living this pathetic, penny-pinching life!"

"I regret ever getting together with you."

After that, he barely touched a piano again, abandoning his childhood dream.

And I was left to choke on that word—regret—crying alone through countless sleepless nights.

I made one last attempt to save our marriage. I gently hugged him from behind and whispered, "Theo, let's have a baby."

He shoved me away so hard I hit the wall, his eyes filled with pure disgust.

"How are we supposed to raise a kid in this apartment? Besides, I've told you before—I hate kids. I don't want a family with you!"

Those two sentences completely killed the last sliver of hope in my heart.

On the drive home for Christmas, an out-of-control truck slammed into us, ending both our lives.

In that final second, I felt no fear. Only relief.

Now that we were both reborn, the line between us was permanently drawn. There was absolutely no need to rehash the past.

I calmly pushed the check back across the table.

"Keep it. I don't take handouts from strangers."