Chapter 1

After time-traveling, I deleted all of Samuel Grant's contact info for good.

He started working at an investment bank in Nenport, while I switched over to a tech company in Brigtoin.

Basically, we were living in completely different worlds, destined never to meet again.

The moment Samuel flew in for the weekend, I'd immediately book myself a getaway to Sunset Cove.

I blocked him on WhatsApp and declined every call he made.

He had bought a house in the neighboring community. The very next day, I put my apartment up for sale.

I didn't want to catch a glimpse of him, let alone run into him.

In my previous life, I was hopelessly in love with Samuel for twenty-five years, and for twenty-five years, he kept me at arm's length.

Before I hit fifty, I was diagnosed with late-stage liver cancer.

When I was suffering the worst of chemo, Samuel was off in the Eiviera with his new flame, Charlotte Linwood, picking out wedding rings.

Meanwhile, the students I had personally mentored were busy helping him plan his wedding.

Utterly alone, I was left retching in the hospital hallway until the world spun.

Not in death would I ever relive such a ridiculous life.

*****

Evelyn James from HR glanced at the resignation letter I'd dropped on her desk, her face full of complicated emotions.

She looked me straight in the eye and said, "Claire, you've poured so much into this company. Are you really walking away so suddenly?"

I nodded without a second thought.

Last night, I'd already uploaded my resume to an online job portal.

And the company I'd been dying to join back in my previous life had sent me an interview invitation.

In my previous life, I was hopelessly in love with Samuel Grant for more than twenty years.

Back in high school, I was the one secretly making plans to boost his grades.

After graduation, I ended up at the same company as him.

All those impressive accomplishments of his were really the result of my behind-the-scenes hard work.

In the end, I was stuck in a miserable hospital bed, forced to watch Samuel and another woman sweetly picking out wedding rings.

This time around, I didn't want to catch a glimpse of him, let alone share a workplace with him.

June 18th was the company's anniversary, also the day Samuel put Charlotte Linwood in the spotlight.

He took credit for everything I did, and then made it look like Charlotte deserved it.

This time, I would publicly receive the credit I deserved at the anniversary party. And I would formally announce my resignation to everyone.

There were thirty days to go, the exact time my resignation would be processed.

*****

As soon as I stepped out of the office, my phone buzzed.

Samuel: [Hey, I'm meeting a client at Capital Tower today. Do you want to have lunch together?]

All those painful memories from my previous life surged up.

Whenever he invited me to lunch, he always had an agenda.

He'd subtly probe, fishing for every detail about my projects.

In my previous life, I trusted him way too much and ended up laying everything out for him every single time.

So, every time a project wrapped up, we'd end up submitting two almost identical reports.

Whenever the boss questioned it, he'd shrug and say, "We think alike, I guess. Must be meant for."

Back then, I didn't bother arguing. I asked him about it in private after the meeting.

He'd brush it off, saying, "Come on, your work is my work, too. It's all our achievement anyway."

I was hopelessly in love with him, and my family was always urging me to get closer to him, so I ended up believing every word he said, time and time again.

It was not until I saw that the person by his side was no longer me, but another bold and beautiful woman, Charlotte, that I realized everything had changed.

I used to believe Samuel and I were meant to be, but then, a wall away, I heard him promising the world to Charlotte.

Samuel said, "Claire and I were messing around. You're the one I truly care about."

I couldn't hold back my anger and burst through the door.

When they saw my furious face, they did not flinch. Instead, they quickly pulled apart.

Afterward, Samuel tried to convince me, promising, "Charlotte has resources we desperately need, so I had to string her along."

I was foolish enough to believe such a clumsy lie. But I never thought they'd be this shameless, flaunting it right in front of me.

They kept snatching away everything I worked for, again and again.

And I was lost in Samuel's fake affection, blinded by their lies every single time.

It wasn't until I was lying in that hospital bed that it finally hit me.

It turned out that every bit of effort and every sacrifice I had made for my life was making things easier for someone else to take the credit.

But by then, it was already too late.

No matter what tangled feelings they tried to create this time, I would reclaim everything that was rightfully mine. Quitting was the first step.

At the anniversary party, I would shatter their facade for everyone to see. After that, I would leave Samuel with a parting gift.

Once I jumped ship to my new company, I would see how long Samuel could last without my ideas keeping him afloat.