Chapter 1

After discovering my husband's affair with my sister, Cindy Foster, I completely broke down.

"Cindy was never the one who came between us. From the very start, she's the only one I've ever loved. You're the real intruder between Cindy and me," my husband, Andrew Lucas, said coldly. His eyes were bloodshot.

Each word landed like a blow to my chest, sharp and merciless.

My face turned as pale as a sheet, and my whole body trembled because of pain, anger, and humiliation. My voice was sharp and desperate as I demanded, "I'm the other woman?

"You were the one who begged me to marry you, and now you claim you loved Cindy all along?"

Then I let out a bitter, hysterical laugh, and as I laughed, tears streamed down my face uncontrollably.

Seeing me so broken and desperate, Andrew suddenly snapped out of it, with panic written all over his face.

He instinctively reached out to touch me, but pulled his hand back instantly. His lips trembled as he struggled to get the words out. "Shirley, that's not what I meant. Please, let me explain."

With empty eyes, I stumbled out the door and onto the street, recklessly moving like I'd lost my soul.

Suddenly, blinding headlights pierced through the darkness. As a truck crashed into me, I didn't think this pain could compare to the ache in my heart.

*****

As the sharp smell of disinfectant filled my nose, my eyes flew open. I squinted at the blinding sunlight streaming through the gap in the curtains.

"Ms. Foster, you're fine now. You're still a bit weak, so make sure to get enough nutrition," a young nurse said softly as she walked in.

I stared at her in disbelief. The sting of betrayal was still raw in my veins, and my mind was still foggy.

This was the same scene I saw when I woke up at twenty, after being rushed to the hospital because I fainted by the pool.

Three days ago, I won the gold medal at the National Dance Competition, and my parents insisted on throwing a party at Lakeside Grand Hotel to celebrate.

At the beginning of the month, my sister Cindy Foster had failed her final exams.

She acted like nothing was wrong, and my parents told her it was fine, but I knew how sensitive she was, so I kept a close eye on her at the party.

Later, she disappeared, and when I went outside to look for her, a kid accidentally knocked me into the pool. The icy water knocked me out cold.

Before I could even process the fact that I'd time-traveled, the hospital room door swung open.

Andrew walked in carrying a bouquet, with Cindy trailing behind him, looking worried.

"How are you feeling?" Andrew asked as he came over to my bed, reaching out to check my forehead. "Your fever's gone. After some good rest, you'll be back to yourself in no time."

I instinctively pulled away from his touch. My face was conflicted. "I'm fine, thanks."

Cindy stepped forward. "Sophia, it was all my fault yesterday. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have ended up in the hospital."

Her face was streaked with tears, her voice was shaky, and her eyes were overflowing with guilt.

Andrew gently rubbed her back and guided her to a seat. "It's not your fault. It was an accident."

His voice was softer than anything he'd ever used with me.

Cindy leaned closer to him and gazed up with gratitude. A touch of hurt and a barely noticeable reliance appeared in her eyes.

I watched their interaction with a cold, detached gaze. I mocked myself inside. How could I have been so blind in my previous life? The way they act around each other was so obvious.

Maybe sensing my icy stare, Andrew looked a bit uneasy and quickly said, "Cindy and I are here to take you home."

When we got home, my mom helped me over to the dining room. "Cindy asked Mary to cook all your favorite dishes."

As she spoke, she helped me with a piece of fried chicken. "Cindy cried all night yesterday, saying she wished she'd been the one who fell in the pool instead of you."

Listening to my mom ramble on, I stared at the greasy piece of fried chicken, and my appetite was gone. "Mom, I think I'll head back to my room."

My mom paused for a second. "Okay."

She pulled out my chair for me. "I'll keep the food warm. You can eat when you are hungry later."

Lying in bed, I replayed everything that had happened with Andrew in my previous life. All those little details I'd never noticed before surfaced one by one, each more vivid than the last.

Since he said I was the other woman, this time, I'd let them be together. I wouldn't stand in their way ever again.

The next day, I started packing my things, ready to move into the dorm on campus.

"Sophia, why do you want to move out?" Mom asked, clearly confused. "The school's not that far. Isn't it better to have the driver take you every day?"

I tossed my hair dryer into the suitcase. "Finals are around the corner, and I really need to concentrate."

"Sophia, please don't move out, okay?" Cindy pleaded, pulling on my sleeve. "I'll miss you so much if I can't see you every day."

She slipped into her usual cutesy routine, batting her lashes and using that soft, sugary voice, like she thought I'd cave like always.

I gently pulled my sleeve back. "I'll move back after finals."

That night, Andrew came to see me.

"Do you really have to move out?" he asked, offering me a box of strawberry pie. "Can't you stay? Cindy is really upset."

I didn't take the box. I never liked strawberry pies. My favorite was blueberry flavor.

I used to think he couldn't tell the difference, but now I got it. He didn't care enough to remember. But he never messed up when it came to Cindy's favorite peach flavor.

"If you need a tutor, I can help you myself. There's no need for you to move into the dorm," Andrew said seriously, setting the box on the table.

"No, thanks," I said offhandedly. "I'm trying to concentrate on my studies without any interruptions."

"Okay, but if you ever need anything, I'm always here for you," he replied, giving me that intense, caring look, as if nothing else in the world mattered to him.

If I hadn't already been through his betrayal in my previous life, I probably would've fallen for him all over again.

In my previous life, he said, "I never loved you. You got it wrong. Our parents assumed we were in love, but they were mistaken too."

That attitude came rushing back, the way he always made it sound like everything was my fault. It nearly broke me and made all those years I spent loving him feel like nothing but a cruel joke I played on myself.

After moving out, I finally felt a sense of peace I'd never known before. I threw myself into my studies and dance practice.

In my previous life, I had the chance to go abroad and further my studies, but I let it slip away because of Andrew.

This time, I was determined not to make the same mistake.