Chapter 1
I won 165 thousand dollars from a lottery ticket I bought for 1 dollar.
Before I could even celebrate, I got into a car accident.
The medical bills totaled 160 thousand dollars.
But my husband stood by my hospital bed and said, "If you were sensible, you wouldn't want to spend so much to heal your wounds."
He took the 165 thousand dollars and ran off with his first love.
Later, when I opened my eyes, I was back at the lottery station.
My phone kept vibrating with my husband's name flashing on the screen nonstop.
I knew he had also traveled back through time.
*****
The moment I found out I won 165 thousand dollars from a lottery ticket I bought for 1 dollar, a big Rolls-Royce Cullinan slammed into my car.
My body was tossed around, battered, and crushed like a doll in the mangled wreckage of the twisted car.
Even through the blinding pain, I couldn't help but think, "Will my 165-thousand-dollar lottery win even cover these medical bills?"
Then I was rushed to the hospital.
I was critically injured and remained in the ICU.
I heard the doctor say, "Multiple fractures, internal organ damage, and traumatic brain injury. We can only monitor her condition. The chance of regaining consciousness is low."
I wanted to tell them that they could still save me.
But I couldn't get the words out.
Then Erwin Johnson's voice rang out, and he said in a shaky voice, "Noelle, I'm so sorry.
"I can't save you. The doctor said the treatment would cost 160 thousand dollars.
"It's 160 thousand dollars...
"I can't afford this. If you were sensible, you wouldn't want to spend so much to heal your wounds."
I lay there silently, listening as Erwin's voice shifted from choked sobs to impotent rage.
He had always been good at shifting the blame for his own incompetence onto others.
But I won a lottery prize of 165 thousand dollars.
Wait, he didn't know I won the lottery.
I wanted to tell him so badly that the lottery ticket was in my bedroom drawer, and I wanted him to redeem it quickly.
But no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't make a sound.
It was so infuriating.
As I was silently battling with myself, a sickly sweet female voice suddenly rang out in the room.
She said, "Are you done yet, Erwin?"
My ears perked up.
This voice sounded a bit familiar.
She continued, "Why are you crying? She's the one who drove carelessly and crashed into someone's car.
"The cops already confirmed it was all her fault. Luckily, the other driver wasn't seriously hurt and didn't press charges.
"Just look at her situation. Even if you spent every last penny, she's beyond saving.
"Money's tight everywhere. Why waste it on a vegetable?
"Come on. Let's go. We'll miss our flight."
After a while, I felt a hand gently brush against my cheek.
It was Erwin's trembling hand.
He said, "Noelle, I'm sorry. Don't blame me for this."
Soon, their voices gradually faded and disappeared beyond the door.
The room descended into complete silence, with only the intermittent beeping sounds of the cold mechanical monitors.
It looked like I was doomed.
Bitterness welled up inside me.
I won the huge prize with all my good luck, but it just slipped into someone else's hands.
If given another chance, would I try my luck to win the lottery? The answer was... Yes!
When I traveled back through time, I found myself stepping into the same lottery shop at the exact same moment as before.
The lottery ticket worth 165 thousand dollars was back in my hands.
This time around, I was going to reclaim every last thing that was rightfully mine.
I sat at the bus stop across from the lottery shop, spinning the winning ticket between my fingers.
My phone kept buzzing in my bag.
I pulled out my phone. Erwin's caller ID was flashing insistently on the screen.
It was his thirteenth call.
How ironic. At this point in my previous life, we'd already stopped talking to each other.
We had endless fights and silent treatments, with his mother, Clara Johnson, pouring fuel on the fire. It finally destroyed our marriage beyond repair.
I was on my way to the court house to file for divorce when the accident happened.
But at this point, the fact that he called me thirteen times in a row was really fishy.
However, I curled my lips and answered the call.
"Noelle," Erwin said, his voice a mix of relief and reproach. "Why haven't you been answering your calls?"
I twirled the lottery ticket between my fingers, holding it up to the light. "Do I need a reason not to answer your calls?"
He paused awkwardly and then asked, "Where are you?"
"Get to the point," I said casually.
Erwin said very gently, "Noelle, we haven't had a meal together in ages. How about coming home for dinner tonight?
"I'll make you grilled salmon with asparagus. You love that, don't you?"
His words really surprised me.
Erwin hadn't set foot in the kitchen since our wedding, and now he was actually offering to cook for me.
It looked like he was after something big.
A mocking smile tugged at my lips, but I said nothing.
Erwin was uncharacteristically patient today. "Where are you right now? Let me come pick you up."
"Southlake Avenue," I replied curtly.
"You're not at Silvershore Bay?" Erwin blurted out.
I narrowed my eyes. "Why Silvershore Bay?"
He cleared his throat awkwardly, as if trying to cover something up. "Oh, nothing. I just thought I saw someone who looked a lot like you at Silvershore Bay."
My eyes darted around warily. "What are you doing at Silvershore Bay?"
"I just met with a client. I'm heading back to the office now," Erwin replied, his voice regaining its forced calm. "I thought you were nearby, too. Then I could give you a ride home."
"No need," I said coolly. "I'll meet you at the office directly."
Surprise flickered across Erwin's face, but he quickly replied, "Alright, I'll wait for you."