Chapter 1

Six years after I began trying to help the villain of the story I was trapped in, Morgan Quinn, and his son, Charlie Quinn, rebuild their lives, the female lead, Isabelle Quinn, finally returned.

When the landslide hit, both of them bolted toward her.

Morgan threw himself in front of her, shielding her from danger.

Charlie shoved me aside, even though I'd already taken hits protecting him, and ran to Isabelle, shouting, "Mom!"

As I was being loaded into the ambulance, I overheard Morgan giving instructions to his six-year-old son, Charlie.

"Your real mom is back, and I'm divorcing Rachel. Rachel has raised you for six years, so spend some time with her over the next few days," Morgan said.

"But I don't really want to be with her," Charlie mumbled in his childish voice.

"Now that Mom is back, I just want to stay with her," he added.

"Can't Rachel just leave soon? If she stays, I'm worried Mom won't like me anymore," he said, sounding anxious.

After Charlie finished talking, both he and Morgan suddenly went quiet. Then they turned, awkwardly, to look at me on the stretcher behind them.

*****

The paramedics, hauling me on the stretcher, shot a glare at Morgan and Charlie, who were standing right between the two ambulances, and snapped at them.

"Who are you here with, anyway?" one of the paramedics demanded.

"Move it. Get in the ambulance. You're blocking the way," another shouted.

Morgan rubbed his nose, shot me an awkward smile, and said, trying to explain himself.

"Rachel, Isabelle's got a heart problem. I need to go with her," he said.

Charlie looked at my bruised and battered body, hesitated, then murmured softly.

"I'm sorry, Rachel. You got hurt protecting me, but... I still want to be with Dad and Mom," he whispered.

"Here. This will help with the pain. I'm going to find Mom now, so take care of yourself, okay?" he added.

He slipped a piece of candy into my uninjured hand, then scrambled into the ambulance with Morgan, as if afraid of being left behind for good.

The paramedics wheeling me exchanged bewildered glances, completely baffled by the whole scene.

Just moments ago, I'd broken my arm shielding Charlie from falling rocks, and now I needed a family member to sign the surgery consent forms.

I gave the paramedics an awkward look.

"Could you help me call my husband's brother?" I asked.

Morgan's younger brother, Ethan Quinn, had been attached to me ever since we were little. Even after I married Morgan, he remained steadfast—addressing me solely as Rachel, never granting me the title of sister-in-law.

Ethan was already taller than me now, but he was still a bit of a scaredy cat. If he saw me all banged up like this, he'd probably burst into tears.

While the paramedics were busy calling him, I lost too much blood and just blacked out.

*****

I woke up to the sound of an argument in my hospital room.

Ethan sounded impatient.

"Morgan, when are you going to tell Rachel you want a divorce? Isabelle's still waiting for you," he said.

"That's why I've never accepted Rachel as my sister-in-law. I was just waiting for Isabelle to come back. She's the only one who deserves that title," he added.

Morgan paused mid-page turn, let out a dismissive "tsk," and replied in a nonchalant voice.

"Let her recover a bit first," he said.

"Her left arm's broken, and her left hand's injured too—all from protecting Charlie. The doctor says she may never be able to play piano again," he added.

"Poor thing," he muttered.

Ethan's frown deepened, and his voice got louder, brimming with frustration.

"Morgan, just be straight with me. Are you catching feelings for Rachel?" he demanded.

"Do you still resent Isabelle for leaving without a word after she gave birth to Charlie?" he pressed.

"You promised back then. You only married Rachel so Charlie would have someone to look after him, and you'd never let anyone but Isabelle into your heart. Did you forget all that?" he snapped.

Morgan set his book aside and gave a quiet, almost inaudible chuckle.

"Of course not," he replied dismissively.

"Still, she's taken care of us for six years. I have no feelings for her, but it doesn't mean I don't care about her," he said.