Chapter 1
The moment the needle pierced his skin, Ethan Sinclair's eyes flew open.
The sterile scent of disinfectant filled his nostrils. He was back in the familiar hospital blood donation room. Glancing down, he saw the thick needle drawing blood from his arm.
"You've already given 600cc, sir. Are you sure you want to continue?" The nurse's voice was laced with concern.
Ethan froze.
He distinctly remembered dying—drained of his last drop of blood during the nine hundred and ninety-ninth transfusion for Lucas Whitmore.
"Voluntary."
A cold female voice spoke behind him. Ethan shuddered.
He turned slowly and saw the face etched into his soul. Victoria Montgomery stood at the doorway in a black trench coat, her exquisite features as icy as ever.
Memories flooded back.
In his past life, he had loved this woman for ten years. From the moment he first saw her at their high school opening ceremony, to watching her fall for Lucas in college, to later forcing her into marriage with his blood donations as leverage.
He had believed time would change everything.
But seven years of marriage had only earned him the death certificate she signed with her own hand.
"Lucas can't wait. Hurry up." Victoria's impatient voice snapped him back to the present.
Ethan stared at the dark red liquid filling the blood bag and suddenly smiled.
This time, he wouldn't make the same mistakes.
Once the transfusion ended, Victoria grabbed the blood bag and turned to leave. Ethan spoke abruptly. "About the marriage..."
"I keep my promises." She didn't even glance back. "Bring your documents to the Civil Affairs Bureau yourself. I don't have time to accompany you."
Her retreating figure was as cold and resolute as he remembered.
Ethan reached into his pocket and found Lucas's ID and household register—likely taken by mistake in Victoria's haste.
A wild idea flashed through his mind.
Two hours later, Ethan stood outside the Civil Affairs Bureau, holding two crimson marriage certificates.
Printed clearly on them were the names: Victoria Montgomery and Lucas Whitmore.
"This... should make everything right."
He slipped the certificates into an envelope and mailed it to the hospital.
In this life, he chose to let go.
He chose to leave the Ethan Sinclair who had once been obsessed with her—forever in the past.