Right before my childhood sweetheart died, he declared he was leaving his entire inheritance to his first love. "Mia is different from you, Harper," he wheezed. "You were just my caregiver, but she's a ballerina. She needs to be elegant for the rest of her life. She needs this money to live comfortably." "Besides, if you hadn't orchestrated that car crash back then, she and I wouldn't have been separated." "You used my gratitude to trap me, ruining my entire life." "If I had a do-over, I'd rather stay a cripple than have anything to do with you." He died full of resentment, conveniently forgetting that I saved his life, missing two of my final AP exams in the process. Later, to help him with his physical therapy, I gave up my dream of aerospace engineering and switched to nursing. I stared at the document disinheriting me, nodded softly, and said, "Okay." When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day of our final exams—the exact moment he stole a car to chase after his first love. I pretended to know nothing. In this life, I don't want anything to do with him either. 01 The final bell of the school year had just rung. My dad grabbed my arm and hustled me toward his car. As he started the engine, my mom began explaining the rush. "Did you know Liam was secretly dating someone? His girlfriend dumped him today, right before finals, and Liam..." I didn't need to hear the rest. I knew exactly what happened. It was exactly like my past life. Liam got into a horrific car accident chasing after his girlfriend, permanently losing the use of his legs. The only difference this time was that I watched him drive off to his doom, and then I calmly went back inside to finish my afternoon exams. At the hospital, two exhausted surgeons emerged from the OR. "The crash was catastrophic, and the rescue was delayed. We managed to save his life, but he'll likely never walk again. If his recovery goes poorly, we might have to amputate." Hearing this, Liam's mother, Mrs. Davis, burst into agonizing sobs. Mr. Davis supported her, his own face etched with grief. My parents stood frozen in shock. "It's a tragedy. Liam worked so hard all these years, only for this to happen right in the middle of finals week." My dad shot my mom a look, signaling her to be quiet. When Liam was wheeled out, all four parents rushed to his side. I stood back, staring blankly at my own hands. They were slender and smooth. No calluses, no swollen, deformed joints from years of scrubbing clothes and washing dishes in cold water. I had truly been reborn. The two exams I aced this afternoon were real. In my past life, Liam's first love, Mia, broke up with him on the day of our final exams. Desperate to win her back, Liam stole his dad's car without a second thought and chased after her. And I, worried sick about him, followed close behind. I witnessed the gruesome crash firsthand. To get him out of the wreckage and to the hospital as fast as possible, I missed my two afternoon exams. I was a straight-A student, easily Ivy League bound, but my final GPA plummeted. I had planned to take a gap year and reapply, but Liam suddenly proposed to me from his hospital bed. He said, "The doctors told me if you hadn't risked your life to pull me out of that car, I would have definitely lost both my legs." "You missed your exams for me, gave up your aerospace engineering dreams. I want to spend the rest of my life taking care of you... if... if you'll have me." Years of a secret crush suddenly culminating in a proposal—I was so shocked I didn't know how to react. "B-but, what about Mia?" Liam's eyes were filled with nothing but hatred. "If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be like this!" "I hate her more than anything!" I hesitated for a day. Coupled with the changing college admissions landscape, and Liam repeatedly swearing he couldn't live without me, I finally agreed. I gave up my dream major and enrolled in a local nursing program so I could help Liam walk again. For the next few decades, I dedicated my life to his physical therapy. He said he hated having strangers in the house, so I did everything: laundry, cooking, massages, rehabilitation. Everything was done by my hands alone. I took meticulous care of him until he finally stood up again. He refused to succumb to his disability and wanted to start his own business. I was the one running around, handling all the logistics for him. But on the day his company finally succeeded, the day of his launch party... I overheard him asking his assistant, "Did you manage to invite Mia, the ballerina, to be my date tonight?" The assistant nodded, hesitating. "Yes, Mr. Davis. But what about... your wife?" Liam, looking sharp in his tailored suit in the mirror, let out a cold scoff. "Wife? She's just a glorified maid." I stood behind the door, humiliated, gripping the fabric of my evening gown until my knuckles turned white. Perhaps karma is real. Liam ended up back in the ICU due to complications from his old injuries. But on his deathbed, he left every cent of his wealth to Mia. He even transferred the meager savings in my personal account—a few hundred thousand dollars—to her. "Harper, she's different from you. You're a caregiver; she's a ballerina. She needs to be elegant for the rest of her life. She needs this money to live comfortably." "Besides, if you hadn't orchestrated that car crash back then, she and I wouldn't have been separated." "You used my gratitude to trap me, ruining my entire life." "If I had a do-over, I'd rather stay a cripple than have anything to do with you." After half a lifetime of backbreaking labor, I was left with nothing but calloused hands and an empty bank account. In my past life, I already paid the ultimate price for my blind devotion. 02 This time, I silently watched Mr. and Mrs. Davis shed their tears. "Your father and I only have one son. We poured our hearts and souls into Liam. He was always such a good, straight-A student. How could he throw it all away for some secret high school romance?" Mrs. Davis wailed. "I asked around. That girl is an art student; her grades are terrible. The SATs don't mean anything to her! But she shouldn't have ruined Liam at such a crucial moment! Sob..." My mom sighed beside me. "That girl is something else. Liam gets into a horrific accident because of her, and she doesn't even show up to see him." A flash of hatred crossed Mrs. Davis's eyes. She shot up from her chair. "We're a reasonable family, but that girl ruined my son! I have to go see what she has to say for herself!" She was about to storm off to find Mia, but before she could take two steps, Liam's screams echoed from the hospital room. "Mia! Mia!" I followed them in, staying at the back of the group. Liam's head was wrapped in bandages, his legs immobilized. He was struggling desperately to sit up but couldn't manage it. Because I didn't follow him this time, Liam had been trapped unconscious in the car for over an hour before a teacher found him and called 911. The delayed rescue meant his injuries were far more severe. The doctors said the likelihood of amputation was very high. Mrs. Davis rushed over, fighting back tears. "Don't move, sweetie. The doctor said you can't move around. Your incisions haven't healed yet." Liam looked at his legs, momentarily stunned, then tried to play it cool. "It's fine. It's just a broken bone, right? It's not a big deal." "Look, I can still move." He tried to move his legs, but there was no response. His expression slowly froze. With each failed attempt, panic began to creep across his face. "Why can't I move my legs? The anesthesia hasn't worn off yet, right?" Mr. and Mrs. Davis stood there with tears in their eyes, not knowing how to break the news. "Say something! Tell me!!" Liam slammed the call button himself. When the nurse rushed in, he started interrogating her. "What's wrong with my legs?" "Tell me! What the hell is wrong with my legs!!" The nurse was startled. Before she could answer, Liam began violently punching his own legs. "Why can't I feel anything?!" He was hysterical. It took three people to hold him down. But watching him like this, a strange sense of satisfaction bloomed in my chest. I walked right up to him and said, enunciating every word: "Keep punching them. Right now, you're only paralyzed. If you keep hitting them, they might actually have to amputate." Liam froze, as if the word "paralyzed" had physically struck him. "Par... paralyzed?" Mrs. Davis finally broke down and sobbed uncontrollably. Mr. Davis added heavily, "I know the whole story now. You're in this state because of that girl, Mia..." Before he could finish, Liam suddenly shouted: "It has nothing to do with Mia." "It was my fault. I panicked and took the car without permission." I lowered my eyes and smiled. Such favoritism. Even when she's the reason you're paralyzed, you still defend her in front of everyone? This accident clearly had nothing to do with me, yet in my past life, Liam relentlessly blamed me for it. The difference between being loved and unloved was glaringly obvious. In my past life, he said he'd rather be a cripple than have anything to do with me. In this life, he can stay a cripple, and I will go to college and achieve my dreams. Everyone gets what they want. 03 This time, I didn't volunteer to stay at the hospital with him. I stayed for a bit, then went home. But the next day, Mrs. Davis collapsed from the stress. Liam, a minor, driving without a license and getting into a massive wreck had hit the local news. The internet was flooded with comments tearing him apart. Mr. Davis couldn't handle it all alone, so my mom, feeling bad, sent me—freshly finished with finals—back to the hospital to help out. Seeing it was me, Liam's initial excitement evaporated. I ignored him. I just sat quietly in the corner playing on my phone. As long as he didn't die on my watch, I didn't care. But when the nurse came in to change his dressings, Liam was incredibly uncooperative. "Bed 18, time to change your dressings." Liam snapped his head around, his eyes bloodshot. "I don't need it." The nurse sighed, clearly used to this kind of behavior. "If you don't change the dressings, your legs will only get worse." She ignored his protest and reached out to unwrap the bandages. "I said I don't need it!" Liam violently swatted the tray of Betadine out of her hands. It crashed to the floor, metal clanging loudly. I frowned and stood up. In my past life, Liam had a hard time accepting his disability too, but he was never this much of a bastard. Thinking back carefully, I realized the difference. In my past life, after the accident, I sought out Mia and pleaded with her. She came to visit him the very next day. But this time, the news of his accident was all over school, and Mia was nowhere to be found. He was taking out his frustration on the nurse. The young nurse looked incredibly wronged but still had to do her job. Before she could even touch him, Liam shoved her hard on the shoulder. "I told you I don't need it! Are you deaf?! Are all you nurses this pathetic? Can't you understand what a patient is telling you..." Unable to tolerate it any longer, I raised my hand and slapped him hard across the face. "If you don't want treatment, just check yourself out. Why are you acting like a psycho in here?" The nurse wiped her tears, took a deep breath, went out, and brought back new supplies. "Bed 18..." I took the supplies from her and tossed them onto Liam's chest. "If you want to die, hurry up and do it. If you don't want to die, change them yourself." The nurse shot me a grateful look and quickly exited the room, looking relieved. Liam glared at me, panting heavily like a rabid lion. "Harper, what right do you have to hit me!!" Seeing the red welt on his face, I finally felt a little better. "Before you talk about dying, look at your parents. Your mom is hospitalized from stress, your dad aged ten years overnight. What right do you have to act like this?" "Just because Mia didn't come to see you? Why don't you go yell at her?" Liam fell silent, clearly struck a nerve. After a long while, he spoke, his voice thick with congestion. "Mia... she's probably at her dance intensive. She doesn't know what happened, that's why she hasn't come." I ruthlessly shattered his fantasy. "Finals are over. She was at a graduation party yesterday." Liam pressed his lips tightly together and turned his head away, clearly refusing to accept it. When I came back from the restroom later, he was secretly changing his own dressings. In my past life, my heart broke for him. I did everything for him, spoon-feeding him, washing him. Later on, I basically turned him into a giant man-child. He wouldn't even take his daily pills unless I sorted them out and handed them to him. Now that there was no one to coddle him, he could manage just fine on his own. When I got home, I checked Mia's Instagram. She was living her best life these past few days. After thinking about it, I opened my chat with her. I wanted to see how Mia would treat Liam in this life without me constantly lecturing and pushing her.

04 The next day, Mia and I arrived at the hospital one after the other. When I had arrived previously, Liam looked dead inside. When Mia arrived, he suddenly looked alive. His eyes sparkled. "Mia, you finally came." "How did you find out I was in the hospital? It's so hot out, I appreciate you coming. Harper, go buy Mia a boba tea." Even though I had zero feelings for Liam in this life, I couldn't help but laugh out of sheer annoyance. In my past life, I gave up retaking the SATs and chose a nursing major just to help him walk again. He didn't appreciate my sacrifices at all, treated me like a maid, and accused me of orchestrating the car crash just to trap him. It's true what they say: the person who is truly loved doesn't have to do anything but exist to win. I didn't move. Mia crossed her arms and coldly said, "No need." She kept her distance from Liam. "I didn't come here for boba." "Liam, what the hell are you playing at? You suck at driving, you crash, and now you're trying to tie me to this? Expecting me to take responsibility for you?" "Are you insane? You crashed after I broke up with you. I have nothing to do with you anymore, understand?" It was the first time I had ever seen Liam make that expression. Stunned, embarrassed, yet forcing a smile. He looked pathetic. He stuttered, "Mia, it's not... I didn't want you to take responsibility. I..." Mia coldly tore into him. "You think I don't know you had people spreading rumors at school about your accident? Weren't you just trying to guilt-trip me?!" "The more you do this, the more disgusted I am! You're the one who wouldn't let it go. Are you trying to ruin the rest of my life?!" "Don't ever contact me again. I'll say it one last time: we are broken up!" Mia stormed out. A tear actually rolled down Liam's cheek. In my past life, he didn't cry when he was dying, he didn't cry when he found out he was paralyzed, but a few words from Mia made him cry. I smiled vindictively. "College applications open soon. I'm going home to research schools." "Mr. Davis has to take care of Mrs. Davis. You guys should probably hire a home health aide for now." I talked for a bit, but Liam didn't hear a word. It didn't matter. I just needed to fulfill the obligation my parents gave me. I heard later that night, Liam spiked a high fever and had to be rushed to emergency treatment again. 05 I didn't go back to the hospital. Instead, I dove into studying aerospace engineering concepts. In my past life, Liam called me a maid because of my nursing major. This time, I was going to achieve my dream. I signed up for a pre-college aerospace summer camp and was packing to leave in three days. But the next day, while my mom was helping me pack, Mrs. Davis called. She was sobbing hysterically, the sound of ambulance sirens wailing in the background. "Hurry, get to the hospital! That girl Liam likes got a new boyfriend, and Liam tried to kill himself." "Harper, please, come quickly!" My parents exchanged a panicked look. My dad, who was chopping vegetables, accidentally cut his finger. "Suicide?! Let's go, let's go, hurry!" On the drive there, my parents were frantic. "A perfectly good kid, ruined just like that. He was such a good boy! Harper, whatever you do, don't date in high school. No, scratch that, don't ever let a relationship consume your life, you hear me?!" My mom glared at my dad. "My daughter would never!" I sat in the back seat, silent, but my heart felt bitter. Honestly, I didn't regret saving a life in my past life. But I suffered immensely for being consumed by that relationship. In my past life, I made a mistake that dragged my parents down with me for half their lives. "Mom, Dad, I promise I won't be like that." Regardless of who my partner is, I won't lose myself. Compared to self-sacrifice, in this life, I prioritize honoring myself. 06 The traffic near the hospital was gridlocked. My mom grabbed my hand, and we jumped out of the car, running the rest of the way. Police and fire trucks were already there, and an inflatable rescue cushion had been deployed below the building. The room was on the 15th floor. A figure in a hospital gown was hanging out the window of the 15th floor. It was Liam. I honestly didn't feel much, but I recorded a video and sent it to Mia anyway. Whether Liam actually wanted to die or was just emotionally blackmailing her, that was between the two of them. It had nothing to do with me. I just didn't want to see Liam die so quickly. After all, compared to death, living with the consequences is much harder. By the time we reached the room, Liam was sitting on the windowsill, the large window wide open. All it would take was a slight lean backward, and he'd fall. My mom gasped in my ear. "How did he even get up there with his legs like that!?" My dad nudged my mom's arm. "Not the time!" "Liam, listen to Mr. Starr. Come down from there. You're still young, there's no hurdle you can't overcome." Liam looked utterly broken. He pointed at his legs. "With my legs like this, what's the point of living." I sent another video to Mia. I added a message: "If you don't want a life on your conscience for the rest of yours, you better get here now." Mrs. Davis slapped her own thighs in desperation. "Son, come down! Your life is just beginning. So what if you don't have legs? Our family is well-off; Mom and Dad can take care of you!" "Hurry up and come down!" Liam cried out in despair, "How? How are you going to take care of me?! I'm never going to stand up again!" "Harper can go to her dream college, everyone else has infinite possibilities, but I have to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair!" "Mom, Dad, I really don't want to live anymore. Let me go." "You're still young. Have another kid. Make sure he doesn't end up like me." Liam leaned backward. But amidst everyone's screams, Mia finally arrived, panting heavily. "Liam, don't you dare!!!" Liam froze. Mia leaned on her knees, gasping for air. "Don't jump, please don't jump." "I know what you want. I agree. I'll stay with you." A flash of joy crossed Liam's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by sorrow. He shook his head. "I know you already... I don't want to hold you back." Mia took a tentative step forward. "That was just because I didn't have the courage to face you before, and I couldn't forget you, so I found someone else." "Liam, I still want to be with you." The moment Liam was pulled back to safety, Mrs. Davis collapsed on the floor, wailing. My mom patted her shoulder sympathetically. "It's okay, it's okay now." Is it? But the anger and resentment I saw in Mia's eyes definitely didn't look "okay." 07 I went home to pack for my summer camp. My parents were still constantly running to the hospital. They said that with Mia there, Liam was finally starting to take his physical therapy seriously. "I've watched Liam grow up. I've never seen him so obedient." "Sigh. It would be best if those two stayed together. But that girl doesn't look like she'll stick around for the long haul." I packed snacks into my bag and said: "Why are you worrying about that, Mom? You should be checking if I'm ready! I leave tomorrow!" My mom finally started helping me pack. But after a short while, she hesitated before asking, "Harper, why does it seem like you and Liam have grown so distant lately?" "You guys used to be..." I paused, then said seriously, "Mom, please stop calling us childhood sweethearts." "Since Liam and Mia are back together, even if we were close, I need to keep my distance." I made my stance clear, and my mom didn't ask again. But that evening, Mrs. Davis and Mr. Davis came over to complain. Seeing my suitcase and bags, Mrs. Davis was surprised. "Harper, are you going somewhere?" I nodded. "I'm planning to major in aerospace engineering, so I'm doing a prep camp over the summer." Mrs. Davis nodded, but before she could speak, tears started falling. Since the accident, she often held my hand and said: "Harper, pursue the major you love. Liam is the one who let you down." "I've watched you and Liam grow up together. I can't bear to see you dragged down by him." I was stunned, not knowing how to respond for a moment. After we got married in my past life, Mrs. Davis and Mr. Davis had always been very good to me. Having a son who ruined two lifetimes over a toxic relationship, their lives were quite bitter too. Not wanting to hurt Mrs. Davis, I said gently: "Liam and Mia love each other. They'll eventually work things out." "With someone taking careful care of him, maybe Liam will slowly recover. Mrs. Davis, you need to relax." After all, in my past life, I took such good care of Liam that he walked again. But Mrs. Davis shook her head. "Liam won't let me near him, and Mia is just a kid. She doesn't know how to take care of someone. It's only been a few days, and Liam already has bedsores. Sigh..." This was entirely expected. In my past life, I sponge-bathed Liam twice a day and massaged his muscles. The sheer physical exhaustion of it all was something only I understood. It was perfectly normal that Mia couldn't do it. The next day, I headed straight to the summer camp. Everything related to aerospace engineering fascinated me. I devoured all the knowledge I could get my hands on. This time, no matter what, I was going to make up for my past regrets. Liam was completely out of my mind. It wasn't until ten days later, when I was getting ready to head home to check my exam scores, that I found out Mia and Liam had actually gotten engaged. "An engagement is a good thing. Why do you guys look so grim?" My parents shook their heads. "Do you think an engagement is something you decide casually?" My mom held up three fingers. "It cost your Mr. Davis a three hundred thousand dollar engagement gift, plus an agreement to cover all of Mia's expenses throughout college." I raised an eyebrow, but quickly accepted it. One willing to buy, one willing to sell. 08 That night, my family of three sat neatly in front of the computer, waiting for the scores to drop. When the total score of 1580 popped up on the screen, I cried tears of joy. "Mom, I can get into the aerospace program. I really can!" "I could always do it." My parents didn't understand everything I was saying, but they nodded enthusiastically. In my past life, when I realized Liam treated me like a maid and spent a fortune to hire Mia as his date, I confronted him. But Liam just looked me up and down and dragged me in front of a mirror. "Look at yourself. Dry, split ends. Hands swollen like sausages. If this isn't a maid, what is?" "Also, you major in nursing. What is that if not a maid? If you don't want to be a maid, do you want to go wipe asses in a hospital?" I asked emotionally, "Didn't I study nursing to help you recover? Would you have gotten better without me?" "Liam, how can you be so heartless!" I was shaking with anger. "If I hadn't missed my exams to save you back then..." The past ten years were what Liam hated being reminded of the most. He slammed his hand on the table angrily. "Back then, back then, back then! How many times are you going to bring that up!" "Even if you had taken those exams, do you think you would have scored high? Do you think you would have gotten into an aerospace program!?" "Harper, you really are delusional." That night, my heart was shattered by Liam. But this 1580 score proved that I could. I always could! The next morning, I dragged my parents out to celebrate. But we ran straight into Mia pushing Liam in his wheelchair. Even as she turned to lock the door, Liam couldn't take his eyes off her. With her around, Liam's mood had improved significantly. "Mr. and Mrs. Starr, Harper. Where are you going?" My parents, afraid of rubbing my success in Liam's face, quickly made up an excuse. "We're going to her grandmother's for lunch. What about you two?" Liam's emotions were written all over his face. "Mia is taking me to the hospital for a checkup." As soon as he finished speaking, Mia looked at me and asked directly, "The scores are out. What did you get, Harper?" In my peripheral vision, I saw Liam look at me too. I curled my lips and said lightly, "1580." I saw a flash of dismay cross Liam's face. Mia didn't show much emotion, just said, "I got into the dance program at the college I wanted. Classes start September 5th!" At that, Liam's smile completely vanished. Given his current condition, let alone going to college, he couldn't even be left alone. But Mia was different. Would someone who could effortlessly jump to a new boyfriend really spend the rest of her life guarding Liam? 09 Before college started, my parents threw me a graduation party. The Davis family was naturally on the guest list. I had been accepted into MIT. Regardless of the school or the major, it was my dream come true. On the day of the party, Liam sat in his wheelchair, staring blankly, while I was surrounded by relatives and friends, laughing and talking. Finally, when my classmates clamored for a group photo, everyone eagerly gathered around. Only Liam gripped the armrests of his wheelchair tightly and didn't move. "Liam, come on! Weren't you two the closest? Harper is going off to college." "Yeah, yeah. Everyone knows you guys are childhood friends. Hurry up!" Liam pursed his lips and didn't move, but two boys ran down and carried Liam, wheelchair and all, up onto the stage. Except, the former rich, handsome, straight-A student who was always the center of attention... No one made room for him in the center this time. Later, looking at the photo, I noticed Liam was placed at the very edge of the group. The night before I left for college, Liam actually knocked on my door. When I opened it, I instinctively looked straight ahead, only lowering my gaze when I saw no one, to find Liam sitting in his wheelchair. He gave a self-deprecating smile. "I guess I can only be looked down upon by you from now on." "Want to go for a walk?" I wanted to refuse, but my mom whispered from behind: "Liam has been cooped up at home for a long time. It's rare for him to want to go out. Just walk with him for a bit." The habit from my past life kicked in; seeing a wheelchair made me want to push it. I stiffly pulled my hand back and walked ahead. The roads in the neighborhood were wide. Liam rolled his wheelchair alongside me. "Congratulations on getting into your dream school." I gave a polite, distant "thank you." But then Liam pulled out his SAT admission ticket. He smiled bitterly: "It's funny. The school you're going to was my dream school too, but I'll never have the chance now." "Harper, take my admission ticket with you. This is as far as I go in this life." He held the ticket out to me, but I didn't take it. "I'm sure Mia will take you there to fulfill your dream someday." I swatted at a non-existent mosquito near my leg. "Too many mosquitoes. Let's head back." Liam looked crestfallen for a moment, but didn't say anything. As we walked, Liam fell behind. I frowned and looked back, only to realize his wheelchair was stuck on a rock. When our eyes met, he looked embarrassed but stubbornly said: "Don't worry about me. It's just a small rock. I'm fine." "Okay." I nodded and went straight home.

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