Prologue
In my last life, I agreed to marry Chadwick Zimmerman — the CEO dying from a rare blood disease.
Only because my blood could save him.
After the wedding, I used IVF to conceive twins.
And sure enough, fed on my blood, Chadwick's body miraculously recovered.
I was seven months pregnant when the car crash happened on the way to a prenatal appointment.
I was sitting in the passenger seat. One body, three lives.
Turns out he caused the crash on purpose.
In my final moment, I asked him why, my voice cracking with grief and rage.
He looked at me with pure venom and said:
"Jasmine Yelverton is dead. Her husband beat her to death."
"If it weren't for you and those babies, she would've married me. She'd still be alive."
"You killed her. And now I'm making you pay."
Then he slammed the car into the guardrail a second time.
My fully formed babies were torn out of my body.
I watched their little corpses stop breathing, one slow breath at a time.
After I died, they cremated me. No one came to claim my ashes.
When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day Mrs. Zimmerman first came to propose the marriage.
Chapter 1
"Winter, your blood carries the antibodies that can cure Chadwick's rare disease. Would you marry him? Use your blood to save his life?"
"Mrs. Zimmerman, I know my blood may be unusual. But there's no guarantee it will cure your son. And I don't want to tie a medical treatment to a marriage."
Mrs. Zimmerman's face fell. But she wasn't ready to give up.
"I think it's worth a try. Winter, if you marry Chadwick, you'll have everything. You'd be the lady of the Zimmerman house. Not some family doctor."
Memories of my last life clawed up my throat. How could I ever agree to marry that monster?
Before I could speak, a weak voice drifted in from the doorway.
"Mom. You know the woman I love is Jasmine Yelverton. She's the only wife I'll ever take."
My body locked up.
Chadwick Zimmerman. The murderer. The killer. The man without a shred of humanity.
My nails dug into my palms. My teeth ground together until they clicked.
I forced my face smooth, turned, and there he was. Pale. Eyes cold as glass.
"Mom, Winter Sheridan's blood isn't some miracle cure. She's a con artist. Don't let that sweet little face fool you."
"Besides, she's just a family doctor. She's not fit to marry me. Throw her out."
The way he looked at me — pure disgust.
In this life, I'd never even met him before today. So why the venom?
Still, he was doing me a favor. Handing me exactly what I wanted.
I couldn't take him down. Not yet. For now, I just had to get out.
I swallowed the rage clawing up my chest, buried the hatred boiling underneath, and turned to Mrs. Zimmerman.
"Mrs. Zimmerman, clearly your son can't stand me. Forcing us together would only breed resentment. How could that ever heal him? He's right. I'm just an orphan. A family doctor. I'm not good enough for him."
Mrs. Zimmerman glanced at her sickly son with a helpless sigh.
"I was the one who sought Winter out. How could she be a con artist? And her bloodwork did show rare antibodies in her last physical..."
Something flickered in Chadwick's eyes. Surprise.
He turned and studied me — really studied me — like he was actually trying to decide whether I was a fraud.
"I'm sorry I can't help your son. You should find someone else."
Mrs. Zimmerman gave me one last regretful look.
"If that's how it is, I won't push you. You can go."
I exhaled.
Last life, the root of everything — every tragedy, every scream, every drop of blood — traced back to marrying Chadwick Zimmerman.
This time, I was cutting it off at the root.
I'd barely stepped out of the Zimmerman estate when I heard him behind me.
"Winter Sheridan... you... you stop right there..."
My body went rigid all over again.
I couldn't be alone with him. I was scared I'd lose it and kill him myself.
I pretended not to hear. Picked up my pace toward the gate.
A bodyguard stepped into my path.
I had to stop.
Chadwick caught up, leaning heavily on another bodyguard. Wheezing like a broken bellows. A flush of color bloomed briefly on his pale face.
"Winter Sheridan. You actually had the nerve to pretend you didn't hear me."
Looking down his nose at me, the spoiled prince.
I almost laughed.
"Weren't you dying to marry me? Giving up so easily?"
If I hadn't been reborn, maybe I really would have wanted to marry him. Rich beyond counting. Handsome. If he ever got his health back, he'd be the catch of a lifetime. Especially for someone like me — dirt at the bottom of the ladder. Marrying up was the shortcut out.
"You used to love clinging to me..."
What?
The words hit me like a slap.
Right now we were nothing — doctor and patient, employer and employee. I'd never been close to him. Not in this life.
Unless... he'd been reborn too.
