"No!" Diane didn't budge an inch. "Joseph may be raving, but you can't lose your senses too, Nora! Kimberly isn't qualified for a surgery like this!"

She hadn't finished when Joseph exploded. "Don't you talk about Kimberly like that! I know exactly what she's capable of!"

Then, he shot me a fierce look. "Kimberly just wanted a full-time position. She wouldn't risk my life, and she'd never hurt me! Nora, you're the petty one. If you had just done what I said, Kimberly wouldn't have died!"

I knew he was talking about the previous life, but I wasn't about to tip my hand.

Diane looked confused, so I played along and let my brows knit. "What are you talking about? Why would Kimberly die?"

Joseph studied my face, as if confirming I hadn't come back with him. Arrogance and glee flashed in his eyes before he snapped, "Get me to her hospital now! If she dies, you won't live either!"

I clenched my hands until my nails dug into my palms, holding back the hate that threatened to spill out.

The memory of tires thudding over my body roared through my head. I wouldn't relive that kind of pain and helplessness.

Joseph had done it once, which meant he would do it again. This time, I wasn't giving him the chance.

Diane, missing the subtext, threw up her hands. "You really are crazy! Nora, tie him up and get him in the car!" she shouted, her whole body shaking with rage.

I didn't want to tip Joseph off that I remembered anything, so I made a show of obeying and stepped toward him.

He snatched up the nearest heavy thing and hurled it at my face. "You bitch! If you don't take me to Kimberly's hospital right now, I'll beat you to death!"

The heavy object crashed into my temple. Diane yelped in shock.

Joseph caught my wrist, yanked me to the floor, and drew back both fists to pound my head. Even with his legs broken, he was stronger than me, and I couldn't break free.

Diane screamed and finally caved. "Enough! Stop! If you hurt Nora, who's going to drive you to Kimberly?"

Joseph stopped, victory gleaming across his face.

I held my throbbing head and shoved myself to my feet. The gloating in his eyes only fueled the fire in my chest.

We drove nearly two thousand miles with me at the wheel for a day and a night without sleep, and we rolled in the next afternoon.

Diane and I rushed his admission. While Diane arranged Joseph's surgery, Joseph noticed the attending wasn't Kimberly and tore the consent form in half.

"I told you, I'm only letting Kimberly operate!"

A young nurse tried to help. "Dr. Parker isn't on today. Your legs look very serious. You really shouldn't wait. Let one of our surgeons take you."

Diane drew breath to argue, but Joseph had already called Kimberly.

Kimberly answered in a sweet tone, "Joseph, you've arrived? Sorry, I didn't expect you so soon. I'm walking my dog. Please wait for me. I'll head over now!"

Diane's chest heaved with rage, her eyes rolling back at the ceiling.

"It's fine. I'll wait," Joseph said, gritting through the pain. "With me as your case, they'll have to make you permanent."

Seeing this, I couldn't help but find it bitterly laughable.

I hadn't slept or had a sip of water all day, yet he hadn't spared me a single word of concern.

But now, I didn't need his concern anymore. This time, I wanted to watch those legs rot if that was where his devotion to Kimberly led.

We waited and waited, but Kimberly still hadn't turned up.

Joseph's panic deepened by the minute, until even the surgeon on call couldn't stand it and pulled me aside.

"You're his wife, right? He can't stall any longer. If he keeps waiting, he could lose function for good. Pick another surgeon and sign!"

Before I could answer, Joseph cut in with a grim expression. "You're just trying to take Kimberly's case! Forget it! Kimberly's doing my surgery!"

He turned that warning glare on me. "Listen, only Kimberly can treat my legs. If she isn't here, I'll wait until she is! If you don't want me to divorce you, then keep your mouth shut and do as I say!"

I didn't waste my breath on a response. From the moment I opened my eyes in this second life, my very first thought was to sever all ties with him.

But what I wanted to see even more was how an inexperienced intern would handle a surgery like this.

Another hour crawled by before Kimberly finally sashayed in while wearing stilettos, a full set of acrylic nails, and makeup caked on like she was headed to a photo shoot.

Diane had been pacing herself into a fury. The second she saw Kimberly, she grabbed the gurney to wheel Joseph toward the operating room. "Good! She's here! Let's get him in now!"

Kimberly yanked the gurney to a stop and blinked, all innocence. "Wait, I thought I was supposed to operate on him?"

Diane fought the urge to roll her eyes and gave Kimberly a once-over. "How are you going to operate dressed like that? You don't even have a license. You're just an intern who got here through connections. If anything goes wrong with Joseph, can you take the responsibility?"

The attending, who had been trying to talk sense into Joseph, couldn't hold back. "Dr. Parker hasn't performed a single case here. Letting her take the lead is extremely risky. It could cost him more than his legs!"

I chimed in, pretending to persuade him too. "They're right. Operating rooms are sterile. I've never seen a surgeon in heels and a manicure. Joseph, think this through. You're risking not only your chance to walk but your life!"

Kimberly pursed her lips, her voice carrying a note of hurt. "Joseph, I rushed over because I was worried about you. That's why I didn't change. Nora looks down on me. If none of you want me, then let someone else take it! If I can't be permanent..."

Before she could finish, a slap landed on my face. My cheek burned while Joseph glared at me with cold disgust.

"Cut the jealous act! Kimberly's about to be made permanent, and you're not standing in the way this time!"

I covered my burning cheek, my gaze darkening into quiet scorn.

He thought I was standing in the way, but I was only letting things run their course. This time, I wanted him treated by Kimberly even more than he did.

Diane snapped, fury blazing in her eyes, "If she were good enough to go permanent, she wouldn't need to use you as a stepping stone! Look at her! What part of her looks like a surgeon?"

Joseph remained unmoved. "She rushed here because she was worried about me. That's why she didn't change. This is just a leg operation. Even if it isn't perfectly sterile, it won't matter. Kimberly is handling my legs, and I trust her. Nothing you say will change my mind!"

He snatched the new consent form from the nurse, scrawled his signature, and slapped it down. "I've already signed it! If anyone gets in the way, I would rather lose my legs than let someone else touch them!"

At that, Kimberly dropped the pout and shot me a smug look. She whisked the gurney out of Diane's hands and sashayed toward the operating room with Joseph in tow.

There was nothing the surgical team could do except accept Kimberly as primary and scrub in behind her.

Three hours later, a scream ripped down the corridor, and the operating room doors finally swung open.