My husband, Julian Sutton, is busy with work on the day of my prenatal checkup. His childhood sweetheart, Vera Levine, with whom he's been amorous for years, offers to drive me.

On the way there, she suddenly swerves and rams into the back of a truck. The car is flattened. Julian is a doctor in the emergency room, but I don't call him. Instead, I dial 911 and wait for assistance.

Why? I called him in my past life, and he took me to the hospital. Our child was saved, but Vera died due to significant blood loss. Julian claimed not to blame me and even arranged for me to stay in a private hospital ward.

But on the day I was discharged, he dragged me to Vera's grave and stabbed me. I lost the child and was on the verge of death as I stared into his bloodshot eyes.

They were filled with unbridled hatred as he snarled, "Vera wouldn't have died if you hadn't grabbed the wheel! Don't think I'll believe you just because you're acting innocent! An eye for an eye—I want you to die for her, but only after experiencing the pain she felt in a hundredfold!"

He twisted the blade and stabbed me repeatedly. My blood splattered on Vera's gravestone, dying it red.

When I open my eyes again, I find that I've been taken back to the scene of the accident.

After the crash, our car ended up wedged under a truck. A sudden pain in my stomach snapped me back to reality. That was when it hit me—I'd been reborn.

I struggled to pull my phone out of my bag. Instead of calling my husband, who was an ER doctor, I dialed 911.

Soon, an ambulance pulled up. Julian Sutton was the first to appear. He rushed over to the driver's side to help Vera Levine.

After he got her out of the wreck, I finally felt like I could speak up and ask the other medical staff for help. But they just brushed me off, thinking I was making a scene, and ended up lecturing me for a while.

I couldn't hold myself up anymore. I collapsed, and my pregnant belly slammed into the seat in front of me. Blood started pooling beneath me, soaking through my maternity dress.

Still, no one even glanced my way. I gritted my teeth and dug deep to crawl out of the shattered back window.

All the rescue equipment was being used on Vera. Julian didn't even glance at me. He just muttered, "You got what you deserved," with a scowl.

As pain ripped through my body, I broke out in a cold sweat. Blood dripped from my mouth and down my legs, soaking everything.

With every second that passed, I could feel my baby's heartbeat slowing down.

In my past life, right after the crash, Vera and I called Julian for help. Since I was pregnant, he decided to take me to the hospital first.

By the time he returned, the police had already towed the wreck. Vera had bled out and died right there. They put her in a body bag and left her by the roadside.

When Julian returned to the hospital, he calmly delivered the news. He assured me that it wasn't my fault and that there was no need to feel guilty. He even spared no expense to get me a private ward so I could recover.

But on the day that I was discharged, he took me to Vera's grave and stabbed me in the stomach. He took our baby's life, and our blood spilled across the gravestone.

His eyes were filled with nothing but pure hatred.

"Vera wasn't just a friend. She meant everything to me! Do you have any idea what it's like to bleed out, Kate? Don't worry. You're about to find out!"

Julian pulled the knife out and started stabbing me over and over. Just as he intended, I bled out right there.

Since coming back to life this time, I only wanted to get as far away as possible. Never in a million years did I think that he'd still be holding me back. He wouldn't even let me get medical help.

My dress was soaked in blood. I collapsed in the pool of it, my voice barely a whisper as I begged, "Please... save my baby…"

A nurse nearby seemed to notice. She shot me a cold glare, then sneered before leaning down to pat my pregnant belly.

"Alright, Kate. Cut the drama," she said. "We're all getting sick of it. Everyone around here knows that you're jealous of Dr. Sutton's friend. I can't believe you'd pull something like this while pregnant.

"Even if you don't care about yourself, think about your baby. It's not worth taking someone's life over a guy. Right now, your focus should be on hoping that Ms. Levine pulls through. If she doesn't, Dr. Sutton will definitely divorce you, especially with their close relationship."

I knew that Julian didn't love me, but I never expected his coworkers to misunderstand me this deeply.

The cramps were so bad that I couldn't even make a sound. It felt like the blood was just rushing out of me uncontrollably. Everyone was gathered around Vera, and no one even bothered to check on me.

Just when I thought I was about to pass out from blood loss, I heard someone yell, "Whoa, look at all that blood! That is really bad. She's in serious trouble, isn't she?"

"Nah, she's just faking it. She wants Dr. Sutton to ditch his friend and help her. None of this would've happened if it wasn't for her. Just ask Dr. Sutton."

Finally, Julian drew closer. However, he wasn't coming to help me. He kicked at my head and snapped, "Had enough of the drama, Kate? I'm here now. You can drop the act.

"What's wrong with you? You grabbed the wheel yourself and ended up like this just to get me to feel sorry for you? I've told you a thousand times that Vera's my friend. That's it. Believe me or don't."

He still believed that I had caused the accident and that I was putting my kid's life at risk just for attention. The disappointment and pain hit so hard that I didn't even have the strength to explain.

I grabbed his foot as he was about to leave, desperate for him to see how badly I needed help. But he just paused briefly, scoffed, and lifted my maternity dress.

"That's a pretty convincing blood pack you've got there. If Vera hadn't told me about how you had planned this, I might've actually bought it."

With that, he turned and walked off without giving me another look.

I could hear people whispering all around me.

"This doesn't seem right. Blood packs aren't usually that color."

"Could the baby really be in danger?"

"Don't bother. Ms. Levine said that Kate got those blood packs from the hospital supply, so they look really convincing. Let her keep playing her little game. She'll probably end up killing her baby sooner or later."

Someone got fed up and kicked me. The force sent me rolling over. My face hit the ground hard, and I finally passed out.

In my dream, I was transported back to the day I first met Julian. He was an amazing ER doctor who came to my college to give a talk on first aid. His tall, good-looking frame had all the young women—myself included—totally hooked.

I fell for him the second I saw him and did whatever I could to get his contact information. Back then, I was just a student who was way too naive compared to him.

He turned everyone else down but added me as a friend. He told me that I reminded him of one of his friends because we both had that same innocent vibe.

I had no clue about Julian's complicated history with Vera. I naively thought I was different. I went after him without thinking, chasing after whatever little attention he gave me.

He never said that he wanted to be with me but never shut me down, either. I took that as his approval and kept falling harder for him.

He finally said yes after I confessed my feelings to him a hundred times. I could never forget how happy I was that day. I never thought it would be the start of my nightmare.

Once we were together, he started growing distant. He'd always find a reason not to sleep with me, saying that it was "for my own good" and that we should wait until we were married.

I loved him, so I bought into his lies. After I graduated, I got an email from Vera the night before our wedding. That was when I found out the truth.

Julian avoided touching me because I reminded him of her. Yet, that was also why he was drawn to me.

In her email, Vera said that she and Julian had been in love for ten years. Their families came from entirely different worlds, which kept them apart.

So, they decided to stay friends, and he picked me to be her stand-in. I was really crushed to read through all the memories they'd shared over those ten years.

On our wedding night, Julian got drunk and actually slept with me for the first time. But during our intimate act, he called out Vera's name. Nevertheless, I swallowed my pride and went along with it.

Even after Vera passed, Julian remained composed. I thought that he might have finally moved on and I had actually won his heart.

It wasn't until he took my life that I realized the truth. I was just a stand-in for his love for Vera.

I woke up in a ward. Instead of Julian, a stranger was standing by my bed.

"Are you alright?" the guy asked. "I was nearby when the crash happened and saw you lying there, so I brought you in. I wanted to call an ambulance, but some guy who was there said that one had already come and gone."

The more he spoke, the more frustrated he sounded.

"I can't believe those medical staff! They just left you lying on the ground! And everyone else just stood around doing nothing! You could've died if I hadn't gotten you here!"

I tried to move, but as soon as my hands touched my belly, I froze.

"I'm sorry. I got there too late," he apologized. "The doctor said that by the time I found you, the baby probably hadn't made it…"

I forced a bitter smile and shook my head. "Thanks for getting me here. I get it. It's not on you."

After a long pause, he handed me a glass of water. "You're pregnant. Why were you out riding alone? Doesn't your family care? The baby's dad should be the one stepping up. Give me his number.

"I'll call him and tell him to get here. I don't feel right leaving you alone like this. And these doctors are a joke! I'm going to call them out online. People like that shouldn't be in healthcare!"

I remembered the cold look on Julian's face when he left me.

"The baby's dad is dead," I said flatly.

The guy must've thought he'd brought up something painful because he kept apologizing.

I took a sip of water and smiled at him, assuring him I was fine.

He wanted to stay and watch over me, but I rejected his offer. After transferring the hospital and surgery fees to him, I convinced him to leave. As soon as he left, a nurse entered the ward to change my bandages.

She read the name on my chart and asked, "Your name is Kate Brooks, too? What a coincidence. There's a doctor here, Dr. Julian Sutton, whose wife has the same name. Do you know him?"

I shook my head.

She sighed, looking a little relieved. "I guess that makes sense. I heard that his wife's not exactly the nicest. She's nothing like you—so quiet and sweet."

I didn't say anything. After she left, I pulled out my phone and started scrolling through the news. The guy from before wasn't lying. He really did expose how sloppy the ER staff was with the accident that day.

A photo of me lying at the crash site had already gone viral, and the comments were filled with outrage about the hospital.

Someone from the hospital explained that I was actually related to a doctor, but that only fueled everyone's anger.

They questioned if being related to a doctor meant that someone should be left to die at a crash site. Why would anyone trust a doctor who could ignore his injured wife and child?

Someone at the scene then posted pictures in the comments showing Julian kicking me. Furious netizens flooded the hospital's official account, demanding answers.

I went through all the comments and gave them a thumbs-up. I was just about to text Julian about getting a divorce when I saw Vera's post from two hours ago.

In the photo, Julian was gently tending to the wound on her hand, looking at her with a tenderness I'd never seen from him before.

Her caption read, "I'm so thankful you're my lifelong friend and family, even without the blood ties. Nothing—not life or death—can tear us apart."

I immediately liked the post.

Julian's call came through right then. "What the heck is wrong with you, Kate? Why are you going after Vera? If you've got a problem, take it up with me. She almost died today because of you!

"You're really going to regret this if you keep making her life miserable. I've put up with your crap for long enough. But messing with someone's life? That's where I draw the line. Do you even realize what you're doing?

"You're ruining someone's life! Are you out of your mind? Vera might say that she's not mad at you, but don't think that I'll let this slide. You've got one last chance to apologize to her!"

Before I could say anything, Vera's sobs came through the phone. "Jules, don't hold this against Ms. Brooks. It's all on me. None of this would've happened if I'd just let her take over the wheel. It's normal for pregnant women to get emotional. I get it."

Julian's heart broke for Vera. He said, "You're my friend. Why should you be the one to suffer? She's just an outsider. What right does she have to yell at you? You don't have to take that. I'll make sure she thinks twice before doing that again!"

While they were still trying to comfort each other, I interrupted. I said monotonously, "Yeah. Let's just get a divorce. I'm fine with it. I'm just the outsider here, so I'll stay out of it."