In my past life, I saved Antonio Kaufman, the kidnapped heir to the richest family in town. To support him, I worked four jobs a day, spoiling him rotten.

But once he returned to his family, he ordered everyone to never mention that shameful past.

Out of gratitude, his grandpa Ethan Kaufman asked me what I wanted in return.

Naïve and hopeful, I told him, "I wanna marry Antonio..."

I had no idea that from the day Antonio returned home, he'd already fallen for Graycee Sinclair, a wealthy socialite.

Since the day we got married, he had been giving me the cold shoulder. He would even wipe his hand clean after holding mine.

Later, when Graycee got pregnant, he pushed me off a high-rise balcony. It was the perfect way to secure his future with her without being labeled a cheater.

As I lay dying, he casually said to me, "My first choice will always be Gracie, and anyone else is just a backup.

"Grace, a lowly creature like you could never deserve to be my wife."

When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day Ethan asked me what I wanted.

This time, I didn't choose to win Antonio's heart like a fool. I'd already booked a ticket out of Ravenvale, set to leave in a week.

"I want some money. Enough to start over somewhere far away.

"I wanna pursue the life I really want," I calmly told Ethan.

"What? You sure you can get over Antonio?"

At my response, Ethan furrowed his brow, looking surprised.

Everyone knew how much I loved Antonio. They all assumed I'd use the fact that I'd saved his life to blackmail him into marrying me.

In my past life, I had done exactly that.

And what had I got in return? Indifference, disdain, and ultimately ... death.

The memory of the pain when I hit the ground was still fresh. Even now, I could still recall the relief in Antonio's eyes when he pushed me off that building.

This time around, I wasn't going to hold onto that foolish hope.

I took a deep breath, forced a calm smile, and looked at Ethan. "Antonio and I come from completely different worlds. He deserves someone better.

"I want to pursue my dreams. Please, Ethan. Just say yes."

After a long while of silence, Ethan finally sighed and nodded. "You're right. You two are so different in status. Your marriage is bound to be unhappy.

"Thank you so much for saving his life and spending so much effort to shape him into who he is. Name your price, and I'll make sure you're compensated."

He looked up at me. "Gracie, you don't need to leave Ravenvale. I'll ensure your future is secure, no matter what you choose to do."

I smiled and shook my head, lowering my gaze as I murmured, "The sky's the limit. I'm ready to spread my wings. I want to live a life that doesn't revolve around Antonio.

"Ethan, please don't tell him I'm leaving yet. He's just taken over the company, and I don't want him distracted by this."

By the time I left the Kaufman's mansion, the sun almost set.

I had just opened the car door when my phone rang. It was Antonio. In my past life, he and Graycee had already fallen in love by this time.

But I used the fact that I saved his life to make Ethan push Antonio into marrying me.

After marriage, I'd been caught up in happiness. I had no idea Antonio had fallen for someone else until I bumped into him and Graycee kissing.

Shaking myself out of the memory, I answered the call.

Before I could speak, Antonio's angry voice sounded from the other end. "Grace Parrish! I asked you to send over a document. Did you drop dead or what? What the hell is taking you so long!

"You can't even handle something this small! What use are you to me?"

I finally recalled I was supposed to bring him the document. Taking a deep breath, I said, "I forgot."

If it had been before, I would've apologized again and again and delivered the document asap.

But now? I didn't feel like doing so.

Antonio fell silent, almost as if he hadn't processed what I said.

After a long pause, he muttered, "You can forget something like that? What a fool.

"Forget it. Make dinner, and I'll be home soon."

With that, he hung up without giving me a chance to say anything.

I stared at the disconnected screen, feeling a surge of bitterness in my chest. Tears welled up in my eyes.

The next second, I opened a flight booking app and bought a ticket to leave the country a week later.

Five years ago, I accidentally saved Antonio in the small town where I lived.

He had been kidnapped and fallen off a cliff. Severely injured from the fall, he lost all his memories.

I spent all my money to save him. When I contacted the police, they told me they couldn't find any records of Antonio, so they wanted me to take care of him.

And I had been doing that ever since for five years.

After Antonio recovered, he seemed completely different. He was smart and bright, and he looked so fine.

The villagers always joked, "Goof for you, Gracie, picking yourself up a husband!"

I didn't know how to respond, so I just blushed and ran home.

Growing up an orphan, I always thought I would end up alone. But after Antonio showed up, my life started to change. Before I knew it, I got used to having him around.

So I dropped out of school and started working four jobs a day to support Antonio's education. And I made sure he had the best clothes and everything he needed. Over the next five years, I helped him become the man everyone admired.

Antonio didn't let me down. He excelled in every subject and treated me well.

He would secretly take up jobs to earn money, just to buy me new clothes I couldn't afford. In the cold winters, he would come pick me up from my job every single day...

After five years of life depending on each other, Antonio's family found him.

That was when I realized why the police couldn't find any information about him. He was the heir to one of the top families in Ravenvale. His identity was a secret to the public.

On the day we left the small town, Antonio gently took my hand and said with a smile, "Gracie, come with me.

"From now on, it's my turn to take care of you."

***

When I opened the door, the living room was dimly lit.

Antonio sat on the couch in an expensive custom-made suit, his face dark. When he heard the door open, he slowly turned his head and coldly asked, "Where have you been? Didn't I tell you to stay home?"

I stood there, gazing at him for a long while in silence.

After switching on the light, I casually answered, "Ethan had something to ask me, so I went back to the Kaufman's mansion."

After saying that, I walked into the kitchen, put on my apron, and started cooking as usual.

Antonio, seeing my cold attitude, dashed into the kitchen in rage. "Grace! Are you trying to test my patience?

"How dare you talk to me like that?"

I froze.

From some point, every word he said was laced with harshness. In my past life, I had just thought he was overwhelmed with work.

Now, I realized it was because he didn't love me anymore, so there was no need for him to be polite.

A wave of sadness washed over me, and I took a deep breath. Putting down the knife, I turned to Antonio.

"So, how should I talk to you? Antonio, I don't owe you anything."

At my words, Antonio clenched his fists, knuckles white. His eyes were bloodshot as he glared at me. Then he scoffed, "You don't owe me anything?

"Grace, if it weren't for me, would you be living in this fancy house or driving that sports car?

"Don't forget, you were just an orphan from a small town!"

The closer you were to someone, the easier it was to hurt them with the sharpest words.

Though feeling devastated, I had to hold back the tears.

It wasn't until much later that Antonio seemed to realize how mean he had been. Just when he calmed down and wanted to say something, his phone rang.

Right after he pulled it from his pocket, I saw the name "Graycee" on the screen.

His tone was so gentle, totally different from how he talked to me.

"Gracie, don't worry. I'll be right there to pick you up. Stay in the car and don't move."

With that, Antonio quickly left the kitchen without sparing me a glance.

The door slammed behind him, and I collapsed to the cold floor.

Tears streamed down my face.

I clutched my chest and whispered through my sobs, "Antonio... every time you call me Gracie, you're actually thinking about her, right?"

That night, Antonio didn't come home. The next day, I saw the headlines plastered all over social media: a photo of Antonio carrying Graycee into a villa.

Everyone was saying the golden boy of Ravenvale's elite, Antonio, and the darling heiress, Graycee, were finally tying the knot. The perfect couple. A match made in heaven.

They were right. They were from the same world.

And me? I was nothing more than an outsider. Just someone who happened to save Antonio's life.

It took me three days to pull everything together. Documents, visas, and a spot at a pricey overseas program.

Antonio wasn't wrong. If it weren't for him, I'd never have had the life I do now. We owed each other nothing.

When I first arrived in Ravenvale, Ethan was good to me. And now, as I prepared to leave, I thought a small gesture would be nice, considering how much money he gave me to get started.

I walked into a high-end tie shop, intending to buy Ethan something classy. But the moment I stepped inside, I froze.

There, in the middle of the store, was Graycee. She was adjusting a tie around Antonio's neck, her face glowing with laughter. Their eyes met in a way that could only be described as intimate.

Antonio noticed me almost immediately.

The warmth in his expression vanished in an instant. His brows furrowed, and his jaw tightened as he strode toward me. "Are you following me?" asked he.

I felt a pang in my chest and opened my mouth to explain, but Graycee beat me to it.

"Oh, this must be Ms. Parrish," she said, looping her arm through Antonio's. "The famous lifesaver?"

Seeing them like this, I couldn't hold it in anymore.

My voice came out sharper than I intended. "Yeah. So what?"

"Grace, watch your tone!"

As soon as I finished speaking, Antonio roared at me.

I looked up at him, forcing a hollow smile. "What, did I say something wrong?"

Graycee tugged gently at his sleeve, her voice soft but pointed. "Antonio, why waste your energy on someone so... beneath us?" She turned to me, her lips curling into a mocking smile. "Ms. Parrish, it seems a few days in the Kaufman's house have made you forget your place.

"Let me remind you: if it weren't for Antonio, you'd never have the privilege of standing here, let alone speaking to me."

Everyone seemed to think saving Antonio was some great honor for me. Antonio himself probably thought the same.

I let out a bitter laugh and looked down. "If I could do it all over again..." My voice was quiet but steady. "I wouldn't save him."

"Grace!"

Antonio's shout was like a thunderclap, his eyes burning with fury. He took a step closer, his jaw clenched so tightly it looked like he might break something. "Say that again. I dare you."

I met his gaze, tears blurring my vision. My voice broke as I whispered, "If I could, Antonio, I'd choose not to save you."

He didn't respond right away.

He just stared at me, his expression shifting between rage, disbelief, and something I couldn't quite place.

Finally, he stormed out of the shop, leaving Graycee to hurry after him.

But as she passed me, she stopped. Turning her head, she gave me a smug smile that made my stomach churn. "Oh, by the way," she said, her voice saccharine, "I have some good news I thought I'd share with you."

"I'm pregnant."

Those two words hit me like a freight train. My entire body went cold. Something that wasn't supposed to happen for years in my last life... was happening now.

Graycee glanced at my stunned expression. A satisfied smirk playing on her lips, she strutted away.

The night before I left, Antonio did something he rarely ever did. He called me. He said he wanted to talk.

I figured it had to be about Graycee being pregnant or maybe their wedding plans.

But it didn't matter anymore.

When he showed up at my place, his eyes immediately landed on the neatly packed suitcases by the entryway. He froze for a second, then frowned. "Where are you going?" he asked.

I glanced at the luggage, my tone casual as I told him my first-ever lie.

"Remember Vivian Carter from next door? She's sick. She asked me to visit her."

"When are you leaving?" Antonio pressed.

Caught off guard, I paused before continuing the lie. "Tomorrow night."

Antonio nodded, like he had already decided something. "Vivian was always nice to me, too. I'll go with you tomorrow to visit her."

I didn't respond.

The silence between us stretched, awkward and suffocating.

Finally, Antonio broke it. He looked like he was wrestling with something, glancing at me several times before reaching into his pocket. Out came a velvet box. When he opened it, the light hit the massive diamond inside. It was a ring so big it could blind you.

My heart skipped a beat. The first thought that came to mind? He was marrying Graycee, wasn't he?

"It's nice, right?" Antonio asked, breaking the quiet.

Snapping out of my daze, I looked up at him. "It's okay."

His face fell. He pressed his lips together, looking disappointed.

"Gracie, I've been a mess lately," he said, his voice soft and uncharacteristically vulnerable. "I know I've said things that hurt you. I didn't mean to."

I forced a small smile.

At least he had the decency to apologize. It was a polite ending to whatever this had been between us.

"It's fine. It's all in the past," I replied flatly.

Antonio's eyes lit up like he'd been given a second chance. Without warning, he grabbed my hand. "Really? You're not mad anymore?"

I didn't know why he was acting like this. Just as I was about to respond, my phone buzzed in my pocket.

I pulled my hand free and checked the screen. It was a message from the realtor I'd contacted.

"Ms. Parrish, your rental arrangements have been finalized. The landlord will meet you upon arrival."

I locked my phone and looked back at Antonio.

This was it. The real goodbye.

I took a deep breath and smiled at him, maybe for the last time. "No, I'm not mad."

Antonio let out a relieved sigh and reached for my hand again. But this time, I instinctively stepped back.

The small movement didn't go unnoticed. His smile faltered, his face stiffening.

"Gracie... you're sure you don't blame me?

"I've been meaning to tell you something—"

"Antonio," I cut him off, suddenly exhausted. "We can talk when I get back."

He opened his mouth like he wanted to argue but stopped himself. Instead, he nodded slowly. "Yeah. We have time. After you visit Vivian, we'll talk."

I told him I was tired and needed to sleep. A clear dismissal.

As Antonio walked to the door, he kept glancing back, as if he didn't want to leave. Finally, just as he reached the doorway, he pressed the ring box into my hand. "Hold onto this for me, okay?" he said.

"I'll pick you up tomorrow after work, and we'll head over to see Vivian together."

I didn't respond, just watched him with a faint smile until the door clicked shut behind him.

The moment it did, I didn't hesitate.

I threw the ring into the trash, grabbed my suitcase, and headed for the airport.

This time, it was really over.

Five years later, the plane touched down in Ravenvale.

As soon as I walked out of the terminal, I spotted him—a tall, handsome man leaning against a black Bentley by the roadside.

It was clear that Oliver Brooks had spotted me too. He waved and walked over, a broad smile on his face. "Long time no see, Grace."

I returned his smile. "It's rare for you to come greet me in person, Mr. Brooks."

Oliver didn't respond immediately but took my luggage from me, leading me to the car. "Everyone's been waiting for you. They're all curious to meet the late-blooming screenwriter who's made a name for herself."

After I left Ravenvale five years ago, I went to study in Lebrax.