Chapter 1

The house was on fire.

And my fiancé, a firefighter, had sent his entire crew to save the one that got away while she threatened to kill herself.

I didn't call him.

I just watched calmly as the home I'd poured my heart into was swallowed by flames.

Last time, he answered my call first.

He came to save me, pregnant and trapped.

But his first love, Lily, battling her depression, jumped from the eighteenth floor.

She was unrecognizable.

Liam swore he didn't regret saving me and our baby.

We even went ahead with the wedding.

But on our wedding day, he broke my leg.

He dragged me to Lily's grave.

"The fire at the house wasn't even that bad," he'd screamed. "Chloe, you did it on purpose."

"You just wanted to keep me away from her."

"I never even got to say goodbye!"

"Lily was so kind."

"Why wasn't it you who died?"

He went completely insane.

He cut our baby from my body and threw him from that same eighteenth-floor window.

Then, he burned me alive.

The next time I opened my eyes, I was back here.

The day of the fire.

This time, if he wanted to save Lily, he could have her.

I was done.

…

Thick smoke filled the air.

I coughed, my lungs burning.

I grabbed my phone and dialed 911.

The voice that answered was painfully familiar.

"Chloe? Liam said you'd call."

"I can't believe you actually did it."

It was Ryan, my fiancé Liam's partner and best friend.

"Ryan, my place is on fire."

"Please, you have to send someone."

Just then, the wooden wardrobe next to me cracked and collapsed.

A flaming piece of wood grazed my skin.

The searing pain made me gasp.

But Ryan's tone was light, dismissive.

"Come on, Chloe, stop the drama."

"Liam told me all about it."

"He knew you'd be jealous that he was with his ex, so you'd pull a stunt like this."

"Honestly, Chloe, most of the guys are out on another call right now."

"You should just drop it."

"What's happening over there is life and death."

"You and Liam are about to get married."

"This kind of insecurity is just going to poison things."

The flames were getting higher.

I didn't have the energy to listen to his lecture.

I just hung up.

I couldn't worry about what he thought anymore.

I looked around the house that held five years of memories with Liam.

I sighed, my hand resting on my stomach.

I never thought I'd be reborn into this exact moment.

Last time, this same fire happened.

Back then, I called Liam directly.

He and his crew rushed over.

His first love, Lily, called him over and over, but he never heard his phone over the sirens.

It wasn't until later that we found out.

Her depression had won, and she'd jumped from the eighteenth floor.

After it was all over, I cried in his arms, and he told me he didn't regret his choice.

He said he was glad he'd saved me and our baby.

Our wedding went on as planned.

I was wearing the dress I'd always dreamed of, marrying the man I'd been with for over five years.

I was so happy, thinking my new life was finally beginning.

Then he brought it all crashing down.

Liam shattered my leg.

My white dress turned red with blood, but he didn't even seem to notice.

He just drove me to the spot where Lily had died and forced me to my knees.

I had no idea what I had done wrong.

He was my fiancé.

The father of my child.

How was it my fault that he chose to save me?

But Liam didn't care about logic.

His eyes were bloodshot, like a madman who'd lost his entire world.

"The fire wasn't even that bad, Chloe!"

"You did it on purpose, just to keep me from her!"

"I never would have known what a vicious bitch you are if I hadn't found her diary!"

"You were the reason she was so depressed!"

"She was so good, so kind!"

"Why wasn't it you who died?"

I had no idea what he was talking about.

But Liam had truly lost his mind.

"Now you'll know what it feels like to lose someone you love!"

He took a knife.

He ripped my baby from my womb and threw him from the eighteenth floor.

My screams of agony meant nothing to him.

He dragged me like a sack of garbage and locked me in a dark room.

I begged him to let me go.

I asked him what our five years together meant.

His face was a blank slate.

He started pouring gasoline all over the room.

My last memory is of him looking down at me.

We weren't newlyweds.

We were mortal enemies.

He flicked open a lighter.

"The thought of spending the last five years with a monster like you makes me sick."

"You like playing with fire to get my attention, don't you?"

"Let's see how you like being burned alive for real."

Being burned alive hurts, of course.

I can still feel the pain, a phantom agony deep in my bones.

And now, I was facing it all over again.

I thought that by not calling Liam, I could escape my fate.

But I never imagined he'd be so cruel as to tell his team I was faking it.

A sharp cramp shot through my belly.

It felt like my baby was reminding me just how heartless its father was.