Chapter 1

"Help me! Mommy can't go to her prenatal checkup. If they find out I'm a girl, Daddy will secretly give her abortion pills. I don't want to die!"

A little girl's trembling sobs suddenly drifted to my ears. A chill ran down my spine, and my skin prickled with a cold sweat.

When I looked around, I realized I had been reborn. I was back on the day I first accompanied my daughter, Sarah McDowell, to her prenatal checkup.

Noticing the pale, drawn look on my face, Sarah couldn't help but tease me. "Mom, why are you acting so tense about my appointment? You look like you've seen a ghost!"

I swallowed hard, unsure how to describe the nightmares I had endured in my past life.

Even then, I had already heard the cries of my granddaughter, Mia O'Brien. Just like in this life, her voice reached me moments before Sarah's prenatal appointment.

Through her desperate sobs, Mia pleaded with me to stop the checkup. She was convinced it was the only way for her to be born safely.

Thinking about how difficult Sarah's pregnancy had already been, fear gripped me. I couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to the precious grandchild we were about to welcome.

From that moment on, I refused to let Sarah attend any prenatal checkups. I thought of a bunch of excuses to keep her away.

I thought I was protecting my beloved granddaughter. However, three months later, Sarah arranged a checkup without telling anyone.

The news she shared hit me like a thunderbolt. Mia had a congenital chest deformity. The critical window for intervention had passed, leaving her with a severe deformity that could not be corrected.

I was consumed with regret, convinced that my own foolishness had caused her suffering.

Just as I was ready to devote my entire life to making amends to Sarah and Mia, Mia's voice reached me once again.

"My deformity isn't your fault, Grandma. It all happened because Daddy had an affair with that nurse at the hospital. After Mommy inhaled too much of her cheap perfume, I was destined to be born disabled.

"I'm in so much pain, and Mommy is utterly helpless. Who will stand up for us? That heartless father of mine is still cheating with that nurse at the hospital."

Mia's words ignited a surge of anger within me, and I rushed to the hospital without thinking. I was determined to confront my son-in-law, Jeremy O'Brien, and hold him accountable.

I could never have imagined that my impulsive actions would jeopardize the critical heart surgery Jeremy was conducting. In a tragic twist, an innocent life was lost on the operating table.

The patient's relatives went berserk, stabbing Jeremy over and over. He was killed on the spot. When Sarah heard the news, she crumpled, and tears streamed down her face.

Overwhelmed with guilt, I desperately wanted to comfort her. However, once again, Mia's voice stopped me. "What Mommy needs most right now is peace and quiet. She's very upset, and seeing you would only make her feel worse. Give her a little more time."

Trusting Mia, I held back and stayed away.

I never could have anticipated that Sarah would take her life that very night. All she left behind was a note written in blood. Each word carried nothing but anger and resentment toward me.

Not only did Sarah blame me for Mia's condition, but she also accused me of causing Jeremy's death. In her anguish, she demanded to know why I hadn't been the one to die.

I was consumed by sorrow. All I could think of was ending my own life. I couldn't comprehend what had driven Mia to bring such devastation upon our family.

Unable to bear it any longer, I eventually threw myself into the lake. As my awareness faded, the sound of Mia clapping and cheering seemed to reach me.

Fortunately, fate had given me a second chance. Recalling everything from that lifetime, the sound of Mia's cries provoked nothing but sheer disdain in me.

I stepped forward and nudged Sarah in front of the doctor. "Examine her thoroughly. If the child has any health problems, it's best to terminate the pregnancy sooner rather than later," I said coldly.