Chapter 1

I opened my eyes after I was temporarily blinded by a bright, white light.

A younger Meredith Snow was criticizing me with a pointed finger in my direction. Right now, she didn't look anything like an educated person.

"You useless oaf! Why are you causing a scene at my school? I'm Professor Westin's favorite student! How dare you act like a mad dog just because I'm talking to him?

"You have no talents of your own, and you're always suspicious of me. Even if I did cheat on you, it would've been your fault for forcing my hand!"

I knew that Meredith would become a professor in the future. It was unthinkable that a professor-to-be would try to justify cheating on her partner without any hint of regret or guilt. She was acting as if I were the one in the wrong.

Meredith's younger brother, Matthew Snow, said nonchalantly, "If you have the balls for it, go ahead and divorce Meredith. She has a PhD and is about to become a university professor. You're just a nobody who drives cabs. You should be kissing Meredith's feet and thanking her for falling for you.

"You really are shameless for causing a ruckus on campus and ruining Meredith's reputation. I'm going to teach you a lesson you won't forget in your dead parents' stead!"

Matthew aimed a kick at me even before he finished speaking. I hastily dodged out of the way, but I still lost my balance and crashed into a trash bin. The disgusting trash spilled all over my body.

Rage and despair swirled in my heart as I brushed my hands across the slippery floor.

I persevered through the unbearable pain throbbing at the end of my spine and climbed back up to my feet. Meredith and I made eye contact after I straightened up. Her gaze was overflowing with disgust.

I knew that my own eyes no longer shone with the same adoration I once felt for her. "Let's get a divorce," I said.

Her expression remained indifferent when she replied, "Sure. I wanted to file for divorce a long time ago."

"Good. We can drop by the courthouse to process our divorce."

Meredith's eyes gleamed with confidence when she looked at me. "You'll get kicked to the curb. Don't even think about trying to fight for custody for Elias either. You're nothing but an uncultured cab driver. He won't learn anything if he follows you."

She was behaving just like she did in my past life. I couldn't accept her infidelity when I first found out about her cheating on me, so I had also told her that I wanted a divorce.

Meredith knew that I had a soft spot for Elias Fairfield, our son. If my parents were still alive, they wouldn't allow me to give up on him either.

Liam Snow, my father-in-law, who was standing to the side, looked like he had something to say, but Matthew held him back. All of them knew that the moment Elias was brought up, I would willingly endure any hardship for his sake.

But after living through my past life, I was well aware of the Snows' awful attitudes, including my son, Elias. I refused to suffer for anyone's sake in this life.

Just like in my past life, I left the scene without saying another word.

Before the door closed, I heard Meredith say in a mocking tone, "See! He's too much of a coward to actually file for divorce!"

I scoffed before pushing her hurtful words to the back of my mind. When I made it back home, I began to tidy up the place.

Meredith and I had only been married for a short while before I was banished to the basement a decade ago. She disliked how I had to wake up at the crack of dawn every morning, so she forbade me from going upstairs.

In order to earn a little more cash and not wanting to disrupt her rest, I had moved into the basement without protest. There was only one tiny window in the basement, so the place was constantly blanketed in darkness even when the light was switched on.

The basement was freezing cold in winter and boiling hot in summer. The air was also incredibly damp on humid days, which contributed to my developing rheumatism.

Meredith got to enjoy the king-sized bed all by herself upstairs. She even had her family move in to occupy the empty rooms.

When I recalled how ungrateful the Snows had been, I couldn't help but lament my pitiful and sorry state in my past life.

I was going to move out of the basement. I didn't care who its new occupant would be, but it certainly would not be me!

…

The house was still empty when I moved a box that was less than 20 inches wide upstairs. Meredith should still be in school at this hour. She was likely stuck to her professor like glue under the guise of discussing their research.

Liam and Matthew were gambling addicts, so they should be playing cards in one of the entertainment centers.

My parents were the ones who purchased the house for me. They had worked themselves to the bone to save up enough money to buy a house for me, but they never got to enjoy the fruits of their labor and had never actually lived in the house.

It wasn't exactly a big house. There were only two bedrooms. Meredith and Elias lived in the master bedroom while Liam and Matthew lived in the second bedroom.

I moved Liam's and Matthew's belongings out of the second bedroom, piling all the items up like a mountain of trash in the living room.