Chapter 1

I immediately snapped my eyes wide open when I heard the sound of a screeching, violent collision echoing in my ear. I noticed that a careening truck had smashed directly into a limousine.

It wasn't long before the car door swung open and Ruth Gibson, visibly shaken and deathly pale, fell onto the pavement. A trickle of blood already marked her forehead.

I barely registered the thought of moving when my best friend, Thomas Lang, surged forward from beside me with incredible swiftness.

He deliberately knocked me out of the way, giving me a sharply cautious look as he did so. Then he crouched beside Ruth, asking anxiously, "How are you doing? Is everything alright?"

He then turned to me and yelled, "You should head over to the interview now so that you won't be late, Calvin! I'll stay and deal with everything here since the situation is quite critical!"

I distinctly caught the suppressed surge of triumphant glee hidden in his gaze, even though he looked rather worried and distressed on the surface. I immediately realized that he had been reborn as well. I smiled faintly at him and said, "I'll leave it to you, then, Thomas."

Thomas turned to look at me in disbelief. "Why aren't you helping her? You saved her in our past—"

Having realized what he had said, Thomas suddenly fell silent, cutting himself short.

I still fully comprehended the statement he had been about to make, though. I didn't spare him another glance. I pivoted and strode into Zenith Group Tower. I then proceeded into the conference room for the interview, experiencing a calm and quiet assurance unlike any I had ever felt previously.

I noticed that the lead interviewer was Emma Judd, Zenith Group's Investment Director—a woman notoriously known as "The Director of Dread".

Emma adjusted her gold-rimmed glasses, her eyes drilling into me. "You're Calvin Jenner, one of the two top talents from Eastlake University's Finance Department, right? You should take a look at this business case and analyze it."

She then pushed a file toward me and continued, "It is a case about an established manufacturer that has suffered a massive blow from a rapid-growth internet competitor, losing a staggering 70% of its market share over the last three years. It now stands near bankruptcy.

"How would you recommend we proceed with this if you were in our Strategic Investment Department?"

I pondered for a moment, then stated confidently, "I advise against a full takeover. Instead, we should opt for a targeted capital injection alongside a cooperative partnership, Ms. Judd."

Emma remained silent for quite some time before a sudden smile appeared on her face. "You are to report to my office tomorrow, Calvin. You'll be joining us as a strategic analyst reporting directly to the director."

Emma and I exchanged a glance and smiled knowingly.

In my past life, I had missed the interview because I chose to help the victim, thereby forfeiting my access to Zenith Group and my passion for finance. In this life, I was absolutely determined not to let a single opportunity slip away.

I had just stepped out of Zenith Group Tower when a black limousine eased past me. Its window rolled down, revealing Thomas in the back seat while Ruth's assistant tended to him with utmost respect.

Thomas met my gaze. A cold sneer of contempt twisted his features, overlaid with undisguised triumph. He seemed to be silently declaring, "You made your choice, Calvin, and ultimately, you still came up short."

I held his gaze calmly, then averted my gaze, ignoring him completely.

Thomas, even with this second chance, remained willfully blind, as his windfall was my downfall.

I recognized that any blessing that seemed too easy was typically nothing more than lethal poison concealed beneath a sugary exterior.