Chapter 2

Helpless, I had no choice but to accept the technician's explanation.

After all, Thanksgiving weekend was indeed one of the busiest travel periods of the year. I could tell just from how long it had taken roadside assistance to reach me.

Furthermore, my insurance company's tow trucks couldn't come onto the interstate to get me.

After the technician left, I climbed back into the driver's seat.

The moment my hands closed around the steering wheel, memories of the crash from my previous life came flooding back.

All I could hear were the sounds of metal screeching, people screaming, and the shrill blare of emergency sirens.

Images of my parents' hair turning gray overnight and the bloodshot, furious eyes of the victims' families glaring at me filled my mind.

I shuddered, cold sweat soaking through my clothes. For a long time, I couldn't bring myself to press the gas pedal.

I pulled out my phone and called home.

"Mom…"

The moment I spoke, tears welled up in the corners of my eyes. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't hide the tremor in my voice.

My mother immediately noticed and asked in concern, "What's wrong, sweetheart? I thought you were going on a road trip. Did something happen?"

I was an only child, so my parents spoiled me since I was little.

After the pileup in my previous life, I had insisted that the brakes had failed, but no one believed me.

Only Mom and Dad were convinced that I would never lie about something like that. Even after every inspection facility reported that there was nothing wrong with the car, they still stood firmly by my side.

I wiped my tears away and forced cheer into my voice. "It's nothing, Mom. I just miss you. I don't feel like traveling anymore."

Mom laughed and teased me. "You’ve always been such a clingy kid. If you don't want to go, just come home. Your dad and I will be waiting for you."

Hearing this, I couldn't hold it in anymore. I hurriedly hung up.

All the fear and helplessness I had felt in my previous life came crashing back over me.

I let myself cry for a while. Eventually, the highway authorities called to urge me to move my car off the shoulder.

My hands trembled uncontrollably around the steering wheel, but I forced myself to calm down.

I glanced at the GPS. The next exit was nearby.

I had just watched the roadside technician test the brakes, and they had worked perfectly. All I had to do was drive slowly, make it through this stretch of highway, and get off the interstate.

If I were careful enough, the tragedy from my previous life wouldn't repeat.

I don't know how long I spent reassuring myself before I finally let out a long breath.

I started the engine, and the car began creeping forward. With nerves stretched taut, I carefully pressed the brake pedal.

The car stopped! The brakes worked!

I tested it several more times. Every single time, the brakes responded perfectly.

Could it really have been my own mistake in my previous life?

I breathed a sigh of relief. No matter what, the important thing was that the brakes were working now.

As long as I got off the interstate as quickly as possible, I wouldn't have to repeat the same nightmare.

I eased the car off the shoulder and back onto the interstate. Along the way, I tested the brakes several more times and finally confirmed that they were working perfectly.

Still, I didn't let my guard down. I stayed in the far-right lane, keeping my speed around 80 miles an hour and driving as carefully as I could.

Before long, however, I caught up with a convoy of semis loaded down with cargo.

For my own safety, I turned on my left blinker and pressed the gas, overtaking the line of trucks.

Once the semis were behind me, I planned to move back into the far-right lane and continue at the lowest possible speed.

I took my foot off the gas and moved it over to the brake.

The moment I pressed down, cold sweat instantly broke out across my body. The brakes wouldn't move again!