Chapter 2

Thinking about the way I died last time sent a shiver through me. Since fate had given me another chance, I would set everything right.

I ignored Matthew's whining and Tessa's shouting. Instead, I calmly picked up the suitcase and began repacking.

Seeing how composed I was, Tessa suddenly shoved me in anger. "Cut the act, Christopher. You'd better quit thinking that acting like you don't care about anything means you'll get your way.

"Even if we do get married someday, I'll never give Matthew up. He'll have a room of his own in our house. If you can't accept that, then this wedding will never happen."

I'd heard words like that more times than I could count. Before, I would've argued with her, maybe even used my crippled legs to win her pity. After all, these legs were ruined saving her.

But now, I couldn't be happier to call off the wedding. "Fine. Then let's not get married."

The silence that followed was deafening.

I glanced at Tessa's stunned expression. She said coldly, "Good. I don't want to marry you either."

Tessa and I had grown up together, and our families had arranged our engagement 20 years ago.

Everything should've gone smoothly, but two years ago, her assistant, Matthew, suddenly showed up in her life.

The first time I met him was in her office. I'd stopped by to drop off some pastries and walked in just as she was scolding him.

Fresh out of school, he looked frightened and aggrieved.

People nearby tried to calm Tessa down, but she wasn't having it.

In the end, I stepped in to smooth things over.

She waved him off when she saw me. That day, she told me, "Someone like him won't even make it through probation before he's gone."

But instead of leaving, he somehow managed to capture the attention of this famously ruthless CEO, so much so that she couldn't stop doting on him. She even went so far as to end our child's life, all for him.

She searched my eyes for jealousy, but when she found only resolve, a flicker of panic crossed her face. She reached out, trying to touch my face.

And that was when Matthew spoke up. "Ms. Coleman, Christopher, please don't fight over me. I'll leave. I'll go far away and never bother you again."

He then ran off.

Tessa turned back to me with the same disgust I'd grown used to over the past two years. "Christopher, do you have to ruin my Christmas? If you still plan on marrying me, don't upset Matthew.

"Otherwise, I swear, I'll never marry you. Let's see how you explain that to your family."

Her face was gloomy, and her eyes were cold. With that, she stormed off to chase after Matthew.

However, she seemed to forget that while the marriage pact between the Coleman family and the Lowe family was hard to break, the Coleman family had more than one daughter.

The buzz of my phone snapped me out of my thoughts. It was a message from Matthew.

"Christopher, so what if you've got the Lowe family behind you? Tessa will always side with me.

"I guess you'll be spending Christmas alone in your wheelchair. You're just a cripple. Do you think you can compete with me?"

Every word in his message dripped with mockery.

I'd gotten plenty of messages like that these past two years. I'd even forwarded screenshots to Tessa. But she only brushed it off, saying that he was just childish. She told me that I should let it go and give him some slack.

She thought that she had me tied to her for life. That I'd never be able to leave, so she could do whatever she pleased.

I took a deep breath and unblocked a number.

Christmas was meant to be the day the Lowe and Coleman families celebrated our engagement.

That was when I'd be giving Tessa a gift she'd never forget.