His Last Choice, My First Gambit

When the yacht capsized in the storm, there was only one spot left on the life raft.

My fiancé hesitantly reached out to me, but after hearing me say, "Go save Lily," the tension in his face melted into relief.

He pulled his old flame onto the raft without a second glance, leaving me to die on the sinking ship.

In my past life, he saved me first only to protect his reputation, then spent the rest of his life tormenting me in atonement for the woman he truly loved.

He gripped my hand and vowed, "Coralie, I have to marry you!"

On our wedding night, he smashed a wine glass against the wall, embedding shards of glass in my leg. He sneered, "Lily was in a thousand times more pain when she died! This is all your fault!"

When I demanded a divorce, he aimed his sports car toward a cliff. "We owe her our lives to repay that debt! What makes you think you can just run away?"

When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day the yacht capsized.

This time, I stepped back, giving his old flame the chance to survive.

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1

"Coralie, hurry up!" The words barely registered before the realization hit me: I was reborn. Our yacht was already capsizing in a Caribbean storm.

There was only one spot left on the life raft.

Only Preston knew how to operate the raft, claiming one spot by default. That left one for the two of us.

After a moment of agonizing indecision, Preston finally extended his hand to me.

But I took a step back, refusing him.

"Preston, save Lily." I wouldn't carry the weight of another death on my conscience. Not again.

Hearing this, Preston visibly relaxed, the deep furrow in his brow smoothing out.

Without another moment of hesitation, he grabbed Lily's hand and hauled her onto the raft.

"Coralie… My first choice should be you, but if you insist… Stay put! I swear I'll send someone back for you."

With that, he and Lily scrambled away without a backward glance, as if they were afraid I'd change my mind.

How pathetic.

The situation had been the same in my past life.

He had taken me first, leaving Lily alone on the sinking yacht.

We contacted the Coast Guard the moment we reached shore, but it was too late. Lily had already drowned. They only recovered her body.

At first, Preston showed no emotion at the news. He calmly handled Lily's funeral and arranged a large sum of compensation for her family.

His only request was that she be buried in the most scenic cemetery, claiming she deserved the best resting place. Of course, I didn't object. I even asked if he wanted to postpone the wedding.

But he refused instantly.

I still remember how he gripped my hand, his voice tight as he said, "Coralie, I have to marry you!"

Only later did I understand. He was determined to marry me, yes—but only so he could torture me, forcing me to atone for Lily's death for the rest of my life.

What did her death have to do with me?

Watching them disappear, I immediately started plotting my own survival.

After all, I couldn't be sure Preston would call for help this time.

In our past life, he’d sent a distress signal the moment we had reception, frantic to save the childhood sweetheart he'd left behind.

This time, the love of his life was safe by his side. Would he even remember I existed?

In both lives, the person he truly wanted to save was always his childhood sweetheart, Lily.

Their bond ran deep, I suppose. They'd grown up together, and all those years Lily spent by his side were irreplaceable.

He’d only saved me in our past life to avoid the public outcry of abandoning his fiancée for another woman. He valued his reputation more than his love for Lily.

Now, I had made the choice for him. He should be thanking me.