The week of my father’s funeral, I received my undergraduate acceptance letter from Columbia College.

My father, a veteran firefighter, had died saving Cole Whitaker. On his deathbed, he had entrusted my future to the very boy whose life he’d bought with his own.

Now, standing in the funeral home chapel, Cole was making a public spectacle of his promise to take care of me. He wanted me to give up Columbia. He wanted me to follow him to a State University in Texas.

In my past life, I did exactly what he said.

After graduation, we had a quiet little wedding. But it wasn't until I found out I was pregnant that the truth shattered my reality: the marriage license Cole had given me was a forged document.

He was already legally married to my best friend, Juliette McKenna. They even had a two-year-old child together.

When I confronted them, Cole just looked at me.

"I wish your dad had never saved me. Then I wouldn’t be chained to a tragedy."

I lunged at him, screaming. Juliette shoved me hard. I hit the ground. In a pool of my own blood, I lost my baby.

When I woke up, my mind was shattered. In a haze, I slipped from the balcony and plummeted to my death.

Then, I opened my eyes.

I was back at my father’s funeral.

Cole stood in front of me, his eyes red-rimmed, playing the noble survivor. "Mr. Hart died to save me. Evelyn, I swear to you, I will take care of you for the rest of my life."

I forced down the hatred clawing at my throat and met his gaze.

"There's no need." I looked at him. "Living a decent life is the only thanks you owe my dad."

"I'm going to Columbia."

~~~~~

Cole's performed grief faltered.

He took a step closer, lowering his voice to sound like a man bearing an impossible burden. "Evelyn, I know you're not thinking straight right now. But you can't gamble with your life out of spite."

He raised his voice, making sure the crowd of mourners could hear. "Mr. Hart asked me to look after you before he passed. I gave him my word, and I don't break my promises. New York is too far. You'd be completely alone up there. I can't let you do that."

The whispers started immediately.

Cole is doing the right thing. Why is she rejecting him?

Daniel died to save Cole. It's not like Cole forced her dad to do it.

She’s probably just too sad. Cole offering to take care of her for life is already incredibly rare.

The murmurs overlapped with the voices from my past life—the ones that had branded me a homewrecker who forced her way into someone else's marriage.

I curled my hands into fists, nails biting into my palms.

From the edge of the crowd, Juliette hurried over, her eyes red. She reached out to link her arm through mine, wearing her familiar mask of selfless concern.

"Evelyn, please don't be impulsive. Cole is really worried about you," she cooed. "Wouldn't it be better if you went to Texas together? You could look out for each other. Columbia is amazing, but New York is too far from Dayton."

I stepped back, dodging her hand, and looked up at her.

That soft, harmless face.

In my past life, she had caused the death of my unborn child. She had watched me walk blindly into a dead end.

"Where I go to college is my decision," I said, my tone ice-cold. "I don't need either of you worrying about me."

Cole’s jaw tightened, but he forced a bitter, understanding smile for the audience.

"Let it go," he sighed to the crowd. "I know Evelyn is in a bad place emotionally right now. But no matter what she chooses, I’ll take care of her. It's what I owe Daniel, and what I owe her."

The crowd murmured their approval again, praising him for taking responsibility and not forgetting that Daniel had saved him.

The funeral home minister stepped up to begin the eulogy. I looked at the large portrait of my father, a heavy lump forming in my throat. My mother had passed away from illness when I was young. My dad had given his whole life to the fire department, and now, he was gone too.

Throughout the service, Cole kept glancing at me, confusion flickering in his eyes. Juliette hovered among some classmates, whispering softly.

I stayed silent.

When the funeral ended and the guests trickled out, I turned to head home. But as I cut through the alley behind my house, I caught Cole and Juliette.

They were pressed close together, completely stripped of the restraint they’d paraded inside the viewing room.