Chapter 1Lies in the Midst of Crisis

That night, when my parents were kidnapped, my older brother, Allen Baldwin, a police officer, wanted to go bungee jumping with my parents' adopted daughter, Elaine Baldwin.

I didn't stop him. I made the call to the police without hesitation and began preparing the ransom.

In my previous life, Allen had stayed behind to try and save my parents instead of going with Elaine.

But while Elaine was bungee jumping, the cord snapped, and she fell off the cliff. They never found her body.

Allen didn't say a word after that.

On my birthday that year, he drugged me and took me to the edge of that very same cliff.

"It was you who planned this kidnapping. You went this far just to fight for attention, right? You're a demon!

"Elaine is dead. You should die, too!"

When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day my parents were kidnapped.

This time, Allen didn't rush to rescue them. Instead, he went straight to Elaine.

But later, he regretted it so much that it nearly drove him insane.

I suddenly jerked awake, beads of sweat dotting my forehead.

My heart was pounding in my chest as if it was going to burst out.

The feeling of weightlessness and terror hadn't faded. However, I soon realized that I was in my bedroom.

I glanced at the date on my phone and realized that I had come back to the day my parents were kidnapped.

I knew that in five minutes, the kidnappers would call and demand me to prepare the ransom in one hour, or they would kill my parents.

As the daughter of the Baldwin family, I was lost for eighteen years and have recently been reunited with them.

I had only been back with my parents for less than a year, and they meant everything to me.

I couldn't let the tragedy from my previous life happen again.

I rushed downstairs and stood by the phone. Allen, in his casual pants, followed closely behind me.

"Vickie, why are you so nervous? Mom and Dad aren't even here.

Didn't you kidnap them?"

Allen gave a mocking smile.

At that moment, I was certain he had also come from the future.

His expression seemed to say, "Don't waste your effort. It's all pointless.

Without my cooperation, this charade our parents and you are playing wouldn't last long."

In my previous life, Allen had believed I had masterminded the kidnapping to gain my parents' favor and attention.

I still didn't know where he had gotten such a ridiculous conclusion.

This time, Allen chose to ignore my "trap" entirely.

"Vickie, don't say I didn't warn you," Allen said with a shrug. "Inciting a crime is still a crime.

If you get caught, don't come crying to me to help you."

I wanted to say something, but just then, the phone rang, cutting me off.

Each ring sent a shiver to my heart.

Yet, Allen acted as though he hadn't heard it.

As he was about to leave, a look of disdain flashed across his face.

"Do what you want. I'm going to go bungee jump with Elaine.

"I know they won't actually get hurt. Don't disturb me if there's no real problem."

In my previous life, he hadn't said that.

Back then, Allen had used his years of detective experience to track down the kidnappers' hideout quickly.

In less than an hour, he rescued our parents.

That day, my mind was so occupied with my terrified parents that I didn't notice the suspicion and anger simmering in Allen's eyes.

It was only later, when he brought me to the cliffside, that I learned what he was thinking.

While Allen was rescuing our parents, Elaine had called him repeatedly.

When he didn't answer, she went bungee jumping alone and had an accident.

The phone ringing now felt like a death sentence, tightening the knot of anxiety in my chest.

I picked up the receiver, and the kidnappers' voice came through clearly.

"You should prepare twenty million dollars. Have the money ready in two hours, or your parents are dead."

I froze, wide-eyed in terror.

I thought, "What? Wasn't it only ten million dollars last time?"