"Watch out!"

Unable to react in time, Gwenda felt herself pushed aside by someone; a masculine grunt sounded nearby. The wooden beam crashed to the ground with a loud bang. Looking back, she saw Olivier partially kneeling, his arm burned. She subconsciously covered her face. How could she forget this was where her face had been disfigured by fire?

Coming to her senses, Gwenda rushed to Olivier, examining his wound. "Mr. Petit, are you alright?" she asked anxiously.

"Get going!"

Olivier pushed her away, his consciousness fading. He panted heavily, clinging to his willpower. "Don't worry about me"

"I'm not leaving without you!" Gwenda gripped his arm tightly, gazing at him with teary, determined eyes. He had saved her; she wouldn't abandon him.

Olivier's heart skipped a beat. He stared at her lovely face, conflict flickering in his eyes.

"Trust me! We'll make it out!" Gwenda said with conviction.

For some reason, Olivier nodded, seeing the determination in her eyes. "Alright!"

"Let's go!" Gwenda helped him up, then staggered forward, braving the flames. Olivier, gazing at her with half-lidded eyes, weakly asked, "What's your name?"

"I'm Gwenda Evans!"

"Gwenda Evans" He remembered.

Outside the hotel, busy firemen noticed them. Gwenda's strong will, coupled with the firemen's efforts, enabled their escape. After Olivier was placed on a stretcher, his consciousness faded into the surrounding chaos.

He regained consciousness in the hospital the next day.

"Boss, you're awake!" Otto Roux exclaimed jubilantly. "Wonderful! I'll call the doctor."

Several doctors soon arrived and examined him. They concluded that, apart from the burn, he was out of danger, though he needed observation.

"Boss, you almost scared me to death! Thankfully, you're alright. Otherwise, I have no idea how to explain this to your mother. You can't imagine how panicked I was seeing the hotel on fire. Luckily, you're blessed by God" Otto rambled on.

Olivier, leaning against the headboard, frowned, his pale face showing his exhaustion.

"Enough!" he rasped, gazing steadily at Otto. "Where's the girl who saved me?"

"She's in the ward downstairs. Do you want me to call her?" Otto offered.

"No." Olivier got out of bed. "I'll go in person."

"In person?" Otto was surprised. "But Boss, your body"

"I'm fine."

"The doctor said not to move around!"

Olivier ignored him and left. Otto was speechless. "Boss, please slow down"

In the ward below, Gwenda had just finished her own examination. The doctor said her condition was normal, and she could be discharged that afternoon. She sighed in relief. She had saved her face from disfigurement. Looking at her flawless reflection, she smiled. It wasn't too late. God had given her a second chance. She wouldn't be as foolish as before, believing her manipulative sister and stepmother. This time, she would change everything! Those who harmed her would pay.

She put down the mirror. A knock came at the door.

A tall man in a light blue shirt entered. Gwenda's eyes narrowed. Martin Morel, her fiancé.

"Gwenda, I heard something happened. I came back from out of town. Are you alright?" Martin asked anxiously.

Gwenda stared at him, a cold smile playing on her lips. In her last life, he'd visited after her injury. She remembered his expression: surprise, fear, and a barely concealed hint of joy. She hadn't noticed then, consumed by grief, but later realized he'd been pleased by her disfigurement, giving him reason to end the engagement.

That scumbag! She'd given him everything, even her dignity, only to be replaced by her sister. He'd thrown an extravagant wedding, making her a public laughingstock, a life worse than death. Recalling this, she trembled with rage, her hands clenching under the quilt. She wished she could kill him.

Martin, noticing her trembling, thought she was unwell. He reached to touch her forehead. "Gwenda, are you okay"

"Don't touch me!" Gwenda pushed his hand away in disgust.

Martin was stunned. "Gwenda, what's wrong?"

She stared at him, taking a deep breath to control her rage. "I'm fine. You can go."

Martin was confused. She'd always been clingy. He decided she was angry at him for not spending enough time with her. "Gwenda, I know I haven't spent much time with you. Don't worry, after this project, I'll take time off and we'll go on vacation."

Gwenda felt uncomfortable. "That's fine. Just work on your project." She never wanted to see him again.

"Don't be mad. I'll keep my promise." Martin took her hand.

Gwenda felt disgust and sharply withdrew her hand. Before she could speak, the door opened again. It was her sister, Gretchen Evans.

Finally. Seeing her made Gwenda's blood boil. In her last life, Gretchen had schemed to get Martin, even getting Gwenda drunk and sending her to a hotel to create a scandal. Though the scheme failed, Gwenda's face was disfigured in the resulting fire. If Gretchen hadn't revealed the truth, Gwenda wouldn't have known her face was indirectly disfigured by her stepsister!

Gwenda gritted her teeth.

"Hey, sis," Gretchen said, bypassing Martin to approach Gwenda. "I came as soon as I heard. Are you alright?"

"Of course I'm fine. I just had a little too much to drink at the dinner party. It's not too bad." Gwenda looked at her stepsister with a sarcastic smile. "But why does it sound like you're hoping something happened to me?"