In a lavish estate, a young man curled on the ground, savagely beaten. A middle-aged man stood over him, his gaze cold and unforgiving.
"You ingrate. I'll make sure you rot behind bars."
"No, Mr. Zale… please, don't call the police."
The young man's voice faltered as he struggled to form words.
"My life will be over if I go to jail. You can do anything to me—just don't turn me in. I beg you."
Zale looked down at him, a faint, mocking smile tugging at his lips.
"It's too late. Regret is pointless now."
Disregarding the young man's devastated expression, he dialed the emergency number.
Out of nowhere, a brutal strike crashed into the back of his head. His vision went black. The phone slipped from his hand as pain detonated through his skull.
He turned to face the assailant.
There stood his treasured daughter—the one he had cherished more than his own life.
Amelie dropped the vase, her gaze averted, unable to meet her father's eyes. Zale's eyes turned bloodshot.
"Why? Why does everyone betray me? Haven't I given you enough? Haven't I shown you my heart?"
A roar tore from his throat, echoing through the villa—like a soul that had endured unspeakable torment.
Then a low chuckle escaped his lips, but it was more a sob than laughter. His hand shot forward, fingers clamping around her throat, eyes blazing with madness.
Amelie froze, startled by the hatred in her father's eyes. Was this the same father who had always spoiled her?
"D-Dad… I—I'm sorry…"
Zale's grip tightened. As she struggled, her nails raked across his skin. Yet his face showed no sign of pain.
He did not notice the movement behind him. The young man edged closer.
Before he could react, a violent force slammed into Zale's back, driving his head into the sharp edge of the table. Despite his resistance, death dragged him into the abyss.
Zale woke up once again. For an instant, he couldn't shake off the past and stared blankly at the ceiling, his eyes numb and empty.
Having endured countless violent deaths—and just as many betrayals—he had once thought he would grow numb, but he was not as composed as he believed.
Each time, he woke in a different world, carrying the memories of every life before. It was a wonder he had not gone mad.
Inhaling deeply, he suppressed those unpleasant memories.
A sudden knock at the door broke his thoughts.
"Zale, are you up?"
A young woman's voice.
With no response from him, the knocking grew louder.
"Zale, wake up! You're going to be late for work!"
"Got it," Zale replied calmly.
"Hurry up. It's already nine."
Her footsteps gradually faded.
Silence returned.
Forcibly calming himself, he surveyed his surroundings. He was inside a modestly furnished room. A simple desk, a cheap plastic wardrobe, and a narrow wooden bed filled the space.
White walls, decorated only with a single poster of a male singer.
…Wait.
Why did this feel eerily familiar?
Zale got out of bed and stepped closer, his eyes narrowing.
Wasn't this his idol from one of his past lives?
Why was it here?
As fragments of memory surfaced, a creeping sense of déjà vu settled in.
Something was wrong.
This life—
He had already lived it.
To verify his suspicion, he moved toward the door without hesitation. Of
A woman was humming softly while cooking in the kitchen. Hearing his footsteps, she turned, revealing a pretty, youthful face.
"So you're finally up. Go freshen up. Breakfast is almost ready."
She smiled warmly and turned back, the rhythmic sound of chopping filling the room.
Seeing how comfortable she made herself at his home, one might assume she was the owner. But the truth was something else entirely. In reality, she was merely a neighbour who had forced her way into his life, taking advantage of his vulnerability.
Zale's eyes burned with hatred as he fixed his gaze on her back.
His past self, who had recently lost both his parents and his brother to a car accident, had fallen under her gentle care.
Unknown to him, Amelie slowly wove herself into his life. Like a patient hunter, she remained hidden in plain sight, waiting for her prey to finally fall.
Driven by her relentless efforts, it had not taken long for their relationship to progress into cohabitation, and then into marriage.
Neighbours whispered that the daughter bore no resemblance to her parents, but his former self dismissed it as idle gossip.
After all, such things were not uncommon.
That is, until one day, he saw them in a restaurant with a man who looked almost identical to the girl.
Initially, he couldn't come to terms with it. But eventually, he chose to face the truth and secretly collected strands of their hair and went for a paternity test.
The truth shattered his world. Still reeling—he was hit by a passing car and killed on the spot.