Learning I was pregnant, my husband’s old flame deliberately set a fire, trying to burn me alive.

I didn't scream for help. Instead, I helped my mother-in-law, who had passed out from the smoke, struggling to survive.

In my past life, I cried desperately in the inferno. My husband led people to rescue my mother-in-law and me first.

To compete with me, his old flame, Chloe, rushed back into the fire and died from severe burns all over her body.

After she died, my husband said she deserved it for setting the fire deliberately, and he became incredibly attentive to me after the shock.

But after my child was born, my husband used a picture frame with Chloe's photo to beat our baby to death.

"It's all your fault, you and your daughter, for making me lose my beloved! Go to hell and atone!"

In despair, I took him down with me. When I opened my eyes again, I was back in the inferno.

...

"Sarah, hang on! Mom will get you out of here!"

A familiar voice sent a chill down my spine. Just as I opened my eyes, the burning, warped wooden door crashed down, barely missing my nose.

Terrified, I immediately pulled my mother-in-law back into the bedroom.

"Mom, don't open the window! It'll make the fire worse."

I quickly scanned the room, ripped open a pillowcase, soaked it with bottled water, and handed it to my mother-in-law, motioning for her to cover her nose and mouth.

Sirens wailed downstairs. My mother-in-law's face lit up.

"Don't worry, Ethan's here with help."

"We'll be okay."

Seeing her excitement, I lowered my eyes and said nothing.

I didn't know how to tell this elderly woman that her own son would later torture and kill her granddaughter for his old flame.

The temperature inside rose rapidly from the fire; the tiles beneath my feet were scorching hot.

Just as I helped Mom to a safer spot, Ethan's voice sounded outside the door.

"Chloe! Chloe, are you in there?"

"Don't be scared, I'm here to save you!"

With a loud crash, the door was violently broken down. I couldn't see anything through the crimson flames, but I heard Chloe's crying:

"Ethan! I'm on the balcony!"

"Help me, I'm so scared..."

"Everyone follow me! Don't waste time searching, come to the balcony rescue!"

Hearing their conversation, my mother-in-law suddenly clutched her chest, gasping violently.

"That monster... Ethan, that damn monster, how could he..."

Before she could finish, she rolled her eyes back and fainted from sheer anger.

Through the thick flames, I saw Ethan carrying Chloe princess-style, his back retreating.

The fire consumed everything. Tears welled in my eyes, only to evaporate instantly upon falling.

In that moment, I choked back the cry for help that almost escaped my lips.

Ethan, this time, I don't owe you anything.

As Ethan carried Chloe away, I covered my nose and mouth, shifted positions several times, and finally managed to get Mom onto my back.

The effort caused sharp pains in my abdomen, and it took all my strength just to stand up straight.

I carried Ethan's child in my womb and Ethan's mother on my back.

Standing there in the sea of fire, I listened to their distant voices.

"Chloe, is anyone else home?"

"No one, Ethan. Sarah said she was pregnant and too delicate... We just argued a little, and she locked me in, set the fire, and ran off herself..."

"That damned bitch! When I catch her, I'll make her pay!"

My body went limp, and I nearly collapsed.

The next second, another voice rang out:

"Ethan, I thought I heard someone talking in the bedroom."

"I have a feeling someone's still inside. What if Sarah's still in there..."

"Chloe already said Sarah did this to her! Would she stick around waiting to die after doing something like that?"

"Let's go! Chloe's always been frail; the most important thing now is to get her to the hospital!"

2

The pain in my stomach was unbearable; I nearly ground my teeth to dust, wanting to fight my way out of the fire.

My mother-in-law on my back must have been woken by the thick smoke. She gripped me tightly, stopping me, and started screaming desperately.

"Ethan, you little bastard! Your wife and child are trapped in here! Who are you taking to the hospital?"

I stopped, listening intently for sounds outside.

But the footsteps had faded. Ethan was long gone.

A wardrobe, warped by the fire, crashed down violently, blocking our only escape route.

Trembling, I poured the last bit of water onto the cloth and handed it to Mom.

Tears streamed down her aged face as she looked at me. Just as she was about to speak, sirens wailed again downstairs.

The sound was just like when they arrived.

Ethan had left with his Chloe.

The fire grew fiercer. I thought despairingly, We're probably not getting out this time.

Mom coughed a few more times on my back, then went silent.

The flames intensified, already licking at the hem of my clothes.

In the nick of time, a shout came from outside the door:

"Sarah! The security guard said he didn't see you leave! Are you still in there?"

I couldn't hold back my tears any longer and quickly responded.

Soon, a figure burst through the fire with an extinguisher. I finally couldn't hold on any longer and collapsed.

When I opened my eyes again, Mom and I were safely downstairs outside the building.

The person who saved us was Ethan's colleague, Mike.

His face was blackened with soot. Seeing me awake, he managed a smile.

"Sarah, I told him I heard you guys! That Chloe insisted no one was inside..."

After saying that, he crumpled to the ground.

Onlookers quickly called for ambulances.

The three of us weren't critically injured, but Mom had several underlying health conditions, and Mike had inhaled too much smoke; both were still unconscious.

When Ethan got the news, he rushed to the hospital.

Seeing me, he ignored the nurses trying to stop him and slapped me furiously across the face.

"You bitch! How could you be so cruel? Why would you try to kill Chloe?"

"You weren't even home! Why did you go back into the fire? You almost killed Mike too, do you realize that!"

"I can't believe I married such a venomous woman! If anything happens to either of them, you're a murderer!"

I had just survived a near-death experience, still reeling from the terror, only to be knocked to the floor by him.

Meanwhile, Chloe peeked out from behind Ethan.

"Sarah, I know you hate me, but did you ever think about how many people you could have hurt?"

Then, she leaned weakly against Ethan's shoulder and started coughing violently.

Seeing the flecks of blood Chloe coughed up, Ethan turned and brutally kicked me just as I managed to stand up, sending me sprawling again.

"You evil bitch! Why didn't you die in that fire!"

"I should have just dragged Mike away back then and let you burn alive!"

He looked down at me, his eyes filled with hatred.

The woman he protected in his arms had a look of pure provocation on her face.

And I no longer had the strength to argue with them.

Blood began to pool beneath me.

Tears streamed down my face from the pain. My scorched throat could only manage a few syllables:

"Doctor... call a doctor..."

Seeing my agony, Ethan smirked cruelly.

"Doctor?"

"Did you ever stop to think, what if you had killed them? Would they have had the chance to call a doctor?"

I stared fixedly at the man before me, my eyes stinging unbearably.

Before Chloe showed up, he had been so excited about this baby.

He had prepared the nursery early, even chosen a name.

Ethan Jr.

He said, giving the child his last name and a part of mine was the best gift.

But now, seeing the blood spreading beneath me, he turned and covered Chloe's eyes.

"Disgusting. Don't let it scare you."

3

When I woke up again, I had been moved to a different room.

Seeing me awake, the nurse slammed a medicine bottle into the trash can, her voice dripping with disgust.

"Well, look who's tough."

"Hurt so many people, and all you lost was a baby. Lucky you, huh?"

My throat felt like it was on fire, I couldn't make a sound, only endure the contempt.

Seeing my state, the nurse slammed the door open and loudly called out to people outside.

"The suspect's awake! Take her away, don't dirty our hospital."

"How dare you harm the daughter of a fallen hero? Such bad luck. Why didn't you burn to death?"

Two officers grabbed me without a word. Soon, I was facing Ethan.

Across a table, his face was dark. He immediately started accusing me:

"Sarah, you venomous snake. Attempted murder."

"Considering you were pregnant, I can request probation for you, but you're definitely doing time for this!"

After saying this, he stiffly turned his head away, as if speaking another word to me would taint his purity.

I opened my mouth to defend myself, but my voice was so hoarse I could only cough violently.

Just then, Chloe rushed in, crying, and threw herself into Ethan's arms.

"Ethan, I had another nightmare."

"I dreamed I was burning to death in the fire, I was so scared..."

Ethan's barely softened expression turned to stone again.

"Sarah, I really don't know how a sweet girl like Chloe could have possibly offended you."

"Why do you hate her so much? Why do you keep trying to hurt her, again and again!"

"Her father died in the line of duty! How could you, how could you do this to the daughter of a hero!"

He couldn't continue, clenching his fists and slamming them hard on the table.

Someone handed me warm water. I took several sips before I could finally speak, my voice raspy:

"I didn't start the fire. Chloe did."

"The one who should be in jail isn't me, it's her, the arsonist. And you, for failing your duty."

Ethan slammed the table again, jumping to his feet.

He leaned forward, his gaze fixed intently on my eyes.

"Chloe is innocent and kind! How dare you slander her like that!"

"She already told me everything that happened! It was you! You, you venomous woman, set the fire deliberately over a petty argument!"

Beside him, Chloe appropriately burst into tears:

"Ethan, she's trying to frame me again."

"I'm so scared... I just wanted to stay by your side like a little sister, is that too much to ask? Sarah, do you really have to want me dead before you'll stop?"

She stepped forward, shaking my arm insistently.

As I pulled my arm back in disgust, Chloe screamed and fell backward.

"Ethan, help me! She pushed me hard..."

Ethan promptly stood up, caught Chloe in his arms, and with his other hand, grabbed me and threw me violently to the floor.

"Sarah! You dare hurt her right in front of me?"

"Have you got any conscience left!"

"If pregnant women couldn't avoid jail time, I'd throw you in right now to make you reflect!"

I looked up at the furious Ethan.

His features were still so familiar, just like when he used to make promises to me.

But now, I held no more illusions about him.

In the last life, Chloe killed herself, and he thought I was the murderer.

This life, Chloe is alive and well, and he still thinks I'm the arsonist.

This marriage... I didn't see the point anymore.

I opened my mouth, my voice devoid of any emotion:

"Ethan, let's get a divorce. If you want to charge me, go ahead."

"The baby's gone now. Let's see if you can actually send me to jail."

Ethan's brow furrowed suddenly, his voice laced with disbelief:

"What nonsense are you talking about? What do you mean, the baby's gone?"