Sleepless Tonight
When I opened my eyes again, it was our wedding day—we had both been reborn. Without a word, we made the same choice: we fled to chase the lives we truly wanted.
Seven years later, she used her future knowledge to secure massive funding, becoming an AI titan. At her product launch, she publicly announced her relationship with her programmer protégé.
Spotting me in the crowd—well-dressed, holding a diamond ring—she smirked into the microphone, "Even if you proposed right now, I’d never make the mistake of choosing you again."
But that evening, when the conference’s secret billionaire investor—a powerful, elegant woman—blushed and accepted my proposal, it was Ava who rushed the stage, eyes blazing, demanding, "This is all a stunt to win me back, isn’t it? You swore you’d only love me!"
1
I always knew that after our rebirth, my ex-wife, Ava, and I would cross paths again.
I just never imagined it would be on the day I planned to propose to my girlfriend.
Right now, Ava was the star of the show, radiant on stage in a stunning crimson dress. Beside her, her beloved protégé from the past, Leo, stood tall in a crisp white suit. Their fingers were intertwined as they made their relationship official for the world to see.
The room erupted in thunderous applause and excited cheers.
"Leo and Ms. Thorne are the golden couple of the tech world!"
"Totally! I heard they built this company from the ground up together, through thick and thin. It's the ultimate love story!"
Amid the buzz, someone shouted a question. "You two are so perfect together! When's the wedding?"
The question stopped me cold.
They weren't married yet?
In our past life, the moment Ava heard Leo was dead, she hadn't hesitated. She'd abandoned our unborn child, leaping from that hospital roof just to join him in death. After being reborn on our wedding day, she'd ditched me at the altar and driven a thousand miles overnight to be with him.
I’d assumed they would have been married for years, living a quiet life with a family by now.
But seven years had passed, and they were only just now going public.
Wait a second…
Even in our past life, when she was married to me, Ava never hid her connection to Leo. Why, in this life where they were finally together, was she so secretive, waiting until now to reveal their relationship?
On stage, Ava’s smile tightened for a fraction of a second before her polished, professional mask slid back into place.
"We're not in a rush to get married," she said smoothly. "Leo is already under so much pressure with work, and I don't want to add to his burden. Besides, we're more focused on our careers right now. That way, when we do have a baby, we can give them the best possible life."
Her explanation was met with a wave of knowing, affectionate smiles from the audience.
"I never knew the ruthless Ava Thorne could be so thoughtful and tender!"
"Ugh, what a dream romance! I wish I had a partner like that."
I watched Ava, her smile so perfectly crafted, and I had to shake my head.
So, this was the real Ava. Capable of worrying, of considering someone else's feelings, of planning a future for two. Not the woman I knew, who treated me with a distant, polite respect, her every action tinged with a chilling indifference, as if nothing I did ever truly mattered.
Smack!
A sharp pain exploded at the back of my head, yanking me from my thoughts. I clutched my head and spun around. The event manager was glaring at me, his face a thundercloud of fury.
"What do you think you're doing? I'm paying you to clean, not to stand around daydreaming!"
His roar drew the attention of the entire room.
Including Ava.
Her eyes flickered over my server's uniform, a flash of surprise in their depths. "Ethan? What are you doing here?"
I answered instinctively. "I'm waiting for someone."
It was true. Today was my seven-year anniversary with my girlfriend, Molly. I’d heard she would be attending this launch as an investor, so I’d disguised myself as a waiter to surprise her with a proposal. I never expected this disastrous reunion with my ex-wife.
Leo let out a cold, derisive snort. "Everyone invited here tonight is a major player in the tech industry. Who could you possibly be waiting for, besides Ava? Don't tell me you're waiting for that mysterious investor who hasn't even shown up yet." He took a menacing step forward. "Just stop stalking her, man. Get lost before I change my mind and have you thrown out."
Ava remained silent, her gaze sweeping past me to land on the manager. "Today is a special day for Leo and me, so I won't hold you responsible for letting an outsider slip in," she said, her voice cool and detached. "Pay him double and have him leave immediately."
From beginning to end, Ava stood on that stage, her expression calm and unreadable. After that initial flicker of surprise, she hadn't looked at me again. It was as if we’d never shared a life, as if we were nothing more than strangers. As the man who had been her husband for years in another lifetime, I knew exactly what this meant. To be ignored by her was the ultimate expression of her contempt.
But ever since she’d chosen to die for Leo, my feelings for her had withered into dust. I was no longer the man who would bend and break for her.
With that thought, I held up the diamond ring in my hand. "Why should I leave?" I said, shaking my head. "I'm here to propose."
Leo’s eyes finally registered the ring, and he burst out laughing. "Propose? You think we're children? You really think anyone's buying that rock? It's the size of a doorknob. If that were real, it'd be worth a house. You're just screaming 'fake'."
His voice dripped with scorn. "Look at you, getting old and still trying to latch onto a rich woman. Did Ava leaving you at the altar break your brain, Ethan?"
He was twisting the knife, flaunting his victory. But all I felt was a profound sense of exhaustion.
Of course the diamond was real.
Ava wasn't the only one who came back.
Using my own memories of the future, I had become a formidable player in the world of venture capital. Over seven years, I’d turned an initial investment of fifty thousand dollars into a fortune of over five hundred million by betting on gold, short-form video, and AI. A multi-carat diamond was pocket change.
Seeing my silence, Leo assumed I was ashamed and cornered. He was about to physically shove me out when Ava stopped him. "Leo, don't. The press is here. It wouldn't look good." She turned to me, her expression unreadable. "I know how he is. Let me handle this."
She fixed her gaze on me, her eyes as calm as a frozen lake. "Ethan, it's been seven years. I thought you would have matured. But you're still so reckless."
"You came here for money, didn't you? For old times' sake, as college acquaintances, I can find a job for you. It's better than waiting tables for a living."
"I'll send you the contact for our HR department. Just give them your name."
She pulled out her phone, ready to forward the information. But then she froze, her eyes locked on the stark red exclamation point on her screen.
"You... you blocked me?!"
2
Her exclamation reminded me—I’d completely forgotten to delete her contact information!
Thank God I blocked her right after the wedding fiasco. If Molly ever found out I still had my ex-wife’s number, I’d be sleeping on the couch for a month.
"Oh, right," I said, nodding thoughtfully. "Thanks for reminding me."
A smug smile touched Ava’s lips. "Now that you remember, you can add me back. My time is very..."
Before she could finish, I deleted her contact right in front of her.
The smile on her face vanished, replaced by a glacial mask. After a long, tense moment, she spoke, each word dripping with ice. "I see now my decision was the right one. Seven years, and you're still just as childish."
She shook her head. "This was likely the last time our paths will ever cross, the only chance you had to change your pathetic life. And you just threw it away."
Leo chimed in with a sneer. "Ava, you're just too kind. This guy is stalking you, posing as a waiter to get close. Who knows what he'll do next? If you ask me, we should just call the cops and have this scum arrested. Why waste your breath on him?"
I felt my jaw clench. If we were talking about scum, Leo was king.
After all, in our past life, he hadn't died of cancer. He'd died from something… messier. A consequence of a reckless, sordid lifestyle. Back in college, he was already using Ava’s living allowance to fund his nights of binge drinking and clubbing with trashy girls. The real reason he’d broken up with her wasn't to "study abroad," as he'd claimed. It was because he'd drained her dry and latched onto a wealthier girl, lying to avoid the drama.
It was during that period of wild partying that he contracted the disease that would kill him seven years later. I only found out after tracking down his medical records in our previous life.
If things had followed the same course, Ava was likely infected, too.
Before leaving, a flicker of old-fashioned decency compelled me to warn her. "By the way, you should probably get yourself checked out by a doctor."
Ava's brow furrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"
My gaze shifted to Leo, my tone deliberate and heavy with implication. "Some diseases… they're contagious."
Leo's face paled instantly. Guilt was written all over him.
But Ava, misinterpreting my warning as a jealous jab, just scoffed. "You've changed, Ethan. I used to think you were just incompetent. I never realized you were morally bankrupt, too. Sour grapes, I see. Spreading lies about Leo just because you can't have me."
Seeing that she was completely unreachable, I gave up and turned to leave.
"Stop!"
Leo stepped in front of me, blocking my path. I braced myself for a fight, my fists clenching at my sides.
But instead of throwing a punch, he leaned in, a slimy grin spreading across his face. "Hey, Ethan. You're over thirty now, right? Don't tell me you still haven't managed to find a wife."
A dark cloud passed over me. Obviously not. If I had a wife, why would I be here proposing to my girlfriend?
Leo’s grin widened. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Look at you, dressed in those cheap, no-name clothes. Who would want you? But hey, since you seem to have a taste for mooching, how about I introduce you to a rich old widow? You might even get a nice inheritance out of it!"
The people around him snickered, but I looked him straight in the eye, my voice steady and serious. "No, thank you. There's only one person I love. We've built a life together. I would never marry anyone but her."
As I spoke those resolute words, I saw a flicker of something complex and unreadable in Ava's eyes from across the room. She quickly turned away, avoiding my gaze.
A moment later, she pulled a checkbook from her purse and held a slip of paper out to me. "It's impossible for us, Ethan. Even if you wait forever, it will never happen. You came here for money, right? Here. Two hundred thousand dollars. It's enough for you to go back to your hometown, buy a house, and get married."
3
A wave of murmurs rippled through the crowd. Leo stared at Ava, bewildered. "Ava… you don't… still have feelings for him, do you?"
I looked at the check in her hand and realized she’d completely misunderstood.
The woman I was talking about wasn't her. It was Molly, my girlfriend in this life.
After Ava left me at the altar, I sold our would-be marital home and dove into the stock market. That’s where I met Molly. It started with a dare at a trading exchange. Using my knowledge of the future, I helped her sidestep a catastrophic loss. As we spent more time together, we discovered a shared passion for everything from obscure films to street food. We just… clicked.
It was only later that I learned she was the sole heir to the vast Linwood Corporation, a conglomerate with interests across the country. She was a prodigy, a brilliant investor whose sharp instincts had propelled her family's company to new heights. In fact, Ava’s startup was just one of hundreds of companies in Molly's investment portfolio.
With a woman like Molly by my side, any lingering feelings for Ava had long since evaporated.
Feeling the weight of everyone's stares, Ava finally turned to address them, her composure regained. "Of course not. But when we were… together… he helped me with some of the early AI algorithms. This money is to buy out his intellectual property rights. Once the company goes public, it will prevent people like him from coming out of the woodwork to cause trouble and blackmail us."
Her explanation made Leo relax, but I was just speechless.
I had forgotten about that, but now that she brought it up… I did more than "help her with some algorithms."
The reason Ava had gotten this far was because she’d built her entire company on the foundation of an AI framework I had spent years perfecting in our past life.
After being reborn, her first move was to steal my life's work to pave the way for her precious Leo, registering patents for my technology. She knew, however, that I still possessed the original data files. If I decided to sue, the ensuing legal battle would tank her company's stock value.
So, this wasn't about "mitigating business risk." This was hush money.
But what she didn't know was that my original framework had a fatal flaw, a time bomb that was guaranteed to explode eventually. I wanted no part of it.
Besides, I was already financially independent thanks to my own investments. Two hundred thousand dollars was an insult.
I took the check from her hand and tore it to shreds.
Leo’s face contorted with rage. He pointed a trembling finger at me. "See, Ava? Pathetic people are pathetic for a reason! The guy is insatiably greedy! Two hundred grand isn't enough for him. You don't need to waste your pity on trash like this!"
His spit flew as he ranted. I took a disgusted step back.
Ava, having been rebuffed again and again, had also reached her limit. Her face was a mask of cold fury. "Fine. You're on your own," she snapped, turning away from me for good.
I shrugged and made to leave the toxic atmosphere behind me.
But as I walked away, Leo stuck his foot out, tripping me. I went down hard, the contents of my pocket spilling onto the floor. My watch clattered across the polished marble.
Leo bent down to pick it up. The sneer on his face vanished, replaced by wide-eyed disbelief.
"This… this is a limited edition Patek Philippe! The new release!" he stammered, his eyes huge. "The auction for these started in the millions! It's practically priceless… How… how do you have this?!"
I scrambled to my feet, brushed myself off, and snatched the watch back. "It's mine. What's it to you?"
Molly had given it to me this morning for our anniversary. I'd taken it off when I slipped into the waiter's uniform, thinking it was too flashy for my disguise.
Leo looked at me like I was insane. "Bullshit! You don't even have a job! How could you afford this watch? No wonder you turned down the money. You stole this, didn't you? You were trying to get away so you could fence it!"
At his words, a horrible realization dawned on Ava. Her face went pale. "Ethan, do you have any idea what you've done?" she hissed, her voice sharp with alarm. "The only person in this country who owns that watch is Molly Linwood, the heiress to the Linwood Corporation! She bought it at a high-profile auction a while back, saying it was a gift for her boyfriend. Did you steal from the Linwoods?!"
The room exploded.
"I heard Molly Linwood is crazy about her boyfriend. Some guy posted a video online criticizing his investment strategy once, and she sued him into oblivion. He'll be paying off that debt for the rest of his life."
"Seriously? This guy has a death wish. Stealing from Molly Linwood's boyfriend? He's a dead man walking."
Listening to the whispers, I almost laughed out loud.
Stole it? I am Molly Linwood's boyfriend.
I was about to set them straight when Leo, glancing at his phone, broke in with a triumphant shout. "You're finished, Ethan! I just got word that Molly Linwood is on her way up! We can hand you over to her, you little thief. Maybe she'll be so grateful she'll even increase our funding!"
He was about to call security when a familiar figure appeared in the doorway.
It was Molly.
A wave of relief washed over me, and a smile spread across my face. "Molly! You're finally here. I've been waiting for you!"
Leo scoffed at my familiar tone. "A common thief, cozying up to Ms. Linwood? The guy's lost his mind."
As the host of the event, Ava immediately stepped forward, her voice laced with deference. "Ms. Linwood, I apologize for the chaotic scene. But there's a reason for it. We happened to find the watch you gifted your boyfriend here at the venue and were just about to contact you to return it."
I rolled my eyes. "It was never lost," I shot back at Ava. "You can stop with the fake sincerity."
My retort left her speechless, her face turning a blotchy red. "You… you are beyond saving! Fine, you can rot for all I care!" she spat, washing her hands of me and stepping back to watch the train wreck she expected to unfold.
Ignoring the buzzing swarm of whispers around me, I pulled the ring box from my pocket.
Taking a deep breath, I dropped to one knee. I looked up at Molly, my eyes filled with a soft, unwavering love.
"Molly," I said, my voice steady. "Will you marry me?"
My voice wasn't loud, but in the suddenly silent hall, it carried to every corner.
Leo was the first to break the silence, clutching his stomach as he howled with laughter. "Ethan, are you brain-dead? Take a good look at yourself in a puddle. Do you really think you're worthy of Ms. Linwood? Besides, she's already taken! Her boyfriend is a legend, a titan of industry, not a pathetic nobody like you!"
He was getting more and more worked up, practically spitting in his excitement. "Her boyfriend is one of the greatest investment geniuses of our time! And you? You're nothing! Anyone who tries to get between them ends up as dust! You're about to vanish off the face of the earth, you idiot!"
Ava watched me with an expression of pure, unadulterated disappointment. "Ethan, you never change. Must you always push things until you're at a dead end?" She shook her head, as if I were a lost cause. The rest of the room looked on with a mixture of pity and morbid curiosity, waiting for the inevitable humiliation.
But Molly—the famously ruthless, ice-cold Molly Linwood—blushed. A shy, beautiful blush that spread across her cheeks.
Then, slowly, she extended her hand. I gently slid the ring onto her finger.
It fit perfectly.
"Yes," she whispered, her voice soft but clear.
"And let's have the wedding next week."
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