Chapter 3

I was thunderstruck and quietly escaped.

Marcus was in on it with them!

My heart turned completely cold.

What secret does this box of condoms hold that makes them all want me dead?

Sitting on a park bench, I began to review everything.

Could she be allergic to latex?

No, we’d been married for years—she’d never shown any allergic symptoms.

I searched for the condom brand. Nothing special, just a bestselling product.

The more I thought, the more confused I became. The cold wind made my head throb.

Should I go to the police?

Tell them that because of a box of condoms, my whole family wants to kill me?

They’d definitely kick me out as a mental case.

Just as I was at my wit’s end, I suddenly remembered hearing “Axel” faintly from Marcus’s mouth.

Axel.

Jessica’s brother was named Axel Zhang!

But in my previous life, he never appeared from start to finish.

My mind was in complete chaos, but I really didn’t want to miss any clue.

I bought some self-defense items and decided to probe him.

I dialed his number.

“Axel, your sister and I had a fight. I’m coming to stay at your place for the night.”

He asked what happened.

I said vaguely.

“Just some small stuff. Don’t tell your sister I’m coming to your place.”

His tone was relaxed.

“Okay, I’m doing experiments. Just come over.”

When he saw me, Axel took off his lab coat, his tone casual.

“You’re here.”

He led me toward the break room and handed me a glass of warm water.

It seems I was overthinking.

Axel was a doctor. Not only was he dedicated to his work, but over the years, he’d secretly paid medical bills for many impoverished families.

Patient families all called him an angel.

Just then, his phone suddenly rang.

“Axel, is my husband at your place?”

I held my breath, my heart jumping to my throat.

He pretended to be puzzled.

“He’s not home? I haven’t seen him recently.”

Hearing him say this, my anxious heart settled down.

After hanging up, he said with a smile.

“My sister has a temper. Bear with her.”

I nodded, then asked directly.

“Don’t you want to know why your sister and I fought?”

He said casually.

“That’s between you two. I’m not that nosy. Don’t worry, whatever the reason, I’ll help talk to her tomorrow.”

Hope ignited in my heart. Maybe he could help me find out the truth?

I was too tired after being tense all night. My body and mind had reached their limit, and I fell asleep quickly.

In the middle of the night, I suddenly woke up choking. Thick smoke kept pouring into my throat. The break room door was wide open.

I grabbed a towel and pressed it tightly over my nose and mouth. The smell of chemical reagents mixed with burning filled the air, making it hard to breathe. My eyes were irritated and streaming with tears.

“Axel!”

I shouted hoarsely. Only crackling sounds answered me.

This place held all his most precious experimental equipment.

I quickly pulled out my phone and dialed 911, my voice hoarse beyond recognition.

“There’s a fire here!”

I remembered there was a fire extinguisher box at the end of the hallway. I got down on the ground and practically crawled over.

I pulled out the safety pin and pressed down.

Empty?!

I frantically grabbed another one. Also empty!

I was utterly desperate.

Just then, hundreds of lab rats scurried out from the thick smoke, running past me.

Several at the front seemed to be carrying something in their mouths.

When I saw clearly, I was horrified.

It was him! He was trying to kill me!

But why? What made him willing to burn down a lab worth millions just to kill me?

The fire spread incredibly fast. I couldn’t get off this floor at all.

My consciousness began to blur.

Suddenly, I glimpsed a sign above a door that read “Blast-Proof Design.”

Using my last bit of strength, I crashed through the door and fell inside.

Sliding down to the floor, the moment I braced against the door, a piece of paper burned to half its original size slipped in through the door crack.

In that instant, I understood everything.

I understood why everyone wanted me dead over just a box of ultra-thin 0.01 condoms.

To confirm one thing, I sent her a message.

“I’m at the medical lab. Someone’s trying to kill me.”