No Parole for You in This Life Chapter 1

Winning eight million dollars in the lottery, the first thing I did was rush to the hospital to pay for my son’s surgery and treatment.

But then, a call came from my colleague.

“There’s an emergency at the office. You need to get back here right now and handle it!”

My wife took the card from my hand, her voice dripping with false understanding.

“Just give me the PIN. I’ll go pay for our son’s surgery. You go take care of work.”

In my past life, I trusted her without a second thought and hurried back to the office.

I never saw my son get his surgery. Instead, I got a summons from the police.

It turned out my wife and my colleague had conspired to frame me, pinning his embezzlement of company funds on me.

My son died in the hospital, unable to afford treatment. My parents, overwhelmed by grief, both died of heart attacks. And I, consumed by hatred, killed myself in prison.

After death, my soul drifted to the Maldives where my wife was vacationing. I heard her say to my colleague with my own ears:

“That idiot won all that money and the only thing he could think to do was waste it on that pathetic little weakling. He was just dragging me down into a life of misery!”

“But now, the deaths of his entire family have bought us a lifetime of luxury. Consider it compensation from that fool, hahaha!”

When I opened my eyes again, I was back at that exact moment—my wife taking the bank card from my hand.

This time, I still gave her the PIN.

* * *

“Honey, you can leave things at the hospital to me. Hurry to the office, don’t let work be delayed.”

My wife, Jenna, clutched the bank card containing the eight million dollars. Her words were a perfect mask of support, but her eyes gleamed with the thrill of a successfully laid trap.

In my last life, I had given her my absolute trust.

It never occurred to me that she would take the money meant to save our son’s life and conspire with my colleague, Mike, to frame me for embezzling company funds.

I was sentenced to ten years in prison. My son, without the money for his surgery, died in the hospital.

Even my parents, crushed by the series of blows, suffered fatal heart attacks and were left to die on the street like stray dogs.

Freshly reborn, a storm of hatred raged within me, a primal urge to strangle the life out of this venomous woman who would sacrifice her own husband and child.

But that would just land me back in prison, a tragedy I wouldn't repeat. It wasn't worth it.

I would find another way. I would make Jenna and Mike, that treacherous pair, pay the price they deserved.

I squeezed her wrist, my voice laced with meaning.

“Then I’ll leave this to you. This is for our son’s life. Make sure you don’t transfer it to the wrong account.”

After all, in my last life, Jenna hadn’t transferred the money to the hospital. She’d sent it to a separate account Mike had set up.

A flicker of unease crossed her face. “Don’t worry,” she said, her voice a little too quick. “I won’t be that careless.”

I smiled. “Good.”

I turned and left, the smile vanishing from my face the second my back was to her.

Once outside the hospital, I let out a cold laugh and dialed 911.

“Officer, I need to report a crime!”

“Just two minutes ago, I was the victim of fraud. Eight million dollars was just transferred out of my account. I need your help to track the funds immediately!”

“What? Eight million dollars!?”

The officer on the other end heard the amount, and his tone became instantly serious. He began filing a report.

“The transfer just happened. It’s good you called so quickly. We’ll do everything we can to recover the funds. If you have any new information, you must let us know immediately!”

My voice was thick with manufactured panic.

“Yes, of course! That money was for my son’s life-saving surgery. Please, you have to help me!”

Hanging up, a slow, grim smile spread across my face.

I wasn't worried about getting the money back. I knew that in a short while, it would be transferred right back into one of my own accounts.

This was the very trap they had set for me in my last life.

But this time, they were the ones about to learn what it means to be too clever for your own good.

My phone buzzed violently. Mike’s name flashed on the screen.