Chapter 1

"We interrupt this program with breaking news. At 10:23 am today, Flight NA620 of Nelta Airlines lost contact while flying over Tranquil Ocean…" Water came from everywhere and crashed over Hannah Livingston, almost drowning her. Her chest and lungs felt like they would explode, and the feeling of asphyxiation made her flail. Suddenly, she felt a force support her from beneath, ferrying her upward. After an indeterminable period, the sound of water faded from her ears, and her eyes flew open. Why was she sitting in a bathtub? Hannah remembered being on a flight to Aldenia. The air stewardess had been in the middle of meal service when the plane had shuddered violently. Then, someone had screamed about the wings emitting black smoke. The plane had crashed and landed in the ocean. Everyone had scrambled to put on their life jackets, but they couldn't keep up with the speed at which water filled the aircraft. The water level quickly rose within the plane. Hannah felt lost. Had that been a dream or reality? The itchiness in her throat made her cough. Just then, she heard footsteps come from outside, and the bathroom door swung open. Tears welled in her eyes when she saw a familiar face. She pouted, feeling aggrieved as she held out her arms for a hug. "Jojo!" There were still droplets of water on her long lashes. She couldn't tell whether she was in a dream or real life, and she was scared. Joseph Quill was Hannah's husband. They'd started dating in high school and married after graduating college. If there were a competition for who doted on Hannah the most, no one would dare claim to be the champion if Joseph said he was the first runner-up. Hannah thought Joseph would hold her and kiss her cheek like he'd always done. He would tell her dreams were all fake and that she didn't need to fear anything with him by her side. But in the next second, she felt him grip her neck tightly. Only then did Hannah realize something was amiss. The man before her looked like Joseph but wasn't really him. "Who sent you here? You've got a lot of nerve, making yourself look like this through plastic surgery!" Joseph snarled. His icy gaze landed on Hannah's face, seemingly reminiscing about something through her. The reminiscence only lasted for a second, though. It was immediately replaced by ruthlessness and menace. He exuded murderous intent, making Hannah's pupils constrict. She had no doubt he wanted to kill her at that moment. "I'll give you two options—one, you change your face to something else. Two, I'll ruin it for you." His voice was soft, but the oppression in his tone couldn't be missed. He wasn't joking. With that, Joseph straightened up and grabbed a tissue, wiping his hands like he'd touched something dirty. Water dripped from Hannah's hair, and she shuddered due to the coldness and fear. As far as she remembered, Joseph always had a smile on. He'd tolerated her willfulness—she liked him looking young and fresh, so he'd never combed his hair back with gel, even after becoming a father and a CEO. Hannah had teased him about it. She'd told him he looked so young and fresh-faced that he couldn't daunt others and command the room. Joseph had merely smiled without saying anything. He hadn't changed his style, either. He continued to leave his fringe down, looking and smelling like the sun's warmth. The man before Hannah wasn't like that. His hair had been gelled back, and his fitting black shirt had the top two buttons undone. His once clear gaze was now dark and unfathomable. It oozed iciness. The Joseph Hannah remembered was a warm, clingy cat that would lounge under the sun and stretch, showing off its belly. The Joseph before Hannah now was more like a jaguar waiting in the dark with its teeth bared, ready to rip its prey's throats out when they weren't paying attention. Her gaze landed on his collarbone, where an almost invisible scar was. It was a badge of honor Joseph had gotten after being scratched by a window's shattered glass while trying to save her. Her lips trembled as she took in the fine lines around his eyes. It added to his maturity, but… "Why are you so old now?" Joseph had changed significantly, but Hannah was still sure it was him. He narrowed his eyes, and his expression turned ugly. He growled, "You've done an excellent job imitating her voice, but I've never considered getting a substitute. I don't care who sent you here. If you don't want to die—" Hannah interrupted his threat. "Don't you recognize me anymore, Jojo? What the hell is going on? Am I dreaming, or have I transmigrated? This is so ridiculous!" She slapped the water angrily and snarled, "Is your name Joseph Quill?" He didn't answer her. Instead, he eyed her menacingly. Anyone else would've had the daylights scared out of them if they were to see him like this. Whenever Joseph had that look in his eyes, it meant he was going to wreak havoc. Hannah had been scared of him earlier, but now that the adrenaline was charging in her veins, she was more angry than anything. It helped that she was with someone familiar. "Did you use to live in the East Lanes of Roelle, Cloud City? Are you good at everything except music? You used to be allergic to mangoes but ate so much of them that you developed immunity because I liked them. You…" Hannah listed Joseph's likes and dislikes. She rubbed her neck, which hurt from Joseph almost strangling her earlier, and tears streamed down her face. She felt angry and aggrieved. The situation she'd landed in was already enough to scare her, yet Joseph had treated her so harshly. Hannah was embarrassed while crying, so she raised an arm and dried her tears on it as a child would. She felt even more aggrieved at the thought of Joseph being the one to strangle her. She didn't notice how Joseph went pale as she talked. His hands, which fell to his sides, trembled uncontrollably. His eyes were even redder than when he'd been furious earlier. "Who are you?" he asked hoarsely, sounding choked up. He felt like he'd used all his strength to force those words out of his throat. "Hannah Livingston! Who else could I be?" Hannah got out of the bathtub. The more she wiped her tears, the more she cried. They blurred her vision, but she still managed to grab a bathrobe. Then, she shoved Joseph away. "Go away, you meanie!" "Meanie" was what Hannah called Joseph whenever she was mad. Joseph staggered out of the bathroom and leaned against the wall, panting like he had been rescued from the water. Then, he seemed to think of something. He clenched a fist and pounded it on the wall. His furrowed brows loosened a little as he stared dazedly at his bloodied fist. It hurt. Meanwhile, Hannah removed her wet clothes and wrapped the bathrobe around herself. After venting her frustrations, she realized she still didn't know what was happening. She was sure the plane crash wasn't a dream—her clothes were the ones she'd worn when boarding the flight. So, how had she ended up here? And what was wrong with Joseph? She was about to leave the bathroom to have a proper talk with him when the door flew open. She was pulled into a tight embrace. The familiar sensation made her relax a little, and she mumbled, "What is going on? I know the plane crashed into the ocean, so how did I get here? And what was with your attitude?" Hannah trailed off when she sensed the wetness at her neck. Was Joseph crying? "You've been missing for 15 years, Anna. I almost lost my mind searching for you," he rasped. He tightened his arms around her waist. Meanwhile, Hannah was flabbergasted. What had she just heard?