Rebirth Into My Second Chance

He twisted the key in the lock of his apartment door and swung it open, a gesture of invitation. "Come in and take a seat. I've got something to show you."

He stepped into the apartment ahead of me, already reaching for something as I followed.

He handed me a folder and began, "The kids we're sending to the orphanage all have heart defects or some other challenge. As a doctor, I want to give them a second chance at life. What about you?"

Every time he spoke to me, it was as if he could see right through me, pinpointing my doubts and fears before prescribing the breakthrough.

I hesitated, "Max..."

Unlike him, my choice to pursue medicine wasn't born out of a noble dream. The allure of a potentially lucrative career drew me in, thinking it could be a safety net if Claude turned me away. Back then, doctors seemed like the wealthiest folks around. When I looked back, my dreams were all about Claude. That was funny.

"I have no dreams," I confessed with a foolish smile, looking up at him.

At that moment, he paused, probably thinking my naive grin was amusing, but not because he found me pretty.

a life that's truly yours,"

years, my life revolved around Claude. A mere glance from him was enough to

changed. I no longer cared about Claude. Kate got caught. What was there for me to

Max said, "I once did a consultation at an orphanage where a girl told me she'd become the greatest doctor, so all the kids there could run freely, laugh heartily, without

be an

help asking, "Max, you're not pulling my leg, right? You're

Max didn't reply. His silence somehow filled me

the door behind me, I returned to my

glanced at the calendar marked with a red circle. It was the day to pick up Richard from jail. In my previous life, I would have been dead by this day. But in this life, I've lived through it, ready to pick

shoes, and took

him walk out of

thinner and

brought back memories from my past life. Back then, his only goal after getting released

its place, and