After Mira left his house, Aeris decided to take a shower.
He was still slightly germaphobic; even though he was now occupying this body, he couldn't shake the discomfort of inhabiting something that hadn't originally been his.
But before anything else, he wanted to see what his new face looked like.
The mirror reflected a young man in his mid-20s: lean, with a dark buzz cut. His hunter-shaped eyes carried a lingering weariness, emphasized by dark circles that made him look constantly tired or perpetually on edge.
The face was about thirty percent similar to his original one. With some exercise and proper grooming, the resemblance might even rise to fifty percent.
Even the height and body proportions matched.
Same name.
Similar face.
Coincidence… or something else?
Aeris wasn't sure.
Since he couldn't find an answer, he decided not to linger on it.
In his previous life, he had stood at 193 cm. With his masculine features and well-defined physique, he had always been the center of attention, even in large crowds.
By the time he reached his mid-forties, he had already become the richest man in the country.
With both wealth and looks, women flocked to him. Aeris—who had enjoyed his share of indulgence before marriage—had unexpectedly become a devoted family man afterward.
He had never cheated on his wife, not out of romantic love, but out of respect. She had given him a capable son and a beautiful daughter, and for that, he had always appreciated her.
Although he had never developed deep romantic affection for her, he respected her as his partner and the mother of his children.
Aeris spent the next week studying this world's market. He quit his job, unwilling to work under someone else, yet he had no intention of starting another company either.
Since he had been given a second life, he didn't want to spend it confined within four walls again. He had already accomplished more than most ever could; this life was meant to be enjoyed.
He wanted to travel the world—experience nature's wonders, admire magnificent architecture, and taste all kinds of delicious food.
Having risen from nothing to build the top company in his previous life, earning money without exhausting himself was easy enough for him.
Still, Aeris felt that since he had taken over this body, he had a responsibility to avenge the original owner.
He didn't look down on the former "Aeris" for being indecisive. If he had grown up in the same environment, he doubted he could have done any better.
But now that he was here, those who had hurt the original Aeris would soon have to say goodbye to their peaceful days.
---
On the other side, Mira was growing increasingly anxious as Aeris still hadn't contacted her. She had believed she understood him well—that his silence was just temporary anger after discovering she hadn't cherished herself.
But five days had passed, and Aeris had yet to appear.
Living with her parents, she was already exhausted from constantly trying to hide her morning sickness. Worse, her baby bump had begun to show ever so slightly.
The fear of her parents finding out weighed heavily on her, causing immense stress and even insomnia.
Gradually, Mira began to resent Aeris for his inconsiderate behavior. If not for her pregnancy, how could someone like him possibly marry someone like her—a woman with both looks and education?
She didn't believe his claim that he saw her only as a friend. She had witnessed the possessive love in his eyes, the way his gaze always lingered on her. The expensive gifts he showered her with certainly weren't what a man gave a mere female friend.
To her, he was a puppet—obedient and loyal.
If she met the right man, she would keep Aeris tied to her at a distance as "just a friend." If she didn't… she would make do with him.
She had thought giving him some time would allow him to accept her pregnancy. But wasn't he taking far too long?
Finally, Mira decided to go to him. Maybe he was lying sick in bed from heartbreak, she thought, indulging in her own narcissism.
However, when she abruptly stood up, a wave of dizziness washed over her—and she collapsed to the floor.
A short while later, Mira's parents returned home from work, only to find their daughter unconscious on the ground.
Panic surged through them as they rushed her to the hospital.
Unbeknownst to Mira, the secret she had fought so desperately to hide was about to be exposed—changing her life forever.
From this moment on, she would be chained to the karma of her previous life.
The fire would soon reach Aeris as well, but even if he knew, he was already prepared to pour more fuel into it.
The fiercer the flames burned, the greater his satisfaction.
As for those who had hurt the original 'Aeris,' the wheels of their fate now turned beneath his hand.
They would live by his will—bound, unable to escape.