Rewriting My Fate My Billionaire Guardian Angel

The night before our engagement party, my fiancé shoved a bone marrow donor consent form in front of me. "Mia, Chloe is dying. You have to save her!" I gripped the pen, my fingers trembling uncontrollably. Last night, while going through the vintage camera my late mother left me, it suddenly whirred and spat out a photo. On the back, a line of blood-red text had materialized: [Tomorrow, during the bone marrow harvest, Mia Thorne dies from complications. Her heartbroken fiancé, Julian Hayes, tearfully bids her farewell and announces his wedding to Chloe Bennett three months later.] I looked up and asked, "What if I die on that table?" Julian frowned with open irritation. "Why do you have to be so dramatic over a routine donation?" "Don't you love me? If you love me, just sign it!" "Otherwise, consider tomorrow's party canceled, and don't ever bother showing your face to me again!" A chill crept down my spine. Slowly, I snapped the pen in half. I pulled out my phone and texted the man I had avoided for seven years: Adrian Sterling, do you still want me? There was no immediate reply. "What is wrong with you?!" Julian glared at the broken pen in my hand, his voice sharp and cold. "Chloe doesn't have time. The doctors said you're a perfect match. That's a one-in-a-million chance!" "Mia, I know you hate me..." Chloe sat in a wheelchair wrapped in a soft white cashmere blanket, her face pale as a ghost. She looked so frail and spoke so softly, like a delicate white flower ready to crumble at the slightest touch. Tears spilled down her cheeks. "If there were any other way, I would never beg you like this..." She sounded utterly pitiful. Julian instantly took her hand, his eyes softening with deep concern. "None of this is your fault." Watching their intertwined fingers, my heart turned to ice. Seven years ago, when my mother died in a car crash, Julian brought me into the Hayes estate. He had placed a piece of milk candy in my palm and smiled warmly. "Don't be scared, Mia. I'll always protect you." I trusted him blindly, handing over my mother's design patents and proxy rights for her shares. With those assets, Hayes Corporation skyrocketed, expanding into an empire. Chloe was Julian's first love. They had broken up when she went abroad for school. Later, Julian and I ended up together. Dating, planning our future, preparing for marriage. Everything seemed perfect. I genuinely thought we would spend the rest of our lives together. Until last month, when Chloe returned. She was gravely ill, in desperate need of a bone marrow transplant, searching everywhere for a match. I never imagined that match would be me. And last night, my mother's old camera spat out that terrifying photo. In the picture, I was lying in a cold morgue, lifeless and gray. Julian stood before my body, showing no grief—only sheer relief. Chloe, dressed in an elegant black dress, wept softly against his chest. Behind the photo was that line of blood-red text: [Tomorrow, during the bone marrow harvest, Mia Thorne dies from complications. Her heartbroken fiancé, Julian Hayes, tearfully bids her farewell and announces his wedding to Chloe Bennett three months later.] I didn't know why that vintage camera printed that photo. Maybe it was my mother's spirit warning me from heaven. Between Julian and my mother, I chose to believe my mother. I picked up the consent form and tore it to pieces, page by page. Julian shot up from his seat. "Mia Thorne!" Chloe flinched, shrinking back into her wheelchair. "Julian, please don't yell at her..." The more she defended me, the colder Julian's face became. "Mia, when did you become so selfish?" He stepped around the coffee table and grabbed my wrist in a vice grip, his face thunderous. "Sign it!" His grip was brutal. I winced in pain. Chloe rolled her chair forward, her voice quivering. "Julian, stop forcing her... Even if I die, I don't want Mia to hate you!" Julian's eyes rimmed red. "You are not going to die." He looked at me as if I were nothing more than a stubborn, unreasonable burden. "Mia, tomorrow is our engagement party. Sign this now. We'll schedule the procedure right after the party. We'll tell everyone you caught the flu and need a few days of bed rest. Nobody will ever know." My stomach turned. He already had the entire cover story prepared. I clenched my jaw. "Julian, what if I don't survive the operation?" He frowned. "It's just bone marrow. People don't die from that." "Are you sure?" He instantly averted his eyes. In that second, everything became crystal clear. He knew there were risks. He probably even knew the risks were fatal. But he still wanted me to sign. Because he couldn't bear to let Chloe die. As for me? Whether I lived or died didn't matter to him at all. Every ounce of love I had for him evaporated. I yanked my arm from his grip and turned toward the stairs. Julian assumed I was giving in, and his tone softened slightly. "Go calm down. I'll have the doctor come over first thing in the morning."I didn't look back. The moment I stepped into my room, I locked the door and pulled out my mother's old camera. It was an antique instant camera, her most prized possession when she was alive. When I was little, I asked her why she never upgraded to a modern digital one. She had knelt down, pinched my cheek, and said with a smile: "Because sometimes, old things are far more honest than people." I never understood what she meant until now. As my fingers brushed across the cold metallic casing, the camera suddenly vibrated, and another photo slid out from the slot. I snatched it up. The image showed the front gates of the Hayes mansion. Two heavy-set bodyguards were shoving me into the back of an unmarked van. My mouth was taped shut, and my wrists were raw with rope burns. Words slowly surfaced on the back: [Tomorrow at 3:00 AM: After refusing to donate, Mia Thorne drinks a glass of drugged warm milk, loses consciousness, and is secretly transported to Mercy General Hospital. The Hayes family tells the press she ran away due to pre-wedding cold feet.] My hands shook so violently I nearly dropped the photo. Right then, footsteps approached outside, followed by a knock on the door. "Miss Thorne, Mr. Hayes asked me to bring you some warm milk to help you sleep." I stared at the sliver of light beneath the door, my blood running cold. They weren't even waiting for morning. I shoved the photo into my pocket and grabbed my overnight duffel bag. I only packed the essentials: my ID, my mother's camera, a few original design sketches, and the first photo the camera had printed. At the bottom of that first photo, beneath the bloody red text, was a brief news clipping: Adrian Sterling, head of the Sterling Group, arrived at the mortuary late at night but was barred from entering by the Hayes family. He stood outside in the pouring rain until dawn. Adrian Sterling. My first love. And the man I had labeled my worst enemy. Seven years ago, my mother died in a horrific car crash. Julian had told me that Adrian ran her car off the road just to steal her revolutionary "Mistlight" jewelry patents. Chloe had sworn that she saw Adrian leaving the crash site with her own eyes. And so, I despised Adrian. I broke up with him ruthlessly and refused to ever see him again. I trashed every bouquet he sent, smashed the gifts, and threw his jewelry into the dumpster. I hated him for seven long years. I ran from him for seven long years. Yet this photo from the future told me that in the end, he was the only one who came to claim my body. I slipped out onto the balcony, grabbed the exterior drainpipe, and began to climb down. The rough metal tore into my palms, and my knees banged hard against the brick wall. When my feet hit the wet grass, I nearly collapsed. Behind me, the entire villa lit up. The maids had realized I was gone. Shouts echoed through the estate: "Miss Thorne escaped!" I dragged my bag and bolted straight into the pouring rain. My phone vibrated nonstop in my pocket. Julian was calling over and over. I ignored every single call. The icy rain lashed against my face like freezing slaps. I reached the dark intersection down the private road, my shivering fingers tapping out a number I hadn't dialed in years. Before I could press call, my screen lit up with an incoming call from that very number. Trembling, I answered. A deep, steady baritone filled my ear. "Mia Thorne, I thought you hated me. What does that text mean?" I didn't have time to explain. I bit down hard on my lip to stop my teeth from chattering. "Adrian... come get me." I heard the sharp screech of a chair being shoved back on the other end. His voice tightened. "Where are you?"Fifteen minutes later, a sleek black Maybach pulled up to the curb. The door swung open, and Adrian stepped out holding a large black umbrella. I hadn't seen him in years. He looked sharper, colder, and far more imposing than I remembered. His tailored black overcoat was damp with rain, his chiseled jaw set in a hard line. Around his left wrist was a simple, polished black beaded bracelet. Suddenly, I couldn't look him in the eye. Adrian walked up to me and tilted the umbrella entirely over my head. He looked down, his gaze taking in my soaked dress, shivering frame, and scraped, bleeding palms. His eyes instantly turned deadly cold. "Did Julian Hayes do this?" I didn't answer. I just looked at him with raw desperation. "Take me with you." He didn't ask questions. Without a word, he took off his warm overcoat, wrapped it tightly around my shoulders, and lifted me into the car. The heat was blasting inside. Adrian handed me a dry towel. "Dry your hair first." I took it, my throat tight. "Aren't you going to ask why I reached out to you?" "You'll tell me when you're ready." I clutched the towel. "I was supposed to have my engagement party with Julian tomorrow." "I know." "I ran away." "Good." I glanced at him and chewed my lip. "I also need you to help me take back everything my mother left behind." Adrian finally turned his head to look at me. I braced myself for his mockery. Seven years ago, I had screamed the most vile things at him. I called him a murderer, a hypocrite, and told him I wished he would drop dead so I'd never have to see his face again. Instead, he just asked quietly, "What do you want back?" A lump rose in my throat. "Everything." A flicker of rare emotion brushed through his dark eyes. "Done." I froze. "Just like that? You're agreeing without asking for anything?" He handed me a tumbler of warm water. "Yes. I will give you whatever you ask for." I was speechless. By the time the car drove through the heavy iron gates of the Sterling Estate, it was already one in the morning. Unlike the ostentatious Hayes mansion, the Sterling estate was understated, surrounded by towering pine trees and stone courtyards. Adrian had his private physician waiting. The doctor treated the cuts on my hands and knees, confirming they were only superficial scrapes. Adrian stood by the doorway the entire time, his expression dark and tense. After the doctor left, I sat on the plush sofa, cradling my warm tea. In a small voice, I murmured, "I'm sorry." The room fell dead silent. After a long moment, Adrian's throat moved as he swallowed. "For what?" A sharp pang hit my chest. There were so many things. So many that I didn't even know where to begin. I lifted my head to meet his gaze. "Seven years ago, did my mother's car accident have anything to do with you?" Adrian's eyes darkened. "No." Tears blurred my vision. "Then why did everyone swear it was you?" I had a gut feeling that Adrian knew the truth behind her death. Before he could speak, hurried footsteps echoed down the grand hallway. The butler appeared at the door. "Mr. Sterling, the Hayes family is here." I stiffened instantly. "Want to see them?" Adrian asked, rising to his feet. I wiped my eyes and nodded firmly. Julian stood in the center of the foyer, looking furious. Chloe was right behind him in her wheelchair, a fragile white shawl draped over her shoulders, flanked by Julian's private doctor and several bulky bodyguards. When Julian saw me coming down the stairs, the anger in his eyes flared. "Mia, come here right now." In the past, whenever he spoke in that commanding tone, I would obediently walk over. This time, I stayed firmly beside Adrian. Julian's gaze dropped to the oversized men's coat draped over my shoulders, and his face twisted into a scowl. "Do you have any idea what you're doing?" I looked at him calmly. "Saving my own life." Chloe's eyes welled with tears. "Mia, did you misunderstand us? Julian searched all over the city for you in the rain. He was so worried about you." I let out a harsh laugh. "Worried that I wouldn't make it onto the operating table on time?" Julian snapped, "Mia Thorne!" Adrian shifted his cold gaze to Julian, his voice dropping an octave. "You're in my house. Don't you dare raise your voice at her." Julian sneered. "Adrian Sterling, she's my fiancée!" Adrian raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that?"Julian's pupils contracted. Chloe's tears fell faster. "Mia, even if you refuse to save me, you don't have to humiliate Julian like this..." "Refusing to sacrifice my life is humiliating him?" I scoffed. "Chloe, your greed is repulsive." Her face went pale. I stepped forward. "You used your illness to move into my home, take my bedroom, wear my custom gowns, steal my mother's jewelry sketches, and now you want my bone marrow." "Are you actually sick, or are you just addicted to stealing my life?" Chloe's eyelashes fluttered frantically. "I didn't... I swear I didn't..." Julian stepped in front of her wheelchair, shielding her. "Mia, that is enough!" Looking at him, my heart felt eerily still. Maybe when a heart truly dies, there are no dramatic screams or endless tears. It simply collapses quietly, turning into a barren wasteland. Julian studied my expression for a few seconds, then forcibly softened his tone. "Enough, Mia. Come home with me." I took a step back, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Adrian. Julian's expression darkened. "You would rather trust the man who killed your mother than trust me?" I looked him dead in the eye. "Julian, did Adrian really kill my mother?" A flash of pure panic darted across Julian's eyes. Suddenly, Chloe erupted into violent, breathless coughing. Julian immediately spun around to support her, looking back at me with utter disappointment. "Mia, you used to be so kind." I enunciated every single syllable: "I used to be stupid." He stared at me, stunned. I pulled a folded document from my bag and dropped it right at his feet. "Take your little mistress and get the hell out of here." A sinister glint flickered across Julian's face. "You will regret this!" Once the heavy front doors slammed shut behind them, all the adrenaline drained from my body. My knees gave out, and I stumbled backward. Adrian caught me instantly, wrapping his arm around my waist. "Mia." His throat bobbed, his voice tight. "Are you certain... you won't marry him?" My eyes burned with fierce resolve. "Certain." A ghost of a smile seemed to pass through Adrian's eyes. "Good. I need to make a few arrangements." I wanted to ask what he meant, but he said gently, "It's late. Go get some rest." I nodded. Adrian stepped out into the night. At 3:00 AM, the sound of an engine rumbled outside the villa. I thought Adrian had returned, but the doorbell rang. On the security monitor, Julian's private physician stood on the porch. "Miss Thorne, Mr. Hayes is worried about your mental state. He asked us to escort you to the hospital for an evaluation." A wave of dread washed over me. I quietly pressed record on my phone. "I didn't schedule any appointment." The doctor replied without blinking, "Mr. Hayes is doing this for your own good." I smiled bitterly. "For my good, or for Chloe's?" The doctor's expression shifted. In the very next second, the power cut completely. The house plunged into pitch darkness. A sharp click sounded as the electronic lock was bypassed from the outside. Several men in black burst through the doors. I turned and bolted toward the back stairs. The butler tried to intervene, but was instantly overpowered. Heavy footsteps closed in. Rough hands shoved me violently to the floor. My knees slammed into the hardwood, and pain flared behind my eyes. A damp cloth smelling sharply of chemicals was pressed over my nose and mouth. I fought with everything I had, kicking and thrashing, but darkness dragged me under as I was hauled toward a waiting private ambulance. Right before consciousness slipped away, I heard a cold voice mutter: "Hurry up. Miss Bennett won't last until dawn." When I woke up, I was lying under the blinding white lights of an operating room. Heavy leather straps bound my wrists and ankles to the metal table. A surgical team in masks was prepping the anesthesia. On the bed next to mine, separated by a glass partition, lay Chloe. She was pale, but her eyes gleamed with triumphant malice. Julian stood beside her, his eyes bloodshot. My voice came out raw and raspy. "Julian Hayes, you make me sick." He flinched, looking away. "Mia, I have no choice..." "So you had me kidnapped?!" He squeezed his eyes shut in agony. "Chloe will die." "And what about me?" I whispered. He stayed silent. Chloe spoke softly from her bed. "Mia, once I survive, I promise I'll stay by Julian's side and take great care of him for you." The anesthesiologist approached my bed with a large syringe. I pulled against the leather restraints with all my strength. "Julian, if you touch me today, I will haunt you from my grave!" A flicker of torment crossed his face, but he turned his head away. "Start the procedure." As the cold needle touched my skin, pure despair swallowed me whole. BAM! The heavy metal doors of the operating room were kicked off their hinges with a deafening crash. Adrian stood in the shattered doorway. His face was terrifyingly pale, his eyes burning with murderous fury. "Julian Hayes..." "You're a dead man."