Chapter 1

At the World Climbing Championships, as I was accused of doping, my girlfriend Emma was by my childhood rival's side, personally placing the gold medal around his neck.

"Alex, don't blame me. Winning the World Championships was Jake's only dream. With you out of the picture, he finally had a chance."

"But don't worry, even if you're banned from competing, I won't break up with you!"

Emma loosened her grip on my hand as I was wheeled into the emergency room.

Little did she know, I was severely allergic to the doping substance, and the rescue efforts would ultimately fail.

She was even more unaware that our conversation had been faithfully preserved by recording equipment.

The moment that recording was made public would be when her mask of hypocrisy was finally torn off!

As I took my last breath in the emergency room, a thunderous cheer erupted outside.

The doctor looked at the flatline on the heart monitor and removed his mask.

"Resuscitation failed."

I watched my cold, lifeless body, my gaze penetrating the wall to fall on the award podium.

Jake, still in his climbing gear, stood in front of Emma, basking in the crowd's cheers as he received the gold medal he had longed for.

"Jake, you've finally achieved your dream," Emma said softly.

My girlfriend, who had coldly watched me enter the operating room just half an hour ago, now stood beside Jake, arm in arm, her expression tender.

The World Climbing Champion and the interviewing reporter stood shoulder to shoulder, cameras flashing below to capture this moment.

Seeing the undisguised joy in Emma's eyes, my heart suddenly ached.

Was this the same expression she wore when she slipped the doping substance into my energy drink?

For five years, she had always prepared my nutrition shakes and energy drinks before every climb.

So when I drank that fatal concoction, I didn't hesitate for a moment.

Now that I think about it, it was all premeditated.

"Alex, can't you let Jake win just this once? You've already achieved a grand slam, you don't need this World Championship gold medal!"

Before the competition, Emma had gripped my arm tightly, demanding an answer.

Even though I had experienced Emma's favoritism towards Jake countless times, hearing these words still pained me deeply.

I patiently explained to her.

"Emma, the spirit of competitive sports doesn't allow me to cheat. I know you and Jake are close, I can give up commercial resources, but I will never cheat in a competition!"

Hearing this, Emma's expression flickered. Finally, as if she had made up her mind, she handed me the energy drink she had prepared.

"Then do your best."

I didn't think much of it and drank it all.

But as the competition began, I collapsed due to an adverse reaction.

As I was lifted onto a stretcher, I immediately realized the reason.

"Emma, did you want Jake to win so badly? You'd go this far for him?"

Faced with my accusing gaze, Emma's expression flashed with panic.

"Alex, don't blame me. Winning the World Championships was Jake's only dream. With you out of the picture, he finally had a chance."

My heart turned ice cold. Everything from the past suddenly connected in my mind.

So her attentiveness before this competition was all out of guilt.

I struggled to sit up, wanting to question her, but Emma coldly shook off my hand.

"It's just the most common performance enhancer, why are you acting like this? Are you trying to scare someone by pretending you're dying?"

Performance enhancer?

I suddenly froze. If an athlete was found to have used performance-enhancing drugs during a competition, they would face a ban, potentially ruining their entire career.

Emma was a climbing columnist; she knew full well the consequences of doing this!

To let Jake win, she was even willing to destroy me!

Seeing my pale face, Emma's expression softened slightly, and she said in a low voice.

"But don't worry, even if you're banned from competing, I won't break up with you!"

I looked up at her and smiled bitterly.

Yes, I had wanted to marry her.

In fact, I had already planned to propose to her on live global broadcast after winning the final.

After five years together, I wanted to use my gold medal, my dream, to make a lifelong commitment to the woman I loved.

But what I never expected was...

She would go this far for Jake...

As the emergency room doors closed, I felt the suffocation in my airways, vaguely realizing that I might never have the chance to say those words to her again.

While the crowd cheered on the podium, doctors and nurses were casually chatting in the cold operating room.

"I didn't expect Jake to win. I thought it would be Alex, after all, he's won the World Championships three times in a row."

"In terms of skill, Alex is definitely stronger."

"What skill? The skill of using performance-enhancing drugs? I can't believe I used to like Alex. It turns out it was all from drugs, how disgusting!"

"Yeah, I bet his previous achievements were fake too! Poor Jake, being overshadowed by a cheater for so many years."

"I guess it's karma. Who would have thought Alex would use banned substances and end up dying from an allergic reaction..."

Hearing these words, I desperately wanted to explain to them.

No, it's not like that!

Every one of my achievements was genuine, my love for climbing was never fake.

But they could no longer hear my voice...

Finally, the doctor waved his hand, stopping the slander against me.

"Notify the family. Due to a severe allergic reaction to the components in the performance enhancer, the patient has died."

My heart suddenly leapt.

Learning of my death, would Emma feel even a hint of regret...