chapter 1

In my past life, I was a lovesick fool.

I trusted my husband blindly, and that trust got me killed.

After I died, the homewrecker became my husband's new wife. She forced my son to stay in the snow as punishment. She left my son there to freeze to death.

My paralyzed father died in his hospital bed because my husband stopped paying for his hospital stay.

Maybe God thought I was too stupid and too pitiful, so he gave me another chance.

…

When Allan Warren shook me awake, I thought I was dreaming.

But when I opened my eyes, Allan and his mother, Ava Russell, were right there. Both of them stared at me with fake concern.

Holy shit. I was really reborn.

I didn't listen to a word Allan was saying. My trembling hand instinctively went to my slightly swollen belly.

The baby was still there.

The company hadn't been stolen yet.

My dad hadn't starved to death.

I still had a chance!

"Babe, babe." Allan pulled me back.

"Vivian, let's hold the wedding at Sunrise Hotel. What do you think?"

Ava was in high spirits, and Allan was also smiling.

I knew damn well why they were so happy.

In my last life, Allan wanted to marry me so badly that he drugged my drink at my birthday party with the help of my so-called best friend, Sadie Tyson. They wanted to make sure I slept with him.

When I got pregnant, Allan was thrilled. He started pushing for marriage right away.

Before the wedding, he tricked me into giving him 10 percent of my company shares.

"Babe, about those shares…" Allan leaned in.

I remembered it clearly. In my last life, I loved Allan so deeply that his sweet talk made me dizzy. I handed over the shares like an idiot.

He then used the shares to squeeze out the small shareholders. In the end, the company changed names and became his family's business.

And in front of the press, he even pretended to be humble, saying it was all thanks to his hard work.

If I remembered correctly, this was exactly when I agreed to the transfer.

But not this time. No way in hell.

"Shares? What shares?" I played dumb.

Allan stiffened, his smile fading. "Don't joke, babe.

"Last night you promised, remember? You'd transfer 10 percent to me as your bride's wedding gift."

I cut him off fast, changing the subject. "And what about your groom's wedding gift? How much is your family paying for the banquet?"

"Vivian, we're one family now. Why fuss about money?" Ava's smile was getting tight.

"Yeah, babe, no joking here. I even drafted the contract." Allan pulled out a thick stack of papers and laid them in front of me. "Just sign here, babe."

Last life, I signed. And that's when the nightmare began.

"Vivian, once Allan becomes a shareholder, you won't have to work so hard. You're pregnant, after all," Ava cooed.

"After the wedding, just stay home. I'll take care of you during your postpartum recovery. While I've still got the strength, I'll help raise the kid." She acted as if she were being kind and thoughtful.

But I knew better. This was how I was fooled in my previous life.

Last life, sure, she raised a child, but it wasn't mine. She doted on the mistress's kid while ignoring my son.

Last life, during my postpartum recovery, she never once asked what I wanted to eat. She cooked greasy, spicy crap that wrecked my health for years.

When I stayed quiet, Ava kept pressing. "Women are meant to enjoy life at home. Hard work like making money is men's business. You should just shop with your girlfriends, sip coffee, and let me take care of my grandson."

She said the exact same thing in my last life. And once Allan stole my company, she flipped. She called me a useless spendthrift and whined that I didn't earn a dime.

They always twisted the story however they wanted.

"Exactly, babe," Allan chimed in. "You just hang out with your girlfriends. Leave the company to me."

I came up with a plan and pretended to be hesitant. "I don't know… it feels wrong."

"What's wrong with it? Your dad is my dad too. Don't you think I'd do everything to prevent our family from going bankrupt?" Allan said proudly.

I widened my eyes, acting touched. "Allan, you're amazing."

He looked confused.

"You really want to be a shareholder and help us pay off the debts?" I asked.

Allan and Ava looked at each other in disbelief.

"Debts? What debts?" they blurted in unison.

I explained. "Oh, didn't I mention it? A real estate project. I poured in all our cash flow and lost it. Now we owe tens of millions.

"The company's cash chain is broken. The shareholders are all scrambling to raise money."