Chapter 1
It was our fifth year of marriage when my husband, Leon Carter, confessed to cheating on me.
The other woman was his high school sweetheart, Emilia James. They'd done everything except get married.
He only came clean because Emilia had suddenly gotten married in a flash and moved abroad.
Leon took my hand and swore that if I forgave him, he'd turn over a new leaf for good.
I didn't say anything. Soon after, I got pregnant and, claiming I felt insecure, asked for twenty percent of his company's shares.
There was no other reason, only that I got a second chance.
In my previous life, I divorced Leon out of spite, never imagining he'd make it big with his startup and end up worth over a hundred million dollars.
He married Emilia, drove fancy cars, and lived in a mansion.
I, however, was caught in the middle, unable to rise, unwilling to stoop, and I frittered my years away to nothing.
This time around, I was going to hold onto this golden ticket for dear life.
Love didn't matter to me anymore.
This time, he wouldn't get rich on his own ever again.
*****
When I realized I had traveled back in time to the day Leon confessed to cheating on me, he was still drowning in sorrow.
He couldn't wrap his head around it. He'd put it all on the line, even cheated, to be with Emilia, and yet she'd dumped him again.
I knew why, but I wasn't about to tell him.
When Leon was on the verge of tears, I walked over and wrapped him in a hug.
He stiffened, completely frozen.
"Rachel," Leon said.
"Yes?" I replied.
"I cheated on you."
"I know."
"Why aren't you mad at me?"
"Because I love you."
I pulled him closer, and Leon finally buried his face against my stomach.
His tears soaked through my shirt, and a chill ran through me. Only then did I truly realize that I got a second chance.
I had traveled back in time to the moment Leon confessed he'd cheated on me.
In my previous life, I flew into a rage. I blew up at him, creamed my head off, and cursed him out.
Leon was torn up inside, but he wasn't a bad person.
Once he realized just how disappointed I was, he took it upon himself to give me 300 thousand dollars as compensation, and then we got divorced.
300 thousand dollars, that was every cent he had in his company account.
I was determined to leave, so I took the money and moved out of Southport.
But I was a complete idiot. I started throwing money into random investments and blew through all of it in no time.
Meanwhile, after hitting rock bottom, Leon managed to secure Series A funding, and his company went public not long after.
With money in his pocket and confidence in his heart, he ran into Emilia again.
They cleared up their misunderstandings and got back together.
With their wealth and romantic flair, they even appeared on a reality dating show as a couple after getting married.
The story of their rekindled romance became a sensation, celebrated as a modern fairy tale.
As for me, I was caught in the middle, unable to rise, and unwilling to stoop.
I never found a man who truly made me happy, and ended up dying lonely and unfulfilled in my fifties.
Now that I got a second chance, only an idiot would let go of this golden ticket.
I comforted Leon for a while, gently persuading him to take a shower.
That night, I turned off the lights.
We lay in bed, holding each other close.
Leon hugged me, his voice muffled. "Rachel, I finally realized you've always been so good to me."
He choked up a bit. "I know I messed up. We've been together since college, and you emptied your savings to support my startup.
"I shouldn't have neglected my work, always letting my mind wander to things that didn't matter. I'm sorry."
I tilted my head up and kissed him. "It's okay, Leon. Don't worry.
"As long as you're happy, I can put up with anything."
That night, we were completely wrapped up in each other.
By the end, I was crying. I never knew Leon could be so tender, so soft when he truly cared.
The next morning, he woke up looking refreshed, as he'd finally pulled himself together.
He made me breakfast, then headed to the office.
I lay back against the headboard, clutching my stomach.
After resting with my eyes closed for a while, I placed an order for a bunch of vitamins and supplements.
Vivian would return to the country in a year and a half.
By then, the real reason she left would definitely come out.
Leon loved her so much. Once he knew what she'd gone through, it would move him for sure.
Before that, I had to grab way more than I did last time. No way was I letting myself get screwed over again.
I had to have a kid first, one who'd help me secure a share of the family fortune.