Chapter 2

After the party, my dad pulled me aside for a talk.

"Norah, didn't you have a crush on Ray? I introduced you to him today, but you didn't seem too happy about it," he said.

I immediately denied it, huffing, "Who would have a crush on him? Only an idiot would like him!"

My dad chuckled, "Then why did you secretly write to the radio station and dedicate a love song to him? And the song was even in a foreign language or something..."

"Who ratted me out, Dad?" I blurted out, flustered.

But he was right. I couldn't deny that bit of my past.

When Ray graduated from high school, I was still stuck in middle school.

I was happy for him when I heard he got into Stavin University, but honestly, I was bummed knowing I wouldn't get to see him around anymore.

I wanted to let him know how I felt, or at least work up the nerve to talk to him, just once.

But we were three grades apart, and I wasn't even allowed in the high school building, so there was no way I could ever talk to him.

So, I came up with the idea of using the campus radio station. I wanted to dedicate a classic old song to him.

The song I picked was "Nothing's gonna change my love for you."

I scrapped so many drafts before finally working up the nerve to drop my letter into the campus radio station's mailbox.

The good news? The next day, they actually played it on air.

The bad news? It turned out I wasn't the only one with that idea.

For a few days straight, it felt like every girl in school was lining up to dedicate songs to Ray.

The radio host, probably just trying to make things easier, ended up reading all the letters from Ray's admirers as one big batch.

All that was left was my name at the bottom: Norah Olsen, Class One, Grade Nine.

Thinking back, all those tears I cried later? Honestly, it was just karma for being such a hopeless fangirl back then.

I pouted at my dad. "Seriously, who hasn't been totally blind and fallen for a loser when they were young and clueless? That's ancient history, totally irrelevant now.

"Just don't bring him up again! We're not a match. I don't like Ray, and there's no way I'd ever marry him!"

No way was I going to marry him, not in this life.

"Fine, fine, you don't have to marry him. I can take care of you forever!" My dad chuckled.

He was always really supportive. He looked at me and said, "So, you've graduated. What are your plans? Why not work at the family company for a while? It'll help you get to know the pharmaceutical market."

Honestly, ever since I got this second shot at life, I've actually put some real thought into my plans.

Back then, the Sanford family hated it when I tried to stand out. The moment I married Ray, I basically became an invisible trophy wife, just orbiting around him all day.

I almost forgot that I was born into a family of pharma bigshots. I was supposed to make a name for myself in the industry.

I told my dad my decision. "Dad, I just finished my bachelor's, and next, I want to go for a master's. I'm planning to study abroad."

My dad wasn't too keen on me going abroad. He was worried I'd struggle or feel lost out there.

But the moment he heard I wanted to study pharmaceuticals, his face lit up.

"Good girl, you're really growing up. You know how to help your old man out now!" he said, his voice full of pride.

His eyes got a little misty, and I felt my own nose sting.

Last time, I pretty much handed over everything my family had, pouring it all into the Sanford family and Ray.

In the end, I lost it all, my loved ones, my fortune, and even my own life.

My dad had to watch his own daughter die before him. I couldn't imagine how broken he must've felt in his final years.

Thank God this was a do-over. It was not too late to change my fate.

A few days later, I was holed up at home, buried in my books for an exam, when my cousin, Linda Rooth, dropped by.

She burst in, full of gossip from our social circle.

"Norah, you were so smart to turn down the Sanford family's second son!" she said, practically bouncing with excitement.

I froze for a second. "Wait, you mean Ray?"

The Sanford family had two sons. Ray was the younger one.

Peter Sanford, the eldest son, was born to the first wife. After she passed away, Peter had worked with their father and took over the company's finances a few years ago.

Ray and Peter were half-brothers. Ray was born to the second wife, the younger, prettier one. In old times, he'd be called a 'side branch' or 'illegitimate son.'

Ray was born way later, over ten years younger than Peter. He was still just a kid, and his mother didn't have much status, so he barely had any real power in the Sanford family.

Linda was practically gleeful, clearly enjoying the drama. "Guess what? Ray got himself an office romance going on. He's hooking up with some fresh-out-of-college secretary!"

"Louisa Morrow?" I blurted out before I could stop myself.

Linda looked surprised. "How do you even know about that gold-digger?"

"I don't really know her. Someone just mentioned her in their social media post," I said, brushing it off.

I couldn't tell her that the first time I ever heard that name was on the night of my engagement to Ray.