Chapter 1

After I died, I learned that my 80-year-old husband, Greg Carter, had loved his widowed sister-in-law, Marian Walsh, his whole life.

Outside the room was a small table with my funeral picture. Inside, Greg was tangled up with Marian.

I heard him say to her, "Now that Grace is gone, I'm all alone again. Marian, do we still have a chance?"

But Marian answered, "Greg, you're confused. We're both old. What kind of future could we have?"

At that, Greg's eyes suddenly turned red. His voice caught. "Marian, you said you couldn't forget my dead brother and had to stay a widow for him. I accepted that.

"You said as my sister-in-law, you were older and felt responsible for me. You didn't want to hold me back. So you insisted on finding me a wife and forced me to marry. I did that too.

"But now we're both old. There isn't much time left. I'm begging you. Just have pity on me for loving you so hopelessly all my life..."

Then I watched Marian finally let go of the past. She hugged him, and they poured out their deep love for each other.

All my hopes turned to ashes.

So, when I got a second chance at life, I stopped longing for his love. I signed the divorce papers and left without looking back.

But Greg regretted it.

*****

"Marian's got a cold. I have to stay home and look after her.

"We were supposed to go meet the guests together tonight, but now I can't make it. So you'll have to go on your own." That familiar voice next to me left me in a daze.

I looked up. There was Greg by the table, looking down at me. His face was cold and distant.

I touched my belly without thinking. The bump under my palm told me that I had come back.

Back to my previous life, to when I was five months pregnant, before I lost the baby.

I remembered that it was this very night. Greg broke his promise because of Marian. She'd caught a little chill from the cold. I had begged him so hard to get him to agree to come with me once for a business meeting. And then he backed out.

He didn't even care that I was five months along. He sent me off alone to Château Reverie Dining.

But as I was leaving after the meeting, I unfortunately lost my footing and tumbled down the stairs.

That night was terrifyingly dark. Rain was pouring outside, and thunder and lightning crashed right by my ears.

Sticky blood between my legs pooled all over the floor.

The pain made my face go whiter than paper. I cried every tear I had all my life. I screamed until my voice went hoarse.

But no one came. The terrible darkness was still all around me.

And Greg? He was busy heating up milk for Marian. He stayed by her side as she slept through the night.

That night was when I first started being scared of thunder and the dark.

It wasn't until morning that the cleaning staff at the restaurant found me. They took me to the hospital. But the baby inside me didn't make it.

Worse still, because I got to the hospital too late, and the treatment was delayed. The doctors had no choice but to remove my womb. I could never have children again.

When I woke up and heard the news, I was completely broken, hollow and drained of all life. I lay on the hospital bed, sobbing and howling in pain.

That baby cost me so much suffering to conceive.

Greg and I had been married for almost three years. But we had barely slept together. I could count those nights on one hand.

To carry on the family line, Greg's mother, Joanna Carter, was constantly picking on me. And I had to choke down endless bitter folk remedies.

But when Greg came to the hospital and found out I'd lost the baby, he only frowned a little. Then his face went back to cold and distant.

He spoke a few soft, soothing words to me at first. But I was still a complete wreck, crying my eyes out and not listening to anything he said. So he slowly lost his patience. He just stared at me coldly, watching me in my misery.

A long silence. Then Greg spoke. His voice had no feeling in it. "There. Even if you can't have kids anymore, you're still my one and only lawful wife. I won't marry anyone else. Now you can finally rest easy, can't you?"

Back then, I was foolish and pathetic. I actually thought he cared about me.

So I gave him everything and worked myself to the bone for him. And in the end, that was what I got.

I figured that even if I divorced Greg now, I still couldn't bear to end this pregnancy.

I'd taken too many bitter medicines. My body was weak. If I lost this baby, I might never get pregnant again.

I snapped back to the present. My face showed nothing. I simply said, "I see. Marian has a cold. Of course she comes first. Don't worry about me."

Greg frowned at first. He was surprised that I wasn't arguing or making a scene. His eyes were full of scrutiny as he studied me.

But then he let out a sigh of relief. He didn't dwell on why I'd suddenly changed toward him. "Good. You're being reasonable. I'll make it up to you. Double."

I didn't answer.

In my previous life, I did mind. I hated how my newlywed husband always put Marian first in everything. I argued. I made a scene. I lost all my dignity. But it was all for nothing.

Now that I got a second chance at life, I didn't want his love anymore. I just wanted to live for myself.

Greg left those words and rushed off to take care of Marian. He left me alone at the table.

Soon it started getting dark outside. The business meeting with the Franklin family at Château Reverie Dining was fast approaching.

I remembered the tragic end from my previous life. I fell down the stairs, blood all over the floor. I wanted to think of a way out. But there was no choice. I had to go.

I had begged their steward many times for the chance to meet with the Franklin family. I used every connection I had to get this one meeting.