Chapter 1

The day Victor Jennings and I signed the divorce papers, we died in a car accident.

When I woke up, I was back on the day I found out I was pregnant.

I clutched the ultrasound printout, marched straight into the clinic, and never once looked over my shoulder.

In my previous life, I pushed out two kids for that jerk, only for him to raise my kids with Madeline Summers, his first love, playing house like one big happy family.

After the abortion procedure, we signed the divorce papers and became total strangers.

Eight years later, Victor was the golden boy of the investment world. He strutted into our class reunion with Madeline glued to his arm.

Spotting me solo in the corner, he snorted, "Still pining, Charlotte? Sorry, babe, you're not even in my league anymore."

I didn't say a word and just hugged my twin girls tighter.

Victor's eyes went bloodshot. He grabbed my shoulders, his voice cracking, "You swore you'd love forever. So why'd you bail and pop out kids with some other guy?"

*****

Twelve hours of piano lessons had drained me dry. I rolled up to the reunion barefaced.

Before I even hit the door, I caught two classmates whispering, "That's Victor's ex. She dumped him 'cause she thought he was broke, and even aborted his kid."

"Brutal. Bet if she knew Victor's a billionaire now, she'd be regretting it big time."

I tuned out all the gossip and kept walking, unfazed and unbothered.

I'd only taken a few steps when I spotted Victor in the middle of the hall, holding Madeline's hand and holding court for a crowd of admirers.

"Victor, you're the richest guy our school's ever had. You're really making our alma mater proud!" someone gushed.

"Hey, Victor, I'm job hunting. Do you think I could be your assistant?" another guy asked, trying to butter him up.

People were falling over themselves to get on Victor's good side.

Madeline casually tugged at her sleeve, letting everyone catch a glimpse of the huge diamond ring on her finger.

The crowd erupted in admiration. "I always knew you and Madeline were meant to be. So glad you two finally ended up together!"

"Heard you're getting married soon, right? Make sure to invite me. I'll be there with a fat wedding gift."

Some old classmates who hadn't kept up with the gossip started whispering in surprise.

One of them said, "Wait, didn't Victor marry Charlotte? What happened?"

Before he could finish, someone jumped in, "That gold-digging Charlotte? She isn't even in the same league as Victor. She can't even hold a candle to Madeline."

With everyone cracking up, someone finally noticed me lingering quietly in the corner.

Madeline shot me a sweet smile. "Oh, don't say that, everyone. Honestly, I should thank Charlotte. She's the one who taught Victor how to be such a great husband. I just get to enjoy the finished product."

All eyes instantly swiveled to me.

I could feel Victor's stare burning a hole in me.

The classmates who'd been whispering didn't even bother to lower their voices. They just crowded in, throwing shade.

"Charlotte, what do you even do for a living? Showing up like this... the divorce hit you that hard?"

"That abortion must've wrecked your health, huh? Look at you, so gaunt and washed out. Oh, poor you."

I glanced down at my oversized winter coat and slippers, and couldn't help but let out a dry laugh.

I got why they looked down on me.

Standing next to Madeline, who was dripping in designer labels and jewels, I looked exactly like what I was: a teacher who'd just pulled a 12-hour shift, complete with dark circles and a messy bun.

But their words didn't faze me. I just gave a casual shrug and a smile, acting like their comments rolled right off me.

Noticing Victor's stare, I raised my glass toward him and Madeline. "Congratulations, you two. Wishing you happiness and a speedy journey on the kid front."

A flicker of surprise crossed Victor's eyes at my calmness, but it was quickly replaced by his usual arrogance. "You haven't changed a bit. If anything, you've let yourself go. Still stuck in the same rut. It's just pathetic."

He looked me up and down, not even trying to hide his disgust.

Madeline, seeing his attention on me, bristled with jealousy. "Look at you," she sneered, her voice dripping with contempt. "You're a mess. Can't even land another man? I could throw you some cash for a facial and a manicure. God knows you need it."

She flashed her glittering diamond nails in my face. "Hands are a woman's second face. Yours just scream 'hard luck'."

What they didn't know was that I'd kept my nails short and bare for years to be a better piano teacher.

"And that old coat of yours—looks like you picked it up off the street. Seriously, don't you ever get embarrassed showing up like that?" Madeline taunted.

I glanced down at my coat. I'd worn it for ages just because it was comfy—the brand label was completely worn off by now.

Luxury and material things never really mattered to me. Facing Madeline's snarky remarks, I just smiled and waved her off. "Thanks for the offer, but I really don't need it."

Then, completely ignoring the drama and the stares, I made a beeline for the buffet. After a long day, I was starving, and I dug in like I was the only one in the room.