Chapter 1

Back then, I divorced Vincent Todd out of spite, but since I couldn't make any money, I could barely take care of myself and lived a miserable life.

In the end, I couldn't afford to treat my illness and died alone and broke in the hospital. Vincent handled my ashes.

But Vincent's life was a breeze. He became a partner at a law firm, earning millions a year, and reunited with his precious first love. His life was happy and inspirational.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day I threw a tantrum and demanded a divorce. Vincent was looking at me with that same cold, indifferent expression.

"Your family's about to go bankrupt. Are you sure you want a divorce? Aren't you afraid you'll starve?" he said.

That was a brutal truth, but back then, I was too stubborn to listen.

I acted all high and mighty and left with nothing.

This time, I wouldn't do that again. I was going to stick it out until Vincent hit it big, and then I'd take half his fortune.

By then, I'd use that money to live the good life and find myself a hot male model to keep me company.

*****

Vincent rested his chin in his hand, wearing that smirk that never reached his eyes.

"You want a divorce? Jessie, did you find someone else?" he asked.

His gaze was icy, like he could scorch through me.

How did I fire back then? Oh, I remembered it. I planted my hands on my hips, stomped my foot, and climbed up on a chair.

I lifted my chin, full of attitude. "I've got eight guys waiting for me, all better than you. Vincent, if you know what's good for you, sign the papers already."

The divorce agreement on the table was pure pride on paper. I didn't take the 1.5-million-dollar villa, and I gave back every luxury item he bought me.

Not letting money mess with my dignity was my main thing.

But after decades of roughing it, washing dishes in the dead of winter for one thousand a month until my hands were raw and bleeding, I saw things differently.

Now, all these material things looked so appealing to me.

Without money, love was nothing but garbage.

I gave him my sweetest smile, eyes half-closed in a playful squint.

I said, all soft and sweet, "Hey, babe, I was messing around. Divorce? No way. I love you so much.

"Ignore what I said earlier, okay? You must be exhausted. Let me get the bath ready for you. Go soak and unwind."

I snatched up the agreement and dashed into the bathroom, ripping it to pieces.

I tossed every scrap into the toilet and watched them swirl away, making sure not a bit survived.

The sound of that high-tech toilet flushing was music to my ears.

I couldn't help but hug the toilet, enjoying the warmth.

There was no more freezing my butt off in winter.

I wouldn't go hungry in winter anymore.

I wouldn't need to bust my ass to pay for my dad's medical bills and keep the family afloat.

But I still couldn't figure out what I was so hung up on in the past. Vincent had put his entire fortune in my hands, but I kept obsessing over a couple of flirty texts.

It took getting knocked around by life to realize how crucial money was.

Now that I'd learned my lesson, I was sticking to money like glue, no more foolish pride, no more letting go.

I ran the bath for Vincent, making sure the water was exactly 97°F, the way he liked it.

I even laid out his fresh clothes, all neat and ready for him.

Vincent slipped into the bathroom, and I was still beaming at him from the doorway.

He stared at me for a few minutes and then quietly slid the lock on the bathroom door.

I was left speechless.

For God's sake, I wasn't dying for his body.

I headed into the bedroom and started checking my little treasure trove of cash.

For the first 25 years of my life, I was living like a little princess.

My parents ran a manufacturing business and made almost millions of dollars a year.

As the only child, I was the center of their world. All their love and attention were for me only.

My grades were nothing special, but I was cute and lucky. I barely made it into a top-tier college, and that was where I met Vincent, who was so broke.

Like in those web novels, I fell for Vincent. I begged my parents to cover his tuition and handed him some startup money to kick off his business.

After we graduated, Vincent married me, pretty much as a way to thank me for everything I'd done for him.

After that, we spent two years in a marriage that looked perfect on the outside, but was cold and distant on the inside.

Vincent was a good guy, but the best people had their own needs and temptations.

He was always polite, even in bed, never letting things get passionate or wild.

He was always swamped with work. Every Saturday, he'd set aside one hour for us to be intimate, but the rest of the time, I'd have to book an appointment with his secretary to get a kiss.

With life feeling so boring, my artsy soul couldn't take it anymore. I started acting out.

Looking back, I couldn't blame Vincent for thinking I was boring.

After college, I went straight into being a housewife, spending my days glued to the TV and playing games.

Vincent and I had nothing in common. Sometimes, we couldn't even make small talk, let alone have a real conversation.

He thought I'd been brainwashed by short videos, and I thought he wasn't as thoughtful or fun as other people's husbands.

And like that, our marriage was headed straight for a dead end.

I flopped onto the bed and let out a long sigh.

God was on my side.

For someone as useless as me, getting a second chance was like hitting the jackpot.

Since I'd got this second chance, I needed to live a good life. I was not aiming to turn my family's luck around or make us all rich.

But at the very least, I wanted to be their safety net, so no matter what happened, they wouldn't hit rock bottom because of me.

As I was lost in thought, Vincent walked in, towel-drying his hair.

He glanced at me, still in my clothes, and a flicker of confusion crossed his face.

It was Saturday, the night I was supposed to have sex with him.

Instead of giving him the cold shoulder like before, I rushed into the bathroom, took the fastest shower, and slipped into the pajamas I'd been saving for a special night.

I bought these back when we first got married, thinking I'd add a little excitement to our newlywed life, but before I could try them on, Vincent was off on a business trip.

Forget waiting for the perfect moment. If we were both here and in the mood, I should have some fun and do things my way.

The moment I walked out, Vincent nearly forgot to breathe.

He looked stunned, like he wasn't just surprised, but something else was stirring in him, too.

His voice was low and rough. "Jessie, you..."

I silenced him with a kiss. "Shh, tonight's wonderful. Enjoy it. No talking."

Once I changed my mindset, everything felt different.

Back then, I was always chasing after love, constantly watching Vincent's every move.

Whenever he frowned, my heart would clench. I was so afraid he wasn't satisfied with me.

If he let out a frustrated sigh or seemed uncomfortable, I'd feel a knot in my chest, thinking I must've done something wrong.

But now that I was treating him like a tool, all those worries vanished.

All I cared about was whether he had the right moves, the right angle, and enough stamina.

After three rounds in a row, Vincent looked wiped out.