Chapter 1
My husband Lewis Esparza's one true love stayed single her entire life, leaving him with just these dying words.
"Lewis, my greatest regret is that we never got to build a home together."
After her death, Lewis was devastated, crying endlessly day and night. He even pushed for a divorce and dragged our son into mourning her alongside him.
"I should have married her ages ago, instead of wasting away in this boring life with you!"
Desperate to fix his regrets, he revived the time machine project.
We went back in time, where we silently agreed to act like total strangers.
He finally lived out his dream: a wild, passionate life with his true love.
As for me, I stuck to my old plans and truly embraced who I was.
But eventually, he bowed in front of me, sobbing, and begged me to marry him again.
I stared at the class reunion invite I couldn't dodge, knowing it meant facing Lewis again.
In my previous life, I'd sacrificed my research project for love, handing all my data over to him without hesitation.
Little did I know, he'd immediately passed it on to Rebecca.
When I discovered the truth, Lewis—uncharacteristically—tried to sweet-talk me.
"Didn't you say you wanted a child? Focus on taking care of your health.
"As for the project, we'll pass it to someone reliable. You'll still get first-author credit!"
He promised solemnly, acting like it was all for my benefit, and I fell deeper into the illusion of love.
Before I even entered the private room, I heard Rebecca's syrupy voice.
"Lewis and I are getting engaged."
I forced a half-smile, glad no one noticed me slip in—everyone was too busy heaping congratulations on the perfect pair.
Clad in top-tier designer outfits, the two of them had ridden my research project to fame and success in our field.
Lewis had even capitalized on his second chance at life to make some savvy investments, landing him on Vranbu's list of top tycoons.
"You're crushing it not just on projects but with investments too. If we'd tagged along back then, we'd all be reaping the benefits.
"You and Rebecca are made for each other. You've both got that sharp eye—no wonder our mentor called you a rare pair of geniuses."
Lewis soaked up the praise, beaming, while Rebecca played the coy companion, standing at his side and chatting gracefully.
"We can discuss investments after our engagement next month. Right now, this is about us all—old classmates reconnecting."
Her piercing stare fixed on me, the wallflower in the corner, though no one else realized I'd already sat down at the table.
Rebecca's face lit up with smug satisfaction; after all, the girl who'd once been everyone's darling was now completely overlooked.
Pretending not to notice the tension crackling in the air, I nonchalantly nibbled on some pastries.
"Where's Glenna?" Someone mentioned my name, and Lewis's expression darkened as he glanced around.
"Who knows what dead-end job she's stuck in now? It's become a running joke among the alumni." Someone stifled a laugh behind their hand.
"Back then, the romance between you two was the stuff of legends. Who could've imagined..." Another voice piped up, defending me a little—since Lewis and I had been engaged, only for it to fall apart on both sides.
Rebecca didn't catch Lewis's shift in mood. She smirked at my disheveled appearance and gestured lightly toward me.
"Glenna, you're already chowing down? You must be famished."
The table held mostly light appetizers to hold people over, not much in the way of real food.
With my stomach problems, I couldn't go long without eating. As their nonstop nostalgia wore on, the discomfort started building.
"Is that Glenna?" People turned to gawk at me in disbelief. I was dressed in plain casual clothes, my hair haphazardly tied to one side.
I could feel the mockery hanging in the air, but it didn't faze me.
Lewis's face froze briefly. Rebecca swiftly linked her arm with his and they approached me.
"Long time no see," I said with a polite nod.
Lewis sneered down at me. "So this is your idea of 'making it big'?"
Rebecca chimed in, "Oh my, Glenna was our mentor's prized student. What happened to you? I bet you've made huge strides in some other area, huh?"
I chuckled inwardly.
To them, I was the biggest failure at the entire reunion.
Laughter rippled mockingly through the group. Lewis gazed at me with fake sympathy. "Drop the experiments, Glenna. Without my data to back you up, you'll never get back on your feet."
Seeing Rebecca nod along in agreement just made me want to laugh out loud.
Lewis pulled out a check and his business card, sliding them toward me.
"We go way back, after all. Take this. If things get tough, just reach out."
"I know you've been in a downward spiral ever since we split, but we both have to keep moving forward.
"Our relationship may be over, but ruining yourself over me isn't worth it.