Chapter 1

When my husband, Anton Murray, was dying after a car accident, he refused to let me stay by his side, begging instead to see his first love one last time.

Then came his will: both of our homes, left to his first love too.

That was when I finally understood that he'd never stopped loving his first love.

Returning to seven years ago, I didn't fight for him when he went to his first love. Instead, I turned around and walked away.

In this life, Anton and I became strangers.

Ten years later, I ran into Anton at a wedding. I had gotten married to Dean Reed and the wedding was for Dean's cousin.

Seeing me in casual clothes, Anton couldn't help but smirk. "Marsha, two lifetimes and you still can't let me go? And look at you now. Do you really think I'd ever love you again?"

Suddenly, a boy ran up to me and shouted, "Mom!"

Anton's smile froze. His eyes went red. He demanded, "Why is this boy calling you Mom? You told me you'd only ever marry me."

*****

My son, Jeff Reed, was the ring bearer at Mila Reed's wedding. On the way to the reception, he got distracted and started playing on the icy sidewalk.

We both ended up slipping and getting all dirty. I called the hotel staff to bring a clean outfit to the changing room.

My son kept begging to see the bride, so I took him to the wedding venue first.

At that time, everyone was busy buttering Anton Murray up, tossing compliments his way.

"Mr. Murray, your business instincts are just uncanny. Every project you pick ends up raking in the cash."

"Mr. Murray, is the Southview deal really worth it?"

Everyone was eager to get on his good side, hoping to snag even the tiniest bit of insider info from him.

Suddenly, someone spoke up.

"Mr. Murray, when you won that 150 million dollars in the lottery, was there some secret trick behind it? Care to share a tip or two?"

I couldn't help but be surprised.

In my previous life, an old guy from our neighborhood hit the 150 million dollar jackpot. But in this life, Anton ended up buying that winning ticket instead.

I had no idea how Anton managed to remember those exact numbers.

When the topic came up, Anton gave a tense look to Judy beside him, but quickly masked it with a friendly smile.

"Buying a lottery ticket was just something I did on a whim, just doing my bit for charity," Anton said. "But the lottery doesn't go very far, so I set up a charity fund named after my wife. I hope you'll all support it."

As he spoke, Anton looked down, meeting Judy's eyes with a gentle smile. The affection between them was almost palpable.

In my previous life, Anton and I were married for seven years, but he was completely hands-off at home. It was all on me to deal with chores, bills, and daily life.

For me, even hoping for a birthday present was just a pipe dream.

Since he didn't love me, he wouldn't even spare a penny for me.

Just as I was about to leave, Judy caught sight of me. "Marsha?"

I turned back, keeping my tone polite. "Long time no see."

Anton looked slightly taken aback to see me. His gaze lingered a bit too long before he finally gave a faint smirk.

He said, "Don't tell me you showed up here just for me?

"Marsha, Judy and I have been married for years. Even after two lifetimes, why are you still hung up on me?

"And with the way you turned out, there's no way I'd ever fall for you."

Judy's face soured for a moment, then she gave Anton a teasing slap on the arm.

She said, "Your name is in the news every single day. Of course she knows you're married. And she knows she could never measure up to you.

"But since she tracked you down here, she must be in some kind of jam and came to ask you for help, right?"

Anton frowned, a knowing look crossing his face.

He said, "Is that so? For old times' sake, I can help you out. Is 300 thousand dollars enough?"

Anton reached for his phone, ready to transfer the money.

I said, keeping my cool, "No need. I didn't come here for you."

Judy shot me a look, her eyes lingering on my wrinkled, stained clothes.

"You should just take the money and leave. This isn't a place for someone like you. If you stay any longer, you're only going to embarrass yourself," Judy said.

Someone nearby sneered, "I've seen plenty like her. Once they know you've got money, they'll find any excuse to mooch off you. Give her cash once, and she'll just come back asking for more."

"Yeah, that's right. She's just a nobody. These kinds are the most difficult to deal with," another chimed in.

Judy arched her brow, a smirk playing on her lips.

She said, "Yeah, that makes sense. How about this? My charity's nursing home for seniors is short on staff. I could hook you up with a job there.

"The pay sucks, but at least you'll get food and a bed. Honestly, jobs like that are hard to come by for someone in your situation."

I was honestly amused by how overly concerned they pretended to be.

"Don't bother. I already have a job," I said calmly.

Judy shot me a look and rolled her eyes. "Seriously, what kind of job could you possibly have? Dressed like that, you probably spend your days sweeping streets or scrubbing toilets."

"I write novels," I said.

I'd always been obsessed with stories. As a kid, I'd hide under the covers just to read novels. At university, I wrote novels as a side hustle. But after graduation, I caved to my parents and took a cushy government job.

After I married Anton, all my spare time got eaten up by chores, and he hated the idea of me writing, so I quit altogether.

But in this new life, I held onto my dream and kept writing.

Now, not only could I support myself, but I even upgraded my parents' old place to a villa.

Judy let out a mocking laugh. "Who even reads novels anymore? Honestly, you'd be better off working as a street sweeper."

Anton couldn't hide his disappointment as he spoke, "Marsha, after the previous life, you haven't changed a bit. How could you end up in such a pathetic state?

"You really should move on from me. Stop letting go of yourself."