Chapter 1

I'd been married to Charles Rivers for three years, and we still didn't have a child.

As his footing as the Rivers family heir grew more uncertain, his attitude toward me turned colder by the day.

On his birthday party night, he arrived with his old flame Vivian Linwood, dressed to the nines, his arm wrapped around her waist.

The crowd quickly joined in the teasing. "Charlie, you need a child to secure your place as heir to the Rivers Group. Grace can't give you one. It's time for a new wife. Vivian would be a perfect fit. You two go way back."

In my previous life, I had taken out my pregnancy test report right then and there and managed to hold on to my marriage.

But that only pushed Vivian over the edge. She stormed out and was killed in a car accident shortly after.

During the emergency surgery, doctors discovered she was one month pregnant. She had lost too much blood. Neither she nor the baby survived.

Charles was convinced I had driven Vivian away on purpose. From then on, he hated me to the bone.

After I gave birth, he locked me inside the villa and subjected me to relentless physical and mental abuse.

More than once, he wrapped his hands around my neck, choking me. "Grace, why wasn't it you who died?"

The constant torment broke me completely. In the end, I jumped from the building.

Given a second chance at life, I put the pregnancy report away and looked at Charles. "He was right. You should get a new wife. Charles, I want a divorce."

*****

The whole place went dead silent in an instant.

All eyes turned to me. There was no awkwardness from being caught out. Someone even let out a mocking laugh. "You really think you can afford a divorce? The moment you leave the Rivers family, that luxury life of yours is over."

"Face it, Mrs. Rivers—every gown, every handbag you own was bought with Mr. Rivers' money. Strip away the Rivers name, and how glamorous would Ms. Wynn really be?"

Soft laughter rippled through the crowd.

"Just look at the Wynn family now. Without the Rivers Group backing you up, your family would've gone under long ago. Stop acting so superior."

"Some people stay on their knees for too long and suddenly think they can stand tall. They don't even realize they're not built for it."

"Instead of throwing a tantrum like a spoiled princess, she should focus on giving Charlie a son to secure her position. She's nowhere near as sensible as Vivian."

Every word landed like a slap across my face. I looked at Charles. He leaned back in his chair in silence, a cigarette glowing between his fingers, coldly allowing it all to happen.

Vivian still wore that harmless, innocent smile. She looped her arm around Charles affectionately. "Please don't say that," she said softly. "Grace must be upset. It's my fault. I shouldn't have come.

"Grace, whatever happened between Charles and me is long over. Why bring up divorce just to embarrass him?"

My fingers dug into my palm. I looked straight at her and asked, "So you don't want to marry Charles?"

The smile froze on Vivian's face.

Charles looked up, his cold eyes fixed on me. "Grace, that's enough."

Those few words gave Vivian the backup she needed. Her smile faded. "Grace, your marriage to Charles was nothing but a business arrangement. What happens between him and me is none of your concern."

"And you," she continued, her tone sharp, "holding onto the title of Mrs. Rivers but unable to give him even one child. Do you really think you've done right by Charles?"

Every word was pure provocation. My breathing quickened, emotions surging, but I forced them back down. I almost laughed at myself. "Grace, if you let them mess with your head again in this second time in life, you may as well stay dead."

Just as I was about to speak, a low male voice cut through the tension. "Grace, it's way too noisy in here, and I can barely breathe. How about we ditch this place together?"

Everyone's attention shifted to the entrance of the ballroom, drawn by a figure who carried quiet authority and polish.

It was Julian Foster, the heir to the Foster Group, newly returned from overseas.

He walked toward me at an unhurried pace and stopped in front of me. His voice was gentler than before. "Grace, do you want to leave with me?"

Soft murmurs rose around us.

"What is Grace doing? Doesn't she know Charlie and Mr. Foster are sworn enemies?"

"No wonder she just asked Charlie for a divorce—looks like she's already moving on."

I didn't bother explaining. I simply nodded at Julian. "Let's go."

Almost at the same moment, Charles rose abruptly from the shadows, jaw clenched as he spat out through gritted teeth. "Grace."

I looked at him, cold and detached. "Do you need something, Mr. Rivers?"

His face darkened, the words forced out through clenched teeth. "It's my birthday party, and as my wife, you're really going to leave with him?"

I paused, my gaze drifting to the hands he and Vivian had kept intertwined the entire time. A faint, mocking smile crossed my face. Answering him was already pointless. "Have the divorce papers ready. I'll sign them."

Vivian smiled, her tone light but sharp. "No wonder Grace has the nerve to ask for a divorce—looks like she's already got her next guy lined up."

Then, she turned to me and said, "But of all people, you had to go for a Foster? Are you just trying to spite Charles?"

Charles' anger was barely contained. "So, Grace, is that why you want to divorce me? Because of him?"

I looked at Charles, who wore the expression of a man catching his wife in the act, and found it painfully ironic. Whatever feelings remained from the past finally settled into stillness.

Without another glance at Charles, I met Julian's eyes and said, "Let's go. The air here really is unbearable."

"If you dare walk out, I'll divorce you immediately!" Charles roared behind me.

I didn't stop. The sharp clicks of my heels echoed across the floor, each step sounding like a slap landing squarely on his face.

*****

Sitting in Julian's car, I stared blankly out at the city lights.

"You okay?" Julian's voice was soft.

I shook myself out of my daze. "Thanks for helping me out tonight," I said.

Julian let out a soft chuckle. "You weren't nearly this polite to me when we were kids," he teased.