Chapter 2
Serene shot me a frown at the name I called her, but she just let it slide.
In my previous life, Serene loved to vent to me over the phone about how harsh Paula was and how distant the Baxlor family acted.
But she never considered why the Baxlors would genuinely treat an outsider like her as one of their own.
I stepped into the massive bedroom.
The steady beeping of medical equipment filled the room.
On the bed lay my new husband, Roffin.
His eyes were shut tight, his face pale. If it weren't for the faint rise and fall of his chest, he'd look just like a corpse.
I walked over to the bed and just stood there, watching him in silence.
In my previous life, Serene stayed by his side for ten years, but he never woke up.
Everyone said he'd never open his eyes again.
But I was the only one who knew the truth that he had woken up.
Not only that, but he'd been pretending to be asleep, secretly keeping tabs on every schemer in the Baxlor family.
Serene getting kicked out of the Baxlor family in my previous life wasn't just the handiwork of the illegitimate son, Kaelin Baxlor. Paula definitely had her share of credit in that mess too.
Serene had accidentally uncovered a secret between Paula and Kaelin.
I grabbed the warm towel and began to wipe down Roffin's body.
His muscles had wasted away from being bedridden so long, but his frame was still well-defined.
I was thorough, just like a professional nurse.
When I got to his hand, I pretended it was nothing and lightly drew my fingertip across his palm.
That was our secret signal.
A signal that only he and I knew.
After I died in my previous life, my soul wandered aimlessly and eventually found itself bound to a keepsake by Roffin's bedside.
I watched him wake up with my own eyes, and saw him quietly orchestrate everything, making sure everyone who hurt him got what they deserved.
After he got his revenge, he'd often just sit there alone, staring at that keepsake.
One time, he gently stroked the keepsake and whispered.
"If I could do it all over again, I'd never let you end up like that."
He meant me.
He never knew I heard him.
Now, we're really back for another round.
Roffin's fingers curled ever so slightly, almost too subtle to notice.
My heart skipped a beat.
He remembered. He really did.
Marrying into the Baxlor family was even harder than I'd thought.
Paula treated me like a thorn in her side, coming up with new ways to torment me every single day.
"Why is there still dust on the floor? Are you blind or something?"
"You're five minutes late with Roffin's meal. Are you trying to starve him?"
"He married a wife, not a good-for-nothing!"
No matter how well I did, Paula always found something wrong with me.
I never argued back. I just endured it in silence and kept doing better.
That day, Serene called me.
On the other end, she couldn't hide the smugness in her voice.
"Judy, are you getting used to living with the Baxlors? Paula isn't making things difficult for you, right?"
"It's fine," I replied flatly.
"Glad you're settling in. Ferol and I are tying the knot next month. His company's booming, and he keeps saying he'll make me the happiest woman alive."
Her smugness felt like a thousand tiny needles pricking at me.
"Oh, anyway, Ferol wants to treat you to dinner. After all, we were kind of family once."
I gripped the phone so hard my knuckles went white.
"Sure."
At the restaurant, Ferol and Serene were sitting right across from me.
Serene was wrapped around Ferol's arm, like she belonged right there at his side.
Ferol gave me a look that was half pity, half smugness.
"Judy, are things tough at the Baxlors? Is Roffin... still out of it?"
I nodded.
Serene jumped in right away. "Judy, if things ever get too hard, just let me know. Ferol's doing really well now. He can take care of both of us, no problem."
She spoke so generously, as if she were giving charity.
In my previous life, I was fooled by her fake kindness my whole life.
I fixed my gaze on Ferol.
"Ferol, how's that million-dollar investment for your company coming along?"
He was caught off guard for a moment, then flashed a smile. "Of course, it's going smoothly. The investors have high hopes for my project."
"Oh, really?" I chuckled. "But word is, Voyager Capital as the biggest investor suddenly pulled out just yesterday."
Ferol's smile froze on his face.
Serene's face changed, clearly rattled.
"Judy, stop making things up! Ferol's company is doing just fine!"
"Ferol knows perfectly well if I'm lying or not," I said.