Chapter 1

After twenty years in a marriage where my husband was never really there, I suddenly found myself back to the day I married Isaac Brown.

In my previous life, I hoped for a happy future with Isaac after we got married.

But during my honeymoon, the Gallagher family's adopted daughter died, and she became everyone's unattainable love.

Night after night, Isaac would grab me by the throat and demand, "Why wasn't it you who died?"

My parents just glared at me, spending their days lost in the adopted daughter's photo albums.

I wasted away under all that mental torment, until I finally died.

This time, I was determined to be the one who died young, the one no one could ever forget.

"Miss Gallagher, I can help you fake your death, but that means in two days, Matilda Gallagher will disappear from this world. Are you really sure about this?" the agent asked.

My chest tightened with a sour ache, but I didn't hesitate for a second. "I'm sure," I replied.

In my last life, I died too late. Because of that, I became the target of everyone's resentment.

This time, let me be the one who died young and became everyone's unforgettable woman.

The agent nodded. "Alright, keep an eye on your phone for the next two days. From this moment on, you're officially dead to the world."

Once everything was settled, I hailed a cab and headed home to get ready for my departure.

As the heavy front door swung open, I spotted Isaac from a distance, handing a pink box to Susan Reilly, the Gallagher family's adopted daughter.

She ripped open the gift, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she jumped into Isaac's arms.

She said, "It's the beaded bracelet I've been wishing for! Isaac, you're amazing! I just mentioned it in passing, and you actually remembered!"

"It's so pretty, I love it!" Susan exclaimed.

Susan swung the bracelet around playfully, grinning with satisfaction as she slipped it onto her wrist.

I was stunned, unable to move for a moment.

I remembered, in my last life, showing Isaac a picture of that exact same bracelet.

"Honey, look! This is a special beaded bracelet someone got from the church. Can we go buy one together? It would be the perfect birthday present," I said, trying to sound cute.

Back then, he just looked exhausted. "Come on, that's just a gimmick. I've got tons of files to read. When would I even have time to go to the church?"

I really thought he was just too busy.

Turns out, he just couldn't be bothered to put in any effort when it came to me.

I gave a bitter, self-deprecating chuckle.

Even though I already knew I was the real heiress everyone wished wasn't there.

Even though I'd already seen how things would end between us, being deliberately ignored still stung more than I cared to admit.

Isaac smiled, gently tapping Susan on the nose. "This bracelet from the church is meant to keep you safe. It's a little something from me, so make sure you treasure it."

"Of course, Isaac! I always take good care of everything you give me!" Susan's smile grew even sweeter, her innocence shining like a freshly bloomed lotus.

Suddenly, as if something had just occurred to her, she quickly jumped down from his arms and teased, "Oh, I almost forgot you're married now! I can't cling to you like this anymore. You and Matilda look so good together. You two really should stay happy!"

"But," she added, her eyes lighting up with hope as she looked at him, "tomorrow's my birthday, and I still hope you'll come spend it with me. After all, we grew up together, and you've always been there for my birthdays..."

Isaac replied with a doting smile, "Nothing else matters tomorrow. Your birthday is the most important thing."

I gripped the doorknob a little tighter, trying to steady myself.

He didn't even remember that tomorrow was my birthday too.

Susan and I were switched at birth.

She ended up as the only daughter of a real estate tycoon, while I grew up as a country girl from a poor family.

For years, I was stuck doing laundry, cooking, and working the fields. Studying was something I could only squeeze in whenever I had a spare moment.

By the time I turned fourteen, my family was already scheming to marry me off to some middle-aged guy in his forties, just to get some cash.

I had to hustle for scholarships and grants, telling them the more I studied, the more money I could bring in, just to keep them off my back.

It wasn't until I crushed the college entrance exams and graduated with top marks that Clinton and Halle finally recognized me as their daughter.

I thought I was finally going to get something close to a real family, but honestly, they were just as indifferent and unloving as the people who raised me.

The cold wind sent a chill through me as I unconsciously shivered, then walked in through the front door.

Everyone in the living room, who'd been laughing and chatting, turned to look at me all at once.

Isaac's expression didn't change at all.

But Susan's smile vanished in an instant, and she nervously hid behind Isaac, looking timid.

"Matilda, you're back. Please, don't get the wrong idea. I was just talking to Isaac, I swear I didn't do anything. Please, don't be mad at me or hit me..." Susan pleaded.

That was typical of her, same old act.

When I was first brought back to the Gallagher family, Susan would constantly frame me for stealing her things. First it was her missing pearl earrings, then it was a diamond bracelet.

No matter how much I tried to defend myself, Clinton and Halle never believed a word I said. "Matilda, you've just come home. I'll buy you those things later, so don't be so envious of your sister," my mother would say.