Chapter 1
In an accident, I died with my husband Ethan Lindcroft.
Then I opened my eyes, and we were back on the day we got married.
In my old life, everyone thought we were the perfect couple. But he never touched me.
On his deathbed, I learned the truth that I was just a stand-in for his first love, Fiona Ashford. He stayed faithful to her his whole life.
This time around, we didn't talk about any of it. We just went and filed for divorce. No hard feelings. Separate lives.
Eight years later, I ran into him at an industry summit. He was on top of the world, his childhood sweetheart on his arm.
He saw me in my simple clothes, walked over with his wine, and smirked.
"Mrs. Royce, if you can't get over me, you don't have to dress like a waitress. Hoping I'll take you back?"
I didn't say a word, just smiled and beckoned to someone not far away.
My son, Oliver Wells, came running over and grabbed my sleeve.
He mumbled, "Mommy, Daddy's tired. When are we going home with him?"
Ethan's smile froze. His glass slipped.
*****
When I finished the project, Theodore called and asked me to come to the Ashworth Hotel for a surprise.
I rushed to our hotel but found an industry summit was happening.
The lobby was bright and crowded. I spotted Ethan Lindcroft, my ex-husband, whom I hadn't seen for eight years, at the center.
Fiona Ashford stood beside him, both smiling and mingling with the crowd.
A middle-aged man smiled at Ethan.
"Mr. Lindcroft, your new headquarters opened, and everyone's rushing to invest in your projects.
"The Ashworth Hotel is almost impossible to book, but you did it for the summit. You're a real role model."
Ethan inclined his head slightly and spoke in a warm tone.
"Mr. Richard, your support then made this possible."
Mr. Richard replied, "Not at all. I'll need your guidance later."
"I heard you and Miss Ashford are marrying soon?" someone else piped up.
Ethan turned to look at Fiona, and he couldn't hide the grin spreading across his face.
"We're getting married next month. Hope you can come," he said.
Everyone congratulated, then someone blurted out, ignoring the mood.
"I heard you were married before, Mr. Lindcroft. Will you invite your ex-wife to the wedding?"
Ethan's smile disappeared, his tone turned icy.
"There's no need for us to meet again," Ethan said coldly.
But the guy just wouldn't let it go.
"Seriously? I heard you two were madly in love back then. Didn't your ex-wife throw a legendary wedding?"
Fiona stepped before Ethan, speaking gently.
"That's past. Ethan and I were first loves; the marriage was just a misunderstanding," she explained.
Everyone quickly chimed in, then the topic was dropped.
At the crowd's edge, I recalled the afternoon we got our marriage certificate, sunlight on his face.
He stared at our marriage certificate, then smiled at me. "I finally get to call you my wife," he said, tears in his eyes.
I once thought those were tears of joy, but they were for the woman he could never forget.
As I turned to leave, Ethan looked at me.
"Mrs. Royce?" Ethan called out.
He held a glass of champagne and approached me, eyes scanning my simple outfit with a faint, mocking smile.
"Well, this is rare," Ethan said.
His voice was quiet but clear to nearby listeners.
"How did you get invited to this?" he sneered.
Before I spoke, a man in gold-rimmed glasses, Mr. Richard, laughed nearby.
"Mr. Lindcroft, who's this?" he asked.
Ethan swirled his champagne glass indifferently.
"Audrey Royce, my ex-wife," he said casually.
The word "ex-wife" stunned the crowd into silence.
All eyes were on me, sizing me up without even bothering to hide it.
The man with gold-rimmed glasses gave a look of feigned realization.
"Oh, you mean Miss Royce—the one who spent all her savings on that wedding?" he said loudly.
He stretched the last word, sounding more mocking.
Then he added, "I've never seen you here before. Not doing well, are you?
"You and Miss Ashford look alike."
Another middle-aged man in a dark blue suit spoke.
"Seriously? She's plain compared to Miss Ashford. Calling them alike is generous," he snorted.
Before I spoke, a young woman beside Ethan laughed softly.
"Mr. William, that's harsh. Miss Royce is too embarrassed to speak. Maybe she was just a rebound for Ethan. No need to make things awkward," she teased mockingly.
"I'm just saying it," he replied, shrugging.
He spoke and patted my shoulder.