Chapter 1

A dull ache throbbed in my chest as the crisp crack of the gavel echoed through the hall.

"The parties will now state their ground for custody!"

Before I could process what was happening, the familiar voice of my ex-wife, Serena Langston, exploded in my ears. "Your Honor! I have a stable job and a steady income, so I can provide my daughter with the best education and living environment. I demand that the court grant me full custody!"

I looked at the audience, where my daughter was wailing at the top of her lungs, and my son had red-rimmed eyes.

After looking at the agitated Serena, I processed my thoughts before it hit me—I had been reborn! I was back in the courtroom on the day of our custody battle.

When the judge heard Serena's words, he hesitated before saying, "Talia Poole is an infant less than 100 days old. The court generally recommends maternal custody for infants, while the six-year-old Lucas Poole shall remain with the defendant, Caspian Poole."

As I listened to the judge speak the exact same words as in my past life, my mind started drifting off.

In my past life, I'd followed the court's suggestion. Talia was still an infant, and after marrying Serena, I'd quit my job to become a stay-at-home father.

There was no way I could fight for the custody of two children, so I made the painful choice of letting one of them go with her.

I never imagined that under her care, Lucas would slowly end up on a path of self-destruction, getting into trouble at an age when he should've been in school and entirely ruining his future.

On the day we celebrated both Talia's university admission and her 18th birthday, the local media showed up for an interview.

Serena couldn't handle the sight of my success and stormed the party. She insisted that I'd hoarded all the good genes for Talia, which was why Lucas had turned out the way he did.

In a fit of extreme rage, she stabbed me to death in public.

Memories of my past life sent a chill down my spine.

I decided that since I'd been given a second chance at life, I must change everything. I wouldn't stand by and watch Lucas fall into the abyss again!

Beside me, Serena was still arguing her case. One moment, she was promising nutritionists for Talia, the next, she was boasting about importing top-tier milk powder from Narkadia, claiming she would be a far better parent than me, the biological father.

The judge looked slightly exasperated. He called for silence in the hall and turned to ask for my thoughts.

Under Serena's expectant gaze, I nodded at him. "I'll grant Serena custody of our daughter, but she must promise that she is barred from seeing our son outside of the legally mandated visitation times."

The moment I finished, Serena let out a sharp, mocking laugh. "You think too highly of yourself, Caspian. A brat carrying inferior genes is doomed, no matter how he's raised.

"Forget legal visitations. After today, I won't look at him even once!"

As she spoke, she glanced at Lucas, who lowered his head in silence as a teardrop slipped from the corner of his eye.

Though he was only six, I knew that he was far more observant and emotionally intelligent than other children his age. He might not have understood every word Serena said, but he understood one thing—Serena hated him.

Before she could say anything else that might hurt him further, I signed the papers as quickly as possible and took his hand, leading him out of the courtroom.

At the gates of the courthouse, Serena held Talia and looked at me with smug satisfaction.

"I know you're reborn too, Caspian, but I didn't expect you to choose this ingrate this time. Raising him is your karma since you passed all your bad genes to him.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure Talia grows up to be exceptional. You just wait. You and that loser son of yours will be making headlines on the news!"

With that, she turned and walked away.

I pulled the sobbing Lucas into my arms and shook my head as I watched her leave.

If there really was a genetic issue with the children as Serena claimed, Talia was the kid with the real issues she should be worried about.