Chapter 1 Rebirth

I died of an amniotic fluid embolism.

By the time I passed, the hospital bed was completely soaked in my blood.

I begged my husband, Rylan Benton, to save me. However, he only looked down at me with disgust before tightening his grip around my throat.

"So what if I was engaged to you first?" he spat. "Elisa and I were truly in love, but you forced us apart and caused her to die with our unborn child! A wicked woman like you doesn't deserve to be my wife! Go to hell and beg Elisa for forgiveness!"

They were the ones having an affair, yet I was the one paying the price.

Elisa Houghton was Dad's illegitimate daughter. Seeing her living on the streets with no one to rely on, I had pitied her and begged Dad to bring her into our home.

I never expected that a single act of kindness would ruin my entire life.

Elisa was a master manipulator. She played the doting sister to my face while secretly seducing my fiance behind my back. By the time I found out, she was already pregnant with his child.

I would never forget the smug, defiant look in her eyes when she told me the news.

"Amy, we're both daughters of the Houghton family. You're not the only one who gets what you want. Rylan is mine now."

She thought she could use the baby to force her way into high society, but the Benton family refused to recognize an illegitimate child. They made it clear that I was the only daughter-in-law they would ever accept.

Overnight, the story of Elisa sleeping with her future brother-in-law spread all over Astrael. She became the laughingstock of the city.

Yet, she blamed me for everything.

On the day of my wedding, she jumped off the roof of the hotel, ensuring she died while Rylan loved her the most. And she left me to live in her shadow for the rest of my life.

Years ago, when the Benton family faced a financial crisis, I brought a multi-million-dollar wedding gift to Rylan, ensuring he could secure his position as the rightful heir.

And this was how he repaid me.

I let out a hopeless laugh. "They say love doesn't care about who came first…"

Rylan frowned. "That may be true, but humans are supposed to have morals! You should repent for what you've done!"

"Rylan, I gave you millions to save your family from ruin, and you repaid me by sleeping with my sister. You're a shameless, backstabbing coward!"

I laughed until tears streamed down my face. "You want me to repent? You're right. I should. I should repent for ever marrying you and fighting your battles! I'll be watching from above. Let's see if you can keep your chairman seat without my family backing you up! I can't wait to watch you burn in hell!"

With a final scream of despair, I closed my eyes, consumed by regret.

If I could do it all over again, I would never choose this life. I'd get as far away as possible from that shameless couple.

…

"Amy, wake up! Your sister is trying to use her pregnancy to force your family's hand!"

An anxious voice pierced through the darkness.

My head throbbed. When I opened my eyes, I saw the worried face of my best friend, Susan Kemp.

I had been reborn. I was back to the day before my wedding with Rylan.

Susan continued to vent on my behalf, "Elisa is really shameless. If you hadn't taken pity on her, she'd still be suffering on the streets. Instead of being grateful, she stole your fiance. She's just a bastard, and she actually thinks she can take your place and marry into money!"

Susan had said those exact words to me in my previous life.

But this time, I didn't feel the burning anger I once did.

Ha! Elisa really thought that sleeping with Rylan and getting pregnant would let her replace me. How delusional.

Rylan was nothing but a useless playboy, but the Benton matriarch, Courtney Burke, wasn't blind. She had seen right through Elisa's little act and had immediately told Dad that I was the only daughter-in-law they would accept.

Having lost both her virtue and her dignity, Elisa had spent the entire night before my wedding crying uncontrollably.

I shook my head with a faint smile, my gaze filled with unwavering certainty. "Don't worry. She's never getting into the Benton family."

Elisa had been rejected by Courtney herself. Even if Elisa had no self-respect, the Houghton family still cared about reputation.

Sure enough, as I walked downstairs, I heard the sharp shatter of a teacup. It was Grandma.

"You shameless brat!" Grandma yelled. "How dare you come begging me after doing such a shameful thing?"

Elisa was kneeling on the floor, tears streaming down her face. "Grandma, you and Mrs. Benton Senior are old friends. You're the only one I can turn to.

"Besides, the public only knows that the Houghtons and the Bentons are forming an alliance through marriage. I'm a Houghton too! Why does only Amy get to marry well? You can't favor her over me!"

Grandma gritted her teeth in fury. "You have the nerve to say that? You seduced Amy's fiance, and now you expect me to throw you a wedding? If I knew you were this indecent, I would have never let you into this house!

"Someone get in here! Lock her in her room. Don't let her out to embarrass us before the wedding tomorrow!"

I watched coldly as the maids moved to grab her.

But Elisa broke free from their grip. She suddenly rushed toward me and cursed me viciously, "Amy Houghton, Rylan and I love each other! You might get his body, but you'll never have his heart! I'm carrying his child. He will bring me into his family sooner or later. You'll never hold onto my spot. Never!"

Grandma's face turned red with rage, and her finger pointing at Elisa trembled uncontrollably.

Right then, heavy footsteps echoed from outside.

Catching sight of Rylan from the corner of her eye, Elisa instantly shifted gears. She dropped to her knees at my feet and wept piteously. "Amy, everything is my fault. I'll take whatever punishment you give me. Just please spare my baby. Don't force me to get an abortion—Ah!"

The next second, she threw herself backward with a sharp cry, as if someone had shoved her hard.

The look she shot me was full of calculated triumph.

However, I hadn't touched her.

A cold smile played on my lips as the numbness in my chest gave way to a surge of adrenaline.

In my previous life, she had played the victim to ruin me. Did she really think the same trick would work twice?

"Elisa, why did you push me?" I shrieked even louder than she did. My face was filled with terror as I threw myself down the stairs.