Chapter 3 Revenge

Elisa made a move to leave.

The moment Rylan saw her tears, he tossed all his doubts out the window. He grabbed her hand and said, "Don't be silly. Nobody is touching my baby!"

With that, he turned to me, his eyes burning with hatred. "You bitch, you've already hurt Elisa enough. You just won't stop until you've driven her to her death, will you?"

A bitter laugh escaped my lips.

Drive her to her death?

He sure knew how to flip the script. They were the ones who committed such a disgraceful act, yet they wanted to pin the blame on me?

Besides, if they were so deeply in love, he should go beg Courtney himself.

He could swear an oath to Courtney that he'd rather give up his status as the heir to the Benton family just to be with Elisa. What could Courtney possibly do to stop him?

At the end of the day, he just wanted to have his cake and eat it too. He couldn't let go of Elisa, and he sure as hell couldn't part with the wealth.

I looked straight at Rylan. Pretending to be moved by their display, I lowered my gaze and said, "Since you love each other so much, I don't have much else to say."

Elisa thought I was going to agree to the bride-swap and was about to celebrate her victory.

But I immediately feigned a difficult expression. "However, a bride-swap isn't something I can decide on my own. We'll need Mrs. Benton Senior's approval.

"Since you two are so desperately devoted to each other, go ask for her permission. If she agrees to let Elisa marry you, the Houghton family won't object."

The moment the words left my mouth, Grandma's anger erupted. She would never allow Elisa to marry into the Benton family.

But I gave her a subtle shake of my head, signaling her to stay calm.

Having been married into the Bentons for five years in my previous life, I knew Courtney's personality inside out. She would never allow a scheming fox like Elisa into her house, which was why Rylan kept trying to force my hand instead.

But why would I make life easy for this shameless couple? If he wanted to marry Elisa, he should go face Courtney first.

Sure enough, Rylan snapped furiously, "Amy, you think I won't? Just you wait!"

With that, he took Elisa and stormed out of the room.

Watching Rylan's retreating back, I let out a cold sneer.

In my previous life, I had refused the bride-swap to protect his dignity. But in this life, I'd give him exactly what he wanted.

I couldn't wait to see what kind of chaotic circus the Benton family would turn into when he showed up in front of Courtney on the eve of his wedding demanding a new bride.

"Sweetie, you've suffered so much," Grandma said. "Don't worry. I'll find you a far better match!"

She looked at me with eyes full of love and guilt, feeling that the Houghton family had failed me.

I gave a bitter smile and lowered my gaze. My mind was filled with the horrific scene of my death in my previous life.

All men were cut from the same cloth. What difference did it make who I married? In this life, I only wanted to live for my own freedom and happiness.

"Grandma, why are you in such a rush to marry me off?" I wrapped my arms around Grandma's, pouting. "Don't you want me to stay home and keep you company?"

"Silly, even if I want to keep you, I can't let you stay unmarried forever."

Grandma held my hand and said gently, "You're the finest lady in Astrael. It's Rylan's loss for choosing that tramp over you. Are you going to stay single forever just because of one scumbag?

"You're still young, and you have your whole life ahead of you. If you run away every time things get tough, what will you do in the future? Sweetie, you're wonderful in every way, and you've never given me a moment of worry. But you care too deeply.

"Those who love too much often suffer the most, and those who are too wise often hurt the most. You must learn to love, but you must always leave room for yourself. Do you understand?"

Those who loved too much often suffered the most, and those who were too wise often hurt the most?

Grandma's words were like sunlight breaking through the clouds, stirring something within me. She had laid bare the truth I had failed to grasp for so many years in my previous life in just a few sentences.

The dead soil in my heart suddenly sprouted new life.

Yes, if even that shameless couple deserved love, why couldn't I? I shouldn't give up my right to love just because of a temporary heartbreak.

If I did, how could I ever repay Grandma for her words of advice?

Dad had no sons, only Elisa and me. Grandma had raised me with the mindset of a family successor. Otherwise, I would never have been able to help Rylan seize power and secure the chairman seat in my previous life.

Now that I was reborn, how could I let myself sink into despair?

It was just a pity that I had been so foolish before. I had always believed that my efforts would be enough to win Rylan's affection. But in the end, all I got was a tragic death.

"Besides…" Grandma's tone shifted. A mysterious smile appeared on her face as she said with certainty, "If I say you will marry into the Benton family, then you will."

"Grandma, what do you mean?" I asked, genuinely surprised.

Grandma smiled with the calculating grace of a veteran matriarch. "Rylan isn't the only son in the Benton family. They have plenty of good men. You aren't just going to marry. You're going to have the grandest wedding this city has ever seen!"

The other sons of the Benton family?

I searched my memory, and suddenly, a cold, aloof figure flashed through my mind. I gasped, "Are you talking about Rylan's uncle, Samuel Benton?"

Strangely enough, I actually shared a history with that man.

In my previous life, Rylan took revenge on me by smothering my baby. The other Bentons also followed his lead and treated me with cold indifference. In the end, I could barely even get a warm meal.

Yet, it was that stoic man who sent me warm soup every single day for a month. Though it was merely a small act of kindness, it was the only warmth I had ever felt during my five years with the Bentons.

Unfortunately, Rylan was terrified of Samuel and secretly poisoned him, eventually leaving him terminally ill.

If my calculations were right, Rylan must have started poisoning Samuel not too long ago. Could my rebirth change Samuel's fate as well?

Grandma's eyes filled with admiration. "Yes. Though he's seven years older than you, he's level-headed and responsible. Courtney hasn't made up her mind yet. It's still up in the air who will inherit the Benton family!"

She patted my hand. "Amy, you need to play your cards right."

At her words, the light finally returned to my dull eyes.

The inheritance!

Right, I had almost forgotten. At this point in time, Courtney hadn't announced the heir yet.

In my previous life, Rylan had secured the inheritance solely because of my backing. I'd like to see how far he could climb this time around without my help.