CHAPTER ONE

Isabella’s POV

“I want Adrian Cole!”

My sister's sudden declaration brought the conversation in the living room to an abrupt halt.

I stared at her, wondering if I had heard correctly.

Vanessa Whitmore, my older sister, who had spent the better part of her life looking down on anyone who wasn't wealthy, had just announced that she wanted to marry a man who could barely afford his rent.

“Vanessa, darling, are you feeling alright?” Mother asked, reaching across the table to touch her forehead. “We're talking about Adrian Cole. The young man who works at that little investment firm. Surely, you mean Nathaniel Blackwood?”

“I know exactly who I'm talking about, Mother. I want Adrian, and I've already made up my mind.”

Father lowered his newspaper.

“Vanessa, we discussed this. Nathaniel Blackwood is the chairman of Blackwood Holdings. His family owns half the commercial properties in Westbridge. Adrian, on the other hand, has nothing to his name.”

“Then let Isabella marry Nathaniel!”

My fingers tightened around the armrest.

Something was wrong, I thought. 

The last thing I remembered was Adrian's hand around my throat.

He had been drunk that night, furious because I had refused to transfer another twenty million dollars from my private investment account into his company's books.

“You think you're better than me because you made a little money?” he had shouted.

A little money.

I had almost laughed.

For four years, I had worked behind the scenes, studying financial markets, identifying undervalued companies, negotiating acquisitions, and quietly building the investment portfolio that transformed his struggling firm into Cole Global, the largest business empire in the country.

While the world praised Adrian as a financial genius, I remained the obedient wife who supposedly knew nothing about business.

And when I finally asked for recognition, he accused me of trying to steal his success.

That night, he pushed me down the marble staircase.

I remembered the pain, the blood spreading beneath my head, and Adrian standing above me with a terrifyingly calm expression.

Then everything went black.

Yet here I was, sitting in my parents' living room, wearing the same pale blue dress I had worn on the day our marriages were arranged.

And it was five years before my death.

There was only one way it made sense. I had been reborn.

“Isabella?”

Mother's voice pulled me back to the present.

“Your sister has made a rather unexpected decision. What do you think?”

Before I could answer, another voice reached my ears.

Please don't let that stupid girl object. Nathaniel is worth billions. She should be grateful we're even considering giving her such a good marriage.

I turned towards Mother.

Her lips hadn't moved. Yet, she had spoken. 

What?

Vanessa has always been the prettier and more accomplished daughter. I can't understand why she suddenly wants that pauper, but perhaps she knows something we don't.

This time, the voice came from Father.

My heart began to pound.

Oh goodness. Oh my fucking goodness. I could hear their thoughts.

“Isabella, are you listening?” Vanessa snapped.

I looked at her.

She was sitting upright, her perfectly manicured fingers gripping the edge of her skirt. There was something almost desperate about the way she watched me.

Then I heard it.

Why is she staring at me like that? Does she suspect something?

My blood ran cold.

Impossible. There's no way she remembers our previous lives.

Previous lives?

I stopped breathing.

Last time, I made the biggest mistake of my life. I married Nathaniel because he was rich, while Isabella married that useless Adrian. Who would have imagined that Adrian would become the richest man in the country?

My eyes widened.

Vanessa had been reborn too.

And what did I get? A husband who barely spoke to me. Nathaniel treated our marriage like a business agreement. No affection, no romance, nothing! Even when I dressed up for him, he barely looked at me.

I remembered Vanessa's marriage.

Nathaniel Blackwood had been a distant man, rarely appearing at family gatherings. Whenever he did, he spoke politely, exchanged a few words with Father, and left.

Vanessa had constantly complained about him.

But I had never known how badly their marriage ended.

If that bastard hadn't caught me with Marcus, I would still have been Mrs. Blackwood. One mistake, and he threw me out like garbage!

One mistake?

Knowing Vanessa, I doubted it had been that simple.

I lost everything. My friends abandoned me, Father refused to help, and Marcus disappeared the moment my money ran out. I drank myself into a miserable existence until that accident killed me.

For a moment, I almost felt sorry for her.

Then her next thought erased every trace of sympathy.

But this time, I'll have everything Isabella had. Adrian will become a billionaire, and I'll be the woman standing beside him when it happens. Isabella can have that cold, heartless Nathaniel. Let her spend the rest of her life begging for her husband's attention!

I lowered my head to hide my smile.

So that was her plan.

She wanted to steal my future.

Unfortunately for Vanessa, she had misunderstood one very important thing.

Adrian Cole had never been a financial genius.

When we married, he was drowning in debt. His investment firm had three employees, two unreliable clients and an office so small that the receptionist's desk practically touched the conference table.

I was the one who discovered the opportunity in renewable energy when everyone else was chasing technology stocks.

I was the one who convinced him to acquire struggling logistics companies before the government announced its infrastructure expansion programme.

When the market crashed, I liquidated our riskiest holdings weeks before the collapse.

And when Cole Global finally went public, I was the one who structured the transactions that made Adrian a billionaire.

He merely signed the documents.

Vanessa knew none of this.

All she remembered was the glamorous life I appeared to enjoy.

Well, she was welcome to Adrian.

I had already paid for his success with my life.

“Isabella, say something!” Vanessa demanded.

I looked up slowly. “Are you certain, Vanessa? You always said you wanted a husband who could give you everything.”

“And Adrian will!”

Father frowned. “How can you be so sure?”

Vanessa hesitated. “I mean, he's ambitious. He's hardworking. I believe he has potential.”

More than potential, you fools! In eight years, he'll own companies across three continents. I'll have private jets, luxury estates, and enough money to make everyone who ever looked down on me regret it!

I pressed my lips together.

If only she knew.

Mother sighed. “Your sister has always had good instincts, Isabella. Perhaps we should respect her decision.”

Besides, Nathaniel is still an excellent match. Even Isabella shouldn't be able to ruin that opportunity.

Father nodded.

“Very well. But we must hear Isabella's opinion.”

He turned towards me with a reassuring smile.

“Sweetheart, you understand that marriage is an important decision. We would never force you into something you don't want.”

Just agree, girl. Vanessa has already embarrassed us enough with this nonsense.

I nearly laughed.

In my previous life, they had used those same words before insisting that Adrian was a respectable young man who deserved a chance.

When I expressed concern about his financial situation, Mother accused me of being shallow.

Father reminded me that a good wife should support her husband through difficult times.

Yet neither of them had considered asking Vanessa to make the same sacrifice.

Their love had always come with conditions.

Vanessa was the precious daughter whose happiness mattered.

I was the convenient daughter expected to accommodate everyone else's wishes.

For twenty-four years, I had accepted that arrangement.

I wouldn't make the same mistake twice.

“I don't know,” I murmured, deliberately lowering my gaze. “Adrian and I have already been introduced. I thought the arrangements were settled.”

Vanessa leaned forward.

“Introductions aren't marriages, Isabella.”

“But you said Nathaniel was the perfect husband.”

“I've changed my mind.”

“So suddenly?”

Her expression tightened.

“People are allowed to change their minds!”

Why is this little idiot making things difficult? She should be jumping for joy! Nathaniel is already rich!

I pretended to consider her words.

“I'm only worried that Adrian might not be able to provide the life you're accustomed to.”

Vanessa laughed.

“I don't need a man to be wealthy before I marry him. I want someone with ambition.”

Mother beamed. “What a mature thing to say!”

My Vanessa really is extraordinary. She's willing to look beyond money for love.

I almost choked.

Vanessa, meanwhile, looked unbearably pleased with herself.

“Besides,” she continued, “you've always preferred a quiet life. Nathaniel would suit you perfectly.”

I remembered the few occasions I had encountered Nathaniel Blackwood.

He was handsome, certainly, with dark hair, sharp features, and an expression that rarely revealed what he was thinking.

He also had a reputation for being ruthless in business.

In my previous life, I had never spoken to him for more than a few minutes.

Still, one thing was certain.

Nathaniel had never beaten his wife to death.

That alone made him a better choice than Adrian.

I drew a slow breath.

“If this is truly what Vanessa wants, then I won't stand in her way.”

Vanessa's face lit up. “Really?”

I nodded. “You're my older sister. I want you to be happy.”

I heard her thoughts immediately. Stupid girl! She's actually handing me a fortune!

Mother clasped her hands together.

“Oh, Isabella, you've always been so understanding!”

Father smiled approvingly.

“Then it's settled. Vanessa will marry Adrian Cole, and Isabella will marry Nathaniel Blackwood.”

For the first time since opening my eyes in this life, I felt something close to relief.

Adrian was no longer my problem.

And this time, I had no intention of spending sleepless nights building another man's fortune.

I still remembered every major market movement, every profitable acquisition, and every investment opportunity that had shaped the next decade.

With that knowledge, I could build something entirely my own.

A company no husband could claim.

A fortune no family member could control.

Most importantly, a life nobody could take away from me.

“Father,” Vanessa interrupted excitedly, “there's no reason to delay the arrangements.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean we should finalize both marriages today!”

Mother blinked.

“Today?”

“Yes! Call the Coles and the Blackwoods. We can sign the marriage agreements this evening.”

The sooner Adrian belongs to me, the better. I won't give Isabella any opportunity to change her mind.

I watched my sister with amusement.

She was so eager to claim the man who had murdered me.

“What's the hurry, Vanessa?” I asked sweetly.

She smiled.

“When you find the right man, Isabella, you shouldn't waste time.”

I returned her smile.

“Then I hope Adrian gives you everything you're dreaming of.”

Oh, he will. And you'll regret losing him for the rest of your life.

I looked at Vanessa, who was practically glowing with excitement, and wondered how long that confidence would last.

She thought she had stolen my greatest blessing, and I had no intention of correcting her.

After all, Vanessa was about to marry the man who would become the richest man in the country.

There was just one problem.

The woman who had made him rich would no longer be his wife.