Chapter 4

Rita gently caressed the back of my hand and softened her tone. The mention of her trying to get pregnant made the situation even more ironic for me. She always used this as a trump card to make me succumb to her wants.

Every time the weekend finally arrived, and I looked forward to taking a good rest, Rita called me to the office to take care of an "emergency."

The so‑called emergency always turned out to be a mess Hudson left behind. Rita claimed it was for the future of our children. She said Hudson was young, capable, and full of ambition, and I should learn from him by taking the burden of the difficult parts of his job.

Even when I worked to the point of exhaustion, she only said that everything was worth it because I was being a good example for our future child. I was like a fireman on standby, in charge of putting out the fire for Hudson whenever she needed it.

Back then, I helped her clean up Hudson's mess willingly as I imagined a wonderful future with her. I believed we would have a child and form a proper family. Since being reborn from my past life, I started to understand something.

Rita always saw me as a tool she could use whenever she wanted and abandon at any time. Children were only a way of keeping me in line, and she never planned to give me any.

At this thought, I pulled my hand away from hers and replied coldly, "It is fine. I do not need this opportunity."

Rita was taken aback, and a flash of anger appeared in her eye. She took a document from her bag and gave it to me. I thought she was finally giving me the divorce papers and wanted me to leave this marriage with nothing to my name.

I was mentally prepared for this, and I did not expect Rita to give me an equity transfer agreement. "I have discussed it with the board of directors. If you are willing to return, we will transfer all of the company's shares to you. Would you feel better about coming back to the company now?"

Rita looked at me deeply as she held my hand, her voice sweet as honey.

I went into a momentary daze when I saw her looking at me like that. It suddenly felt like all the pain, betrayal, and despair I experienced in my past life was nothing but a bad dream. When I caught the scent of a cigarette on her, it cleared my head right away.

Rita never smoked, and she hated the smell of cigarettes. I knew that scent well. It was the brand of cigarettes Hudson always smoked. The scent on her was still strong, which meant she must have plotted this with Hudson for a long time before she talked to me.

What a great actress Rita was.

This was exactly how she tricked me into signing the equity transfer agreement in my last life. She cajoled me into it by manipulating my feelings.

Poor me had been stupid enough to believe she finally opened her heart to me. I was so touched that I held her in my arms then and sobbed hysterically, swearing that I would expand the company and give her a brighter future.

It felt like such a joke now that I thought about it.

I did not expose her when she gave me the equity transfer agreement. I took it from her with a knowing smile.

"All right. I will sign it," I said so calmly that it was impossible to guess my real emotions. I picked up the pen and signed my name on the paper.

After I signed it, Rita hugged me right away. Her right hand clenched the agreement as if she feared it would vanish from her grip.

"You're the best, Hubby! Our future son will definitely grow up to be just like you!"