All Chapters of Swapping the Targeted Diamond Ring: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

"Hmph. Useless, lazy, and still no baby after all these years. But taking million-dollar gifts? That you're good at," my mother-in-law, Victoria Grant, said this with her lips puckered as if she'd caught a foul smell. Lucas Reed—my husband—had just slid a five-carat diamond ring onto my finger when she cut in. A strange chill ran through me. My hand, whole and unbroken, rested in front of me as if nothing had ever happened. That was the moment I knew I was back. In my last life, Lucas spent an outrageous amount on having that ring custom-made by a famous designer. And on the very day he gave it to me—this exact day—Victoria stood by, hurling the same tired insults. She called me a "wannabe trophy wife," a pretty decoration who burned through her son's money and couldn't give him a child. Back then, I kept calmly explaining that Lucas and I were planning to start a family—we were just swamped with work. Honestly, a million-dollar New Year's gift wasn't even unusual for him.

Not long after, I rechecked Sophie's social media. The close-up photo of the ring had vanished. 'Good. Deleting it only means it rattled her,' I thought. I reloaded the mall membership card and handed it to Victoria. "Mom," I spoke sweetly, "there's a new drop from that luxury brand. It matches your ring perfectly. I heard Mrs. Graham and Mrs. Ewing already booked appointments." Those two were her eternal rivals—always battling over handbags, diamonds, and designer outfits. They'd flaunted new pieces just last week, and Victoria had been seething ever since. Now, her eyes lit up with a chance to outshine them. "Well, at least you're good for something," she responded. "You were never meant for finer things anyway. Better it ends up with me." I reminded her, "It's a limited release. It could sell out by tomorrow." The color drained from her face. I checked the time. Perfect. "If you go now, you'll beat them to it." I offered her the card with an easy smile. "There's

Sophie broke down completely as panic flooded her face. "I'm sorry, Lucas. Please… I didn't know. It's my fault. I'll take the blame. Just forgive me."She clutched her stomach. "I'm carrying your child. Don't you want our baby to have a good life?"Her pregnancy was the only shield she had left. Lucas' fury, however, never softened.The ambulance arrived.Lucas scooped Victoria into his arms and climbed inside without glancing at Sophie.The doors slammed shut, leaving Sophie alone in the street.Her wedding dress—previously pristine—was now torn, covered in dirt, and trailing behind her as she hurried after the ambulance, calling out for him to wait.No one stopped.No one helped.Whispers rippled through the crowd. Her bridesmaids had already disappeared—fearful of being dragged down with her. And soon, even the spectators lost interest.I slipped into the flow of people heading out.…When I got home, Lucas called.His voice was frozen solid. He said his mother had bee

After I finished speaking, Victoria went quiet. Still, her eyes told me everything—the idea was already sinking in, so I pressed once more. "Mom, Sophie openly disrespects you. If anyone needs a plan here, it's you. You should raise the baby yourself. Otherwise, what if the child grows up on her side instead of yours?" That did it. Victoria's eyes lit up. She looked at me like I'd just handed her the winning lottery ticket. "Avery, you really do think for me. Don't worry, I'll never let that woman step into our home again. Once the baby's born, I'll register the child under your name. "You're Lucas' legal wife. Sophie is nobody—a mere mistress trying to sneak into the Reed family." Anger fueled her. With every word, she seemed more alive. I smiled gently and helped her build out a few more proposals until she was practically designing her own financial lockdown strategy for Lucas.… Two hours later, I left the hospital in high spirits and returned to the office. The