Jennifer woke up reborn at twenty-five.

She remembered marrying Alexander Smith, CEO of California, in her past life, then living with her mother in his estate.

Relatives envied her, calling her incredibly lucky to land Alexander.

Only she knew the suffering that followed.

At forty-five in her previous life, depressed and abandoned by Alexander, she'd locked herself in the kitchen and twisted the gas valve.

All because of Alexander's first love.

Jennifer frowned. She knew that woman would come today—so she'd prepared divorce papers in advance.

This coffee house was Alexander's favorite haunt. She'd never forget it.

Here, he'd secretly met his mistress for years.

She'd discovered the truth by following him, only to be slapped when she tried to confront him.

His words still echoed:

"Our affairs are none of your concern."

That day, she'd sobbed in a street corner for hours.

She'd been twenty-five then too.

Now, clarity struck Jennifer.

All those years wasted loving the wrong man.

Alexander never once truly looked at her until her death.

This time, she'd live for herself.

She pressed her hand against the coffee house door handle, brow furrowed.

Turned it.

The scent of tea washed over her as she spotted Nicole Harris in the corner.

Nicole sat across from her, expression cold. "Alexander loves me. Give up and stop clinging to him."

Jennifer slid the divorce papers forward. "Gladly. Have him sign these.

Once the cooling-off period ends, I'll vanish."

Nicole's eyes widened, startled by her swift surrender.

So swift she'd abandon the title of Mrs. Smith.

Jennifer met her gaze without flinching, voice steady. "Since he's always wanted you, I'll step aside.

Just get Alexander's signature. Whatever happens between you afterward is none of my business."

She took a sip of water.

No more playing the fool—the deceived Mrs. Smith kept in the dark forever.

Never again.

Nicole's fingers tightened around her cup, tracing its rim as she glared. "Jennifer, what's your game?"

"No games. Just tired."

Jennifer held her stare—no fear, nothing but clarity.

After speaking, she stood up and walked out.

The constant flow of people in the coffee house felt overwhelmingly noisy to her.

Seeing her resolute tone, Nicole felt her defenses lowering. She stood and called after Jennifer's retreating figure, "You gave Alexander to me. Once I become Mrs. Smith, don't expect me to give him back."

Jennifer didn't pause, continuing her stride out.

She'd endured enough torment from Alexander in her past life.

Nicole followed Jennifer out of the coffee house, swiping her phone screen to find Alexander's number and dialing.

The call connected unusually fast.

"Alexander, can you come pick me up now?

I'm at Islands coffee house."

Jennifer stood just a traffic light away, a bitter smile touching her lips.

She remembered all too well—in her previous life, Alexander never answered her calls willingly.

Yet now, before the next red light faded, the man himself appeared at the coffee house entrance.

Jennifer turned to see him leaning against the glass window in a tailored black suit.

Tall and broad-shouldered, with a narrow waist.

He handed Nicole the cake he carried, bending close to whisper that he'd asked his chef to add extra blueberries—her favorite. Jennifer's heart clenched.

Three years of marriage, and he'd never once cared about her likes or dislikes.

Even when she'd been hospitalized in her past life, he'd brought durian—the one fruit she detested. That day, she'd forced it down while turned away, crying silently for hours.

The next moment, Alexander's velvet voice drifted over as Jennifer watched his lips brush Nicole's forehead.

"Craving anything?

I'll take you."

His tone dripped with intimate affection.

Nicole nestled closer, handing him the divorce papers Jennifer had given her—

deliberately blocking the signature line.

"Just one thing I need your help with. Could you sign this document?

I found a house in the suburbs and—"

Alexander took the pen, his eyes never leaving Nicole. Where she pointed, he signed with swift efficiency.

"Buy it if you like it."

He finished by tenderly ruffling her hair.

Jennifer's stomach churned.

Alexander, this time I won't look back.

Jennifer had just collected her thoughts when her heart was jolted again.

A man and woman stepped out of the car, fawning over Alexander as they approached.

"So you're really giving our Nicole that villa? Now our family of three can live together," Mrs. Harris said while signaling Nicole with her eyes.

Seizing the moment, Nicole pressed against his chest and gushed about how wonderful he was to her.

Jennifer stood frozen, silently witnessing Alexander's perfect harmony with her family.

In her previous life, even getting him to take in her mother had required kneeling in the rain for twenty-four hours.

The memory forced Jennifer to swallow her bitterness alone.

As she turned to leave, Alexander's voice suddenly rose. "My home is always open if you wish to come. I'll have the housekeeper prepare rooms for all three of you."

The four exchanged satisfied smiles.

So the shelter she'd begged for her mother was publicly just housing for his live-in help.

An invisible fist clenched Jennifer's heart, sour and suffocating.

Alexander's gentle smile—one she'd never seen directed at her—curved his lips.

Just as she stepped off the curb, the light turned red. A speeding car whipped past, grazing her.

She jerked back in terror.

Crossing the street away from them, memories of her past life stormed in.

They'd met through business, and she became his most capable assistant.

Through their time together, he'd grown attached and confessed his love. They married within a year, making her Mrs. Smith.

But happiness never came.

Alexander's first love Nicole had returned.

After graduation, Nicole studied abroad and they broke up.

The night Alexander hired Jennifer, drunk and drowning his sorrows, he'd vaguely said she resembled someone from his past.

He never divorced Jennifer, but shared every intimacy with Nicole.

He never looked at Jennifer properly again.

On her deathbed in that previous life, she'd called Alexander to ask if he'd ever loved her.

His icy, emotionless voice delivered the final blow like a punch to her death sentence: "Never."

As her eyes closed, her sole wish was for another chance—to never love Alexander again, to never be Mrs. Smith.

By the time Jennifer reached home, dusk had fallen but the living room light remained on.

She went upstairs to pack her essentials. Photos with Alexander, his shirts, and every letter filled with hollow affection were tossed into the courtyard and set ablaze.

Flames converged into a beam that seemed ready to ignite the night itself.

"What are you doing!"

Alexander's voice suddenly rang out behind her.

Jennifer turned around and found him standing at the doorway, holding the hand of an unfamiliar child.

Right now, he was staring at her with a furrowed brow.

Alexander immediately fetched a bucket of water and poured it on the raging fire.

But his scrutiny of Jennifer didn't lessen one bit.

"Uncle!

Why is auntie burning stuff here?"

The child beside him looked at Jennifer in surprise and asked.

Alexander's face darkened, "I just picked up Nicole this afternoon. Is that worth getting so mad?

Burning everything?"

"I'm not mad!"

Jennifer replied flatly.

"Is auntie mad at my mom?

My mom said you're my dad now, but a dad can only have one mom, so auntie's mad?"

Jennifer's heart clenched. She hadn't realized this kid was Nicole's child.

And Alexander had actually brought him home.

"This is Nicole's kid Edward. His father ran off, but I like him, so I brought him home."

Jennifer couldn't help but chuckle softly.

After all these years with Alexander, he'd never wanted a child with her. Yet today, because it was Nicole, he could bring home her child with another man and treat him as his own.

She felt like a knife had sliced her heart open, bleeding nonstop.

Alexander raised an eyebrow, bent down, lifted Edward overhead. "If uncle takes you out to play, what should you call uncle?"

Edward giggled on his shoulder, "Mom taught me to call you dad."

Numbness shot from head to toe through her heart, leaving Jennifer speechless.

That doting smile felt completely alien to her.

She studied the child for a long time, sensing an odd familiarity.

As the fire dimmed, the driver hauled in a huge pile of toys. At Alexander's gesture, he moved them all to the brightest room.

"Enough. Burn whatever you want another day. Edward lives here now, and burning stuff scares him."

Seeing Jennifer still in the yard, he shouted impatiently toward the door.

Once inside, Jennifer's mom rushed out from the kitchen, gasping for breath.

"What did you do?

Why was Alexander so furious when he got home?"

Jennifer felt utterly drained. She shook her hand and headed upstairs.

"Listen Jennifer, our whole family's counting on him now. Don't you dare cause any trouble."

Jennifer's mom grabbed her arm first, hissing through clenched teeth.

Jennifer shook off her grip and went upstairs alone.

Jennifer's mom was always materialistic. Ever since learning her daughter landed a rich son-in-law, she'd insisted on moving in.

Not only did she never stand up for Jennifer, she'd threaten suicide just to keep her swallowing insults in the Smith family.

All to fulfill her wealthy mother-in-law fantasy.

Jennifer's misery in her previous life's second half owed much to her own mother.

Lying in bed, she felt her eyes stinging.

Beside her, Alexander was already fast asleep, breathing steadily.

Jennifer tossed and turned, unable to sleep until her phone screen lit up abruptly. She slowly sat up.

Nicole had sent a paternity test confirming Edward Harris was Alexander Smith's biological father.

Jennifer felt dizzy, her face pale with shock, nearly dropping her phone.

Lying on her side with her back to Alexander, her heart felt ripped apart.

"Well?

Do you like this gift?

Technically, I'm the rightful lady of this house.

You're just occupying my place."

Jennifer's knuckles whitened around her phone. So he'd had a child with Nicole long before.

In her previous life, she'd been living under his lies.

Outside her existence lay his real family.

A boulder seemed lodged in Jennifer's chest, her breathing turning ragged.

She scrambled for her medical kit, swallowing pills hastily.

Sitting on the bed watching Alexander sleep soundly, she closed her eyes. A few soft sobs escaped before she wiped her tears away.

She sat awake all night, watching Alexander's sleeping form.

Soon enough, she'd vanish completely—just as they wanted.

Alexander would never find her again.

At the break of dawn, Jennifer got out of bed with swollen, red eyes.

Alexander's outstretched arms embraced empty air. He rubbed his eyes and looked at Jennifer.

"Still mad about yesterday?"

He moved close to her, and a ray of sunlight from the window fell on Jennifer's face.

"No."

She got up from the bed and started folding the clothes left unfolded last night.

Seeing she didn't even look up at him, Alexander got angry. He grabbed her wrist as she folded, "Jennifer."

His voice turned cold. "I didn't want to argue in front of the child yesterday. Don't act like a three-year-old who won't listen."

She twitched her lips and kept busy with her work.

Just then, Alexander's phone alarm went off.

"Daddy, please don't forget to pick Mommy up today."

Jennifer's eyelashes fluttered as she held back her tears.

"Edward took my phone yesterday. I don't know when he set it."

With that, Alexander got up to wash up.

Jennifer felt her hands go numb. She unfolded the clothes she had folded and refolded them.

Soon, Alexander stood before her, dressed.

A white shirt, black leather jacket, and a pair of faded jeans — a departure from his usual business style.

He had never dressed like that around her before.

"Do I look good like this?"

He turned and asked her.

Seeing her still bent over folding clothes, Alexander angrily threw all the clothes from the wardrobe onto the bed.

"You'd better keep pretending like this forever. Never speak again."

He slammed the door and left.

Only when the sound faded completely did Jennifer slowly raise her eyes.

Now, everything about Alexander had nothing to do with her, and she didn't want to care.

Once the divorce cooling-off period ended, there would be no ties between them.

Nicole had just arrived home and started rearranging the living room furniture to her taste.

She had bought a pink-and-white coffee table and placed it in the center of the room.

Seeing Alexander approach, she took his arm and asked, "Alexander, what do you think of this coffee table set?"

Without hesitation, Alexander gazed at her tenderly and chuckled, "Whatever you say."

Edward came clattering down the stairs. Pointing at Jennifer, he said, "Mommy, change my throw pillow too. The one Auntie bought is so ugly."

Nicole affectionately patted his head. "Mommy bought you new sheets and pillowcases too."

Jennifer stood at the corner of the stairs, her fingers tightening slightly then relaxing.

Just as she snapped back to attention, Edward came down with the throw pillow Jennifer had bought, looked at it with disgust, and threw it in the trash.

Her expression froze, a cold glint flashing in her eyes.

Jennifer's mother came from the kitchen, passed the dining room, and after respectfully greeting Nicole, she pulled Jennifer into a small room.

She locked the door behind them.

"Jennifer, what are you doing?

How can you not even keep a man?

Now you've let some other vixen get close to him and move in. Have you thought about how we're going to live?"

Jennifer leaned against the door. Now she felt more like an outsider in this house.

"Once the divorce cooling-off period is over, we'll move out."

Jennifer's mother's face fell instantly, slapping Jennifer across the cheek.

"You dare get divorced?

!

I'm not going anywhere else."

She twisted the doorknob and stormed out. Jennifer stood rooted to the spot, letting the ache in her chest consume her.

In this house, there was nothing left worth clinging to.

Jennifer stepped out of her room to find the living room dimmed, the three of them huddled on the couch playing video games.

Edward Harris curled up in Nicole Harris's arms while Nicole leaned against Alexander Smith's shoulder, their laughter echoing nonstop.

Alexander took Edward's hand, guiding his fingers over the controller before gently ruffling his hair.

They didn't even glance up as Jennifer passed by, treating her like thin air.

Alexander used to recoil from any physical contact—he'd push her away at the slightest touch.

Yet now, he let Nicole nestle comfortably against his shoulder without protest.

"I'll tidy up the coffee table," Nicole said, starting to rise.

Alexander's slender fingers pressed down on her wrist.

"Nicole dear, don't dirty your hands with chores."

Meanwhile, Edward burrowed deeper into Alexander's embrace.

"Miss Harris, your hands are too precious for this," Jennifer's mother chimed in, scurrying from the kitchen to bow and scrape before them.

Jennifer froze, watching her mother's servile display.

Her heart felt hollow, a sudden chill shuddering through her.

Her mother grabbed a rag and began wiping the table.

In her past life, Jennifer had shouldered all the Smith household burdens—laundry, cooking, even meticulously ironing Alexander's suits before every business trip.

Year after year, without complaint.

But now she realized: to Alexander, this was simply her place.

While Nicole, newly arrived, was already cherished dearly.

Jennifer swallowed her questions and retreated to pack her belongings.

She finished folding clothes before collapsing onto the bed for a nap.

'Buzz buzz buzz...'

Her phone vibrated violently.

"Jennifer, get to the Integrated Medicine Hospital now!

See what you've done!"

Jennifer's heart seized. She rushed to the hospital where Alexander stood in the corridor, suit jacket slung over his arm, tie hanging loose. Nicole knelt sobbing beside him.

Spotting Jennifer, Alexander strode forward and slapped her, fury blazing in his eyes.

"Why did you tell your mother to serve Edward seafood? He's deathly allergic!

Are you trying to kill him?!"

He loomed over her, his shadow swallowing her whole.

"I didn't!" Jennifer met his glare. "I never left my room!"

"Still lying? Your mother confessed you told her Edward loves seafood!"

Alexander lifted her chin, his rage undiminished.

Nicole sprang up and punched Jennifer's chest repeatedly.

"Is it because we moved in? You tried to murder my son while Alexander and I were out!

You vicious monster! You'll die a horrible death!"

Jennifer staggered from the blows, crashing to the floor as Nicole rained down kicks and punches.

Only when exhausted did Nicole finally drop her hands.

Jennifer paid no heed to the woman's hysterical screams, feeling as if waterlogged cotton had been stuffed down her throat.

She stood there numbly, her palms unconsciously clenching into fists.

So this was how her birth mother placed the blame squarely on her shoulders.

A bitter smile touched her lips as a thorn labeled "family bond" pierced her heart, drawing blood.

"The child is stable now."

A nurse emerged as the hospital room door swung open.

Nicole rushed inside, shoving Jennifer aside where she blocked the doorway.

"What exactly happened?"

Alexander demanded, his voice low and controlled.

Edward clutched his own throat, gasping dramatically. "I feel awful, Dad. So awful..."

Only when tears welled in her eyes did Jennifer realize she'd been crying.

How desperately she'd once longed for a child with him. She'd believed herself inadequate, never realizing he'd already built a family elsewhere with his true love.

"Jennifer's mother personally said you instructed her to prepare seafood for Edward. Stop pretending to be innocent."

Nicole tugged Alexander's arm, demanding he hold Jennifer and Edward accountable.

Alexander's eyes turned cold as he glanced toward the doorway. Immediately, Jennifer's wrist was seized.

Before she could react, a pungent assault flooded her nostrils.

A hand pried her jaws apart, forcing a jar of scorching chili water down her throat.

"No—"

Jennifer's protest choked in her raw windpipe. Blistering heat engulfed her throat, searing like liquid fire.

Her face swelled rapidly from the vicious spice.

"Mmph... no—"

Tears streamed from her stinging eyes. Her trust in Alexander, like the torturous liquid, was violently swallowed.

As her vision blurred, Jennifer watched Alexander and the other two vanish. Her knees buckled, darkness swallowing her.

...

She awoke alone in the sterile hospital room, hours or days later.

Jennifer pressed a hand to her aching chest, tears escaping despite clenched eyelids. She breathed deeply, steadying herself.

Her phone rang abruptly—an airline confirming flight details.

She endured the tedious identity verification, whispering only, "Window seat. Thanks."

The call ended as the door swung open.

Her mother entered, threadbare clothes dust-stained.

"Jennifer, don't blame me. After they left, I just wanted to peel some exotic fruit for Edward. How was I to know he's allergic? I can't afford this responsibility. You know I can't lose this job."

Jennifer stared at the ceiling, fighting fresh tears.

Her own mother. Willing to sacrifice her without hesitation to save herself.

The bond Jennifer cherished was merely a bargaining chip in this woman's eyes.

"Alexander and Nicole are taking Edward to a training camp for a few days. Let this matter drop."

Her mother placed a thermos of chicken broth on the bedside table before leaving.

The door clicked shut. Jennifer's composure shattered into wrenching sobs.

Days later, scrolling through her social media feed, Jennifer found Nicole's update.

A video showed Edward proudly telling friends, "This is my mom!"

A friend's gaze locked onto Alexander beside him. "So that's your mom? Then the guy next to her must be your dad!"

Edward flushed, burying his face without correction.

Nicole and Alexander exchanged a glance, chuckling in unison.

Jennifer's nails dug bloody crescents into her palms. Suddenly, she laughed too.

A bitter, aching laugh that stung the corners of her eyes.

Soon. She'd leave this house. Leave Alexander. Forever.