My husband drugged me and sent me to his older brother’s bed.

He was sterile, and to secure his place in the Salman family's inheritance game, he drugged both me and Caleb, hoping I'd get pregnant fast and present the baby as his.

It worked. With that child in my belly, he got what he wanted: shares in the Salman Group. Then everything changed. He locked me in the basement, tormenting me every single day.

It wasn't until his mistress attacked me with sulfuric acid that I discovered the child was actually Caleb's. Eric saw both me and the child as a disgrace.

In the end, I set the basement on fire and dragged them to hell with me.

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself reborn on the day Eric first sent me to Caleb's bed.

***

"Caleb, Amy cooked this stew herself. Give it a try!"

At the dining table, Eric nudged a bowl of hearty stew toward Caleb, who had just returned from overseas, his expression eager.

I quickly glanced up at Caleb, seated opposite me.

Dressed in a black business suit, Caleb's chiseled features appeared even more striking under the glow of the living room's crystal chandelier.

He pressed his lips together, his dark eyes intense.

In an instant, I understood that I was reborn.

"Caleb, eat up. Don't let Amy's efforts go unappreciated," Eric's insistent voice echoed in my mind.

Seeing his enthusiastic expression, an inexplicable wave of nausea washed over me.

The stew was evidently meant for him, yet he was offering it to his brother as if it were a prized gift.

In my previous life, I had mistaken it for brotherly love, but now I recognized the manipulation behind it.

"Is that so?

"If Amy made it herself, I can't let it go to waste!"

Caleb gave me a meaningful look, picked up a spoon, and prepared to take a sip.

I remembered Caleb rushing into the blazing fire in my previous life.

He clutched me tightly, trying to rescue me. "Amy, hang on! I'm here to save you!"

Unfortunately, the flames were too intense. Nobody could get out alive.

In my last moments, Caleb held me close, nuzzling my face as he softly confessed, "Amy, I love you!"

So in this life, instead of tugging at Eric's sleeve like I used to, I gently said, "If Caleb likes it, there's more in the pot."

Upon hearing this, both Eric and Caleb looked at me.

Eric's expression briefly shifted to one of surprise, but he kept silent, pressing his lips together.

At night, after I had taken a shower and walked past the study, I noticed a thin strip of milky white light escaping through the crack in the door.

Inside, Kelly Lomonie, Eric's childhood friend, was perched on his desk, pulling at his tie and toying with it.

"Eric, are you really going to let your brother be with Amy?" she asked.

"I remember how determined you were when you pursued her. How can you give her up so easily?"

In response, Eric pinched Kelly's waist, leaned in, and kissed her bright red lips.

"You can't topple a king without getting your hands dirty.

"I've always felt overshadowed by my older brother. If I don't have a child before he does and give grandpa a great-grandchild, he'll continue to overlook me," he said.

"And honestly, I've been with Amy before. She's nothing extraordinary.

"You're the fiery, uninhibited one!"

With those words, he let out a crude laugh, and they wrapped their arms around each other, kissing fervently.

My fists clenched in fury, but I knew challenging him now would be as futile as an egg hitting a rock.

The Salman family held a high-ranking position among New York's aristocracy, whereas I was merely a financially struggling college junior.

Eric could overpower me with the ease of squashing an ant.

My previous experiences confirmed this; he had imprisoned me, and though I attempted to escape numerous times and even sought help from the police, each effort resulted in me being forcefully returned.

I leaned against the wall, quietly making my way back to the bedroom.

Eric knew I was in the shower when he messed around with Kelly in the study, proving he never saw me as his girlfriend.

The searing pain from the fire in my past life coursed through my body once more, and a wave of hatred filled my heart.

Once I dried my hair, I lay on my side on the bed, gripping the quilt firmly, fierce determination shining in my eyes.

After some time, the sound of shuffling footsteps echoed in the hallway.

"Hey, Caleb, you're headed in the wrong direction! It's over here!"

Eric helped Caleb and opened the door to my bedroom.

Noticing me curled up in bed under the covers and the empty glass of milk on the nightstand, a look of satisfaction appeared in Eric's eyes.

"Caleb, this is your room. Get some rest now!"

The mattress beside me sagged slightly, and the crisp scent of bitter orange filled the air as Eric quietly left, closing the door gently behind him.

Suddenly, Caleb sat up abruptly, his eyes locked on the ceiling with an intense focus.

Hadn't he just devoured that entire bowl of stew? How was he unaffected?

Pondering this, I pretended to wake up, sitting up and rubbing my sleepy eyes.

"Eric, why did you come in so late?"

Caleb turned to face me. The moonlight streaming through the window revealed the expression in his eyes.

They were cold, hard, and layered with complexity.

I quickly moved closer and wrapped my arms around him tightly. "Eric, I was terrified without you! I just had a nightmare!"

He tensed in my arms but didn't pull away.

I carefully observed his face to ensure he was truly okay.

So, he agreed to go along with Eric's act because he'd been in love with me for a long time?

Otherwise, why would he have chosen to die with me in our previous life?

True or not, I needed to embrace his affection to carve a path to survival.

With that in mind, I leaned in to kiss the corner of his mouth. "Eric, I want..."

Caleb's eyes lit up. He grabbed my chin gently, making me look into his eyes, as he spoke softly, "What did you call me?"

I opened my eyes wide, pretending to be puzzled. "Er... Eric."

Caleb wasn't pleased. "Call me darling!"

I was confused and felt a wave of embarrassment.

Caleb leaned closer and lightly bit my lips, his voice soothing.

"Be good, call me darling, and I'll give you what you desire."

My cheeks turned red as I softly murmured, "Darling..."

A sudden spark ignited the flame of desire.

Caleb's kisses were desperate as he pressed his lips to mine, his fingers pinching my waist before gently pushing me onto the bed.

His kisses were intense and fervent, and his hands quickly undid the buttons of my pajamas, trailing along my soft waist as they moved upward.

Caleb had just returned from his travels abroad, leaving early and coming home late every day.

We had only crossed paths about three times.

I couldn't understand why he had been fond of me in my previous life. But given that he drank the stew without any issues, it seemed the story was unfolding quite differently this time around.

Could it be that, like me, he had also experienced rebirth?

As this thought crossed my mind, Caleb reached his limit.

The veins on his forehead bulged with the effort to stay in control. His eyes were bloodshot, but he managed a moment of lucidity.

Through clenched teeth, he said to me, "Amy, actually, I am..."

In that moment, I was convinced he was truly reborn.

This would make my revenge all the more straightforward.

Before he could react, I wrapped my arms around his neck and boldly kissed him.

The last flicker of resistance in Caleb's eyes faded away, and he responded with intense, commanding kisses.

Over and over again...

The final time took place against the bathroom wall.

He gripped my hips as I encircled his waist with my legs.

He teased me, drawing it out.

Growing impatient, I gently bit his prominent throat.

"Come on..."

Caleb chuckled softly, his big hand gently caressing the back of my head. "Call me again!" he insisted.

"Eric..." I began.

"Wrong!" he interrupted, thrusting into me with force.

"Ah..." I recoiled, my body quivering slightly.

"Call me darling!"

Caleb whispered, nibbling on my earlobe, his voice hoarse and captivating as he urged me.

I bit my hand and whimpered softly. "Darling... Darling... Darling..."

I called out three times, and Caleb became utterly frenzied, as if he'd been injected with adrenaline.

He tossed me around like a fish out of water, leaving me gasping, barely able to keep my mouth open.

When I came to, it was still dark outside, and Caleb was no longer beside me.

I slipped into my pajamas and quietly crept out.

Sure enough, the study was lit.

I pressed myself against the wall and peeked through the door crack.

Caleb reclined lazily on the couch in the lounge while Eric stood before him, his face twisted with anger.

"Caleb! How could you walk into the wrong room? Do you realize that Amy is the woman I love most?"

Caleb casually crossed his legs, lit a cigarette, and tilted his head at him.

"Can't say I knew that," he replied.

"Weren't you just coming out of Kelly's bed in the first-floor guest room?"

Eric cried out, "That was... Kelly seduced me!"

Caleb smirked and said, "Mistakes happen. So, what do you want to do now?"

Eric observed Caleb's face and adjusted his approach.

"She's just a woman, after all. It doesn't really matter to me. If you like her, I can let you enjoy her company for a while.

"But you know, Caleb, I've been managing the Hawaii project. When you returned, Grandpa handed it over to you. I still want to take it back!"

Caleb grinned, as if he had anticipated these terms.

"Alright. I'll speak to Grandpa tomorrow and let him know you can continue managing the project.

"Oh, and you'll be fully responsible for all the profits and losses."

Eric agreed without hesitation, thrilled by the arrangement.

As he got up to leave, I quickly slipped back into my room, lay down, and shut my eyes, pretending to be asleep.

When I awoke, it was already midday.

Wearing a spaghetti-strap nightgown, I headed downstairs and immediately noticed Eric sitting at the dining table.

I stopped at the corner, my eyes fixed on the back of his head.

Sensing my gaze, Eric turned toward me with a displeased frown and asked, "Why did you sleep so late?"

I gathered myself, walked down gracefully, and took a seat beside him, casting a playful glance in his direction.

"It's your fault! You were so passionate last night. I just couldn't keep up!"

Eric's breath caught in his throat as the steak knife in his hand screeched across the plate.

I put on an innocent face and asked, "What's the matter?"

His gaze quickly landed on the red marks on my collarbone and chest.

I pretended to blush shyly but couldn't resist adding with fake satisfaction, "Honey, you were incredible last night. I've never felt so fulfilled!"

Caleb's breathing became heavier, his hand forming a tight fist as he spoke in a voice as cold as ice, "Never... before?"

I covered my mouth with mock regret, then gave him a playful wink.

"Did I say something wrong? Oh no, Honey, you have always been incredible!"

Eric froze, his face immediately turning as dark as soot from a cauldron.

I pretended not to notice, looking at him with admiration. "But you were incredible last night!"

Eric gazed at me blankly, as if he'd forgotten how to think.

I stood up eagerly, wrapping my arms around his neck from behind and leaning in close to his ear, my voice filled with shyness.

"You really have no self-control.

"I mean, the bathroom was one thing, but doing it on the windowsill? What if someone saw us? So embarrassing!"

Eric clenched his teeth so tightly that his jaw muscles strained.

After a pause, he seized my hand and pushed me back into my seat.

"Eat your food!"

I dutifully picked up my knife and fork.

However, after taking a few deep breaths, he slammed his utensils onto the table, pulled his chair back with a loud scrape, and stood up.

"I need to take care of something. I'm leaving."

I nodded in agreement. "Sure. Don't forget to bring me a strawberry cupcake when you come back!"

Eric's hand formed a tight fist at his side, and he replied gruffly, "Got it."

Since it was summer vacation, I didn't have to go to school.

I brought my laptop into the glass conservatory to handle some things and do a little shopping online. By the time I shut the laptop, evening was approaching.

The sky outside was painted with the golden hues of sunset, while inside, a variety of flowers were in full bloom.

I had to admit, the wealthy certainly know how to enjoy life.

Stretching my arms, I sighed with genuine appreciation.

At that moment, a tall figure approached, leaned down, and took the frameless glasses off my nose.

I looked at him in surprise, momentarily unsure if he was Caleb or Eric.

The brothers looked remarkably similar.

However, after last night's bizarre events, I had begun to notice their subtle differences.

Caleb had a tiny red teardrop-shaped mole at the outer corner of his eye, barely noticeable unless you looked closely.

Caleb also had a scar on his chest, resembling an old injury.

"Want some?"

Caleb waved the cupcake in his hand, offering it to me.

I snapped back to reality, quickly embraced his arm, and gave him a peck on the cheek, saying, "Thank you, Eric!"

As I said this, I peeled the wrapper off the cupcake, scooped some strawberry jam with my finger, and brought it to Caleb's lips.

"Give it a try, it's delicious!"

Caleb's eyes glimmered, his throat moved as he swallowed, and he opened his mouth, enveloping my entire fingertip with his lips.

"What are you two doing?"

A furious voice suddenly erupted from the conservatory entrance.

Eric had returned!