Chapter 1

For three years of marriage to Dylan Stone, he never touched me on the grounds of being allergic to women.

On our third anniversary, he accidentally consumed a drugged drink. When I volunteered to be his remedy, he slammed the door in my face.

Until midnight, I stumbled upon him bursting into his sister-in-law's room. The passion I had never seen before cut deep into my eyes.

"Vanessa, I want... you. Why the hell didn't you choose me back then?"

"My brother's gone now. Let me take care of you, please?"

Standing outside the door, I trembled with rage. I went crazy and made a big deal out of this, causing his sister-in-law's suicide that very night.

Later, Dylan hated me so much that he orchestrated my family's bankruptcy, drove my parents' deaths, and ultimately sent me to a private club where I was humiliated until dead.

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself at the beginning of this nightmare...

This time, I stopped that drugged glass of wine before it handed to Dylan.

---

"Sir, your drink is here."

"Dylan, why are you still so fond of this Whiskey Sunrise? Is it really that good?"

Whiskey Sunrise...

The noise around me was like a bad DJ set—blaring and grating, making my head throb. Someone had opened a window, letting in a cold breeze.

The cold air was like a jolt of electricity, and suddenly it hit me—

I was rebirth.

Back to the day of our third anniversary.

Tonight was when Dylan would drink that drugged glass of wine.

It's exactly that drink which led to my family's destruction and my death with eyes wide open, unable to find peace.

Dylan and I were betrothed since birth. From the moment I was born, I was taught that one day I would marry into the Stone family.

So I had no choice but love Dylan.

After marriage, Dylan and I were like two polite strangers under the same roof with none of any husband-and-wife intimacy.

Friends advised me to be proactive, saying that once married, I needed to capture both his heart and body.

So I tried everything to please him, to seduce him.

Looking back now, I was like a cheap hooker.

Once, I even pretended to fall in the bathroom to lure him in. But facing my naked body, he didn't even glance at me. He just grabbed a bathrobe nearby and covered me.

Then he said, cold as ice, "Don't ever do that again. It's really trashy."

The word "trashy" branded me like a hot iron, leaving me unable to get rid of it anyway.

After that incident, he showed me a medical report stating he was allergic to women. I believed it was true and spent countless sleepless nights worrying about his condition.

I personally sought out renowned doctors, both domestic and international. And what do I get? Just a cold shoulder and a flat-out "Don't bother".

It wasn't until that that accidental drug incident that revealed his passionate side.

That's when I learned he wasn't allergic to women—he just didn't love me.

He was in love with Vanessa, his late elder brother's wife.

From a shadowy corner, Dylan was being flattered by a group of people. Following his gaze, I spotted Vanessa alone across the room, sipping wine.

Watching the server carrying the drink toward Dylan, I rushed forward and knocked over the glass.

The glass shattered, wine spilling everywhere.

Dylan's clothes—his shirt and pants—were stained with wine.

He frowned as he stood up, his eyes filled with displeasure as he looked at me:

"Claire Sullivan, what are you doing?!"

I stared at the mess on the floor, my heart skipping a beat.

Whiskey Sunrise was Dylan's favorite drink—whiskey base, dry white champagne, and orange. In his words, it had a mellow taste with a lingering finish.

Before, I never understood why he loved this unremarkable cocktail so much.

Later I discovered it wasn't the drink he loved, but that Vanessa was the one who created it.

"You can't drink this."

Countless explanations came to mind, but all I said was this one sentence.

Dylan's friends exchanged glances, their eyes darting between Vanessa and me.

With a cold laugh. Only then did I realize that everyone knew about Dylan's feelings for Vanessa, except me, his wife.

Endless whispers echoed in my heart, making my chest ache.

"I wasn't planning to drink it anyway."

At Dylan's words, everyone fell silent.

Behind me came a crash—Vanessa's glass had also shattered on the floor.

I noticed then that the way Dylan looked at me had changed—no longer indifference, but hatred.

Before the previous drugging incident, Dylan and I had always maintained a calm, peaceful relationship. He shouldn't be looking at me with such eyes.

"Claire, don't think I don't know you drugged this drink."

Dylan leaned close to my ear, speaking through clenched teeth.

That's when I realized I wasn't the only one who had come back—Dylan had too.

Chapter 2

I instinctively turned to look at him, and when our eyes met, I saw his hatred for me.

In my previous life, he always believed I had drugged the drink, deliberately setting him up to expose his affair with Vanessa. He hated that I had made it public knowledge.

In a private club room, he watched as I was tortured and abused to death.

Even when I knelt before him, crying and begging, saying I hadn't drugged the drink, he didn't stop.

"Claire Sullivan, you tainted Vanessa's reputation, so I'll make sure you die covered in shame. I hope even in the six feet under, everyone will despise you."

His eyes were like icy swords, each glance felt like slow torture.

As our gazes overlapped endlessly, I snapped back to reality, trembling with fear.

Just then, Vanessa's voice came from behind me.

"Claire, I mixed this drink for Dylan. It was just to thank him for helping my brother with his school issues, nothing more."

Vanessa rushed over with an apologetic face, holding my hand affectionately as she explained.

But every glance she cast at Dylan was filled with tender affection.

In my previous life, when I married into the Stone family, Dylan's older brother had already passed away.

Dylan repeatedly asked me to take special care of Vanessa. I took his words to heart and was wholeheartedly good to her.

I took her out for fun, introduced her to connections, helped expand her business, and whenever I bought something for myself, I always got one for her too.

I even confided in her about Dylan's refusal to touch me.

Back then, she comforted me, gave me advice. And most of my seduction techniques came from her, which made Dylan think I was inherently trashy.

Now I realize how stupid I was in my previous life. I completely missed all those emotions flowing between them.

"It's okay, I don't mind."

I pretended nothing had happened and left the venue.

Behind me, I could hear Dylan's friends teasing, saying I had always been jealous since childhood and low-class shit.

Before, I would have rushed back to argue with them.

But in this new life, I would never choose to do that again, just wanted to leave.

At the party, Dylan introduced Vanessa to many people, as if they were the couple.

I acted like nothing was wrong and waited idly for the party to end.

Until I passed that room on the first floor again, where soft moans escaped from the half-closed door.

Through the crack, I once again saw Dylan's eyes filled with passion.

In this life, they were moving faster than in the previous one.

Vanessa was already half-undressed, with clothes scattered across the small room.

"Vanessa... I'm so over losing you. Let's be a thing, yeah?"

Amid Vanessa's rapid breathing came soft whimpers.

Just then, Dylan suddenly looked up, and also through the door crack, his eyes met mine.

His vicious gaze contained a warning, like a fierce tiger ready to tear me apart.

I didn't burst in crying and shouting even alerted all the elders like in my previous life.

I just expressionlessly pulled the door closed, then stopped a nearby server:

"This room is a prayer room. I've locked it, so don't go in unless necessary."

My mind involuntarily recalled the tragic fate of myself and my family. Closing this door seemed to give us a chance at survival.

Having survived my previous fate, I went to the small garden for fresh air. Turning back to look at the scene inside with people toasting and drinking, my heart grew colder.

Although it was our third anniversary celebration, it made no difference whether I was there or not. Everyone, with Dylan's implicit permission, ignored me.

In my previous life, I had been so focused on how to seduce Dylan that I hadn't noticed any of this.

Come back to life, my awareness gradually became clearer, and all the details from my previous life now formed a complete picture.

I laughed bitterly, then heard a teasing voice behind me:

"Your husband's been stolen, and you're still laughing?"

Chapter 3

I turned around and saw that stunningly handsome face in the darkness, lips curled in a faint smile, arms crossed as he looked at me.

It was Jason Reid, my lifelong rival.

I don't know if it was the heavy night or if the earlier wine had gone to my head.

I moved closer and grabbed Jason's collar, whispering in his ear:

"Hey, Jason, what if I divorce him and we make this official? You and me—what do you say?"

A strong, steady heartbeat fell on my ears.

I don't even remember how I got back to my room. I only know that when I woke up, my head was pounding like a drum.

Looking at the divorce agreement Jason had sent to my phone, I was shocked by what I'd done last night.

"No cap!"

These brief words reminded me of everything about Jason.

The Reid family was the most prominent family in New York City. If I left the Stone family, Jason would be my only choice.

By the time I got dressed and went downstairs, Dylan and Vanessa were already at the breakfast table.

Dylan gave me a cold look and casually mocked:

"On our third anniversary, we couldn't even find you when seeing guests off."

"Claire, if you don't want to be a Stone daughter-in-law anymore, just say it. Plenty of women would love to take your place."

Dylan's voice was neither loud nor soft, but his sarcasm was obvious.

In my previous life, I loved Dylan. I was so brainwashed by my upbringing since childhood that I couldn't even like anyone other than him.

But now, such a painful death had completely killed my love for this man I had loved for over twenty years.

"Then I won't be one anymore. Let someone who wants it take the position."

I glanced lightly at Vanessa.

Today she wore a low-cut sweater, its loose neckline revealing hickeys that even concealer couldn't hide. Anyone with a brain knew she was doing it deliberately.

"I'll sign the divorce agreement and give it to you."

Dylan's hand holding the fork paused. Looking up at me, his deep eyes filled with disbelief.

After all, I had followed him like a shadow since childhood. Everyone knew I loved him desperately and would marry no one else.

Dylan gave me a death stare, then got up and left.

I carried my coffee to the small garden for breakfast.

Then Vanessa followed me. "Are you really divorcing Dylan? Claire, did you see what happened last night? I can explain. Dylan and I aren't what you think..."

Vanessa barely spoke a few sentences before her eyes reddened.

I watched her pretend to be pitiful as always and felt extremely impatient. I violently shook off Vanessa's hand.

To my surprise, Vanessa screamed and threw herself against a nearby sculpture.

"Claire Sullivan!"

Coincidentally, Dylan was coming downstairs, ready to leave.

He rushed over to hold Vanessa, pointing at me in rage: "I knew your kindness to Vanessa was all an act for me! Behind my back, you only bully her! I tell you, this time I won't allow you to hurt her even a little bit!"

Vanessa in his arms was sobbing, gasping for breath, calling Dylan's name.

Dylan grabbed my arm and forced me to apologize to Vanessa:

"Apologize! Otherwise, I'll throw you to the dogs on the back mountain today!"

The back mountain was where Dylan's grandfather kept several Tibetan mastiffs, raised on raw meat and extremely ferocious.

"I'm sorry."

I just wanted to leave peacefully, without causing any more trouble. So without any defense, I respectfully bowed to Vanessa and apologized.

With no room to make a scene, Dylan could only carry Vanessa into the house, shouting for someone to call a doctor.

A minor injury, causing such a commotion.

I listened to the noise outside and calmly packed my things. Halfway through, there was a knock at the door.

"It's not your fault. Dylan just cares too much about me. I've already talked to him..."

Looking at Vanessa's pretense, I lost patience.

I took the divorce agreement from the table and got straight to the point:

"Vanessa, I don't know if you like Dylan or not. But Dylan likes you. Go to his study and see for yourself."

"Here's the divorce agreement with my signature. Find a way to get him to sign it. It's good for both of us."