In her past life, Isabella was married to Ethan for three years—three years spent alone in an empty house. She had only been his pawn to get closer to Natalie, a role she refused to accept. Desperate to win Ethan’s affection, she tried in every way to compete with Natalie, engaging in one struggle after another. Yet each time, she suffered defeat, until she finally chose to divorce. Shortly after the divorce, she was kidnapped and met a tragic end, torn apart and left to die. Now reborn, Isabella has made a decision: she will use Ethan’s resources for her own gain. In this life, money matters more than men. No matter how Natalie provokes her, Isabella pays no attention—she neither argues nor competes. Instead, she focuses on building friendships and securing her own future. By the time Isabella has saved enough start-up capital and is ready to file for divorce, Ethan nervously wraps his arms around her waist and cries out, “Isabella, you are my wife—for the rest of your life. Don’t even think about leaving me.”

Chapter 1“We can try to get through this, or we can just end it here. Did you really think I married you out of love? I married you because you’re Natalie’s sister-in-law. The only reason I wanted you was to have an excuse to see her more often.”“So you want a divorce? Fine. Let’s go to the registry tomorrow. Whoever backs out is a coward.”“Everything I have is mine from before we got married. You’ll leave with nothing. You’ve lived in my house, eaten my food, used my money. I gave you thirty thousand a month just for you to keep the title of Mrs. Adams, nothing more.”“I gave you the best life money can buy, what else do you want? You pushed Natalie, made her fall, and because of you she lost her baby. I haven’t even made you pay for that yet. Isabella Lane, you’d better take care of yourself from now on.”“…Three years of marriage, and all I did was use you. Watching you fall so far, with no one left to care… Maybe because of our past, I’ll make sure you get a proper burial. Life is too harsh. Don’t come back in your next one… Isabella Lane, I’m sorry.”…A loud crack of thunder ripped through the night and yanked Isabella Lane out of her nightmare.She sat up fast, heart pounding, and hit the light switch. She was in her room, just like always. Everything around her was familiar.This was the guest room in Ethan’s villa, the same one she’d been living in since the day they got married. For three years, they’d been husband and wife in name only, always sleeping in separate rooms.Ethan was the heir to the Adams family, the richest, most powerful family in Cabinda. Their fortune was measured in the billions. He was young, good-looking, and insanely wealthy. He’d taken over the massive Adams Group at twenty-eight, becoming the youngest CEO in the city.On paper, Isabella should have been the luckiest woman alive. She’d married the perfect man. But she wasn’t happy at all.She was nothing but a pawn in his game, a way for him to get close to her sister-in-law, Natalie Gates.Her real dad died when she was little. Her mom remarried into the Lane family, and Isabella went from being Isabella George to Isabella Lane. Her mother, Cynthia, was always careful, always trying to please her new husband, Jordan Lane.Growing up, the person Isabella was most afraid of was her stepbrother, Jordan. He looked gentle and polite on the outside, but deep down he was cold and ruthless. Jordan, Ethan, and Natalie had all grown up together. They were close, but also rivals.Both men loved Natalie. She chose Jordan, marrying into the Lane family, but she still kept a relationship with Ethan that went way past friendship.Ethan wanted to keep Jordan from getting suspicious and needed a way to go in and out of the Lane family home to see Natalie. So he courted Isabella, made her think he cared, and convinced her to marry him in just three months. Back then, she really believed he loved her. He treated her well, bought her whatever she wanted, and gave her a huge allowance every month.But on their wedding night, after everyone else had left, Ethan told her the truth.“Isabella Lane, let me be clear. You’re just a pawn. I’ve never loved you. The only person I’ll ever love is Natalie. Marrying you was just a way to make Jordan let his guard down.”“I’m using you, but I’ve also given you the title of Mrs. Adams and the best life you could ask for. When we’re in public, I’ll act like your loving husband.”“But know your place. You’re just a pawn. Don’t get any ideas. I will never touch you.”“And make sure you visit your mom often. Every time you go, I’ll come pick you up.”Those words shattered everything for Isabella. She couldn’t believe Ethan had only ever used her, that he’d never cared. He only loved Natalie.She couldn’t accept it. She really had fallen for him, and that made her desperate. She started acting out, constantly picking fights with Natalie, trying to make Jordan think there was something going on between his wife and Ethan.Natalie Gates always wanted more. She married Jordan Lane but couldn’t stand seeing Ethan with anyone else. She kept him hanging on, always finding ways to stir up trouble for Isabella and challenge her behind the scenes.There was never any real friendship between the two women. If anything, things only got worse until they became full-blown enemies.That day on the stairs, Isabella didn’t push Natalie. Natalie slipped on her own, but immediately blamed Isabella, claiming she’d been attacked.Jordan and Ethan both took Natalie’s side, no questions asked. Jordan didn’t even let Isabella speak before he hit her and threw her out of the Lane Estate. He made it clear that anyone who dared befriend her would be his enemy too.Just like that, Isabella lost everything in Cabinda. Her only lifeline was Ethan. Without him, she was done for.Ethan was furious too. He scolded her, froze her bank accounts, and kept her locked away in his private villa. She wasn’t allowed to leave, wasn’t allowed to spend a dime.She tried everything. She cried, begged, tried to explain, but none of it mattered. Ethan wouldn’t listen. Eventually, she just gave up. When he finally said, “If you can live with this, fine. If you can’t, we’ll get a divorce,” she agreed.After the divorce, Isabella was left with absolutely nothing. No money. No home. Nowhere to go except to her best friend.But on her way there, someone kidnapped her. She couldn’t see their faces. She had no idea who they were. After everything she’d been through, they killed her and dumped her body in the wild. By the time anyone found her, her body was already decomposing.The person who came to identify her wasn’t her mother. It was Ethan, the man who’d only ever used her as a pawn.Isabella pressed a hand to her chest, her skin cold and clammy. This wasn’t just a nightmare. It had actually happened. It was all real—just from another lifetime.Maybe the universe pitied her, because she’d been given another chance. She was back, reliving her wedding night with Ethan.Three days had passed since her return. Every night, the old memories haunted her dreams. Sometimes she couldn’t tell if she was awake or still trapped in that nightmare. She would pinch her thigh hard, needing the pain to remind herself she was really alive.She wiped her face, her hand coming away wet. Even now, thinking about her past made her heart ache and her eyes fill with tears.She threw off her blanket and got out of bed, walking over to the window. She pulled back the thick curtains and opened the window. Instantly, cold air rushed in, making her shiver and forcing her mind awake. It had rained all night and the temperature had dropped sharply.Isabella hugged herself, looking out at the garden in the glow from her bedroom lights. Ethan’s villa wasn’t far from the Lane Estate—just a ten-minute drive. The house was huge, with gardens in the front and back, all designed in the same Eldorian style, just because Natalie liked it.Both Ethan and Jordan had their gardens landscaped this way. It was obvious how much they both loved Natalie. Ethan especially seemed completely devoted.But none of that had anything to do with Isabella anymore. In this new life, she made a decision—she’d just be a quiet, comfortable wife. She was done with love.She couldn’t get divorced yet. If she did, Cynthia would definitely push her into marrying someone else, and she couldn’t go back to the Lane family either. She was still vulnerable.So, for now, she would stay. Whether Ethan loved her or not didn’t matter anymore. She would hide behind his name and enjoy the security that came with it. If he wanted to love Natalie, fine. As long as her allowance showed up in her account every month, she’d be content.She’d save up that money, and one day, she’d use it to start a new life all her own.In her last life, Ethan had used her. This time around, it was her turn to use him.She was going to make the most of his money and his connections, use his status to open doors for herself, and let his influence keep the harsh world at bay. He might not have loved her, but at least he’d shown her the respect of a wife in public. He always stood up for her if anyone tried to mess with her, well, anyone except Natalie Gates.Whenever things got tense between her and Natalie, Ethan never hesitated. He’d always side with Natalie, no questions asked.Isabella stood by the window for a moment, then closed it, pulled the curtains shut, and went back to sit on the bed. She picked up her phone and checked the time. Five in the morning. She still had a few hours to sleep.Now that she’d finally figured out how she wanted to live this life, it felt like a mountain had been lifted off her chest. The pressure was gone. She lay back down and let herself drift off, finally free from the nightmares that had haunted her before.Three hours later...The sound of steady knocking pulled Isabella out of her sleep.Seriously? Who was waking her up this early?She sat up, already annoyed. “Who is it?”“Isabella, it’s me. Susan,” came the voice from outside her door.Susan was the housekeeper. Ethan had brought her over from the main Adams estate. She’d been with the family for thirty years, practically watched Ethan grow up.“Isabella, are you awake yet? You need to get up. Today’s the day you visit your family. Ethan got up early and picked out the gifts for you himself. You should hurry.”Susan wasn’t just the housekeeper. She’d been with the Adams family forever, and everyone knew she was strict with the staff but always respectful to the people above her. Back in her last life, Isabella had been a little scared of her. Even in Ethan’s eyes, Susan outranked Isabella.She’d been reborn on her wedding night. Now it was the third day of her new life, and sure enough, it was time for the traditional visit to her family.Last time, Ethan had also woken up early to pick out gifts for her family, but most of them were things Natalie Gates liked. Only a few were actually meant for her mom and her stepdad, Jackson. Every time she went back to visit, Ethan always cleared his schedule to go with her. To everyone else, it seemed like he was the perfect husband, doting and devoted, but Isabella knew better. He did it all for Natalie.“Got it, I’m getting up,” Isabella called out.Susan’s voice came again. “Isabella, don’t take too long. Don’t keep Ethan waiting.”Isabella got out of bed and opened the door. Susan was waiting, looking as polite and gentle as always. Both Ethan and Susan knew how to put on a show. In Isabella’s mind, they were just a bunch of fakes.“Isabella, why are you just standing there staring at me? Go wash up and change. Ethan reminded you last night to get up early. It’s already eight. You just woke up, didn’t you?”“What’s the rush? The drive is only ten minutes. We could go at noon and it would be fine,” Isabella replied, her tone casual.“I’m still tired. I want to sleep a bit longer.”“Susan, go downstairs and let Ethan know there’s no need to hurry. My mom and Jackson aren’t even up yet. They usually don’t get out of bed until noon anyway.”“There’s no reason to go over so early. It’s just boring.”She was only the stepdaughter, not their real daughter. If she hadn’t married Ethan, the Lane family wouldn’t have cared about her visit at all. Last time, they’d arrived early, and while her mom was awake, Jackson and Jordan had already gone to work. Her mom had to scramble to call them back just so they could properly entertain their guests.Chapter 2“We can try to get through this, or we can just end it here. Did you really think I married you out of love? I married you because you’re Natalie’s sister-in-law. The only reason I wanted you was to have an excuse to see her more often.”“So you want a divorce? Fine. Let’s go to the registry tomorrow. Whoever backs out is a coward.”“Everything I have is mine from before we got married. You’ll leave with nothing. You’ve lived in my house, eaten my food, used my money. I gave you thirty thousand a month just for you to keep the title of Mrs. Adams, nothing more.”“I gave you the best life money can buy, what else do you want? You pushed Natalie, made her fall, and because of you she lost her baby. I haven’t even made you pay for that yet. Isabella Lane, you’d better take care of yourself from now on.”“…Three years of marriage, and all I did was use you. Watching you fall so far, with no one left to care… Maybe because of our past, I’ll make sure you get a proper burial. Life is too harsh. Don’t come back in your next one… Isabella Lane, I’m sorry.”…A loud crack of thunder ripped through the night and yanked Isabella Lane out of her nightmare.She sat up fast, heart pounding, and hit the light switch. She was in her room, just like always. Everything around her was familiar.This was the guest room in Ethan’s villa, the same one she’d been living in since the day they got married. For three years, they’d been husband and wife in name only, always sleeping in separate rooms.Ethan was the heir to the Adams family, the richest, most powerful family in Cabinda. Their fortune was measured in the billions. He was young, good-looking, and insanely wealthy. He’d taken over the massive Adams Group at twenty-eight, becoming the youngest CEO in the city.On paper, Isabella should have been the luckiest woman alive. She’d married the perfect man. But she wasn’t happy at all.She was nothing but a pawn in his game, a way for him to get close to her sister-in-law, Natalie Gates.Her real dad died when she was little. Her mom remarried into the Lane family, and Isabella went from being Isabella George to Isabella Lane. Her mother, Cynthia, was always careful, always trying to please her new husband, Jordan Lane.Growing up, the person Isabella was most afraid of was her stepbrother, Jordan. He looked gentle and polite on the outside, but deep down he was cold and ruthless. Jordan, Ethan, and Natalie had all grown up together. They were close, but also rivals.Both men loved Natalie. She chose Jordan, marrying into the Lane family, but she still kept a relationship with Ethan that went way past friendship.Ethan wanted to keep Jordan from getting suspicious and needed a way to go in and out of the Lane family home to see Natalie. So he courted Isabella, made her think he cared, and convinced her to marry him in just three months. Back then, she really believed he loved her. He treated her well, bought her whatever she wanted, and gave her a huge allowance every month.But on their wedding night, after everyone else had left, Ethan told her the truth.“Isabella Lane, let me be clear. You’re just a pawn. I’ve never loved you. The only person I’ll ever love is Natalie. Marrying you was just a way to make Jordan let his guard down.”“I’m using you, but I’ve also given you the title of Mrs. Adams and the best life you could ask for. When we’re in public, I’ll act like your loving husband.”“But know your place. You’re just a pawn. Don’t get any ideas. I will never touch you.”“And make sure you visit your mom often. Every time you go, I’ll come pick you up.”Those words shattered everything for Isabella. She couldn’t believe Ethan had only ever used her, that he’d never cared. He only loved Natalie.She couldn’t accept it. She really had fallen for him, and that made her desperate. She started acting out, constantly picking fights with Natalie, trying to make Jordan think there was something going on between his wife and Ethan.Natalie Gates always wanted more. She married Jordan Lane but couldn’t stand seeing Ethan with anyone else. She kept him hanging on, always finding ways to stir up trouble for Isabella and challenge her behind the scenes.There was never any real friendship between the two women. If anything, things only got worse until they became full-blown enemies.That day on the stairs, Isabella didn’t push Natalie. Natalie slipped on her own, but immediately blamed Isabella, claiming she’d been attacked.Jordan and Ethan both took Natalie’s side, no questions asked. Jordan didn’t even let Isabella speak before he hit her and threw her out of the Lane Estate. He made it clear that anyone who dared befriend her would be his enemy too.Just like that, Isabella lost everything in Cabinda. Her only lifeline was Ethan. Without him, she was done for.Ethan was furious too. He scolded her, froze her bank accounts, and kept her locked away in his private villa. She wasn’t allowed to leave, wasn’t allowed to spend a dime.She tried everything. She cried, begged, tried to explain, but none of it mattered. Ethan wouldn’t listen. Eventually, she just gave up. When he finally said, “If you can live with this, fine. If you can’t, we’ll get a divorce,” she agreed.After the divorce, Isabella was left with absolutely nothing. No money. No home. Nowhere to go except to her best friend.But on her way there, someone kidnapped her. She couldn’t see their faces. She had no idea who they were. After everything she’d been through, they killed her and dumped her body in the wild. By the time anyone found her, her body was already decomposing.The person who came to identify her wasn’t her mother. It was Ethan, the man who’d only ever used her as a pawn.Isabella pressed a hand to her chest, her skin cold and clammy. This wasn’t just a nightmare. It had actually happened. It was all real—just from another lifetime.Maybe the universe pitied her, because she’d been given another chance. She was back, reliving her wedding night with Ethan.Three days had passed since her return. Every night, the old memories haunted her dreams. Sometimes she couldn’t tell if she was awake or still trapped in that nightmare. She would pinch her thigh hard, needing the pain to remind herself she was really alive.She wiped her face, her hand coming away wet. Even now, thinking about her past made her heart ache and her eyes fill with tears.She threw off her blanket and got out of bed, walking over to the window. She pulled back the thick curtains and opened the window. Instantly, cold air rushed in, making her shiver and forcing her mind awake. It had rained all night and the temperature had dropped sharply.Isabella hugged herself, looking out at the garden in the glow from her bedroom lights. Ethan’s villa wasn’t far from the Lane Estate—just a ten-minute drive. The house was huge, with gardens in the front and back, all designed in the same Eldorian style, just because Natalie liked it.Both Ethan and Jordan had their gardens landscaped this way. It was obvious how much they both loved Natalie. Ethan especially seemed completely devoted.But none of that had anything to do with Isabella anymore. In this new life, she made a decision—she’d just be a quiet, comfortable wife. She was done with love.She couldn’t get divorced yet. If she did, Cynthia would definitely push her into marrying someone else, and she couldn’t go back to the Lane family either. She was still vulnerable.So, for now, she would stay. Whether Ethan loved her or not didn’t matter anymore. She would hide behind his name and enjoy the security that came with it. If he wanted to love Natalie, fine. As long as her allowance showed up in her account every month, she’d be content.She’d save up that money, and one day, she’d use it to start a new life all her own.In her last life, Ethan had used her. This time around, it was her turn to use him.She was going to make the most of his money and his connections, use his status to open doors for herself, and let his influence keep the harsh world at bay. He might not have loved her, but at least he’d shown her the respect of a wife in public. He always stood up for her if anyone tried to mess with her, well, anyone except Natalie Gates.Whenever things got tense between her and Natalie, Ethan never hesitated. He’d always side with Natalie, no questions asked.Isabella stood by the window for a moment, then closed it, pulled the curtains shut, and went back to sit on the bed. She picked up her phone and checked the time. Five in the morning. She still had a few hours to sleep.Now that she’d finally figured out how she wanted to live this life, it felt like a mountain had been lifted off her chest. The pressure was gone. She lay back down and let herself drift off, finally free from the nightmares that had haunted her before.Three hours later...The sound of steady knocking pulled Isabella out of her sleep.Seriously? Who was waking her up this early?She sat up, already annoyed. “Who is it?”“Isabella, it’s me. Susan,” came the voice from outside her door.Susan was the housekeeper. Ethan had brought her over from the main Adams estate. She’d been with the family for thirty years, practically watched Ethan grow up.“Isabella, are you awake yet? You need to get up. Today’s the day you visit your family. Ethan got up early and picked out the gifts for you himself. You should hurry.”Susan wasn’t just the housekeeper. She’d been with the Adams family forever, and everyone knew she was strict with the staff but always respectful to the people above her. Back in her last life, Isabella had been a little scared of her. Even in Ethan’s eyes, Susan outranked Isabella.She’d been reborn on her wedding night. Now it was the third day of her new life, and sure enough, it was time for the traditional visit to her family.Last time, Ethan had also woken up early to pick out gifts for her family, but most of them were things Natalie Gates liked. Only a few were actually meant for her mom and her stepdad, Jackson. Every time she went back to visit, Ethan always cleared his schedule to go with her. To everyone else, it seemed like he was the perfect husband, doting and devoted, but Isabella knew better. He did it all for Natalie.“Got it, I’m getting up,” Isabella called out.Susan’s voice came again. “Isabella, don’t take too long. Don’t keep Ethan waiting.”Isabella got out of bed and opened the door. Susan was waiting, looking as polite and gentle as always. Both Ethan and Susan knew how to put on a show. In Isabella’s mind, they were just a bunch of fakes.“Isabella, why are you just standing there staring at me? Go wash up and change. Ethan reminded you last night to get up early. It’s already eight. You just woke up, didn’t you?”“What’s the rush? The drive is only ten minutes. We could go at noon and it would be fine,” Isabella replied, her tone casual.“I’m still tired. I want to sleep a bit longer.”“Susan, go downstairs and let Ethan know there’s no need to hurry. My mom and Jackson aren’t even up yet. They usually don’t get out of bed until noon anyway.”“There’s no reason to go over so early. It’s just boring.”She was only the stepdaughter, not their real daughter. If she hadn’t married Ethan, the Lane family wouldn’t have cared about her visit at all. Last time, they’d arrived early, and while her mom was awake, Jackson and Jordan had already gone to work. Her mom had to scramble to call them back just so they could properly entertain their guests.Chapter 3“We can try to get through this, or we can just end it here. Did you really think I married you out of love? I married you because you’re Natalie’s sister-in-law. The only reason I wanted you was to have an excuse to see her more often.”“So you want a divorce? Fine. Let’s go to the registry tomorrow. Whoever backs out is a coward.”“Everything I have is mine from before we got married. You’ll leave with nothing. You’ve lived in my house, eaten my food, used my money. I gave you thirty thousand a month just for you to keep the title of Mrs. Adams, nothing more.”“I gave you the best life money can buy, what else do you want? You pushed Natalie, made her fall, and because of you she lost her baby. I haven’t even made you pay for that yet. Isabella Lane, you’d better take care of yourself from now on.”“…Three years of marriage, and all I did was use you. Watching you fall so far, with no one left to care… Maybe because of our past, I’ll make sure you get a proper burial. Life is too harsh. Don’t come back in your next one… Isabella Lane, I’m sorry.”…A loud crack of thunder ripped through the night and yanked Isabella Lane out of her nightmare.She sat up fast, heart pounding, and hit the light switch. She was in her room, just like always. Everything around her was familiar.This was the guest room in Ethan’s villa, the same one she’d been living in since the day they got married. For three years, they’d been husband and wife in name only, always sleeping in separate rooms.Ethan was the heir to the Adams family, the richest, most powerful family in Cabinda. Their fortune was measured in the billions. He was young, good-looking, and insanely wealthy. He’d taken over the massive Adams Group at twenty-eight, becoming the youngest CEO in the city.On paper, Isabella should have been the luckiest woman alive. She’d married the perfect man. But she wasn’t happy at all.She was nothing but a pawn in his game, a way for him to get close to her sister-in-law, Natalie Gates.Her real dad died when she was little. Her mom remarried into the Lane family, and Isabella went from being Isabella George to Isabella Lane. Her mother, Cynthia, was always careful, always trying to please her new husband, Jordan Lane.Growing up, the person Isabella was most afraid of was her stepbrother, Jordan. He looked gentle and polite on the outside, but deep down he was cold and ruthless. Jordan, Ethan, and Natalie had all grown up together. They were close, but also rivals.Both men loved Natalie. She chose Jordan, marrying into the Lane family, but she still kept a relationship with Ethan that went way past friendship.Ethan wanted to keep Jordan from getting suspicious and needed a way to go in and out of the Lane family home to see Natalie. So he courted Isabella, made her think he cared, and convinced her to marry him in just three months. Back then, she really believed he loved her. He treated her well, bought her whatever she wanted, and gave her a huge allowance every month.But on their wedding night, after everyone else had left, Ethan told her the truth.“Isabella Lane, let me be clear. You’re just a pawn. I’ve never loved you. The only person I’ll ever love is Natalie. Marrying you was just a way to make Jordan let his guard down.”“I’m using you, but I’ve also given you the title of Mrs. Adams and the best life you could ask for. When we’re in public, I’ll act like your loving husband.”“But know your place. You’re just a pawn. Don’t get any ideas. I will never touch you.”“And make sure you visit your mom often. Every time you go, I’ll come pick you up.”Those words shattered everything for Isabella. She couldn’t believe Ethan had only ever used her, that he’d never cared. He only loved Natalie.She couldn’t accept it. She really had fallen for him, and that made her desperate. She started acting out, constantly picking fights with Natalie, trying to make Jordan think there was something going on between his wife and Ethan.Natalie Gates always wanted more. She married Jordan Lane but couldn’t stand seeing Ethan with anyone else. She kept him hanging on, always finding ways to stir up trouble for Isabella and challenge her behind the scenes.There was never any real friendship between the two women. If anything, things only got worse until they became full-blown enemies.That day on the stairs, Isabella didn’t push Natalie. Natalie slipped on her own, but immediately blamed Isabella, claiming she’d been attacked.Jordan and Ethan both took Natalie’s side, no questions asked. Jordan didn’t even let Isabella speak before he hit her and threw her out of the Lane Estate. He made it clear that anyone who dared befriend her would be his enemy too.Just like that, Isabella lost everything in Cabinda. Her only lifeline was Ethan. Without him, she was done for.Ethan was furious too. He scolded her, froze her bank accounts, and kept her locked away in his private villa. She wasn’t allowed to leave, wasn’t allowed to spend a dime.She tried everything. She cried, begged, tried to explain, but none of it mattered. Ethan wouldn’t listen. Eventually, she just gave up. When he finally said, “If you can live with this, fine. If you can’t, we’ll get a divorce,” she agreed.After the divorce, Isabella was left with absolutely nothing. No money. No home. Nowhere to go except to her best friend.But on her way there, someone kidnapped her. She couldn’t see their faces. She had no idea who they were. After everything she’d been through, they killed her and dumped her body in the wild. By the time anyone found her, her body was already decomposing.The person who came to identify her wasn’t her mother. It was Ethan, the man who’d only ever used her as a pawn.Isabella pressed a hand to her chest, her skin cold and clammy. This wasn’t just a nightmare. It had actually happened. It was all real—just from another lifetime.Maybe the universe pitied her, because she’d been given another chance. She was back, reliving her wedding night with Ethan.Three days had passed since her return. Every night, the old memories haunted her dreams. Sometimes she couldn’t tell if she was awake or still trapped in that nightmare. She would pinch her thigh hard, needing the pain to remind herself she was really alive.She wiped her face, her hand coming away wet. Even now, thinking about her past made her heart ache and her eyes fill with tears.She threw off her blanket and got out of bed, walking over to the window. She pulled back the thick curtains and opened the window. Instantly, cold air rushed in, making her shiver and forcing her mind awake. It had rained all night and the temperature had dropped sharply.Isabella hugged herself, looking out at the garden in the glow from her bedroom lights. Ethan’s villa wasn’t far from the Lane Estate—just a ten-minute drive. The house was huge, with gardens in the front and back, all designed in the same Eldorian style, just because Natalie liked it.Both Ethan and Jordan had their gardens landscaped this way. It was obvious how much they both loved Natalie. Ethan especially seemed completely devoted.But none of that had anything to do with Isabella anymore. In this new life, she made a decision—she’d just be a quiet, comfortable wife. She was done with love.She couldn’t get divorced yet. If she did, Cynthia would definitely push her into marrying someone else, and she couldn’t go back to the Lane family either. She was still vulnerable.So, for now, she would stay. Whether Ethan loved her or not didn’t matter anymore. She would hide behind his name and enjoy the security that came with it. If he wanted to love Natalie, fine. As long as her allowance showed up in her account every month, she’d be content.She’d save up that money, and one day, she’d use it to start a new life all her own.In her last life, Ethan had used her. This time around, it was her turn to use him.She was going to make the most of his money and his connections, use his status to open doors for herself, and let his influence keep the harsh world at bay. He might not have loved her, but at least he’d shown her the respect of a wife in public. He always stood up for her if anyone tried to mess with her, well, anyone except Natalie Gates.Whenever things got tense between her and Natalie, Ethan never hesitated. He’d always side with Natalie, no questions asked.Isabella stood by the window for a moment, then closed it, pulled the curtains shut, and went back to sit on the bed. She picked up her phone and checked the time. Five in the morning. She still had a few hours to sleep.Now that she’d finally figured out how she wanted to live this life, it felt like a mountain had been lifted off her chest. The pressure was gone. She lay back down and let herself drift off, finally free from the nightmares that had haunted her before.Three hours later...The sound of steady knocking pulled Isabella out of her sleep.Seriously? Who was waking her up this early?She sat up, already annoyed. “Who is it?”“Isabella, it’s me. Susan,” came the voice from outside her door.Susan was the housekeeper. Ethan had brought her over from the main Adams estate. She’d been with the family for thirty years, practically watched Ethan grow up.“Isabella, are you awake yet? You need to get up. Today’s the day you visit your family. Ethan got up early and picked out the gifts for you himself. You should hurry.”Susan wasn’t just the housekeeper. She’d been with the Adams family forever, and everyone knew she was strict with the staff but always respectful to the people above her. Back in her last life, Isabella had been a little scared of her. Even in Ethan’s eyes, Susan outranked Isabella.She’d been reborn on her wedding night. Now it was the third day of her new life, and sure enough, it was time for the traditional visit to her family.Last time, Ethan had also woken up early to pick out gifts for her family, but most of them were things Natalie Gates liked. Only a few were actually meant for her mom and her stepdad, Jackson. Every time she went back to visit, Ethan always cleared his schedule to go with her. To everyone else, it seemed like he was the perfect husband, doting and devoted, but Isabella knew better. He did it all for Natalie.“Got it, I’m getting up,” Isabella called out.Susan’s voice came again. “Isabella, don’t take too long. Don’t keep Ethan waiting.”Isabella got out of bed and opened the door. Susan was waiting, looking as polite and gentle as always. Both Ethan and Susan knew how to put on a show. In Isabella’s mind, they were just a bunch of fakes.“Isabella, why are you just standing there staring at me? Go wash up and change. Ethan reminded you last night to get up early. It’s already eight. You just woke up, didn’t you?”“What’s the rush? The drive is only ten minutes. We could go at noon and it would be fine,” Isabella replied, her tone casual.“I’m still tired. I want to sleep a bit longer.”“Susan, go downstairs and let Ethan know there’s no need to hurry. My mom and Jackson aren’t even up yet. They usually don’t get out of bed until noon anyway.”“There’s no reason to go over so early. It’s just boring.”She was only the stepdaughter, not their real daughter. If she hadn’t married Ethan, the Lane family wouldn’t have cared about her visit at all. Last time, they’d arrived early, and while her mom was awake, Jackson and Jordan had already gone to work. Her mom had to scramble to call them back just so they could properly entertain their guests.