In my previous life, I didn’t realize how much Jack Shaw hated me until the moment I died. All because I slapped his precious first love, Chloe Quinn. For that, he locked me in the basement for three days and nights. I had severe claustrophobia, and in that suffocating darkness, I screamed, begged, and struggled until I finally passed out in despair. When I woke up again, I was back to the night before my wedding to Jack. This time, I didn’t hesitate—I climbed out the window and ran. Three years later, I saw Jack again at my best friend’s wedding. He was there with the same Chloe Quinn, the woman who had ruined me in my past life. When Jack saw me, his eyes filled with disdain as he sneered, towering over me like he always had: “Nina Carter, is this your new game? You think just because our horoscopes are a perfect match, I have no choice but to marry you? You ran away for three years just to play hard to get? To make me fall for you?” He leaned in, his voice laced with arrogance. “Let me make one thing clear: it’s not going to happen. I can marry you again, but don’t even think about controlling me.” “In public, you can play the part of Mrs. Shaw. But at home, you’ll always be beneath Chloe.” I didn’t respond. Instead, I smiled, grabbed the arm of the man beside me—the heir of one of the most powerful families in the city—and said sweetly: “Honey, did you hear that? Sounds like a dog barking.” The moment I called another man “honey,” Jack’s composure shattered. His eyes turned bloodshot as he roared: “Nina! Weren’t you desperate to be Mrs. Shaw? How dare you call someone else your husband?!”
At my best friend’s wedding, I had just stepped off the stage in my bridesmaid dress when my parents dragged me to a table. “Nina,” my mom scolded, “you don’t answer our calls, you ignore our texts—were you planning to cut us out of your life forever if we hadn’t come to this wedding?” Her eyes were red, tears threatening to fall. “Mom, I already told you—I’m not marrying him.” Three years ago, I ran away because I refused to marry Jack Shaw again. In my previous life, when Chloe returned from overseas, Jack blamed me for everything that had gone wrong in his life. He claimed I was the reason he couldn’t be with her, the reason his freedom was gone, the reason his life was ruined. So, when I slapped Chloe for provoking me, Jack retaliated by locking me in the basement. For three days and nights, I was consumed by darkness, hunger, and the feeling of ants crawling all over my skin. That cold, helpless despair haunted me, even after I was reborn. For three years, I stayed away from my family, unable to face them or the memories of that life. The only reason I came back was because my childhood best friend begged me to be her bridesmaid. In this life, Jack hadn’t taken over his family’s business. Instead, he had entered the entertainment industry and become a mid-tier director—successful enough to be envied by others. Chloe sat beside him, her designer dress radiating sophistication, her brightly colored hair giving her a bold, carefree look straight out of a Western fashion magazine. Their fingers were intertwined, and Chloe’s eyes were full of disdain as she glanced at me. Compared to her, I was nothing. I wore a cheap, ill-fitting bridesmaid dress, my makeup hurriedly applied by the stylist. I didn’t need to look around to know what people were thinking—the judgment and scorn in their eyes were loud enough. “Wow, Mr. Carter,” one of the guests said with a smirk, “you must be so proud. Look at Jack—he’s made it as a director without relying on his family. And Nina’s been in the big city for three years now, hasn’t she? Surely she’s accomplished something too… right?” Another chimed in, shaking their head with a tut: “Nina, you’re being so stubborn. What’s wrong with Jack? The Shaw family has so much money. Marrying him would mean a life of luxury, and your parents could even get a nice dowry out of it. What’s there to complain about?” A woman across the table laughed and added, “Jack’s not even the type to mess around. He only has eyes for Chloe. So what if he likes to keep her around? You’re not as good as Chloe in any way, but at least you’d get to be Mrs. Shaw. Isn’t that enough?”
The voices around me grew louder, each person chiming in with their unsolicited opinions. To them, my marriage was nothing more than a transaction, a business deal where I was the product. And yet, Jack Shaw’s eyes never left me. For a fleeting moment, I thought I saw a trace of longing. Longing? I couldn’t help but laugh. In my previous life, Jack once told me I was the best woman he had ever met, that marrying me was his greatest fortune. I believed him. I poured my heart and soul into our marriage, into his family. But in the end, I found out the truth—he married me because his parents told him our horoscopes matched perfectly, that I would bring good fortune to his family. When I lay dying, he screamed at me, blaming me for ruining his life, for keeping him from Chloe Quinn, his true love. Now, in this new life, the very idea that he might feel anything other than relief that he didn’t marry me was laughable. Turning to the table, I forced a polite smile and spoke in a calm, measured tone. “Uncles, aunts, Jack already has someone he loves. Marrying me was a lie—a sham. That’s fraud, you know, and fraud is illegal. This isn’t the 1800s anymore. Even if you drag me to some ancestral hall, it won’t work. Besides…” I paused, my smile sharpening. “I’m already married.” Jack’s expression shifted from shock to disbelief, then finally to a mocking sneer. “Nina Carter, three years away, and you’ve learned how to lie so effortlessly? I know I’m the best man you’ve ever had access to. You can’t have me, so now you’re inventing some imaginary husband?” Beside him, Chloe leaned against his shoulder, her gaze dripping with condescension and hostility. “Miss Carter,” she said smoothly, her voice exuding false sophistication, “I’m not like you. I don’t define my worth by finding a man to marry. I have my own career and my own freedom. Jack and I are both free spirits, dedicated to a life without constraints. I’m not here to threaten your position—you’ll always be Mrs. Shaw. But let’s be real: you can’t shake what Jack and I have.” She tilted her head, her tone turning patronizing. “Look, Jack only married you to keep his family happy. Consider the dowry your compensation. And if you want, I can even offer you a job at my company. At least that way, you’ll get a glimpse of a world far beyond anything you’ve ever known.” Her words dripped with elegance and confidence, painting a picture of glamorous galas, exclusive auctions, and a life of freedom. But I knew better. Not once had I seen her name on any invitation list to the kind of events she claimed to frequent. I raised an eyebrow and turned to Jack. This was the independent, worldly woman he admired so much? Jack’s expression was a mix of discomfort and pride. “Chloe’s a jewelry designer,” he said, his voice tinged with arrogance. “That’s something you could never achieve, Nina. Look at your hands—they’re so rough. What are you doing with your life now? Still working as a reporter?” I nodded, unbothered by his insult. In my previous life, I had given up my career for him, abandoning opportunities to work with top mentors and eventually burying myself in the demands of his household. But in this life, I embraced my freedom, taking on the assignments no one else dared to touch. My hands bore the marks of hard work, but I felt no shame. Seeing my silent nod, Chloe let out a laugh, covering her mouth as if to stifle it. “Miss Carter, as long as you don’t cling to Jack after your divorce, I’ll have him send you $1,000 a month as support. That’s generous enough, isn’t it?” She wrapped her arms around Jack’s, her posture exuding triumph. To her, I was nothing more than a disposable servant she was graciously offering to pay off. The others at the table jumped in, their words dripping with mockery. “Being a reporter sounds fancy, but what’s the monthly pay? $500? $1,000, tops? Nina, are you even able to afford food for yourself out there?” “Women like you are better off finding a husband. What’s the point of struggling when you’ll just end up starving on your own? It’s a good thing the Shaw family is so generous. Otherwise, if you ended up in debt, your parents wouldn’t be able to bail you out.” Their ridicule grew louder, more cutting, and my parents’ faces turned dark with anger and embarrassment. Just as I was about to respond, a new voice cut through the noise. “Are you people mocking Miss Carter?” The room fell silent. Jack shot up from his chair as if spring-loaded. “Mr. Walters!” he exclaimed, his tone turning ingratiating in an instant. “What brings you here? Are you here to discuss a collaboration with my father? It’s such an honor to have you here!” Jack’s smile stretched wide, oozing flattery. After all, Mr. Walters was one of the most powerful figures in the capital—a man the Shaw family couldn’t even dream of currying favor with. But Mr. Walters ignored him completely. “I’m here because I happened to see Miss Carter.” I quickly stepped in, cutting him off before he could say more. “Mr. Walters, it’s an honor to see you again. The interview I conducted with you has already been finalized and submitted to the paper.” I stood up, subtly positioning myself between him and Jack. This was my best friend’s wedding, and my parents were here. I didn’t want to cause a scene. Turning to Jack, I met his gaze head-on. “Jack, I’m never going to marry you. I told you—I’m already married. My husband will be here to pick me up soon.” Mr. Walters seemed to understand my intentions. He glanced toward the door and said, “The heir to the Hayes family is stopping by to discuss business. I’m just here to check in before his arrival.”
The moment the name “Hayes family heir” was mentioned, the room fell into stunned silence. Everyone stood up, their faces filled with nervous excitement. “Mr. Walters,” Jack Shaw said eagerly, rubbing his hands together. “Could you do me a favor and introduce me later? Just a quick word with him would mean so much—” Mr. Walters gave him a polite but insincere smile. “Mr. Shaw, I think you should focus on sorting out your personal affairs first.” As his words landed, Jack turned to me, his expression immediately darkening. Pointing his finger at me, he began to shout, his voice full of anger and frustration. “Nina Carter! Don’t think you can just rely on that nonsense about our horoscopes matching to manipulate me! You’ve been lying through your teeth, making up some story about being married. Where’s the marriage certificate, huh? Show it to me!” His voice grew louder, his tone more accusatory. “You’re just trying to control me, trying to stop me from being with Chloe. Well, guess what? It’s not going to happen! If you’re so determined not to marry me, fine—I’ll take back the dowry tomorrow!” At that, my parents panicked. They immediately began apologizing to Jack while scolding me at the same time. “Nina, listen to your mother,” my mom pleaded. “I know you young women today have your own ideas, but we don’t have the luxury to be so stubborn.” “The Shaw family is offering five million dollars and a shopping mall as part of the dowry! You can’t just throw away your future over some silly idea you got from the Internet!” My dad’s face was grim, his tone sharp. “Think about your life, Nina. You’re not going to find a better offer than this!” I looked at them, their faces a mix of worry and anger, and my heart sank. Their desperation reminded me of my past life. In my previous life, Jack and I had once been… happy, or so I thought. But it was the kind of “happiness” that felt more like a performance, something we put on for his parents. Behind closed doors, he lived a life of indulgence while I gave up my career as a reporter to become the perfect “Mrs. Shaw.” I believed him when he said he loved me. I sacrificed everything for him, becoming the dutiful wife everyone expected me to be. But it all fell apart the moment Chloe Quinn came back into his life. He told me that women like Chloe—vibrant, passionate, full of life—were what real women should be. And me? He said I was nothing more than a rotting piece of driftwood, a coffin for his dreams. He blamed me for ruining his life, for making him feel like he was staring at death every time he looked at me. In the end, he resented me so much that he became violent, lashing out when I refused to fund his vacations with Chloe. My parents told me to endure it. And when he locked me in the basement for three days, they told me it was my fault for upsetting him. I died filled with hatred for him and for myself. This time, I wasn’t going to let history repeat itself. “I really am married,” I said calmly. I took out my marriage certificate and placed it on the table. My parents gasped, jumping to their feet in shock. “Where’s the dowry?” my mom cried. “Did you run off with some lowlife? You didn’t even get a dowry, and you call this a marriage? How am I supposed to explain this to the Shaw family?” “Five million and a factory, Nina!” my dad added, his voice shaking with frustration. “You need to divorce whoever this is and come with us to apologize to the Shaws immediately!” I stared at them, their words blurring together. In their eyes, I wasn’t their daughter. I was just a price tag—five million dollars and a factory. The people around us laughed mockingly, their disdain obvious. “Nina, come on. Don’t make your parents worry so much. Did you get involved in something shady out there?” “Look at this marriage certificate. It looks so cheap and fake—it’s probably just something she printed out to fool us.” But Jack wasn’t laughing. He stormed over to the table, grabbed the certificate, and ripped it to shreds. “Nina Carter, you’ve really outdone yourself this time,” he snarled. “You’ll fake a marriage certificate just to try and trick me?!” Chloe’s eyes flickered with jealousy, but she quickly masked it with a smug smile. “Jack, it’s just a horoscope match. There are plenty of other women born under the same stars. She’s nothing but a good-luck charm. Let’s just focus on greeting the Hayes family heir, okay?” Before Jack could respond, the hotel manager entered, followed by a team of bodyguards who quickly cleared a path through the crowd. Jack leaned closer to me, lowering his voice. “Nina, you think you can just run away because of some horoscope nonsense? Do you think playing hard to get will make me fall for you? “Let me tell you something—it’s not going to happen. “Agree to the marriage now, and I’ll take you back. But don’t even dream of controlling me. In public, you can be Mrs. Shaw. But at home, you’ll always be beneath Chloe.” Before he could say more, the crowd parted, and the heir to the Hayes family, Nathan Hayes, walked in. Jack eagerly stretched out his hand, only for the bodyguards to block him. Nathan ignored him completely, his sharp eyes scanning the room until they landed on me. He walked over, his expression softening. “Nina,” he said quietly, his voice full of complaint. “You said you were just here to be a bridesmaid for your best friend’s wedding.” I glanced at him, feeling a little guilty. “I was,” I replied, my voice soft. “You’ve never even worn a wedding dress for me,” he muttered, his lips forming a slight pout. Nathan Hayes, the cold and distant heir everyone feared, was now standing in front of me, looking like a sulking puppy. I quickly turned to my parents, pulling them closer. “Mom, Dad, this is my husband, Nathan Hayes.” My parents’ expressions shifted rapidly—from anger to shock, and finally to a fawning smile. They stared at our intertwined hands, their disbelief written all over their faces. Jack, however, completely lost it. He stormed over, his face red with fury. “Nina Carter! Did you blackmail Nathan Hayes into this? Did you dig up some dirt on him to force this marriage?!” His voice rose, filled with desperation. “You’re supposed to be my wife! How could he possibly want someone like you?!”
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