Last life, I impulsively divorced my ex, only to realize I was useless at earning money. I barely scraped by, ending up in a terrible state. In the end, I didn’t even have money for medical treatment, dying miserably in a hospital. He was the one who scattered my ashes. My ex-husband, on the other hand, had it all. His career skyrocketed, becoming a law firm partner with a seven-figure income, and he even reunited with the love of his life. His story was inspirational, a perfect happy ending. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day I angrily filed for divorce. Alexander looked at me with an indifferent expression. “Your family’s on the verge of bankruptcy. Do you really want a divorce? Aren’t you afraid of starving to death?” That truth hit me hard, a brutal reality. But in my past life, I was too busy being stubborn, too focused on winning an argument to really listen. I even pretended to be noble, walking away from the marriage with absolutely nothing. Now? No matter what, I had to stick around until Alexander made his fortune and I could claim half of it. Then I’d use that money to live lavishly and date attractive men.
Alexander leaned on his hand, a familiar, humorless smirk playing on his lips. “Seriously, a divorce? Cassidy Hayes, have you found someone else?” There wasn’t an ounce of warmth in his eyes, as if they could burn right through me. How did I retaliate last time? Oh, I put my hands on my hips, stomped my feet, and climbed onto a chair. I tilted my chin up, glaring at him disdainfully: “Trust me, I’ve got eight guys lined up, and every single one of them is better than you. Alexander, if you know what’s good for you, you’ll sign those papers right now.” The agreement on the table reeked of my former arrogance. I hadn’t wanted the five-million-dollar villa, nor had I kept any of the luxury items he’d bought me, returning them all. My main point was not letting money ‘taint’ my perceived nobility. But after decades of roughing it, washing dishes in freezing temperatures for minimum wage until my hands were raw and bleeding… Now, looking at all those material things, they seemed absolutely adorable. Love? Without money, love is just a pile of trash. I immediately plastered on a sweet smile, my eyes crinkling as I looked at him. “Oh, darling, I was just talking nonsense. How could I divorce you? I love you so much!” “What I just said doesn’t count. You… you must be tired, right? I’ll draw you a bath so you can relax.” I snatched the papers and bolted, tearing the damn thing to shreds in the bathroom. Even the paper scraps were tossed into the trash and flushed away. The flush of the heated smart toilet was pure music to my ears. I couldn’t help but hug it, feeling its warmth. *Sob, sob.* No more freezing my butt off in winter. No more starving in winter. No more working grueling jobs for my dad’s medical bills and our family’s living expenses. I don’t know what I was being so dramatic about in my last life, obsessing over whether Alexander truly loved me. Even after he’d entrusted his entire fortune to me, I was still hung up on a few ambiguous texts. It took the crushing blows of life to finally understand the importance of money. I’ve learned my lesson now. I will never leave money again. I drew Alexander his favorite 96.4°F bathwater. Then I thoughtfully laid out the clothes he’d change into. Alexander stepped into the bathroom, and I was still grinning at the door. He stared at me for a few minutes, then quietly flipped the lock on the bathroom door. Me: … *Jerk. Who’s craving your body?* I headed into the bedroom and started tallying up my secret stash.
To be honest, for the first 25 years of my life, I truly lived like a princess. My parents ran a manufacturing business, raking in nearly eight figures in revenue annually. I was an only child, and all their love was poured onto me. My grades were always mediocre, but I was pretty and lucky. I barely scraped my way into an Ivy League university, where I met Alexander, who was dirt poor. Just like in all those novels, I fell in love with Alexander. I pestered my parents to fund his education and even give him startup capital for his business. After graduating, Alexander, to repay me, married me. And then came two years of a seemingly perfect but emotionally distant marriage. Alexander was a good man, but even good men can’t control their desires. He only felt gratitude for me, so even in bed, he never lost control. He was busy with work, dedicating a fixed hour every Saturday for intimacy. Any other time, I had to book an appointment with his assistant just to give him a kiss. In that lifeless routine, my ‘sensitive soul’ couldn’t take it anymore, and I started actively sabotaging myself. Thinking back now, I can’t blame Alexander for finding me boring. I became a housewife right after college, spending my days watching TV and playing games. Alexander and I didn’t just lack common interests; sometimes, even casual conversations fell flat. He accused me of being brainwashed by TikTok, and I thought he wasn’t as attentive or charming as other women’s husbands. That’s how our relationship slowly spiraled into a dead end. Lying in bed, I sighed deeply. *Cassidy Hayes, fate has been kind to you.* *A useless person with no real skills like me, and yet the heavens gave me a second chance? My ancestors must have been saints.* Since I had this opportunity, I resolved to live well. Forget about reversing the family’s decline or leading them to prosperity; at the very least, I needed to be a reliable safety net for my family. Just then, Alexander walked in, toweling his hair dry. He noticed I hadn’t changed, and a flicker of confusion crossed his eyes. Right, it was Saturday, my designated ‘wifely duties’ day. Unlike my usual cold demeanor, I immediately rushed into the bathroom, took a quick shower, and changed into the special lingerie I’d kept at the bottom of my drawer. I’d bought it when we were newlyweds, hoping to spice things up, but Alexander had left for a business trip before I ever got to wear it. No time like the present. Anyway, we’d both be enjoying it, so I might as well get what I want. The moment I walked out, Alexander’s breath hitched. He seemed a little shocked, and there was some other emotion too. He spoke, his voice low: “Cassidy, you…” I silenced him with a kiss. “Shhh, time is precious. Don’t talk…”
Gotta say, a change of mindset makes all the difference. Before, I yearned for love, always fixated on Alexander’s every move. If he frowned, my heart would flutter, afraid he was displeased. If he groaned or pulled away, my heart would ache, thinking I’d done something wrong. But once I started seeing him as a means to an end, all those anxieties vanished. All I cared about was whether he was enjoying himself, if the angle was right, and if he was going hard enough. After three rounds, Alexander’s face was practically green. I looked up, trying to kiss him again, but he gently pushed me away. “I have court tomorrow, can’t be too tired.” Oh, okay. I’ve been ‘thirsty’ for over twenty years, so it was only natural I couldn’t hold back. He didn’t want to continue, so I wasn’t upset. I got dressed and out of bed. Alexander rolled over, looking at me with shock. “Where are you going?” Me: “To the guest room. This bed is a mess.” It was… wet. Uncomfortable. I’d catch a cold. Before, I’d put up with it to be close to him, but now I valued my own health. Someone else could deal with that discomfort. I slammed the door shut, leaving Alexander’s conflicted expression behind. The next morning, I slept until ten. He was already gone, leaving a note: [Business trip to New York for a week.] Underneath was a stack of cash for living expenses. Alexander liked to give me cash, I didn’t know if it was to humiliate me or what. I counted it: ten thousand dollars. Generous as always. I changed clothes, grabbed the money, and headed straight to the bank. As I walked in, I almost got lost. Nothing new there. I had my typical ‘spoiled princess’ syndrome; I didn’t know how to do anything. Even slightly complex environments could overwhelm me. Finally, I managed to flag down a staff member. They led me to the counter where I exchanged the cash Alexander gave me for gold bars. I then moved my own savings into a new account. After all that, I took a cab to my parents’ house. If I remembered correctly, their business was already in trouble, but they hadn’t dared to tell me yet.
The moment I stepped through the door, a palpable cloud of gloom hung over the house. Dad sat on the couch smoking, and Mom was scratching her head, staring at the computer screen. Seeing me, they exchanged a look and forced out weak, artificial smiles. They were about to speak, but I waved a hand, cutting them off. “Stop pretending. I know your business is in trouble.” My parents ran a traditional manufacturing business that had been hit hard by the internet revolution. They’d sunk all their capital into a project that had gone wrong. Now, their cash flow was about to dry up, and they faced a difficult choice. One was to risk it all again. The other was to liquidate all their assets, cover their debts, and close shop for good. In my past life, my parents, unwilling to give up, chose to risk it again. They lost everything, down to their last penny. My dad, already stressed, smoked himself sick with lung cancer. My mom tried to bounce back, but any money she earned was immediately used to pay off debts, making even basic living difficult. So this time, I cut them off directly and told them the outcome. “Dad, Mom, stop struggling. You’ve fallen behind the times. The factory business won’t get any better.” Artificial intelligence was developing too fast, delivering a devastating blow to traditional industries. My parents’ mindset couldn’t adapt, so their downfall was almost inevitable. They were shocked when I suggested closing the business. “What do you know? You’ve never been involved in the family business.” “Exactly! I asked Mr. Williams and Mr. Garcia, and they both said they’d help us if we wanted to risk it again.” Yes, those ‘uncles’ did help. And later, they became regular debt collectors. I smiled bitterly. “Come on, Dad, Mom, let me tell you why I’m saying this.” Hugging my knees on the couch, I told them everything that had happened in my past life. There was no need to hide anything from my closest family. My parents were deeply affected, especially my dad, who started to cry. “So, sweetie, for the next ten years, you were washing dishes and paying off debts? And you died alone in a hospital because you couldn’t afford treatment?” He gripped my hand, trembling. My mom didn’t speak, her head bowed for a long time. Finally, she looked up, both crying and laughing. “Okay. This time, we’ll listen to our sweetie. No more struggling.”
My parents started to liquidate the family business. Because they had accumulated decades of experience, even after deducting debts and losses, they surprisingly still had a few hundred thousand dollars and a house left. After signing the sales contracts, my parents stood in the factory lobby, sighing with emotion. “Worked so hard our whole lives, only to realize we’ve left nothing behind. This factory, this land, all these machines… they’re all someone else’s now.” I linked my arm through theirs. “Dad, Mom, don’t worry. Being alive is more important than anything.” Exiting the traditional industry competition now only meant losing a few million dollars. If they had continued to stubbornly hold on, they would never have recovered. My parents were now out of work and had a lot of free time. For a while, they didn’t know what to do and felt a bit lost. I took out the few million dollars I had saved and put it in their hands. “Dad, Mom, these are my savings from childhood. They’re all yours now.” “Even though I lived miserably in my past life, I also witnessed the rapid development of the times.” “The factory went bankrupt because you were always pushed by your work, with no time to learn new things. Jumping into new projects now blindly would definitely be risky.” “So, take this money, enroll in an MBA program, and learn some new knowledge. We’ll have money again when the opportunity arises, okay?” My parents looked at me in surprise, then smiled. “Oh, Cassidy has really grown up. What insightful words!” “Okay, Dad and Mom will listen to you. We’ll go back to school.” Striking while the iron was hot, I immediately found them top-tier executive courses. Two days later, they flew to Los Angeles to begin their classes. Meanwhile, I let go of the redundant household staff, handled security, and then returned to Alexander’s and my house. I found he was already back, reading documents on the sofa. Seeing me, he closed the file and slipped it into his laptop bag. He stood up, heading for the study. I ignored him, took a shower, and then settled into the bedroom to watch video editing tutorials. A friend of mine, an influencer, told me the internet was huge now. I didn’t have any other special skills, just this seemingly perfect life that I could use to fool people into thinking I was some effortlessly perfect socialite. I thought I’d learn how to make vlogs, just in case it took off. I was watching a video when Alexander pushed the door open and stood silently behind me. He asked: “Ready?”
I choked on my water. I instinctively glanced at the calendar. Oh, it was Saturday again. I closed my laptop, walked over to him, and stood on tiptoes, reaching up to kiss him. Alexander gripped my neck, pausing for a moment. “Wear the outfit from last time.” …Huh? Oh. After four intense rounds, I was the one who begged for mercy first. Alexander got off me, and I turned, intending to get out of bed. He grabbed my wrist. Me: “Hmm?” Alexander pursed his lips. “Sleep here.” Me: “It’s wet.” He immediately pulled fresh sheets from the cabinet and made the bed. “Not anymore.” Fine. I lay back on the pillow, and he pulled me against him, gripping my shoulder. Me: “Hmm?” Alexander: “I’m cold.” Fine. I was so exhausted that I fell asleep almost instantly. I didn’t know the person next to me stayed awake, watching me for half the night. I had a very long dream, reliving the days when I chased Alexander. From the moment he entered college, he was an incredibly brilliant figure. Countless people would gather outside the law classroom just to catch a glimpse of him. Alexander was distant and never truly warmed up to anyone. He only had one childhood friend from his village, Serena, with whom he shared a good relationship. After I set my sights on Alexander, I tried to find out if they were a couple. Before I could figure anything out, Serena left the country on her own, and Alexander’s mother was diagnosed with cancer. Pancreatic cancer, the king of cancers, was practically incurable. But with money, she could suffer less. Alexander was so worried he couldn’t sleep for nights. I went to my parents, got him a hundred thousand dollars for his mother’s hospital bills. Alexander’s mother finally got some rest, and Alexander came to find me. He said: “Thank you.” I said: “Don’t mention it. Just marry me.” I was transparent about my desires, and unapologetic in my flirtation. Alexander looked at me and smiled softly. At the time, I didn’t understand what that complex smile meant. Two years later, I finally did. It was the smile of compromise. The helpless look of someone selling their soul.
I woke up the next morning to find Alexander, uncharacteristically, not at work. He was setting out breakfast, talking to me. “Today’s a good day. We should go see your parents.” I was drinking my coffee, not looking up as I replied: “They’re not home. They went to Los Angeles.” Alexander paused. “To Los Angeles?” “Mm-hmm. I enrolled them in an MBA program. They’re taking classes.” “What about the factory business?” “It’s finished.” Alexander looked at me quietly for a moment. “Was that your idea?” “Yeah. I just thought it was pointless to keep it going. It would just drain them dry.” I wiped my mouth, went to the door to put on my shoes, and grabbed my bag. As I opened the door, I said: “I’m meeting a friend. Might be back late. See you.” Alexander was about to say something, but the door was already shut. I really was going to meet someone – my influencer friend, Brianna, to get some tips. Brianna was incredibly helpful. She meticulously explained how to set up an account, how to write a bio, how to boost engagement, and how to define my target audience. She spoke so fast, I couldn’t write quickly enough, and she even complained: “Your handwriting is like chicken scratch!” I bared my teeth. “I’m a slacker, what do you expect?” Brianna chuckled, about to playfully pinch me, but her gaze suddenly froze. “Holy crap!” I followed her line of sight. Not far away, a handsome man and a beautiful woman were walking side-by-side across the street. A car sped past, and the handsome man pulled the woman into his arms. It was Alexander and Serena. *When did she get back? Why didn’t Alexander tell me?* A flicker of regret crossed my mind, then I shook my head, dismissing it. *No more being love-struck. No more obsessing over men. Being love-struck leads to a tragic end!* I refocused on taking notes. Brianna had gone to the same university as us, so she knew about the three of us. She nudged me with her elbow. “Hey, isn’t that your husband’s… ‘special friend’? Aren’t you worried?” What was there to worry about? I already knew how it would end. In three years, Alexander would become a law firm partner and reconcile with Serena. On the day he proposed to her, fireworks lit up the entire city. The sky was dazzling, and I was huddled in a dark corner, being yelled at by my boss for accidentally breaking a dish. “You can’t even wash a dish properly, what good are you?” “Two hundred from your perfect attendance bonus. See if you dare break anything next time.”
I didn’t know that when Alexander pulled Serena close, he saw me pull my gaze away. When I got home that evening, he was standing by the window, lost in thought. My head was buzzing with new knowledge, and I was incredibly tired. I ignored him and went into the bathroom. But Alexander squeezed in after me. He was only wearing boxer briefs, but his presence was commanding. His handsome, profound face held an endless intensity as he searched my expression. “You saw me today, didn’t you?” Me: “Mm-hmm.” “Do you have anything you want to ask?” I shook my head. Alexander took a deep breath, sounding a little angry. “Why aren’t you asking?” I was confused. “Why should I ask?” What was there to ask? Whether I asked or not, wasn’t she still the one you loved? Alexander suddenly exploded, rushing forward and pinning me against the wall. His kisses rained down on me, overwhelming. His large hands moved lower and lower, igniting sparks amidst the soap suds. I trembled all over, feeling a little stifled. “Today’s Sunday.” *Damn it, it’s not our designated day.* Alexander, fuming, picked me up and carried me out. “I don’t care what day it is, I want you!” Money’s hard to make, and he’s a handful. That bastard Alexander tortured me all night. When I woke up the next day, my entire body felt like it had been run over by a truck, but the dog-man had already left for work. On my phone, there was a new friend request. The profile picture showed Serena in a business suit. She said: “Are you there? There’s something I’d like to talk to you about.”
Serena could dream. She wouldn’t ruin my mood. I immediately blocked her and went to the mall to buy a new laptop and a GoPro. Under Brianna’s guidance, I filmed the first vlog of my life. I was very clear about myself: I couldn’t pretend to be some high-flying, sophisticated professional, nor could I play the part of a spoiled socialite. So, I decided to launch my ‘Pretty but Useless’ Self-Rescue Plan, letting my followers see that, oh, rich people aren’t all the same. Thanks to precise positioning and relentless self-deprecating humor. I gained 3,000 followers overnight. Looking at the 99+ notifications in my backend, I couldn’t help but feel ecstatic. *Turns out, I can do something right too.* Just as I was sharing the news with Brianna, Alexander came home, bringing someone with him. He had brought Serena home. Alexander looked calm as he told me: “Serena accidentally spilled soup on herself at dinner. Her place is far, so she was wondering if you could lend her an outfit.” If I didn’t lend her something, he’d definitely say I was petty. I went into the bedroom and grabbed a casual outfit Alexander had bought me when we were newlyweds. Coincidentally or not, Serena looked incredibly good in it. She smiled faintly. “I didn’t expect you, Cassidy, to have similar taste to me. I loved this brand before I went abroad.” That was quite a compliment. I responded frankly: “Alexander bought this. I’ve never worn it.” “If you like it, you can have it.” Serena’s smile became genuinely sincere, and the hostility in her gaze lessened. “Oh, I couldn’t possibly… but I really do like it.” I gave her an eight-toothed standard smile, which made Alexander’s face darken. He frowned, losing control of his expression for the first time. “I apologize. My wife is just joking. You can’t have these clothes. I’ll go find you another set.” With that, he genuinely went and got another outfit, telling Serena to change. Serena stared at him stiffly for a moment, then angrily entered the bathroom. I thought, at this point, they were playing a game of cat and mouse, and tonight would surely turn into a dramatic showdown. Though it was a bit early, and my career hadn’t taken off yet, my family wasn’t in debt, so I wouldn’t starve. If Serena stayed tonight and they ended up in bed, I could use this opportunity to get a larger share of the assets. I definitely needed to keep this house, and a car for convenience. Savings… how much did we have in savings? Lost in thought, I opened my bank app and started checking the balance. I didn’t notice Alexander had already seen Serena off and changed his clothes. He stood before me, his face dark, looking like a storm was brewing. “What are you doing?” “Checking how much money I can get in the divorce.” I quietly turned my head away. Alexander yanked me up, sweeping my new laptop off the table. It was ruined. Before I could even regret the loss, he lifted me onto the table, leaning in to tear and bite at my lips. His right hand ripped at my collar, while his left reached for the drawer. This man’s temper was getting increasingly unpredictable. He was hurting me. I thought he was going to take it further. But Alexander suddenly stopped. He buried his head in my neck, his hot breath making me tremble. He couldn’t stop himself from muttering in frustration. “Why aren’t you angry?” “Cassidy Hayes, don’t you love me anymore?”
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