I was beaten to death by my husband, Alex, all because a paternity test claimed the child wasn’t his. But then, as he was about to throw our son from the sixteenth floor, my mother-in-law, Brenda, dropped to her knees, sobbing, “He’s your brother, Alex! He’s *my* son!” My supposed best friend, Clara, even showed up and helped Alex cover up my murder. That’s when I finally understood: Clara and Brenda had conspired to swap my baby! — I woke up, reborn, the day before giving birth. I watched Alex, my husband, peeling a pomegranate for me, and a chilling hatred flashed in my eyes. Because he was my killer. Our marriage had crumbled, and I wanted a divorce. But then he suddenly insisted on a paternity test for our son. The results came back: our son wasn’t biologically his. He came home, cornered me in our room, and smashed my head with a chair. I fought back, but I was no match for his towering strength. Brenda sat on the floor, crying, while Arthur, my father-in-law, terrified of getting caught in the crossfire, simply shut the door. After he beat me to death, he threw my body out the window, staging it to look like a suicide, shaming me even in death. My son, little Leo, was being choked by Alex, moments away from being tossed from our sixteenth-floor apartment. Brenda fell to her knees, pleading, “Alex! Little Leo is your brother! He’s *my* son!” My best friend, Clara, who lived next door, also appeared. She helped Alex conceal my murder. My spirit lingered in that house for three days, witnessing the entire horrific truth. It turned out Brenda had given birth just two days before me. No wonder she’d claimed she was going back to her rural hometown when I was a few months pregnant, and she hadn’t shown up once during my postpartum recovery. When I gave birth, she’d bribed a nurse. Together with Clara, they’d thrown away my daughter and given me her son to raise. After I died, Alex even went to my parents, demanding back all the money my parents contributed to our wedding. He claimed our marriage lasted less than two years and the child wasn’t his, so all the wedding funds should be returned. God, they had no idea. My parents’ generous wedding contribution of nearly three hundred thousand dollars, along with my own pre-marital millions, all went into his restaurant. They even gave us a million-dollar house as my dowry, which his entire family moved into. Back then, I thought finding a soulmate was rare, and money could always be earned again, so I helped him without hesitation. My parents, unaware of the truth, even used their retirement savings to repay what he demanded. Even so, they were subjected to relentless online harassment, ultimately leading to their tragic deaths on the streets. And Alex and Clara exploited me to the very end. Even after my death, the entire internet condemned me as immoral, a cheater, claiming that demanding back the wedding funds was entirely justified and I deserved it. His restaurant flourished, supported by countless people who sympathized with him for marrying a ‘loose woman’ whose child wasn’t his. They praised his ‘magnanimity’ for still raising the child after my death. His business grew exponentially. Eventually, he married Clara, who had become a major influencer, and their family raked in money, living a seemingly blissful life. That’s how people online are—a self-proclaimed righteous mob whose kindness was easily manipulated. And it was in this burning hatred that I was reborn, the day before I gave birth. That idiotic, love-struck version of me deserved to die, I suppose. But my parents shouldn’t have been shamed and scorned because of me. None of this was truly my fault. And my daughter, whom I never even met… I failed her. Thankfully, it wasn’t too late. Everything still had a chance to change. I looked at Alex now, and my voice came out cold, “Where’s your mother?” He flinched, surprised by the sudden chill from his usually gentle wife. But he didn’t think much of it, attributing it to pregnancy mood swings. Still, at the mention of his mother, his eyes flickered with a hint of evasion. “She went back to her rural hometown. You know, she said she had to take care of a couple of old sows on the farm.” Before I could say anything more, he placed the pomegranate in front of me. “I have to go out now. I’ve got a networking event.” I sneered inwardly. He already knew about his mother’s pregnancy. His whole family had just been hiding it from me. His mother wanted another child. She always wanted another child, but it was never the right time, or maybe she felt too old to openly have another baby. Now, with Alex’s restaurant starting to do well, they suddenly decided they wanted another one. But they were afraid I wouldn’t agree. I mean, who has their grandson and their own son born in the same month? And they worried that if they died, their baby would have no one to care for. Since it would bear the same family name, they figured they could just let me raise it. And because I gave birth to a daughter, they just went ahead with a complete swap – keeping it a secret even from Alex. That’s why he killed me. I forced myself to calm down. The memory of him beating me to death flooded me with an all-consuming hatred! This life, I swore, they would pay! Seeing my silence, he quickly explained, “You know the restaurant is just starting up. It needs connections, networking. If I don’t go to these events, all the money your parents contributed will be lost.” I sat on the sofa, listening to Alex. Feigning softness, I said, “Give me eighty thousand dollars.” His eyes widened, and he sat bolt upright. “Eighty thousand dollars? What do you need it for?” My gaze was sharp as a laser. “I’m going to a postpartum retreat! Your mother hasn’t shown up at all, and my due date was yesterday! Who’s going to care for me during my postpartum recovery? All my money is invested in your business, so I have to ask you.” Alex’s face darkened at my words. “Lily, you know the restaurant is just getting off the ground. We can’t afford an eighty-thousand-dollar postpartum retreat right now. Tell you what, when you have our second baby, I promise I’ll send you! For this one, I’ll take care of you. After all, I’m a chef, I can make you all sorts of delicious postpartum meals.” A second baby?! My hatred burned even hotter. There was no way I would ever have another child with this monster. Last life, he’d promised to make me delicious postpartum meals too, but he always claimed the restaurant was too busy and never cooked a single one. He didn’t like strangers in the house, so I couldn’t even hire a live-in nurse. I just called in-home chefs to cook and leave. Thinking back, that past version of me was truly the biggest fool. I looked at him. “Then call your mother and tell her to come back. Otherwise, I’ll have to tell my parents the truth. You already made them repay the wedding funds, and now you have no money for my postpartum care.” Alex was a social climber, and he absolutely hated it when my family, with their old money, looked down on him. The old me would have protected his fragile ego. Now… *Hah*. I’ll gladly stomp all over it. “Lily!” His eyes held a dangerous glint. “I’ll transfer it right now. But the restaurant will really struggle. You know, it’s my life’s work…” I smiled sweetly at him. “Then transfer the money. I’m booking it now. There’s only one suite left.” Alex stared at my smile. He was silent for a moment, then pulled out his phone and transferred the eighty thousand. He stood up, his expression shifting. “You rest well today. I’m heading back to the restaurant. Some important city officials are coming to dinner tonight.” I ignored him, picking up my phone to book the postpartum retreat. Birthing assistant, nursing staff, and all the labor necessities – the retreat provides everything. Normally, it would be around sixty-eight thousand, but because I was booking for tomorrow, it added an extra ten thousand. I didn’t regret spending a single cent on myself. I gently touched my belly, my heart warming. *My little one, your father is trash, but you are innocent. I will be responsible for you your entire life.* After booking the retreat, I called my parents and told them to come to the city first thing tomorrow morning. Only with them by my side did I feel truly safe. 2 That evening, I called an in-home chef to prepare dinner. It was going to be my last meal before delivery, so I asked him to buy all my favorite dishes. The chef hadn’t arrived yet, but someone else knocked on my door. I saw the woman’s face on the monitor, my eyes burning with hatred. I wanted to kill her! My nails dug deep into my palms. I closed my eyes, then reopened them, my expression carefully neutral. I opened the door, and Clara threw herself at me. “Sweetie! Long time no see, did you miss me?” She leaned in for a kiss, but I gently pushed her face away. She squealed, “Baby, you smudged my makeup!” I felt a surge of disgust, but I knew now wasn’t the time to reveal my true feelings. I knew, from my past life, that she and Alex had been sleeping together since I was two months pregnant. As a woman who believed in devotion and loyalty, up until the day I died, I still thought I hadn’t been good enough, that I’d somehow made my husband fall out of love with me. Now, it seemed so utterly laughable— I looked at the powder on my hand and sneezed. She realized she was a bit too excited and quickly grabbed my hand. “But it’s okay if my makeup’s smudged! I went to Star-Moon Entertainment today, and they’ve agreed to sign me tomorrow! They’ll manage my social media accounts, and whenever I go live, the company will arrange for big spenders to shower me with gifts.” She spoke with beaming confidence. “Once I’m a mega-influencer with millions of followers, I’ll take you on a trip across the country! Without Alex. Just seeing him annoys me, hmph, stealing my best friend!” The old me would have hugged her tightly, comforted her, then gone to her live streams to buy gifts and boost her viewership. The new me could only feign tiredness. I needed to catch them off guard, to get solid proof of Alex’s affair. Last life, they were so good at manipulating public opinion, weren’t they? This time, I’d beat them at their own game! “Lily, what’s wrong?” She saw my silence, a flicker of tension crossing her face. “Just worried about the baby,” I sighed. “My due date was yesterday, and there’s still no sign.” Clara exhaled in relief. Good, she hadn’t discovered anything. She linked her arm through mine. “It’s fine, a few days either side of the due date is totally normal.” “And my mother-in-law, I don’t even know where she is,” I pulled my hand away, looking at the empty, spacious house. “If I go into postpartum recovery, I won’t have anyone to care for me. I’m thinking of divorcing Alex. I’ve never felt so neglected in my life, not even at home.” I’d only been married to him for a little over a year. At my parents’ house, I was their little princess. Here, I tried to emulate my mother and care for his entire family. How naive, how utterly foolish I had been to end up like this. Clara grabbed my hand again, a hint of glee in her eyes. “Divorce is fine, but now that the restaurant is finally taking off, you need to be very clear about dividing the assets.” Just as I was about to say something, there was a knock at the door. Clara rushed to open it. “Is he back? Don’t worry, I’ll scold him for you!” Clara opened the door and saw a man holding several bags of groceries. She swallowed her words. “You are?” The man wore a face mask, his long, almond-shaped eyes striking. Veins stood out on the hand holding the groceries. Dressed in a white chef’s uniform, I could vaguely discern the pleasing shape of his chest muscles. His voice was deep and pleasant. “Hello, I’m the in-home chef the hostess booked.” I called out from behind, “Come on in!” I hadn’t expected it to be the chef I’d hired before. Their app assigned chefs by number, and I remembered him as “Chef #2.” He gave a slight nod, stepped inside, put on shoe covers, and headed into the kitchen. Clara watched the man’s retreating back, then practically skipped over to sit beside me. “Where did you find such a handsome guy? I knew it! You must have a backup, but I never expected him to be so hot! How long have you two been seeing each other?” She was secretly thrilled. Because if Lily was cheating, she wouldn’t get a dime! “You don’t know about ‘Sky Chefs’ catering?” I asked, feigning surprise. “Their chefs are all former military cooks, specially trained for in-home service.” Clara’s eyes lingered on the man in the kitchen. “So, he’s not your backup, then.” I frowned. “Clara, can you show some respect? He’s a veteran. Your comments are disgusting.” Clara hadn’t expected me to say that. She quickly linked her arm through mine. “Oh, sweetie, I’m so sorry! I just thought…” “Stop thinking!” I pulled my hand away and walked into my room. Back in my own space, I realized how utterly stupid I was. I couldn’t fake it. Seeing my enemies, all I wanted was to destroy them. I couldn’t keep up the act. But then I thought of the baby in my belly. I had to keep pretending. Just being around them made me sick! I threw on a light cardigan and went back to the living room, seeing Clara on the phone. The way she was trying to hide it, I didn’t need to guess who she was talking to. She hastily hung up. “Lily, please don’t be mad. It’s my fault for speaking without thinking. I’ll slap myself.” She made a gesture of slapping her mouth. I picked up my phone, sat on the sofa, and called Brenda. I needed to confirm her whereabouts. The moment she picked up, I heard a baby crying on the other end. My grip on the phone tightened, my gaze sharp. That was *my* son—no, *her* son’s cry. She answered quickly, ducking into the bathroom, muffling her voice. “Hello? Lily? Is everything alright?” Her voice sounded strained, a little weak. I pretended not to know anything, asking coolly, “Mom, where are you?” After a two-second pause, she laughed. “I’m at your Aunt Martha’s house. Her daughter-in-law just had a big, healthy baby boy, and since Aunt Martha broke her leg helping out on the farm, I’m just here to lend a hand. That’s why you can hear a baby crying.” I had to admit, the lie was airtight. “Oh,” I glanced at Clara beside me. She seemed to know something, smiling at me. “I’ve already booked a postpartum retreat. You can stay there and take care of other people’s daughters-in-law.” I hung up, wanting only to observe Clara’s expression. It turned out everyone in this family, except me and Alex, knew Brenda had given birth. They probably kept it from Alex because they feared he wouldn’t want to raise his own younger brother. Everyone knew how cruel and ruthless he could be when he was heartless. Clara sat beside me. “Lily, don’t be sad. Mrs. Hayes grew up in the village; she probably can’t let go of village affairs. Anyway, you’ve booked a postpartum retreat, so don’t let this upset you.” I poured a cup of tea. “I know, but it still hurts a little.” Clara placed her phone on the table and linked her arm through mine, her expression overly affectionate. “It’s okay. You still have me, don’t you?” But a cold sneer flickered in her eyes. *Why does everything good always belong to you?!* *We grew up together! Your parents were affluent, mine just ran a small convenience store. My parents died young, and you claimed we were best friends in the world, yet you never asked your parents to take me in as a stepdaughter! That’s why I didn’t even finish middle school and had to go work in a factory! You’re the biggest hypocrite in the world, Lily Reed!* I reached for my teacup, but she suddenly dug her nails into my arm. Startled, I accidentally knocked over the teapot. The tea spilled directly into her phone’s charging port, and the phone crashed from the tall table onto the marble floor. “Ah!” Her leg was also scalded by the splashing tea. I shrieked too. “Why did you pinch me for no reason?!” Clara’s leg was bright red from the scald. The chef in the kitchen heard the commotion and rushed out. He looked at me intently. “Are you scalded?” I shook my head. Clara darted into the bathroom, quickly running cold water over her leg. He nodded, then walked back into the kitchen, completely ignoring the one who was actually scalded. But I was slightly surprised by his gaze just now. It was as if he’d known me for a very long time— I looked at Clara’s phone. The screen was shattered, and it was completely dead. When she walked out, her eyes were bloodshot. “It hurts so much, it’s already blistering.” I looked at the angry red on her leg. The old me would have been heartbroken and sent her five thousand dollars as comfort. Now, I just picked up the phone from the floor. “This is all your fault. Why did you pinch me for no reason? Look, I still have your nail marks on my arm.” Clara’s face hardened. She was just remembering how much she hated me back then, wasn’t she? She forced a smile, but when she saw her shattered phone screen, she couldn’t maintain it. “My brand-new phone!” She snatched it back, staring at the unresponsive screen, stamping her foot in frustration. “I paid over a thousand dollars for this! I’ve only had it a few days, and I haven’t backed up my files!” She looked genuinely anxious. “The contract is on it. I need it first thing tomorrow morning.” No stores were open now, and she couldn’t buy a new phone first thing tomorrow. She was signing with a major agency and had to be at their office by seven AM. I didn’t know what contract she was talking about, but the more anxious she got, the happier I felt. “I have a computer. I can back up the files and print them out. You can just take that tomorrow.” I stood up. “Besides, I remember Alex has an old burner phone. You can just put your SIM card in it for now.” She visibly relaxed at my words. “That’s great! Thank you, sweetie.” I picked up her phone. “Give it to me, I’ll back it up for you.” She was about to hand it over, then remembered something, her face stiffening. “The files are in the phone’s internal storage…” “Your phone is broken; you can’t open SnapChat or any other apps. I can only access the internal storage. Don’t worry, I won’t see any private stuff. You don’t have anything to hide from me, do you? Unless…” I looked at her, a hint of a smile in my eyes. “Got a new boyfriend? Don’t want me to know?” Clara’s expression softened a little, and she smiled, handing me the phone. “No boyfriend. In my line of work, the last thing you want is the company finding out you’re dating. They said I’m talented and they want to move me into film, so I can’t have a boyfriend.” She had just signed, and these were mandatory rules. Otherwise, the breach of contract penalties would be in the tens of millions. Clara tried to recall. This phone was brand new; there shouldn’t be anything incriminating on it. The contract for tomorrow was urgent, so she could only look at me with pleading eyes. “Then thank you so much.” I looked at her leg. “There’s a pharmacy downstairs. Go buy some burn cream. Otherwise, a beautiful leg like yours might get scarred.” She remembered her photoshoot tomorrow and quickly nodded. “Okay, I’ll go buy the cream then.” After she left, I went into the adjacent gaming room. Inside were two high-end gaming rigs, their keyboards already gathering dust. Alex and I met playing ‘Mythic Realms’ – a popular online RPG. I was a total gaming nerd, a homebody who’d poured millions into games since college. But I could also make money from gaming. I was an official strategy guide influencer. Because I studied computer science, coding and game development were second nature to me. I’d even developed a few viral mini-games for TikTok, like ‘Herd It’ and ‘Pig Out,’ earning a small fortune. Alex was just a low-level player in our guild. During his first guild battle, his damage output was abysmal, and the guild master ripped into him. Because we won, I said a few words on his behalf. It was just a game, no need to be so harsh. He added me to thank me, and I, perhaps too bored, started chatting with him. Later, we met in person. He was handsome and would blush when he spoke to me. Perhaps I’d had enough of a good life, so I went looking for a pile of crap. After we got together, I dreamed of our future. The gaming room was one of our first projects. We’d game together, fight guild battles together… But after we married, he became incredibly busy, and my heart was so completely wrapped up in him that I stopped focusing on my own career. Now the mini-game craze had passed, and I hadn’t figured out what work to do next, so I felt anxious and started saving money, no longer spending on games. Even my expensive La Mer skincare was replaced with Lancôme. Seriously, sometimes I wondered, what was I even living for? That a fool like me would get a second chance at life? The universe truly was kind. I took out her SIM card and put it into an old burner phone I kept nearby. After receiving the verification codes, I restored her chat logs. Then I backed up the phone’s content. Just as the backup started, there was a knock on the door. I walked out and took twenty dollars in cash from a drawer. Everyone used cashless payments now. I knew she’d realize she had no money when she got downstairs. This was also part of my plan. I opened the door. Her face was flushed red. “No phone, no cash. They wouldn’t sell to me.” I handed her the twenty dollars. “I wanted to stop you, but you ran off too fast.” She looked at me. “How’s the phone doing?” I shook my head. “Still working on it. Because it was so damaged, it might take another twenty minutes to load everything. I don’t know which folder you saved it in. Go buy the cream, and we can look for it together.” “Okay!” She immediately dashed downstairs again. I watched her hurried back. She was truly foolish. She hadn’t studied hard in school, didn’t even finish middle school. So easy to fool. If she hadn’t gotten plastic surgery, she wouldn’t have made it in the internet world. I closed the door. Passing the kitchen, I saw the chef in an apron, chopping vegetables. Back in the gaming room, the backup was complete. A dummy like Clara wouldn’t know that her phone could restore chat histories from a previous phone. I scrolled through her chat logs with Alex, my fists clenching. I called Clara foolish, but I forgot to call myself the biggest fool of all. Lately, a quote I saw online, liked by millions, resonated deeply: “Don’t blame your past self, for she was just as lost, standing in the fog.” It turned out everyone had done foolish things; they just didn’t want to admit it. After the backup finished, I put her SIM card back in her phone. She returned and knocked on the door just as I finished. Everything was going exactly as planned. Once a woman stops loving you, she becomes calm and sharp. But as long as she loves you, she’ll rationalize and accept everything about you, including your mistakes. And now, for Alex’s family and Clara, I felt nothing but hatred and disgust. Clara eagerly followed me into the gaming room. Seeing that the screen genuinely only displayed internal storage access, she visibly relaxed and finally applied the burn cream. “Is this the file?” “Yes, yes! That’s the one! I had the company’s front desk save it for me. It’s called ‘WSsb’ or something.” I glanced at it and printed it out. I had a printer right there. She looked at the document and finally smiled. “This is great!” I told her, “Alex took his spare phone, so you’ll sleep here tonight. I’ll make him give it to you later, otherwise, you won’t even be able to call a taxi tomorrow.” She nodded. “Good thing I have you.” Then she looked a little apologetic. “I was just having some trouble with my nails earlier, that’s why I pinched you.” “It’s fine,” I waved it off. “Dinner’s almost ready. Let’s go eat.” I shut down the computer. She glanced at it, then followed me out of the room. Sitting on the sofa, she chattered about influencer gossip. I used to find it interesting, but now it just felt tedious. When dinner was ready, the chef prepared to leave. He looked between us, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes, as if he wanted to say something, but he just left with the kitchen trash. “This handsome chef’s food is really delicious!” Clara looked utterly satisfied. “Introduce him to me! I’ll have him come cook for me too.” I just smiled and said nothing. After dinner, Clara sat in the living room watching TV. Without her phone, she seemed a bit bored. Seeing it was getting late, I walked into the bedroom, saying I was going to shower. A moment after I entered, I heard voices from the living room. “Clara’s here?” It was Alex’s voice. She grumbled, but her tone was teasing. “Yeah? What, you’re not happy to see me? I’ll tell Lily to beat you up!” Alex chuckled. “How could I dare? Your friendship is even stronger than my marriage to Lily.” Listening from the room, I felt sick to my stomach. Clara always acted like she disliked Alex, so I used to think there was no way my best friend would ever go after my husband. I never imagined I was just a pawn in their game. I pushed the door open. Clara immediately started complaining to me. “Baby, Alex is annoyed I’m staying here! Scold him!” Alex, looking smug, played innocent. “I didn’t say anything! You two haven’t seen each other in half a month, I wouldn’t dare interrupt.” He shrugged, looking at me. “I’m going to shower first, little queen.” “You work so hard, honey.” I forced a sickeningly sweet smile and leaned into him briefly. Alex’s body stiffened, and Clara’s smile froze. I felt the baby stir in my belly, as if she also found being near this father utterly disgusting. Alex forced a smile and walked into the bedroom. I sat on the sofa, but Clara suddenly stood up. “Baby, I learned a new method for peaceful sleep in Europe recently. It’s to drink a cup of warm milk before bed. I’ll go warm it up for you.” Before I could refuse, she was already in the kitchen. I raised an eyebrow. This didn’t happen in my last life. Realizing something, I quickly placed a black vase, filled with fake roses, next to a potted plant. Clara walked out with the milk. “You have to drink this. You always struggle with insomnia, and this is incredibly effective.” I nodded. “Thank you, Clara. If it weren’t for you, I don’t know how I’d manage my anxiety.” Compared to when I first saw them, I had managed to regain my composure over these past few hours. Clara leaned against me. “You’re my best friend. I’m just happy I can help you.” Just then, Alex called my name from inside. “Lily, there’s no more body wash or shampoo! Can you bring some in?” I clutched my belly, my face pale. “I feel a bit unwell. Clara, can you take the body wash and shampoo to Alex?” “Me?” Clara looked at me, seeing that my pain wasn’t faked. “I hate him so much, and you want me to take him things!” She looked displeased but stood up. “If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t even give someone like him a second glance on the street.” She said, then walked into the guest bathroom, got the body wash and shampoo, and entered the master bedroom. As soon as she went in, the door automatically clicked shut. I poured the milk into the black vase. This would be useful later. I dipped a finger in, touched it to my lips, and then picked up a newspaper to read. Clara emerged after a while, her face flushed, her lips slightly swollen. “I saw a few new LV bags in your walk-in closet. I was just looking at them for a bit. When did you get them?” I didn’t answer her question. Instead, I looked at her mouth. “Your lipstick’s smudged.” She looked a little nervous, then rubbed her lips. “Must be an allergic reaction to mangoes… You finished your milk, then? I’m going to shower too. I have that contract to sign tomorrow. You should get some sleep.” She said, then hurried into the guest bedroom. I just smiled, then walked back into my room. Just then, Alex walked out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist, a smug, satisfied smile playing on his lips. Seeing me, his smile froze. I lay down on the bed. “Clara’s milk really works. I’m so sleepy after drinking it. I’m going to bed.” I said, then turned off the bedside lamp and drifted into dreams. “Goodnight, wife.” He turned off his own light and lay beside me for a while. Once he confirmed I was asleep, he quietly left. As soon as he left, I opened my eyes. I tiptoed to the bathroom and took the burner phone out of its hidden spot. It held a video. I’d been reborn so suddenly that I hadn’t had time to set up proper cameras. It showed Alex pulling Clara into the bathroom when she brought him the items, pinning her against the wall and kissing her. Just watching it made me sick. I opened the bedroom door. All the lights in the living room were off, but a sliver of light escaped from under the guest bedroom door. I walked over and heard male and female voices inside. They were very passionate. I quietly opened the door a crack, but they didn’t notice, their backs to me as they stood by the window. I silently filmed them, and then I overheard their conversation. Clara asked, “Am I prettier or is your wife prettier?” Alex replied, “Someone like her, with no charm whatsoever, couldn’t possibly compare to you. You’re the real little temptress.” Clara then said, “She brought a man home again today. I think she’s been up to no good with him.” Alex spat, “Once she gives birth, I’m getting a paternity test!” Alex was done in just a few minutes, so I closed the door at that point. I walked back into the bedroom, staring at the ceiling, wondering what kind of fool I had been in my last life. Everything had been right there, clear as day, yet I chose to ignore it. For them to do something like this while I was pregnant, it was utterly shameless, beyond despicable!!! I tried to suppress my rage, but it still affected the baby in my belly. She seemed angry too. Suddenly, I felt my water break. My labor was starting earlier than in my last life! But I didn’t panic. I called my parents. They said their high-speed train tickets were for 6 AM tomorrow, so they’d arrive around 8 AM. Last life, I gave birth past 10 AM, so their 8 AM arrival would have been perfect. But this life, it was early! I could only tell them not to rush, that I probably wouldn’t deliver until tomorrow morning, worried they were stressing too much for me. I called the postpartum retreat, but they said I was booked for tomorrow, and no one could come today. Because I was such a homebody, I barely had any friends. Now, I felt a surge of panic. Just then, I looked at the SnapChat transfer I’d just sent. The recipient had just accepted the money. I immediately initiated a FaceTime call. “Hello, Ms. Reed, is there a problem with today’s meal—” He hadn’t finished speaking when I interrupted. “I’ll give you ten thousand dollars! I need your help with something!” His voice was formal. “Ms. Reed, my rates are clear; I won’t take a cent more than I’m owed from clients.” I immediately blurted, “Tomorrow, you need to prepare formula for my baby for the whole day!” There was silence on his end for a few seconds. “You… you’ve been reborn too?” I gasped, utterly stunned, then heard him sigh. “It seems so. You know your baby was swapped, and you know what you’re facing, don’t you? I can help you, no charge. It’s the City General Hospital, right? I’m heading there now to wait for you.” My head was buzzing. I couldn’t believe he was also reborn, and he knew so much about my situation. There was no time to think. The pain in my body brought me back to reality. I grabbed my phone and struggled to get up. I turned on the living room lights and knocked on Clara’s door. “Clara, Alex must have gone somewhere, and I think I’m going into labor.” The two inside nearly jumped out of their skin. Clara scrambled to put on her clothes, her legs weak, and she accidentally fell to the floor. She winced in pain. Alex urged her to answer the door, terrified I might come in. Clara rushed to lock the door. “I just woke up, give me a minute! Alex probably went to the bathroom. Check around the apartment for him.” I had no intention of opening their door. I knew how ruthless those two were. If I caught them in the act, they might just kill me right there. Claim it was an accident during childbirth. I couldn’t risk it. “I’m in too much pain, I can’t get up off the floor,” I pretended, making it sound like I couldn’t open the door. The two inside breathed a sigh of relief. Right now, they didn’t care about my condition; they only cared about their affair being exposed. I braced myself, walked to the sofa, and sat down. Scaring those two adulterers made me feel much better; even the pain in my body wasn’t as bad. Clara was the first to emerge, her face flushed. She glanced behind her, then helped me up. “Come on, let’s get you to the hospital. Alex must have had an emergency and left.” “Okay,” I said, and we left. Alex finally emerged from the room. He looked around the apartment. He hadn’t gotten his hands on the house yet. She used to be so rich; she must still have savings. He couldn’t expose himself until he secured those things. 3 We arrived at the hospital, and Clara bustled around, handling admissions and other paperwork. The two of them had been busy with their ’emotional exchange’ earlier. Alex even remembered to give her the burner phone. She used it to call Alex, covering for him. She told me, “The restaurant really *is* busy. He said there were mice in the kitchen in the middle of the night, and he had to rush back to check. He’s so focused on his career he completely forgot about his wife! I’ll never find a man like that again. A wife should always come first, no matter what. I’m going to give him such a lecture when he gets here!” She picked up her phone. “I’m going to step out and call my boss to see if I can go in later tomorrow. Nothing is more important than you.” With that, she walked out. She went to the elevator bank and dialed, but it was Brenda she called. “Mrs. Hayes, she’s about to give birth. You can bring the baby over now. I’ve already taken care of the nurse, don’t worry.” “Thank you so much, Clara. If only you were my daughter-in-law.” Clara’s heart swelled with delight. After all, what did Lily Reed have on her, besides her rich background? She walked back into the hospital room. The doctor said I needed to be three centimeters dilated to go into the delivery room; I was already two. My face was pale with pain. Luckily, I’d eaten and used the bathroom before coming, otherwise, I’d not only lack strength during labor but also face potential embarrassment. Clara had just entered when a tall man followed her in. He wore a heavy jacket and a face mask, giving him an unapproachable aura. “You?!” Clara exclaimed, recognizing him as the in-home chef. I looked at Liam Stone, and the tight knot of anxiety in my chest finally loosened. I told him, “When I go into the delivery room, remember to feed my baby formula.” He nodded. “Part of the job.” Preparing formula and cooking food were both about feeding people, essentially the same. Clara eyed us suspiciously, but then Nurse Kelly pushed open the door. She checked me over. “You’re ready for the delivery room.” I felt a surge of nerves. Even though I’d given birth once in my last life, the pain was still etched in my memory. I grabbed Liam’s hand. “Thank you!” He nodded. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of her.” I was wheeled into the delivery room just as Alex finally arrived, carrying several bags. Clara explained to him that Liam was the man I’d hired to care for the baby. “A man at the postpartum retreat?” Alex looked surprised. Clara, however, hinted meaningfully, “He’s the in-home chef, and he and Lily are very close.” Alex’s face darkened. He rushed forward and grabbed Liam’s jacket. “Are you my wife’s lover?!” Liam, with his muscular physique and military training, was no match for Alex. He swiftly reversed Alex’s grip, pinning him against the wall. His voice was icy. “She’s just a friend to me, more like a sister. Unlike you, you bastard who cheated on his wife during her pregnancy!” Alex and Clara both panicked. They never expected their little secret to be discovered by a stranger. *What about Lily? Does she know?* Alex, pinned and unable to move, could only threaten, “You’re lying! I can sue you for defamation!” Liam released him, smoothing his jacket. “You know the truth.” A bloodcurdling scream echoed from the delivery room. Clara sat on the bench, her heart pounding. Alex was still fuming, but his phone suddenly rang. On the other end, his mother’s voice was a desperate wail. “Son, your father was in a car accident, right here on Eagle Avenue! You need to come quickly, they’re demanding twenty thousand dollars!” Alex was stunned. “You guys weren’t in the village?!” Brenda was still crying. “I was thinking you’d be delivering soon, so I rushed back to care for you! Who knew we’d get into an accident?” Thinking of his father, Alex could only look at Clara. “Can you look after Lily? My dad was in an accident, I need to go see.” “Okay,” Clara readily agreed. She desperately wanted him gone; otherwise, he’d find out his baby was a girl, making the swap impossible. In truth, the idea for this plan was to make Alex’s mother like her. It was also to make Alex divorce Lily, and to make Lily suffer. Losing her own child, raising someone else’s… *Hahahaha*, as long as Lily was in pain, Clara was happy. With Alex gone, she started thinking about how to get rid of Liam. She poured a glass of water and offered it to him. “I don’t know what your relationship with Lily is, but thank you anyway. Have some water—” She purposefully splashed the water towards his pants, but Liam easily dodged it. The water ended up splashing all over her own pants instead. “What’s wrong with you?! I was kindly offering you water, and you splashed me!” Clara was on the verge of tears, glaring at him. Liam’s tone was flat. “The water you poured? I found it dirty. It’s only fitting that dirty things splash on you.” Clara gnashed her teeth, but she couldn’t leave. She was stuck sitting on the bench with her pants soaked. When Alex’s mother, Brenda Hayes, arrived with a baby in her arms, she also saw the tall man, but paid him no mind, assuming he was waiting for another woman in labor. “Clara, has she given birth yet?” Clara pulled her aside. They huddled in the hallway, whispering. Brenda listened to her description, furious. “That little wretch dares to cheat on my son? I’ll kill her!” Clara urged, “Don’t rush. Wait until she’s handed over all her money to raise your son, then expose her. That way, she won’t get a single cent!” Brenda looked at her, satisfied. “Clara, you’re so smart!” Clara mused, “But now, how do we get rid of that man? Otherwise, we won’t be able to swap the babies.” “We’ll go find the hospital security…” However, before they could strategize further, they heard commotion from the delivery room, asking for Lily Reed’s family. They had to rush back. The nurse holding the baby was the one they had bribed, pretending to be Lily’s friend. She walked towards the two, holding the baby. “The mother gave birth to a son.” Everyone in the hallway heard it: *a son*. Brenda and Clara immediately moved to take the baby, intending to swap it with the one Brenda was holding. The receiving blankets were identical. However, Liam blocked the nurse. “I’m Lily Reed’s brother. She had it confirmed; it’s a daughter. How could it have turned into a son?” His voice was loud, reaching not only the nurse, but also the chief physician and even the woman in the next delivery room. Even if the new mother had passed out, everyone else knew that a girl had been delivered. Last life, they got away with it. This life, it wouldn’t be so easy. “Lily Reed is my daughter-in-law! I know she doesn’t have a brother! You’re her lover, aren’t you?!” Liam ignored their mudslinging. He snatched the baby into his arms. He looked towards a spot down the hall. “Sister-in-law, how long are you going to watch?” Just then, a few people emerged from around the corner. Nurse Kelly’s eyes widened at the sight of them. It was the Director! Director Miller’s face was stern. She looked at Nurse Kelly. “Our hospital will pursue legal action against you.” Several chiefs of obstetrics and gynecology also looked grim. They couldn’t believe something like this was happening at their hospital, a baby swap! Everyone else in the hallway was stunned. What was going on? Clara and Brenda were dumbfounded. They never expected this guy to know the Director, and even call her “sister-in-law.” Director Miller took a look. “It is indeed a girl. Dr. Owens, you go with Liam. Get the baby fed first. I’ll handle things here.” “Okay,” said Dr. Owens. Liam followed Dr. Owens out. He had arrived at the hospital early, first going to find his old comrade’s wife – his squad leader had always been upright and honorable, and his wife was an ambitious, decisive woman. Clara and Brenda were mortified. People were pointing and whispering. They tried to slink away but were called out by Nurse Kelly. “Director, it was Lily’s mother-in-law who wanted to swap the baby! It has nothing to do with me! I just misspoke about the gender!” She knew if the Director really sued her, she’d face enormous fines, and her career would be over. She shouldn’t have cooperated with Clara for five thousand dollars! Director Miller’s eyes narrowed. “You didn’t take money?” Nurse Kelly fell silent, then knelt, begging the Director not to sue her. But Director Miller had already called hospital security. Director Miller couldn’t do much about Clara and Brenda directly; this would have to be handled by Lily herself. She just hadn’t expected Liam to call her here for a patient. *Could that boy be…?* *No, it’s unlikely. He’d turned down so many beautiful women she’d tried to set him up with.* Director Miller shook her head and entered the delivery room. When I woke up, everything was settled. Liam was standing by the window, holding my baby, saying something. I vaguely heard, “Uncle couldn’t save you last life, but this life, I’ve helped you. You have to grow up happy. Your mother has suffered too much…” “Liam Stone, thank you.” Liam heard me speak and walked over with the baby. He looked at me. “Clara went to her company. Your mother-in-law and Alex are outside, arguing.” He recounted the events. Yesterday, to get Alex to leave, Brenda had Alex’s father, Arthur, intentionally crash into a car. She’d claimed the car looked common and probably wasn’t expensive, maybe only a few thousand dollars in damages. Who knew it was a Rolls-Royce Cullinan, requiring over two hundred thousand dollars in repairs? Alex was overwhelmed. His parents, thinking they’d never get into an accident, hadn’t bought insurance. The amount was huge. He wanted to demand it from Lily. The traffic police had arrived, and the rich owner didn’t care about repair costs or lost wages. Then, at the hospital, this whole other incident happened. He found out his mother had secretly given birth to his younger brother seven days ago, which infuriated him to the point of nearly throwing up blood. Hearing my “thank you” brightened my mood considerably. I was even more grateful to him. Liam, however, looked at me. “I should be thanking you.” I was puzzled. “Why?” “You probably forgot all about me, but I never forgot you. When I was seventeen, my parents died, and my ten-year-old sister went missing. I knelt at the entrance of Annan Train Station, just begging for a meal.” He looked at me intently. “You gave me a thousand dollars and bought me a bowl of noodles, telling me not to give up on life, asking me to tell you about my sister. You searched for me online…” I was surprised. “That was twelve years ago!” I had almost forgotten. Back then, I’d just finished my college entrance exams and gone traveling. I’d earned my first pot of gold through gaming, and I thought doing something good would bring me more luck, maybe make me richer in the future. Seeing that boy, roughly my age, kneeling so formally, I felt a pang of pity. Many people told me I’d been scammed, but I didn’t care. I even put his sister’s photo and description in our gaming guild chat. Many people shared it across various gaming groups, and I never knew if they found her. Over time, I started to think I’d been scammed, so I stopped trying. I never imagined that one act of kindness would become my hope in this life. He took off his mask. “Yes, twelve years have passed. With the money you gave me, I enlisted in the military, becoming a Special Police Officer. After eleven years of service, I came back, planning to use this in-home cooking job to find both you and my sister.” I looked at him. “Did you find your sister?” He nodded. “I did. I visit her grave every Qingming Festival.” His sister… she had passed away. “Then what do you mean you were reborn too?” I asked, confused. He slowly explained, “Last life, you often had me come to cook. By then, I had confirmed you were my benefactor, my ‘sister.’ Then I saw the news that you had jumped from your building, and I learned everything about your family’s situation.” “And before that, one of my comrades found a dying little girl in a trash can. It was too cold in winter, and she couldn’t be saved.” “It was only today, seeing her, that I realized she was your daughter.” “I wanted to help you get justice. When I woke up, I saw the money you’d transferred and your request to take care of your baby. I knew then that you must have been reborn too. I was so happy. Everything still has a chance to be set right.” I looked at him. “I’m happy too.” Looking at the sky, which was gradually brightening outside, I told him, “Go do me a favor. I’ll send you all the videos. Also, on the table at my house, there’s a black vase with milk inside. Can you get its contents analyzed? And I have some chat logs backed up on my computer…” I laid out my entire plan to him. I couldn’t wait. I wanted to deal with that scumbag couple while I was still in postpartum recovery, still vulnerable. I wanted to make them lose everything! I wanted them to suffer the online mobbing they put me through! Liam nodded. “Okay.” He handed the baby back to me, then paused at the door. “Sister, you’re actually quite smart too.” He chuckled softly and walked out of the hospital. I pouted. What? Giving a huge sum of money to a stranger twelve years ago, then falling in love with a beast in this life—does that mean I’m not smart? I just thought that living a little more ignorantly, forgetting things easily, not dwelling on gains and losses, would make me happier. But I’ve found that if you live like that, others will think you’re a dumb pig, specifically put on earth for them to bully! Alex’s family walked in. Brenda was still holding a baby. I glanced at him—the child I’d raised as my own son, who after my death, treated Clara, his stepmother, better than he ever treated me. I felt no affection for him anymore. Alex looked at me. “Lily, my mother had a baby. He’s little Aurora’s brother, so don’t be angry about it.” Brenda also leaned in, smiling. “Yes, Lily, Aurora will have a brother to protect her…” “Brother?” I sneered. “The family tree is a bit… tangled, isn’t it?” Their faces showed a hint of embarrassment. Yes, by rights, he should be called “uncle.” “An uncle born in the same year and month? Aurora certainly doesn’t have that ‘blessing’,” I looked at Alex. “Let’s get a divorce. My parents will be here soon. I don’t want us to make this any uglier than it has to be.” I had defied my parents to marry him, and he’d promised not to disappoint them. Now, it had come to this. I no longer cared about appearances; I just wanted to save my daughter and myself. He suddenly stood up, pointing angrily at me. “You want a divorce just because my mother had another child?! Lily Reed, you’re being completely unreasonable!” Just then, the door opened, and a middle-aged man and woman walked in. It was my parents. Seeing them again in this life, my eyes welled up, but I fought back the tears. “Lily, what’s going on?” My father’s hair was streaked with gray. He looked at me, then at everyone’s troubled faces. My mother didn’t even want to look at Alex’s family. She placed her bags down, talking to me. “These are the new clothes I bought for the baby.” She walked over and held Aurora, her eyes filled with doting affection. “This child looks just like you when you were little.” Aurora reached out to her, smiling as soon as she saw her. My mother couldn’t put her down. “My sweet Aurora, you’re happy to see Grandma, aren’t you?” Brenda saw how close the baby was to her grandmother, a hint of hatred in her eyes. She knew her in-laws always looked down on them, so she simply didn’t bother speaking to my mother. “Whose child is that?” My father saw Brenda holding the baby. I spoke directly. “My mother-in-law just gave birth a few days ago.” My mother and father were stunned. They looked at Alex’s family, their eyes blazing with anger. “You… you’re truly shameless!” With my parents here, I no longer needed to pretend. “Dad, I want to divorce Alex Hayes…” Another day of acting for Alex’s family would make me sick. My parents said in unison, “Divorce him!!” I was incredibly moved. Yes, in broad daylight, with my father here, I had to be strong for my daughter. My father-in-law, Arthur, spoke earnestly, “Mr. and Mrs. Reed, this matter can still be discussed. If Alex and Lily don’t want to care for us, we’ll go back to the countryside. But the child is born, it’s our Hayes bloodline, we can’t just abandon him.” My father retorted, “Did you consult my daughter when you decided to have a child?” Brenda spoke defiantly, “Well, she wouldn’t agree, would she? I finally have a child in my old age, and she only gave birth to a worthless girl…” My mother immediately rushed forward, grabbing Brenda and starting to hit her. “You’re the worthless one, you old hag! My daughter and my granddaughter are NOT!” “Ahhh!” The scene erupted into chaos. Alex suddenly walked over, pulled a strand of hair from my daughter, and immediately left. He was very suspicious today. After all, that man came to take care of her baby, cooked for her in their home, and Clara claimed they had been seeing each other for a long time. He suspected this child wasn’t his. If she had cheated, he would make sure she died a terrible death! My daughter wailed. My mother came over to hold the baby. Brenda tried to charge forward but was kicked away by my father. My father, after retiring, had been practicing spinning tops and parallel bars in the park; he was quite strong. It wasn’t until hospital staff came in and forced Alex’s family out that things calmed down. I told my parents about the dream I’d had, and about Alex’s affair. I had all the evidence. My mother cried heartbrokenly, hearing how much I’d suffered. When Alex’s family returned to the hospital room, I had already left with the postpartum retreat staff. I stayed at the retreat. For three days, Alex’s family didn’t visit. Alex was still suspicious that the child wasn’t his, so he was waiting for the paternity test results. Clara came by but was turned away; she didn’t get to see me at all. Liam had gone to my house that day, had the drugs in the milk analyzed, and organized all the evidence. He came to the postpartum retreat and sat across from me. “Sister, what do you plan to do?” I didn’t hesitate. I hired an expensive lawyer. “I’m taking them straight to court!” I couldn’t wait. Another day felt sickening. What they did to me hadn’t happened yet in this life, but that didn’t mean it wouldn’t. I wouldn’t get a second chance to be reborn, so I wanted to make them suffer public humiliation while I was still in postpartum recovery, still vulnerable. I wanted them to experience the taste of online mobbing! When Alex Hayes and Clara Bell’s affair was exposed, the entire internet erupted. Clara had just signed with a major company, and her live-streaming revenue over the past three days was over a million dollars. Everyone loved this cheerful, beautiful girl.
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