Chapter 1

My husband, Andrew Stevens, died young, at forty.

In my past life, I was utterly consumed by love. Not long after his death, I followed him into the grave.

It was only after I died that I learned Andrew had already written a will, leaving all his assets and shares to Serena Thorne, his childhood crush, his "moonlight goddess."

And me, with my weak-willed nature, he had subtly planted the seed of suicide in my mind, all to clear the path for Serena.

I opened my eyes again, back to the moment Andrew had another episode, telling me he couldn't bear to leave me.

This time, I gripped his hand back. "Since that's the case, leave all your money to me."

"And, you have good taste; you can help me find my next husband."

1

Andrew frowned in surprise. He looked at me in disbelief, probably struggling to understand why I would say such a thing. After all, just yesterday, I was still clutching his diagnosis, weeping hysterically, showing every sign of wanting to live and die with him. Now, I was utterly calm, asking him for money and a new man.

I ignored his suspicious gaze. After a moment's thought, I added, "Honey, I know you're strong, but the company's stability is paramount. Since you're ill, why don't I take over Stevens Corp. for now?"

Andrew's face completely darkened.

He knew I'd been lazy my whole life. The company my parents left me, I'd handed it all over to him, never asking a single question. That’s how Andrew managed to secretly merge our two companies' businesses and gradually transfer them to Serena. Now that I was saying I wanted to take over, he couldn't find a counter-argument.

Serena, however, seemed anxious. She quickly stepped forward.

"Miss Dawson, you haven't studied business management. I'm afraid you won't be able to handle the business affairs."

I lifted my eyelids to look at her. This was the first time I had really scrutinized this woman.

To be fair, she wasn't an absolute beauty. But her eyes were soft and alluring, with a unique charm that men often found irresistible.

When she first joined the company, I had also sensed something amiss and asked Andrew why he hired a divorced woman as his secretary.

At the time, Andrew's expression was indifferent. He flipped through documents as he said, "Serena has her advantages. I value capability, not marital status. Yolanda, don't you dare bring workplace discrimination into this."

In my eyes, he had always been rational and clever. How could I have imagined that he was just an ordinary man?

The eldest son of the Stevens family, who had consistently ranked first in school, was chosen as the heir, and whose words and actions were always flawless, was secretly deeply in love with a woman from a poor family, with nothing to her name, divorced, and with a child.

I held no personal animosity towards Serena. I felt it was my fault for not managing my husband better. But if she was going to challenge me, I saw no need to be polite.

With a cold face, I said, "No matter how bad my ability is, this is still my family's company. It's not a secretary's place to dictate terms."

2

Just one sentence, and Andrew already seemed displeased. He frowned slightly. "Yolanda, watch your tone. Secretary Thorne is just stating facts; she has no other intentions."

"You're too used to being a spoiled rich girl, looking down on people. You'd best get rid of that nasty habit quickly."

Already burdened with two lifetimes of grievances, my patience snapped.

"I won't change. You're practically dying, what right do you have to dictate my temper?!"

"You care if your secretary feels wronged, but you don't care if your wife will have no one to depend on and suffer hardships in the future, Andrew Stevens, you bastard, you have no conscience."

Serena couldn't help but step forward. "Miss Dawson, that's not right. Mr. Stevens is ill, how can you still yell at him?"

I glared at her, then saw Andrew's expression, and held back my words. For the sake of the money, my tone softened after all.

"Honey, I wasn't trying to lose my temper. It's just that your health isn't good, and I was worried you couldn't handle everything, which is why I made that suggestion."

"But I didn't expect you to yell at me for your secretary. You hurt me deeply."

"I'll go back first. Let's both cool down. We can talk about everything tomorrow."

With that, I turned and walked away, leaving Andrew stunned.

Even after leaving the hospital room, my heart still felt heavy. After all, I had truly loved Andrew Stevens.

In the past life, when Andrew was first diagnosed with cancer, he uncharacteristically clasped my hand, his voice deep, and told me, "Don't be afraid, Yolanda, I'll fight to live."

"I love you, I can't live without you. For our future, I will definitely fight this illness."

His hand trembled slightly, and he was no longer as aloof as before.

I cried with emotion, thinking my love had finally been returned.

But I never imagined that while Andrew spoke to me, his gaze lingered on his ever-present secretary in the hospital room.

It was only after I died that I realized Andrew had played a clever game of 'under the lamplight.' The divorced female secretary he always kept by his side was Serena Thorne, his high school sweetheart, the "moonlight goddess" who had gone to study abroad, leaving him and breaking up with him.

3

He loved her so much that, fearing she would suffer alone with her child, he left all his inheritance and company shares to her. Not content with that, he even emotionally manipulated me, his love-struck fool of a wife, to die alongside him. Once I was gone, my family's assets would also be without an heir, eventually being swallowed up by Serena piece by piece.

Now, thinking about it again, money is where the love is. If Andrew kept saying he couldn't bear to leave me, then by that logic, his money should be mine.

In this life, I would reclaim everything that belonged to me.

I walked out of the hospital doors in a few brisk steps.

Just as I descended the stairs, I ran into Andrew's parents and my childhood friend, Alex Blade.

My mother-in-law had never liked me. She thought I was childish and naive, and she would always scold me whenever she saw me. This time was no exception.

Seeing me, she immediately lectured, "Andrew is still sick; where are you running off to?"

"Running around all day, you clearly have no upbringing."

"I don't know what Andrew was thinking, why he insisted on marrying you."

Her words were quite impolite. I couldn't help but retort, "Well, he married me, and we've slept together for five years. What's the point of saying that now?"

"You always think I'm no good, but your son is dying, and I haven't even complained that he's short-lived."

My mother-in-law choked, "That's because you cursed him!"

"I haven't even started scolding you, and you're already talking about us. If it weren't for you, this bad luck charm, how would our Andrew have gotten cancer?"

"You cursed your own parents to death, and now you're harming my son, you shameless wretch."

Her words cut deep, and in my past life, I actually blamed everything on myself. My parents died in a car accident when they drove me to see the sea in the middle of the night because I insisted. When Andrew was diagnosed with cancer, my first reaction was, Is my birth chart too strong, causing everyone close to me to leave one by one?

Now, I don't think that way anymore.

It was clear that several men in his Stevens family had died of cancer; they had a genetic defect. How dare she blame me?

Too lazy to argue with my mother-in-law, I simply gave up.

"If you dislike me so much, then tell your son to divorce me."

"Anyway, he's dying now, and I don't want to be with him anymore."

Mother-in-law: "??? Good, good, good, you've finally shown your true colors. I'll tell my son to divorce you, you bad luck charm."

With that, she cursed and grumbled as she walked away.

I let out a long sigh, about to celebrate.

I turned my head and saw Alex Blade leaning against the door, hands in his pockets. He still had that devil-may-care look. Even though he was already an airline captain, he always liked to tease me in private. This time, his eyes were full of a mischievous grin.

"Oh, so our little Yolanda finally stopped being a love-struck fool and a doormat?"

"If you get divorced, would you consider me?"

4

That man never had a kind word to say.

Like now, I was absolutely sure he was mocking me.

From childhood, Alex had always been like this.

Despite having a face that could charm anyone, his words were sharper than a scorpion's tail. He really disapproved of my pursuit of Andrew Stevens. Every time I bought something to please Andrew, he'd call me his little doormat, his little fool.

He'd constantly pick on me, asking defiantly, "Yolanda, what exactly do I lack compared to that pretentious guy?"

I was too lazy to humor him. "Andrew Stevens scored 701, you scored 107. What do you think?"

Alex choked, his tongue pressing against his cheek. "Are you saying if I scored 701, you'd send me food too?"

"I might consider it."

"It's a deal."

From then on, the once idle young master of the Blade family suddenly studied like a madman. In just half a year, he went from last in class to second. He was eager to show off, but I had a family tragedy; my parents died, and I had to move to another city to live with my grandparents. It wasn't until years later, when I reconnected with Andrew Stevens in college, that I picked up my "doormat" duties again and unexpectedly ran into Alex Blade once more.

Unfortunately, this time he was a step too slow. The day before he asked me to meet, I successfully "doormat-ed" my way into becoming Andrew Stevens's girlfriend. When Alex found out, he just gave me a cold laugh. His long index finger poked my forehead. "You blind fool, I'd like to see if you can live a good life!"

The fact proved that I couldn't live well. I spent my entire life with Andrew Stevens, being completely manipulated by him. It was only at my death that I realized he merely used me as a placeholder, knowing he had a cancer defect, and chose to be with me so as not to hinder his moonlight goddess. He meticulously planned, built a vast empire, and left everything except his parents' portion to Serena. In the end, Serena became the richest woman in the country, and even turned their love story into a TV series, with me as the shameless side character.

Oh, I was so angry, I only wished I could become a ghost and choke that shameless woman.

Now, reborn, I would never fall for their tricks again.

In this life, I want the money, I want the company.

And as for men, I'm going to find eight!

I glanced at Alex Blade, who was still waiting for my reply, and said with an air of profound wisdom, "I'm done being a doormat. But I don't want you. You're too old, your physique isn't great, your stamina isn't good, you won't satisfy me."

Alex Blade, who had been wearing a mischievous grin, instantly froze.

5

I returned alone to the house I shared with Andrew Stevens.

This time, I finally discovered many unsettling things.

For example, in his constantly locked study, the drawers held love letters Serena had sent him during college.

For example, in the guest room no one ever stayed in, at the very bottom of the closet, were Serena’s clothes.

Serena loved stars; the house decor and arrangements were full of star elements.

But I loved roses, and Andrew found them tacky, not allowing a single one during renovation. Even the rose ornaments my friends gave me for our wedding were thrown away by Andrew, who said they were an eyesore.

The more I thought about it, the more I felt pathetic. How could I have lived like such a fool before, completely in the dark?

I picked up Andrew’s favorite golf club and smashed the house clean.

Then I called a designer to redecorate.

I packed some of my things and moved to the city's largest hotel.

Before I could even think about what to do next, Andrew called. His tone was better than before, distinctly gentle.

"Yolanda."

"Hmm?"

"Are you angry?"

"No."

"This afternoon, I only said a couple of things to you, and you turned around and left, then argued with my mother. Your temper is getting worse and worse."

I said, "My temper is nowhere near as bad as yours."

From childhood, when was it ever not him ignoring me?

When we were dating, if I did anything slightly wrong, Andrew could ignore me for days.

Before he was diagnosed with cancer, he was always indifferent to me. It was me who was passionate, always fantasizing that we had an epic romance.

Thinking back, he really only became gentler and more openly affectionate after he was diagnosed with cancer.

And I, after finally receiving emotional response, became more and more afraid of his death.

Andrew was sick for ten years, and I took care of him for ten years. In those last days, he was almost constantly in a coma, unable to control his bladder or bowels. I didn't hire a nurse; I turned him over, changed his diapers, did everything myself. My once delicate fingers eventually became covered with calluses.

The day he died, the sun was shining brightly. I was wiping his back when he suddenly opened his eyes. Seeing it was me, his eyes darkened, then he said, "Yolanda, I can't bear to leave you. If I'm gone, what will you do alone?"

How foolish I was, thinking I was loved by a man for life, almost unable to live without him. I didn't expect he was just clearing the last obstacle for Serena, enticing me to also go to extremes.

In truth, if a woman isn't completely consumed by love, she can see many things clearly.

Like now, I saw through his intentions at a glance and didn't want to play along anymore.

I heard my own clear, cold voice: "Andrew Stevens, if you think I'm so terrible, you can find another wife."

He still had ten years to live, so even if we divorced now, he could still 'guard' Serena for ten years.

I didn't expect Andrew to be so determined to drag me down. Hearing me talk about divorce, his voice was incredibly deep.

"Why divorce, Yolanda Dawson, is it just because I have cancer?"