Chapter 2

Ethan looked at me in disbelief. "Isabelle, are you seriously taking out your anger on our son?"

"He's only four years old! Know when to stop!"

A flash of shock crossed my son's face when he heard my words.

Then his little face flushed red, and he hugged Vanessa's legs even tighter.

"Five million then! I don't want you as my mean mom anyway!"

So in his eyes, the me who woke up two hours early every day to prepare nutritious breakfasts for him, who gave up promotion opportunities just to spend more time with him—I was this hateful.

Vanessa busied herself playing the good person, trying to smooth things over. "Ryan, I taught you not to be this rude."

My son pouted unhappily. "She's rude too. The day before yesterday when Dad was with you, she kept calling and bothering Dad!"

"Auntie also taught me to fight fire with fire against bad people!"

Ethan's expression suddenly changed.

"Isabelle, that day was because Vanessa..."

I cut him off with a raised hand. "You spent our wedding anniversary with her. That costs money too."

Ethan froze in place, as if he suddenly didn't recognize me.

After a long moment, he pulled out a card from his wallet and threw it directly on the ground.

"Isabelle, even your own son hates you. You really should look for the reason in yourself."

He put his arm around Vanessa and got in the car. The exhaust sprayed all over my head and face.

I just silently crouched down and picked up the bank card from the ground.

The pain of the card's corners digging into my palm only strengthened my resolve to do this.

After all, in my past life, when Ethan let Vanessa steal my things, I cried and made scenes.

Not only did I fail to win his love, but my mother's burial plot was given away by him to Vanessa—just to bury her pet dog.

In a fit of rage, I slapped Vanessa and angrily demanded a divorce from Ethan. I thought this would make him realize his mistake.

Who knew that to teach me a lesson, he actually agreed directly.

He even hired a top divorce lawyer and exploited loopholes to have me leave with nothing.

A few days after the divorce, I had a sudden heart attack.

I couldn't even afford to call an ambulance. I struggled to crawl to the hospital.

Facing the astronomical medical bills, I had no pride left. I called Ethan over and over again.

Not only did he not answer, he even had Vanessa use his phone to send me voice messages.

"Isabelle, you willingly gave me this man. There's no taking him back."

Desperately waiting for life-saving money, all I got in the end were her photos showing off.

In the final moments of my life, I watched helplessly as Vanessa wore my bathrobe, sprayed my favorite perfume, and kissed my husband on the clean silk bedding I had washed.

In this new life, without love, at least I could get enough money to save my own life.

I just never expected that my son, whom I couldn't let go of in my past life, would also turn against me for Vanessa.

Before I could feel sad, my phone suddenly rang.

It was a call from the doctor.

"Ms. Sullivan, we've successfully matched a heart for you. We can schedule the surgery for next month."

Hearing this good news, my legs went weak and I had to lean against the wall to barely stay standing.

In this life, I finally wouldn't die desperately in a hospital corridor.

Just as I hung up, Ethan sent me a message:

"My attitude earlier was bad. I promised you before to redo our wedding ceremony. The designer delivered the custom wedding dress to the house. Can you come back and try it on?"

I didn't reply to him, nor did I refuse.

Five years ago when I married Ethan, his family had just gone bankrupt and was too poor to even afford a wedding. Back then, I firmly believed he was capable and would make a comeback someday.

That he would give me a grand wedding that everyone would envy.

Who knew that after he actually became successful, a Vanessa would appear to steal his attention and our son's affection.

I still hadn't gotten that wedding to this day.

When I got home and pushed open the door, I saw Ethan and our son surrounding Vanessa in a wedding dress, praising her endlessly.