Chapter 1

Waking up from a four-year coma, I was told by my husband to accept the illegitimate daughter he had with his nurse mistress.

In my past life, I begged him with tears to come back to me. In return, my mother died of heartbreak, my best friend was crippled, and I was thrown into a psychiatric ward, dying with deep resentment.

Reborn in this life, I was done begging.

I smiled and agreed to take the child in. The next second, I made him sign the divorce papers, completely stripping away the Vance family's assets.

He thought I was just a helpless invalid who couldn't survive without him.

Little did he know, my revenge had only just begun.

Everything you owe me, Julian Hayes, I will take back with interest!

Clara's POV

The moment I opened my eyes after four years in a coma, my husband, Julian Hayes, pushed a two-year-old girl in front of me.

The child's biological mother was Chloe Bennett—the very nurse who had supposedly cared for me for four years.

Julian's father, Ian, stood by the side, his tone chillingly cold:

"Lily is Julian's blood. Now that you're awake, claim her as your own. Tell the public you gave birth to her, and live your lives together as a family."

Julian's mother, Maggie, peeled an apple as if everything was completely justified:

"You've been rotting in the ICU for four years, costing the Hayes family millions. If Chloe hadn't taken care of Julian day and night, this family would have fallen apart long ago. A woman needs to know her place. Don't wake up just to cause a scene."

The hospital room was dead silent.

In my previous life, I would have broken down and screamed in agony.

But I was reborn.

In my past life, my desperate tears and begging only caused my mother to die of rage on her sickbed. My best friend, Wendy, had her leg crushed while trying to uncover the truth for me. And I was locked away in a psychiatric facility, drawing my final breath in total isolation.

That bone-deep agony remained carved into my soul.

Leaning against the headboard, I didn't cry. Instead, the corners of my lips curved into a faint smile.

"Dad, Mom is right."

My voice was hoarse, but my tone was eerily polite.

"Nurse Bennett has worked hard these past four years. Lily is a beautiful girl."

I even reached out my emaciated, trembling hand toward the illegitimate child.

Julian and Chloe froze on the spot.

They had prepared an entire PR contingency plan for when I went hysterical—they even had sedatives ready. Yet not a single measure was needed.

That afternoon was the tenth anniversary gala of the Hayes Healthcare Group.

I insisted on attending.

On stage, the spotlights were blinding.

Julian stood before the microphone, thanking everyone, before turning his gaze toward Chloe.

"The person I owe the most over these four years is Chloe. She stood by the Hayes family through thick and thin without a single complaint."

Amid the thunderous applause, Julian took Chloe's hand in front of the city's entire high society and held it high.

Chloe's eyes reddened. "I never intended to take anyone's place... Now that Clara is awake, I can just leave with the baby. I'd never break up Mr. Hayes's family."

Her words sounded selfless, yet her fingers clung tightly to Julian's, showing no intention of letting go.

The audience applauded, praising Chloe for her grace and Julian for being a devoted, honorable man.

Sitting in a wheelchair tucked away in the darkest corner of the ballroom, I watched their little show with cold detachment.

Julian's gaze swept over the crowd and collided with my deadpan eyes.

He paused for a second, but his hand resting on Chloe's waist never pulled away.

Meeting his eyes, I smiled faintly.

No one noticed that my fingers gripping the wheelchair armrests had dug in so hard that my fingernails split, dripping with blood.

Late that night, the gala ended.

I dismissed the caretaker and sat alone by the hospital bed.

Sitting in the wheelchair for so long made my atrophied muscles ache, but my mind was sharper than ever.

The memories of my family being destroyed in my past life were etched into my bones.

I picked up my phone, scrolled through my contacts, and dialed my trusted lawyer friend, Henry.

The call was answered on the first ring. A rushed male voice came through: "Clara? I heard you woke up! How are you feeling? I'm coming over right now."

"Henry, don't come yet."

Looking out at the pitch-black night, my voice was dry and completely devoid of hesitation:

"Draft a divorce agreement for me immediately. Isolate all the Vance family's shares and pre-marital assets from Julian entirely."

"As fast as possible. Don't let Julian suspect anything."

Henry was silent for a second on the other end, asking no unnecessary questions: "Understood. I'll have everything ready and delivered to you before dawn."

"Also," I added in a low voice, "send me Dr. Ethan Cole's contact information."

"Got it."

After hanging up, silence settled over the room once more.

I leaned against the cold headboard, looking at the endless city lights outside.

In this life, I would never step into the Hayes family's quagmire again.