Part 1The Second Chance Groom

In my past life, on the day I married Ethan Vance, the love of his life, Sarah James, jumped off a building.

From that moment on, he hated me to his core. He locked me in our home, humiliated me, and made my life a living hell.

I endured it until I couldn't anymore. I took my own life to escape.

My soul drifted through the world, watching the aftermath. I discovered that Sarah’s suicide attempt was nothing but a manipulative act.

Meanwhile, Ethan’s sworn enemy, Lucas Cole—the untouchable heir of New York's elite—grieved for me until his hair turned white overnight.

Now, I’ve been given a second chance. Reborn, I swore to chase my own happiness.

But when Ethan found out I was marrying a good man, he fell to his knees, begging me to come back like a madman.

* * *

Lucas Cole, the ruthless "Prince of New York," didn't waste a second. When he heard I was willing to marry him, he froze for exactly three seconds.

Thirty minutes later, everything was done.

When he handed me the marriage certificate, his face was calm, but the tips of his ears were burning red.

"I'll handle the wedding. Don't worry about a thing. Just wait for me to come get you."

He practically fled the scene, using work as an excuse, terrified I might change my mind.

I smiled, clutching the red booklet, and headed home to break the news to my family.

The moment I stepped through the door, a bucket of ice water hit me squarely in the face.

Before I could react, Ethan’s entourage started pelting me with cake.

My carefully done hair and makeup were ruined instantly. I stood there, soaked and sticky, looking like a drowned rat.

The group erupted in laughter, phones out, recording my humiliation.

"Surprise! It's an engagement party for you and Ethan! Just helping you loosen up!"

"Everyone knows you threw away your dignity to marry Ethan. Can't take a little joke? Better get used to it. You'll be swallowing a lot more than this in the future."

I shivered in the cold draft, water dripping down my neck.

Ethan looked at me with a smirk. "Don't be a buzzkill, Riley."

"Just because our parents pressured me into this doesn't mean I have to like it. Being Mrs. Vance isn't going to be easy."

Even though I had lived this before, hearing these words from the man I had loved for twenty years still made my chest ache.

Ethan and I grew up together. I loved him with a desperate, blinding devotion. Ten years of being his shadow, giving him everything.

And all I got in return was cold ridicule.

Well, not this time. I wasn't going to waste my second life on a man who didn't love me.

I wiped the frosting from my face and spoke calmly.

"I don't plan on being Mrs. Vance."

Ethan froze.

His friends laughed even harder.

"Ethan, you lucky bastard! She's playing hard to get before she's even through the door. This little wife of yours is something else!"

"Who cares? Everyone knows Riley is just a dog following Ethan around. Since when does a dog get a say in its owner's business?"

Ethan’s disdain deepened.

"Cut the act, Riley. No matter what you do, I won't love you. You can have my name, but you'll never have my heart."

"After the wedding, Sarah is moving in. You can pretend to be the wife, but remember—in that house, you're lower than the help."

"And I've already had the lawyers draft a prenup. You won't get a dime of my money."

I was stunned.

In my past life, after Sarah jumped, Ethan tortured me because he blamed me for her death. But before that, he had always treated me decently.

When we were kids and my parents were busy, he was the one who read me bedtime stories. When I was bullied in school, he defended me and took me for rides on his motorcycle.

Twenty years of friendship. Even if he didn't love me, he had always been like a big brother.

His sudden cruelty made me suspicious. Had something changed that I didn't know about?

Seeing my silence, Ethan assumed he had hurt me. He cleared his throat, seemingly feeling a twinge of guilt.

"Look, Sarah has suffered more than you. You need to make sacrifices to balance things out."

"As long as you don't give Sarah a hard time, I won't mistreat you in public."

Before I could respond, Sarah started sobbing.

"Ethan... are you going soft on her? If she hadn't been so jealous and interfered, we wouldn't have been forced apart!"

"Forget it. I know Miss High-and-Mighty looks down on someone like me. I didn't realize you were ashamed of me too, Ethan. I... I should just go die!"

She turned and ran. Ethan’s face filled with panic.

He shoved me aside and chased after her.

My back slammed into the door handle. Pain shot through me, tears pricking my eyes.

The others, having had their fill of the show, left me standing in the mess.

I watched them leave and let out a bitter laugh.

In my past life, shortly after our wedding, the Vance family business hit a crisis. Their so-called friends vanished.

To win Ethan’s heart, I secretly used my entire dowry to bail him out. Billions of dollars, gone. And it didn't buy me a single ounce of his affection.

This time, without my money, I wondered if his precious Sarah could save him.