After five years of wedded life, my health took a turn for the worse, eventually confining me to my bed.

As I lay there, on the brink of death, I saw my husband, John Black, who was often lauded for his devotion and love for his wife. He was barely able to contain his eagerness for me to pass, taking out his phone to speak to someone on the other end, "Sherry, our plan has come to fruition. After six long years, that wretched woman is finally gone. Once the formalities are settled, I'll inherit her estate. Then, our family of three can be reunited!"

Sherry? She was my best friend since childhood, whom I've known for over a decade!

He was so engrossed in his excitement that he didn't notice me closing my eyes in a mix of hatred and despair.

The next time I awoke, I found myself in the room I lived in before my marriage.

A knock on the door preceded Frank, my grandfather, entering. In my previous life, he had passed away from illness two years after my wedding.

Frank looked vibrant and healthy, sitting by my bedside to tenderly remind me to rest early, for tomorrow would be a busy day. He also advised me to be less willful and cautious in my future life after the wedding.

This scene was eerily familiar.

I reached for my phone to check the date. As I expected, it was the day before my marriage to John.

In my past life, I had been joyously preparing for my wedding the next day. The groom, whom I had loved since college, and the bridesmaid, my childhood friend, filled me with anticipation for the life ahead.

After reassuring Frank and sending him off to rest, I returned to my room to ponder my current predicament.

From what I had overheard before my demise, John and Sherry had been in a relationship even before my marriage with John, and they even had a child together. My illness and eventual death were all meticulously designed by them solely to inherit my family's wealth. And why did Frank remind me of these words? He had always been against my marriage to John. Could it be that he had seen through them all along?

Since fate had granted me a second chance, I must seize it and make that evil couple taste the bitterness I had endured.

The following morning, I rose punctually and headed to the hotel to get ready. After changing, the makeup artist presented me with a jewelry box.

"Ms. Lawson, you're so fortunate. Your future husband is not only handsome but also thoughtful. He asked me to help you wear this necklace!"

I took the box and opened it. There it was, the necklace with diamonds so minute they were almost invisible. John had given it to me on our first anniversary, claiming he had saved up from working part-time for half a year. I was deeply moved, believing it to be the most meaningful gift. On my wedding day, as I toasted with this necklace on, its clasp broke, dropping into my wine glass. In my haste to retrieve it, the necklace lost its luster. That incident became a source of ridicule among my circle. Instead of wearing the ancestral emerald or ruby necklace, the eldest daughter of the Lawson family insisted on a necklace that faded.

I closed the jewelry box without a word and tossed it aside. Sherry happened to enter at that moment.

"Oh, what's on the ground?" She picked up the box and opened it.

"Cynthia, isn't this the symbol of your love with Johnny? Why did you just leave it here?"

Johnny? How did I not notice it before? With that endearment and tone, anyone unaware would think John was Sherry's husband.

I stared at the makeup artist in the mirror and ignored Sherry.

"Bring me the red box from the second drawer on the right. The ruby necklace is more fitting for today."

Sherry came up behind me, placing her hands on my shoulders. Her eyes glinted as she looked at the necklace around my neck.

"Cynthia, you're the star of the day. Won't the ruby necklace overshadow you? Besides, the necklace Johnny sent you is more meaningful."

I stood up, shrugging off her hands, and slipped into my high heels, looking down at her from my slightly taller stance.

"I am the center of attention today, and nothing, be it a person or an object, can overshadow me. As for John's gift, you're welcome to it if you find it so appealing."

Ignoring her surprised expression, I made my way downstairs to the banquet hall.

The hall was abuzz with activity. As the granddaughter of Frank and the sole heir to the Lawson family, I was the star of the event. The host was already on stage, engaging the guests.

I walked over to Frank, taking his arm. He looked at me with a mix of reluctance and helplessness in his eyes.

"Cynthia, from today onwards, you'll be someone else's wife, but you don't need to be afraid. I'm always here for you. If you're ever wronged, just come home. I will be waiting."

My eyes welled up with tears. It was the same advice Frank had given me in my previous life, but back then, I was too naive to understand the implications of his words. In the end, I failed to live up to his trust. This time, I vowed I would not make the same mistake.

"Don't worry, Grandpa. I will take good care of myself and won't let myself suffer any injustice."

Frank handed my hand to John, urging him to treat me well. John nodded half-heartedly and whispered in my ear.

"Cynthia, let's go toast. You should introduce me to the company's associates. It'll make it easier for me to work in Lawson Group later on."

Oh? So, he had his plan already? Only by standing outside this toxic relationship could I see things more clearly. John was already laying the groundwork for taking over my company.

"Do you want to join Lawson Group?" I asked, feigning sincerity.

"Of course! Now that we're married, we're a family. I don't want you to work so hard. Besides, it's better for a girl to stay at home, taking care of her husband and children. You've always wanted children, so I'll manage the company while you focus on our family. We'll be a happy couple."

I sneered inwardly. I had believed those words once. After marriage, I had pleaded with Frank to let John work in Lawson Group while I stayed home to prepare for pregnancy. John gradually pushed aside the company's veterans and replaced them with his own people, causing several major projects to fail. Frank was so enraged that he was hospitalized, and his illness flared up, leading to his death. John blamed his subordinates, claiming they had acted without his knowledge, and I foolishly believed him. I was blind to this toxic relationship. After Frank died, I lost my support system. John began to control my outings and dictate my attire. Any objection from me was met with emotional manipulation, claiming he loved me too much and feared I would leave him. There was even a time when I visited the company, and he beat me upon my return, accusing me of making others think he relied on me for his position.

"We'll discuss that later. Let's go toast first," I said, deciding to placate him for the moment.

For a week after my marriage, I left early and returned late, not mentioning arranging for John to join Lawson Group. He grew impatient.

"Cynthia, where have you been these days? I hardly see you."

"I've been at the company. Grandpa wants me to learn the ropes and is considering letting me manage the company," I said deliberately.

"But we agreed you'd handle the household while I took care of the company. You should focus on getting pregnant, and I'll manage the company," John said, his anxiety betraying his true intentions.

Suppressing my disgust, I replied gently, "Don't worry. I'll speak to Grandpa about it."

"Make sure you do. Now that we're family, I'll work hard once I'm in the company." His tone improved now that he saw a glimmer of hope.

"By the way, I've restocked the vitamins you've been taking. Don't forget to take them at night."

I was born prematurely, so I had always been frail, leading to my lifelong habit of taking vitamin supplements. After my marriage in my previous life, John bought all my vitamins, but my health steadily declined. I frequently got admitted to the hospital after Frank's passing, let alone prepare for pregnancy.

Lazily lounging on the sofa, I suddenly got an idea, and I pocketed the vitamins.

"I haven't been sleeping well, waking up in the middle of the night. Let's sleep in separate rooms for now." I lied, suggesting that I would sleep apart from John, who shrugged indifferently.

The next morning, John reminded me several times to speak to Frank about his work in Lawson Group and left the house with me.

John was unaware that I had someone monitor his every move from the second day of the marriage. He had stayed home quietly for a week, but today, he couldn't resist any longer.

I went to the company and switched cars, handing the vitamins to Justin Goodman, my secretary, for analysis. Following the location sent by the private detective, I arrived at a coffee shop.

There John and Sherry were, brazenly sitting by the window. John held Sherry in his arms. The scene was recorded on my phone.

"Sherry, don't fret. Everything is going as planned. Cynthia has agreed to get me into the company. You know Frank has always opposed my marriage to Cynthia and doesn't want me to work in the company. Cynthia is still useful, so I need to appease her." It was John who spoke.

"But I'm just jealous. You love me, yet you dated her, and now you're married to her. I'm heartbroken. You don't know how angry I get during the break when she brags about how good you are to her and dreams of a happy life with your children after marriage. I still have to defend you!"

It was clear from the start that John had ulterior motives when he approached me.

"Sherry, don't worry. I only love you. My love for her is just for show. I won't have a child with her. I've switched her vitamins with birth control pills." John's sincere expression made me sick.

I texted Justin to preserve the fingerprint evidence on the medicine bottle and refill my vitamins before heading back to Lawson Manor.

Frank was both surprised and pleased to see me, but when I mentioned letting John join Lawson Group, he was visibly upset.

"Cynthia, you're being foolish. John is an outsider, regardless. How can we entrust the Lawson family's vast business to him? Your parents are gone, so you must take care of it."

I smiled, reassuring him. "Don't worry, Grandpa. I won't hand over Lawson Group to anyone else. I'll study hard and improve our business. As for John, I have my own plans."

Frank looked at me, puzzled. "Cynthia, why do I feel like you've changed since your marriage? Tell me the truth. Has John mistreated you?"

I hadn't changed because of marriage, but I had been reborn. "Don't worry, Grandpa. No one can mistreat me since I have your back."

That night, I told John that Frank agreed to let him join the company, but he had to start from the bottom. Though dissatisfied, he had no choice. I comforted him, promising to help him plead his case once he made some achievements.

The next day, I introduced John to the sales department as my husband, emphasizing the joint efforts and asking for their guidance. I gave John enough respect. Then I instructed Justin to tell the sales department manager not to give John any special treatment. Instead, I asked the manager to hold back on John's orders. I wanted John to achieve nothing in the sales department.

As expected, after a month in the sales department without any sales, John grew anxious. He claimed he wasn't suited for sales and wanted to switch departments. Over the next six months, he changed departments around six times but still accomplished nothing.

That night, Frank called us over for dinner at Lawson Manor. During the meal, Frank scolded John, simply stating that he was impatient and didn't work steadily, which was why he had no achievements. John didn't dare to contradict Frank and responded submissively.