In this lifetime, the legal team managed to leave the village on that day as our aid work concluded smoothly. After all, I hadn't dragged things out by helping Francesca get rid of Edwin this time around.

However, I saw Francesca in a janitor's uniform at the law firm the very next day. I didn't know what she was up to, but she was standing near my office, staring at the trash can without blinking.

My shock quickly turned to anger. She had actually dared to show her face here.

I marched toward her and questioned her sharply, "What are you doing here?"

"I-I…" Francesca stammered as she lowered her head in embarrassment.

Suddenly, James Lawson spoke up. "Raphael, it's already bad enough that you left Francesca to her brother's mercy when you knew that she was being abused. Are you seriously going to chase her away after I pleaded with our boss to let her work here?"

James was my rival in the law firm and not the playful kind. He'd always been jealous that I was far more capable than he was. He certainly hated that I had closed more cases than he could ever dream of.

In my previous life, he had been the first one to call for my head when Francesca accused me of being a rapist. He had also been the one who first suggested that my boss fire me.

When I thought of his actions, I sneered at him disdainfully. "If you're so kind, why didn't you marry her instead?"

"You—" James had no comeback to that. Score one for Raphael.

Francesca, who was still standing right there, immediately flushed crimson. "Raphael, please don't misunderstand. James and I aren't like that. I've always—"

"So what?" I cut her off. "That's none of my business."

I couldn't be bothered with her. So, I spun on my heel and left.

My temper cooled once I was in my office. James had decided to help Francesca this time around. That meant he must have been involved in the scheme against me in my previous life.

Still, there was one thing I couldn't figure out: the child Francesca had given birth to in my previous life. How could it be mine?

Did she know some strange black magic? Was that how she got her hands on my sperm?

The more I thought about it, the more ludicrous my imagination became.

In the end, I purchased several micro spy cams online. I installed them in my office and in areas Francesca had access to.

This time, I was going to keep an eye on her 24/7. I wanted to know how she managed to frame me before.

Over the next few days, Francesca continued to work as the firm's janitor.

That was when the surveillance footage revealed certain details I had missed before.

Francesca had long set her sights on me. She had been spreading rumors about how she and I were more than friends ever since she started work at the law firm. She even went around asking whether I had a girlfriend.

When she found out that I was dating a beautiful woman, she confronted me at the washroom and shrieked through her tears, "Raphael, how could you do this to me? I like you so much! How could you date another woman?"

I was speechless. "Ma'am, are you nuts? So what if you like me? You're delusional! You really should get your head checked! Also, I've been dating my girlfriend for nearly three years. Who do you think you are to question my life?"

"You—" Francesca didn't know what to say in the face of my harsh retort. She ran away, sobbing all the way.

The words that I had wanted to scream at her for two whole years had finally come out. God, it felt amazing to unload them.

Later that evening, I packed up to leave work. Suddenly, someone hugged me from behind.

I thought it was Francesca. So, I instinctively shoved that person away. However, I heard a familiar voice asking in confusion, "Babe, what's with you?"

I froze. Only then did I realize the person who had hugged me was actually my girlfriend, Thalia.

"I'm so sorry, babe," I said quickly. "I thought it was a bad prank."

Thalia and I were in a long-distance relationship. Whenever she found time, she would surprise me by visiting me.

She had also dropped by around this time in my previous life. It had been a while since we last met. So… things had gotten a little wild in the office.

I even had to rush to the nearest pharmacy to get a pack of condoms.

When I thought of that, I was suddenly hit with an important piece of the puzzle.

Had Francesca been in charge of the trash in my previous life?

Thalia was outgoing and open-minded. It had been months since we had last seen each other. She shot me a sultry look, her eyes dark with desire as she pushed me into my office.

Then, she shrugged off her jacket and backed me to the couch, saying slyly, "Tell me. Have you been naughty lately?"

If I hadn't been reborn, I would definitely waste no time playing along and have some fun with her.

However, I was now preoccupied with a growing suspicion. I needed to know whether my guess was right. So, I grabbed Thalia and shushed her.

Then, I deliberately closed the blinds and locked the door. I deliberately mussed my hair and wrinkled my clothes before dragging Thalia out of the firm 30 minutes later.

When we got inside the car, Thalia couldn't help but ask in confusion, "What was that about? You locked the door, but you didn't even— Holy shit! Why is this pervert going through your trash?"

She was referring to Francesca.

I'd connected my phone to the spy cams I'd installed in my office. Now, it was showing Francesca going through my trash in full HD.

My brain came up with a revolting conclusion. Could it be that the child…

Before I could finish the thought, someone pushed open my office door.

It was James. He was working overtime too.

He had a smug look on his face as he approached Francesca, saying, "See that, Francesca? Raphael's girlfriend is beautiful and rich. How could he ever be interested in you?"

Resentment flashed in Francesca's eyes. "What's your point? When you saved me from Edwin, you promised me that you'd help me get Raphael."

James scoffed. "I said I'd help you bear Raphael's child. His family is filthy rich. His parents are well-known entrepreneurs. You'd be living the good life as long as you give birth to his child."

"Then get to it!" Francesca snapped. "Raphael wouldn't even look at me. How am I supposed to get pregnant with his kid?"

"It isn't the only way to get pregnant," James replied calmly.

His eyes gleamed with malice as he lowered his voice, "All you need is the condom he used with his girlfriend. Take it and do IVF with his sperm. I'll help you with the rest.

"You can make use of the fact that the baby was born out of wedlock to get your hands on the inheritance rights. After all, you'd be the mother of the Mortis family's heir."

Francesca had a greedy look on her face as she listened to James' plan. Then, she nodded and said, "We'll do it your way."

I felt a chill run down my spine as I watched this unfold, and goosebumps appeared on my skin.

I finally understood how that child came to be in my previous life.

Francesca had rifled through my trash and taken my used condom with James' help. That was how she'd managed to bear my child.

Those disgusting low-lives! They had been after me right from the start.

It was no wonder I'd ended up in such a pitiful state in my previous life.

I switched the camera off.

Thalia's eyes were as wide as saucers as she breathed, "Goodness, babe. What sort of people have you been working with?"

She had heard their plan loud and clear, so she knew what they were up to. She was so disgusted by them that she looked like she might throw up.

"Oh, they're not people. They're monsters."

I sneered and locked my phone. Hatred burned in my heart as I recalled how Francesca had succeeded in framing me in my previous life.

A plan started to form in my mind.

Over the next couple of days, I brought Thalia to the law firm, deliberately flaunting our love in everyone's faces.

I would flirt with her during office hours. Then, I'd work overtime and act all lovey-dovey with her. I even turned it up a notch when Francesca was around.

I saw how Francesca went from jealous to straight-up resentful.

I could tell that it was almost time to wrap things up. So, I hired a private investigator to follow Francesca's brother, Edwin Langdon, to his favorite spot in the red-light district.

I had them nab his used condom after he finished with a prostitute. Then, I sneakily brought it to my office and threw it in the trash there.

My blood sang with sweet vindication when I saw the look of excitement on Francesca's face when she picked that condom up.