I picked up the remote control and handed Preston a glass of iced cola.

"Honey, I'm sorry, I just spaced out for a moment.

"Your birthday's coming up, and I was thinking about what gift to get you. Do you want the limited edition AJ sneakers or the latest smartphone?"

Preston's eyes lit up immediately. "Roberta, you're the best. Let's go pick them out together. We can also buy the lottery ticket on the way."

My heart skipped a beat, and I quickly urged him, "It's too hot outside, and I'd feel bad if you got exhausted. You rest at home, and I'll go get them for you."

The lottery store was just downstairs, and when the weather wasn't too hot, Preston would spend entire days there.

He didn't just buy lottery tickets. He'd also splurge on scratch-offs, burning through hundreds of dollars at a time. He was so close with the store owner, Decker Powell, that they were like brothers.

Decker glanced at the numbers on my phone and asked, "Do you want to bet double?"

I paused.

In my last life, Preston had placed ten times the usual bet on these numbers. The jackpot for a single ticket was twenty million dollars, and he'd multiplied it by ten.

"What's the maximum I can bet?" I asked.

Decker looked surprised. "The highest is a hundred times. Does Preston really have that much confidence in these numbers?"

It was me who had confidence in these numbers.

But I knew I couldn't buy them here.

"No, just one ticket will do."

"Just one? Preston usually bets ten times. I better check with him."

I reached out to stop him, but he'd already dialed Preston's number.

"Preston, your wife's here to buy the lottery tickets. You're not doubling down this time?"

Preston's voice came through the phone, cursing, "I want ten times the bet, didn't she tell you? That damn woman, I swear she needs a good beating..."

I was so embarrassed I wanted to find a crack in the wall to hide in. Decker, rubbing his hands together, looked just as awkward.

I thought to myself, "When did Preston start treating me like that?

All he ever does is hit or curse at me, never giving me an ounce of respect in front of others."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to..."

I grabbed the lottery ticket and left. I knew Preston wouldn't have much longer to enjoy his good life.

I went to a different lottery shop and bought ninety-nine tickets with the same numbers.

On Wednesday evening, I was watching TV when Preston sat down next to me and said, "Roberta, I'm sorry."

He spoke with tears in his eyes, "It's my fault. My salary isn't as high as yours, and I've made you suffer these past few years."

I didn't know what he was up to.

I straightened up, watching him perform, thinking, "Is he trying to divorce me?"

The lottery results were announced yesterday.

In my previous life, we watched the draw together. But this time, he didn't even mention it to me and had deleted the lottery numbers from my phone.

I could tell he was trying to hide the fact that he'd won.

I raised an eyebrow but stayed silent.

He had to push forward. "I've drafted a marital property agreement. You just need to sign it. It's for your own protection."

I was a bit puzzled.

I took the papers and glanced at them. The agreement stated that all marital assets would be kept separate.

I immediately realized he was trying to prevent me from getting a share of his money.

I couldn't help but laugh.

"Roberta, I'm doing this for your own good. Think it over..."

"Here!" I handed him the signed agreement.

Preston's eyes widened in disbelief. He hadn't even finished convincing me to sign.

He couldn't believe I agreed so quickly.

I chuckled softly.

"Since we're both free today, why don't we get this notarized right away?"

Preston nodded eagerly.

As soon as the notarization was done before we even left the office and while the ink was still drying, Preston pulled out divorce papers and, ever so considerately, handed me a pen.

"Roberta, let's get a divorce."

"A divorce?"

He couldn't wait even a minute, eager to take his winnings and start a new life.

In my previous life, he married Kathie Wilson just days after my death. They had a son and lived a happy life together.

"Is he that desperate?" I thought to myself

A sharp sound brought me back to reality.

Preston had slapped himself hard across the face.

"Roberta, I'm sorry! It's all my fault. I've made you suffer, and I want to set you free, to let you live the life you deserve."

His face immediately swelled, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

To deceive me into a divorce, he really went all out.

I thought, "Do I need him to persuade me out of this marriage with him?

What is there to hold on to with a man who could hit me at any moment?"

Under my clothes, my body was covered in bruises.

There were finger marks from where he'd grabbed me, bruises from where he'd kicked me, and more from where he'd hit me with various objects.

Everything in the house had become his weapon of choice. Slippers, ashtrays, rolling pins, whatever he could get his hands on when he was upset, he used to hit me.

I shook my head, realizing how foolish I had been before.

"Fine."

I signed the papers quickly, tears streaming down my face.

"Roberta?"

Preston looked at me with a mix of regret and concern, "I still love you. I want you to be happy."

I nearly slipped and gagged with disgust.

"Let's finalize the divorce tomorrow, don't forget!"

"I just won the lottery! Two hundred million dollars! How should I spend all that money?"

I was soaking in a luxurious bathtub at a five-star hotel, calling my best friend, Vickie Blake.

"Are you serious?"

"Let's go to SeaBreeze Restaurant and have a feast! We'll start with some delicious soup, and then order every seafood dish they've got!"

"Sounds perfect. See you soon."

I had just collected my winnings. The pre-tax jackpot was two hundred million dollars, with each ticket worth one million dollars.

Preston's ticket was multiplied ten times over, making it worth ten million dollars.

However, I made his lottery ticket.

To create the fake ticket, I contacted one of those shady ads, and they produced a counterfeit one that was so convincing it was almost impossible to tell it apart from the real one.

I wondered if he would be able to claim that ten million dollars with a fake ticket.

"Coral trout, geoduck, mantis shrimp..."

"Roberta, look. Isn't that Preston? What's he doing here?" Vickie asked, her eyes widening as she scanned the menu.

Over by the seafood tank, Kathie was clinging to Preston's arm, ordering food. The two of them were laughing and joking, so close they were nearly kissing.

"It looks like him..."

I didn't even finish my sentence before Vickie stormed over and grabbed Kathie by the hair.

"You shameless bitch! How dare you steal someone else's husband!"

With a swift over-the-shoulder throw, Vickie slammed Kathie onto the ground.

"Vickie! What the hell are you doing?" Preston yelled, rushing to protect Kathie, shielding her behind him.

"You bastard! Scumbag!"

As Vickie hurled insults, Preston found himself on the ground, too, groaning in pain.

Vickie had trained in martial arts.

I hid behind a pillar.

Vickie's fiery temper was making things a bit tricky for me.

I hadn't even told her about the divorce yet, but seeing those two get a beating made me happy.

Preston was shaking with rage. "Roberta! We're divorced! Are you following me? How could you get someone to attack us?"

Vickie froze, embarrassed, and quickly hid behind me.

I held back my laughter as I walked over and helped Kathie up.

"Kathie, right? I'm so sorry! Vickie got a bit too worked up, please don't take it personally."

Kathie, her face streaked with tears, cried out, "Preston, call the police! I want her to go to jail!"

I looked at Preston, my eyes welling up with tears, pretending to be deeply hurt.

"Preston, you don't have time to have dinner with me, but you have time for another woman?"

I gently placed my hand on my stomach. "How could you do this to me and our baby?"

Preston froze, and the crowd around us began to murmur.

"I knew she was a mistress all along."

"This mistress has no shame."

"Disgusting!"

An older woman spat, nearly hitting Kathie in the face.