My younger brother-in-law was kidnapped, and the ransom demand was clear; my superstar husband had to deliver it personally.

But he refused. Instead, he stayed glued to the bedside of his “paralyzed” first love, his indifference cutting through the air like a blade.

Feigning panic, I could do nothing but watch helplessly as the kidnappers shattered my brother-in-law’s hands, destroying not just his career as a director but the dreams he had worked so tirelessly to achieve.

In my previous life, I had been driven to desperation. I had held myself hostage, hoping to force my husband’s hand and save his brother. Yet, my actions earned me nothing but contempt.

He hated me even more for daring to interrupt his first love’s treatment, a decision that led to her legs being amputated. Wracked with despair, she ended her life by leaping into the sea, leaving a tidal wave of blame that crushed me completely.

In a fit of rage, he shattered my legs and flung me before her memorial plaque, his voice seething with fury.

“Mom always said it; no one asked for your meddling!”

“You couldn’t bear to see me cherish Noreen, so you stooped to such vile means to harm her!”

“I’ll make you pay for your sins, with blood and suffering!”

His words, laced with venom, carved deep into my soul. Consumed by hatred, I vowed vengeance, my heart ablaze with resolve.

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back at the beginning, staring down the road where it all began.

This time, I would grant their wishes and ensure that mother and son would beg for life while yearning for death.

——

“The kidnappers specifically demanded Archer. As his sister-in-law, shouldn’t you be rushing to get him back and save Raden?”

“If anything happens to my son, I’ll make sure you regret it!”

My mother-in-law’s hysterical cries reverberated through the villa, jarring me to my core. It was then that I realized I had been reborn, and I returned to the very day Raden Hayes was kidnapped.

In my past life, this day had been a whirlwind of panic. My mother-in-law’s wails had drowned out all reason. I had frantically sent messengers to plead with my superstar husband, begging him to intervene.

But all I received in return was his scornful rage.

“Samira is nothing but a jealous liar! She can’t stand me staying by Noreen’s side, so she concocted this pathetic story.”

“She knows perfectly well that Noreen needs support for her depression, yet she still chooses to interfere! A woman with no compassion is lower than an animal!”

The messengers I sent returned in utter humiliation, chastised like children caught in wrongdoing.

Even after Archer Hayes had publicly shamed me, my mother-in-law, frantic like an ant on a hot pan, still demanded I go to the hospital myself.

At the elevator, security blocked my path, denying me even a glimpse of Archer.

In my desperation, I threatened to jump from the hospital rooftop, forcing Archer and Noreen to shoulder the disgrace of driving a wife to her death. Only then did he finally relent and save my brother-in-law.

Although Raden returned safely, Noreen Cassidy’s treatment was disrupted, leaving her permanently paralyzed and plunging her further into despair.

My mother-in-law wasted no time pointing fingers, heaping all the blame on me. When questioned by the media, she didn’t hold back, branding me as irrational and accusing me of sabotaging Noreen’s recovery.

She demanded I issue a public apology on social media and personally visit the hospital to beg for forgiveness.

Yet, after Raden’s rescue, her stance shifted like the wind. She accused me of overreacting, dismissing my desperation as an unwarranted spectacle.

Noreen, crushed by the weight of her paralysis, unleashed her fury with one scathing remark.

“Samira, you finally got what you wanted, didn’t you?”

Then, like a ghost fading into the night, she vanished from the hospital.

Later, all that remained was an empty wheelchair left abandoned by the beach, alongside a letter filled with venom condemning me.

Although nobody was ever found, everyone was convinced she had perished.

Archer’s wrath descended upon me like a storm without end. He locked me in the suffocating darkness of a basement, concocted false charges of stock market fraud against me, and sentenced me to death without a second thought.

No matter how much I screamed, pleaded, or tried to explain, my cries fell on deaf ears. Archer’s cold, merciless gaze made it clear he was beyond reason.

My mother-in-law’s scorn echoed through the shadows, adding venom to my plight.

“She’s just the daughter of a nouveau riche. She was never good enough for my son! And now, after causing Noreen’s death, she’s left Archer in agony; she deserves nothing less than death!”

“Son, make sure there’s no evidence left behind when you deal with her!”

Archer’s eyes, colder than ice, burned with murderous intent as he stared me down. His words were sharper than any blade.

“Take a look around; everyone believes you deserve to die.”

“Then go and atone to Noreen.”

With their calculated mother-and-son collaboration, my life ended in the detention center on the seventh day after Noreen’s supposed death, a demise as humiliating as it was undeserved.

During the trial, Archer’s cutting words sealed my fate, each one sharper than the last:

“Anyone could have saved Raden. Why did it have to be me?”

“Noreen died because of you. You deserve to rot in hell and serve her as a slave for eternity!”

“I want you to live in torment, unable to find peace, not in this life or the next!”

Yet, less than a month after my death, the truth unraveled in the cruelest twist. Noreen reappeared, alive and thriving. She claimed she had been rescued by a world-renowned medical team that not only restored her ability to walk but also cured her of her depression.

She wept tears of joy as she married Archer, the two basking in their newfound happiness while squandering the wealth I had painstakingly built.

No one cared to remember the one lying cold and forgotten in the cemetery: me.

Against all odds, I was given a second chance, a chance to rewrite the story I had thought was over.

“What are you standing there for? Move it!”

Her voice thundered through the room as my mother-in-law hurled her coffee cup at my feet. The shattering porcelain sent shards skidding across the floor, and the hot liquid soaked the hem of my dress, snapping me back to the moment.

But this time, I wasn’t the panicked woman from before. It was her precious son courting disaster and her beloved younger son on the verge of ruin. None of it had anything to do with me.

Feigning urgency, I turned to my assistant with brisk instructions. “Go to the hospital and find Archer. Tell him there’s an emergency at home, nothing more. Do not, under any circumstances, mention that Raden has been kidnapped.”

I knew Archer well. If he thought this was another bout of jealousy over him doting on Noreen, he wouldn’t spare a second glance, let alone return. And without his intervention, Raden, the brilliant, polished director, would crumble under the schemes of the so-called “paralyzed” first love.

My mother-in-law, known for her fierce devotion to her sons, looked ready to explode. Before her fury could erupt, I quickly interjected, “His directing career is his lifeline! We need to save him, but under no circumstances can we let the press catch wind of this. If they do, every investor in Raden’s new film will withdraw immediately.”

“Exactly! We must save him, but not at the cost of his future.”

It was then that Elion Finnegan, Raden’s mentor and uncle, arrived at my request. His sharp eyes flicked over me before he grasped my mother-in-law’s arm, lowering his voice to an urgent whisper.

“Aunt, Finnegan Entertainment is finally thriving. If any scandal tarnishes Raden’s name, the entire company will collapse.”

Her anger caught in her throat, unable to break free. In the entertainment world, scandals struck harder than death itself. No matter how much she adored her youngest son, his future as a director couldn’t be sacrificed.

And with Elion, a Cannes jury member, looming over the situation, she knew the stakes. If Raden’s name was ruined, even his uncle wouldn’t step in to save him.

Clenching her teeth and swallowing her rage, she finally nodded, though her reluctance hung heavy in the air.

Just as the assistant was about to leave, my mother-in-law halted him with a raised hand. From her bag, she retrieved a dazzling diamond bracelet, its brilliance catching the light.

“Tell him I’ve had a heart attack. Archer has always cherished this bracelet. If he sees it, he’ll come rushing back.”

I had to give her credit; she knew exactly how to play her cards. Feigning illness and brandishing her prized possession, she intended to guilt-trip Archer into abandoning everything to return. In her mind, she was irreplaceable, the center of her son’s universe.

But this time, her game faced a formidable opponent: Archer’s first love, Noreen. Unlike me, Noreen wasn’t someone easily manipulated or overshadowed.

The battle was set, the doting mother versus the cherished lover. For once, I found myself intrigued. Who would Archer choose? I leaned back, genuinely curious to see how this would unfold.

…

In less than thirty minutes, the assistant stumbled back in, his appearance disheveled and a fresh bruise on his forehead.

Just as I had predicted, he came alone, with no sign of Archer anywhere.

My mother-in-law shot up from the sofa the moment she saw him. I moved to steady her, but she shoved me away with a look of pure disdain.

“Get away, you bringer of bad luck!” she spat.

Then, her voice sharp with panic, she turned to the assistant.

“Where’s Archer?”

Suppressing the slightest smile, I watched as the assistant, visibly shaking, stammered out his answer.

“Y-Young Master… Young Master refuses to come back.”

The words hit her like a slap. She stood frozen, her face twisted in disbelief.

“You didn’t tell him I had a heart attack? How could Archer just ignore whether I live or die?”

The assistant, visibly shaking, rushed to explain. “I told him about your heart attack. I said you were unconscious that you needed him back immediately to make a decision.”

“He said, ‘Wasn’t she fine when I left? How could she be on her deathbed after just half a day?’ He also asked, ‘Does she want to tie me to the house like a guard dog to keep her satisfied?’”

“Outrageous!” My mother-in-law’s face drained of color as the words hit her like a slap.

I couldn’t help but smile inwardly. Archer’s response didn’t surprise me; it was a reflection of how he’d spoken to me when his precious Noreen was the center of his world. The same harsh words, the same cruel disregard, now aimed at his own mother.

But the worst was yet to come.

As my mother-in-law seethed with rage, the assistant, visibly shaking, rushed to explain.

"Madam, please, calm down. It’s not that Archer is unfilial. It’s just that Noreen is too good at playing the victim."

"The moment he saw your diamond bracelet, Archer was about to speak to me, but Noreen stopped him."

"She looked so pitiful, telling him she didn’t want to be a burden. She insisted he shouldn’t upset you."

"She said it was just a rehabilitation session, that she could endure it, and urged him to come home, apologize to you, and make you happy; that’s what really mattered to her."

The assistant’s face twisted with bitterness as he continued, "Archer was furious. He smashed your bracelet right into my face. It shattered into pieces. And when I bent down to pick up the fragments, he kicked me out."

"Then he said… he said…"

“What did he say?”

My mother-in-law slammed the coffee table in frustration, her voice shaking with fury. The assistant dared not hesitate any longer.

"The young master said you’ve lost your mind. Helping outsiders hurt your own family while chanting scriptures every day, you’re an embarrassment to God!"

I couldn’t help but give Archer a silent thumbs-up.

Those biting words, meant to cut me deep, had now landed squarely on the mother he had always held in the highest regard.

And that diamond bracelet? Her most cherished family heirloom, something she guarded as if it were her very life.

Sure enough, my mother-in-law, both furious and distressed, couldn’t catch her breath. Her face drained of color, and she clutched her chest, collapsing into unconsciousness.

She’d always said to me, "If you were even half as understanding and considerate as Noreen, Archer wouldn’t be running from home so often."

Well, now Noreen’s so-called "consideration" had hit her hard. How was she supposed to handle it?

Chaos erupted around us. I kept a worried expression on my face, but inwardly, I was celebrating.

In my past life, whenever I found myself cornered by Noreen’s schemes, the Hayes family blamed me for not keeping my husband’s heart and claimed I deserved to be crushed beneath his first love.

Turns out, compared to Noreen, even my mother-in-law was no match. With one swift move, she was defeated, collapsing into a faint.

It seemed that this imposing woman couldn’t take a blow as well as I could. She wouldn’t last three rounds against Noreen.

Just to be sure, I’d slipped a little heart-stimulating medication into the coffee I’d personally served her.

She’d always claimed I’d eventually drive her to an early grave, so I thought I’d let her experience the feeling of being “angry to death” by her beloved son instead.

"Has Archer come back yet? Is Raden safe?"

Half an hour later, my mother-in-law finally came to me, her eyes fluttering open. Weak as she was, her first concern was still her son.

I shook my head slowly, feigning sorrow, then delivered the final blow, watching her face fall.

"The young master refuses to come back. We sent three people, but they were all turned away! The hospital is on high alert now; we can’t even get past the front desk."

"He said if it’s not life-threatening, don’t bother him."

My mother-in-law gasped, her breath coming in quick, shallow bursts. I had to fight to keep from smiling, pretending to comfort her.

"Luckily, Director Finnegan is loyal. He went to the hospital personally, and I’m sure he’ll convince the young master to save Raden."

My mother-in-law let out a sigh of relief at the news. Her pale face softened, and she leaned weakly against the bed, murmuring, "Then I can finally rest easy."

But just as quickly, she shot me a venomous glare and hissed, "Everyone’s doing their best for Raden, and here you are, pretending to care while clearly not worried at all."

Before she could continue her tirade, the housekeeper tugged at her sleeve and whispered urgently in her ear. "Madam, the young mistress has already advanced the ransom money..."

At the mention of my payment, along with my nephew’s contribution, my mother-in-law’s expression softened. She visibly relaxed, asking for a cup of Americano to wake herself up.

It wasn’t my intention to speed up her demise by mixing her stimulant meds with caffeine; it was her own disregard for her health.

Soon after, the assistant rushed in, looking as pale as a ghost. At the sight of my mother-in-law’s frail state, he hesitated, clearly unsure whether to speak.

Since the news couldn’t wait, I quickly asked, "Ezra, what’s wrong? What’s got you so rattled?"

Already on edge, my mother-in-law exploded, "Spit it out! Are you trying to kill me with suspense?"

The assistant inhaled sharply and stammered, "Director Finnegan couldn’t convince the young master. He even got his head cracked open by the hospital security!"

My mother-in-law’s eyes widened in shock. "What?"