Reborn One Day Before My Doomed Wedding

On the night before my wedding to my childhood sweetheart, Rylan Benton, my sister, Elisa Houghton, shows up with an ultrasound image. She tells me she's pregnant with Rylan's child. When she fails to force me to call off the wedding, she leaves behind a suicide note and jumps to her death, taking her unborn child with her. Rylan hates me for it. He forces me to have his child, only to smother our newborn in its crib. His eyes burn crimson as he grips my jaw. "Amy Houghton, her baby never got a chance at life, so yours doesn't deserve to live either!" Now, I am reborn. I wake up on the eve of the wedding. Ignoring the sly glint in Elisa's eyes, I offer a faint smile. "Fine. The wedding is off." Chapter 1 Rebirth I died of an amniotic fluid embolism. By the time I passed, the hospital bed was completely soaked in my blood. I begged my husband, Rylan Benton, to save me. However, he only looked down at me with disgust before tightening his grip around my throat. "So what if I was engaged to you first?" he spat. "Elisa and I were truly in love, but you forced us apart and caused her to die with our unborn child! A wicked woman like you doesn't deserve to be my wife! Go to hell and beg Elisa for forgiveness!" They were the ones having an affair, yet I was the one paying the price. Elisa Houghton was Dad's illegitimate daughter. Seeing her living on the streets with no one to rely on, I had pitied her and begged Dad to bring her into our home. I never expected that a single act of kindness would ruin my entire life. Elisa was a master manipulator. She played the doting sister to my face while secretly seducing my fiance behind my back. By the time I found out, she was already pregnant with his child. I would never forget the smug, defiant look in her eyes when she told me the news. "Amy, we're both daughters of the Houghton family. You're not the only one who gets what you want. Rylan is mine now." She thought she could use the baby to force her way into high society, but the Benton family refused to recognize an illegitimate child. They made it clear that I was the only daughter-in-law they would ever accept. Overnight, the story of Elisa sleeping with her future brother-in-law spread all over Astrael. She became the laughingstock of the city. Yet, she blamed me for everything. On the day of my wedding, she jumped off the roof of the hotel, ensuring she died while Rylan loved her the most. And she left me to live in her shadow for the rest of my life. Years ago, when the Benton family faced a financial crisis, I brought a multi-million-dollar wedding gift to Rylan, ensuring he could secure his position as the rightful heir. And this was how he repaid me. I let out a hopeless laugh. "They say love doesn't care about who came first…" Rylan frowned. "That may be true, but humans are supposed to have morals! You should repent for what you've done!" "Rylan, I gave you millions to save your family from ruin, and you repaid me by sleeping with my sister. You're a shameless, backstabbing coward!" I laughed until tears streamed down my face. "You want me to repent? You're right. I should. I should repent for ever marrying you and fighting your battles! I'll be watching from above. Let's see if you can keep your chairman seat without my family backing you up! I can't wait to watch you burn in hell!" With a final scream of despair, I closed my eyes, consumed by regret. If I could do it all over again, I would never choose this life. I'd get as far away as possible from that shameless couple. … "Amy, wake up! Your sister is trying to use her pregnancy to force your family's hand!" An anxious voice pierced through the darkness. My head throbbed. When I opened my eyes, I saw the worried face of my best friend, Susan Kemp. I had been reborn. I was back to the day before my wedding with Rylan. Susan continued to vent on my behalf, "Elisa is really shameless. If you hadn't taken pity on her, she'd still be suffering on the streets. Instead of being grateful, she stole your fiance. She's just a bastard, and she actually thinks she can take your place and marry into money!" Susan had said those exact words to me in my previous life. But this time, I didn't feel the burning anger I once did. Ha! Elisa really thought that sleeping with Rylan and getting pregnant would let her replace me. How delusional. Rylan was nothing but a useless playboy, but the Benton matriarch, Courtney Burke, wasn't blind. She had seen right through Elisa's little act and had immediately told Dad that I was the only daughter-in-law they would accept. Having lost both her virtue and her dignity, Elisa had spent the entire night before my wedding crying uncontrollably. I shook my head with a faint smile, my gaze filled with unwavering certainty. "Don't worry. She's never getting into the Benton family." Elisa had been rejected by Courtney herself. Even if Elisa had no self-respect, the Houghton family still cared about reputation. Sure enough, as I walked downstairs, I heard the sharp shatter of a teacup. It was Grandma. "You shameless brat!" Grandma yelled. "How dare you come begging me after doing such a shameful thing?" Elisa was kneeling on the floor, tears streaming down her face. "Grandma, you and Mrs. Benton Senior are old friends. You're the only one I can turn to. "Besides, the public only knows that the Houghtons and the Bentons are forming an alliance through marriage. I'm a Houghton too! Why does only Amy get to marry well? You can't favor her over me!" Grandma gritted her teeth in fury. "You have the nerve to say that? You seduced Amy's fiance, and now you expect me to throw you a wedding? If I knew you were this indecent, I would have never let you into this house! "Someone get in here! Lock her in her room. Don't let her out to embarrass us before the wedding tomorrow!" I watched coldly as the maids moved to grab her. But Elisa broke free from their grip. She suddenly rushed toward me and cursed me viciously, "Amy Houghton, Rylan and I love each other! You might get his body, but you'll never have his heart! I'm carrying his child. He will bring me into his family sooner or later. You'll never hold onto my spot. Never!" Grandma's face turned red with rage, and her finger pointing at Elisa trembled uncontrollably. Right then, heavy footsteps echoed from outside. Catching sight of Rylan from the corner of her eye, Elisa instantly shifted gears. She dropped to her knees at my feet and wept piteously. "Amy, everything is my fault. I'll take whatever punishment you give me. Just please spare my baby. Don't force me to get an abortion—Ah!" The next second, she threw herself backward with a sharp cry, as if someone had shoved her hard. The look she shot me was full of calculated triumph. However, I hadn't touched her. A cold smile played on my lips as the numbness in my chest gave way to a surge of adrenaline. In my previous life, she had played the victim to ruin me. Did she really think the same trick would work twice? "Elisa, why did you push me?" I shrieked even louder than she did. My face was filled with terror as I threw myself down the stairs. Chapter 2 Schemer "Amy!" "Elisa!" Before I blacked out, all I heard was a chaotic chorus of screams. When I came to, I was lying in a hospital bed. The sound of Rylan and Grandma arguing filled the room. Rylan said coldly, "Mrs. Houghton Senior, Elisa has tolerated Amy's behavior time and again, but Amy just keeps pushing her. How could someone so malicious be fit to marry into my family?" My brow furrowed slightly, but I quickly composed myself. Dad might waver between his two daughters, but Grandma was the one person who stood firmly by my side. "Amy is the one who has tolerated everything, and she's the one who was pushed down the stairs by that tramp and is still unconscious!" Grandma's voice was ice-cold. She didn't even bother to look up at him as she said, "Mr. Benton, I may be old, but I am neither deaf nor blind!" Having held the reins of the Houghton family for decades, Grandma commanded authority whenever she spoke. Rylan was genuinely intimidated for a moment, but he quickly found his footing. "Fine, let's put those minor details aside. The wedding is tomorrow. If you don't agree to let Elisa take Amy's place, I'd rather call off the whole thing. I will never marry a woman as wicked as Amy!" His gaze narrowed menacingly. "Mrs. Houghton Senior, surely you don't want your granddaughter to carry the stigma of being dumped at the altar?" Grandma never expected that Rylan would become this cruel and shameless for the sake of Elisa. In my previous life, Grandma had fiercely rejected him, which set off a chain reaction of tragedy. But in this life, I wasn't going to let that happen again. I reached out and gently tugged the hem of Grandma's sleeve. Grandma was incredibly sharp. Seeing that I was awake but keeping my eyes closed, she instantly knew I wanted to speak with her in private. "Get out. I need to think about it." Rylan smugly thought he had found Grandma's weakness. With his head held high, he went next door to check on Elisa. "Amy, you're awake!" Joy flooded Grandma's aging face. Guessing that I had overheard the conversation, she immediately tried to comfort me, "Sweetie, I know how much you love Rylan. Don't worry. As long as I'm breathing, that homewrecker will never take your place. You're still the only daughter-in-law for the Bentons." Looking at my frail grandmother, my heart ached. In my previous life, my miserable marriage had caused her endless sleepless nights. When she found out that Rylan had smothered my firstborn child to death, the shock was too much for her heart to bear, and she passed away. This time, I was going to protect her and keep her safely by my side. "Grandma, I don't want to marry him anymore. Let's call off the wedding." Grandma knew exactly how deeply I loved Rylan. Hearing this, she looked at me in utter disbelief. "What did you say?" As I stared at the stark white hospital ceiling, the gruesome memory of my death flashed before my eyes. Tears welled up as I whispered, "Call it off… How can I grow old with someone so heartless?" "But you fought so hard for this marriage," Grandma said, her heart breaking for me. Only she knew how much effort I had poured into winning over the Benton family. Courtney was deeply devout, so I went on a difficult pilgrimage just to bring her a rosary bracelet blessed by a priest. For her 80th birthday, I spent months hand-copying sacred scriptures with my own blood. That was how I became Courtney's favorite. But Courtney's favor meant nothing in the end. Rylan's heart was a block of ice that could never be thawed, and I refused to waste another second on him in this life. "Maybe surviving this close call changed me. Falling down those stairs woke me up." My gaze was calm as I explained with a self-deprecating smile, "What is there to hold onto? He's a man who slept with his fiancee's sister and uses any underhanded trick to get what he wants. How could I ever trust him with my life?" Just then, Rylan walked in from the adjoining room, supporting Elisa. Seeing me awake, he immediately barked, "Good, you're awake. Amy, if you don't want to become the laughingstock of the whole city, you'll let Elisa take your place. Don't make this harder than it needs to be!" Having listened to my opinion, Grandma was much calmer now. "The Houghton family doesn't participate in scandalous shams like bride-swapping. If you insist on changing the bride, then I'll call off the wedding." I looked at Rylan and, as expected, caught a flicker of panic in his eyes. I knew him all too well. He just wanted Elisa to take my place. He couldn't afford to break ties with the Houghtons. Both the Bentons and the Houghtons were prominent elite families in Astrael, and the wedding was already public knowledge. More importantly, the Benton family's finances were collapsing, and they were counting on my multi-million-dollar wedding gift to help them. If the wedding was called off, Courtney would skin him alive. Rylan's expression stiffened, and he quickly softened his tone. "Mrs. Houghton Senior, let's not get carried away. The alliance between our families is set in stone. "Elisa is a Houghton just like Amy. What difference does it make which one I marry? If we make a scene, everyone will just laugh at both our families." Beside him, Elisa broke out into a cold sweat at Grandma's words. I sneered internally. Why was Elisa so terrified of the wedding being canceled? The answer was simple. If she didn't take my place as the bride, her status would never be enough for her to step through the Benton family's doors. Elisa dropped to her knees at Rylan's feet, weeping pitifully. "Rylan, everything is my fault. The reputation of both families shouldn't suffer because of me. Just leave me and the baby to fend for ourselves!" To Rylan, this transparent attempt at manipulation looked like the ultimate act of selfless devotion. Moved and frustrated by her compliance, he gasped, "Elisa, how can you be so selfless? Even now, you're still trying to sacrifice yourself?" Grandma couldn't take it anymore. She said coldly, "If she were actually selfless, she wouldn't have seduced her sister's fiance. I suppose some people are born with great eyesight but choose to stay completely blind!" Rylan suddenly sensed that something was wrong. He frowned as he looked at Elisa. Panicking, Elisa shook her head frantically, her tears rolling down her cheeks to trigger his protective instincts. "No, Rylan, it's not like that!" she sobbed. "I didn't know you were Amy's boyfriend. I-I just couldn't help my feelings. That's why… I'll get an abortion right now! I won't make things difficult for you and Amy!" Chapter 3 Revenge Elisa made a move to leave. The moment Rylan saw her tears, he tossed all his doubts out the window. He grabbed her hand and said, "Don't be silly. Nobody is touching my baby!" With that, he turned to me, his eyes burning with hatred. "You bitch, you've already hurt Elisa enough. You just won't stop until you've driven her to her death, will you?" A bitter laugh escaped my lips. Drive her to her death? He sure knew how to flip the script. They were the ones who committed such a disgraceful act, yet they wanted to pin the blame on me? Besides, if they were so deeply in love, he should go beg Courtney himself. He could swear an oath to Courtney that he'd rather give up his status as the heir to the Benton family just to be with Elisa. What could Courtney possibly do to stop him? At the end of the day, he just wanted to have his cake and eat it too. He couldn't let go of Elisa, and he sure as hell couldn't part with the wealth. I looked straight at Rylan. Pretending to be moved by their display, I lowered my gaze and said, "Since you love each other so much, I don't have much else to say." Elisa thought I was going to agree to the bride-swap and was about to celebrate her victory. But I immediately feigned a difficult expression. "However, a bride-swap isn't something I can decide on my own. We'll need Mrs. Benton Senior's approval. "Since you two are so desperately devoted to each other, go ask for her permission. If she agrees to let Elisa marry you, the Houghton family won't object." The moment the words left my mouth, Grandma's anger erupted. She would never allow Elisa to marry into the Benton family. But I gave her a subtle shake of my head, signaling her to stay calm. Having been married into the Bentons for five years in my previous life, I knew Courtney's personality inside out. She would never allow a scheming fox like Elisa into her house, which was why Rylan kept trying to force my hand instead. But why would I make life easy for this shameless couple? If he wanted to marry Elisa, he should go face Courtney first. Sure enough, Rylan snapped furiously, "Amy, you think I won't? Just you wait!" With that, he took Elisa and stormed out of the room. Watching Rylan's retreating back, I let out a cold sneer. In my previous life, I had refused the bride-swap to protect his dignity. But in this life, I'd give him exactly what he wanted. I couldn't wait to see what kind of chaotic circus the Benton family would turn into when he showed up in front of Courtney on the eve of his wedding demanding a new bride. "Sweetie, you've suffered so much," Grandma said. "Don't worry. I'll find you a far better match!" She looked at me with eyes full of love and guilt, feeling that the Houghton family had failed me. I gave a bitter smile and lowered my gaze. My mind was filled with the horrific scene of my death in my previous life. All men were cut from the same cloth. What difference did it make who I married? In this life, I only wanted to live for my own freedom and happiness. "Grandma, why are you in such a rush to marry me off?" I wrapped my arms around Grandma's, pouting. "Don't you want me to stay home and keep you company?" "Silly, even if I want to keep you, I can't let you stay unmarried forever." Grandma held my hand and said gently, "You're the finest lady in Astrael. It's Rylan's loss for choosing that tramp over you. Are you going to stay single forever just because of one scumbag? "You're still young, and you have your whole life ahead of you. If you run away every time things get tough, what will you do in the future? Sweetie, you're wonderful in every way, and you've never given me a moment of worry. But you care too deeply. "Those who love too much often suffer the most, and those who are too wise often hurt the most. You must learn to love, but you must always leave room for yourself. Do you understand?" Those who loved too much often suffered the most, and those who were too wise often hurt the most? Grandma's words were like sunlight breaking through the clouds, stirring something within me. She had laid bare the truth I had failed to grasp for so many years in my previous life in just a few sentences. The dead soil in my heart suddenly sprouted new life. Yes, if even that shameless couple deserved love, why couldn't I? I shouldn't give up my right to love just because of a temporary heartbreak. If I did, how could I ever repay Grandma for her words of advice? Dad had no sons, only Elisa and me. Grandma had raised me with the mindset of a family successor. Otherwise, I would never have been able to help Rylan seize power and secure the chairman seat in my previous life. Now that I was reborn, how could I let myself sink into despair? It was just a pity that I had been so foolish before. I had always believed that my efforts would be enough to win Rylan's affection. But in the end, all I got was a tragic death. "Besides…" Grandma's tone shifted. A mysterious smile appeared on her face as she said with certainty, "If I say you will marry into the Benton family, then you will." "Grandma, what do you mean?" I asked, genuinely surprised. Grandma smiled with the calculating grace of a veteran matriarch. "Rylan isn't the only son in the Benton family. They have plenty of good men. You aren't just going to marry. You're going to have the grandest wedding this city has ever seen!" The other sons of the Benton family? I searched my memory, and suddenly, a cold, aloof figure flashed through my mind. I gasped, "Are you talking about Rylan's uncle, Samuel Benton?" Strangely enough, I actually shared a history with that man. In my previous life, Rylan took revenge on me by smothering my baby. The other Bentons also followed his lead and treated me with cold indifference. In the end, I could barely even get a warm meal. Yet, it was that stoic man who sent me warm soup every single day for a month. Though it was merely a small act of kindness, it was the only warmth I had ever felt during my five years with the Bentons. Unfortunately, Rylan was terrified of Samuel and secretly poisoned him, eventually leaving him terminally ill. If my calculations were right, Rylan must have started poisoning Samuel not too long ago. Could my rebirth change Samuel's fate as well? Grandma's eyes filled with admiration. "Yes. Though he's seven years older than you, he's level-headed and responsible. Courtney hasn't made up her mind yet. It's still up in the air who will inherit the Benton family!" She patted my hand. "Amy, you need to play your cards right." At her words, the light finally returned to my dull eyes. The inheritance! Right, I had almost forgotten. At this point in time, Courtney hadn't announced the heir yet. In my previous life, Rylan had secured the inheritance solely because of my backing. I'd like to see how far he could climb this time around without my help. Chapter 4 Bait The next morning, the Houghton and Benton families released a joint announcement that the wedding between the two families had been called off. Immediately following that bombshell, a second, even more shocking piece of news was dropped. Samuel and I were engaged. The woman who was supposed to marry Rylan was now marrying his uncle. The news sent shockwaves through all of Astrael. Things played out exactly as I expected on Rylan's end. The moment he tried to tell Courtney he wanted to marry Elisa, she tore into him without mercy. In the end, Rylan's grandfather, Alfie Benton, stepped in to smooth things over. He suggested putting the matter on hold until Elisa gave birth. However, Alfie made one condition clear. Elisa would only be allowed through the door if she delivered a boy. The Bentons clearly looked down on her, but the moment Elisa got the news, she treated it like a royal decree and rushed over to gloat in my face. "Oh, Amy, you never saw this coming, did you? I'm the one who wins in the end! Samuel is a dying man who won't last much longer. Eventually, the entire Benton empire will belong to Rylan, and I'll be the lady of the house. I honestly can't wait to see you begging for scraps at my feet!" Her eyes flashed with a twisted sense of pleasure. This was the one thing I could never understand in my previous life. I stared directly at Elisa and spoke slowly. "Elisa, I treated you well." If I hadn't pitied her and brought her into our home, she would still be wandering the streets. After taking her in, I had done my duty as an older sister and never mistreated her. Why did she hate me so much? "Treated me well? Hahaha! Stop being so hypocritical, Amy!" Elisa let out a sharp laugh, her face contorting into an ugly mask. "You say you treated me well and brought me home, but those were just scraps of charity. We're both Dad's daughters. The same blood flows through our veins. Why did you grow up in luxury while I was left homeless? "Why do you get to marry into a prestigious family while I can't even cross the Benton threshold? You've been sitting on your high horse for too long, Amy. It's time you tasted what it feels like to have absolutely nothing! Starting today, I'm taking everything that belongs to you!" I stared at her in silence for a long moment before a wave of sheer absurdity washed over me. My past kindness had nurtured a venomous viper. "I've seen plenty of ingrates, but you really take the crown. Fine, consider it my mistake for casting my pearls before swine. But your biggest mistake was using the entire Houghton family as a pawn in your little game. "You slept with my fiance. Did you ever stop to think what people outside would say about Grandma and our family?" Elisa reacted as if she had just heard the funniest joke. She laughed so hard tears practically welled in her eyes. "Grandma? Our family? Hahaha! Who cares about them? The only thing that matters is that I live the high life!" She was selfish to the core, entirely incapable of understanding that in a prominent family, everyone rose and fell together. She only cared about satisfying herself and had no regard for the survival of the family. As I looked at her twisted face, the accumulated hatred, despair, and agony of two lifetimes finally hardened into absolute resolve. It was time to destroy Elisa. I clutched my chest, feigning deep shock and distress. "It seems like we want entirely different things out of life. Just get out." Elisa let out a cold scoff and turned on her heel to leave. Before she could get too far, I deliberately said to Susan, "Has my angel figurine arrived yet? I kneeled outside the shrine for three days and three nights to get that, and I even had the craftsmen carve it so it shares a slight resemblance to Mrs. Benton Senior. She's bound to love it." My voice was just loud enough for Elisa to catch every word. Susan was innocent by nature. The moment she heard me mention the gift in front of Elisa, she quickly clapped a hand over my mouth. "Hey! She hasn't left yet!" She was terrified Elisa would copy my idea. I simply smiled. Susan was really innocent. Copying my idea was nothing. Stealing my things was what Elisa did best. Sure enough, Elisa paused in her tracks at my words. A cunning smirk played on her lips before she slipped away. "See? She definitely heard you!" Susan said anxiously. But I only smiled with complete confidence and replied mysteriously, "Did she? Good. I wanted her to hear it." Elisa truly believed her looks and wits were a match for mine. She had no idea that a nobody raised on the streets could never match the schemes of an heiress raised in a prestigious household. If I hadn't trusted her so blindly in my previous life, she would have never had the opportunity to ruin me. "Susan, help me fetch the angel figurine." Once Elisa was completely gone, I walked over to the desk and lit a red candle. I let the melting wax drip directly into the eyes, nose, and mouth of the figurine, then quickly used a piece of silk cloth to wipe away any excess wax on the outside. When I was finished, the angel figurine looked absolutely flawless from the exterior. "Amy, what are you doing?" Susan asked, looking completely baffled by my actions. "Nothing." Just paving the road for Elisa's destruction. … The next morning, the Benton family hosted a banquet. Elisa and I arrived at the Benton residence at the same time. Earlier, before I left, Susan had frantically shouted, "What do you mean it's gone? How could it just vanish!" I'd pretended not to notice the upturned corner of Elisa's mouth. Lowering my head, I'd sighed. "I don't know either. I left it right on the desk. Let's just keep looking." Elisa looked manic with excitement as she recalled how Susan and I had frantically searched for the figurine. Her fingers tightly clutched the mulberry wood box in her hands. "Oh, Amy, you really are my dear sister. Once again, you've done all the hard work just for me to reap the rewards!" Seeing how much Courtney liked me, Elisa assumed whatever gift I prepared would automatically win her favor. She had sneaked into my study the previous night to steal the figurine. What she didn't realize was that I had earned Courtney's favor through genuine devotion, not a mere figurine. Besides, Courtney had long been dissatisfied with Elisa. After all, she had thrown the family into chaos. Did Elisa honestly think a gift could make up for that? If I guessed correctly, Courtney was already seriously considering changing the family heir. The moment we entered the Benton residence, Elisa couldn't wait to present herself. "Mrs. Benton Senior, I know you are deeply devout, so I specially sought out this angel figurine as a gift for you. I hope you like it." But Courtney ignored her completely. Smiling, she turned to me and extended her hand. "Come here, sweetie. Sit right next to me. I know you love chicken soup, so I had the kitchen prepare it for you last night!" She pulled me down beside her, acting as tenderly as if she were my own grandmother. I smiled warmly. "We really are on the same wavelength. My stomach was just craving exactly that!" Courtney let out a delighted laugh. From start to finish, she spoke only to me and ignored Elisa. She even turned to Rylan right in front of Elisa and said, "Rylan, you're the heir to the Benton family. Whether you inherit the family empire or not, your status remains noble. You shouldn't let just any random woman climb into your bed." The words were a public slap to Elisa's face. I glanced at Elisa. Sure enough, her face had flushed a deep crimson. Rylan looked incredibly uncomfortable as he replied, "Grandma, Elisa isn't like that. Look, she knows how deeply devoted you are to your faith, so she prepared an angel figurine as a gift for you. She really put a lot of thought into it… Please, for the sake of the baby she's carrying, just take a look at her gift." I looked at Courtney, who remained completely unmoved and treated Elisa like she wasn't even there. Elisa clenched her teeth in hatred, but she quickly forced her face back into a pitiful expression. "Mrs. Benton Senior, I truly prepared this gift out of pure devotion. Please just give me a chance." "No need!" Courtney's lips tightened into a hard line. "I don't have a granddaughter-in-law like you, and the Benton family will never allow a woman who uses such filthy methods to enter the family!" "Rylan…" Elisa whimpered, tears streaming down her face. Rylan looked torn. If my guess was right, Courtney must have given him a severe thrashing over the past few days, so he didn't dare speak up for Elisa any further. I smirked as I watched the drama unfold. Elisa seemed angry, but she quickly changed tactics and turned to me with a pitiful expression, trying to guilt-trip me. "Amy, my dear sister, didn't you say you already forgave me? If you truly have, please plead my case to Mrs. Benton Senior. I only want to show my respect to her. Please, just help me." Hearing those words made me utterly nauseous. She wanted to show her respect, so she needed my help? Meaning if I didn't help, I was the one stopping her from being a good granddaughter-in-law? People always reaped what they sowed. She had done something so disgraceful, and now that nobody liked her, she was trying to drag me down with her. Now she suddenly remembered we were sisters? Where had that sisterly bond been when she crawled into Rylan's bed? She was exactly the same toxic parasite across both lifetimes. But this time, I was going to give her exactly what she asked for. I turned to Courtney and put on a grand display of magnanimity. "Mrs. Benton Senior, why don't you take a look? Perhaps she really did put her heart into preparing it." Elisa looked surprised by how easily I'd helped her, but she didn't have time to think about it. She immediately chimed in, weeping softly, "Yes, Mrs. Benton Senior! I went through so much trouble to get this figurine. "I kneeled outside the shrine for three days and three nights until my knees were bruised. The heavens can bear witness to my devotion!" I almost laughed. Kneeling until her knees were bruised? She had literally stolen this from my study last night. She truly couldn't open her mouth without spinning a web of lies. Seeing that I had spoken up for Elisa, Courtney looked displeased, but she ultimately relented. "Fine. For Amy's sake, I'll give you a chance. Bring it over." I made a move to take the box, but Elisa shoved me aside and eagerly handed it to Courtney. "Mrs. Benton Senior, this is a token of my devotion. I hope—" Courtney looked inside the box, and a flash of pure fury crossed her face. Before Elisa could finish her sentence, Courtney delivered a vicious backhand slap right across her face, sending her crashing hard onto the floor. "Elisa Houghton, you bitch! How dare you curse me?" Looking at Elisa's panicked expression, I slowly curled my lips into a smile. A chilling glint appeared in my eyes. She had taken the bait. The real show was finally about to begin.