Reborn and Riches

I had been married to Rick Clinton for five years, and we had tried every possible way to have a child, but nothing worked. Later, Rick’s mistress, his secretary, became pregnant. Rick proposed a divorce, but we couldn’t agree on the division of assets. The next day, I was murdered by my husband and his mistress. Reborn a week before my death, I looked at the test results in my hand that confirmed Rick’s Azoospermia and smiled. Chapter 1 My mother-in-law, Judith, came home with the pregnant mistress, both of them looking like they had just returned from a shopping trip. “Why aren’t you up yet to serve us drinks?” she demanded. I didn’t know who this pregnant woman was and felt puzzled. I poured some tea and placed it on the table. Judith and the mistress burst into laughter, nearly falling over. “This is Helen. She’s carrying Rick’s child. Hurry up and sign the divorce papers and get out of this house.” Previously, Rick had only discussed the divorce privately with me. This time, his mother brought the mistress to humiliate me. It was then I realized the real reason Rick wanted a divorce. I had always ignored the traces left by other women on Rick, thinking that men would inevitably flirt a little with other women. I believed as long as I was still in the house, no mistress could pose a real threat to me. But I was wrong. When a spark tried to ignite, it should be extinguished immediately. Rick took out the divorce papers and tried to force me to sign them. “Rick, you’re the one who cheated with your secretary, and now you’re trying to divorce me as if you’re in the right?” I looked at the man I had once loved to my very core and felt that he was a complete stranger. “I’m not like you. I’m prettier than you, and I’m not infertile.” She sneered. I had been a beautiful woman once, pursued by many. But after marriage, I stopped dressing up. Rick grew tired of me and started to resent me for looking older and less attractive. “I suggest you sign the divorce papers so things won’t get ugly,” he threatened. “I can agree to the divorce, but you’re at fault. Marital assets must be redistributed,” I replied. Before I could finish speaking, Judith slapped me across the face. “You’re married to my son for five years and you never became pregnant. A hen that can’t lay eggs is useless. You’re a worthless woman,” she spat. “The Clinton family needs a son to carry on the family legacy. You should’ve left this house long ago.” My face burned with pain. It turned out that not only Rick but even Judith had known about his affair with the mistress. The mistress, Helen Milton, smiled sweetly and chimed in maliciously, “Exactly. You’re useless. You’d better pack up and give me your spot, you little tramp. If you don’t want to leave, you can stay as a housemaid. You can serve us. Such a job would suit you perfectly,” she added. I looked at the three of them in front of me. They were so vile, so united, they truly looked like a family. “Don’t even think about it. Unless I’m dead, I won’t sign this divorce agreement,” I said firmly. Ever since the divorce talks started, Rick and I had been sleeping in separate rooms. He left early and came home late, barely speaking to me at all. We couldn’t agree on the division of our pre-marital assets, so I kept dragging things out. After all, as long as I didn’t divorce him, the mistress would always remain a mistress. I wasn’t in a hurry, it was the pregnant mistress who was. Because I had trouble sleeping, I had developed a habit of drinking a glass of milk before I went to bed every night. After drinking the milk one evening, I felt dizzy and extremely unwell. Soon, my breathing became rapid, and it grew worse and worse. “Help… help me…” I tried to struggle, but my body wouldn’t move, as if I were sinking into quicksand, gradually becoming paralyzed. In my haze, someone approached me and squatted down in front of me. “If you had just signed the divorce agreement earlier, this wouldn’t have happened,” said Rick, showing no guilt. He dragged me off the bed and toward the kitchen. “Laura, this is all your own doing. Don’t blame me,” he said coldly. “How foolish,” said Helen, gloating. “You’re a worthless woman and you still dream of holding a place in the Clinton family? What an idiot.” Rick closed the doors and windows as I looked at him in despair. They turned on the gas, trying to make it look like I had passed out and died from a gas leak in the kitchen. My vision blurred, but the sounds around me grew sharper. The only thing left was the television in the living room, playing a finance news segment. It was an interview with a major investor. “The previously sluggish real estate market is about to see a bull run. Several stocks have already achieved…” Chapter 2 A sharp pain struck my head as I woke up in bed, lying next to the sleeping Rick. I froze for a moment, and memories of my death slowly flooded back into my mind. ‘Had I… been reborn?’ I picked up my phone to check the date and time, realizing this was the night we had made our final attempt to have a child. Hatred surged through me, and I wanted nothing more than to strangle the man sleeping beside me. ‘Stay calm,’ I told myself. In my previous life, I lived in chaos. This time, I was determined not to make the same mistakes. I recalled visiting the hospital for a check-up, where the doctor had told me I had a body highly prone to pregnancy. Why, then, had I failed to conceive after five years of effort, while Helen managed it so easily? Rick was the one with the problem. I got up and carefully packed the tissue he had used to wipe his private area in a small bag. No matter what the test results revealed, I needed to set up a plan for myself. Helen was his personal secretary. If news of his affair spread throughout the company, Rick’s job would be at risk. This was the perfect time to gather evidence of his infidelity. I visited the bank and checked Rick’s transaction records, finding a recurring 50 thousand dollars payment over the past three months. There was also a large expense on real estate. I should’ve suspected it earlier—why else would Rick claim to work overtime every Saturday, only to return home around five or six the next morning? I remembered the lipstick stains on his white shirt when he came home late, brushing it off as a result of work-related socializing whenever I questioned him. This time, I decided to follow him and discovered he had bought a villa for Helen to rest during her pregnancy. I secretly took photos of him helping the mistress into the villa as evidence of his affair. I also obtained records of Rick booking hotel rooms and recordings of his phone calls. “Darling, once I get divorced, I’ll bring you home. My mom is over the moon knowing you’re pregnant and wants to take good care of you.” “Really? What if that woman refuses to divorce you?” “Then we’ll just make her disappear from this world.” Seeing Rick and Helen flirting made my stomach churn. I had gathered enough evidence—now all I needed was the results of the test. Back home, I acted as usual, though my mindset was entirely different. Judith noticed something was off. “What’s wrong with you? Don’t think I don’t know what you’ve been up to just because I wasn’t home. And the food today is so salty!” “Oh, I was at the produce shed picking fresh vegetables, so it took me a little longer. Are you feeling unwell? You seem extra sensitive to taste today,” I replied with a smile. “Nonsense! I’m perfectly healthy,” she retorted. She prided herself on her health, always worrying that if she died too early, she wouldn’t get to see her grandchild. “Rick won’t be coming home tonight,” she added. “I’ll take some food to him later on,” I said. As usual, she couldn’t resist belittling me. “Look at my son, working so hard every day, while you’re nothing but a useless housewife.” I sneered inwardly. ‘Enjoy this time while it lasts. Once the divorce is finalized, life won’t be so easy for any of you.’ Chapter 3 "Mom, why is there an outsider in this house?" A sharp, grating voice came from the doorway. Just like in my previous life, today was the day Judith brought the mistress into the house I had lived in for five years. Helen stood there with a proud expression, deliberately sticking out her pregnant belly for me to see. "Helen, this woman knows no shame, clinging to this house like a piece of gum that won’t peel off." "I haven’t divorced your son yet. This is my house," I said coldly. "You’re still hanging around? My son already said he doesn’t want you anymore. If you had any shame, you’d pack your bags and give way to my future daughter-in-law." I ignored her and continued eating breakfast. Seeing that I wasn’t responding, Judith slapped my bread and milk off the table. She reached out to hit me, but I shot up from my chair, slapping her face with a resounding smack. The sound echoed through the room, and she staggered, nearly losing her balance. This slap was long overdue. Let her feel the sting on her face for once. "Let me guess," I said. "You’re about to say that because I haven’t gotten pregnant in five years, I’m a useless woman and should leave, right? Well, let me tell you this. the little ‘empire’ of the Clinton family will be squandered in no time, and the grandson you’re so eager to have will inherit nothing but mountains of debt." Helen, supporting the enraged old woman, looked stunned. She hadn’t expected me to be so fierce, unlike the meek and timid woman they had described. She opened her mouth to speak, but I shut her down immediately. "If you love a married man so much then you can have him. I don’t care." Turning around, I saw Rick standing behind me. I had been so focused on dealing with the two of them that I had forgotten about him. "Rick," I said, glaring at him. "I haven’t even signed the divorce papers yet, and you’re already bringing someone into our home? If I refuse to divorce you, are you planning to kill me again?" I sighed, lamenting how blind I had been in my previous life. Only after dying once had I seen Rick’s true colors. "Divorce is fine," I continued, "but I won’t leave without my rightful share of the assets. Don’t expect me to go quietly." Rick crossed his arms, his expression smug. "Every cent in this house was earned by me. What makes you think you deserve any of it?" I pulled out all the evidence I had gathered—photos, bank records, hotel receipts, and recordings. "You had an affair with your secretary during our marriage. I have proof. If the entire company finds out, do you think they’ll keep someone with questionable ethics in an executive position?" I played the recording for him. "Oh, and I also have this lovely clip of you two talking about making me ‘disappear.’ Should I email it to your colleagues and amuse them?" Rick’s face darkened. "If you dare, I’ll make sure your life is miserable too." I had no interest in dragging this out. I just wanted the divorce finalized as soon as possible. "If you want this done quickly and don’t want to wait for asset division, I’ll forgo the house. Let me take what my mother left me and give me the money you have on hand. I’ll sign the papers and leave immediately." "You don’t have the money to hire a lawyer, so you’ll leave empty-handed anyway. Divorce is inevitable. Why rush?" He sneered, thinking he had gained the upper hand. "I’ve set up an email with a scheduled send time," I said, showing him my phone. "It contains all the evidence of your infidelity. You have 28 minutes before you’ll be summoned to a shareholders’ meeting to explain yourself." Rick lunged for my phone, trying to delete everything. "Don’t bother," I said coolly. "I have backups." "Laura, you’re such a scheming woman," he hissed. "Better decide quickly. You only have 27 minutes now." Helen clung to his arm, pouting. "Rick, just give her what she wants. Let’s get this over with." He hesitated before pulling out a card. "There’s 50 thousand dollars in here. The PIN is the passcode of the main entrance." I took the card from him and quickly signed the divorce agreement. Rick wasn’t strapped for cash, but he was a miser. Giving up 50 thousand dollars must have stung. His hand lingered awkwardly in the air after I took the card, his expression blank for a moment. "You know," he said, attempting a facade of generosity. "Even though we’re divorced, I won’t let you end up homeless. Spend this money wisely, and it should last you a while." Hearing this, Judith and Helen burst into laughter. "She’s never seen this much money before." Judith sneered. "50 thousand, and she thinks she’s hit the jackpot." Rick seemed suspicious, worried there might be more tricks up my sleeve. "Don’t try anything funny," he warned. "You were the one who wanted a divorce. I’m simply agreeing. If anything, you’re the paranoid one. What could I possibly want from you now?" I thought back to the financial news I had heard—a boom in the stock market was coming. With the right timing, I could turn this 50 thousand dollars into a fortune. "If I manage to turn this 50 grand into a million, don’t get jealous," I said with confidence. I was certain I’d make them regret this. Judith scoffed, laughing loudly. "You? With no connections and no job? Once you burn through that money, you’ll be out on the streets, begging us for scraps." Explaining myself to them would be a waste of my time. "Just wait and see," I said, silently resolving to secure my future and take the first step toward rebuilding my life. Chapter 4 When I left, I only took that card. I regretted not packing some clothes and necessities. Before my mother passed away, she left me a fixed savings account of 100 thousand dollars, telling me to keep it to myself and not let anyone know about it. My mother told me that nothing was as reliable as the money you control in your own hands. I held that small box tightly, feeling a mixture of emotions in my heart. Back then, when Rick's company ran into trouble, I thought about withdrawing the money from the savings account to help the company through the crisis. Fortunately, it was still within the fixed term, and I couldn’t withdraw a single penny. Rick didn’t know about this, and it was a good thing he didn’t. If he had, he might have taken everything from me without hesitation. The rain outside the window had just stopped. I wanted to hail a cab by the roadside, but unexpectedly, I got splashed with water by a passing car. The driver didn’t even apologize before driving away. I was furious. After shouting a few curses at the vehicle disappearing into the distance, I could only lower my head, fix my clothes, and accept my bad luck. “Do you need any help?” A familiar male voice came from behind me. I recognized him instantly—he looked even more refined than on television. He had a lean, handsome face, a tall and upright figure, dressed in a crisp suit, and held a cup of coffee in his hand. Every movement and gesture exuded the calm and restraint of a business elite. He walked over wearing shiny black leather shoes. “Thank you, I’m fine,” I stammered, embarrassed to meet his gaze. “Here’s a pack of tissues. You can wipe yourself off.” The man took a packet of tissues from his jacket pocket and handed it to me. “My name is Jason Lister.” I was astonished and covered my mouth in shock. “I know you! You’re famous in the investment world, truly an accomplished young man.” “Not really, just lucky,” Jason replied with a meaningful smile. Jason asked where I was headed. It turned out he was going the same way and offered to give me a ride. “Really? Thank you so much!” It was indeed a long way to the stock exchange, and it was hard to find a cab. I couldn’t hide my excitement and accepted his offer. In the car, he talked about his experiences. Back when he graduated from university and was job hunting, he hitched a ride from a kind stranger on his way to an interview. Unexpectedly, that person turned out to be his superior and helped him a lot, so he now enjoyed helping others. “We seem to have a bit of fate too, don’t we?” “Thanks to you, otherwise I don’t know how long I would’ve waited for a cab.” When we arrived at the massive stock exchange, there was a steady flow of people coming and going. Relying on my memory of the trends of a few stocks, I invested the 50 thousand dollars I got from Rick along with the 80 thousand dollars from the fixed savings account. I was very satisfied because I knew that in no time, my capital would multiply tenfold or even more. I noticed that Jason was looking at me with a gaze that carried both curiosity and admiration. “Why did you choose to invest in these particular stocks?” Chapter 5 Before I could answer him, his phone rang. "Excuse me for a moment." Jason excused himself to take the call. I regretted not asking for his contact information. I thought that perhaps I could gain some valuable resources from this man. After all, meeting someone like Jason was likely a once-in-a-lifetime encounter. Just as I was leaving the stock exchange after buying my stocks, I unexpectedly ran into Rick and Helen. I wanted to pretend I didn’t see them. But to my dismay, they deliberately blocked my path. “What are you doing here? I didn’t know you had the skills to trade stocks. Playing the stock market isn’t a joke—be careful not to lose all your money.” Rick sneered, his tone dripping with disdain, as if certain I was destined to fail miserably. “Are you two so bored that you have to come and cause trouble?” Their appearance was enough to ruin my mood. Helen even snatched the purchase receipt from my hand, her face full of smugness and mockery. “Did you just randomly buy something? You don’t even know if these stocks are any good. Good thing I didn’t buy what you did, or I’d be losing big time.” “Let’s hope the stocks you chose are good ones,” I said with a fake smile. “Of course!” Rick replied proudly. “I did my research before coming here, unlike you, acting on impulse and gambling everything.” At that moment, a staff member approached me. “Miss, as an esteemed VIP client investing over 100 thousand dollars, here’s a gift from us.” Rick’s face twisted in disbelief. “You invested 100 thousand? Where did you get that kind of money?” “You’ve never known this, but my mom left me 100 thousand dollars. That money is my personal property and has nothing to do with you. As for the 50 thousand you willingly gave me, it’s too late to regret it now—you’re not getting a single cent back.” “When your mom was sick and hospitalized, I paid the bills. Later, when my company was in trouble, you didn’t help me at all. You even hid the 100 thousand from me and didn’t let me know.” Rick’s anger flared. “You were afraid I’d find out and take the money for myself? You’re the real parasite in this family!” “Yes, I was afraid you’d find out. After five years with you and your mother, I’ve seen your true colors.” Helen stomped her foot and whispered to Rick, loud enough for me to hear, “What were you thinking back then? You should’ve just thrown that beggar some pocket change. Instead, you gave her 50 ` thousand!” “Bad-mouthing someone without lowering your voice? I heard everything,” I said coldly. Helen glanced at me awkwardly. Just then, Jason walked over. “Whether her stocks are good or bad, nobody will know until the last moment. What if this young lady’s picks turn out to be winners?” “And who are you? Stock prices don’t rise and fall just because you say so,” Helen snapped, but her confidence wavered when she saw the man in front of her. A group of people suddenly gathered around Jason, chattering excitedly. Someone pushed Helen aside, saying, “If you don’t even know who Jason is, what are you doing trading stocks?” The remark shut Helen up completely. Rick, feeling embarrassed by Helen’s ignorance, dragged her away. “You don’t even know who Jason is. Because of you, I didn’t even dare ask for his business card.” “Why are you blaming me now? You didn’t tell me in advance,” Helen retorted, exasperated by how little responsibility Rick could handle. I noticed the stocks they had invested in and got an idea that wasn’t entirely noble. “This stock has a promising long-term trend. It’s like gold—only better, with even higher returns,” I said. “Why should I believe you?” asked Helen, her face full of scorn. “If you don’t believe me, surely you’ll believe Jason, right?” Jason simply smiled and nodded without saying a word. “I’m not like you. I don’t have as much money, nor do I have access to such funds. Otherwise, I’d put everything into that stock,” I said, pretending to look regretful. Helen pulled Rick aside and whispered, “Honey, doesn’t the company have a lot of idle funds? Let’s use that. Once we’ve made a profit, we can quietly put the money back. No one will ever know.” The so-called “promising stock” I pointed out was actually nearing its peak. After that, it would plummet continuously. I wanted them to taste some success first. Once greed took hold and they invested everything, the sudden crash would trap them. When stock prices drop, people tend to believe they’ll rebound eventually. That was when my goal would be achieved. I didn’t expect Jason to be so popular. I figured having someone like him on my side right after my divorce was a stroke of luck. When I looked up, I accidentally locked gazes with Jason. I froze for a moment. “What is it? Did you finally remember who I am?” Jason looked at me, his expression hopeful. “What? Say that again?” “Do you really not remember me?” It seemed like he wanted me to recall something, but when I didn’t, he gave up for now. Perhaps he was waiting for the right moment to tell me himself. I thought his question was bizarre. “I just met you today, didn’t I?” “By the way, I meant to ask earlier. Why did you choose those stocks?” I smiled playfully. “My mom told me in a dream last night. Do you believe that?” If I hadn’t been reborn, how else could I have predicted what was about to happen? The phone call Jason had just taken was about accepting an invitation from a TV station. Of course, I wasn’t going to tell him that I had watched his interview videos and learned about him beforehand. “Thanks for your help earlier. I’ve just finalized my divorce, and my ex-husband and his mistress keep haunting me like ghosts.” Jason smiled warmly and handed me his business card. “You have great investment talent. If you need anything, feel free to reach out.” I was flattered and immediately agreed enthusiastically.