chapter 1

After my husband and I were reborn, neither of us said a word—but we both knew what happened. We'd live separate lives, as if we were strangers.

He clung to the memories of his past life, rode them into the global stock market, and made a name that echoed across financial circles. Every move he made turned into profit, every investment stacked his fortune higher.

I stayed behind in our hometown—a sleepy little place where life never rushed.

I kept things simple. Work. Home. Peace. That was enough.

A full decade passed before our paths crossed again—at my college roommate's wedding.

He was front and center at the main table, a rising celebrity nestled close to his side. His posture was proud, chin lifted high, and that smug smile said more than words ever could.

When his eyes met mine, they gleamed with ridicule.

"Selene, this is how you've been living since you left me?"

I didn't bother responding. I walked straight past him like he was nobody.

And then a hand slid around my waist. A calm, steady voice followed. "My wife's doing just fine. No need for your concern." That voice belonged to the ruler of an entertainment empire and two-time Best Actor.

And for the first time, my ex-husband's confidence cracked. Nathaniel Leif, the little Oracle, panicked.

That was the moment he realized—I had let him go a long time ago.

...

Nathaniel had returned in full glory. Fame, wealth, and a glamorous woman clinging to his arm. He was the golden boy of the night, and everyone in the hall turned toward him like he was the sun.

I had just stepped into the venue when the compliments started flying from every direction.

"Nathaniel, you're really something now! Everyone in the market knows your name!"

"No kidding. Before I left home, my husband begged me to ask which stock you're watching next!"

"I swear, if I were you, I'd be grinning in my sleep every night. Rich, famous, and walking in with a knockout like her?"

"When I saw Georgina walk in with you, I was speechless. I mean ... you dated Selene back in college."

My stride hitched just slightly when I heard my name.

"Selene? Never knew her," he said.

The voice was still that same smooth baritone I remembered, but the words were colder than I expected.

I smirked to myself and kept walking.

"Selene! You made it!"

The bride—my old roommate—spotted me first. She rushed over, eyes sparkling, and wrapped me in a tight hug.

She looked me over, then leaned in with a conspiratorial whisper.

"I told you Nathaniel was coming. Why didn't you dress to kill? Did you see those two? Flashier than a red carpet premiere!"

Before I could get a single word out, a sharp, sneering laugh sliced through the air.

"She was your classmate too? Nathaniel, how did someone like that end up in your circle?

"Looks like she crawled out of a janitor's closet. Honestly, she's so sloppy I'd feel gross standing within ten feet of her."

It was Georgina Kingsley.

She stood there in a shimmering gold gown that hugged her curves like it was made for her.

Her hair was curled into flawless waves, and her red lipstick looked like it belonged on a movie poster. She didn't just dress for a wedding—she dressed to dominate.

And with Nathaniel standing beside her in his custom three-piece suit, the two of them looked like they'd just stepped off the cover of a luxury magazine.

I didn't flinch.

I gave the smallest smile, said nothing, and turned away to quietly take a seat at the edge of the room.

"I heard Zacharias is coming later too. Straight from the awards show, just to make it in time."

"No way. If he actually shows, that bride's got some serious pull."

"I swear, I'm getting a picture and a signature. I don't care how shameless it is. Sitting at the same table as the Zacharias? That's a story I'm telling at every reunion."

"He's unreal—perfect genes, insane talent, filthy rich, and on top of that, he's got a head for business. What more could anyone ask for?"

That last comment faded as I suddenly remembered I hadn't handed over the wedding gift. I turned around and made my way to the entrance, pulling out the present I'd prepared and passing it to my roommate with a soft smile.

Just as I was about to head back to my seat, a hand grabbed me hard and yanked me sideways—straight into one of the private lounges near the hall.

Nathaniel.

I had no idea when he'd slipped away from his table, but now he was standing right in front of me, eyes full of disdain, tone dipped in scorn.

"Selene. So this is what your life looks like without me?"

He looked me over, gaze landing on my sweater with exaggerated disbelief.

"That thing ... isn't that the one we bought back in college? From that sketchy underground market?

"What's the deal? You too broke to buy new clothes now? Or are you trying to be clever, wearing something old so I'll feel nostalgic? Playing the memory card again?"