Chapter 1

Chloe Miller and Blake Harrison were husband and wife, but they only felt hate for each other. They had been married for three years, and for three years, they slept in separate rooms and dreamed different dreams. More than once, each had thought about killing the other.

So it was not a surprise that when a gang murdered Chloe, her husband was not by her side. Blake Harrison was at a high-end club, surrounded by a dozen escorts, laughing and drinking.

As Chloe's world went dark, a strange figure stopped her spirit from moving on. It was a grim reaper. "Ms. Miller, you have desires you have not resolved. You cannot be reborn yet," the reaper said, its voice echoing in the void. "The underworld will give you ten days. Return to the living, fix your problems, and then you can re-enter the cycle of reincarnation."

Before Chloe could understand, a bright white light pulled her in.

When she opened her eyes again, the smell of salt and champagne filled the air. She was standing on the deck of a large yacht. Music was blasting, and people were shouting.

"Congratulations, Blake! You finally got rid of that wicked Chloe Miller! You're a free man!"

Chloe's heart started to pound in her chest, a feeling she thought was gone forever. Her steps were unsteady. She couldn't believe it. While she was being tortured and killed by thugs, her husband, Blake Harrison, was throwing a party to celebrate.

"Chloe Miller! You have the nerve to come back!"

A familiar, cold voice cut through the noise. Before she could react, a large hand grabbed her throat. Chloe looked up at the man in front of her. His eyes were full of disgust and rage. It was Blake.

During the days the gang held her captive, he hadn't sent a single person to look for her. She had held onto a small, foolish hope, and she silently mocked herself for it now.

The crowd on the yacht started to jeer at her.

"Chloe Miller, didn't you send a message saying you were killed by bandits?" someone shouted.

"You're really something else!" another voice added. "You didn't want Blake to go to Amelia's birthday party, so you bribed some thugs to fake your own kidnapping? Are you a ghost now?"

"I didn't, I..." Chloe tried to speak, but the hand on her throat tightened.

She looked into Blake Harrison's bloodshot eyes, and her heart ached with a familiar pain. He really wanted to kill her. He wanted to choke the life out of her right here.

Just as her vision started to blur, a soft, gentle voice spoke up. "Blake, stop it."

The grip on Chloe's throat suddenly loosened. She gasped for air, her lungs burning. She turned to see who had spoken. It was Amelia Miller, her adopted sister. The entire Miller family cherished Amelia, and Chloe knew she was the woman Blake secretly loved.

The whispers started again. "See? If she hadn't gotten in the way, Amelia and Blake would be a happy couple by now."

"She made Amelia so heartbroken that she had to leave the country. Now Amelia is finally back, and Chloe pulls a stunt like this. She's the most venomous woman in this city!"

Amid the taunts, Chloe just looked at the two of them. Blake Harrison stood there, cold and handsome. Amelia Miller was gentle and soft. They were both dressed in white, pristine and perfect. Even the pendants hanging from their waists were a matching pair.

In the past, seeing this would have sent Chloe into a rage. She would have screamed and torn them apart, trying to claim Blake as her own. But now, she just stood there. A sad smile formed on her lips. She had tried so hard for so long. She tried to please her parents, who always favored Amelia. She tried to win the heart of a husband who loved another woman. And what did she get for it? She died a horrible death, and no one even came to claim her body.

Chloe remembered it all so clearly. Before the thugs killed her, they told her to write ransom notes. The first letter she wrote was to her father, who was away on military duty. She waited all day, but no reply ever came.

The second letter she wrote was to her mother. The messenger came back with only a few words. "Ms. Miller, your mother said if you're pulling another stunt to frame Ms. Amelia, you might as well just die outside. Don't dirty the family name."

The third letter she wrote was to Blake Harrison. He didn't even send a reply. He just sent a coffin.

The thugs had laughed so hard. "What a joke! The noble daughter of the Miller family and the wife of the great Blake Harrison! Three letters, and not one person wants to save you. Your life is worthless. Even a dog wouldn't want it!"

Then, she saw the leader's dagger, gleaming in the dim light. She felt it pierce her heart, a sharp, final pain. She watched as her own blood slowly soaked through her dress.

Chloe unconsciously touched her chest. She could still feel the excruciating pain right there, a ghost of the wound that killed her.

Amelia Miller walked over to Chloe. There was a flicker of surprise in her eyes, but it was quickly hidden by a sweet, gentle smile. "Chloe, if you were in trouble, why didn't you come home? Mom and Dad were heartbroken when they heard you had died. They've been so sick with grief, we've had to call for doctors three times."

Amelia's voice was soft, like she was truly concerned. "Tell me what happened, sister. You're my sister. I'll help you with anything you need."

With just a few words, Amelia had made it clear to everyone that Chloe was lying, that she had faked her own death. But it was real. She had really been kidnapped.

Chloe didn't want to look at Amelia's hypocritical face anymore. She turned to walk away, but Blake Harrison grabbed her wrist, his grip like iron.

"Where do you think you're going? Off to play the victim somewhere else?" he sneered. "Even if you really had died, I wouldn't shed a single tear for you. I'd just pour some stale soup on your grave!"

Chloe's wrist ached, and his words sent another sharp pain through her heart. But this time, her gaze fell on something else. On his left hand, he wore a string of luminous prayer beads.

Three years ago, Blake had been severely injured in a horse-riding accident. Chloe had knelt on the nine thousand stone steps of the temple, in the middle of a heavy snowstorm, just to get those blessed prayer beads for his safety. She had prayed for him, begged the heavens for him.

Chloe said nothing. She just reached out with her free hand and forcefully tore at the tassel on the end of the prayer beads.

There was a sharp clatter sound.

The string broke. The beads scattered across the deck of the yacht, rolling into the dark corners.

She had just let go of her first obsession with Blake Harrison.