Chapter 1

I married Marc Wheeler to save the Wheeler Corporation from a crisis and used all my family's fortune to fill in the financing gap. Besides, I even took the fall for him and was imprisoned for five years.

Everyone thought I would serve a lengthy sentence.

But I fought all out for a reduced sentence and was released early. But I only witnessed the grand wedding of Marc and Leanna Marsh, my stepsister.

My younger brother, Ian Marsh, was autistic. He clung only to Leanna and saw her as his sister. He was coerced by her into stealing the last of my shares.

I refused to accept the fact. At their wedding, I confronted Marc with an asset transfer agreement he had signed and forced him to give me an explanation.

He promised to return all the assets under Leanna's name to me and to kick her out of the Wheeler family. But he hated me to the core due to that.

He hated me for humiliating his beloved and for destroying what he saw as my brother's "salvation."

Even my psychiatrist said I was beyond help and that I had returned only to ruin everyone's happiness.

I was in despair as everyone betrayed me and was driven to madness.

During another confrontation with Marc, Leanna pushed me from a high building.

As I fell, Marc broke through the railing in a frenzy and held me tightly in midair.

The moment the steel pierced his body, he used his last ounce of strength to push me away. "Valerie, you bought the Wheeler Corporation with all your money back then. Now I've repaid you with my life. If we could go back, I would beg you not to appear again, so Leanna and I can live as an ordinary couple."

My heart ached, and I was left sobbing uncontrollably.

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back on the day of my release from jail.

I pushed open the gate of the Wheeler family's villa.

The deafening music and the chatter of the crowd hit me like a wall.

I was in my faded clothes, which I had gotten from jail. I stood at the entrance and didn't fit in at the opulent banquet.

The air was filled with the scent of perfume and food, while I still carried the musty smell of jail.

The butler, Jack Norris, opened the door and dropped his tray with a crash. The champagne and desserts shattered on the floor.

His face turned ashen instantly, and his lips trembled. "M-Miss Marsh Valerie?"

I ignored him.

My gaze fixed beyond the guests in their glamorous attire, who were staring at me in shock, to the couple in the center of the hall.

My ex-husband, Marc, and my stepsister, Leanna.

Marc was gently putting a dazzling diamond necklace around Leanna's neck.

She raised her face and smiled sweetly and shyly. Then she tiptoed to kiss his cheek. "Marc, you're such a great guy."

The guests erupted in laughter and blessings.

What a ridiculous scene!

Five years ago, when Marc put a simple wedding ring around my finger, he was just as tender.

He had whispered in my ear, "Valerie, you're my only wife. I'll protect you forever."

For what he said, I used all my mother's inheritance to save his company from bankruptcy.

For what he said, I stepped forward and took all the blame when he was taken to court.

I took one last look at him in the courtroom.

He mouthed to me, "Wait for me."

I had believed his words.

I spent exactly one thousand eight hundred and twenty-five days in jail.

I fought for a reduced sentence and got out early. But what awaited me was his extravagant wedding with Leanna.

The couple's rings around their fingers glistened under the chandelier.

I had designed those rings myself, so they were unique in the world.

I had planned to surprise him with them on our fifth anniversary.

Now, one of them adorned Leanna's finger. It was a profound insult to me.

I saw Ian, my beloved younger brother, standing quietly beside Leanna, like a loyal knight. He looked at her dependently.

In my previous life, Leanna abetted Ian in asking me to transfer all the shares of the company I founded to Leanna.

When I argued with them, I was ostracized by everyone.

Even my psychiatrist said that I was crazy and that I came back to destroy everyone's happiness.

Finally, Leanna pushed me off a high building during a confrontation with Marc.

As I fell, Marc ran to catch me in a frenzy.

The moment the steel pierced his body, he used his last strength to push me away. "Valerie, you bought the Wheeler Corporation with all your money back then. Now I've repaid you with my life. If we could go back, I would beg you not to appear again, so Leanna and I can live as an ordinary couple."

I was heartbroken and tearfully agreed with him.

Then I opened my eyes and returned to the present.

I took a deep breath and suppressed all the emotions surging in my chest.

A cold voice echoed within me. "I will reclaim my rightful belongings and cut ties with these ungrateful people completely."

The music in the hall had stopped for no reason.

Everyone had noticed me, the uninvited guest, and whispers spread like wildfire.

Marc finally sensed something amiss and looked up at me.

The moment he recognized me, the color drained from his handsome face, and his pupils contracted sharply. "Valerie?"

His first reaction wasn't joy or relief.

Instead, he instinctively shielded Leanna behind him.

He looked at me with vigilance and wariness, as if I were the demon who would harm his beloved.

My heart had already broken when I had been sentenced to jail five years ago.

But at that moment, my heart seemed to be crushed into dust by Marc.