Reborn: Our Alliance After Her Return

My husband hasn't touched me in five years.

I thought it was because he was getting older and losing his strength, so I sought medical advice and remedies for him everywhere, making him drink tonics like water.

But then, I accidentally discovered that he was buying contraceptives in bulk online, hundreds at a time.

So, those medicines did work after all.

He had more than one lover. In the end, the one that got away won out, and he was willing to do anything to divorce me and become someone else's groom.

However, on the day of the wedding, as soon as I appeared, the bride threw off her veil and ran excitedly towards me.

"Sis, I finally completed the task you gave me!"

Under the scorching sun, the female delivery driver arrived at my house, panting heavily as she delivered my fruit salad.

"Sorry, I'm five minutes late. Please don't give me a bad review, okay?"

She took off her baseball cap, revealing a pale and haggard face.

Despite her current plight, one could still see the pure beauty she once had.

No wonder she was the one that got away my husband had longed for all these years.

I smiled at her and invited her in, "Would you like to come in for a drink?"

She nervously thanked me and took the coffee from my hand.

"Interested in a part-time job?"

Isabel looked up in surprise, "What kind of part-time job?"

I had already investigated her background. She failed her college entrance exams, got married early, but unfortunately met the wrong person. Her husband was not only a gambler but also indulged in debauchery outside.

After struggling to get a divorce, she was left to raise two children on her own.

Because she had to take care of her kids, she couldn't take on regular jobs with fixed hours, so she started delivering food.

The expenses for two children were not small, so she would naturally be interested in this part-time job.

I smiled gently at Isabel, "It's simple. Rekindle your old flame, my husband Kenneth."

Kenneth and I were college classmates. He came from a poor family but was diligent and earnest.

To be with him, I begged my family for days and nights, almost severing ties with them.

Knowing his financial difficulties, I didn't ask for a single penny in bride price. Instead, I brought tens of thousands as a dowry and even put both our names on the house deed.

My parents went from being adamantly opposed to reluctantly compromising. At the wedding, Kenneth sincerely knelt down and bowed to my parents.

"Mom, Dad, don't worry. I will make Emilee the happiest woman in the world."

At that time, I was full of hope for the future.

I believed that as long as we were together, every day would be sweet and joyful.

However, promises are like smoke, they vanish into thin air.

We originally worked at the same company.

Because the company had a policy against employees dating, I voluntarily gave up my promising career after we got married, staying home to prepare for pregnancy and take care of him.

My father also used his connections to help Kenneth build a network, helping him rise from an ordinary employee to a mid-level manager within a few years.

He came home later and later, spoke less and less to me, and our intimate moments became almost nonexistent.

Both sets of parents urged us to have a child soon.

But only I knew that if we really had a child under these circumstances, our family would fall apart even faster.

I kept telling myself that he was just too busy.

Once he had time, he would surely fulfill his promises to me, taking me to watch the sunrise and sunset, and traveling the world together.

Even when I occasionally found a lipstick, a bottle of perfume in the back seat of the car, or some suspicious long hair on his shirt... Because I didn't want to face reality, I chose to ignore it.

Until his secretary, Cathryn, came to find me.

She wore a form-fitting long dress that accentuated every curve, her gaze filled with provocation and disdain as she looked at me.

"Are you the washed-up wife?"

She leaned closer, showing off her dress. "Kenneth loves it when I wear this. He says he can't resist it. It's been a long time since he touched you, hasn't it?

How can you stand living like you're single? Don't you have any self-respect?"

I bit my lip, my heart shattering into pieces, but my face remained calm and composed.

"So, it was you serving him all this time. Did he settle the payment with you?

Do you charge by the hour or by the month? Are you here to collect the balance?"

I pulled out a bank card and waved it in front of her. "Just a reminder, every penny you spend is part of our marital assets. If I'm in a bad mood, I can take it all back anytime."

"Seeing is believing!" Cathryn's face turned red with anger. "Kenneth loves me. Do you think he gave you control over the finances?

You probably only get grocery money. He said all his money would go to me and our son!"

She proudly touched her belly.

Yes, she was pregnant.

My face turned pale, and it took all my effort to maintain a fragile calm.

While I worried about Kenneth's health from overworking, he was spending nights with another woman and even left her with a child.

A few months ago, he said he wanted to invest our spare money and withdrew all the funds from our joint account.

Now, I only had thirty or forty thousand dollars left.

More pressing than the betrayal of the man I loved for many years was the fact that if we divorced, I would be left with nothing.

I would even have to give up half of the house my parents bought for us with their life savings to Kenneth.

I was unwilling to accept this.

So, I thought of Isabel, Kenneth's middle school crush, the goddess he always talked about.

I no longer cared what Kenneth thought.

Since he could trample on six years of our relationship and scheme against me, I had no reason to hold back.

I decided to get what I deserved and make him pay.

I took Isabel for a makeover, dressing her from head to toe in new clothes.

She had a good foundation but looked haggard from years of hard work.

Now, in a new Chanel floral dress, wearing an expensive Cartier bracelet, and with her face meticulously made up, she was stunning.

But beauty alone wasn't enough.

I knew my husband well. Kenneth was confident and greedy, thinking even a princess wouldn't be too good for him.

So, that evening, when Kenneth came home, I held Isabel's hand and brought her to him.

"Honey, I have a friend I want to introduce to you."

Kenneth looked up, barely able to hide his surprise and delight.

After a long moment, he nodded. "And this is?"

This man was indeed cunning, pretending not to recognize Isabel.

I played along, smiling as I introduced her. "This is my friend, Isabel. Her family just bought a new villa that needs renovating, so she'll be staying with us for a few days.

You don't mind, do you?" Isabel smiled at Kenneth, and he was instantly captivated, nodding eagerly. "I don't mind, not at all."

Then, as if he had just remembered, he took out a gift he had prepared for me.

"I was too busy on our anniversary to celebrate. This is a bag for you."

I accepted the Hermès bag, pretending to be surprised. "Thank you, honey."

On our anniversary, Cathryn had sent me a video of them in a hotel room.

Kenneth wasn't entirely lying; he was indeed with a colleague, busy cheating on me.

And such gifts, I received them year-round, almost collecting all the most popular knock-off styles.

"Emilee, you're so lucky to have such a good husband," Isabel said, her eyes twinkling as she spoke softly to Kenneth, following my instructions.

I quickly interjected, "This little gift is nothing to you, a wealthy lady who has never had to struggle.

Honey, you don't know, Isabel is not only beautiful but also comes from a good family. Her father is the..."

"Oh, Emilee," Isabel interrupted, feigning anxiety and tugging at my sleeve, whispering, "Didn't we agree not to reveal my father's identity?"

Her voice was low but just loud enough for Kenneth to hear, and his eyebrows twitched.

I quickly changed the subject and warmly welcomed Isabel.

At the dinner table, Kenneth was enthusiastic yet maintained his composure.

Only I could sense his inner turmoil.

Sure enough, after dinner, he pulled me aside. "Honey, who exactly is this Isabel?"

I carefully opened my phone and searched for a high-ranking official from our city's housing authority, answering mysteriously, "This official also has the last name Isabel." Yes, this official also had the last name Isabel.

I didn't say anything else, leaving Kenneth to fill in the blanks.

His eyes lit up with intense greed, and I knew-he had taken the bait.

Kenneth, unable to contain his eagerness, asked Isabel out the very next day.

I took great care in helping Isabel get ready and kept in constant contact with her.

Their date was at a fancy new restaurant. I had wanted to go there for our wedding anniversary not long ago, but Kenneth acted like he didn't hear a word I said.

Yet, for a rich and beautiful woman who wasn't his yet, he was willing to spend money like water.

I wasn't surprised.

Just as I was about to follow them, I opened the door and saw Cathryn already standing there.

She glared at me, seething with rage, "Why are you still dragging out this divorce with Kenneth? Is it fun to cling to a man who doesn't love you?"

I remained unruffled and looked at her with a knowing smile, "Did he tell you he had a social engagement today, that his direct superior would be there, and he couldn't accompany you?"

"What are you talking about? I don't understand." Cathryn's eyes flickered, but I knew I had hit the mark.

Kenneth always used the same excuse when lying to me.

"Come on, I'll take you somewhere so you can see just how important you really are to him."

In the dim light, Kenneth was gazing at Isabel with heartfelt emotion, confessing his feelings.

"Isabel, I think about you every day. I only blame myself for not being brave enough back then, which is why we missed each other in the crowded world. But those destined to be together will always reunite."

Isabel picked up her wine glass and took a sip, fearing she might throw up.

It wasn't a matter of missed opportunities; she simply had no interest in Kenneth during their school days.

Back then, Kenneth was awkward and insecure, almost invisible in a crowd.

The immaculately dressed and exuding charisma man before her was my creation.

Yet, he now thought I was no longer good enough for him and was trying every way to climb higher.

"Kenneth, actually, I... I liked you a lot back then."

Isabel demurely tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "That's why I haven't dated anyone all these years."

Such an obviously unreliable lie wouldn't fool anyone with a functioning brain.

But how could a man full of himself doubt it?

Kenneth was instantly excited, grabbing Isabel's hand.

He had always known that Isabel's indifference back then was just a girl's modesty.

How could anyone resist a man as charming as him?

Just as they were bearing their souls, Cathryn, in a fit of madness, rushed over in a few quick strides.

She had witnessed firsthand how Kenneth, who claimed to love only her, was now pledging his loyalty to another woman.

She hadn't expected that being a cheater wasn't enough; he wanted another mistress! "You home-wrecking witch, how dare you seduce my man!"

Cathryn, full of fury, picked up a wine glass and threw its contents at Isabel.

Isabel was so frightened that her face turned pale, and she let out a scream.

The next second, Kenneth stepped in front of her, playing the knight in shining armor, and took the entire glass of red wine on his expensive suit.

He was furious, losing all his usual gentleness. "What are you crazy about? Who's your man?"

In bed, he could swear eternal love to Cathryn, but outside, Kenneth had to maintain his reputation as a high-society figure.

Many eyes were drawn to the commotion, watching with rapt attention like a soap opera.

Those stares drove Kenneth mad.

Some even took out their phones to record the scene.

Cathryn didn't care about any of this.

She felt like her world had collapsed and lunged at Kenneth, scratching at Isabel with her nails. "He's mine! Get lost and stop fighting with me..." Her sharp, shrill voice pierced Kenneth's eardrums.

One was a privileged and beautiful daughter of an official, the other a mere secretary for his amusement.

He knew exactly who to choose. To gain favor with Isabel and avoid becoming the talk of the town, he couldn't help but push Cathryn heavily to the ground. "I don't know this crazy woman!" Cathryn screamed, not expecting Kenneth to actually lay hands on her.

She fell hard to the ground, clutching her stomach in pain.

Beneath her, a pool of blood began to form.

She had a miscarriage.