Second Life, Better Wife

On the day Raina Whitmore makes the Helios Rich List, she smiles for the cameras and declares, "I wouldn't be here without my secretary, Kieran Vale. He's the most important person in my life."

While she confesses her love in the interview, I lie in a hospital bed, worn out and fading. I'm her husband, the one who's held her company together all these years.

But I don't get a single word of thanks. My daughter, Talia Hart, even looks at me with pure disdain.

"Dad, you've held Mom and Uncle Kieran back long enough. It's time you let go and let them be together."

Rage surges through me. My chest tightens, and everything goes black.

When I open my eyes, I'm back 30 years earlier, standing in the Whitmore residence to choose my fiancee.

This time, I don't hesitate. I skip right over Raina and choose her aunt, Elara Whitmore.

After both families confirmed the engagement, I stepped out of the room.

The Whitmore sisters were waiting outside, exchanging knowing looks as they nudged Raina Whitmore toward me.

"Rowan, you've had a thing for Raina since you were kids. Happy now that you finally get to marry her?" one of them teased.

"Come on, you're the heir to the Hart family. Do you really have to make yourself look this desperate?" another mocked.

Raina folded her arms and looked at me with disdain. "Our parents may have arranged the engagement, but don't assume I'm on board. If your family can't give me what I want, I won't say yes."

Her tone was cold, dripping with contempt. She always put her interests first, just as she had in my previous life.

I held her gaze and kept my voice even. "Raina, the Whitmores don't have only one daughter."

The color drained from her face. Her sisters exchanged meaningful glances behind her.

Our grandfathers had fought together in the army. My grandfather once saved her grandfather on the battlefield.

That was when the engagement between our families was decided.

The Whitmores later promised that whoever married me would inherit 75 percent of the Whitmore Group.

Raina fell silent for a moment, then let out a brittle laugh. "Do you really think I'd believe that? You've been chasing me for ten years. No one else would even want you. But there are a few things I need to make clear first."

She waved her sisters away and raised her voice. "To prevent history from repeating itself, I'm willing to marry you, but there must be an agreement. You know my heart belongs to Kieran. Our marriage will be in name only, and we won't interfere in each other's lives."

Her words made my eyes widen in shock.

What did she mean by preventing history from repeating itself? Could it be that she had come back in time too?

I was still deciding whether to ask more when Kieran Vale approached us.

I'd sponsored him through university and taken him into the Hart Group after graduation. I had no idea when he and Raina had begun their affair.

"Rowan, why are you and Raina standing out here?" he asked, his gaze fixed on her.

Raina's eyes went wet, and she threw herself into his arms, speaking in a soft tone I'd never heard from her. "Kieran, why are you here?"

He smiled, pulled her closer, then cut a provocative glance at me while feigning unease. "Raina, you're engaged to Rowan. This isn't right."

Raina snorted. "So what? You're the one I love. Besides, Rowan's the one who wronged you. If he hadn't accused you of plagiarizing his final project, you wouldn't have lost your chance to study abroad."

I almost laughed.

At graduation, I caught Kieran copying my project. I was furious, but I didn't want to expose him in front of everyone. So, I pulled him aside and warned him not to go down that road.

But he went straight to our professor and claimed that I'd stolen his design model.

I was furious and immediately sent the original design files as proof.