"Uncle Ethan..."

Rachel's eyes turned red as she threw herself into Ethan's arms.

In contrast, Stella stood frozen outside the ward. Her face turned pale.

She suddenly remembered Ethan had told her he had vitamins specially made for her in her previous life.

She was touched that Ethan truly cared for her, and she took those pills every day without fail.

They had been married for years but never had children.

They went for a checkup, and the problem was found with her hormones.

To get pregnant, she began taking ovulation shots. Her stomach was bruised all over. Her body grew bloated from the hormones.

Still, she never conceived.

Her doctor had gently asked if there might be something in her diet or supplements interfering with the treatment.

Stella had considered many possibilities, but never once did she question the vitamins Ethan gave her.

That was, of course, until this moment.

She stumbled back a step, heart crumbling.

'How could you be so cruel, Ethan?' She thought to herself.

Meanwhile, one of Ethan's bodyguards walked by and saw her standing there, surprised. "Ms. Walker?" he asked.

Stella shoved the pendant into his hands.

"Give this to Ethan."

Without another word, she turned and walked away.

It was Stella's birthday.

Since she would be leaving soon, she decided—for once—to throw a grand party for her friends, despite usually hating crowds.

She did not expect Ethan to show up—with Rachel.

"Your gift."

Ethan tossed a box to her casually.

It was a diamond ring.

Just like last time.

How laughable.

A ring most people used to propose—he gave it to her as a birthday present.

He made it clear that this marriage was a charity.

She had been clueless in her previous life. She had cried back then, thinking it meant something.

This time, she handed it back without hesitation. "Did you not receive what I had the bodyguard return to you?"

If he had seen the heirloom pendant, he should have understood that she had no intention of marrying him.

Ethan frowned.

"I didn't. I told you before—I don't need anything. You don't need to give me anything."

Stella paused in surprise.

He had assumed it was a gift and did not even bother opening it.

She remembered in her past life, after Ethan died, when she sorted through his belongings. In the dusty basement storage room, she had found dozens of unopened boxes.

Those were all the gifts she had given him:

The necklace she spent a week carving for his 25th birthday; the blessed cross she got for Ethan when he fell ill at 33; and the handmade essential oil she blended herself after learning about his migraines at 40…

So many heartfelt, painstaking gifts—left to rot, untouched.

Meanwhile, Rachel's paper stars, cheap ties, even a handwritten note—were kept in a safe.

Stella smiled bitterly. She said nothing more and turned to greet her guests.

Halfway through the party, Rachel suddenly slumped into Ethan's arms. "Uncle Ethan, my head feels so dizzy..."

Ethan's face changed instantly. "Did you catch something? Eaten something bad? I'll take you to the hospital."

He picked her up without asking and left the venue.

Stella frowned.

She was the host. If anything happened to Rachel, she would be held responsible.

Not wanting trouble, she followed.

However, when she reached Ethan's car, she froze.

From inside, she heard Rachel's breathy voice.

"Uncle Ethan... I feel so hot... down there... it's so uncomfortable..."

Stella's hand froze just as she was about to knock on the car window.

Even she could tell something was off, let alone Ethan who was in the car.

Ethan spoke, panicked, "You've been drugged, Rachel. I'm taking you to the hospital right now!"

Rachel clung to him, sobbing. "It's too late... I feel so awful... Please... Please, just give it to me... I only want you..."

Her soft, tearful voice curled like smoke into Ethan's ear, striking at the most sensitive part of his nerves.

Ethan had been holding himself back with every ounce of self-control. Hearing her beg, the last bit of restraint shattered.

He lost himself.

Stella stood motionless as the car began to rock violently in front of her. She heard the girl's sobs twist into gasps, then cries for mercy, and finally soft, broken whimpers.

Ethan did not stop.

Stella's lips curved upward in a bitter, powerless smile.

In her past life, she had been married to Ethan for 20 years. She could count the number of times they made out. Even that once-a-month routine was only a gift after she begged him a million times.

She used to believe Ethan had no interest in such things.

However, listening to what was happening now inside the car, she finally understood that he had no interest in her.

Stella turned away.

Maybe this was for the best.

This lifetime, everyone got exactly what they wanted.

Stella returned to the banquet hall. Two hours later, the event neared its end, and as the host, she needed to give a closing speech.

She went upstairs to the dressing room, drank a glass of juice, and began touching up her makeup.

Suddenly, she felt a strange heat pooling in her lower abdomen. A wave of discomfort surged through her.

She tried to call for help, but before she could open her mouth, a cold voice came from the doorway—

"How does it feel, Stella?

"Not so pleasant to be the one drugged, huh?"

Stella's head snapped up, noticing Ethan was standing in the doorway. She had no idea when he arrived.

Her heart dropped.

"Did you drug my orange juice?" Her voice trembled with anger. "What the hell are you trying to do?"

Ethan gave a cold laugh and walked over, gripping her chin roughly. "I should be the one asking you that—why did you drug Rachel?

"You decided to humiliate her in public just because she broke your mother's piece by accident?

"She's just a kid! How could you be so vicious?"

Stella stared at him in shock. "What are you talking about? I never drugged Rachel!"

Ethan shoved her away. "Stop lying! The only thing she drank today was that glass of water you gave her. Who else could it have been?"

It hit Stella then—what it meant to be completely unloved. Ethan never questioned everything Rachel said, yet he sentenced Stella on the spot.

"Unbelievable," she laughed bitterly.

She struggled to grab her phone and call an ambulance, but Ethan stopped her.

"What are you doing?!" she yelled.

Ethan looked down at her, voice ice-cold as he said, "That drug is strong. An ambulance won't help. Your only way out is to beg me."

Stella froze. "For what?"

"To help you relieve the effects, of course," sneered Ethan. "But I don't come cheap. Get on your knees and apologize to Rachel if you need help."

Stella stared at him in disbelief, unable to comprehend how ridiculous Ethan's request was.

Ethan kept leaning closer, pinning her in place. "Stop acting, Stella. Isn't this what you've always wanted?" His voice dropped to a low hiss. "You used the same tricks to force me into marrying you. Now I'm just asking you to pay for your sins."

Stella snapped. She shoved him away, grabbed a pair of scissors, and stared him down with a deadly calm.

"You want me to kneel and apologize to Rachel? Keep dreaming."

With that, she drove the scissors straight into her own thigh.