The moment I saw him, I regretted meddling in this mess.

It didn’t surprise me that he guessed I had been reborn—after all, I never intended to hide it. Only by confronting him head-on could I constantly remind myself of how foolish I had been in my previous life.

But even so, I tightened my grip on my bag, my knuckles turning white, yet I said nothing to interrupt him.

Benedict wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his face twisted in disgust.

"Lucia, I really hate you. You think you're so noble, pitying me. I don’t need your pity! How are you any different from the rest of the Page family scum? Hiding behind a mask of compassion, looking down on me from your high horse."

His words cut deep.

I pressed my lips together, my gaze hardening as it fixed on him.

Even though I had prepared myself, the ache in my chest was unavoidable.

I had stood by his side for over thirty years, giving him everything I had. When he had stomach problems, I learned how to cook for him. When he complained about not having time for lunch, I delivered meals to his office for over a decade, rain or shine.

He found it troublesome to match his clothes, so I arranged his outfits the night before. He hated socializing, so I swallowed my pride and befriended all the wives and elites, securing the information he needed.

And yet, in his eyes, I was nothing more than a hypocrite.

Swallowing the bitterness in my heart, I let out a cold laugh, anger boiling over.

"Benedict, you truly deserve to die."

He sneered. "You’re the one who—"

Before he could finish, I slapped him hard across the face.

Then, in a rage, I swung my bag wildly at him.

Already bruised and beaten, with barely any strength left, he tried to dodge while shouting curses.

"Lucia, you’ve lost your mind! Stop!"

Seizing an opening, I kicked him square in the chest, and Benedict, unable to control his body, tumbled down the stairs, rolling helplessly.

His face twisted in pain, and despite several attempts, he couldn’t manage to stand up.

I looked down at him, my voice cold and steady. "Benedict, saving you depends solely on whether I feel like it. But you— you should have died a long time ago."

Without sparing another glance at his shocked expression, I turned and walked away.

I threw myself into negotiations, securing one partnership after another.

In our circles, people were now mocking Benedict, wondering how much chaos an abandoned illegitimate child of the Page family could really cause.

I even heard from a friend that one night, he ran into Benedict and Yancy having dinner at a restaurant.

Apparently, Benedict was short on cash, and Yancy furiously berated him before storming off. My friend had to pay their bill, and Benedict’s face was livid with humiliation.

I merely treated it as a joke and moved on, focused on my work.

After all, the North Suburb land auction was fast approaching.

...

Everyone was preparing for the auction, set to take place in just two weeks.

Coincidentally, after I’d just treated the auction organizers to dinner one evening, I walked out of the restaurant and ran straight into Benedict.

I cursed inwardly at the bad luck.

I was about to brush past him when he blocked my path.

Benedict glanced at the organizers getting into their car, a hint of disdain flickering in his eyes.

"Lucia, don’t waste your time. Last life, this piece of land was mine, and it’ll be mine again this time. You spent your whole life as a housewife—don’t embarrass yourself. The only reason you were ever respected was because you carried the title of Mrs. Page."

I folded my arms and smiled, the warmth never reaching my eyes. "Go brush your teeth. Your breath stinks."

His expression darkened, teeth clenched as he glared at me with hatred before turning and storming off.

I narrowed my eyes, watching his retreating figure.

Benedict certainly had some tricks up his sleeve. I couldn’t imagine what method he had used to get some kind of guarantee from the Page family.