Vivian, nestled in his arms.

Her eyes sparkled with a triumphant glint.

She lifted her head sharply.

Her hands instinctively tightened around William's arm.

Vivian's eyes welled up with tears, and she feigned a tired look, nuzzling against his chest.

"William, I'm not feeling well. Could you take me back now?"

At her words, William scooped her up .

"Vivian's not feeling well. I need to-"

"Her problems have nothing to do with me."

The sweet honeymoon period of our new marriage had barely faded, yet he had already become an utter "absentee" in my life.

Every night, as darkness fell, instead of the warmth of a loving embrace, I was left staring at the empty expanse of the bed.

He spent each night at Vivian's side, leaving me alone in this cold, lonely room.

In the stillness of the night, their sounds of playfulness and intimacy would seep through the walls.

I would curl up in the corner of the bed, tears streaming uncontrollably down my face, soaking the pillow beneath me.

Days like these were an unending nightmare.

"I hope you truly don't care, instead of calling me in the middle of the night and threatening suicide again!" he sneered, his voice dripping with contempt.

With that, he turned his back on me, his arms securely wrapped around Vivian as he made his way up the stairs.

In the past, I had indeed resorted to such desperate measures because of my overwhelming love for him.

But now, reborn into this second chance at life, I was a changed woman.

The shrill screams that pierced through the silence of the villa early the next morning jolted me out of my slumber.

When I flung open the door and beheld the scene before me, it felt as though an invisible vice had clamped down on my heart.

William stood there, his face a thunderous mask of anger, barking orders at the servants to haul my piano out of the house.

That piano was no ordinary instrument. It was a gift from my parents on my tenth birthday. Since then, it had been my constant companion, bearing witness to every joy, every sorrow, and every dream of my youth.

Now, it was being manhandled, on the verge of being cast out of my home, all because Vivian had complained that the sound of the piano grated on her nerves.

I lunged forward, planting myself firmly in front of the piano.

"If anyone's leaving, it's you two. No one touches my piano! This was a gift from my parents, and no one will take it from me!"

Before William could utter a word, Vivian peeked out from behind him. Her face was a picture of feigned distress, but a glint of triumph danced in her eyes.

In a sickly sweet voice, she cooed, "But this is William's house. You have no right to drive us out. That piano is just too noisy. It has to go."

I let out a cold, mocking laugh.

This villa was purchased with my parents' money.

Out of consideration for William's pride, it was registered jointly in our names.

My gaze landed on her.

Vivian worked as a dancer in a seedy, neon - lit bar.

Her family was mired in poverty.

Her mother had passed away early, and her father was neglectful, leaving her to bear the heavy burdens of life far too soon.

To make a living, she had to take to the tiny stage in the bar, mechanically twisting and turning her body to the blaring music.

That day, the bar was filled with a hazy, disorienting glow, and the music was deafening.

Vivian was playing the part of a damsel in distress, feigning being harassed by a group of drunken patrons.

She put on a pitiful, helpless act, her eyes wide with false fear.

William was immediately drawn to the commotion.

He quickly strode forward and positioned himself in front of Vivian.

The moment William came to her rescue, Vivian, with a practiced air of delicacy, flung herself into his arms.

A fleeting smirk of triumph flitted across her face.

After that incident, Vivian clung to William and me like a tenacious leech.

Vivian sensed my searing gaze and, far from showing any sign of shame, instead, she insolently thrust out her chest, flaunting the lurid red marks that adorned it.

But my focus was elsewhere.

A wave of revulsion surged through me as I pointed an accusatory finger at the bottle of shampoo in her hand.

"Put down my shampoo! Are you so destitute that you can't even afford a bottle of shampoo?" I snarled.

"Alice, show some respect!" William roared the instant I finished speaking.

"Don't you know Vivian has depression? What on earth has Vivian done to you to deserve your repeated humiliation?"

At that moment, Vivian's eyes welled up with tears.

Her body trembled.

She tilted her head back, looking at me defiantly.

"I'm sorry. I'll return the shampoo right away,".

William, seeing this, was beside himself with fury.

His eyes bulged with rage, and he lunged forward, wrapping his arms around Vivian protectively.

"Ignore her. Let's go back to our room. We don't need her shampoo. I'll buy you as much as you want."

The two of them scurried into the room in haste, yet it was only William who emerged.

His face was as dark as a thundercloud, and without warning, he hurled the object in his hand at me.

"Alice, if you have any grievances, direct them at me!"

"I thought you were just a bit spoiled and willful, but your actions now sicken me to the core!"

"What do you mean by that? "

William let out a scornful snort.

He forcefully pinned me against the wall, demanding,

"Was it you who was behind Vivian's car accident!"

"You actually suspect me?" I stared at him in utter disbelief.

"The license plate of that vehicle belonged to your father's motorcade. With such an obvious clue, who else could it be but you?" His logic was utterly preposterous.

"If you're so certain it's me, then why don't you confront my father?"

I pulled out my phone, ready to dial my father's number.

William swiftly pressed his hand over the phone screen.

"Are you out of your mind?Once this matter is brought up, it will only make Vivian relive those terrifying experiences. She's on the verge of a nervous breakdown and simply can't bear such a shock."

I listened intently, about to say something in response, when suddenly Vivian came running out.

"William, my heart is pounding so hard. I can barely breathe. Come and stay with me," Vivian wailed.

She weakly extended one hand.

Instantly, William softened his expression.

He turned and walked towards her tenderly.

"Don't be afraid. I'm here."

I furrowed my brows, staring at her retreating figure.

In my past life, Vivian had also shown no inclination to seek the truth in such matters, and William, as always, was completely submissive to her wishes.

But how could a normal person not want to know who had harmed them? Unless she already knew who that person was.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through my mind.

I raced back home.

The moment I burst through the door, I made a beeline for my father's study.

He was engrossed in his work at the desk.

When he heard me enter, he looked up, his eyes filled with inquisitive concern.

"Dad, something terrible has happened!"

I exclaimed breathlessly.

"Please, you have to help me check. Among our pack's motorcade that day, was there a vehicle with the same license plate as the car causing the accident? "

My father listened intently.

He nodded solemnly and said, "Don't worry, my child. Stay calm. I'll look into it right away."

Over the next few days, on the surface, I led an extremely carefree life. Every morning, I slept until I naturally woke up, then leisurely savored a sumptuous breakfast.

After that, I would lounge on a recliner in our garden, bathed in the warm sunlight, flipping through fashion magazines with relish.

However, as time dragged on, I grew increasingly worried that William might become suspicious.

Just that day, when I pushed open the door to my bedroom, a dark figure stood ominously in the shadows.

I was so startled that I nearly let out a scream.

Only when I turned on the light did I realize it was William.

William wore a stern expression, his brows furrowed so deeply that they could have trapped a mosquito.

"Why are you coming back so late?" he demanded.

"What's the matter?" William's face darkened.

Just as he was about to say something, his nostrils flared slightly.

Then, his gaze suddenly sharpened, locking onto me with a piercing intensity. "Why do you smell of cigarette smoke!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, his hand shot out abruptly, as if trying to seize the source of the odor.

"Alice, you're still my fiancée for now, and I expect you to conduct yourself with decency."

I was out shopping with my good friend Linda when her brother, Nelson, passed by and we chatted briefly.

Given my indifferent demeanor, William misinterpreted the situation. He fixed his intense gaze on me, his tone laced with mockery.

"Don't tell me you're having second thoughts? Regretting calling off the wedding, so you're playing this push - pull game?"

William's voice dripped with smugness, and his previously sullen face seemed to come alive in a strange, almost triumphant way.

"You're such an actress. Do you expect me to watch over you like before? In your dreams!"

But towards the end, he suddenly stopped "Well, I can understand if you're regretting it. I'll just pretend I never heard you call off the wedding. We'll get married as planned. However, I'm still going to take care of Vivian. She-"

"I have no regrets."

"Do you have anything else to say? If not, just leave."

A flash of embarrassment crossed William's face.

He stared at me in disbelief.

Suddenly, his gaze landed on the worn - out, hand - knitted bracelet on my wrist.

This bracelet was a gift that William had painstakingly crafted for me when he was in dire straits.

Back then, he was penniless.

Using rough threads and with his clumsy skills, it took him several days and nights to complete this simple piece of jewelry.

Now, I owned countless luxury items.

I casually left aside a watch worth six figures, and limited - edition handbags worth seven figures failed to stir any excitement within me. Yet, this hand - knitted bracelet, which cost only a few dollars but held the memories of our past, I cherished it like a priceless treasure.

"Alice, I just came to tell you that tomorrow, Vivian's friends are coming to visit her. They'll be having a little gathering here at home. You'd better not cause any trouble," William stood at the door, his expression cold and his tone laced with an unyielding warning.

I nodded perfunctorily, desperately wanting him to leave my room as soon as possible.