Chapter 2

Nathan's mother, Helen, came to the hospital that afternoon.

She walked in without knocking, wearing a cream Chanel jacket and a string of pearls. Her lipstick was perfect. Her eyes were ice.

"I heard you refused to sign the documents."

News traveled fast in this family. Or rather, Nathan reported fast.

"I didn't refuse. I said I'd think about it."

Helen sat in the chair Nathan hadn't used and crossed her legs.

"Ruby, let me be honest with you. You married into the Cole Family because of those shares. Without them, you have no value here."

In my previous life, this sentence had shattered me. I had cried and called Nathan, begging him to defend me.

He never answered.

Now I looked at Helen and smiled. "Then I'd better hold on to them, shouldn't I?"

Helen's expression froze. She clearly hadn't expected this response.

"Excuse me?"

"If the shares are the only reason I have value in this family, then signing them away would be quite foolish of me. Don't you think?"

Helen stared at me as if she was seeing me for the first time. Her fingers tightened on her Hermès bag.

"Nathan won't tolerate this attitude."

"Then Nathan can come talk to me himself."

Helen left without another word. I could hear her heels clicking furiously down the hallway.

I knew what would happen next. She would call Caroline, and Caroline would send Vivian.

That was how they always operated — a chain of women doing Nathan's dirty work while he kept his hands clean.

Sure enough, two hours later, Vivian appeared at my door.

She was wearing a soft pink dress, looking every bit the innocent younger sister. Her eyes were red, as if she had been crying.

She was always crying. It was her greatest weapon.

"Ruby, are you okay? I heard you fainted." She sat on the edge of my bed and took my hand. "I've been so worried about you."

Her perfume was the same one I had smelled on Nathan's collar last month. I had told myself it was a coincidence.

What a fool I had been.

"I'm fine, Vivian."

"Caroline is really anxious about those documents. You know she loved Dad so much — she just wants to protect his legacy." Vivian's eyes glistened. "She's not sleeping well. Can you please just sign them? For the family?"

In my previous life, this was the exact speech that made me give in.

Poor Caroline. Poor Vivian. Everyone was suffering except me, so I should sacrifice more.

I pulled my hand away.

"The 15% stays with me."

Vivian blinked. The tears paused, just for a second, before they resumed.

"Ruby, I don't understand. We're family."

"Yes," I said. "We are. Which is why you should understand that I need to protect my father's legacy too."

Something shifted behind Vivian's eyes — a flash of cold calculation that disappeared as quickly as it came.

"Of course. I'll tell Caroline."

She stood up, smoothed her dress, and walked to the door. Then she turned back.

"Oh, by the way — Nathan asked me to help plan your birthday dinner next week. He wants it to be special."

She smiled.

I smiled back.

In my previous life, that birthday dinner was where Nathan announced our divorce in front of fifty guests. He said I was mentally unstable. Vivian cried and said she had tried so hard to help me.

Everyone believed them.

"That sounds lovely," I said. "I can't wait."

This time, I would be the one with a surprise.