The day I found out I was pregnant, the 60-year-old billionaire who kept me, Arthur Howard, was at the hospital with his son and daughter-in-law for their prenatal check-up. When he saw me, he showed no concern. Instead, he told me to get rid of the baby. For the sake of the Howard family's rightful heir, he said, the bloodline couldn't be tainted. I didn't cry or protest. I simply walked into the clinic for the procedure. I did it because in my past life, I fought tooth and nail to keep this child, and Arthur hated me for it. The day before he died, he even demanded I be buried with him. His descendants treated my son like a workhorse, a slave. In the end, I died at the foot of his cold, granite tombstone. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on that very day, the day he told me to have an abortion. This time, I was the one who brought it up first. "Don't you worry," I said with a placid smile. "I'll take the best care of your son." 1 As I died, I finally saw the truth. Charles Howard had never loved me. He loved only himself, and the heir who carried on his corrupted legacy. "Anna, darling," Arthur had said in my past life, his voice smooth as aged whiskey. "I won't be able to come with you for the procedure. My precious grandson needs me, you see. And a man of my standing... well, it wouldn't do to be seen. You're so understanding. You'll get it, won't you?" It was always the same. In public, Arthur Howard and I never appeared in the same frame. I suppressed the tsunami of hatred rising in my chest and replied with the practiced gentleness he expected. "I can go by myself. You should take care of yourself, too." He nodded, pleased. He had always prized my obedience. "Anna, keep this quiet, won't you? Don't let a soul know, especially not my son. If he were to get the wrong idea... it wouldn't be good for you. After all, you're the one who's going to be with me for the rest of my life." "After my grandson is born," he'd added, "I'll marry you." After six years together, it was the first time he'd ever mentioned marriage. But this time, I didn't want it. In three days, I would be done with him forever. On my way to work, I stopped by a service and hired a private nurse to assist me post-procedure. The moment I stepped into the office, I saw Arthur bustling in with bags of fresh vegetables and prime cuts of meat. In my last life, when I was burning up with a fever and begged for a simple bowl of soup, he never once stepped into the kitchen for me. "I'm sixty years old," he'd scoffed. "You really expect me to wait on a thirty-year-old woman?" I ended up dragging my limp body to the hospital alone. My hands were so weak that I spilled the scalding soup all over my hand, leaving a nasty scar that never faded. But seeing him today, I realized the truth. It wasn't that he couldn't cook for someone. He just wouldn't cook for me. Swallowing down my bitterness and the gnawing hunger in my stomach, I pushed open the door to the CEO's office. There, on the plush sofa, sat Arthur's daughter-in-law, Victoria. Her belly was barely showing, yet she was delicately nibbling on exotic, imported fruit. And here I was, summoned back to the office on a weekend without even having had breakfast. "Oh, Anna! I'm so sorry to drag you back here on your day off," Victoria chirped, her voice dripping with faux sweetness. Arthur poked his head out from the kitchenette, his expression all business as he looked at me, but his voice softened as he turned to Victoria. "This company will belong to my darling grandson one day. Forget a weekend, if she were on her deathbed, she'd have to crawl here for him." Victoria shot me a triumphant smirk, clutching her stomach and whining that she was hungry. But for all his effort, Arthur could only make broth. He was completely lost when it came to actual cooking. The billionaire tycoon was sweating, utterly flustered. He saw me and immediately barked an order. "Make lunch. My grandson is hungry." I glanced at the beautiful sea bass in his hands—my favorite. I said nothing. 2 I simply took the fish into the small office kitchenette and transformed it into a fiery, sour fish stew, along with an entire spread of tart and tangy dishes. When I brought the food out, Arthur and Victoria were already seated at the table, waiting for me to set out the plates and silverware. I brought out three sets from the kitchen, carefully placing one in front of each of them. Then, I sat down and started ravenously eating the sour and spicy fish myself. Arthur stared, dumbfounded. He pointed a trembling finger at me. "Anna! What the hell do you think you're doing? I told you to cook, not to sit here and feast!" "And what is this garbage?" he snarled, gesturing at the table. "It's all either sour or spicy. How is Victoria supposed to eat this?" I just smiled. How could she not? In my past life, I was their unpaid maid. I knew everyone's tastes down to the last detail. It was because I catered to their every whim that when I was eight months pregnant, I weighed less than a hundred and ten pounds. I’m five-foot-five. This life, I would eat what I wanted. I would never again starve myself for these people. I finished my plate in minutes, patting my stomach in satisfaction. Then, I casually reached over and polished off all the fruit Arthur had so carefully prepared for Victoria. Victoria finally lost it. "Dad! What am I supposed to eat? Your precious grandson is starving!" Arthur, fuming, spun around and stormed back to the kitchen to whip up something else. But there was nothing left. I had used every last ingredient for my sour feast. In my past life, I was their doormat. In this one, I was still the company's top salesperson. I wasn't going to coddle them anymore. "You know the old wives' tale," I said nonchalantly. "'Sour for a boy, spicy for a girl.' I wonder which one the missus is having?" Arthur's eyes lit up. He pushed all the sour dishes in front of Victoria. "Victoria, dear, eat up! These are all your favorites." Victoria's face was a mask of disgust, but she choked down the sour fish, the sweet and sour ribs, and the sour plum pork. I had to stifle a laugh. I knew for a fact she despised fish and anything sour. In the end, I was the only one who enjoyed the meal. Wiping my mouth, I walked straight up to Arthur. "Mr. Howard, I'll be expecting my overtime pay for today." His face went dark. "I'll have accounting wire it to you." I discreetly hit the record button on my phone, then waved it at him with a bright smile. "Thank you, Mr. Howard!" I called out loudly. As for the dishes, they could wash their own damn selves. Stepping out of the building, I looked back at the glass-and-steel tower that had been my cage for half my life. It had imprisoned not just my body, but my youth and my talent. The moment I was hired as a junior sales rep, Arthur had set his sights on me. For him, I abandoned my childhood sweetheart, Leo, who was waiting for me back home. I chose to become Arthur's dirty little secret. When Leo came to the city to beg me to come back, Arthur had his men break his leg. I was so blinded by his counterfeit love back then. This life, I would repay every debt. An eye for an eye. Just as I made my vow, my phone rang. It was Arthur. "Anna, that was my daughter-in-law. She's pregnant. I know you're upset, but your behavior today was a profound disappointment." "Tomorrow," he continued, his voice cold, "you will hand over that five-million-dollar account to Victoria. And we will pretend this never happened." As he spoke, I looked up. There, on the fifteenth floor, framed by the floor-to-ceiling window, was Victoria, looking down at me with an air of smug satisfaction. I laughed out loud. 3 "I have a hospital appointment tomorrow. I'm busy." "And Arthur," I added, my voice turning to ice, "don't forget my bonus. The abortion isn't free, you know." "If I don't have the money... well, you might just end up with another son." The next morning, I treated myself to a lavish brunch at a high-end restaurant and charged it to the company account. In my past life, I was always so careful with Arthur's money, trying to save every penny. This time, I refused to be the fool. When I arrived at the hospital, I ran right into Victoria, who was there for a check-up. Her eyes gleamed with triumph when she saw me. "Anna, you really are pathetic." "You work yourself to the bone landing deals for the company, and in the end, you're just paving the way for me." Victoria was the sales manager, but she was utterly incompetent. There was no way she could handle the millions in business the company generated each year. In my past life, I was the fool who drank glass after glass of liquor, drinking until I got a stomach ulcer just to close a ten-million-dollar deal. The credit, of course, went to Victoria. Looking back, Arthur knew. He knew and he let it happen. Because Victoria was his daughter-in-law, his family. And I was just an outsider. Seeing me lost in thought, Victoria glanced down at her stomach. "Arthur specifically told me not to overwork myself. No drinking, nothing stressful. He said you could handle everything. All I have to do is focus on carrying Charles's child." "Sooner or later, this company will belong to me and Charles," she sneered. "And you? You're just a tool." Victoria had always resented me for outshining her at work, taking every opportunity to put me down. Her taunts didn't surprise me. What did surprise me was a stray thought: how could a woman who had been on fertility medication for years suddenly get pregnant after three or four years of marriage? Who really had the problem? If Victoria was the one who couldn't conceive, would Arthur, who was so obsessed with having a grandson, have treated her so well all this time? Could it be... Charles? I suddenly remembered a time when Arthur was discreetly researching male infertility, and the lab report for a low sperm count that I'd found in his pants pocket. If Charles had fertility problems, it all made sense. In my last life, Victoria's pregnancy was high-risk from the start. But Arthur blamed me for not taking proper care of her, claiming it was my fault his grandson was born frail. He was so terrified I would try to claim a piece of the Howard fortune that he ordered me to be buried with him. My mind snapped back to the present when Victoria's expression shifted. She realized why I, a single, childless woman, was in the obstetrics wing. "You're pregnant?" she gasped. "You're pregnant out of wedlock!" "Hah! I'm telling everyone in the company!" she shrieked, whipping out her phone, ready to destroy my reputation. I couldn't leave the company yet. If this got out, Arthur would have no choice but to fire me. I lunged for her phone. Suddenly, Victoria screamed, "Help! She's attacking a pregnant woman!" I froze, furious. She was pregnant, but so was I. Then, behind me, I heard the voices of Arthur and his son, Charles. Charles shoved me hard. I stumbled backward and fell as he rushed to Victoria's side, shielding her. Arthur's face was a mask of panic. "Victoria, are you alright? Is the baby okay?" "We should get you to a doctor, right now." Then he turned to me, his face filled with crushing disappointment. "Anna, I thought you were better than this. I never imagined you could be so venomous, to try and harm my grandson. Go to HR tomorrow. You're fired." When I fell, my stomach slammed against the hard, tiled floor. Pain, sharp and blinding, shot through me. I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood. Charles looked terrified, taking a hesitant step towards me to check if I was okay. But Arthur's voice cut through the air. "Charles, forget her! Look at Victoria, she's clutching her stomach! She's in pain!" Victoria's weak cry came right on cue. "Charles, it hurts... the baby... our baby." Charles turned to leave. I grit my teeth against the pain and saw Arthur standing there, watching me with cold, detached eyes. He saw me bleeding on the floor, and he chose to do nothing. I clawed my way forward, my blood-smeared hand grabbing the cuff of Charles's pants. I looked up at his face, which still held a flicker of innocence. "Help... my baby," I choked out. Charles froze. His eyes widened as he saw the crimson tide soaking through my dress, staining the white floor tiles red. But the urgent calls from Arthur and Victoria pulled him away. He scooped Victoria into his arms and sprinted towards the doctor's office. The commotion finally drew a crowd of doctors and nurses. They gasped, shouting as they lifted me onto a gurney... As they wheeled me into the operating room, a nurse leaned close to my ear. "Ma'am? Ma'am, do you have any family here? We need them to sign the consent forms." Through waves of agony, I stammered, "No... I have no one." The nurse looked at my blood-soaked clothes, her expression full of pity. "But we need a signature for the surgery... what are we going to do?" "I'll... sign." The moment my name was on the dotted line, the anesthesiologist began to push the drug into my veins. Arthur Howard! I silently screamed. I will make you pay for this in blood. 4 The procedure was done ahead of schedule. The private nurse I'd hired never showed up. I was alone, lying on a cold hospital bed. But thank God for modern technology; at least I could order food and wouldn't starve. The next day, as I was leaving, I went to get the official certificate for the procedure. Walking past a room, I saw Victoria surrounded by Arthur and Charles. And my hired nurse was in there with them. They were in the room right next to mine. On a morbid impulse, I pressed my ear to the door. "I'm telling you, she's perfectly fine," the doctor was saying, exasperated. "You can all go home." Charles was packing Victoria's things while Arthur followed the doctor into his office. I trailed them, listening from the hallway. "Doctor, are you absolutely sure the baby is okay?" Arthur pressed. Faced with the undeniable power of money, the doctor was exceedingly patient. "Mr. Charles Howard's sperm quality is admittedly low, but the mother is healthy. As long as you're careful, the baby will be fine." So I was right. Charles Howard did have fertility problems. No wonder Arthur, the ruthless tycoon, treated his daughter-in-law like a precious treasure. Since he showed me no mercy, he could expect none from me. On the way home, I got a text from my landlord reminding me that rent was due. I spun the car around and headed straight for the office to get my money. The moment I stepped into the lobby, the whispers started. "How dare she show her face? After a scandal like that." "No wonder she's thirty and still single. God knows how she really got all those clients." 5 "Exactly." ... I didn't have to guess. Victoria must have spread the news about my pregnancy while I was unconscious, using it as an opportunity to snatch all my clients. What a beautiful dream. Ignoring the jeers, I walked into my office, only to find Victoria sitting behind my desk. All of my personal belongings were dumped in a pathetic pile on the floor. "Anna, your morals are a disgrace," she said, looking up at me with an arrogant smirk. "Arthur said you should leave on your own. If you know what's good for you, you'll resign and get out." In this life and the last, she'd stolen countless clients and bonuses from me. Now she wanted me to just roll over and quit? Not a chance. I threw the office door wide open and burst into loud, theatrical sobs. "This company is just using me and throwing me away!" I wailed for all to hear. "I just closed a massive deal, and now they want to steal my bonus and kick me out! This is inhuman!" The word "bonus" is a sensitive topic in any office. Instantly, every eye in the department was on me and Victoria. Victoria's face cycled through shades of red and white. She was trembling with rage. "You're the one who lost a major client because of your messy private life! I was being kind by letting you resign quietly, and you have the audacity to ask for a bonus? You're delusional!" "Now get out, you slut!" I collapsed to my knees, my face a mask of pale misery. "Everyone, please listen to me! I bring in millions of dollars in business for this company every month, and my salary is only five thousand dollars! Is that fair?" "I work endless overtime, 364 days a year, with no extra pay!" "And now I find out that the chairman and the CEO gave my one-million-dollar bonus to Victoria!" My colleagues were stunned. A few of them immediately rushed to the finance department to check their own pay stubs. Those who couldn't get in started muttering amongst themselves. "She's the CEO's wife, and she's stealing bonuses from us regular workers? How are we supposed to survive? I wonder how much of our money she's pocketed." "Seriously. She's the sales manager, but she doesn't know a thing about sales. How does she get a million-dollar bonus every year? Meanwhile, Anna works herself to the bone for a measly five grand." The head of finance, an older woman who knew everything, confirmed the story. That was all it took. Everyone believed me. Victoria panicked. "She's lying! For key employees, we have a stock-option plan! The money is vested and paid out after ten years to protect the company's interests!" "Not only does she have a depraved personal life, but she's also undermining our company's entire compensation structure! We can't have someone like her here! Anna, go to finance and get your money!" Swallowing her pride, Victoria immediately transferred two million dollars into my account. I cheerfully packed my things and left. But the show was just getting started. In the chaos, HR forgot to revoke my access card. At 8 PM, I went back to the office and walked to the executive suite. In my past life, every night I worked late, there was one person who always stayed later: Charles. I knocked on his office door and walked right in. "Charles, your father's mistress is pregnant."
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