After visiting her husband’s office, Clara faced an earth-shattering truth—her best friend was known as her husband's "wife" in the company. Worst of all, she caught them in the act. Heartbroken, Clara left the office in tears, only to be struck by an overspeeding truck. Her eyelids felt heavy. "Am I going to die without taking my revenge?" she mocked herself as she took her last breath. But miracles happen, and she time-travelled to the day before her wedding. A smirk curled on her lips, an exciting sparkle in her eyes. "So, I've got another chance to repay my two-timing husband." "God's on my side, I guess."
View MoreClara's POV
The elevator doors opened to the 50th floor of Reid Enterprises, and I smoothed down my cream silk blouse, clutching the handmade bento box closer. Three years of marriage, and my heart still skipped whenever I was about to see Alexander. The thought made me smile despite myself.
"You're such a fool, Clara," I whispered to myself, though my lips curved into a hopeful smile.
The executive floor was oddly quiet today. Jessica's desk—my best friend and Alexander's secretary—sat empty. Strange. She was always here, ready with a warm hug and friendly gossip about the office drama. In three years, I'd never seen her station unmanned during business hours.
My Louboutin heels clicked against the marble floor as I made my way down the corridor. The sound echoed in the unusually silent space, making me feel like an intruder rather than the CEO's wife.
As I approached Alexander's office, voices drifted through the heavy mahogany door. I reached for the handle, then froze at Henderson's words:
"The quarterly reports need your signature, Mrs. Reid."
Mrs. Reid? But I wasn't in there...
A familiar feminine laugh floated through—Jessica's laugh. My stomach twisted as I eased the door open silently.
"You're getting careless, darling," Jessica purred, perched on Alexander's desk with her skirt hiked up indecently high. "Calling me Mrs. Reid where anyone could hear..."
Alexander's hands gripped her waist possessively. "You've always been my real wife, Jess. Clara was just a convenient business arrangement—you know that."
The bento box slipped from my numb fingers, crashing to the floor. They jumped apart, but not quickly enough to erase what I'd seen.
"Clara..." Alexander's face smoothed into that practiced mask I'd seen him use in business dealings. "This isn't what you think."
A bitter laugh escaped my throat. "Really? Because I think my husband is sleeping with my best friend. I think I've been living a lie for three years. Tell me, Alexander, how long? How long have you been laughing at stupid, naive Clara behind her back?"
"Don't be dramatic," Jessica stood, straightening her skirt. Her face showed a flash of guilt before settling into cool composure. "It's not personal, Clara. It's just business. You got the lifestyle you wanted, didn't you?"
"Business?" My voice cracked. "Is that what you call betraying your best friend? The person who helped you through college, who let you cry on her shoulder when your mother died?"
Alexander stepped forward, his six-foot-two frame towering over me. "Enough scenes. Go home, Clara. We'll discuss this later."
"Discuss what? How you two have been making a fool of me? How everyone probably knows except the stupid little wife?" I backed away, my designer heels catching on the plush carpet. "Well, congratulations. You've succeeded. I hope you're both very happy together."
"Clara, wait—" Jessica reached for me, but I slapped her hand away.
"Don't touch me! Don't you dare touch me, you treacherous snake!"
I turned and ran, ignoring their calls. Tears blurred my vision as I exited the building onto the busy street. The screech of tyres came too late for me to react.
The last thing I saw was the grill of an overspeeding truck, and a single thought flashed through my mind: *Am I going to die without making them pay?*
Then everything went black.
Pain exploded through my body, and somewhere distant, I heard screaming. The world spun in a kaleidoscope of colors and sounds.
"Someone call an ambulance!"
"Oh God, there's so much blood..." "Miss, can you hear me? Stay with us!"But I was already floating away, the voices growing fainter. In my last moments of consciousness, I thought about all the signs I'd missed. The late nights at the office, the secret smiles between them, the way Jessica always seemed to know Alexander's schedule better than I did.
*What a fool I've been*, I thought as darkness claimed me. *What an absolutely perfect fool*.
The world faded to black, and with it, the last traces of the naive woman I'd been. Clara Reid died that day on the street outside Reid Enterprises.
But that wasn't the end of my story.
******************
My eyes snapped open to the sound of Taylor Swift's "Love Story" blaring from my old iPhone alarm. For a moment, I lay frozen, the phantom pain of the truck impact still echoing through my body. The memory of crushed metal and screaming bystanders felt so real, so vivid.
But this wasn't the Reid mansion's master bedroom. This was...
"Impossible," I whispered, sitting up slowly.
My old apartment. My cramped bedroom with the IKEA furniture and the wall of dress designs I'd abandoned after marriage. And there, hanging on my closet door like a ghost from the past, was my wedding dress. Tomorrow's wedding dress.
I scrambled for my phone, my hands shaking as I checked the date. June 15, 2021—the day before my wedding to Alexander Reid.
A laugh bubbled up from my chest, slightly hysterical. "Oh my God. Oh my God."
My phone buzzed with a text from Jessica: "Rise and shine, bride-to-be! Big day tomorrow! ❤️"
I stared at her message, remembering how she'd helped me pick out my wedding dress, all while knowing she was sleeping with my fiancé. My fingers tightened around the phone until my knuckles turned white.
Another text came in, this one from Alexander: "Everything's arranged for tomorrow. Don't be late."
"Don't be late," I mimicked bitterly. "Can't keep your business arrangement waiting, can I?"
I got up and walked to my closet, pulling out the innocent white wedding dress I'd spent a month's salary on. In my previous life, I'd thought it made me look like a princess. Now I saw it for what it was—a costume for their perfectly orchestrated play.
My phone buzzed again. An unknown number this time:
"Miss Lin, this is Nathan Chen. I know we haven't met, but I have information about Alexander Reid that you need to hear before tomorrow. Please call me."
I remembered this message. Last time, I'd deleted it immediately, convinced it was just a jealous competitor trying to ruin my happiness. How differently things might have turned out if I'd listened.
This time, my fingers flew over the keypad: "Mr. Chen, I believe we have much to discuss. Café Laurent, one hour?"
His reply came instantly: "I'll be there."
Walking to my mirror, I studied my reflection. The naive Clara who'd died yesterday stared back at me—young, hopeful, desperate to believe in fairy tales. Her eyes still held that innocent sparkle, untouched by betrayal.
"Time to grow up, princess," I murmured, reaching for my red lipstick. "Let's show them what happens when they underestimate you."
I opened my laptop, pulling up files I'd never bothered to look at in my previous life. Alexander's company reports, news articles about Reid Enterprises, and most importantly, the string of mysterious acquisitions that had built his empire.
Three years as his wife had taught me every weakness in his armor. Every dirty deal, every skeleton in his closet, every person he'd stepped on to climb to the top. Knowledge that, in the right hands, could bring his empire crashing down.
My phone buzzed with another text from Jessica: "Don't forget our spa appointment at 2! Can't have our bride looking anything less than perfect! 💅✨"
I smiled at my phone, a plan forming in my mind. "Wouldn't miss it for the world, bestie."
Opening my contacts, I dialed a number I'd memorized but never used in my past life—my college roommate who now worked for the SEC.
"Sarah? It's Clara. Remember how you always said you owed me one for covering up your little scandal in senior year? I think it's time to collect."
As I outlined what I needed, I felt a thrill of anticipation. In three hours, I would meet Nathan Chen and set my plan in motion. In twenty-four hours, I would walk down the aisle again.
But this time, I wouldn't be the sacrificial lamb at their altar.
This time, I would be the wolf in white silk.
And they would never see me coming.
Sophie's POV The human genome was never just a scientific puzzle—it was a living, breathing canvas of infinite possibilities. Standing in the most advanced research wing of the Chen Foundation, I understood that my neural regeneration technology represented more than a medical breakthrough. It was a quantum bridge between human potential and scientific imagination. My relationship with Ethan Blake complicated everything. Where most saw a romantic entanglement, we saw a strategic partnership that transcended traditional boundaries. His background in quantum computing complemented my neurological research in ways that defied conventional scientific collaboration. "The latest test results are extraordinary," Ethan murmured, his fingers dancing across holographic interfaces that seemed to breathe with living data. "The neural regeneration protocols are showing unprecedented stability in long-term cognitive reconstruction." The research facility felt like a living organism. Advanced mo
Clara's POVDestiny has a peculiar way of revealing itself—not with a thunderous declaration, but with the quiet precision of a perfectly executed algorithm.The Chen Foundation's global headquarters stood as a testament to our ultimate victory. Years of strategic maneuvering, technological breakthrough, and personal transformation converged in this singular moment of triumph. Nathan's hand intertwined with mine, our quantum connection more powerful than any technological system Alexander could have conceived."The final neural mapping is complete," Sophie announced, her voice carrying the weight of scientific revolution. The neural regeneration research that had begun as a medical breakthrough had transformed into humanity's most powerful defense mechanism against forced consciousness manipulation.Victor Volkov's desperate final transmission flickered across our encrypted channels—a last, futile attempt to penetrate our technological fortress. International intelligence networks wat
Clara's POVThe catastrophic collapse of Alexander's consciousness manipulation system erupted like a supernova of technological destruction, sending quantum shockwaves through every neural network we had meticulously constructed. My fingers, adorned with a million-dollar engagement ring from Nathan, danced across quantum interfaces that represented humanity's last line of defense against a force more terrifying than any traditional weapon."Complete system infiltration detected," Marcus announced, his voice cutting through the clinical silence of our most secure research chamber. The Chen Foundation's headquarters had transformed from a technological sanctuary into ground zero of a war that would redefine human potential.Sophie's neural regeneration research—our most guarded secret—pulsed within quantum-encrypted containment units. What had begun as a medical breakthrough had evolved into something far more profound: a technological fortress protecting the very essence of human cons
Clara's POV The moment of convergence arrived like a thunderbolt of scientific destiny, splitting our carefully constructed world into before and after. One second, the Chen Foundation's most advanced research facility stood as a testament to technological brilliance. The next, everything we had built teetered on the razor's edge of complete destruction. I stood at the epicenter of controlled chaos, my Valentino blazer a crimson splash of defiance against the clinical white of the research environment. Nathan's presence beside me was more than physical—it was a quantum anchor, a strategic connection that defied every technological limitation we had ever encountered. "The neural bridges are collapsing," Sophie's voice cut through the emergency communication channels, raw scientific panic bleeding through her typically composed demeanor. "We're losing the quantum stabilization matrices faster than our predictive models suggested possible." The holographic displays around us transfo
Clara's POV The Patagonian wilderness stretched before us like an untamed canvas, a breathtaking backdrop to the most dangerous game of technological chess ever played. Our private research compound—a marvel of architectural brilliance nestled between snow-capped peaks and ancient forests—represented more than just a strategic retreat. It was our last line of defense. Sophie's neural regeneration research sat carefully secured in a quantum-encrypted vault, each document a potential weapon more powerful than any arsenal humanity had ever conceived. The morning light caught the facility's reinforced glass panels, creating a prism of technological potential that reflected our most dangerous secrets. "The quantum signature is becoming more unstable," Sophie's voice crackled through our secured communication channel, a mixture of scientific excitement and underlying tension. "The neural bridges we've discovered are evolving faster than our predictive models suggested." Nathan's hand f
Clara's POVThe human heart has never been a simple machine, but in my world, it was a precision instrument more complex than any technological marvel Nathan's foundation had ever created. As I stood on the private helipad of our New Zealand research retreat, watching storm clouds gather like angry titans, I realized our love had become something far beyond a mere emotional connection.It was a quantum algorithm of survival, of passion, of unwavering strategic brilliance.Sophie's latest neural regeneration breakthrough lay carefully encrypted in a titanium briefcase beside me, each document representing not just medical potential, but a revolution that could redefine human consciousness. The wind whipped my Valentino silk blouse, a defiant crimson against the approaching darkness—a color that matched the dangerous determination burning inside me.My mind drifted to the journey that brought us here. Years of calculated silence, of strategic positioning, of protecting a technological b
Clara's POVThe explosion ripped through the Chen Foundation's most secure research wing like a quantum knife, shattering more than just physical infrastructure. Glass panels disintegrated, advanced quantum processors sparked and died, and the carefully constructed world of technological brilliance collapsed in a symphony of calculated destruction.I stood frozen, watching devastation unfold in slow motion. Nathan's arm wrapped around my waist, part protective instinct, part strategic calculation. Smoke billowed from collapsed research chambers, emergency containment protocols screaming their final, desperate warnings."Secondary containment is completely compromised!" Marcus's voice cut through the chaos, his typically immaculate appearance now a testament to the facility's destruction. Dust covered his expensive Armani suit, a thin line of blood tracing his temple—evidence of how close we'd come to total annihilation.The holographic displays around us flickered erratically, display
Clara's POVThe human genome unraveled like a ticking time bomb beneath my fingertips, each genetic sequence a potential weapon more deadly than any arsenal humanity had ever conceived. Sophie's neural regeneration breakthrough wasn't just scientific innovation—it was a revolution waiting to detonate, and I was standing at ground zero.My quantum tablet displayed cascading genetic markers that would make most research teams weep with scientific ecstasy. Complex neural pathways danced across the holographic interface, revealing intricate connections that challenged everything we thought we knew about human consciousness. Each algorithm represented years of painstaking research, countless sleepless nights, and the collective genius of the Chen Foundation's most brilliant minds."The military's going to lose their minds," I muttered, tracing the complex neural pathway reconstructions that could theoretically resurrect memories from damaged brain tissues. Nathan's reflection appeared in t
Clara's POVThe underground quantum research facility beneath the Swiss Alps looked more like a technological fortress than a scientific laboratory. Reinforced titanium walls lined with advanced neural monitoring systems created an environment that was part cutting-edge research center, part high-security military installation."The neural regeneration breakthrough is pushing boundaries we never anticipated," Sophie explained, her holographic display revealing complex quantum consciousness maps that seemed to defy traditional scientific understanding.Nathan's hand rested on the small of my back, a possessive gesture that communicated more than words ever could. Our quantum bond - that intricate connection Sophie's research had validated - created a communication bridge more nuanced than any technological system Alexander could dream of engineering.Dr. Marcus Chen, Sophie's lead researcher, pointed to a particularly complex neural network visualization. "The quantum bridges formed by
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