Chapter 1

“Eve, these berries look so tasty!”

Just like in my previous life, Mark Thompson ate the wild berries I picked out of curiosity. The beginning of my tragic fate started right after that.

In my previous life, Mark and I were hiking together. Along the way, I picked some wild berries. He insisted on eating them.

He died of poisoning not long after eating them.

It was night at the time. Plus, there was no signal. No one would help me carry his body down.

A “kind stranger” stepped forward and offered to watch over him while I went to look for help. So, I left Mark’s body behind and hurried down the mountain alone.

However, when I returned with the rescue team, Mark’s body was gone. I only found out then that the “kind stranger” had taken him down.

So, I hurried back down the mountain, only to be told that Mark had been cremated by the “kind stranger”. I almost passed out in grief.

I brought Mark’s ashes home, but I barely had a moment to rest before a woman named Sarah Miller and her son, Tommy Miller, knocked on my door.

They claimed that Mark owed them money. He had promised to give them our house and car as compensation when he was still alive, though there was still a large sum of money he had not paid off.

I was skeptical, but Judith Thompson, my mother-in-law, cried and insisted that Mark had always cared deeply about his reputation. She begged me to pay off his debt to preserve his good name.

She was right. Mark was always obsessed with his image and reputation. He would argue with anyone who even slightly questioned him.

Guilt-ridden over his death and not wanting to tarnish his name, I agreed.

I gave them every cent I had saved over the years and left my house to them.

However, as Judith was gravely ill and needed expensive treatments, I had no choice but to work three jobs just to cover her medical bills.

I gave Judith the best food, things like herbal broths and expensive cuts of meat, to help her recover, while I only ate basic meals like bread and frozen vegetables just to save money.

After ten years of this struggle, Judith finally recovered, but I was completely worn out.

The doctor told me that my illness was the result of long-term overwork. He said that my condition could be treated, but I would not have much longer to live if I did not get treatment.

Judith cried in front of me and said she was exhausted from years of medical expenses. She begged me not to seek treatment.

I agreed to give up on treatment as I also thought that there was no point in burdening her any further.

As I was lying on my deathbed, Mark, who I thought was dead, walked in with Sarah and their son.

He smiled as he affectionately called her “Sarah” and referred to the boy as his “precious son”.

That was when I realized the truth. Mark had not died from the berries. He had faked his death.

Sarah was his first love. The boy was their affair child. The “kind stranger” from before? That was Sarah’s brother, Jason Miller.

The whole scheme was designed to leave me with nothing while I took care of his sick mother.

Unfortunately, I could not move. I could only watch as Mark tossed five dollars at me.

“Thanks for taking care of my mom all these years.”

Seeing the five dollars, Sarah looked irritated.

“Why are you wasting five dollars on her? One would’ve been enough. Take it back.”

She took the five dollars away, then tossed a single dollar bill onto my face.

Just like that, I died with bitterness and resentment, while they moved on and lived in luxury.

This time, I would not let the tragedy of my past life repeat itself.

Mark wanted to fake his death, but I would make sure he died for real.