Chapter 1

My mother-in-law, Renee Xander, smugly rested her hand on her waist and looked at me with a face full of pride. "Who would’ve thought I'd still be so fertile at my age?

"Unlike a certain somebody who's absolutely useless…”

I stared at her ugly expression for a long while before realizing I had been reborn.

Renee had done the same thing in my previous life. She had simply pulled out a pregnancy test stick and announced she was pregnant.

I was in complete shock back then. After all, she was nearly 60, and being an older expectant mother was incredibly risky for both her and the child.

I suggested taking her to the hospital for a checkup. In response, she cried and complained, claiming that I was just jealous because I could not get pregnant myself.

I tried my best to explain that I was only worried about her health, which was why I convinced our family to agree to take her to the hospital. Even after the test results confirmed a molar pregnancy, she was still convinced she was having multiples.

I anxiously explained the dangers of a molar pregnancy to her, even bringing in a doctor to persuade my father-in-law and husband. Finally, they agreed to sign the consent form for her to undergo the surgery.

I never could have guessed how much she would come to despise me for it. After her recovery, she pushed me off a balcony, killing me.

When I did not respond to her taunts, Renee turned to snuggle into her son Brady Orwell's arms, pouting. "Bubba, Eloise doesn't seem very happy!"

Renee competed with me over everything. I had once called Brady ‘Bubba’ playfully, and he liked it.

From then on, she started calling him ‘Bubba’ too. Seeing a nearly 60-year-old woman leaning on her son's shoulder and calling him a pet name made my skin crawl.

Filled with hatred, I gritted my teeth and said, "I could never compete with you. I can’t believe you swallowed a toad whole just for a false pregnancy!"

Renee immediately looked wounded and pouted. "Bubba, did you hear that? How can your wife say such things about me?"

I stood up and kicked over the chair, storming toward the bedroom. If I stayed any longer, I knew I would not be able to resist slapping this old rival of mine.

I reminded myself to stay calm. Now was not the time to expose my true feelings. Since fate had given me another chance, I was going to send her and her molar pregnancy straight to hell.

I could hear Renee's exaggerated laughter from the living room, and I knew she was doing it on purpose to get under my skin. Ever since I married into this family, she had seen me as her sworn enemy. Making me upset was her greatest pleasure.

"Laugh all you want, Renee. Your good days are numbered, and I hope you'll still be able to laugh when I'm done with you."

After a while, Brady opened the door and came in, looking at me pleadingly. "Dad spoiled Mom so much back then, which is why she’s like this now. She's still your elder, so maybe you could cut her some slack and apologize later," he suggested.

I replied coldly, "It's none of my business that your dad dotes on her. I'm not obligated to indulge her!"

Brady's face darkened. "But you married me, so she's your mother too."

I replied sarcastically, "Ha! I don't think I'm worthy of that!"

Brady looked at me in disbelief. "Eloise, what's wrong with you? You've never acted like this before."

Of course. The kind, understanding Eloise Loyle you once knew was killed by your own mother!

The woman standing before you now was a completely different Eloise.