The Billionaires Bargain

In a desolate small town in Cambodia.

In a dimly lit dungeon, Olivia Pendleton was bound to a chair with chains, her body covered with countless whip and knife wounds. Isabella Whitmore had used every torture she could think of on her, watching her suffer, yet not allowing her to die.

Now, Isabella looked down and sneered, “The famous Olivia Pendleton, ace assassin, has come to this, hasn’tshe?”

She picked up a dagger from the table and severed the tendons in Olivia’s right hand.

"Ouch!” Olivia screamed, gasping for breath, stammering, “Why? Why... are you doing this?”

“Because you’re nothing but a lowly servant, a mere tool of the Abyss Group. Dominic Ashcroft is mine! This is what you get for seducing my man!”

Isabella viciously stabbed the dagger into Olivia’s thigh, twisting it. Olivia’s leg instantly became a bloody mess.

“I’ll tell you, Dominic and I will be engaged soon, and your influence in the Abyss will be uprooted by me. You, a nameless orphan picked up from nowhere, will be forgotten!” Isabella spat.

“That won’t happen, Dominic won’t allow it!” Olivia shook her head.

Isabella’s henchmen threw a teenage boy into the dungeon. It was Little Mike, Olivia’s younger brother, whom she had raised. Isabella shot him in the leg, and Olivia screamed, “No! No! Leave him alone!”

“Kneel! Kneel and beg me!” Isabella commanded.

Olivia fell to her knees with a thud, heavily kowtowing, “Miss Whitmore, I’m sorry! I was delusional. I’m not worthy of Mr. Ashcroft! Please spare my brother!”

Isabella laughed heartily, and then—

“Bang—" A gunshot pierced Little Mike’s head.

“No! Isabella Whitmore! I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you!” Olivia cried in despair.

“Heh, kill me?” Isabella scoffed.

“Bang!” Another shot, hitting Olivia’s chest.

Olivia fell helplessly, hearing Isabella’s distant voice, “Want revenge? Maybe in your next life! Slash her face and throw her into the jungle to feed the wolves!”

She felt the cold blade across her face, then was tossed into the forest like trash. In Cambodia’s complex terrain, no one would come to save her.

In this life, she deserved to die miserably for trusting a man. But if there was a next life, she would find Isabella Whitmore and grind her to dust!

“Hisss—" Her head ached so much. Olivia sat up, holding her head, finding herself in what looked like a hospital room. Struggling to sit up, she felt as if she weighed a ton. Finally, she made it to the bathroom and screamed at the sight of the woman in the mirror.

"Ah———" The face in the mirror was still hers, but what was with this swollen, swine-like face? She pinched the flesh on her stomach; she must weigh at least 150 pounds.

She found the medical record by the bedside, clearly reading: Aurora Pendleton, 18 years old, female, concussion.

Damn! Who was Aurora Pendleton??

Memories belonging to Aurora Pendleton flooded her mind. The least favored daughter of the Pendleton family, weak and sickly since childhood, poor grades, neglected by her father Sebastian Pendleton, stepmother Madeline, brother Maxwell, and sisters Evelyn and Sophia. In short, unloved by her father, uncherished by her mother, despised by her grandfather, and self-abandoned, weak, and incompetent.

Olivia sighed deeply. Being reborn into such a body was indeed frustrating. The Olivia Pendleton of her previous life was proud and stunning, an ace assassin with an impeccable body and explosive figure.

Even that version of herself was killed miserably in Cambodia by Isabella. Now, as this chubby high school student, how could she compete with Isabella?

Olivia found a phone and searched online for the Abyss Group. The news of Dominic Ashcroft and Isabella Whitmore’s engagement was the headline. Isabella stood shyly beside Dominic, who smiled and said, “I will naturally protect the one I love...” The media praised them as a match made in heaven.

Ha! A match made in heaven!

Dominic had promised her that the mission in Cambodia would be her last, and he would remove her from the Abyss assassins and stay with her forever.

But what happened?

Her movements in Cambodia were known to Isabella, who tortured her to death, while Dominic turned around and got engaged to Isabella.

Olivia clenched her fists. Dominic Ashcroft! Isabella Whitmore! Since I’m reborn, I will come for you!

Killing my brother! Severing my tendons! Ruining my face!

One by one, I will repay you as Aurora Pendleton!

Starting now, I will make Aurora Pendleton rise from the Pendleton family!

---

During Aurora’s hospital stay, no one came to visit her, and she was happy to have some peace. She asked the doctor for a full-body checkup.

In her memories, Aurora was always taking handfuls of pills, feeling groggy all day, her body weak and flabby. She wanted to change and needed to know what was wrong with her body.

The results of the examination showed that Aurora was very healthy. Apart from a concussion from accidentally rolling down the stairs, there was nothing wrong with her body.

What were all those random pills she had been taking before?

When Aurora was discharged, only a driver from the Pendleton family came to pick her up. She was panting and sweating just from walking down the stairs. As someone who once had abs, she was not used to having so much fat on her body. Even the driver looked at her disdainfully.

Arriving at the Pendleton villa, Aurora walked in to find her stepmother, Madeline, sipping tea in the living room. Sophia, the fourth daughter of the Pendleton family, was flipping through a magazine. Seeing Aurora return, all sweaty and disheveled, she frowned and said disdainfully, “You fat slob, disgusting.”

Aurora ignored her and headed upstairs.

“Stop!” Sophia yelled. ”You slob, have you no manners? Don’t you know to greet your mother when you come home?”

“Mother? Whose mother?” Aurora replied.

“Of course, my mother. Your mother is long dead, you unwanted slob! A lowly wretch born of a mother but not raised by one!” Sophia taunted.

Unwanted, lowly wretch—Isabella had said those words to her too. She never knew who her parents were or why she grew up in the Abyss Group. She couldn’t deal with Isabella now, but was she supposed to let this little brat, Sophia, bully her too?

“Slap!” Aurora slapped her, her own palm jiggling from the force. Aurora sighed inwardly; she really needed to lose weight.

“You dare hit me? You think you can hit me?” Sophia said incredulously, covering her face. The old Aurora was bullied by everyone. Sophia had beaten her up many times, and she never even dared to cry out loud. How did she dare to hit her today?

“Why wouldn’t I dare to hit you? By age, I’m your older sister. By birth, I’m a legitimate daughter of the Pendleton family. You, if not for your mother’s affair, would be nothing but an illegitimate child. What right do you have to be arrogant in the Pendleton house?” Aurora said, word by word.

Sophia was stunned. Aurora had always been dazed, like an autistic person. When had she ever dared to stand tall and speak such a long speech?

Sophia immediately ran crying to Madeline’s arms, sobbing, “Mom, look at Aurora, she dared to hit me...”

Madeline looked at her youngest daughter’s face, a bright red hand print on it, and stood up, saying, ”Aurora, you were wrong to do this. How could you hit your sister like that?”

“Sister? My mother only gave birth to me. I never knew I had a sister,” Aurora said.

"Aurora, don’t go too far. You have no right to speak in this house! If this gets to your grandfather, it won’t look good for anyone!” Madeline Pendleton said angrily.

“Fine, you want to take this to Grandpa, I’m with you all the way. Let’s see what Dad thinks when he comes back and finds out you’re making a big fuss over a small matter between siblings,” Aurora said.

Madeline hesitated. The old Pendleton had always been dissatisfied with her, the mistress who had taken the place of his daughter-in-law, and Sebastian had repeatedly warned her not to bother the old man. After all, the power of the Pendleton Group was still in the old Pendleton’s hands.

Seeing Madeline silent, Aurorasaid, “Since you don’t plan to disturb Grandpa for now, I’ll go back to my room.”

Without waiting for Madeline’s reply, she went upstairs, completely unlike her previous obedient self.

Sophia was still crying. She had been the apple of her parents’ eye since childhood and had never suffered any grievances. Aurora dared to slap her? She would never let Aurora off!

Madeline, feeling sorry for her daughter, could only say, “Wait for your father to come back, and let him deal with her!”

Sophia finally relented.