Callista Schaefer's husband, Reginald Krause, had never agreed to have kids with her. Suddenly, he was interested in sleeping with her.

They did it for three days and nights without using any protection.

Callista thought Reginald had finally truly acknowledged her. Yet, when she was ten months pregnant, she overheard him laughing with his lover in the company lounge.

Elara Duncan giggled, saying, "You're so bad, Reginald. I can't believe you took photos. You don't feel bad at all sending your wife to Braxton's bed? I mean, he's your sworn enemy, right?"

Reginald scoffed, "Why would I be? I don't love her at all. I'll send the baby to an orphanage after she gives birth."

Callista's breath hitched as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Suddenly, a sharp pain in her abdomen shot through her, and blood trickled down between her legs.

No one knew she was here. In despair, she watched as the pool of blood spread beneath her slowly till she died.

***

Callista opened her eyes in fear as Reginald tossed the divorce agreement in front of her ruthlessly.

He snapped, "This is the fifth time I've asked for a divorce, Callista. My patience is wearing thin."

She knew at once—she had been reborn.

She had gone back to before the pregnancy.

Reginald would sweeten the deal every time he proposed a divorce.

Initially, he promised her a villa plus 1.5 million dollars in cash. Later, he offered her ten percent of the company shares as well as a building.

This time, he gave her almost half of his assets.

She signed the papers without hesitation, which made him stunned a bit. Putting away the document, he said, "Finally, you made the right choice. We'll go to the courthouse tomorrow to finalize the divorce."

Early the next morning, Callista chose a bright red strapless dress that accentuated her nice figure and went to the courthouse with a smile on her face.

A trace of mockery flashed across Reginald's eyes as he saw her. "You seem so happy divorcing me. Those who don't know may think you're about to get married."

She shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm finally free from this misery. Of course, I'm happy."

"Misery?" He was obviously dumbfounded at the word she used to define their marriage.

Just then, a delicate woman walked briskly toward him and linked arms with him. "What a nice coincidence, Mr. Krause!"

Callista was surprised to see Elara here.

"Reginald, seriously? You bring your mistress to witness our divorce?" she said sarcastically.

It seemed Elara hadn't noticed her until now. Elara shrank behind Reginald, poked her head out, and said timidly, "Callista, I'm sorry... I woke up this morning and didn't see Mr. Krause. He said last night that he'd be here this morning, so I came here to find him...

"I didn't mean to upset you..."

Her doe-like eyes turned red as she spoke, looking harmless and pitiful.

Callista had no idea what Elara was upset about. She shook her head, sighing at Elara's lame acting skills.

But maybe the saddest part was Reginald actually bought it.

"Enough, Callista. Elara is so harmless and innocent. Do you really have to be so mean?"

"I'm mean? What did I do? I just stated the truth, didn't I?" Callista scoffed. "She slept with you when we were married. And you actually call her harmless and innocent? She indeed has you wrapped around her finger. How scheming."

"Shut up! Callista, it's not Elara's fault that you and I end up like this. Don't take this out on her." Reginald shielded Elara and frowned. "Come at me if you're upset. Stop giving her a hard time."

Callista couldn't help but laugh bitterly.

Back then, Reginald had forced her to withdraw from the casting of a major director's film just to push Elara into the spotlight. Wasn't that giving her a hard time?

She glared at Reginald with deep hatred in her eyes. "You're so protective of her, Reginald. But don't forget that our divorce hasn't been finalized. In other words, she's still a mistress."

"You..." Reginald was obviously irked, his expression darkening even more. "Sure enough, you can never learn to be gentle and pleasing."

If it were before, Callista would have been hurt deeply by his remark.

But not now. She simply didn't want to waste another second on him.

She lowered her head to check her wristwatch and urged, "Are we gonna do this or not? I've got an important date this afternoon. Don't waste my time."

"A date? With whom?" Reginald instinctively asked.

Before she could say "None of your business", Elara responded, "Mr. Krause, Callista can date anyone she wants. Are you asking her this because you're having second thoughts about the divorce?"

Her voice was almost sobbing, making her sound even more aggrieved than before.

Her words snapped Reginald back to reality. He stroked her head to comfort her and then turned back to Callista, his expression already resuming its usual coldness and indifference. "Of course, we're gonna do this. Let's go inside now."

Stepping out of the courthouse, Callista basked in freedom.

On the contrary, Reginald was slightly dazed.

Minutes ago, when signing the paperwork, she didn't make a fuss.

In fact, she signed without hesitation.

He realized she genuinely wanted the divorce—she wasn't pulling any tricks.

Holding the pen, he hesitated. But then he realized it was finally the chance to get a divorce, so he immediately signed.

He wouldn't let her pick on Elara again.

"We've got a one-month cooling-off period. Don't cause any trouble and stay out of Elara's way," he warned Callista before getting into the car.

Hearing this, Elara tugged at his sleeve shyly and persuaded him, sounding utterly considerate, "Mr. Krause, don't be so mean to Callista. After all, she's your ex-wife. I'm sure she won't do anything to me..."

"Don't jump to the conclusion just yet," Callista deliberately smiled wickedly. "For all we know, I might just ruin your career in showbiz."

She thought, "Right after we stepped out of the courthouse, Elara's already emphasizing that I'm his ex-wife? Everyone can tell what she's thinking.

"Everyone but Reginald."

Elara's face turned utterly pale because of Callista's words, and she looked at Reginald, complaining with her eyes. "Mr. Krause..."

Reginald pulled a long face. "Callista, do you have to be so bitter?"

Callista just wanted to laugh. She didn't want to be bitter—he had forged her into this.

On their wedding anniversary, he left her alone while accompanying Elara to a wrap party. When she was hurt when filming and wanted him to visit her, he went to confront the director just to stand up for Elara. When she was kidnapped by crazy fans, he was too busy enjoying his time with Elara in Entovale.

Her love had been eroded by his betrayals over time, and now, the only thing left between them was nothing but venom.

Not interested in the lovebirds' disgusting drama, Callista turned to leave. "Believe whatever you want."

Maybe it was her illusion. Somehow, she could feel Reginald's piercing gaze on her back as she walked away. But as she turned around suspiciously, all she saw was him holding Elara in his arms and comforting her gently.

Honestly, it still stung her eyes.

Though she had been reborn, she still couldn't accept being cheated on.

She averted her gaze and drove away.

When she said she had an important date, she wasn't just trying to piss Reginald off.

She indeed had a date—she was about to meet Braxton Lambert, Reginald's sworn enemy.

In her past life, Reginald had gotten her drunk and left her in Braxton's bed, and Braxton had claimed her ruthlessly all night.

At first, she thought it was the drug that made Braxton lose control. But when Reginald charged into the room with his men to "catch them in bed", Braxton protected her and insisted that he had forced her.

The police took him away. After the scandal broke, the Lambert Group's stock price took a heavy blow.

Braxton was kicked out of the board, and his father Jaron Lambert stripped him of his inheritance in disappointment.

Taking the chance, Reginald twisted the knife by snatching a few projects away from Braxton. He also threatened Callista to agree to a divorce with the video he had secretly taken that night.

He had placed the camera in the hotel room in advance to get proof of her infidelity.

In the video, Callista and Braxton were having passionate sex, which was the undeniable truth.

Per Reginald's instructions, Elara gave Callista two choices. Callista could either agree to the divorce and acknowledge that Braxton had raped her to get him locked up, or she could agree to the divorce, acknowledge she had cheated on Reginald, and leave with nothing.

If she didn't choose either, Reginald would post the nude video online to totally destroy Braxton and her reputation.

She was a celebrity, and such a scandal would ruin her for good.

In the end, she chose neither.

As one of the victims, she refused to victimize the other victim.

But she wouldn't let Reginald get his way either.

So, she killed herself, leaving a suicide note to prove Braxton's innocence while exposing Reginald's treacherous schemes.

People always tended to believe the words of the dead.

She didn't know what happened after she died.

All she knew was she was given a second chance. This time, she could stop everything from happening and stay away from the man who ruined her life.

In the most expensive cruise restaurant in Fracville, Braxton, in a tailored suit, lounged in a chair leisurely.

The sea breeze brushed past his striking features, tousling his meticulously styled hair.

He was born with charming eyes. Any woman who met his gaze would falsely think he was deeply in love with her.

However, he was essentially a playa. Though he had at least a dozen rumored girlfriends, he had never settled for any of them.

Upon seeing Callista, he flashed his trademark casual smile. "Mrs. Krause, I'm surprised that you wanted to see me. Wouldn't Mr. Krause be upset?"

Callista rolled her eyes.

"Drop the act," she thought. Everyone in town knew about Reginald and Elara's affair, and of course, Braxton was one of them.

Obviously, he was just trying to get under her skin.

"Quit throwing shade at me. Reginald and I had a divorce," she said.

Braxton spat out a mouthful of fruit wine. "Excuse me?"

She put her bag on the table and sat opposite him naturally. "You heard me. We filed for divorce this morning. The divorce will be finalized after the cooling-off period."

It took Braxton a few seconds to process her words. Then he frowned. "So, why am I here?"

She lowered her head, opened her bag, and pulled out a ring box. Then she opened it and pushed it in front of him, revealing a pair of matching rings inside. "I took half of Reginald's money. Wanna marry me?"

Within a minute, Braxton was shocked by Callista twice.

"Ms. Schaefer, do you even know what you're talking about?"

He looked at her in confusion, as if she were a monster instead of that nationally famous beautiful celebrity.

Callista knew it was a bit of a shock. After all, Braxton was the heir of the Lambert family, the precious grandson of Bruce Lambert, and he could be with any woman he wanted. Why would he marry her, a divorced woman?

But only Braxton was equally powerful as Reginald.

She needed Braxton's influence to compete with Reginald and eliminate the possibility of Reginald wanting to reconcile with her.

She had acted in many TV series and hated the plot where playboys repented and reformed.

Most importantly, to her, she had already slept with Braxton.

She needed to take responsibility for what she had done.

"Just tell me. Yes or no? If you don't want to, I'm just gonna go find someone else."

She was never the patient type. Just as she reached out to take the box back, Braxton grabbed her wrist.

"At least I have the right to know why you picked me of all people," he probed, his eyes deep and meaningful.

Though there was a smile playing on his lips, his gaze had turned cold.

If she didn't have a convincing reason, he'd think she was trying to trap him.

She said truthfully, "I won't be able to keep the money without your help. Reginald will take it back eventually."

Callista knew herself pretty well. Unlike Reginald, who was a shrewd businessman, she was in her element in showbiz. She was pretty, curvaceous, and good at acting and socializing. But she wasn't cut out for business.

Her few attempts at starting a business all ended tragically.

Her businesses all failed, and she always ended up losing money.

Once, she had wanted to transition from an actress to a behind-the-scenes film producer, and the film turned out to be a total disaster—even her countless loyal fans could do nothing about the dismal box office performance.

So, this time, she learned from her lesson and found help.

"You know Reginald excels at manipulating people and doing business. You've been his rival for years and still can't be at an advantage, let alone me. But that will change if we get married. I can help you win him," looking at Braxton, she said seriously. "Reginald is very calculating. He converted half his assets into property and cash for me and gave me only 12.5 percent of his shares."

"12.5 percent?"

"Yes. That leaves him with 53 percent, so he still owns the company."

Given the Krause Group's current status and influence, giving her half his assets indeed stung, but it was only a matter of time before he earned that much back.

Callista knew better than anyone the money Reginald gave her was just a scratch to him.

She continued, tempting Braxton, "If you want to strike, now's the time he's the most vulnerable."

And her tactics worked. Braxton said, "Let me think about it."

His attitude baffled Callista. In her past life, he had defended her and stood up for her firmly when she had been plotted against by Reginald, which led her to think she meant something special to him.

But now, it seemed she was wrong.

Was she no different from others in his eyes?

Before she could dwell on it, a familiar, annoying voice rang out.

"Callista, it turns out Mr. Lambert is your important date!" Elara's gasp drew Reginald's attention.

He pulled a long face at the sight of Braxton and Callista.

Callista rolled her eyes. Fracville was huge, and she actually bumped into this despicable pair?

Just her luck.

Without saying anything, Braxton leaned against his chair, ready for a farce.

Booking a table in this cruise restaurant was extremely hard. Callista had mentioned to Reginald many times that she wanted to eat here, but he had always said he was busy. How ironic that she saw him here with Elara.

She tried to ignore the bitterness in her heart as well as the pair and looked at Braxton, changing the subject to business. "Mr. Lambert, about the endorsement, let me think about it. You can talk to my manager about the details."

Endorsement?

Amused, Braxton arched an eyebrow. "And I'll consider carefully about your 'terms', too, Ms. Schaefer."

Suddenly, Reginald chimed in, "You're gonna endorse the Lambert Group?"

His voice carried natural condescension, which bugged Callista a lot. "Yeah. You got a problem with that?"

Even the air around Reginald became freezing as she said so.

Elara keenly noticed it.

She bit her lip, pouting pitifully. "Callista, you wouldn't stop making a scene because of what happened between Mr. Krause and me, and we always feel guilty toward you. But it turns out you and Mr. Lambert..."

She deliberately trailed off mid-sentence, leaving Reginald to stew on it.

As she expected, Reginald's expression darkened. "Good for you, Callista."

Reginald was always good at keeping his emotions to himself. Among all those years Callista was with him, she had never seen him lose his temper, let alone lose control.

Hiding his emotions was a must for him, a ruler.

So, though others were clueless, she knew very well Reginald was furious.

And here came his retaliation—Callista's so-called endorsement never existed, but soon, the Krause Group announced publicly that Elara would be the global spokesperson of Stardust, a high-end luxury fashion brand under its ownership.

Stardust's ready-to-wear products were known for their mature, sophisticated aesthetic, which didn't align with Elara's youthful, innocent persona. Besides, given her standing in showbiz, she wouldn't have been qualified to land an endorsement on this level at all.

Netizens were in an uproar immediately.

Fans, of all people, knew what such a surprising endorsement represented.

Her fans were over the moon. Callista's fans had always called Elara a shameless mistress, and now, they finally had a reason to defend Elara.

Elara's fan A: "Mr. Krause stopped loving Callista ages ago, OK? In case you haven't noticed, it's been over a year since they showed up in public together. For all we know, they might have split a long time already. They just didn't announce it."

Elara's fan B: "Callista has been trying so hard to be Stardust's spokesperson. And guess what? It's Elara's! How hilarious. Elara's career is gonna take off!"

Elara's fan C: "It's pretty clear who's Mr. Krause's beloved now, isn't it? He gave her such a huge endorsement. That's the most romantic thing a CEO can do."

Callista was amused by those comments under the trending topic, but her manager Carolina Hudson was utterly furious.

Carolina snapped, "Reginald is such a bastard! Back then, your commercial value was questioned, and the media addressed you as 'the fashion outcast'. When you desperately needed a prestigious endorsement to prove yourself, we practically begged him to give you Stardust's endorsement. And what did he say? He said your image was completely at odds with Stardust's style and that signing with you would upset the customers. So much for keeping work and personal matters separate! Where did all these standards he sticks to go? When it comes to Elara, they suddenly don't matter anymore!"

Carolina had been Callista's manager since her debut, and she totally understood why Carolina was this furious.

Undoubtedly, she was a nationally well-known celebrity, but as her popularity skyrocketed, more and more people started to question her.

Most of the celebrities in showbiz either came from rich or noble families or were trained graduates from prestigious universities. Unlike them, she was a non-professional from a small town.

Many didn't think her fame would last. To them, she became popular purely because she was lucky.

They ridiculed her for being unfashionable and lacking elegance, and said she was best at making any designer clothes look like cheap vendor goods.

The more they despised her, the more she wanted to prove herself.

She had never asked Reginald for a favor. But that time, she dressed up and went to the hotel he was staying to beg him.

He turned her down decisively, saying all Stardust's spokespersons were international superstars, and she didn't qualify.

It was also that time that the paparazzi snapped photos of them together.

With their relationship exposed, she had been surrounded by criticisms—netizens all accused her of sleeping her way to the top and being backed up by heavyweights.

Reginald had never clarified anything for her.

He simply told her to ignore the rumor, which was fake and would die on its own.

She had no choice but to practice her expression management, posture, and way of speech, trying to look more "presentable".

She wore Stardust's ready-to-wear collections when attending all kinds of events, hoping that one day, she'd nail the endorsement through her own effort and prove those people wrong.

Yet, she ended up a complete joke.

She turned off the computer, no longer looking at those comments. "He can do whatever he wants. It's his brand, not mine. Even if he ruins Stardust, I won't give a damn."

Carolina fumed, "How could he treat you like this? You were married for seven years, yet you've never once enjoyed the benefits of being his wife. Instead, you had to face criticism every day. And now that you're divorced, Elara just reaps all the benefits? This is so unfair! How on earth does she deserve this?"

"Maybe..." Callista mumbled, her eyes unfocused as she recalled everything that had happened in her past life, "it's because Reginald loves her."

Just then, her assistant Karsyn Crawford ran inside, looking displeased. "Callista, Mr. Krause's mother is here..."

Reginald's mother Mariam Shepard had never adored Callista. Back then, Reginald had insisted on marrying her, or Mariam would have never acknowledged her.

Mariam stormed into the office and slapped her hard. "You're so useless! Didn't I tell you to keep an eye on Reginald? This is how you do it? He's so captivated by that vixen that he gives her Stardust's endorsement! You can't even keep your husband around. You're such a deadweight to our family!"

Callista's head buzzed because of the slap, and she only came back to her senses when she heard Carolina and Karsyn's gasps.

"You have no right to slap her!" Carolina shielded Callista, so furious that her voice trembled. "It's Mr. Krause's decision to sign with Elara. What can Callista do about it? If you're unhappy about his decision, go confront him. Why are you here picking on Callista?"

"Reginald has always been a man with principles. Callista failed to keep him in check. That vixen got her way, and it's all her fault! Of course, I have every right to come here and deal with her!"

When Mariam saw the news in the morning, she was so pissed off that she almost wanted to strangle Callista on the spot.

She didn't dare to question Reginald, so she came here to take it out on Callista, her former daughter-in-law, her punchbag for years.

In the past, to please Reginald, Callista didn't dare to go against Mariam at all. Once, Mariam had been hospitalized after surgery. She requested Callista instead of a caregiver to take care of her, and Callista agreed without objection.

But now, she no longer wanted to take lying down.

A loud smack rang out.

She slapped Mariam across the face and said, "Even my own parents have never laid a finger on me. Who the fuck do you think you are? Who gave you the nerve to slap me?

"Reginald is a grown man. How am I supposed to keep an eye on him 24/7? He's your son. Why don't you keep him in check yourself?"

Mariam covered her swollen cheek in great disbelief. "You slapped me?! How dare you!"

She wanted to slap back, but of course, Callista wouldn't let her. "To tell you the truth, Reginald and I are divorced. I suffered in silence because you used to be my mother-in-law, but from now on, we are strangers. You no longer get to pick on me. Go pick on that vixen—she's your daughter-in-law now."

"What? Y-You're divorced?" Mariam was stunned.

"That's right," Callista said and then called Reginald right in front of Mariam.

She wanted to tell him to take Mariam back, stopping Mariam from making a scene here. To her surprise, it was Elara who answered.

"Callista, you're divorced already. Stop pestering Mr. Krause, OK? The more you cling to him, the more he hates you. Don't you understand?"

Elara's voice was still as gentle as always, though now that Reginald and Callista finally divorced, she no longer bothered to keep that harmless facade.

"Put Reginald on the phone." Callista took a deep breath to suppress her anger. Glancing at Mariam, who kept shouting while being blocked by Carolina and Karsyn, she continued, her voice colder, "Get him now unless you want me to change my mind before the cooling-off period ends."

Elara fell silent for a few seconds. Resenting being ordered by Callista, now Reginald's ex-wife, she deliberately provoked Callista by saying, "Wait a second. Mr. Krause is in the shower. I'll go get him."

Reginald was very impatient when answering. He snapped, "What now? We're divorced, Callista. Can't you get off my back?"

"Mariam is making a scene in my office. If you don't want her to make you look bad, come here and take her back," Callista said before hanging up, not wanting to hear another word from him.

He showed up fifteen minutes later with Elara.

Upon knowing Reginald was here, Andrew Ingram, Callista's nasty boss with a paunch rushed over at once.

"Callista, what were you thinking? Why didn't you tell me Mr. Krause's here?" Andrew made a cup of coffee for Reginald with a fawning grin on his face. "Mr. Krause, when did you get here? Are you here for Callista?"

Reginald ignored him.

Since Reginald was here, Mariam was a lot more at ease. Minutes ago, she frantically wanted to beat Callista up, yet now, she had pulled herself together and become that elegant noble lady again. "Reginald, what happened between you and Callista? How did things get to the point of divorce?"

Exactly. How did things get to the point of divorce?

Honestly, Callista didn't know the answer either.

Reginald and she had once shared sweet, intimate moments.

When they first got married, he'd always visit her on set no matter how busy he was. Once, she fell off a wire while filming a fighting scene, and he was so terrified that he flew back to the country while dropping a seven-figure deal behind just to take care of her 24/7.

In a trance, she felt like these things had just happened yesterday.

Sadly, those happy memories were long replaced by endless rows and disgusting betrayals.

Reginald and she could never go back.

At this, she scoffed and said sarcastically, "Isn't the answer obvious?"

When saying this, she looked at Elara, her implication self-explanatory.

As she expected, Elara still acted all harmless and pitiful in front of Reginald. "Mr. Krause, I..."

Her delicate voice always softened Reginald's heart.

He stroked her face, took her hand, and walked up to Mariam. "Mom, don't come here again. Callista and I are over. I'm with Elara now."

Reginald said, "I'm with Elara now."

Callista laughed so hard that tears welled up in her eyes.

Back then, even when the Krause family despised her and sidelined her the most, Reginald had never stood up for her, let alone backed her up like this.

He surely loved Elara so much.

"Get out!" Callista suddenly snapped. She pointed at the door and shouted at the top of her lungs, "All three of you, get out! I don't wanna see any of you ever again!"

She had low blood sugar. Carolina called her to the office early in the morning, and she hadn't had time for breakfast. And now, being pissed off by those three, she felt a wave of dizziness and almost blacked out.

"Callista!"

Elara stepped forward, seeming to help her. Then she suddenly fell backward as if Callista had pushed her.

In the next second, everyone saw a bloody scratch on her face.

"Callista... I said yesterday that Mr. Krause and you were divorced, so you shouldn't wear the ring he gave you anymore. Is that why you hurt my face with it?

"You're a celebrity, too, and you know my face means the world to me. How ... could you do this to me? I was being nice trying to help you..."

Elara cried pitifully, which happened to be her best acting yet.

Almost immediately, Reginald crouched down to check the wound on her face and then said to Callista, his voice glacial, "Callista, give me the ring back."

He designed the wedding ring for Callista. Instead of a diamond or gemstone, it was a meteorite he had spent a fortune obtaining at auction.

It was the only one in the world.

He acquired the meteorite and turned it into a proposal ring, which instantly became a trending topic.

Many netizens flooded Callista's Twitter with comments, saying how envious they were and wishing her and Reginald happiness forever.

This unique wedding ring was the most romantic thing Reginald had ever done for Callista, and it was also the only proof showing he had once loved her.

Callista couldn't bear to take off the ring. She subconsciously hid her right hand and said, "Reginald, aren't you even gonna verify whether she's telling the truth or not?"

"Elara never lies," Reginald said through gritted teeth. "But you do."

His words completely broke Callista's heart.

They were married for seven years. How could he be so cruel? He actually didn't trust her at all.

Her eyes reddened as she took off the ring. "You want it back? Fine."

She had never taken the ring off ever since marrying him, and it had left an indentation on her finger.

Compared to seven years ago, she had gained some weight, so though she exerted great force trying to take it off, it still clung to her finger.

After several seconds, she was still trying. Seeing this, Reginald thought she didn't want to take it off, so he stepped forward with a stern face, grabbed her hand, and yanked it off with brutal force. "Stop pulling any tricks."

He wasn't gentle at all, and her finger was scraped, which hurt so much.

She hid the injured finger, refusing to let him notice anything wrong. "You got your ring back. Can you leave now?"

"You haven't apologized to Elara." Reginald put the ring in his coat jacket and stared at her, his gaze utterly icy. "If her face scars, I swear I'm gonna make you pay."

Carolina couldn't take it anymore. "Mr. Krause, what else do you want from Callista? How else is she gonna pay? Do you want her to beg Elara for mercy? Don't you know Callista at all? She'd never scratch Elara's face! Clearly, Elara..."

"Did I say you could speak?" Reginald barked, a vicious glint flashing across his eyes.

Callista keenly noticed it, and her heart sank. She knew Carolina was standing up for her, but Reginald wasn't someone Carolina could afford to mess with.

She immediately stood in front of Caroline. "Reginald, if you don't want me to post proof of Elara being your mistress online, you better stay away from Carolina."

"I dare you to do that," Reginald warned.

"Try me!" she snapped.

Noticing the tension between them, Mariam cautiously chimed in, "Reginald, did you really divorce Callista?"

"Yeah," he replied while being at loggerheads with Callista. "You never liked her, did you? Well, at least now you and I are on the same side."

"You're saying that you dig this one now?" Mariam sized Elara up with disgust in her eyes. "Callista is better than her..."

At least Callista was easy to manipulate.

"Mom, don't say such things ever again. Elara is ... different."

Reginald bent down to help Elara up and continued, "This time, I'm serious."

Callista wanted to laugh. She thought, "What's that supposed to mean? Is he saying he wasn't serious with me?

"I had no idea he could be so cruel.

"The good thing is I've already died once, and I no longer hold any expectations for him."

She said calmly, "Reginald, I'm serious, too. If you stay here with your beloved any longer, her face will scar."

"I said already. You must apologize to Elara." A terrifying cold glint flashed across Reginald's eyes.

He only looked like this when he threatened someone.

Callista looked up at him—the man who was both familiar and foreign to her, and said word by word, "Dream on!"

He didn't believe her, and she couldn't be bothered to explain. He wanted the ring back, and he had it.

But over her dead body would she apologize to Elara—it was simply humiliating.

Just then, Elara tugged at Reginald's sleeve and said "considerately", "Mr. Krause, forget it. I don't need Callista to apologize to me anyway. I'm sure she was just too upset..."

Reginald was already furious, and Elara's words further enraged him.

With a cold sneer, he walked over and looked down at Andrew, saying condescendingly, "You have several film projects stalled this year because you don't have enough investment, right? I'll be your investor with only one premise—blacklist Carolina."

Reginald knew Callista better than anyone.

She always knew how to get under his skin and could survive in any environment.

She'd never compromise unless she had to protect someone she cared about.

So, compared to ruining her career, ruining her manager's career was the better way to make her compromise.

She would apologize to Elara.

Reginald was very confident about that.

Andrew, always the shrewd businessman, grinned immediately, his beady eyes flickering, the fat on his face disgusting.

"Mr. Krause, you know what? I've long been dissatisfied with Carolina. She's such an incompetent manager, letting her artists grow so arrogant without doing anything about it. I've wanted her gone for a long time already. Mr. Krause, rest assured. Consider your task done."

Andrew's words insulted both Callista and Carolina at the same time.

Clenching her fists, Callista shot a cold glance at him.

She thought, "I've brought you immense profit, and Carolina has got you countless A-list stars.

"Andrew, you're nothing. If it weren't for Carolina, I would have quit already."

Noticing Callista's gaze, Andrew pulled a long face and pointed at her with a stubby finger. "Callista, stop looking at me like that! If it weren't for your pretty face and Mr. Krause's protection of you, I would have fired you already. Just because Carolina spoils you doesn't mean I will. I won't tolerate your willful behavior. Apologize to Ms. Duncan right now!"

When saying this, he had already walked over to Reginald.

He lowered his head with a fawning smile and stood as close to Reginald as possible, his intention of buttering up Reginald more than obvious.

What a disgusting snob.

The most ridiculous part was—no matter how hard he tried, Reginald didn't even spare him a glance.

To Reginald, people like Andrew were just tools he used to make trouble go away, and of course, tools weren't worth any attention.

Reginald remained silent, the confident look on his face palpable. He was certain Callista would apologize.

Callista's sharp, long nails dug into her palms. Traces of blood oozed out, but she just glared at Reginald intently as if she couldn't feel the pain at all.

She had never realized he was this cruel.

He could still be gentle and thoughtful, but she was no longer the special one. Though she had psyched herself up a thousand times, his ruthless tactics still stung her uncontrollably.

Her glare was so blunt, and Reginald frowned impatiently.

Elara, who was standing beside him, noticed something. She linked arms with him, and her straight, long hair fell, covering half of her face.

Her eyes were tinged with delicacy and hesitation as she said in a thoughtful, gentle tone, "Mr. Krause, I know Callista has never liked me. Maybe we should just let go. This is all my fault. Let the wound on my face be a constant warning to me."

What a skillful phony.

Callista snorted, exposing her true colors bluntly, "You just wouldn't shut up, would you? Relax. Everyone—no, wait. Most of the people here know you're a pick-me girl."

Being mocked, Elara bit her lip and hid behind Reginald again as hatred flashed across her eyes.

Reginald shielded her behind him; the veins on his forehead throbbed a few times. "Watch your mouth, Callista. If you disrespect Elara again, I will make sure you pay the price."

The sarcastic smile on Callista's face grew bigger.

She walked toward him and looked him in the eye, not flinching at all. "Reginald, do you know how ridiculous you are? Because of you, I've been paying the price for the wrong choice I made every day."

Though she was smiling, her eyes were terrifyingly bloodshot.

She tried her best to straighten her back and said word by word, "Reginald, over my dead body will I apologize to Elara. And don't even think about dragging Carolina into this mess. You don't wanna see the desperate side of me. Don't forget that we're still in the cooling-off period."

Turning to Andrew, she spat, "And you, Andrew. You're such a disgusting snob. Don't bother firing Carolina. We don't wanna work for you anymore. I quit! I'm looking forward to seeing how much you'll make without me. I'll have my lawyer send you the termination notice as soon as possible."

She said this with absolute firmness, and for the first time, Reginald saw the strong hatred in her eyes.

Before he could react, she had already left while pulling Karsyn and Carolina with her.

He gazed at her retreating figure, not chasing after her.

All of a sudden, he felt something about her had changed. She was no longer that parasite plant that couldn't live without him. Instead, she was more like a sunflower, chasing the light so stubbornly.

What didn't kill her made her stronger.

Callista left decisively. Only Carolina saw her wiping away her tears.

To be precise, there was only one drop of tear, and her movement was so quick that Carolina couldn't help but wonder if it was her illusion.

Callista had already calmed down by the time they walked out of the company.

She turned around, took Carolina's hand, and said apologetically, "Carolina, I'm sorry. I just can't bring myself to bow to Reginald. And apologizing to Elara is no different from killing me. But don't worry. I'll make sure you get a job soon. I'll think of something."

Carolina was stunned and held Callista's hand back.

She wanted to say something, but her lips trembled slightly, and she couldn't utter a word at all.

She couldn't tell Callista not to worry about her. After all, she didn't come from a rich family, and she stood where she was today entirely by merit.

Apparently, she was no match for Reginald at all, and she couldn't bring herself to see years of her hard work down the drain.

"Thanks, Callie," she sighed, agreeing with Callista's decision.

Callista nodded. "I'm off then, Carolina. I have something important to do."

"OK. Stay safe," Carolina said.

"I will," she replied.

Then she got into her car and hit the gas swiftly.

Before Carolina could warn her about the paparazzi, she had already driven away.

Sitting in the driver's seat, she wasn't in a good mood.

While holding the steering wheel, she called Braxton.

Carolina and she could no longer go back to Andrew's company. They had to strike out on their own if they still wanted to stay in showbiz.

She must find themselves a protector who was powerful enough to stop Reginald from getting back at them again for Elara's sake.

Apparently, Braxton was a busy man. He only answered leisurely after Callista called him three times.

In the next second, his lazy voice rang out. "What can I do for you, Ms. Schaefer?"

He had always addressed her like this ever since knowing about her divorce.

His devil-may-care tone made Callista want to curse.

But she could only rein in her temper because she needed his favor. "Mr. Lambert, have you considered about my proposal?"

Braxton deliberately waited for a few seconds before saying, "Are you in such a hurry, Ms. Schaefer?"

Callista rolled her eyes.

Of course, she was. Reginald was driving her into a corner for that phony!

"Mr. Lambert, I believe there are only two reasons why you don't believe me—my loyalty and capability."

She took a deep breath, a new idea striking her. "I may as well be blunt with you. Reginald and I had a big fallout today, and my boss fired me to fawn over him. So, I'm no longer with my old agency. My plans are, I'll start my own company, which will be under your name. All you gotta do is claim it's yours, and then you'll receive equity shares. With my current commercial value, this is a guaranteed win for you."

Braxton could obtain a company without lifting his finger. In any regard, it'd be a great deal for him.

Callista pulled over and continued, "Mr. Lambert, you're a businessman. Of all people, you know such a sweet deal isn't something you get to see every day."

Braxton chuckled. "Ms. Schaefer, you should have become a saleswoman."

She ignored his tease. For her now, only one thing mattered. "Mr. Lambert, I need to know your answer."

After a pause, Braxton's delighted voice rang out. "Sounds good. I can't find a reason to refuse."

Callista discreetly breathed a sigh of relief at Braxton's answer. "Alright. It's a deal then. Let's meet up sometime to discuss details."

Her gaze fell upon the steering wheel, where her nails had left several marks on the leather cover.

It was only now that she realized she had been so nervous when talking to Braxton.

Outside the window, passers-by came and went, and the city was still as bustling as ever.

The biggest mistake she had made in her past life was sacrificing everything she had to love Reginald, including her promising career.

She was glad to have a second chance. This time, she was determined to put the failed marriage behind her and take a completely different path from her past life.

After giving herself a pep talk, she took out her phone, wanting to ask her friends about suitable locations nearby to be her company. Yet, upon scrolling up and down the contact list, she suddenly realized that most of them were mutual friends with Reginald.

After seven years of marriage, she hardly had her own social circle left.

It made sense. After all, Reginald had been so nice to her, taking care of everything and keeping her company whenever he had time. Other than filming, she had been with him all the time.

Her heart couldn't help but ache a little. She tossed her phone onto the passenger seat and decided to find a suitable location herself.

Office hunting was no easy task. She had to go up and down as well as take the prices into consideration.

Though she had money, she still preferred to spend it wisely.

After establishing the company, everything needed money. What if she ran out of money then? Unlike before, Reginald wouldn't back her up anymore.

She went home, exhausted, after hours of touring office buildings.

To her surprise, the lights were on.

Gradually, Reginald stopped coming home often. Even if he did, he'd come back around midnight.

Callista glanced at her phone, and it was 7:45 p.m. Yet, he was home already? How strange.

She walked straight toward her room without shooting Reginald a glance.

"Callista," he called out to her.

She subconsciously paused. Then, realizing something, she continued to walk forward without hesitation.

Reginald frowned impatiently. He stood up from the couch, caught up with her, and grabbed her arm. "Didn't you hear me?"

"If you've got something to say, just say it." She pulled back her hand impatiently. "We're divorced already, and you should keep your distance from me. I don't wanna fall victim to your beloved's lame acting again."

Reginald was deeply annoyed by the way Callista spoke—why did she always have to be so harsh?

But now, he couldn't be bothered to argue with her about it. He said, "Move out tomorrow."

Callista looked up at him as if he had just told the biggest joke in the world. "What did you say, Mr. Krause? Have you forgotten? The asset division agreement states it clearly—this is my property."

A cold glint flashed across Reginald's eyes as he said, "I can buy you a larger one."

Callista was irked. She hated being ordered, not to mention the order came from her annoying ex-husband.

"No," she said, walking away.

But Reginald wasn't about to give up. He blocked her way and said, "Callista, I only have limited patience."

His tone was filled with displeasure.

Callista was enraged. She pushed him away, but his body remained motionless. Even more pissed off, she snapped, "Reginald, what's wrong with you? You offered the villa to me, remember? And now you want it back? What is it? Are your other properties all ruined? Why do you have to take this back?"

They had been living in this villa after getting married, and she had decorated every corner herself. She was already used to living here.

Of all the properties Reginald owned, this was her favorite, which was why she specifically asked for it in the divorce agreement.

Little did she know Reginald would go back on his word.

Reginald scoffed and said with contempt, "Elara likes it here. Otherwise, I wouldn't have wasted my time arguing with you here at all."

Callista smiled sarcastically.

Sure enough, it was because of Elara. It was always because of Elara.

She stared at his face mockingly and said through gritted teeth, "Reginald, does it turn you on more when living in our place with your mistress? Elara is kinkier than I thought. Does she want everything I've touched? She wants my ex, my villa, and even the bed I once slept in. How about I give her some of my used underwear?"

"Callista!"

Anger surged within Reginald's deep-set eyes.

All of a sudden, he gripped her chin and said, his voice terrifyingly icy, "Callista, you never learn. In case you don't know, this villa is still under my name. As for the asset division agreement—a word from me, and it'll be void."

He exerted a lot of force, leaving Callista in pain. But her expression didn't change at all.

She was in the right, and she wouldn't let him win.

She patted his hand away and sneered, "Gosh, you're so omnipotent, aren't you? If you dare, kill me. As long as I'm dead, you and Elara can do whatever you want. I know you're perfectly capable of it."

The smile on her face was utterly sarcastic.

She knew very well how vicious and ruthless Reginald was, given what he had done to her in her past life.

The wise choice was not to provoke him.

But she couldn't help it.

Her boldness left Reginald slightly dazed, and he subconsciously loosened his grip.

She took the chance to break free and went upstairs to her room.

She was on the stairs when he suddenly said, his voice icy, "I'm not gonna kill you, Callista. But I'll see to it that you pay for your mistake today."

She stopped in her tracks slightly, gripping the railing tightly.

Lowering her head, she said, her voice tinged with emotions he couldn't fathom, "Reginald, of all people, you're the one who wants to see me dead the most."

After going back to her room, she pulled the blanket over her head.

She was so mad when recalling what Reginald had said earlier.

She thought, "He said he wouldn't kill me? That's rich. I remember vividly how I died in my past life. He actually threatened me, a celebrity, with that nude video. How was that different from killing me?"

Her hatred for Reginald grew deeper at this.

She drifted to sleep, filled with resentment.

In her dream, she went back to her past life where Reginald left her in Braxton's bed.

No matter how desperately she begged Reginald, he just wouldn't sway at all, as merciless as a robot.

The next day, she was jolted awake by heaps of messages.

Her phone kept ringing, and most of the missed calls were from Carolina.

She rubbed her eyes groggily and called Carolina back, her voice still a bit hoarse since she had just woken up. "What's up, Carolina? Why are you calling me this early in the morning?"

Carolina clicked her tongue and said anxiously, "Wake up already! That jerk Andrew announced publicly, saying they're terminating your contract unilaterally!"

Callista remained calm because she had expected Andrew to do so. Yet, she was still a bit surprised that he'd act so quickly.

She said while rolling over, her voice still flat. "What else? We both know there's nothing that scumbag won't do. I don't think he'll let me go that easily."

Carolina smiled bitterly, "You know him well indeed. The company is demanding 1.5 billion dollars in damages, saying the amount is based on a professional valuation of your current market worth. Congratulations, Callista. You're now officially the highest-valued actress in showbiz."

Callista felt speechless.

She thought, "What kind of 'professional' agency comes up with 1.5 billion dollars? Are all the people working there robbers?"

Noticing Callista's silence, Carolina thought the bad news was too much for her to take, and she tried to help, saying, "Callie? Are you OK? Say something. Maybe you should apologize to Mr. Krause..."

Yet, Callista said firmly, "I'm not gonna apologize to him. Why should I? I've never done anything wrong."

At the mention of Reginald, she was instantly furious, no longer staying silent.

She sat up, comforting Carolina, "The amount they demand is totally unreasonable and won't hold up in court. I'll get the best lawyer for us, so there's nothing you have to worry about.

"Also, I'm gonna start a new company."

Knowing about Callista's several failures in business, Carolina was shocked.

"Callie, are you sure about this? It's not that I don't have faith in you, but you know what happened before..." She tried to be as subtle as possible.

Though she knew how stubborn Callista was, she still thought Callista should spend her money more wisely.

Of course, Callista knew what Carolina's implication was. She said with a smile, "I'm not gonna be the boss. You are."

Carolina was stunned. "What do you mean?"

Callista told her the details, "You'll be in charge of the company with twenty percent of the shares, and I'll handle all the funding. We will also sign with new artists. I mean, why waste your experience, right? Once some of them gain popularity, we'll be heavyweights, and no one will get to push us around anymore."

Carolina had been her manager since her debut, and she had total faith in Carolina.

And of course, she knew herself well—she didn't have what it took to be a businesswoman, and the company would surely fail under her leadership.

Carolina was flattered. "Callie, are you ... sure about this?"

She needed a few minutes to process this.

Callista nodded and said firmly, "You bet I am. I'm counting on you to make me rich."

After the call with Carolina, she was no longer sleepy, so she got up and continued her office hunting together with Karsyn.

As they reached the third building, Karsyn suddenly shoved her phone in front of Callista. "Callista, check this out! Your fans are all cursing Elara!"

Puzzled, Callista took off her sunglasses and glanced at Karsyn. "Elara? Why? Shouldn't they be cursing Andrew?"

Frowning, she opened Twitter, wondering what her fans were thinking.

"Galaxy Entertainment terminates the contract with Callista" had already topped the trending topic list.

Callista clicked her tongue helplessly.

She thought, "I can never make it onto the trending topic list when filming dedicatedly. Yet, terminating the contract makes it to the top so easily?

"This world is so messed up."

She clicked on the comment section. Sure enough, a lot of her fans were scolding Elara.

Fan A: "Callista has been married to Mr. Krause for years but still couldn't nail Stardust's endorsement. And shortly after Elara's debut, she becomes the spokesperson? I mean, anyone could tell there's something going on between Mr. Krause and Elara, right? One's married, and the other's a slut. They're meant for each other."

Fan B: "Galaxy Entertainment has made a fortune all thanks to Callista these years. How come they terminated the contract just like that? It was so sudden. I bet there's more to it."

Fan C: "Callista is asked to pay them 1.5 billion dollars, yet Mr. Krause hasn't made any moves at all. It seems he's head over heels for that vixen."

Fan D: "The rumors about the two's affair were everywhere. I remember some people denying it so firmly that there was nothing going on between the two. They're so wrong."

Fan E: "I weep for Callista. Pretty and talented, she's unlucky enough to cross paths with Elara—that pick-me girl. If Mr. Krause is cold-blooded enough to ignore her plight, so be it. She'll shine even more after leaving Galaxy Entertainment."

Fan F: "But she has to deal with this first. It's 1.5 billion dollars, OK? If Mr. Krause doesn't step in, I don't think she has that kind of money."

Fan G: "I'm so furious! It's all that bitch Elara's fault. She's so shameless and scheming, seducing a married man while acting all innocent. Of course, Callie isn't her match."

The corner of Callista's mouth twitched as she read the comments.

Netizens these days were indeed smart. But what they didn't know was Reginald and she were already divorced, and Elara would soon be his wife.

"Callista, are we gonna respond now?" Karsyn was still a bit stunned after leaving Galaxy Entertainment. "Shall we call Carolina now?"

Callista nodded. "Yes. But we'll only respond to the contract termination part. And remember to make it clear that I terminated the contract with them. Ignore everything else."

Now that she wasn't restrained by Galaxy Entertainment anymore, she could do whatever she pleased.

Andrew, the profit-driven bastard, threw her under the bus just to suck up to Reginald. Of course, she wouldn't show him any mercy.

Her announcement sparked another wave of heated discussion.

The reason was simple—her response was way too simple, leaving out the parts that made netizens curious about the most.

Though she didn't mention Elara and Reginald's names at all, they sensed something off.

Fan H: "Callie, we know you've been treated so unfairly. Chin up! Don't get upset over those bastards. You'll shine even brighter without them."

Fan I: "Staying at Galaxy Entertainment is such a waste of your talent, Callie. You did the right thing by terminating your contract with them."

Fan J: "Guys, I think Mr. Krause is part of the reason behind the termination of the contract. Think about it—Galaxy Entertainment wouldn't dare to mess with Callie at all without his consent. I bet that bitch Elara has gotten her way!"

Callista curved her lips while reading the comments.

Netizens wouldn't buy the shameless duo's excuse at all.

Public opinion could be a double-edged sword. It mostly hurt, but once used right, it'd work in a surprising way.

Negative comments about Reginald and Elara spread quickly. Callista didn't make any comments about it at all, and because of that, netizens began to make all kinds of speculations.

Since Callista's statement didn't mention Reginald or Elara at all, Elara didn't have a reason to clarify anything. As a result, more people were convinced that she was staying silent out of guilt.

Within just a few hours, Callista gained tens of thousands of more followers so effortlessly.

Carolina gave her a thumbs-up for her tactful reaction.

"Smart move, Callie. We're at a disadvantage and shouldn't take on the Krause Group directly right now. Since you only responded to the contract termination, Elara getting backlash isn't our problem. Even if Mr. Krause wants to come after you, he's got nothing to hold against you."

Callista was having a terrible vegetable salad when Carolina sent her a video call request.

To maintain her figure, she had been sticking to a low-calorie diet these years.

"You know what they say—sometimes not responding at all is the best response. Let the netizens figure it out themselves. Hey, Carolina, you're doing yoga? It seems you've been enjoying your life. I've been slacking off these days," Callista said while noticing Carolina laying out a yoga mat.

"Yep. It's been ages since I did yoga the last time, and my waist has become so stiff. Before, I was so stressed out by work. Since I finally have some free time, I wanna make proper plans about my life," Carolina said.

Her words got Callista thinking. She lowered her head, glanced at the half-finished salad, and realized it had been ages since she last had a satisfying meal. She decisively tossed the salad into the trash bin.

"You're right, Carolina. It's indeed time to make some proper plans. I'm gonna go out and have some fun."