Arabella woke up feeling reborn, though she hadn't asked for it. She had once been destined for tragedy—betrayal, scandal, infertility, and an untimely death. But now, she had a chance to rewrite her story.
It all began with the kidnapping, a pivotal moment in her life. On her way to meet her secret lover, she had been abducted and taken to an abandoned factory on the outskirts of town. Her husband, Ashton, paid the ransom but despised her too much to get involved personally. It was someone else who called the police, enraging the kidnappers. In their fury, the boss stabbed her, leaving her infertile and setting her on a path to ruin.
Now, Arabella found herself in the same scene she had lived through before—but everything was different. She was no longer the naive, materialistic woman she had been three years ago. This time, she was wiser and determined to change the outcome.
"Oh, you're awake, Mrs. Harts," the boss sneered, crushing an empty beer can with a loud bang that jolted her out of her thoughts.
Arabella's heart raced. She remembered every detail of this moment, but now it was her reality. The boss, ruthless and unyielding, had stolen her chance at motherhood before. She wouldn't let history repeat itself.
"Who are you? Why are you doing this to me?" she asked, feigning ignorance while her mind worked frantically.
The boss chuckled darkly. "It's been four hours, and there's no word from your rich family. Maybe they want you dead?"
Arabella forced herself to remain calm. In the past, she had been gullible and easily manipulated. This time, she had to be sharp and deliberate, carefully considering every move and every word.
The kidnappers weren't the only threat. Someone had tipped off the police before, triggering the violence. Who was it? And why had they orchestrated the kidnapping?
Arabella felt the weight of her second chance pressing down on her. She couldn't let this end the same way—not for herself, not for her family.
She recalled the choices that had led to her downfall. Married to a successful husband with a son, she had thrown it all away for an affair. Her betrayal had been exposed, and her life had spiraled into misery and death.
Arabella covered her face, frustration and disbelief washing over her. But this time, things were different. She had woken up as that same woman, with the knowledge and opportunity to make things right.
The boss's words echoed in her ears, confirming what she already knew. Everything—her scandal, her betrayal, her suffering—had roots in the decisions of her parents. Margaret, the family's benefactor, had shown her kindness out of guilt. Believing Arabella to be sincere, Margaret had even arranged her marriage to Ashton, hoping to secure her future.
Margaret had been the only person who truly cared about her. Arabella's infidelity had broken Margaret's heart, leaving her gravely ill before her death. Arabella couldn't let that happen again—not to Margaret, not to herself.
She tried to pry information from the kidnappers, hoping to uncover who was behind this, but they refused to answer.
Arabella was certain someone had orchestrated this, but she had no idea who.
She needed a plan—an escape. She couldn't repeat the mistakes of her past.
"I'm running out of patience," the boss growled, flicking a cigarette butt onto the ground. He glanced at his watch. It was 5:30 PM—rush hour. He decided to wait one more hour for the ransom.
"Wait! I have a question," Arabella said, taking a deep breath and trying to raise her tied hands.
The boss narrowed his eyes, but before he could respond, Arabella continued, "You're asking for two hundred million. How do you plan to get it?"
Her voice was steady, but her mind raced. Five million dollars in cash was impossible to transport easily. If transferred electronically, it would be traced.
The boss smirked. "We'll take the 'Heritage in Bloom' if the Harts prefer."
He pulled out his phone and handed it to her. "Call your husband and convince him to hand it over."
Arabella's heart sank. The 'Heritage in Bloom' was a priceless necklace from the Roman Empire, worth over 200 million. As a jewelry designer, she admired it as a masterpiece of craftsmanship and history. The thought of it being used as ransom enraged her.
"You have twenty seconds. Be smart," the boss warned, pressing a cold blade against her neck.
Arabella's mind snapped back to the present. She had no choice—she had to survive.
The phone rang, and someone picked up.
"Hello?"
The voice on the other end was deep and emotionless.
"Ashton!" Arabella exclaimed, gripping the phone tightly as the blade grazed her chin, its cold edge gleaming in the dim light.