Chapter 1

The day after my husband Brandon was diagnosed with cancer, I got two notifications on my phone.

The first was a medical billing notice from the hospital.

The second was a fraud alert from my bank.

The $50,000 personal loan I had just taken out had been wired directly to a boutique floral shop.

Without even changing out of my work uniform, I rushed over to the flower shop to see what was going on.

Instead, I found Brandon behind a cluster of giant sunflowers, passionately making out with his first love, Nicole.

Seeing me burst through the door, Brandon didn't panic at all.

He just stepped in front of Nicole to shield her.

"I'm dying anyway. Before I die, I just wanted to sleep with the woman I actually love one last time."

"The doctors say my stomach cancer came from heavy drinking."

"What they don't know is that the only way I could ever bring myself to have sex with you every night was by getting completely wasted."

His confession hit me like a physical blow.

I stumbled backward, knocking over a ceramic planter and smashing it to pieces.

When I first learned he had stomach cancer, I panicked, took out a $50,000 high-interest loan, and picked up two night shifts.

And all this time, the only woman he ever loved was his ex.

"Give me back my fifty grand. We're getting a divorce," my voice shook violently.

The moment money was mentioned, Nicole immediately stepped forward.

"No way. That fifty grand is your emotional compensation to Brandon."

After being thrown out of the shop, I was in a daze.

I stepped into the street and was hit by a truck.

When I opened my eyes again, I had been reborn—right back to the day Brandon was diagnosed with cancer.

Staring at Brandon's medical reports in the hospital hallway, I knew for certain that I had been given a second chance.

Brandon's knees buckled, and he almost collapsed to the floor.

This time, I didn't reach out to catch him.

"The upcoming chemotherapy and targeted treatments will be very expensive. Please be prepared," the oncologist advised.

In my previous life, I had taken out a $50,000 loan that very night and applied for two graveyard shifts online.

This time, I wasn't going to be an idiot.

Back at our apartment, Brandon emptied out our joint savings onto the table and glared at me.

"This little bit of cash won't even cover my first round. Did you stash away secret money behind my back?"

Seeing my silence, my mother-in-law, Martha, blew up instantly.

"He's talking to you! Are you deaf?"

"My son has cancer, and as his wife, you don't show an ounce of concern!"

"You cold-blooded bitch!"

I replied coldly, "You already took every penny from our savings account. I don't have a single cent left."

Martha pushed further. "Then take out a bank loan! Max out your cards!"

I gave a dry laugh. "Why don't you take out a loan against your name?"

Ignoring their outraged faces, I walked straight into the study, pulled open the desk drawer, and took out Brandon's old phone.

He used it for mobile games, and he had never changed the passcode—it was still Nicole's birthday.

I opened his transaction history.

Just two days ago, a $10,000 charge caught my eye.

A luxury jewelry boutique.

I had never received any jewelry.

Obviously, it had gone straight to Nicole.

Yet last week, when I had crippling menstrual cramps, he couldn't even be bothered to walk downstairs to grab me a bottle of Advil.

I kept scrolling down. The receipts were endless.

Cosmetic clinic bills.

Designer clothing stores.

None of it was for me.

I screenshotted every single transaction, compiled the receipts, and sent them to my private email.

Then, I opened our joint emergency checking account.

There was only $3,000 left in it. Without hesitation, I transferred every cent into my personal account.

Once finished, I put the phone back, walked into the kitchen, and pan-fried a salmon fillet for myself.

Just as I sat down to eat, Martha stormed over and snatched the plate right off the table.

"Your husband is battling cancer, and you can still stomach food?"

"You only cooked for yourself! You didn't make him a damn thing!"

Brandon held his mother back. "Mom, don't waste your breath."

He pulled out a chair across from me and put on a sorrowful, guilt-ridden expression.

"Babe, I know you've had it rough with me these past few years. But this is a matter of life and death. Once I beat this, I promise I'll make it up to you double, okay?"

"Please, pull out whatever savings you have left. Save my life first."

He reached out to hold my hand.

I pulled away, grabbed my phone, and thrust the screenshots of his expenditures on Nicole right in his face.

"Go ask Nicole for a loan. You've been so generous to her; she must love you enough to pay your bills, right?"