In my last life, I fought in the ring for twenty years, built up a two-hundred-million-dollar fortune, and then retired.
I just wanted to rest.
But my husband thought I was worthless. He kept pushing me to invest.
In a single year, all two hundred million was gone.
And I was two hundred million in debt.
The creditors hounded me until I was ready to break. My only way out was Thailand, an underground fighting ring, throwing illegal bouts for fast cash.
I never imagined my own husband would drug me.
Some nobody dropped me right there on the mat. Dead.
When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day I'd retired. The day my husband started pushing me to invest.
This time, I moved first. I dumped all two hundred million into oil futures.
Ten times leverage, all in.
Watching the one billion in debt pile up under my name.
This time, it was my husband who fell apart.
……
Dirk Vance held my hand, his eyes full of displeasure.
"Faith Pruitt, after all our years together, don't you trust me?"
"I have a master's in economics. There's no way I'd lose money on an investment."
I let out a cold laugh.
In my last life, I fought him tooth and nail, told him it wasn't about trust.
The economy was terrible. The risk was too high.
Better to leave the money in the bank. Four million a year in interest, at least, enough for the whole family to live comfortably.
But Dirk pushed too hard.
I had no choice but to give in.
I figured even if we lost some, it wouldn't be much. Call it tuition.
Who could have guessed that in one short year he'd not only blow through all two hundred million but saddle me with another two hundred million in debt.
Seeing me stay quiet, my father-in-law frowned, impatient.
"Faith, don't forget you've got two sons."
"There are a lot of us in this family. That little bit of money of yours, sitting there getting eaten away, how many years do you think it'll last?"
"How can you not think about your family at all?"
Something absurd rose up in me.
Where did they get the nerve, all of them, latching onto one woman and bleeding her dry?
I'd boxed for twenty years. Every dollar was fought for with my life.
I wore cheap bargain-bin stuff, free-shipping junk, year in and year out, never willing to spend on a single decent brand.
They were the ones who threw money around without blinking.
My mother-in-law's voice went shrill.
"You're just a woman who knows how to throw punches, an orphan with a middle-school education."
"After you retired, all you can do is sit at home. It's embarrassing to even say it out loud."
"Dirk wants you to invest, to be a big boss. Think how good that sounds to people."
"How can you not understand everything Dirk's doing for you!"
I clenched my fists so hard the knuckles went white.
I'd boxed for twenty years. I'd won more titles than I could count. Everywhere I went, people respected me.
But out of their mouths, I turned into a useless thing not fit to be seen.
They didn't know I'd already gotten an offer from Harbor City Sports Academy to come on as vice principal.
In my last life, Dirk had forced me to stand around promoting his boxing gym and his restaurant, and I'd had to turn the offer down.
This time, I would never be that stupid again.
But I lowered my head and played along.
"All right. I'll do what you say."
They lit up at once, traded a smug look, and were about to say more.
I cut them off.
"But Rowena Cox's been managing my assets all along."
"If Dirk's going to run the investment, I need to go get the money back from her first."
A flash of resentment crossed Dirk's eyes.
Ever since he'd started pushing me to invest, Rowena had done everything to stop it.
He'd hated her for a long time.
My mother-in-law jabbed her finger at my head, furious that I was such a lost cause.
"You let an outsider handle two hundred million? You really have a pig's brain!"
My teeth ached from clenching.
Rowena and I grew up together. She was my sister in everything but blood.
In my last life, when I died on that ring in Thailand, she was the one who borrowed money to bring my body home and bury it.
While the animals who called themselves my family didn't spare my corpse a second glance.
I put on the meek, obedient act, agreed to it all, and got up to head over to Rowena's company.
The moment she saw me, Rowena gave a mocking smile.
"What, your husband talked you around? You're here to hand over your assets so he can burn through them?"
She slammed a bag down in front of me.
"Take it. I've been stopping you this whole time, so I'm sure you think I wanted to pocket your money for myself."
She paused.
Then sighed, her voice going serious.
"Faith, one last thing. Dirk isn't as simple as you think. Leave yourself a way out."
Something in me softened.
Even now, Rowena was still trying to pull me back from the edge.
I laid a hand on the bag and pushed it gently back toward her.
Rowena stared, stunned.
"What are you doing?"
"I want to invest."
She scoffed.
"I thought you'd finally come to your senses. Turns out you're still going down this road."
"Not Dirk investing. Me. I'm doing it myself."
I cut her off.
"Do me a favor. Put every asset I have into oil futures. All in, ten times leverage."
Rowena sucked in a sharp breath.
Her voice jumped an octave.
"Faith, are you out of your damn mind?!"
