The day I died, my hospital room was packed with people who'd come to say goodbye.
Even my lifelong rival showed up.
The only person missing was Spencer Gilbert—the man I'd been married to for twenty-five years.
He was in Iceland with his mistress and their son, watching the Northern Lights.
Moments before I flatlined, my phone buzzed with a text from him.
"Back then, I had no choice but to marry you for the family's sake. But all these years I made you take birth control, never let you have children, and you went along with it. I suppose that made you a good wife."
"If there's a next life, I'd choose you again. Rest easy now. I'll handle the funeral personally."
Nanette James caught sight of the message. She let out a cold, mocking laugh. "Grace Fox, you really were never cut out to be Mrs. Gilbert."
"Next time around, don't bother competing with me."
Who knew her words would come true?
When I opened my eyes again, we'd both been thrown back to the day of the Gilbert family's marriage lottery.
Spencer's voice was cold. "Grace, you drew the short straw. You'll be the Gilbert family's new daughter-in-law."
Without hesitation, I shoved the slip into Nanette's hand.
"I think the position of Mrs. Gilbert suits Nanette much better."
1.
Wallis Gilbert stared at me, bewildered.
"Grace, you and Nanette used to fight over Spencer so fiercely the whole city knew about it."
"Now fate's handed you the winning ticket. Why would you turn it down?"
The Fox, James, and Gilbert families were the three great dynasties of Harbor City—equally powerful, equally untouchable, and careful never to step on each other's toes.
But Nanette and I had both fallen for Spencer Gilbert.
To avoid offending either family, the Gilberts came up with what they called the fairest solution: a lottery.
In my previous life, when I drew the winning slip, I'd wept with joy.
I never imagined it would buy me a lifetime of loneliness and suffering.
Given a second chance, I wanted no part of this so-called fate.
I kept my voice steady as I answered Wallis.
"Mrs. Gilbert, I'm too indecisive. I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to manage a family as prominent as yours."
"Miss James is known for being decisive and capable. She's far better suited than I am."
Seeing my mind was made up, Wallis turned to her son. "What do you think?"
Spencer sat at the table, filtering tea, not even bothering to look up.
"Doesn't matter who I marry."
Of course. When you can't have the woman you actually love, one bride is as good as another.
The woman Spencer loved was named Abigail Dickerson—the same mistress he'd keep hidden in my previous life.
Abigail was a motorcycle saleswoman.
During his sophomore year, Spencer's friends had dragged him to a biker meetup. The moment he saw Abigail tearing across the road on her bike, he never forgot her.
He thought she was bold. Different. He believed that only with her could he truly feel alive.
But the Gilbert empire would never allow him to marry a woman with no background.
So he accepted his fate and agreed to a strategic marriage with one of the other two families.
When Spencer didn't object, Wallis had nothing more to say.
She simply reminded us both: "You two work this out between yourselves."
"Our three families have been close for generations. Let's not let this create bad blood."
I understood her concern.
Nanette and I had both loved Spencer since we were children.
I was soft-spoken, never one to fight for what I wanted.
But Nanette was no pushover.
Spencer saw me as fragile, so he'd always shown me a little extra attention.
Nanette took that as a slight and made me her target.
Accusing me of cheating on exams, spreading rumors that I was manipulative—it was all routine.
I'd learned not to let it get to me. Only when she pushed too far would I fire back, and even then, half-heartedly.
Now, reborn with the truth laid bare, I saw us both for what we were: pathetic fools fighting over a man who'd never wanted either of us.
What was left to fight about?
