Chapter 1

On the day Dad made me draw lots to choose a wife, I was about to draw a number when comments started flashing past.

[Don't do it! The whole thing is rigged. You’ll only end up married to a hideous woman and be stuck in a cold, heartless marriage alliance with the Wests!]

[You’ll end up the target of enemies of the West family even before you marry their daughter. You’ll fall into their devious trap and get burned to ashes in a fire!]

[Your childhood sweetheart Mindy Sullivan has a bark that’s worse than her bite. Her disdain and disregard is just a farce. She really loves you. Marrying her is the right move!]

My hand froze in midair.

I told my dad that I wanted to marry Mindy.

On my way to fetching Mindy on our wedding day, someone kidnapped me and threw me into a fire.

Mindy, on the other hand, inherited her grandfather’s inheritance of 50 thousand dollars because she married me. Her ulterior motive was to transfer all that money to my adopted brother.

Before I died, I heard the mocking laughter of Mindy and my adopted brother. That was when I realized they had written all the fake comments I saw.

At this second chance at life, I saw the same comments as I was drawing lots again.

Chapter 1

[Hey, you’d better think twice. Take your pick from this and you’ll have to spend your entire lifetime with an old, ugly woman.]

[Then again, you’re so bent on marrying Mindy Sullivan while she cares nothing for you. You seem to have no choice other than spending the rest of your life with these old uglies!]

These comments flashed by, followed right away by James’ mocking laughter.

Mindy looked firmly at me, an amused smile on her lips.

I had fallen for James and Mindy’s ploy and provocation in my past life, thinking that the cold treatment Mindy was giving me was just a facade.

James and Mindy exchanged a knowing look. That was when I knew that there had been clues all along.

I smirked and pulled out a number, ignoring the extremely confident smiles on their faces.

“It’s Ms. Charmaine of the West family!”

Dad was elated and immediately sent someone to the West’s residence to ask for Charmaine’s hand in marriage.

Mindy looked at the number I picked in disbelief, her face dark as a storm.

A thought suddenly came to mind. She scoffed.

“Are you marrying someone else out of spite just because I went to the auction yesterday with James and snatched up your favorite brooch?”

Another comment flashed past.

[Oh, come on. Quit being so pretentious. Mindy bid for that brooch as a wedding present to you. She’s waiting to pin it on for you herself on your wedding day.]

[She loves you deep inside. She just doesn’t express her love for you. Otherwise, why didn’t she marry anyone over all these years? She’s waiting for you to marry her!]

I scoffed. Trying to fool me with such flimsy excuses, are they?

That brooch was a gift from my mom to my dad. I had wanted to bid for it and give it to my dad as a surprise.

To my surprise, Mindy appeared with James at the auction and kept driving up the price to an exorbitant amount for the brooch. It was only when the brooch was delivered to her that I found out she was the organizer of the event.

She has maliciously outbid me because James complained to her that I targeted him at work and she did what she did to exact revenge for him.

James was wearing the brooch right now.

“Since I’ve drawn a number, I can’t just back out of it. Now that you can’t marry me, you should start thinking about how to get your hands on your grandfather’s inheritance.”

I looked indifferently at the darkening look on her face.

She bit out, “How dare you threaten me with that inheritance! Do you really think I’m desperate for that money? I…I just pity you! I'm giving you a chance because you’ve been pursuing me relentlessly for over a decade. You’re the one giving up on this chance. Don’t come crying to me, begging me for a chance like you did the last time!”

Chapter 2

I chuckled. It wasn’t clear yet who would be begging whom.

Mindy’s grandfather left behind a will before his death, stating that she had to marry me in order to inherit 50 million dollars from him. Otherwise, the will would be rendered invalid.

James held her back and scoffed at me.

“You and that West woman who got disfigured from a car accident and ended up infertile are a match made in heaven! When you see for yourself how ugly Charmaine West is, don’t end up crying in fright on your wedding night. I don’t want to see you running to Mindy’s place, crying and pleading for her to see you!”

I rebutted him with a smile, “Well, someone else might just come begging me before my wedding night for the sake of her inheritance!”

Mindy glared at me with bloodshot eyes as she bit out, “Dream on! Jerry Bale, you'll be the one begging me at the end of the day!”

My eyes narrowed, and I said unceremoniously, “Ms. Sullivan has lost her mind. Please see her out.”

In this life, I would never fall for James and her trap.

-

The West family agreed very readily to the marriage. Yet, after discussing the date of the wedding, a headline went viral online.

[Jerry Bale marries the hideous daughter of the West family to exact revenge on Mindy Sullivan]

The article didn't just vilify me as a simp at Mindy’s beck and call. It even claimed that I had sold myself to Mdm. Yardley, who was well-known to have a strange fetish, and that I was all spent with indulgence.

The elders of both families made it clear that if I did not resolve this issue, the wedding would be called off.

The writer of the article did not even bother hiding his identity. His name, James Lambert, was written blatantly on it.

At the peak of my rage, I sought out James during the birthday party Mindy organized for him.

When Mindy saw me, she swirled his wine glass casually and chuckled, “Regretting your decision so soon? It’s too late even if you were to kneel and beg me now.”

James sneered and wrapped an arm around Mindy as he said, “Jerry, it’s too late to regret now. But if you beg me, I might just put in a good word for you.”

I charged forward, grabbed James’ collar, balled up my fist, and punched him square in the face.

“James Lambert! Have you thought of how that article you wrote could negatively impact the company? Killing you twice over wouldn’t be enough to make up for the crash in stock prices!”

Mindy flung a wine glass my way and pulled James behind her. “How dare you punch James! You’re tired of living, aren’t you? Jerry Bale, apologize at once!”

Glass shards grazed the back of my hand. I clenched my fists and roared with anger, “Why should I apologize? You should ask James what he did!”

I pulled my phone out and showed her the article that had caused Bale Corporation’s stock prices to plummet for three days straight, resulting in losses amounting to tens of millions.

She furrowed her brows and flung my phone back at me. “Even if James really wrote that article, he only did it because you angered him first! Whatever it is, you should apologize to James!”

James had wanted to explain himself, but the sight of Mindy defending him to her death made his arrogance grow.

“Jerry, I did write that article and publish it, but it’s all true! You should be blaming yourself for doing what you did and bringing harm upon Bale Corporation. Why are you pushing the blame on me instead?”

The look of nonchalance on Mindy’s face made my fists shake uncontrollably.

The article James wrote was filled with half-truths. That night, Mindy was drugged during a business dinner and she had called me, crying for help.

To save her from those bigwigs, I had to seek help from Mdm. Yardley who always had a penchant for me. I stayed by her side, serving her like a slave for three days and three nights.

After the ordeal, Mindy looked at me brokenheartedly as she fed me my medicine.

“I was too careless that night. Jerry, I’ll repay your kindness with my life.”

Chapter 3

Yet, James had maliciously twisted the truth and made it seem like a cold transaction between Mdm. Yardley and me.

To make things worse, Mindy seemed to approve of what he did.

“Why didn’t you find it shameful when you did something like that back then? The cheek of you wanting to erase this article from the internet so you can marry Charmaine West! Sure, go ahead. But first, ask James what he thinks. I’ll help you delete it if he agrees.”

James arched a brow smugly. He stomped a foot on the table and pointed at his shoe.

“Jerry, some wine from the glass that Mindy broke just now got on these shoes. She had them custom-made for me. Lick it clean for me. If I’m pleased, I’ll delete that article!”

People at the party cheered.

“Lick it! Today is James’ birthday. Since you didn’t bring any gifts, you can do that as a gift to him!”

“What are you doing just standing there? Get on your knees and lick away! Are you still putting on airs when you’re begging others for help?”

Mindy’s friends started shoving me. Someone even grabbed me by the shoulders and forced me to kneel before James.

What hurt even more was the look of nonchalance on Mindy’s face as she stood watching on the sidelines.

I pushed them all away and said fiercely to Mindy, “I don’t care about the losses incurred by Bale Corporation because of that article, but you’d better be able to bear the consequences of losing the network your grandfather built from scratch under Bale Corporation!”

I had wanted to keep our relationship civil on her grandfather’s account.

On second thought, there was absolutely no need for that.

I turned to leave, ignoring the strange look in Mindy’s eyes.

Suddenly, she called out to me and ran after me. “Jerry, it was my fault just now. James only did that because he really didn’t want to see us break up.”

Mindy grabbed my arm and explained tenderly.

“James knows that you’re important to me. Call off the wedding, and I’ll give you another chance.”

Just then, some comments flashed past.

[Quit being pretentious. She does love you. The article was published just to force you to call off your wedding with Charmaine West. Go on like this and you’ll lose her.]

[You’ll only turn the tables and avoid your doom if you marry Mindy Sullivan! She’s already begging to be reconciled to you. You should know what’s good for yourself!]

She looked pleadingly at me, but failed to hide the annoyance and irritation in the depths of her eyes.

I couldn’t help but sneer. She was here to curry favor with me only because I had threatened her with her grandfather’s inheritance.

I flung her hand away and said icily, “Fine. As long as you make him delete that article, I’ll call off the wedding immediately.”

Her face lit up. She cupped my cheeks in her hands and kissed me. “That’s great. Jerry, I’ll have this problem resolved very soon!”

I tried to hide my disgust with a smirk and said nothing.

On my way back home, I received a text from an unfamiliar number.

[That article isn’t true, right? I believe you. I’ll persuade my parents to go ahead with the wedding and minimize the negative impact of the article.]

I felt relief in my heart. [Okay.]

The article was subsequently deleted, and the day of my wedding rolled around.

I was on my way to the West’s when James intercepted my car.

“Jerry, isn’t it inappropriate of you to not make me your groomsman?”

I wound down the window and looked indifferently at him. “James, isn’t it a tad too late to try to ruin my wedding?”

He leaned against the window frame and said with a smile plastered on his face, “I’m doing this for your good, Jerry. You’ll be doomed with the Wests. Don’t blame me for not reminding you that marrying Mindy is the only way out for you.”

Chapter 4

James was still trying to fool me with those pop-up comments. I figured that he was panicking over the fact that I was really bent on going to the Wests.

I wound up the car window and snickered.

“Do you really think you have a say in my life? Step aside.”

He suddenly reached his hand into the window which clamped down so hard on his fingers, he rolled on the floor crying in pain.

“Jerry! I was trying to remind you out of the goodness of my heart. How could you try to maim me? I’m an artist, for goodness’ sake! My hands are of utmost importance to me!”

Mindy rushed over in less than two minutes and helped James to his feet.

She started roaring at me. “How dare you hurt James like this! To think that I was at your house, waiting for you to regret your decision and come begging me. I didn’t expect you to play such nasty tricks with James!”

I looked coldly at her and said, “He was the one who stretched his hand into my window. Can you at least use your brain before jumping to his defense? Can’t he tell that I was winding up my window?”

The two of them were probably thinking of ways to ruin Charmaine and my wedding. Any delays would only make things riskier.

I decided to ignore them and ordered the driver to leave.

Mindy’s anger grew, making her pull the car door open and drag me out. She said to James with a sneer, “James, he wanted to maim you, didn’t he? Crush his legs! Let’s see if he’ll dare to bully you next time!”

She pulled out a black bag from her trunk and covered my head with it. She then struck my legs with a stick, and the throbbing pain made it hard for me to stand.

She dragged me a few feet away and said viciously, “Since you’re so desperate to marry into the West family, I’ll see if they want a disabled son-in-law! You’ll have no choice but to beg me when they throw you out!”

Her voice faded into the distance. Soon after, I heard the roar of a car’s engine as it sped toward me.

The inability to see made my other senses more keen. As the heat of the racing car grew closer, my body started shaking with fear.

“Mindy Sullivan! I’ll apologize to James! Make him stop!”

I shut my eyes, my legs trembling as I awaited my doom.

But the car never crashed into me. Instead, all I heard was James and Mindy’s mocking laughter.

“Jerry, the way you begged us to spare you was hilarious. I was just scaring you. To think you’re so easily frightened!”

“I managed to capture a video of how stupid you look and sent it to Ms. West. Just sit back and wait for her to call off the wedding.”

The bag over my head was pulled off. I gritted my teeth in anger and watched them leave hand in hand, bright smiles on their faces.

Comments flashed past once more, trying to defend Mindy’s actions.

[Mindy was just trying to hold you back because she doesn’t want to see you marrying into the West family. Didn’t you see the look of concern for you on her face just now?]

[While she’s still in a good mood, you should seize the chance and beg her to marry you! If not, you’ll be dragged to hell with the Wests!]

I sneered and sat back in my car, resuming my journey to the West’s to pick up the bride.

Nothing else out of the ordinary happened along the way. After I successfully picked up

Charmaine, we went straight to register our marriage.

Mindy and James can just forget about getting their hands on the inheritance!

-

When Mindy arrived home, she kept checking her phone obsessively, waiting for Jerry to call her to beg for mercy.

Everything she and James had done, coupled with those comments, were enough to scare Jerry into coming back for her. She was certain of that.

Yet, she never received news from Jerry even until the skies turned dark. In her frustration, she decided to pay the Bales a visit.

Just then, her secretary knocked on her door.

“Ms. Sullivan, the company called. The contract for Mr. Sullivan’s 50 million dollar inheritance has been invalidated. The reason being, Mr. Jerry Bale has married the daughter of the West family.”