Chapter 1

The first thing Jolene Miller did after being reborn was drop to her knees before her parents.

She pleaded with them, saying, "Dad, Mom, I've decided to marry Cedric Norwood to fulfill the marriage of convenience between our family and theirs."

Francis Miller and Gloria Lane were utterly surprised to hear that coming from her.

"But Jo, isn't Preston the one you love? Cedric is his uncle, you know."

Memories resurfaced, and emotions stirred within Jolene.

Her voice was tinged with a hint of sorrow as she answered, "And it's exactly because I know what would come of me for loving him that I dare not indulge in my feelings any longer.

"Dad, Mom, I've never asked you for anything. As the daughter of the Miller family, I've enjoyed the many pleasures that title brings me. I know that it is my responsibility to fulfill the marriage arrangement. This is my only request, and I hope you'll give me your blessings."

Taking in the sincerity in her eyes, Francis and Gloria sighed as they helped her to her feet. "Since you've made your decision, we'll head over to the Norwood family to discuss this.

"However, Cedric is influential; he may not agree to the proposal. That's the only concern. You should be mentally prepared for that possibility."

They comforted her while getting the gifts ready for the visit. Then, they drove off in their black car.

Looking back at the familiar arrangement in their living hall, Jolene felt surreal. While she was still in a trance, a notification tone sounded on her phone.

"Nightscape Bar. Come." It was Preston texting her to meet him. He included the location of the bar in the text.

The events earlier came to her, and she decided she should take the opportunity to tell him about the changes in the marriage arrangement. So, she headed over to Nightscape Bar.

The moment she opened the door to the private lounge, a bucket of cold water toppled all over her. She was totally drenched.

Coldness seeped through her bones, and she shivered. Peals of laughter rang out all around her.

"Look who we have here? It's Ms. Miller! Why is she looking like a drowned rat?"

"Serves her right! She's been following Pres around all the time. That's the consequence of being a simp who doesn't know her place!"

With a frosty expression, Preston Norwood walked up to her. There was a dangerous glint in his eyes.

He demanded, "Are you that desperate to marry me? Word of the marriage of convenience has only just got out. However, you've already asked your parents to head to my house to discuss the marriage. Now, word has spread, and everyone knows we're getting married. Are you satisfied now?"

Jolene knew he had misunderstood her. She wiped her face dry and brushed aside the strand of hair plastered to her forehead.

Then, she looked calmly at him. "The marriage arrangement between the Norwood and Miller families has already been confirmed, so there's no difference as to whose house the matter is being discussed at. Nevertheless, you don't have to worry yourself over it because it has nothing to do with you."

Preston was stunned for a moment. Then, he smirked. "It has nothing to do with me, you said? Are you telling me that I'm not the one who has to marry you? Ridiculous. Who else among the Norwoods is eligible if not me?"

Jolene was about to reply to him when the door, that was left ajar, opened. Simone Baker barged in.

After taking in the situation, she teared up. "Mr. Norwood… I heard you were getting married. I've come to wish you and Ms. Miller a blessed and blissful marriage."

With reddened eyes, she darted out. Her sobs could be heard from the room.

"Simone!" Preston panicked. Shoving Jolene aside, he went after Simone.

Jolene's head bumped against the coffee table, and a gash formed. Blood trickled down the wound, and it looked terrifying.

The pain was piercing. Watching as those two disappeared from her line of sight, memories of her past life reappeared in her mind.

Preston and she had known each other since they were young. In her past life, they used to be very close to each other.

When she came of age, she heard about the marriage of convenience between the Miller and Norwood families from her parents. Remembering how Preston had been caring for her over the years, she chose to marry him without a doubt.

However, he started treating her differently ever since he learned about it. Mad at first, he soon became indifferent. Eventually, he hated her.

Not understanding why, Jolene insisted on marrying him, thinking that things would be better after their marriage.

However, she discovered Preston had an extensive collection of photos of Simone in his study which he treasured. At that time, they had already had a child.

It was only then she knew that he actually loved Simone, the daughter of the Norwood family's housekeeper. Because of their social status, he was unable to be with Simone.

Two years after he got married, Simone married someone else. However, her marriage wasn't a harmonious one. Because of that, Preston hit the bottle, grieving over her encounter.

When Simone's husband died in a car accident, he deemed it the happiest day of his life.

Jolene witnessed it all, and she fell into despair. Still, she forced herself to turn a blind eye to them. She put all her heart into raising her daughter.

One day, her daughter and Simone's son were kidnapped. The kidnapper forced Preston to make a choice—he could only save one of them. He hesitated only for a split second before choosing Simone's son who wasn't related to him by blood.

The next moment, Jolene's daughter was pushed over the edge of the building. She fell to her death. Having witnessed it all, Jolene lost it and threw herself off the building too.

Now that she was reborn, she refused to put herself through such torture. All she wanted now was to cut ties with Preston!

In the lounge, the other guests were still teasing and mocking her.

"There will never be happiness in a forced marriage. Pres refuses to marry her; so what if she manages to tie him down in marriage?"

"When Pres stops going home, someone's going to be left all alone!"

Amid their snide remarks, Jolene's phone rang. She picked it up and saw her parents' text. It wrote, "Jo! Cedric agreed to the marriage! The wedding will be held in two weeks!"

Her parents were usually level-headed. For them to end every sentence with an exclamation just showed how surprised and excited they were to hear that Cedric had agreed to the proposal.

Jolene felt relieved.

Forcing herself to stand upright, she looked at the group before her who were still mocking her. Determination shone in her eyes.

"Whether or not I have a happy marriage is neither of your concerns nor is it Preston's. Please inform him that I'm getting married in two weeks, and the groom won't be him!"

Chapter 2

After leaving Nightscape Bar, Jolene went to the hospital to treat her wound. When she returned home, she packed everything that was related to Preston into a box.

Just then, Francis and Gloria returned. They were stunned to see what she was doing. "Jo, have you really let go of your feelings for Preston? Don't you love him anymore?"

As she nodded without hesitation, they felt relieved and smiled. "That's great. Cedric is abroad, and he's up to his neck in work. Together with the Norwoods, we video-called him today and had a mutual agreement regarding the marriage.

"Compared to Preston, Cedric is more sensible and mature. He's indeed a better match for you. It's just that given his good reputation, we thought it would be too farfetched to consider him as a candidate for the marriage arrangement. That's why we never did.

"We originally thought he would disagree with the proposal, but to our surprise, he agreed without a fuss."

Jolene's eyes reddened instantly. When she made the decision, she already knew Cedric would agree.

In her past life, descendants of the noble families, herself included, were afraid of Cedric due to their age difference. She rarely interacted with him, and they almost never met each other outside of family banquets.

All she knew about him was how he devoted himself to his career and single-handedly established an unparalleled business empire. He also never got married.

It wasn't until he took his life when he was 35 years old that others found a stack of love letters among his belongings in his bedroom.

Every letter was directed to someone named "Starley", and no one in the Norwood family knew who he was writing to.

Only Jolene knew.

On the day she was born, the sky was lit up by numerous stars. "Starley" was the nickname that her dearest elder gave her, with hopes that she would shine as brightly as a star.

She never knew that Cedric, who was cold and out of her league, had secretly loved her his entire life. Since fate gave her another chance to live, she was willing to give him and herself a chance.

While she was dazed, Francis and Gloria took out a gift box and handed it to her.

They sounded pleased as they said, "Jo, it's your birthday tomorrow. Cedric couldn't make it, but he asked his assistant to take this from his study and give it to you. Take a look and see if you like his gift."

The moment Jolene opened the box, a brilliant ring came into view. It was the most expensive diamond ring that Sotheby's had auctioned in the span of 50 years, "Eternal Star".

Jolene laid eyes on it once and could never forget it. She didn't expect Cedric to gift her such a priceless present. At that moment, she felt a burst of warmth in her heart.

In her past life, Preston stopped giving her any presents ever since word of their marriage spread. She had long since forgotten how it felt to receive a gift from a loved one.

The next day, Jolene's birthday banquet took place in the most luxurious hotel in the city at 7:00 pm sharp.

Guests offered her well wishes. With her marriage arrangement finally decided, Jolene felt that a burden was lifted off her chest. Her smile never left her face.

It was all good until a commotion arose amid the crowd. Everyone looked toward the entrance. Following their gazes, Jolene saw Preston entering with Simone.

That wasn't as insulting as the fact that his friends were walking toward her with a signboard, on which was written "Hypocrite".

The guests flocked around them, wanting to know more. They murmured among themselves.

Jolene's face turned as white as ash. Clenching her fists, she stared those troublemakers in the eyes. She asked coldly, "What's the meaning of this?"

Preston's friends scoffed as they looked at her. They teased her out loud.

"We have to ask you the same question! Didn't you tell us yesterday that Pres won't be your groom? Then explain why his family is already preparing for the wedding. No one's better at playing hard to get than you are, Ms. Miller! I think this signboard describes you pretty well!"

"I told you she was just being stubborn yesterday. She's been pursuing Pres for so many years. Everyone knows she even cast aside her dignity for him. Claiming that she doesn't love him anymore and isn't going to marry him is merely a trick to stall for time. Preston is the only person among the Norwoods who's of her age. Who else can she marry if not him?"

Laughter rang out across the hall.

Preston looked at her icily. "Jolene, stop being such a hypocrite and stop trying to get my attention. After we get married, I won't give you anything other than the identity of my wife."

Jolene heard that too in her previous life. He stayed true to his word. Throughout their seven years of marriage, she gained nothing except her identity as his wife.

The crowd discussed among themselves. Jolene inhaled deeply and raised her voice, saying, "Preston Norwood! I don't need you to give me anything. Listen carefully. The person I'll be marrying isn't you, and he isn't someone of my age either. He's your—"

Before she could say Cedric's name, an incident interrupted her.

Simone suddenly covered her mouth and nose as rashes appeared on her face. With reddened eyes, she leaned into Preston's arms. "Mr. Norwood, it's so itchy. Why are there so many hyacinths here? I'm allergic to hyacinths!"

Hyacinths were Jolene's favorite flowers, so they were used to decorate every corner of the hall.

As Simone's breathing grew more rapid, Preston felt anxious. He kept calling her name and eventually carried her.

He left behind only two instructions. The first was directed toward Jolene. "Jolene, you're not allowed to plant or place hyacinths anywhere after we get married!"

The other was directed toward his friends. "Wreck this entire hall after I leave."

"Leave it to us, Pres!" They immediately heaved chairs and tables, smashing them around like hooligans.

Jolene's birthday cake was splattered across the floor. Utensils were smashed into pieces, guests trampled on the flowers as they scurried away.

"Stop! Who said you could ruin my birthday banquet? I said, stop!"

"You're going to marry Preston, after all. You should obey him in everything as he'll be your husband." Preston's friends burst out laughing.

Jolene couldn't stop their brash act despite how hard she tried. Instead, she was mocked thoroughly.

Eventually, the guests left, and her birthday ended in a mess.

Chapter 3

For the next few days, Jolene locked herself up in her room, teary-eyed.

After learning about Preston's ridiculous actions, Francis and Gloria were all the more glad that they hadn't chosen him as Jolene's partner. They even wanted to confront the Norwood family about what happened.

However, Jolene, who finally left her room after several days, stopped them. The marriage was nearing, and she hoped everything would go smoothly.

After persuading her parents not to confront the Norwood family, she left the house with a design blueprint.

Preston wasn't the reason she'd locked herself in her room for the past few days. He didn't matter to her anymore.

She was designing a wedding ring for Cedric. Knowing how valuable "Eternal Star" was, she secretly wanted to repay his affection by doing so.

She handed the blueprint to the butler, telling him to get an experienced craftsman to craft the ring. However, she didn't receive the ring even after it was due.

Upon enquiring, she found out Preston had dropped by several days ago. The ring she designed caught his attention immediately.

After asking around about it, he took it with him, saying that there was no need for Jolene to pick it up since the ring was for him anyway.

The staff knew about the marriage arrangement between the Miller and Norwood families, so they didn't stop him.

Jolene's heart sank. She immediately went to the Norwood residence to retrieve the ring from Preston.

She was welcomed by the sight of Simone sitting before a mountain of parcels. She said in a honeyed tone, "Mr. Norwood, you checked out everything on my online shopping cart without my knowing again. How could I ever repay your kindness?"

"I did it willingly; you don't have to repay me. Also, I've told you many times before that you don't have to address me as 'Mr. Norwood'."

Simone bashfully called him, "Pres."

Despite witnessing them being all lovey-dovey, Jolene didn't even bat an eyelid as she hurried in.

Preston turned to the sound of her footsteps and frowned. "Why have you come?"

"Give me back the ring you took."

Preston arched an eyebrow at her outstretched palm. "I don't have it."

Jolene's gaze turned grim. She asked solemnly, "What do you mean by that?"

Preston was still thinking up excuses when Simone, sitting on the floor, timidly spoke up. "Ms. Miller, I learned from the Internet that the most efficient way to open parcels is by using a ring, so I used it to open my parcels, hundreds of them. The ring is deformed now. Do you still want it?"

As she spoke, she opened her palm and showed Jolene the damaged ring.

How could Preston give Simone her ring just to open parcels?

Anger flared up within Jolene, and it overwhelmed her. Unable to control her emotions, she glared at them with reddened eyes. They seemed unbothered.

She snarled, "Preston Norwood, how could you take my belongings without my permission? And Simone, who gave you the right to misuse it? Don't you two know anything about respect?"

Seeing as how she was losing her temper over a ring, Preston felt that his good mood was now spoiled.

Frustrated, he retorted, "You were going to give it to me anyway. Why are you making a scene? Oh, that reminds me. I've decided to only get our marriage registered and not hold a wedding. Therefore, there's no need for a ring. Stop wasting your time."

Furious at his snobbish attitude, Jolene clenched her fists. She emphasized again, saying, "Preston, that ring isn't for you!"

"Then who else did you design it for? You should know when to stop, Jolene. You're taking it too far!" Preston mocked. As he did, he flung the ring away and led Simone out of the house. "Let's not waste our time dealing with her. Simone, didn't you say you wanted to learn how to drive? Come, I'll teach you."

Watching them leave, Jolene was filled with unending anger and indignance. She wanted to go after them, yet she had to look for the ring. Getting down on her hands and feet, she started searching for it.

It took her half an hour to find it in the flowerbed. Carefully putting it into her pocket, she got to her feet without hesitation and turned to leave. There was no time for her to make a new one. All she could do now was to get someone to try restoring it.

However, the moment she stepped out of the villa, she heard a noise. Looking up, she saw a car coming right at her, and her eyes widened.

After a loud thud, she was flung dozens of feet away from where she stood, lying in a pool of blood.

Simone was at the wheel. Appearing to be scared, she got out of the car crying. "Oh, no. I'm still learning how to drive and accidentally took the accelerator for the brake. I screwed up. Ms. Miller is bleeding so badly. Pres, will she be okay?"

The stone step was covered with blood. Preston frowned at the sight as he pulled Simone into his arms, gently comforting her. "It's fine. That's her usual attempt to garner sympathy. It's just an act. Don't mind her. She'll wake up when we ignore her. Don't be afraid, Simone. Don't cry."

Jolene heard him through her hazy senses, and her blood went cold. Tears streamed out of her eyes.

She had thought he would have at least cared for her since they had known each other from a young age, even though he didn't love her. However, he shrugged off her safety just to coax Simone.

She wondered why on earth she had fallen for him in her previous life.

Struggling, she tried to call for help, but reaching for her phone used up every last bit of her energy. Darkness swallowed her.

It was already the next day when she regained consciousness.

Before long, the doctor came in with her file. He asked sternly, "Why didn't you come straight away to the hospital after the accident? You almost bled yourself dry. This is not a joke."

Recalling the events before she blacked out, Jolene could only let out a wry smile. She didn't know how to respond to that. What was she supposed to say? That her childhood friend ignored her well-being because he was too busy consoling his sweetheart?

The doctor didn't ask any further. "Where's your husband? You should get him to see through the hospital admission procedure."

Still under the influence of the anesthesia, Jolene blurted out, "He's abroad."

The door opened just then. Preston walked in, staring her in the eyes. "Who did you say was abroad?"

Chapter 4

The doctor chimed in, "There he is. You were the one who signed the informed consent form for the surgery, so I assume you must be her husband.

"Didn't I tell you to keep watch over the patient all the time while she was unconscious? Why did you leave her side? Thank god nothing happened. Now you should settle the admission procedures."

As he spoke, he handed Preston the admission slip and left the ward.

"He's not my husband!" Even though the doctor had left, Jolene tried to explain.

For some reason, Preston felt uneasy. "Enough. I've taken you to the hospital, yet you're still trying to play hard to get? You should know when to stop."

He placed the bag he held on the table. Noticing the bandage on her head, he spoke in a gentler tone, saying, "The food's still warm. You should eat it before it gets cold."

Seeing the familiar logo, Jolene was stunned. In the past, she'd always lose her appetite whenever she fell sick. Then, Preston would travel miles to that very shop and line up for hours for their croissant just to cheer her up.

However, in both lives, he'd never been that gentle to her ever since he found out about the marriage arrangement.

Staring at the vapor clouding the inside of the bag, Jolene didn't budge. Slowly, she closed her eyes.

Suddenly, she heard Preston's hesitant voice. "About what happened yesterday, Simone didn't do it on purpose. Don't hold it against her."

It turned out he was only doing this for Simone.

Opening her eyes, Jolene actually cried laughing. "Preston, that was intentional. I will make a police report so she gets the punishment she deserves!"

Preston's expression darkened. Infuriated, he shouted, "I've bought you food and apologized on her behalf. Jolene, don't take this too far!"

He couldn't keep up with the pretense anymore. Jolene laughed at that realization. In silent protest, she stared at him with her reddened eyes.

Preston seemed to know how headstrong she was. After some time, he massaged his brow and sighed heavily. "If that's the case, let's both compromise. You're just making a scene so that I marry you, right?

"In that case, the wedding shall go on. I'll show up at the wedding our families are getting ready with, the one you long for. There, happy?"

Noticing the look of forbearance on his face, Jolene lowered her gaze. She couldn't help but remember the past.

In her previous life, Preston didn't show up at their wedding. He detested her and harbored the same resentment toward their wedding. Even though he agreed to show up this time, it was only because of Simone.

Back then, he married her despite not loving her. It was most probably because his family had threatened him.

After all, Simone was his only weakness, and it was easy to control her as she was only the daughter of a housekeeper. They didn't have to worry that Preston would disobey them.

But in this life, Jolene was determined not to let history repeat itself. She said frankly, "There's no need. My groom isn't you in the first place. Whether or not you show up won't affect anything!"

Infuriated, Preston was about to lose his temper when his phone rang. It was from Simone. He instantly forgot everything else and left right away.

As the door closed, Jolene picked up her phone and called the police. After telling them what had happened, she received surprising news.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Miller. That incident was only considered as an accident. Your fiancé signed the mediation agreement immediately after, so we can't open a case."

Jolene was peeved. Frustration built within her.

She hurled her phone against the wall, smashing it to pieces. Waves of pain surged throughout her body. Unable to hold it back any further, she cried out loud in the ward, empty but for her.

For the next few days, Preston brought fruits and nutritious food for her. He even enlisted the help of several doctors to discuss her condition. Having regained control over her emotions, Jolene ignored him.

Seeing how cold she was, Preston started feeling anxious as he didn't know why she was mad. Still, thinking that she wasn't feeling well, he had no choice but to bear with her.

He finally lost it on the day of Jolene's discharge when she refused to get into his car.

Unable to hold back his frustration, he demanded, "I've already given in, so how long are you going to act up? Aren't you worried I'll get fed up and not marry you if you continue behaving like this?"

Jolene knew he wouldn't believe her no matter how hard she tried to explain, so she merely hung her head and pretended she hadn't heard him.

Preston thought she was yielding, and his mood lifted. He spoke less harshly. "You should never act up anymore. Uncle Cedric is coming back today. I'll take you to our family dinner.

"He's the head of our family and will announce our marriage to the rest of the family tonight. I promised you I'd be at the wedding, so I'll make sure to hold a grand one. Are you satisfied now?"

Chapter 5

Upon hearing Preston, Jolene looked up. A hint of joy tinged her usually indifferent tone as she asked, "Did you say your Uncle Cedric is returning to the country?"

Noticing that she was now her usual self, Preston smiled knowingly. "That's right. Are you that eager to marry me? Don't worry. I will be at the wedding. Don't ever act up again. Playing hard to get is interesting at first, but it'll just annoy me if you keep using the same trick."

As he spoke, he opened his car door.

Jolene knew he wouldn't listen to her even if she explained. Giving up on the notion, she got into the passenger seat. She said frankly, "I want to go home to make myself more presentable."

Preston thought that she must've loved him very deeply. That was why she took the family dinner seriously and wanted to meet Cedric looking her best. With an eyebrow raised, he agreed to her request for once.

When Jolene was ready, they went to the Norwood residence. There were many at the dinner. They weren't surprised to see Jolene and greeted her.

After a short exchange, she sat in a corner, waiting for Cedric to show up. Unsure of how their reunion would go, she wasn't paying attention the whole night. Her heart thumped furiously.

Soon, Preston realized her abnormal behavior and looked at her, displeased. "I'm right here beside you. Why are you spacing out? This is my last warning. I've already promised to marry you, so don't behave like this again! Otherwise, I may very well take back my word!"

Jolene almost fought back, but she stopped herself in time. Anyhow, he'd soon understand that he wasn't her groom. There was no need for her to waste her time explaining it to him.

Several minutes later, the main entrance finally opened. Everyone turned to look, expectant. However, the person who had just arrived was Louis Norwood, not Cedric.

Staggering, Louis went to the front and announced, "Cedric was in a mild car accident before he departed and missed his flight. He's now still overseas and won't be joining us for dinner tonight."

After listening to him, Jolene immediately sprung to her feet. "Mr. Norwood Senior, how is he? Are his injuries severe?"

Louis denied it. He comforted her, saying, "He's fine. It won't get in the way of the wedding too. Don't worry, Jo."

Frowning, Preston tugged her back down. He rebuked softly, "Although we're getting married, you're still not my wife. You shouldn't be showing too much concern toward Uncle Cedric just to flaunt your identity as my wife. That's inappropriate!"

Having had enough, Jolene was about to tell him the truth when Louis cleared his throat. Everyone quietened.

He said, "I've gathered all of you mainly to announce the marriage of convenience between the Norwood and Miller family. The date has been decided. The wedding will be taking place in seven days at Nautilus Resort. It's between the daughter of the Miller family, Jolene Miller, and…"

As Louis announced the news in his booming voice, Preston received a message from Simone. Something must've happened to her as Preston's face changed upon reading her message. He swiftly got to his feet and left the hall, so he didn't hear the rest of the announcement.

Louis continued, "... the head of the Norwood family, Cedric Norwood!"

That struck many as unexpected. The crowd erupted into murmurs.

"Did I mishear? Is it Cedric instead of Preston who's going to get married?"

"Yeah, how can it be Uncle Cedric? I thought he'd always kept his distance from women. Why would he marry someone so much younger?"

The hall was abuzz. Still, no one dared to make any further comments despite their shock because of Cedric's identity. They merely got up and gave Jolene their blessings.

After the dinner, still worried about Cedric's condition, Jolene approached Louis.

Louis patted her shoulder, looking delighted. "Cedric sent us a photo of his injuries. It's nothing serious and will heal in no time. There's no need to worry, Jo. You just have to prepare yourself for the marriage."

Jolene felt relieved at his words.

For the next few days, she stayed at home preparing the invitation cards, trying on her wedding gown, and calculating her assets. She cast everything else aside.

In the meantime, she received many messages from Preston's friends, yet she never read them.

It wasn't until one day when she accidentally clicked and read them before going to bed that she realized they were all texting her about the same thing.

"Pres got injured and was admitted to the hospital. He's now at Pinehill District Hospital, in Room 609. Aren't you going to visit him? Remember to bring him the chicken broth he loves."

"Why aren't you replying to our messages? Are you still playing hard to get? It's getting old. Will you just put a stop to this?"

"Jolene Miller, what the hell are you doing? You're just a simp. Why are you putting on airs? Hurry up and get over here!"

Jolene found those messages amusing. She decided to reply to their messages. "He might be injured, but he has the nurses, you guys, and Simone to take care of him. What does that have anything to do with me?"

After her message went through, she opened her social media account. It was filled with selfies Preston took at the hospital.

As far as she could remember, Preston never posted anything on his social media account. Therefore, she was slightly surprised to see that.

However, she didn't think much about it. She exited the app soon after. Then, she contacted one of the Norwoods, whom she recently added as a contact, and asked him a lot about Cedric.