I was lying gutted on a table in some black-market organ harvesting clinic, my insides being scooped out.

Meanwhile, my A-list celebrity husband was blowing the five million bucks he got for selling me in a high-stakes Vegas casino.

My husband, Ethan Cole, was the entertainment world’s golden boy, praised by everyone as a positive role model. But he was also a gambler.

He gambled away everything we owned. Then he conspired with our accountant to steal the hundred-million-dollar emergency fund meant to save my dad’s company.

He lost it all overnight. The shock killed my dad.

I was completely disillusioned. I wanted a divorce. I wanted him in prison.

But he got on his knees, begging, using the fact that he’d once given me a kidney to guilt-trip me.

In the end, I softened. I let him go.

I never imagined my moment of weakness would lead me straight to hell.

He and the rich older woman bankrolling him teamed up to sell me to a black-market organ trafficking ring.

Strapped to a cold metal table, fully conscious, I watched them slice open my stomach and remove my organs.

The overwhelming pain and terror plunged me into darkness.

When I woke up again, I found I’d been reborn. I was back on the exact day I was about to turn Ethan in, the day he pleaded desperately for me to stop.

1

My head throbbed as I slowly opened my eyes.

The man kneeling at my feet clutched my legs, sobbing uncontrollably. "Liv, please, let me go," he choked out. "Don't hand over the evidence, okay? I'll go to jail! I'm a celebrity! You'll ruin my life! Liv, don't you remember how much I loved you? When you were sick, I gave you my kidney! You can't be this cruel."

This scene… it was so familiar. It was… right after I discovered my husband, Ethan Cole, had embezzled my dad’s emergency company funds for gambling, lost it all overnight, causing my dad to die of a heart attack. The moment I was ready to send him to prison.

Had I… been reborn?

It seemed even fate couldn't ignore my simmering rage, my bottomless hatred.

Since I get a do-over, Ethan Cole, I swear you'll die a dog’s death!

Remembering the agony he inflicted on me and my dad in my past life, my hatred boiled over. I lashed out with my stiletto heel, kicking the unprepared Ethan hard. He crumpled to the floor, howling in pain.

"Aaaah! It hurts! Liv, are you crazy? I saved your life! How could you do this to me?"

Ethan curled up on the floor, whimpering for a long moment before shouting at me in disbelief.

Ha. Same old routine. In my past life, every time Ethan screwed up, he'd pull the "I gave you my kidney" card to shut me up. And every damn time, I fell for it.

Not anymore. I wouldn't be fooled again.

Ignoring his cries, I decided to strike while the iron was hot. I grabbed a nearby ceramic vase and smashed it over his head. Ethan let out a bloodcurdling scream.

Unfortunately, he managed to partially block it with his leg. It didn't kill him instantly, but it definitely took him out of commission.

My fury wasn't quenched. The memory of being sliced open, the excruciating pain… I turned and headed to the kitchen, selecting the sharpest knife I could find.

Seeing me approach like that, Ethan looked terrified, practically melting into a puddle on the floor, trembling. Blood from his injured leg stained the expensive rug.

"Liv… what… what are you doing? Calm down! Killing someone is illegal!"

"You killed my father. I'm going to make you join him," I hissed, advancing on him like a vengeful spirit clawing its way out of hell.

"I… I didn't! It wasn't on purpose! I didn't know Dad's company was in trouble! I thought I'd win the money back quickly! It was just bad luck that I lost it all! It's not my fault! Besides, your dad wasn't healthy anyway! How can you blame his death on me?" Ethan was frantic now, a suspicious yellow puddle spreading beneath him.

His words stopped me in my tracks. I couldn't believe someone could be so utterly shameless, so despicable.

2

In my previous life, my dad's company hit serious trouble. Cash flow dried up, forcing him to take out a mortgage loan against assets.

But shortly after the loan money came through, it vanished from the company accounts.

The investigation pointed to the accountant, who had transferred all the funds into Ethan’s account.

When we contacted Ethan, his account was empty. He’d blown through over a hundred million dollars in a single night of gambling.

Hearing the news, my dad suffered a fatal heart attack. He couldn’t be revived.

Afterward, god knows what Ethan promised the accountant, but the guy confessed, claiming Ethan had nothing to do with it. He even produced records showing the transfers were 'gifts,' with notes explicitly stating they were voluntary donations. There was no paper trail linking them professionally for this transaction.

But I knew Ethan was behind it. I’d accidentally found his burner phone, the one with chat logs detailing his conspiracy with the accountant.

I confronted him, hoping he’d confess. But Ethan used the 'life-saving' kidney donation to emotionally blackmail me. And fool that I was, I let him off the hook.

2

And his repayment? Selling me to an organ harvesting ring.

This time, there would be no second chances.

Snapping back to the present, I ignored Ethan’s pathetic screams. I put down the knife, found a roll of duct tape, and tightly bound his hands and feet. I slapped a piece over his mouth and dragged him down to the basement, locking the door.

I needed to calm down, think clearly. I didn't just want Ethan dead. I wanted him ruined, disgraced, suffering unimaginable agony before he died. I wanted him to experience everything I went through.

And I wanted to bring down that entire black-market operation that butchered me.

I searched Ethan’s room and found all his phones. Using his face, I unlocked each one.

Not only did he have multiple phones, but each phone also had a dual operating system, like a hidden partition.

What I found inside was explosive. Absolutely insane.

I found multiple group chats dedicated to high-stakes gambling. Perfect. Conspiracy to gamble, check.

Then there were dozens of hookup groups. Endless transaction records for escorts and call girls. Great. Solicitation, possibly organizing illicit activities, check.

Shady contracts suggesting tax evasion.

Embezzlement of massive company funds.

…

The list went on. All these charges combined had to mean decades in prison. But it wasn't enough. Not nearly enough.

I combed through everything, determined not to miss a single dirty secret. I wanted to expose every rotten piece of him, show his adoring fans, show the whole world, the monster hiding beneath Ethan Cole's perfect skin.

The deeper I dug, the more horrified I became. It was hard to believe the man I'd shared my bed with for years was this kind of scum.

I couldn't help myself. I went back down to the basement, ripped the tape off his mouth just long enough to slap him hard across the face. I felt one of his teeth loosen.

Ethan could only glare at me with pure hatred, like he wanted to tear me apart with his bare hands.

Then, in a chat with a contact saved as "Doc," I found a strange message:

[Boss approved. 5 mil. Three days. 1 AM. Address is…]

[Received. Pleasure doing business.]

I tried scrolling up, but older messages were deleted. Something felt very wrong. The level of caution suggested something illegal and serious.

Just then, a notification popped up on another phone.

The contact was saved as "Red": "Ethan baby, I miss you. Come crawl into my arms."

Swallowing my disgust, I scrolled through their chat history.

So, this was the rich cougar bankrolling the scumbag.

I screenshotted a few things and was about to switch phones when another message came in.

Red: "How's that bitch doing? Her dad's dead, and I bought out his company for pennies. She must be clinging to you for dear life now. When are you finally going to deal with her? My patience is wearing thin!"

She was talking about me. So these two lowlifes had conspired against my family from the start. My chest ached with fury and guilt. I had let this wolf into our lives, and it cost my father everything.

I thought for a moment, then typed back, "Soon. She's already agreed to the divorce."

"Divorce? Don't play dumb with me, Ethan. Why would I want a divorce? I want her ruined. I want her dead, and suffering."

…

"Okay," I typed back.

Fine. You want to play games? I'm ready to play.

3

I ripped the tape off Ethan’s mouth again and shoved the phone in his face. "Who is Red? Why is she targeting me?"

"Liv, I was wrong, I really was! Hit me, yell at me, I deserve it! Just forgive me, please? I hurt all over," Ethan whined, smart enough to know screaming was useless in this secluded mansion in the hills. His only option was to beg.

"I might let you go," I lied smoothly, subtly turning on my phone's camera. "If you tell me, was it this 'Red' who put you up to going after me and my dad?"

"..."

"Fine," I sighed theatrically. "Then I'll just package up all your dirty laundry and send it off to TMZ and The Insider. By tomorrow, you'll be the next disgraced A-lister heading for prison. You'll never work in this town again."

"Okay, okay! I'll talk! Just don't send anything!" Ethan pleaded, terrified.

"All I know is she was your dad's business rival. She was the one who convinced me to… access your dad's company funds. I don't know why she hates you specifically. Maybe… maybe I'm just too irresistible, and she couldn't stand the competition for my affection? But Liv, my heart only belongs to you! Red and I… it was just business, an act! Remember, I gave you my—"

"Stop! Don't make me sick," I cut him off. "Our family paid back any 'debt' for that kidney years ago through your career." God, I was so stupid. It took dying once to finally see the truth.

My husband, Ethan Cole, was a top-tier Hollywood star.

He had that innocent, boy-next-door look, could sing, could act. He cultivated a 'single and searching' image that captivated millions of young women. What his fans didn't know was that he was married – to me, Olivia Miller, or Liv.

I was the only daughter of the CEO of one of LA's biggest entertainment companies. During my senior year of college, I was diagnosed with end-stage kidney failure.

My dad used all his connections and offered a fortune online, searching desperately for a donor. Just when I was losing hope, Ethan Cole appeared.

He contacted my dad, offered to get tested, and miraculously, he was a match.

3

Back then, Ethan was just some unknown actor signed to my dad’s company, barely scraping by.

He was young, around my age. My dad felt uneasy about taking a kidney from someone so young and planned to compensate him generously after the surgery.

But after the transplant, Ethan refused any compensation. He told me he’d had a secret crush on me for ages, that giving me his kidney was something he wanted to do, asking for nothing in return except for me to be healthy.

At the time, I thought it was the stuff of epic romance. My dad suspected ulterior motives, but I was insistent, head over heels, and eventually, he gave in and let us be together.

After we got married, my dad poured resources into Ethan's career. He even went head-to-head with rival studios to promote him. This corporate warfare put immense strain on my dad's company, leaving it vulnerable. But Ethan? He soared to A-list status.

Looking back now, it's laughable how I let him use that 'gift' to manipulate me for years. This time, he'd learn what happens when you bite the hand that feeds you.

I remembered from my past life, around this time, Ethan was invited by a major non-profit to be their official Anti-Gambling Ambassador. There was going to be a huge ceremony, live-streamed nationally. That was the day after tomorrow.

Perfect. Before then, I’d just add some fuel to the fire. Let everyone see exactly what kind of 'anti-gambling' this ambassador was really doing.

4

The next morning, I went down to the basement, untied Ethan, and even tended to his wounds, applying antiseptic and bandages.

Ethan didn't dare make a sudden move. Maybe it was the kitchen knife I was casually holding, or maybe he was just biding his time, looking for an opportunity.

"Ethan," I started, forcing tears into my eyes. "I shouldn't have hit you yesterday. But losing Dad… you causing it… I just lost control. Thinking about it now, I feel horrible. You gave me your kidney, and I treated you like that. I was wrong. Please, can you forgive me? You're all I have left now."

I put on my best repentant act, though inwardly I felt nauseous. I stole a glance at the tiny hidden camera tucked behind a potted plant. I had to keep this up.

Ethan looked stunned by my sudden 180-degree turn. "Are… are you serious?"

"Of course, Ethan. Please tell me you can forgive me?"

"Put the knife down first," he demanded.

I tossed the knife casually onto the floor. Seeing this, Ethan scrambled to pick it up, his true colors instantly showing. He pointed it at me. "Give me all the evidence you have! And my phones! Or I'll kill you!"

"Ethan! What are you doing? Don't! You're scaring me! Boo hoo," I fake-cried.

"Cut the crap! Give it to me! Now!"

"Okay, okay! I'll give it to you! Here's the proof of your gambling, stealing Dad's millions, losing it all overnight… it's all on this drive," I said, handing him a USB stick. I watched him meticulously delete everything from it, a smirk playing on my lips.

"Ethan, the evidence is gone now. Can you forgive me? I know you still love me. Why else would you have donated your kidney when I was dying?" I put on a pitiful, wronged expression, tears welling up in my eyes.

Delete it? He wished. I had backed everything up a hundred times over, stored in multiple secure locations.

"Liv, you really think highly of yourself, don't you?" he sneered, dropping the act now that he thought he was safe. "I might as well tell you the truth now. I only donated that kidney because I knew your dad could make me a star. The resources, the connections to get me to the top… that’s all I wanted. Did you really think you were some kind of siren who could charm a man into giving you his heart? You're pathetically naive."

"What? No! You're lying! That's not true! You loved me! All these years, you were so good to me… it couldn't have all been fake!" I committed fully to the role of the devastated, love-blind fool, nearly gagging on my own performance.

"I was good to you so your dad would be even better to me," Ethan spat, his face full of smug satisfaction, utterly devoid of remorse. "He went to war with half of Hollywood for me, got himself crushed in the process. Don't blame me for that. Blame yourself and your father for being idiots."

I couldn't take it anymore. My hand flew out, slapping him hard across his smug face.

Ethan froze, stunned. Then, recovering his senses, he lunged at me with the knife. Instinctively, I threw my hand up, catching the blade. Bare-handed.

Ethan's expression was priceless. He clearly hadn't expected me to be crazy enough to try and catch a knife.

He panicked, his hand trembling so badly he dropped the knife onto the floor.

I picked it up and handed it back to him. "It's a plastic prop knife, Ethan. What are you so scared of? See? My hand is perfectly fine."

Good. This little charade had served its purpose.

Just then, Ethan's phone rang. It was his agent, rushing him to get ready for an event – a fan meet-and-greet today.

Limping, Ethan headed out, clutching his bruised face. Before leaving, he shot me a look full of menace and muttered, "Just you wait."

Once Ethan was gone, I carefully reviewed the video I’d secretly recorded. Everything looked good. It would be perfect for the big reveal the day after tomorrow.

Then, I took a small clip from the footage I'd captured the night before – the part where Ethan admitted Red was just a means to an end – and sent it anonymously to 'Red'.

I was betting that as soon as Red saw that clip, she'd summon Ethan for a confrontation. And I was ready. I'd already planted a tiny listening device on him and had his phone's GPS tracked.

5

Things unfolded exactly as I expected. After Ethan's fan event, the two had a furious argument over the phone. They finally agreed to meet at a five-star hotel downtown, in their 'usual room'.

Usual room? The audacity of these two. Carrying on like this for so long without getting caught by the paparazzi was almost impressive.