Chapter 1

Banquet Hall, Golden Horizon Resort.

The crystal chandeliers sparkled brilliantly, and a luxurious waltz played softly in the background.

Charles Anderson, dressed in a perfectly tailored dark suit with his collar slightly open, adjusted his cufflinks absentmindedly.

His handsome face was clouded with anger as he spoke in a cold voice.

"Where's Patricia?"

"We're looking for her," his assistant, Paul Wilson, replied nervously, sweat dripping down his forehead.

Half an hour ago, Paul had seen Patricia White with Emily White in the banquet hall, eating and asking others to keep an eye on Emily.

But when he came out of the restroom, Patricia was nowhere to be found.

Paul had mobilized everyone in the secretarial office to search for her, silently praying that Patricia would return before Charles lost his temper.

Paul was on the verge of tears.

Irene Jackson clung to Charles's arm, her voice soft and sweet. "Charles, let's go dance."

"Wait," Charles's voice was icy, with a hint of barely perceptible irritation. "Patricia hasn't been found yet."

"Oh, maybe she felt uncomfortable and left on her own?" Irene laughed lightly. "Paul and the others are looking for her, aren't they?"

Irene glanced at the few people in the hall who were anxiously searching for Patricia but didn't dare to be too obvious about it, and she smirked.

Finding Patricia wouldn't be easy. Irene had bribed the staff here, and the key to the room where Patricia was locked was in her possession.

Patricia wouldn't be able to get out. Once the party was over, Irene would let her out.

Someone like Patricia, with her background, didn't deserve to stand beside Charles.

Irene had grown up with Charles.

After that person went abroad, given the long-standing relationship and cooperation between her family and the Anderson family, it should have been her who became Charles's wife.

But recently, news broke that Charles had registered his marriage with Patricia, a woman of unknown origin, and even brought along a three-year-old child?

Irene was furious. She was the one most qualified to be Charles's wife!

Charles belonged to her!

The cold metal buckle dug into her back, causing Patricia to wake up abruptly.

The air was filled with a faint woody scent mixed with a hint of dampness. This was the most secluded room on the third floor of the Golden Horizon Resort.

Patricia's eyes flashed with surprise. The suffocating feeling from the smoke still made her body uncomfortable, but there was no smoke in sight.

She shouldn't be here, but where was she?

She vaguely remembered being in her studio, looking at design drafts. Last night, she suddenly felt very sleepy, even though it was barely ten o'clock, and she kept yawning.

The moment the thick smoke filled her chest, she woke up choking. She rushed to the fire alarm and pressed it desperately, but no matter how hard she pressed, there was no response.

The office door had been locked by someone. She frantically dialed Charles's number and caught a glimpse of a figure quickly passing outside the glass door.

Patricia ran over to get a clearer look but tripped over some fabric on the floor. The flames quickly engulfed her, and she couldn't break free.

The smoke made it hard to breathe, and her vision gradually blurred.

In her final moments, she was relieved that she hadn't brought her daughter Emily with her.

But she was still unwilling to accept it.

She hadn't watched Emily grow up, hadn't resolved things with Charles.

Seeing this familiar scene, Patricia understood. She had been reborn.

Reborn to the night of the banquet after registering her marriage with Charles, her first appearance as Charles's wife.

In her previous life, her dress had been ruined, and she was locked in the dressing room for three hours.

By the time a passing staff member rescued her, the banquet was already halfway over.

She had to appear in the banquet hall wearing a torn dress, standing in the center like a clown, being ridiculed and scrutinized.

And there was Charles, her husband, gently holding Irene's hand, spinning in the center of the dance floor.

After that night, she became the laughingstock of Luminous City.

Missy Harris, who had always looked down on her background, mocked her even more, saying she was unfit for the stage.

Missy later used this incident to question her ability to raise Emily, taking Emily away to raise her.

When Patricia saw Emily again, her personality had become quiet and sensitive to the reactions of those around her.

In her previous life, Patricia didn't know why, but after entering the Anderson family, she became obedient to them, allowing them to mock and ridicule her.

Patricia took a deep breath. Since she had been reborn, she wouldn't let this happen again.

This time, she would protect Emily, not miss out on Emily's growth, and claim the part of the inheritance that rightfully belonged to Emily!

She would repay everyone who had mocked and looked down on her!

And that mysterious fire, clearly someone wanted her dead. This time, she would make sure the person behind it paid the price.

With her goals set, Patricia glanced at the dress thrown carelessly in the corner. The waist to the hem had been cut into two pieces.

She looked around and her eyes lit up when she saw the pile of discarded fabric in the corner.

She was an outstanding student at MetroStyle Academy of Fashion. Even after marrying Charles in her previous life, she hadn't given up on her dream of design.

A few years later, she even opened a fashion design studio.

Using her aesthetic skills, she quickly patched up the damaged dress with the discarded fabric.

Then, she mimicked the technique she had seen on TV to pick the lock. The old-fashioned lock was quickly opened.

She lifted her dress and hurried to the banquet hall.

Despite her previous life's experience, she was still nervous about being the center of attention.

But thinking of Emily, Patricia's heart tightened, and she pushed the door open a bit faster.

Entering the banquet hall, Patricia anxiously looked around.

Through the crowd, she saw the small figure of Emily, and her throat tightened.

Emily was wearing a pink little dress, pouting, her chubby face always frowning, looking very unhappy.

Missy stood beside her with an annoyed expression, muttering something.

Patricia's heart tightened, and she quickly walked towards Emily.

At that moment, someone among the guests suddenly said, "Is she Mrs. Anderson?"

Everyone turned to look, their eyes focused on the woman at the door.

The beige dress, modified by Patricia, had an asymmetrical neckline that accentuated her graceful figure.

Her long hair fell loosely, with a few strands clinging to her cheeks, adding a touch of casual charm and allure.

"Who said she wasn't good-looking? She looks like a movie star," someone exclaimed from the crowd.

"I remember that Chanel dress wasn't originally like this. Did Mr. Anderson personally hire a designer to customize it for her?"

"I think so. She has a great figure."

"Mr. Anderson really loves his wife."

Charles's gaze fell on Patricia's dress, his deep eyes showing a hint of surprise.

"Mommy!" Emily, who had been frowning, brightened up the moment she saw Patricia. She broke free from Missy's hand and ran towards Patricia.

Patricia knelt down and hugged Emily tightly, inhaling her familiar scent, and couldn't help but kiss her little face.

"Mommy, where did you go? Daddy and I have been looking for you!"

Emily snuggled into her arms, rubbing against her affectionately.

Patricia's heart ached.

Her Emily, still so young, was still that innocent and sweet little girl.

Thankfully, she had another chance to be part of her growth.

As she looked up, her gaze crossed the crowd and locked onto Charles.

Their eyes met, Patricia's gaze cold and distant, while Charles looked at her with a scrutinizing expression, surprised.

This wife who had just entered the family a few days ago had always been meek and timid in front of him. How had she suddenly become so dazzling?