"Sign this agreement," Alaric said coolly, sliding the document across the table. "I won’t pursue legal action. You’ll receive two hundred million in compensation. The entertainment company under your name will be fully transferred to you. And… you'll get two apartments in the city center."
Soraya clutched the agreement with trembling hands, her eyes wide and gleaming with disbelief.
Two. Hundred. Million.
Internally, she was shrieking. Boss Valemont, you're actually a decent human being!
That amount could last her three lifetimes if she budgeted well. Her eyes sparkled with restrained glee. She had to force herself to recall the darkest, most miserable moments of her previous life just to stop herself from bursting into hysterical laughter.
Keep it low-key, Soraya, she reminded herself. You’re a sophisticated interdimensional traveler now. Dignity first.
Truth be told, Soraya had once been a regular office worker—until one fateful night of overtime changed everything. A messenger from the underworld randomly yanked her soul out of her body. Apparently, because she was an orphan with no lingering connections, she was “eligible” for quick processing. No reincarnation, no discussion.
As compensation, the underworld messenger granted her a chance to transmigrate… into a wealthy neighborhood.
Just like that, she inherited the identity and memories of her new body: a rich heiress living in comfort and luxury. It didn’t take her long to adapt.
The original owner of the body had been a pampered young lady, obsessed with beauty and completely unequipped for reality. After her parents died, she was taken in by the Valemont family, longtime friends of the Montroses.
The elder Valemonts had watched her grow up. Naturally, they wouldn’t let outsiders bully her. They adopted her and raised her as one of their own. But despite this kindness, the girl had grown up anxious, withdrawn, and painfully insecure. She never quite warmed up to the Valemonts.
Then came the twist: she developed secret feelings for Alaric Valemont.
Afraid of being kicked out after adulthood, she resorted to a desperate plan. One night, she drugged Alaric, intending to sleep with him—and was caught red-handed the next morning by other family members.
Alaric loathed manipulation of any kind. After that night, he refused to even look at her. Her response? Crying, threatening, clinging… until eventually, under pressure from his parents, Alaric married her.
But the wedding didn’t improve anything. If anything, it made things worse.
Alaric all but lived in his office. At home, he acted like she didn’t exist. The original Soraya, consumed by despair, gave up on life. After a sudden heart condition, she died quietly in her room.
And that’s when this Soraya entered the picture.
Having experienced hardship in her past life, Soraya had no interest in playing the pitiful wife. All she wanted now was to divorce peacefully, collect whatever she could, and start a luxurious new chapter of freedom.
Romance? Please. She’d never dated in either of her lives. It was time she spoiled herself for once.
Sure, Alaric was tall, rich, and incredibly good-looking. But every time they met, he insulted her. What was that about? She wasn’t into humiliation.
Unfortunately, the underworld messenger hadn’t explained everything up front. Turned out, unless Alaric initiated the divorce, she was stuck in the marriage. As a substitute soul, she couldn’t make that decision for the original owner.
And the original character was madly in love with Alaric. She wouldn’t have signed a divorce even in death. Literally.
Soraya was furious. How is this even fair?! she cursed the underworld’s bureaucracy.
To make up for it, the messenger gave her a special bonus: the Gossip System.
It was like having a personal search engine for secrets. As a professional gossip enthusiast, Soraya was thrilled. She could uncover dirt on anyone, anywhere. Perfect.
Given that Alaric rarely came home and her mother-in-law was surprisingly kind, Soraya figured she could ride this out. Live quietly. Enjoy the rich wife life. Stay out of trouble.
That was the plan… until the heavens finally smiled on her.
One morning, just as she’d finished breakfast, she was summoned to Alaric’s office. His secretary brought her in, silent and businesslike. Then—bam. A divorce agreement.
And a compensation package straight out of a dream.
As Soraya stared at the numbers on the check, she could barely breathe. Two billion. With a B.
Even in two lives, she had never seen that many zeroes before.
Across the desk, Alaric sat in silence, watching her.
To him, this was just another cleanup operation.
He believed she still loved him. The crying, the clinging, the desperate manipulation—it had defined her. She once got him drunk and tried to seduce him. Tried to make herself irreplaceable.
She never stopped creating problems. This time, it was huge: she had supposedly leaked company secrets, causing them to lose a major project. Staff bonuses were canceled. Morale plummeted.
Alaric had no choice. The board needed someone to blame. A divorce was the cleanest solution.
"Our paths end here," he said with practiced detachment. "We’re too different. Please sign without making this harder than it already is."
Out of respect for her deceased parents, Alaric had prepared generous compensation. He expected tears. Drama. Maybe even another suicide threat.
But Soraya simply picked up the pen and signed, no hesitation at all.
He blinked.
That… was easy.
She grinned to herself. Hesitating for even one more second would be an insult to two billion dollars. Ex-husband, hurry up and transfer the money. I want to cash out and live my best life!
Alaric stiffened.
Had he just heard… her voice?
He looked up sharply. Soraya’s lips weren’t moving, but the voice echoed clearly in his ears. Was she... talking inside his head?
Is this a dream? Two billion in one go? I could buy a mansion, a yacht, and still have change for afternoon tea! Alaric is the most generous ex-husband I’ve ever had!
Wait—I’ve never had a husband before. Bonus points to him, I guess.
Alaric’s expression went from confused to horrified.
Was he hallucinating?
He glanced at his secretary, Leila, to see if she heard it too. But Leila was frowning at the agreement, visibly pitying Soraya.
"Miss Montrose, I suggest you be more rational," Leila said gently. "Mr. Valemont has always cleaned up after your mistakes. Perhaps this is a chance for you to start anew. Just... try not to waste it."
She sounded kind, but Soraya could read the venom under the sugar. Leila couldn't wait to see her humiliated. If Soraya had ripped the check and stormed out, she would’ve cheered.
To her, Soraya didn’t even deserve to look at a man like Alaric, much less marry him.
Soraya didn’t respond. She simply tucked the check neatly into her purse like it was a sacred scroll.
Framed or not, I still get two billion. I suppose it’s tolerable. With a city-center apartment, a film company, and a fat check... I’ll let the real culprit go this time.
Alaric, who had just reached for the agreement, froze.
Real culprit?
Wasn’t she the one who leaked the secrets?
Or… had he been tricked?
Was there another traitor—right under his nose?
