Chapter 1

When Eloise Windsor opened her eyes, she found herself back in 1989. That year, she was 30 years old. Her husband, Sebastian Moore, was 35 years old. Sebastian had just become the youngest academician at Bostesh Academy of Sciences. He was a nationally recognized talent with a promising future. They also had a pair of twins that were 10 years old. Hence, everyone called Eloise lucky for marrying such a good man and being blessed with two sons. However, the first thing Eloise had done upon returning to the year 1989 was to contact a lawyer and have two copies of a divorce agreement drafted. Then, she called Sebastian's office. His assistant, Taylor Lopez, picked up. Upon finding out it was Eloise calling, he immediately said, "Mr. Moore is busy at the moment, Mrs. Moore." When Eloise went to the academy instead, the security guards stopped her at the gate. "Sorry, ma'am. Mr. Moore isn't accepting visitors for the time being." She proceeded to wait three whole days before bringing the divorce agreement to Sebastian's first love, Iris Jones. Sliding the document toward Iris, Eloise said calmly, "Figure out a way to get Sebastian to sign this divorce agreement. Once he does, he and the kids are yours." Iris stared at Eloise in shock. She couldn't believe that Eloise, the woman who had loved Sebastian for 17 years, would suddenly divorce him. Frowning, Iris asked, "Eloise, what game are you playing at?" There was a small smirk on Eloise's face, but her gaze remained calm and unbothered. "I'm just tired of living my life like this," she said. "Since Sebastian and the boys like you more, I don't want them anymore. I'll step out of the picture so that the two of you can be together." "Are you willing to give it all up? Do you know many people are jealous over the fact that you're an academician's wife?" Iris didn't buy it. Her eyes narrowed, trying to figure Eloise out. "I know, but Iris, I don't want it anymore. I'm giving them to you," Eloise replied, looking straight into Iris' eyes. Iris' fingers tightened around her cup. Her usual gentle expression vanished. "Eloise, I don't need you to give me anything!" For a moment, they were silent. Then, Iris chuckled and picked up the divorce agreement. "Well, if you're backing out willingly, I won't waste my energy on you," she said. "At least you know your place. But let me warn you. Don't even think about wanting them back once they're mine." Eloise chuckled. "Don't worry. I don't want them anymore." She truly didn't want her husband or twin sons any longer. In her previous life, she had kept them by her side, only to live a lonely life and died miserably. Eloise refused to let the events of her past life repeat themselves. Iris put on her sunglasses. Her wavy hair and elegant dress drew a ton of attention everywhere she went. Eloise watched as Iris left in a cab. For some unknown reason, she decided to get in another cab and follow her. At the academy, Eloise watched as the guards welcomed Iris and gestured for her to take a seat. After waiting a short while, Sebastian came rushing down before leading her into the academy. Eloise lowered her gaze, and a hollow laugh escaped her lips. The fact that Iris had effortlessly entered the place Eloise had never once set foot in throughout her previous life was ridiculous. She decided to return to the Windsor residence, where she spent a long time discussing her decision to get a divorce with her family. … By the time Eloise came home that evening, the house was brightly lit, and the aroma of food wafted through the air. She heard Benjamin Moore excitedly say, "Ms. Jones, come eat! Dad has cooked a lot of delicious food!" Elijah Moore chimed in, "Ms. Jones, this is the first time I've seen Dad cook. You've got to try it!" Eloise froze in place. In her previous life, she had died without tasting Sebastian's cooking. Even when she was still recovering after giving birth to the twins, Sebastian had merely bought takeout from the academy's cafeteria for her since there was no one home to cook for her. Then, she heard Iris' gentle and amused voice. "Sebastian, I can't believe you still remember that I love shrimps." Sebastian's voice was calm and gentle, sounding nothing like his usual cold self. "I've always remembered. Here, take these. I've already peeled the shells for you." Eloise froze in place, her hands curling into fists. She remembered that Sebastian hated shrimps. When Eloise and Sebastian got married, Eloise had cooked up her favourite shrimp dish. However, Sebastian's complexion had darkened immediately before he got up to leave the table. Shocked, she had spent a long time coaxing him. That was when she'd found out he hated shrimps. It was to the point where he couldn't stand looking at it. That day, Sebastian had only agreed to return to the dining table after she had thrown all of the shrimps away. Then, for the next ten years, shrimps never showed up on their dining table. So, he had only refused to look at shrimps because of Iris' departure… "Dad, I like Ms. Jones a lot. I really want her to be my mom!" Benjamin exclaimed. "Yeah! Dad, I don't want to stay with Mom anymore," Elijah added. "I want to stay with Ms. Jones instead." Eloise couldn't stand listening to their conversation anymore. She took a step back before turning to leave. Soon, it started to rain heavily. Memories poured down on her like raindrops, striking her relentlessly. In her previous life, she was married to Sebastian for 60 years. Even until death, she had never once felt happy. That was because Sebastian's heart had always belonged to Iris. … Eloise and Sebastian had grown up in a military compound. They had known each other since they were young. Sebastian was her first crush. She fell for him when she was 13. Sebastian was her first crush. He was the most handsome and talented boy in the compound. However, Sebastian had already fallen for Iris. The two had dated for a few years, but upon graduating from college, Iris had suddenly decided to study abroad. Sebastian had waited for her for many years. But when he turned 25, he ended up receiving a breakup letter from Iris. Heartbroken, he'd agreed to find someone to marry and settle down. Eloise had always kept tabs on the Moore family. So when she heard about his decision, she immediately confessed to him and volunteered to marry him. She would never forget Sebastian's calm and cold expression when he asked, "I have someone I love. Are you sure about this?" Eloise had nodded fervently, confident that she'd be able to win him over eventually. But after their wedding, Sebastian would always keep his distance and treat her coldly, no matter what she did. It was only when Iris came back did she realize that the difference between being loved and not was painfully obvious. In her past life, Sebastian had never asked for a divorce. He allowed her to keep the title of his wife. However, he had given Iris all of his love. Even their sons were exactly the same. They grew more indifferent toward her with each passing day. In the end, she spent the rest of her life waiting and hoping for things to change. Eloise had lived out her days in a nursing home. Since she had a hard time moving and her family never had time to visit her, the caretakers would treat her horribly. She had often tried to call Sebastian and the twins, but they'd always be too busy to visit her. Over time, they wouldn't even answer her calls. Before she died, she had borrowed her neighbor's phone to call Sebastian. Sebastian had picked up and said "hello" twice before forgetting about the call. She heard him, her two sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons all gathered together to celebrate Iris' birthday over the phone. It sounded so lively. Tears fell from her cloudy eyes. During her final moment, Eloise thought about how she'd choose to love herself if she were given another chance at life. She wouldn't waste her life on Sebastian ever again. … That night, Eloise sat on the bench by the road for a long time. When she finally returned home, the house was empty. However, the dining table was a complete mess. Glancing at the table, she proceeded to walk right past it. On her dressing table sat a signed copy of the divorce agreement. Seeing Sebastian's signature on it, Eloise felt relieved. She was finally free from that cage that had trapped her for over 60 years. She had just tucked the divorce agreement away when someone slammed her door open. Benjamin, the older twin, looked at her angrily and roared, "Mom, how can you be so lazy? Why didn't you clean the table when you saw how messy it was?" Elijah, the younger twin, followed behind. He frowned and scolded, "You're so petty. You had walked away when you saw us eating with Ms. Jones. Now, you're even refusing to clean up the table!" Meanwhile, Sebastian's gaze was cold as usual. He said, "It's just a meal. Why are you making a fuss over it? Don't forget your duty."