Chapter 1My Husband Faked His Death, So I Cremated Him for Real.

In my past life, I was forced to watch my husband Derek Thorne and his entire family of seven swallow poison in a suicide pact. His company's collapse, brought on by his gross mismanagement, was the final trigger.

The shock was too much. I collapsed, losing consciousness.

When I woke again, Derek and the six others had already been cremated.

Before the grief could fully settle, loan sharks were already breaking down my door, demanding payment. That's when it hit me: I was the sole survivor, and the debt was mine to bear.

Ten years later, I made the final payment.

I returned to my empty house only to find the Thorne family, all seven of them, alive and well inside.

Derek tossed a single dollar bill at my feet. "Thank you," he said, the words dripping with mock gratitude for clearing the mountain of debt they'd left behind.

The sight of their smug, deceitful faces broke me. I choked, blood flooding my mouth, and collapsed. My world went black.

My eyes flew open, and I was back. Back to the day Derek's company fell.