Chapter 1The Truth I Found at Fifty-Five

The day I turned 55 and officially retired, my husband was hauled away by the cops for embezzling company funds.

All that stolen money? Spent on some cheap tramp.

The bank card my husband left me had a balance of ten dollars.

Staring at the spending records for Frank the cops showed me – one night at the Hilton, $8,800; outlet mall receipts for $65,000.

Looking down at my own darned socks, I nearly coughed up blood. I’d scrimped and saved my whole life, while my husband was out there showering his mistress with cash.

I was dumber than a box of rocks. The biggest fool in the world.

* * *

Ring, ring, ring! The phone blared urgently.

“Jenna, sis, Frank borrowed two hundred grand from me. If you don’t pay it back, I’m just gonna have to come camp out at your place.”

“Jenna, Frank took eighty thousand from me. I borrowed that money from my mother-in-law! If you don’t give it back, she’ll skin me alive!”

“Jenna… if I can’t make it, your whole family can forget about living!”

Frank’s mountain of debts was crushing me. Seeing Tiffany’s social media posts flaunting her European vacation, surrounded by shopping bags, my heart felt like it was being flayed, piece by piece. The pain was unbearable.

Hounded by creditors, I finally snapped. I picked the biggest one, went to his house, and jumped from the roof. I had to. I needed to leave my daughter some kind of way out.

Maybe even fate thought I’d had too raw a deal in this life.

Because after I jumped, I was somehow reborn. Reborn on the day in 1993 when Frank and I were supposed to get our marriage license.

From this, I learned one thing: only those who’ve suffered too much, too miserably, get a do-over. And I’d definitely earned mine.

“Jenna, today’s the day you get your license! Get up, quick!” My roommate, Tiffany, was practically vibrating with excitement, urging me on. I wanted to slap her across the face.

That’s right. Tiffany. The cheap tramp, the long-time mistress. Of course, back then, she wasn’t old.

“Tiff, I’m the one getting married. What are you so worked up about?”

Tiffany looked like she hadn’t expected me to say that. She quickly plastered a smile on her face. “Jenna, I’m just happy for you! Frank’s such a great guy, you can’t let him slip away.”

Frank’s family was dirt poor. He was the oldest, with a gaggle of younger siblings.

My family was infinitely better off than his. My dad was the manager at the town's main supply store, and my mom was a director at a large manufacturing plant.

Let Frank slip away? Ugh, I spat inwardly. How stupid was I back then to fall for Tiffany’s brainwashing?

“Jenna, what’s most important is that a man is hardworking and ambitious.”

Frank had nothing, so all he had left was ambition. Come to think of it, why did I even notice Frank back then? Tiffany’s brainwashing deserved a lot of the credit.

Right. A man as hardworking and great as Frank should definitely end up with Tiffany, the future old mistress.

No need to wait thirty years. I’ll create the opportunity for you two right now. Tiffany, you can be the one to struggle alongside Frank in this lifetime.

“Tiff, my stomach’s a little upset. Could you do me a favor and tell Frank we’ll go to City Hall another day?”

Tiffany looked like she wanted to say something else, but I just lay down on the bed and closed my eyes.

A few days later, the gossip mill at the textile plant was buzzing: Frank’s devoted puppy, Jenna, had found someone new.

Jenna hadn’t brought Frank his breakfast during his early shift.

For several days straight, Jenna hadn’t been seen fawning over Frank.

Watching everyone whisper, I strolled nonchalantly through the workshop in my new high heels, confidently heading to my office.

That’s right, my job was just answering phones in the office, passing on the plant manager's instructions.

And, of course, relaying any juicy workshop gossip to the manager.

When I first got the job, I felt super awkward. I did nothing all day but drink tea, read the paper, and scheme about how to chase Frank, completely wasting all that prime goof-off time.

Thank you, my dear mother. Mom, you were so wise, knowing how to just chill even back then.

But, you only get one shot from fate. This time, I was going to live differently.

I had just sat down at my desk when Frank walked in.

“Jenna, why weren’t you there to get the license yesterday?”