Reborn, I Married the "Dying" Tycoon

Chapter 2

The living room lights were still on when the cab stopped outside the Reed residence.

I opened the door and found the sofa covered with the engagement gifts Ethan had given Isabella that day.

Isabella was holding up a diamond necklace. When she saw me, she smiled and lifted her chin to show it off.

"Evelyn, look. Ethan gave me this. Isn't it beautiful?"

"It is."

I took off my shoes and headed toward the guest room. My mother came out of the kitchen carrying a plate of sliced strawberries and called to us with a smile.

"Evelyn, Izzy, come have some strawberries. I just bought them. They're fresh and really sweet."

Isabella hurried over, picked one up, and popped it into her mouth.

My mother took one too, then waved at me. "Evelyn, come here and eat. Do I have to call you over every time?"

I had been back for 3 years, yet they didn't even know I was allergic to strawberries.

"I'm allergic to strawberries."

My mother paused, then tapped her forehead theatrically, without a hint of apology.

"Oh, that's right. I forgot. Then don't eat any. Izzy, have some more."

She pushed the entire plate toward Isabella.

My father called after me. "We've packed everything you'll need when you marry into the Ashford family. Their people are coming tomorrow, so watch what you say."

I opened the guest room door and went inside.

My father followed me in, pulled a bank card from his pocket, and held it out.

"There's 200,000 dollars on this card. Consider it your dowry. Don't let the Ashfords look down on you. You're still a daughter of the Reed family, after all."

I took it without a word.

Isabella's engagement necklace alone had cost far more than that.

I stood in the middle of the room and looked around. It had once been a storage closet.

It held a narrow bed, an outdated wardrobe, and curtains that had been washed so many times they had faded, their edges fraying.

The dull gray sheets were old ones my mother had dug out of storage.

At the other end of the hall, Isabella's bedroom door stood half open.

Her spacious master bedroom had a camel-colored wool rug, and her walk-in closet was lined with couture gowns and limited-edition handbags.

A family photo sat on her nightstand. My parents had their arms around Isabella, who smiled brightly between them.

I wasn't in the picture.

As I passed the living room, I heard Isabella cooing to Ethan.

"Ethan, I want to wear that couture wedding gown next month. You promised me, remember?"

"Of course. Whatever you want."

In my last life, my mother had been afraid I would embarrass the family when I married Ethan. She had reluctantly bought me a few decent outfits and ordered a custom wedding gown.

At least I had looked respectable at the altar.

But the gown hadn't fit.

As I stood beside Ethan during the ceremony, the guests had whispered among themselves.

"The Reed family couldn't even give their biological daughter a wedding gown that fits. You can tell she didn't grow up with money."

Ethan hadn't looked at me once.

This time, I was supposedly being sent to marry an old man, so the Reeds couldn't even be bothered to pretend they cared.

*****

Early the next morning, someone from the Ashford family arrived as expected.

When the butler handed my father the list of wedding gifts, he stared at it in disbelief.

"An eight-figure wedding gift? And three luxury apartments downtown?"

My mother's voice trembled as she read the list over and over.

"Wait, isn't she marrying that sick old man because his family thinks a wedding will help him recover? Why are they giving us so much?"

The butler smiled without explaining and turned to me.

"Miss Reed, Mr. Ashford asked whether you have any requests. You may ask for anything."

I raised my eyes. "I don't have any. Just keep the date as planned."

The butler nodded respectfully and left.

My parents admired the gift list for a long time before they finally remembered I was still there.

"Evelyn, you really hit the jackpot. Who knew that old man would be so generous? We'll hold on to these gifts for you. You won't have any use for them after you marry him anyway."

"Okay."

I neither argued nor protested.

Isabella stood nearby with her lip caught between her teeth, visibly displeased.

She had dreamed about her wedding for years, yet Ethan's wedding gift to her was only six million dollars.

I was marrying a dying old man, but my gifts were worth far more than hers.

When Ethan came over later, Isabella was sulking and complaining to him.

"Ethan, Evelyn's wedding gift is so much bigger than mine! I don't care. I want the full pink-diamond jewelry set too. You only bought me a necklace!"

"All right. I'll buy it for you."

Ethan placated her with easy promises, though his gaze kept drifting toward me on the balcony, where I was watering the flowers.

I wore a faded cotton dress, and the afternoon sunlight caught my lashes as I turned slightly away.

He suddenly remembered me sitting on the balcony of the Hale residence in the same way in our last life.

Whenever I saw him come home, my eyes would light up, and I would hurry over with his slippers and reach for his briefcase.

Back then, he had found me annoying. Each time, he would step around me, and the brightness in my eyes would fade.

"Ethan?" Isabella called.

She tugged his arm. "What are you looking at?"