My Adopted Daddy's Regret

I woke up reborn on the day Benjamin Ashcroft was drugged. This time, I didn't become his cure. Instead, I called the woman he truly loved - Isabella Valrose.

In my past life, I had foolishly fallen for Benjamin, the man who raised me.

When I discovered he'd been drugged, I ignored his desperate pleas to contact his lover. I became his antidote myself.

A month later, I found out I was pregnant.

Benjamin was forced to marry me. On our wedding day, his beloved Isabella was murdered by kidnappers overseas.

Before dying, she tried calling him 199 times, begging for rescue.

But Benjamin, busy with our wedding, never picked up.

Afterward, he would stare at those 199 missed calls in dead silence.

Then when I went into labor, he locked me in the basement.

I pleaded for him to take me to the hospital. He just smiled cruelly, watching me suffocate during childbirth.

Right before death claimed me, I heard him whisper, "If you hadn't gotten pregnant, I wouldn't have been forced to marry you. If you hadn't taken her place, I would've answered Isabella's calls. You deserve this..."

When my eyes opened again, I was back in that familiar bedroom.

"Mira, call Isabella now!"

Hearing those words, I knew I had been reborn.

Without hesitation, I grabbed my phone and dialed Isabella's number.

Benjamin's face was flushed crimson, his eyes burning with intensity.

In my previous life, I had surrendered to that gaze. It destroyed me.

This time, I turned away from his heated stare and quickly exited his room.

"Benjamin, just hold on. Isabella will be here in ten minutes!"

As I closed the door, I heard him grit out my name through clenched teeth.

I pretended not to hear, firmly shutting the door and standing guard outside.

Ten minutes later, Isabella came rushing in.

She gave me a complicated look, visibly relieved to see me fully dressed and untouched.

Before entering the room, she shot me a sharp glance.

"You can go now. Your presence isn't required here."

I turned and went upstairs to my room.

The noise from downstairs didn't quiet until deep into the night.

I released a heavy breath. In my past life, my love for Benjamin made me become his antidote. I ended up pregnant with his child.

He married me out of duty. On our wedding day, Isabella died tragically. He lost his true love.

He bided his time until my due date arrived. Then he locked me in the basement.

I begged him, willing to die if it meant saving our child.

That child was his blood too. But he ignored my pleas. He watched us both die horrible deaths, all to avenge his beloved.

This time, I brought Isabella to be his cure. Soon, I would leave Ashcroft Manor forever.

The next morning, Isabella appeared at the family breakfast table.

Benjamin took a bite of his eggs, then casually announced, "From today, Isabella is my girlfriend. I'm going to marry her. Everyone treat her well."

His eyes flickered toward me, then he pointed his fork in my direction.

"Especially you. Be nice to my girlfriend. Don't cause any trouble."

I nodded indifferently. Isabella shot me a smug smile.

I pretended not to notice and stood up, ready to leave without finishing my meal.