Chapter 1 After my rebirth , I stopped answering Herbert Morgan's calls , and every message he sent I read once and then deleted . Instead , I spent my days with my girlfriends in bars , always surrounded by a pack of fresh - faced boys wagging their tails for attention . By the eighth time I stumbled home drunk , swaying on my feet , Herbert was waiting at the front door . " Where'd that guy touch you tonight ? " he demanded . I let out a tipsy laugh , my eyes hazy , " My hand , obviously . What , you think the dice cups shake themselves ? " A storm darkened his gaze . He turned to his men behind him , his voice was a blade of steel , " Go find that man , cut off his hand . " I sneered and brushed past him into the house , " Do whatever you want . " In my previous life , I was married to Herbert for eight years . They called me the " Queen of Cards , " the woman who won back the underground casino in San Francisco for him . I stood beside him as he clawed his way from a fugitive to the uncrowned king of the underworld . But once he had everything , he became infatuated with a new shuffler at the casino . Her name was Stella Garcia . She had been sold into the casino like merchandise , pure and fragile like a blank sheet of paper . Herbert set her up in the VIP shuffling room and personally taught her how to deal cards and read the deck . Until one day , I discovered in the casino's inner system that my marital status had been changed to divorced . When I confronted him , he brushed me off with indifference . " Stella has no one to rely on . With a name and status , no one will dare bully her again . You're already the recognized wife in this circle . Why bother arguing about something so petty ? " I broke down and stormed into the shuffling room , slapping Stella across the face in front of everyone . That very night , my younger brother who works for Herbert , Josh Robinson , was dragged back into the casino . Before my eyes , they broke his legs and tossed him into the back alley . " Julia , this is what happens when you lay a hand on Stella . " I fell to my knees , begging him to stop , until the light drained from my brother's eyes and he died right there in front of me . A tearing agony ripped through my abdomen , and a hot gush spread beneath me . Darkness swallowed me whole . When I opened my eyes again , I was back on the day I first discovered my marital status had been altered . This time , I didn't scream or question him . I secretly sold all my hidden jewelry and bought two plane tickets . All I wanted was to take my brother and escape this prison named Herbert . After finding the altered record , I took my marriage license to the City Hall . " Miss Robinson , the system shows your marital status as divorced , " the clerk told me . Only then did I know everything from my previous life was real . The divorce had been filed on my birthday . That day , I had booked the highest revolving restaurant in San Francisco and arranged fireworks , thinking to surprise him . I waited from sunset until dawn . He never came . Turns out he had been busy signing another paper , erasing me completely . I shook myself free from the memory . Chapter 1 BILLIONAIRE CLO'S Dreame - Read Romance Stories When he realized his feelings , he had lost her forever ! Novels reading at might 44 * FREE Installed Open 0.09 % When I returned to the casino , I saw Herbert's black Maybach parked at the entrance . In my past life , I had run straight to him in a frenzy . Terrified Stella might see , he kicked me viciously into the corner before she even stepped out of the car . But this time , I retreated , melting into the shadows of a nearby column . The car door opened . Herbert stepped out first . He circled around to the passenger side and opened the door himself , his movements uncharacteristically patient and gentle . A girl in a pale blue dress stepped out hesitantly , standing awkwardly beside the gleaming car , completely out of place . It was Stella . Herbert took off his suit jacket , draped it over her thin shoulders , and held her close by the waist as they walked toward the casino . " Herbert ... " Stella paused with uncertainty . " I have nothing left but you ... I can't afford to gamble anymore . " He pulled her tighter against him , his voice firm yet tender , a tone I had never once heard , " Don't be afraid . From now on , you're the queen of this place . No one else has that right . And if you don't like it here , I'll build a resort just for you somewhere quiet . " The underlings who once bowed to me as their " boss's wife " now bent low before Stella , their voices loud and flattering , " Good evening , Mrs. Morgan ! " They swarmed around her like courtiers around a fragile deer , escorting her into the gilded palace of sin . I pressed hard against my abdomen , holding back the tearing pain , waiting until they disappeared inside . Then I staggered away , wiping my tears , with nothing left in my eyes but icy resolve .