"Doctor, I still feel a little short of breath," Sandra said with a flirtatious smile, pointing to her chest. She glanced at Lukas, who appeared indifferent. But somehow, Sandra was convinced that the man was secretly jealous.
Lukas was wrong if he thought she was still the weak Sandra. That foolish wife of his was already dead. The current Sandra would never let anyone hurt her again.
Let's see how long her husband could stay under her control. Just as agreed in her mission with the original Sandra.
"But your checkup came back normal," Thomas replied seriously. The man in the white coat moved closer, ready to do another examination.
But before that could happen, Lukas pulled his friend aside.
"Don't bother, Thomas. She's been a bit stressed and crazy lately. Loves to act. Just let her be."
"I almost died last night! And you're accusing your beautiful wife of lying?"
"Yet you've been ranting at me all night long. What part of you is sick? Mentally ill, maybe!"
"Are you calling me crazy?"
"Enough!" Thomas chuckled. "You two never stop arguing. This is a hospital, not your house!" He shook his head in frustration.
"He started it first!" Sandra pouted.
"But I have to say, you seem different, San. More confident and cheerful. Keep that attitude!" Thomas smiled at her, making Sandra blush under his gaze.
Ahhh, Sandra thought, living in this body wasn't so bad. Surrounded by handsome and wealthy men!
After Thomas left the room, Lukas lightly knocked her on the head. He looked at her with a sneer, clearly irritated by how flirty she had been.
"What?"
"Your behavior doesn't reflect that of a good wife. Is it acceptable to flirt around like some cheap woman?"
"And your behavior with Kayla, does that reflect a valuable husband? Hm? Haven't I stayed silent long enough? You cheap excuse of a husband!"
"But—"
"But what?" Sandra cut him off before he could finish.
"Forget it. I don't care anymore."
"What am I lacking, dear Lukas?" Sandra stood up, walked over, and tiptoed to wrap her arms around his neck. They were now face-to-face, incredibly close. "Aren't I beautiful? Tell me, am I not?"
Lukas stared at Sandra intently. Where had he been all this time, that he was only now realizing how beautiful his wife really was? Her appearance and aura were completely different. Something had changed, though he couldn't put his finger on it.
Sandra's hairstyle and makeup had transformed entirely. She looked like a different person with the same face.
Was it just his imagination? Or did she have a twin? God, maybe he was going crazy!
"I don't know where all this confidence is coming from." Lukas pushed Sandra away, causing her to stumble back until she hit the bed. He cornered her with a sharp gaze.
"What are you trying to do?" Sandra asked, sounding intimidated.
"You want my opinion on your beauty? Why not think back on all the times you embarrassed me at important events?"
"Me?"
"Remember how many times you dressed horribly, cheap, tacky, and trashy, making me the laughingstock of everyone?"
"Are you insulting me?"
"There's a business event tonight. Don't come. Just stay home. Don't humiliate me again."
Lukas left, while Sandra stood frozen, stunned by his words. Humiliate?
"Was Sandra really that ugly? I thought I was gorgeous!" she said, touching her own face. "He said I embarrassed him? That I made him a joke? Just wait! Let's see how stunning I look tonight!"
*****
After returning home, Sandra entered her room and opened the wardrobe. She grimaced at the clothes hanging there.
Outdated, brightly colored dresses that were too conservative. No wonder Lukas said what he did. The original Sandra had terrible taste.
Sandra grabbed her bag and headed out. She was going to find beautiful dresses for that party! Tonight, she would leave everyone speechless! She had to be the center of attention!
Just as she reached the front door, she bumped into Kayla. The tall, sexy, fashion-forward woman looked like a model. Sandra admitted that Kayla was indeed very attractive.
"Where are you going? Running away? Did Lukas forbid you from coming to the party? Poor thing," Kayla sneered.
"Not your business."
"Don't embarrass him again, you trashy woman!"
"What's it to you? Ugly or not, I'm still his wife. Not some cheap woman sneaking into a married man's house without permission!"
"You…" Kayla raised her hand to slap her, but Sandra stopped her.
"Where's your dignity? Coming and going like a call girl!"
"Don't speak nonsense!"
"Know your place, Kayla."
"You're the one who should know yours. If it weren't for your father donating his heart to Lukas's father, do you think you'd be worthy of being his wife?"
Sandra paused. She hadn't known about that. It looked like she needed to read the original Sandra's diary more carefully to understand everything that had happened.
"Whose fault is that, owing a life?" Sandra gave a smug smile. "Life is expensive. If my father died to save Lukas's father, then the price must be equal. Don't you think?"
Sandra chuckled when she saw Kayla's face flush in defeat. She walked off, waving mockingly as she left Kayla speechless.
Sandra asked the driver to take her to the mall to shop. Clearly, she needed plenty of new clothes. She couldn't wear the outdated rags the original Sandra left behind.
During the ride, she pulled out the crumpled diary from her bag. Thanks to the plastic cover, the book wasn't badly damaged. Even after getting wet in the rain when she fainted yesterday, it still looked fine.
Sandra began reading. She tried to absorb and understand what had really happened to the original Sandra—the body she would now inhabit forever.
She didn't read from the beginning. She only looked for the important parts, like the arranged marriage with Lukas.
"Turns out the original Sandra's life was full of oppression and sadness," she muttered softly.
Sandra now read the part that told about the party. She was curious what had happened that made Lukas say she had embarrassed him.
Dear diary…
"What were you thinking? Dreaming of becoming a princess?" Kayla yanked Sandra's hair and smeared heavy makeup all over her face.
Kayla also forced her to wear a bright orange dress with a weird and shabby design.
"Remember, I have a video of you in the bath. You were naked! If that spreads, you're done for!"
"Please delete it! I've done everything you asked!"
"Keep dreaming! If you want me to delete it, then find a way to divorce Lukas! Only then will I erase it!"
"Why are you so cruel?"
"You're the cruel one! You stole my future husband! You ruined our dreams!"
"I never wanted to be in this position!"
"You must be proud to be his wife. But remember your low status! You're just a maid's daughter who got lucky because your father sold his heart! Your whole family is a parasite!"
"You think I wanted my father to die?"
"Don't be a hypocrite!" Kayla yanked her hair again and dragged her to the mirror.
"Look at yourself! You're not fit to stand beside Lukas! Look at yourself and realize the truth!" Kayla screamed.
"Remember, I have your video. I won't hesitate to release it if you disobey me. Don't you dare look pretty! Or I'll sell your video to a porn site!" she threatened.
Sandra's tears fell after reading that part of the diary. So Kayla really had that indecent video? She had used it to threaten the original Sandra all this time?
"I'll make you regret it. I'm not the weak Sandra. I'll show you who really needs to look in the mirror tonight."