In my past life, my half-sister Rose gave birth to a Great Serpent child, a feat that helped her husband, Silas King, secure his place as the King Family Heir. But as for me, I fought with every ounce of my strength, using the difficult Family Secret of the Goodwin line, only to give Silas a single snake child, Samuel. The eldest Prince, Silas, looked down on Samuel, calling him simple-minded and embarrassing. When Sammy failed to transform in a thousand years, Silas vented his anger by beheading him, and the heartbreak drove me to my death. When I opened my eyes again, it was back on the day of the royal selection for a bride for the King Family heirs. I watched Silas eagerly select Rose, my half-sister. And then I knew: he, too, had been reborn. He thinks picking Rose again will guarantee him a Young Serpent to secure the King Family’s future throne. But what he doesn’t know is that he lacks the Ancestral Power needed to father a child at all. The Goodwin Family line is renowned for its exceptional fertility, and this is the quality that binds us—our daughters chosen to bear heirs as if we were mere goods. Ordinary Goodwin daughters go to ordinary families in the Mountain Folk, but the Goodwin heirs, we are sought after by the most powerful families. This year, my sister and I turned 18, and we were taken to King’s Manor to be selected. Pain stabbed through my chest as I remembered that in my last life, Silas had chosen me, claiming that only a daughter from a proper bloodline would suit him. My sister, Rose, went to his younger brother, and she bore a Young Serpent—a clever, gifted child who quickly won the King Family’s favor. But for Silas, I had only Sammy, my small snake child. Still, Elder King Frederick favored Silas, granting him a thousand years to see if Sammy could Rise to Heir. But Sammy couldn’t manage, and Silas lost his chance at the throne. When I pleaded with Silas to grant Sammy more time, his answer was to sever Sammy’s head, which left me shattered and dying of grief. Returning to this day, my heart was still broken. I watched as Silas reached for Rose’s hand and felt a strange relief that somehow deepened my pain. My poor Sammy had trained so hard, was so sweet and eager to win his father’s favor, but Silas had cared only for his own ambitions. He hated my child. What Silas never realized is that he could not father children. Sammy was born only because I used the Goodwin Family Secret, an ancient magic that rarely works; I had failed a hundred times before Sammy finally came into my life. I clenched my fists, pressing down the well of rage. I would never forget how Silas, my husband, struck off my son’s head in a flash of heartless anger. Yet here we were, in the vast throne room of King’s Manor, on the day the four royal sons chose their wives. The Elder King, Frederick, sat above us, smiling as he addressed his sons. “It’s not easy for our King’s Bloodline to survive, but the Goodwin line has been blessed with abundant fertility. So, I’ve brought these four Goodwin daughters for you to choose from as wives, and we’ll do it in order.” Frederick was old, and he had used powerful means just to bring these sons into the world. The promise of an heir was so important to him that he’d declared whoever bore him a grandchild would be his successor. At his signal, Silas stepped forward. His eyes passed over each of us sisters with a cold, calculating look, but as he lingered on me, a flash of disgust showed. Finally, he moved toward Rose with determination. He didn’t notice my hand trembling at my side or the pallor of my face. “Father, I choose Rose as my wife.” Silas took Rose’s hand without hesitation, and she looked up, shy and surprised, with a blush that seemed to please him. But I knew his look well: it was the look of a man with ambitions in his eyes. He was reborn, too. Rose cast a fleeting glance at me, a look of smug satisfaction. My mother had been the first wife of the Goodwin heir and, as his only legitimate daughter, I’d inherited that position. Rose’s mother had tried long to become the primary wife, but my father refused. Silas, however, was the son of a primary wife, so Rose felt superior by being chosen by him. “You chose Rose?” Elder King Frederick asked, a bit surprised. To him, Silas’s position required him to marry a primary daughter. But Silas, remembering his past life, gave a hard smile and answered, “Father, my heart chose Rose the moment I saw her. It’s her I want.” Last time, Silas had married me, and the outcome was that our child was only a snake, an embarrassment that haunted him for a thousand years. He’d lost the throne and was laughed at for it. Reborn, he wasn’t about to risk the disappointment of having “a snake-breeder like Lily” as his wife. “Very well. Take your chosen bride and return to your estate.” The King respected Silas’s choice and allowed him to leave. I was unsurprised, but just as I thought I’d slip into the shadows, a soft voice behind me spoke, “Father, I choose her.” Startled, I looked up to see Evan, the second son, smiling down at me. In my last life, Evan had chosen no wife, so I was surprised. Yet my fate wasn’t mine to control. “Alright,” Elder King Frederick said, “then let Lily be yours, Evan. She’s the heir of the Goodwin line—a wise choice.” Evan extended his hand with a kind smile, and though uncertain, I took it. I knew our role in the family was lowly, born only to bear children and with no other talent. According to my father, it was “a blessing from our Goodwin ancestor” that we’d even been noticed by the King’s Bloodline. Evan took my hand, and we stepped away together. Annoyed, Silas looked at his brother. “Are you sure? She looks weak and worn. She might not even be able to bear a healthy child.” Silas, having been reborn, thought he knew everything about me. Evan, though, had been the only one in our past life who hadn’t ridiculed him, something Silas likely remembered. “Thank you for your advice, brother,” Evan replied evenly. “I’m no stranger to weakness myself. I care more for what feels right.” Silas’s frown deepened. He thought his advice was gracious, whether Evan appreciated it or not. This time, Silas was determined to be king. Soon after, the third brother and youngest brother also made their choices. Rose was now Silas’s bride, while I, unexpectedly, was Evan’s. We all left the hall as Elder King Frederick waved us on, his hopes set on each of us to secure an heir. In silence, Evan led me to Willow Manor. His hands were cold, and I could tell he wasn’t well. In my past life, I had taken on the brunt of the burden, even practicing the Family Secret to ensure Silas’s health. But this time, I wouldn’t sacrifice myself to heal another. When Silas carried Rose out of the hall, she blushed, hiding her face in his shoulder, while Silas left with an arrogant laugh. His brothers chuckled, but only I knew he didn’t truly love Rose. He only wanted the heir she might bear him. It was his ticket to the throne. As Evan and I reached the estate, I tried to look at him, and he returned my gaze with warmth. But in his eyes, I could see his own desire for an heir. It was natural, wasn’t it? After all, Evan was also an heir of the Mountain Folk. Evan left for the next three months, and I found myself alone in Willow Manor. Slowly, I settled in and started a small garden, raising vegetables and fruit. In the evenings, I would hear the palace gossip. People admired how Silas showered Rose with extravagant gifts, how he would bring in healers to check on her, and how he treated her as if she were the only woman in his world. It was strange, because I knew he wasn’t capable of such devotion. When Silas heard a rumor about his beloved Rose or felt she was unwell, he’d be at her side in a moment, doting and fretting. Their love story was now the talk of the town, a model of the perfect marriage. I simply laughed, remembering that in our past lives, Rose hadn’t conceived until a year into their marriage. As for me, I’d waited ten years to conceive Sammy. As I cut a small cucumber into the shape of a bird, a gentle voice behind me asked, “What are you doing, Lily?” Startled, I turned to find Evan smiling, though he seemed to have caught me murmuring to myself. I forced a smile. “Praying for peace,” I said, knowing he couldn’t hear the truth—that my ritual honored the memory of Sammy, my lost snake child, for whom I could do nothing in this life. Evan took my hand as we walked back, his voice soft and apologetic. He promised to care for me gently, even if he was often away. And as time passed, I saw that he was kind, patient, and good, unlike the harshness Silas had shown me in the past. After I conceived Sammy, Silas never touched me again. Just thinking about it fills me with dread, deep down. But with Evan, I couldn’t refuse him. “Lily, I’m sorry I’ve been neglecting you; the duties have been endless lately. Please don’t be upset,” he said softly. I shook my head. “I’m not upset.” But even if I were, I wouldn’t dare show it. As a Goodwin, I didn’t have the right to anger. Evan led me to the bed, though he didn’t do anything, as if sensing my reluctance. Each day after that, we continued to share the same bed. He helped me tend to the vegetable garden, sometimes even taking me to the market to buy more seeds. Little by little, I began to feel at ease with him. By now, Rose and the youngest sisters, Amy and Clara, were all expecting. Elder King Frederick was thrilled and subtly pressed Evan and me to “catch up.” I felt embarrassed but promised the Elder King I’d try. Still, Evan and I hadn’t consummated our marriage even after nine months together. Elder King’s insistence didn’t change our quiet rhythm; we simply continued on in peace. Rumors had even begun to swirl around us. “If you want a steady, gentle marriage, choose a prince like Evan,” people would say, contrasting Silas’s fiery nature with Evan’s calm demeanor. But I found such talk dull. To me, Evan’s gentleness was the real prize. Perhaps sensing my reluctance, he hadn’t once pushed me into anything. Then, one day while we were out buying melon seeds, we crossed paths with Silas. He suggested we all have a meal together. Rose was positively radiant, draped in jewels and glowing with pride. Sitting beside Silas, she had the softness of a girl in love and the maturity of a woman used to admiration. As we ate, she and Silas constantly showed their affection, while Evan and I quietly focused on our food. Evan only occasionally answered when Silas spoke to him. After the meal, Rose turned to Silas with a girlish smile. “Silas, I’d like to chat with my sister for a bit. Could you wait for me?” Silas shot me a cold glance and nodded. “Of course, Rose, go ahead and speak with her,” he replied coolly. “It’s only natural you’d want to say hello.” As Silas and Evan stepped aside, Rose’s smug expression reappeared. “Sister, did you see how wonderful my life is now? Father’s even considering making my mother the primary wife.” I kept my expression calm. “Oh. Congratulations, then.” After all, having the title of Goodwin Family’s primary wife wasn’t so remarkable. Rose pouted but continued, “And the Prince has promised me that if I bear an heir, he’ll share the Ancestral Power with me. I’ll become something new, reborn.” My tone remained steady. “Then good luck with that.” Let’s see if she still smiles once she realizes Silas can’t father a child. Rose’s expression twisted slightly. “Silas really can’t stand you, you know.” I rolled my eyes. “I’m not his wife. His opinion of me is irrelevant.” She huffed, frustrated. “Amy and Clara are both expecting. Meanwhile, there’s no sign of anything from you—are you sure you’re not barren? Even our family’s fertility isn’t a guarantee.” Seeing her annoyance, I countered, “And what about you? Trying every possible trick and still no news—is it possible that it’s Silas who’s…barren?” Rose’s face turned pale. She scowled and snapped, “What are you talking about? How dare you curse him!” She looked ready to strike, her frustration hitting a nerve. But even she wondered if Silas might be the problem.
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