My best friend from my previous life wanted to marry my grandmother. I did everything I could to stop him, and I succeeded. Later, my grandmother married a man closer to our age, and they had a lavish wedding. My friend, Derek, held a grudge. He invited me hiking, then, at the summit, he stabbed me eighteen times before pushing me off a cliff. “It’s all your fault for stopping me from becoming rich! Everything should have been mine!” When I was reborn, I smiled as I watched him marry my grandmother. What he didn’t know was that in the past ten years, Grandma had married eight grooms. He was the ninth, and the previous eight grooms had all met untimely ends. Since he wanted to marry her so badly, I decided to help him along. “I saw your grandmother at the charity gala yesterday. She even told me I reminded her of her first love when she was young.” Derek Stone said, holding his coffee cup, his voice buzzing with excitement. He grabbed my hand, his eyes gleaming with calculation. “I want to pursue your grandmother.” I was utterly shocked. “Are you insane? She’s forty years older than you!” “Age is just a number! Besides, she doesn’t look a day over forty, not sixty-something at all.” In my previous life, this was where I’d stopped him, sternly warning him to stay away from my grandmother. He’d given me a malicious grin. “Alex Vance, who do you think you are? Why are you blocking my path?” Later, Grandma married a man closer to our age, and they had a lavish wedding. Derek held a grudge and pushed me off a cliff. “It’s all your fault for stopping me from marrying your grandmother! Everything should have been mine!” But now, I just quietly watched the blatant greed in his eyes. My grandmother, Eleanor Vance, was the head of Vance Industries, worth hundreds of billions. “You don’t object?” Derek seemed surprised by my silence. I picked up my coffee cup, a meaningful smile playing on my lips. “Why would I object?” I asked smoothly. “Everyone has the right to pursue happiness, and love shouldn’t be limited by age, right?” His eyes lit up. Clearly, he hadn’t expected it to be so easy. Derek excitedly embraced me. “That’s great! I knew you’d understand me!” He squeezed me tighter. “Don’t worry, once I’m your grandpa, I’ll take good care of you!” Where he couldn’t see, my smile vanished completely. I whispered, “I wish you success.” Grandma had already married eight grooms in the past decade, and he was about to become the ninth. What he didn’t know was that the previous eight grooms had all met untimely ends. If he was so eager to die, I might as well help him along. Leaving the coffee shop, I stood by the roadside, waiting for my driver. A black Mercedes slowly pulled up in front of me, revealing Mr. Davies, the butler’s, face. “Young Master, the old lady wants you home for dinner tonight.” “Got it,” I said, opening the car door and sliding in. “Mr. Davies,” I began suddenly, “How has Grandma been lately?” The old butler glanced at me through the rearview mirror. “The old lady is very healthy. Her check-up results last week came back twenty years younger than her actual age.” I clenched my fists. In my previous life, I’d never doubted Grandma. Now, looking back, many things seemed incredibly suspicious. The most unsettling part was that whenever a groom died, Grandma was always on a business trip abroad, with a perfect alibi. And she’d always been disturbingly cold after their deaths. During dinner, I observed Grandma. She truly did look much younger than her age. “I hear you met the Stone boy today?” My body tensed. How did Grandma know? Unless she’d been monitoring me, or Derek. “Yes, Derek. He’s a good friend of mine.” Grandma’s lips curved slightly. “He’s a very vibrant young man. My birthday party is in two days; you can invite him to come over tomorrow and stay until the end of the celebration.” In my previous life, I’d desperately tried to prevent Derek from getting close to Grandma, so he’d never received a formal invitation from the Vance family. “Alright,” I said, a pleased expression on my face. After dinner, Grandma always took her usual stroll in the garden. I seized the opportunity to find the hidden compartment in her study. Mom had told me about it before she died, but I’d never opened it. Behind the Bible on the third shelf, there was a hidden button. Pressing it revealed a small secret room. Inside, on a desk, lay a notebook and a safe. My hands trembling, I opened the notebook. What I saw almost made me scream.
It was a list, neatly documenting eight names, marriage dates, and death dates. Each name was accompanied by a photo, and I was horrified to discover that these men, to varying degrees, shared certain similarities. The shape of their eyes, the curve of their mouths, especially the last three—they were almost like replicas of the same type. The last page bore a ninth name: Derek Stone. A red question mark was drawn next to it, and the date column was blank. My gaze was drawn to the safe. A gut feeling told me it held an even more terrifying secret. But the safe required a fingerprint and a password; I couldn’t open it. Suddenly, footsteps echoed outside the door. I slammed the notebook shut and darted behind the curtains. The study door opened, and Grandma and Mr. Davies walked in. “The ninth one should be perfect,” Grandma’s voice was low and calm. “His birth attributes align perfectly.” “We’ll finally have all nine. Bring that Derek Stone to see me tomorrow.” “Yes, ma’am.” After they left, I collapsed onto the floor, cold sweat soaking my back. Grandma knew about Derek, and she seemed to be actively planning something. Even more terrifying, she seemed to be conducting some kind of ritual that required nine… grooms? The next day, my phone buzzed. It was a message from Derek. “Alex! Amazing news! I got a formal invitation from your family! Can I come over and hang out today?” I stared at the screen, slowly letting out a cold laugh. “Of course, I’d love for you to come.” Derek stayed at Vance Manor for two days, and I did my best to create opportunities for him and Grandma to spend time alone. On the day of the birthday party, basically all the prominent figures in the city were there. I stood in a corner, watching with cold eyes as Derek, arm-in-arm with Grandma, beamed with excitement. Their relationship was progressing quickly; it seemed both of them were rather impatient. “Ladies and gentlemen,” Grandma, Eleanor Vance, stood on the steps. She gently patted Derek’s hand, her voice calm yet commanding. “Thank you all for coming to my birthday celebration. Today, I have some joyous news to announce.” The entire hall fell silent, all eyes fixed on them. “Derek and I have fallen deeply for each other and decided to marry.” “The wedding is set for three days from now. Everyone is welcome to attend.” Though I’d expected it, hearing the words firsthand still made my heart involuntarily tremble. The guests paused for a moment in stunned silence, then burst into a chorus of polite, albeit hollow, congratulations. After all, a sixty-something business mogul marrying a young man in his twenties wasn’t uncommon in high society. With enough money, age was never an issue. Derek wore a triumphant smile, his gaze sweeping over the crowd before finally settling on me. Was he flaunting it? I took a slow sip of champagne, my lips curving slightly. I even walked forward, my voice gentle. “Congratulations, Grandma. Congratulations, Derek.” Grandma nodded in satisfaction, while Derek squinted slightly, seemingly surprised by my composure. Then, he couldn’t wait to show his true colors.
“Oh, Alex,” he said, feigning intimacy as he clasped my hand, but his voice was deliberately loud, ensuring everyone nearby could hear. “Since I’m the future master of the Vance family now, there are some things I need to decide for you.” “Oh? What things?” He stared at me, enunciating each word. “Your engagement to Chloe Miller? It’s time to break it off.” The Miller family, a long-standing ally of the Vance family. Chloe Miller, the sole daughter of the Miller family, and I had been betrothed since childhood. Though it was an arranged business marriage, Chloe had always been good to me. And now, Derek was actually trying to force me to break off the engagement? Before I could speak, Grandma actually nodded. “Derek is right. The Miller family hasn’t been doing well lately; they’re no longer a suitable match for the Vance family. Alex, this engagement, let’s call it off.” My breath hitched. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Chloe standing nearby, her wine glass almost slipping from her grasp. “Grandma,” I heard my voice tremble, “Chloe and my engagement was arranged by our ancestors…” “That’s all in the past,” Grandma waved a dismissive hand. A server immediately brought her a cigar, and she took a deep puff. “What’s the Miller family’s situation now? Do they even match the Vance family anymore?” Whispers started to ripple through the ballroom. I saw Chloe’s face turn instantly pale, while Derek smirked triumphantly at me. “Grandma!” I dropped to my knees before her. “Please reconsider. Though the Miller family has fallen on hard times, Chloe is…” *Smash!* Derek suddenly swung his hand, knocking over a tray of red wine a server was carrying. The red wine poured down over my head. Guests exchanged uneasy glances. Some snickered softly, others looked on with pity. “Oops, my hand slipped,” he feigned surprise, covering his mouth. But then he leaned down, whispering in my ear so only I could hear, “Did you think groveling would do any good? Let me tell you, after tonight, you won’t even have the right to beg on your knees.” I looked up at him in surprise. “Enough!” Grandma flung my hand away. “This matter is settled!” Chloe crushed her wine glass, staring intently at Derek. As I went upstairs to change clothes, I saw Chloe and Derek embracing in the hallway corner. “Derek, how was my acting? He even knelt for me!” “Always walking around with your ‘fiancé’ title, it was getting annoying.” My heart ached. I couldn’t believe they had been together all this time. My judgment truly was terrible. “You disgusting pair!” I cursed. Chloe chuckled. “Watching you grovel and beg was pathetic. Did you really think we’d get married?” Derek laughed, pulling her closer. “Your woman’s been mine for ages.” They were both sickening. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll tell Grandma?” “Go ahead!” Derek scoffed, unafraid. “Let’s see who she believes: you, or me.” “Once the old hag dies, everything in the Vance family will be ours,” Chloe fantasized, wrapping her arms around his waist. “I thought we were best friends.” Derek sneered. “Friends, huh? Don’t pretend here. In your eyes, I was just your dog. You’d throw me scraps when you pitied me. I’m sick of it!” “Now I’m calling the shots, and you’ll do exactly as I say!” I remembered back in college when Derek couldn’t afford tuition, I’d paid it for him. When he needed living expenses, I’d share whatever I ate with him. Later, when his mother fell gravely ill, I immediately had her admitted to the best hospital available. And he saw all of that as contempt? I should’ve let him starve! I laughed, a bitter, angry sound. “Then consider everything I did for you fed to the dogs.” I wasn’t in a hurry, because soon, they would reap what they sowed.
After the birthday party, Derek officially moved into Vance Manor as the future master of the house. The first thing he did was claim my room. “Alex, this room gets the best light, it’s perfect for me,” he said, leaning against the doorframe. “You’ll be moving out soon anyway, why not get used to it early?” I stood in the hallway, watching him calmly. “If you like it, it’s yours.” He narrowed his eyes, seemingly annoyed by my compliance, then gave a dismissive laugh. “Oh, and by the way, my wife says your allowance will be managed by me from now on. After all, you’re not a child anymore, you should learn to be thrifty.” He pulled a card from his expensive designer wallet and held it out to me. “Five thousand a month, is that enough?” Five thousand dollars. That wasn’t even enough for a casual bracelet I used to buy. I reached out and took the card, a slight smile on my face. “Thank you, Grandpa.” His expression froze for a moment, clearly stung by the address, but he quickly recovered his arrogant demeanor. “Good boy.” I turned and walked to a guest room. But the next day, Derek dragged me into his walk-in closet. “Alex, look, don’t my suits look great?” He held out a brand new suit, hand-tailored by an Italian master, shimmering under the lights. I nodded. “Very sharp.” He suddenly sighed, feigning regret. “Actually, I wanted to choose your father’s vintage suit, but Eleanor said it would be unlucky.” My blood ran cold. He dared to bring up my father? In my previous life, my father had died right here in Vance Manor, his death a complete mystery. His suit had been sealed in the Vance family’s vault, a place even I couldn’t easily access. Derek tilted his head, enjoying my suddenly pale face. “No worries, though. My suit cost way more than your father’s, wouldn’t you say?” I dug my nails into my palms, just barely managing to maintain a calm expression. “Yes,” I said softly, “I hope you live to wear it for a few more days.” He froze, then burst out laughing. “Alex Vance, you’re not still thinking about revenge, are you?” He leaned closer. “Don’t forget, the entire Vance fortune is mine now.” On the wedding day, Vance Manor was decorated with extravagant luxury. As the wedding march began, Derek, arm-in-arm with Grandma, slowly walked towards the priest. Guests applauded and congratulated them, while I stood in a corner, quietly watching it all. When the priest opened the Bible and solemnly asked if they were willing, Grandma slowly looked up, her gaze not as gentle as usual, but rather holding a strange, chilling indifference. “I do.” As they exchanged rings, Mr. Davies, the butler, stepped forward, holding a delicate velvet box. Inside lay two rings embedded with blood-red gems. They placed them on each other’s fingers, completing the ceremony. I saw Grandma slowly let out a breath. The next day, the butler came rushing to find me. “Young Master, something’s happened to Mr. Stone…” “The old lady left for a business trip abroad last night…” I returned to my old room, where Derek was screaming in the bathroom. Dark bruises bloomed on his collarbone, as if an invisible hand had brutally squeezed him. Seeing me, he immediately grabbed my arm. “Alex, I didn’t hit anything last night! What’s going on?” “Probably an allergic reaction,” I said airily. Derek’s voice started to tremble. “Is your manor… haunted?”
🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “298925”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn #惊悚Thriller #魔幻Magic
Leave a Reply