Category: English

In my past life, my sister and my fiancée joined forces with my best friend to destroy my company. As I collapsed in the pouring rain, bankrupt and broken, they stood by his side, laughing without restraint. “Look at you, Landon,” they sneered. “You’re like a pathetic stray dog.” When I opened my eyes again, I was back at the project bidding conference, three years in the past. Back then, when my company was just a startup, my sister and fiancée had warned me not to leverage our family connections. It wouldn’t be fair to the others, they said. Then, they turned around and handed the project to my best friend on a silver platter, all for the price of a smile. Reborn, I watched them manipulate things behind the scenes, just as they had before, to gift my project to him. And in that moment, the last vestiges of hope in my heart died. When they found out I was leaving the country, they set off a night’s worth of fireworks to celebrate finally being rid of me, the burden. But three years later, at the Aethel Group’s bidding conference, I walked onto the stage as the CEO’s husband. And as I began to speak, I saw their eyes turn red. 1 I never expected the first familiar face I’d see after returning to Sterling City would be my former best friend, Cole Evans. “Cole Evans, CEO of Zenith Corp. At eighteen, he entered Sterling City’s top university with outstanding grades. After graduating, he built his company from scratch, becoming one of the business world’s rising stars in just three short years…” On the first floor of the Sterling Grand Tower, a screen between the two elevator banks looped a highlight reel of his achievements. Three years had changed him. The timid, insecure boy from the countryside was gone, replaced by a man exuding a certain aristocratic air in his custom-tailored suit. Money, it seems, can truly mold a man. Today was the Aethel Group’s project bidding conference. The lobby was already swarming with reporters. I tried to ignore him, to mind my own business, but he approached me. “Landon? Is that really you? I almost didn’t recognize you.” “You suddenly left for overseas three years ago. I thought you were never coming back!” Cole’s voice was loud, loud enough for the reporters gathered in the distance to hear every word. I could feel their inquisitive gazes landing on me. “…Holt family… heir…” “…Ziegler engagement… Ivy…” “…Proposing… win her back… no…” Fragmented whispers, deliberately lowered, drifted into my ears. I glanced at Cole. He feigned ignorance, continuing, “Why didn’t you give a heads-up you were coming back? Could it be that you heard…” He cut himself off, feigning a slip of the tongue. “Landon, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.” His panicked apology was a masterclass in misdirection, expertly guiding the onlookers to the wrong conclusion. A bold reporter was already shouting a question. “Mr. Evans, we hear that both Sierra Holt, the chief designer at Holt Jewels, and Ivy Ziegler, the Ziegler family heiress, are planning to propose to you. Is this true?” “Mr. Evans, if Miss Holt and Miss Ziegler both propose, who will you choose?” Cole dodged the question. “Ah… those are just online rumors for now. I hope everyone can be rational. Besides, Sierra and Ivy are both wonderful people. We’re just very good friends.” The elevator arrived. He gave a slight bow. “My apologies, but I have to give a speech at the Aethel Group’s conference. I need to go up and prepare.” He then turned to me with a friendly smile. “Landon, are you heading up?” I hesitated for only a second, and that was all it took. The reporters, getting no answers from Cole, turned their sights on me. “Mr. Holt, we heard you were pursuing Miss Ziegler before you went abroad. Did you come back because you heard she was planning to propose to Mr. Evans?” “We hear Miss Holt is your sister. Mr. Holt, would you be okay with Mr. Evans becoming your brother-in-law?” “If Miss Ziegler really does propose to Mr. Evans, what will you do? Will you try to stop it, or will you offer your blessing?” Their eyes were like those of starving wolves, their quickened breaths filled with greed and urgency. Reporters rarely care about the truth; they only care about the story. I knew if I didn’t respond, the internet would be flooded with speculation about my return within the hour. An image of a certain someone who got jealous easily flashed through my mind. I waved a dismissive hand at Cole. “In that case, I’ll go on ahead.” Just before the elevator doors closed, Cole’s lips curved into a sneer that only I could see. I looked away, turning to face the reporters. I was about to pull out my invitation when a sharp voice cut through the air. “Landon Holt, who let you come here?” “Are you planning to steal Cole’s project again, just like you did three years ago?” The cameras swiveled. My ex-fiancée, Ivy Ziegler, was striding toward me, her long legs accentuated by a tight miniskirt, her face a mask of fury. 2 “Three years ago, and now again.” “Landon, will you ever stop?” I frowned at Ivy’s accusation. “What are you talking about?” The woman who had once promised me a lifetime together now looked at me with pure disgust. “Everyone in Sterling City knows Aethel Group wants to work with Cole on this. Why else would you suddenly come back from overseas if not to steal his project?” Aethel Group wanted to work with Cole? That was news to me. My eyes flickered with surprise, which Ivy mistook for guilt. The disgust in her eyes was now tinged with contempt. “Do you think you can still use the Holt family name to bully Cole whenever you want?” “Aethel Group isn’t some small-time local company. They don’t care about your family background. If you don’t want to humiliate yourself, you should leave. Now.” I pulled out my invitation and waved it in her face. “Sorry, but I was invited to this conference. You have no right to tell me to leave.” “Don’t push your luck…” Ivy was about to threaten me when the reporters’ whispers seemed to spark a realization. Her expression shifted to one of utter disdain. “Landon, I told you, our engagement is over. Can you please stop harassing me? Whatever happens between me and Cole, it has nothing to do with you. We are never getting back together.” “You’re overthinking it. I’m only here for the conference. I’m married now. I’m not interested in who you end up with.” I didn’t lower my voice. The explanation was less for Ivy and more for the reporters. The crowd quieted, but Ivy just scoffed. “Landon, is this really necessary? Do you think lying about being married will make me anxious? Let me tell you, playing hard to get won’t work. I couldn’t care less if you’re married or not.” “I know.” I nodded and stepped into the newly arrived elevator. As long as the press didn’t print lies, I didn’t care what Ivy believed. Just as the doors were closing, she slipped in beside me. The doors shut, sealing us in the small space. “Alright, what will it take for you to leave?” she asked, her face grim. A ghost of a smile played on my lips. “You have that little faith in Cole?” “How could you possibly compare to him?” she sneered. “After Cole signs with Aethel, I’m going to propose to him, right here. I’m afraid he’ll get the wrong idea if you’re around.” I replied with four, emotionless words. “Congratulations.” “Can you just stop this? I know you’re jealous, but you can’t force feelings. This act is not good for either of us.” Her voice was tired, with a hint of condescension, as if she were doing me a favor. “Look, if you leave right now, I’ll personally see to it that Ziegler Corp gives you two projects.” I shook my head coolly. “I don’t need them.” Her tone soured. “I just don’t want Cole to be upset. You should take the offer while you can. Otherwise, you might end up with nothing.” I didn’t respond to anything else she said. By the time the elevator doors opened, her face was flushed with anger. She stormed out, tossing a final command to the woman waiting by the door before stalking off on her high heels. “Control your brother.” I looked at the woman—my own sister, Sierra—and cursed my luck. I had planned to ignore her, but as I stepped out of the elevator, she grabbed my arm. Sierra dragged me to a secluded corner, her eyes cold. “What are you doing here?” “Bidding,” I said flatly. “Nonsense. Go home, now,” she snapped. “Are you planning to steal Cole’s project again, just like three years ago?” 3 Sierra’s words were almost identical to Ivy’s. I looked up at the person who was supposed to be my closest living relative and felt a bitter irony. That project three years ago was a joint venture between the Holt and Ziegler corporations. It wasn’t large, but for a startup, it was a golden opportunity. Thinking I had an inside track, I went to Sierra to ask for it. She shot me down immediately. When Ivy heard, she came and gave me an earful. They said it wasn’t fair to the small, self-made companies. I didn’t understand. Business is about resource integration. I had the ability to complete the project, and I had the connections. Why couldn’t I use them? Later, I found out why. It was for Cole, who was also competing for the same project. One moment, Sierra and Ivy were warning me off; the next, they were dispatching their own professional teams to help Cole perfect his proposal. When I was on the verge of winning by a single vote, they personally joined the review panel and cast their votes for him, handing him the victory. When I confronted them, they were full of self-righteous justifications. “Can’t you have some empathy? You have the Holt and Ziegler corporations to fall back on, but Cole has no choice but to succeed. Since we’re in a position to help, of course we should.” In my past life, I hadn’t accepted it. I exposed them publicly, causing Cole to lose the bid. I continued to oppose him at every turn. To get back at me for him, Sierra and Ivy joined forces to attack my company, driving me to bankruptcy even before Cole. As I was cornered by debt collectors, with nowhere to turn, the two people who should have been my closest allies stood by Cole’s side, mocking my pathetic state. I lost consciousness in the pouring rain. When I woke up, I was back at that bidding conference, three years earlier. Watching Sierra and Ivy join the panel at the last minute to cheat for Cole, just like before, my heart died completely. I liquidated my company. The night they threw a celebration party for Cole, I boarded a plane and left the country alone. In three years, they never contacted me once. Yet the moment I returned, they were on guard, terrified I would harm their precious darling. Even with the memories of two lifetimes, a dull ache spread through my chest. I looked at Sierra with reddened eyes and repeated the same words she’d used on me three years ago, before that first conference. “I’m not participating in this bid as a member of the Holt family. You have no right to make me leave.” I shook her off and turned to go. But two bodyguards suddenly appeared and blocked my path. I turned back to Sierra. Her expression was placid. “If Cole wins this project, his company can go public at least two years ahead of schedule. I can’t let you ruin his chance.” If a company’s representative doesn’t show up, they automatically forfeit the bid. She had supported Cole for three years, yet she still had no faith in his abilities. She still had to resort to cheating to help him. And this was the man who had caused my two closest relatives to betray me, time and time again. I wanted to laugh, but it felt too tragic. I wanted to ask Sierra what she even saw in him, but the thought was tasteless. A lifetime of death stood between us. There was no possibility of reconciliation. “Sierra, do you really think these two can stop me?” Her brow furrowed. “What did you call me?” “Hah.” I gave a short, sharp laugh and turned toward the bodyguards. “Stop him,” Sierra commanded. The two muscular guards lunged at me. As their hands reached for my shoulders, I lunged forward, arching my back as my hands shot out, fingertips aimed for their exposed armpits. They quickly changed their tactic, pressing down, but I drew my hands back to my chest, straightened my back, and used the momentum to lean forward, driving my elbows into their chests. Thump, thump! The guards staggered back. I moved behind them, and before they could regain their footing, I struck each of them in the back, creating distance as they stumbled. Our positions were now reversed. As the two guards steadied themselves and prepared to charge again, I took a step back, positioning myself in full view of a security camera. “Stop!” Sierra quickly called them off, her expression a complex mix of emotions. “When did you become so strong?” I gave her a silent look and walked toward the conference hall. Yes, when? Life abroad was much more dangerous than at home. I was getting robbed several times a month, far more than the average person. If I hadn’t learned to defend myself, I would have been dead long ago.

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1 After his first love died, Anton hated me for ten years. I tried everything to win his affection, but all I ever got was a cold sneer. “If you really want to make me happy, Grace,” he’d say, “why don’t you just die?” His words were a knife in my heart, yet when the burning rafters of our home came crashing down, he died saving me. He lay in my arms, and with the last of his strength, he pushed my hand away. “Grace,” he whispered, his voice a ghost of a breath. “If only I had never met you…” At his funeral, his mother’s sobs were accusations. “Anton, my boy, it’s all my fault. I never should have forced you to marry her. If I had just let you be with Evelyn, would things have been different today?” His father’s glare was full of venom. “He saved your life three times. Why do you only bring him disaster? Why wasn’t it you who died?” Everyone, including me, regretted our marriage. In the end, I went to the top of Starlight Point, the place where lovers make wishes, and threw myself from the edge. I woke up ten years in the past. This time, I would sever all ties with Anton. This time, I would give everyone the ending they wanted. 2 “You’ve really outdone yourself, Grace. Using your parents’ dying wish to force my family’s hand. Making them pressure me into marrying you. Do you really think this will make you happy?” The voice was deep and cold, a ghost from a past I thought was gone. I blinked, my vision clearing, and stared at Anton. He stood before me, young and defiant in a sharp, tailored suit, a world away from the broken man he would become. This was eighteen-year-old Anton. I had really gone back. Suppressing the knot of grief in my throat, I drank in the sight of him, alive and whole. “You don’t want to marry me because the one you truly love is Evelyn. Isn’t that right?” Anton let out a bitter laugh. “What if it is? Are you going to step aside?” “Yes,” I said, my voice firm. My parents had been national heroes, diplomats who died in a bombing overseas. In recognition of their sacrifice, the government had granted me a special boon—a state-sanctioned marriage contract, blank and waiting for a name. I could marry anyone I chose. Or, I could use it to arrange a marriage for someone else. He stared at me, then a cynical smile twisted his lips. “You used the contract to pressure me. My parents are forcing me. Our marriage is a done deal. How exactly are you going to ‘step aside’ now?” “Grace, I don’t have time to play your games. Go back to the registrar’s office and file the damn contract. I’ll wait for you here.” He turned away, leaning against the cold stone wall of the government building, the disgust in his eyes a physical blow. For two lifetimes, I had loved Anton. He had saved my life twice, acts of reckless bravery that I mistook for secret affection. I had naively used my parents’ legacy to marry him, only to learn too late that his heart belonged to another. My decade of love had been his decade of torment. In my past life, I had spent years performing acts of charity, bartering my own life force in mystical rites, all to earn him a chance at rebirth. Before the end, a spiritual guide had warned me, “Within twelve hours of his second chance, you must resolve his three greatest regrets. Once it is done, you must leave immediately.” “From then on, your paths will diverge. He will no longer be fated to die at thirty. You will both find your own destinies.” “But rebirth always has a price, my child. Be certain you are willing to pay it.” As long as Anton could live, I was willing to pay any price. I went back inside and amended the contract, formally requesting the union of Anton McGaw and Evelyn Lin. I knew his three regrets. He had written them in his private journal. Regret not fighting my parents’ arrangement. Regret marrying Grace. Regret not being able to save Evelyn. Now, his first regret was fulfilled. I walked out with the official document and handed it to him. He looked at me with contempt, as if I were a predator who had finally cornered her prey. He reached to open it. I placed a hand over his. “Wait until tomorrow,” I said, offering a gentle smile. “It’ll be a surprise.” He glanced at me, his voice laced with scorn. “Pathetic. Today, tomorrow—it’s still a marriage to you, isn’t it? What’s wrong with you today? Are you that deliriously happy you finally trapped me?” I was happy. Because I was finally seeing you alive again. I smiled. “I think you’re the best person in the world. Anyone who marries you will be incredibly happy.” “Let’s go,” he snapped, turning away. If I didn’t know better, I would have thought he was blushing. On the ride back to his family’s estate, the car passed a street bustling with nightlife. I overheard a group of girls talking excitedly. “Tonight’s the Perseid meteor shower! They say if a couple watches it together from Starlight Point, they’ll be soulmates for three lifetimes!” A memory pierced through me. In my past life, I had heard the same thing and eagerly begged Anton to take me. He had looked at me with that chilling, mocking expression. “Isn’t one lifetime of you enough? Now you want to haunt me for three?” “It’s a stupid superstition, a ridiculous fairytale for fools. If you want to believe it, fine, but leave me out of it.” Even now, the memory of his cold eyes made me shiver. I quietly closed the car’s privacy screen. But this time, Anton spoke, his tone unexpectedly neutral. “You want to go?” “I can take you to Starlight Point tonight. It can be my apology for not being able to attend the memorial for your parents after the wedding.” I looked up at him, surprised. It was both unexpected and completely in character. Anton had always been like this—a cruel tongue hiding a soft heart. He didn’t love me, but he had still risked his life for me three times. The first, when I was attacked by muggers, he took a knife to his right arm protecting me. The hand that was once skilled enough to hit a target a hundred yards away could never hold a bow again. The second, when I contracted a deadly virus, he climbed a treacherous cliff face to find a rare herb to save my life, nearly breaking his leg in the process. The third, during a fire at the embassy, he died saving me. Anton was perfect in every way. He just didn’t love me. I knew that after today, we would have no future together. Even if we watched the meteor shower from Starlight Point, the legend wouldn’t apply to us. Still, I suppressed the hot tears welling in my eyes and gave him a smile so bright it felt cheap. “Okay. Let’s go see the meteors together.” 3 Halfway there, our car was stopped. It was Evelyn’s personal assistant. She said Evelyn was suffering from a terrible migraine and wanted to see Anton. He frowned at the news and immediately got out of the car. “Evelyn’s not well. I have to go see her. You go back to the estate. I’ll meet you at Starlight Point tonight.” I nodded. “Okay.” He looked at me, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. “You used to hate it when I went to see her. What’s changed?” I opened my mouth, but he cut me off with another sneer. “Right. We’re about to be married. I guess she’s not a threat to you anymore.” He walked away, never seeing the desolate smile on my face. I never tried to stop him from caring for Evelyn. I only intervened once, when I discovered she was having an affair with a married government official. I tried desperately to keep Anton away from her, to protect him from the inevitable scandal. But he never knew. After she died, he grieved her loss for a decade. If I had to choose, I would rather see him with her and happy, than see him tormented and dying for me. My first stop was the passport office to arrange my travel documents. Then, I returned to the McGaw estate. Mrs. McGaw had prepared a feast, a table laden with all my favorite dishes. As I always did, I took off my white fur-trimmed coat and draped it over her shoulders. “It’s cold, Amelia. You need to take care of yourself.” She beamed at me, her face alight with joy. “Grace, you’re always so thoughtful. Quick, let me see the marriage contract! I’ve waited so long to finally call you my daughter.” Mr. McGaw, noticing I was alone, bristled with anger. “That boy didn’t come back with you again? The contract is finalized, and he still doesn’t know how to cherish you? When he gets home, I’ll give him a piece of my mind!” Their genuine affection was a bittersweet ache in my chest. They had raised me after my own parents died, giving me a home, giving me their love. I had always been the dutiful, obedient daughter. But this time, I had to betray their hopes. I looked at them, my voice heavy. “Arthur, Amelia… I’m not marrying Anton.” “I’m leaving for the coast tomorrow. I won’t be here to look after you anymore, so you must promise to take good care of each other.” Amelia stared, her smile faltering. “Your parents died serving this country. You grew up here. This estate is your home. Where would you go?” Her eyes filled with alarm. “Is it because of that Lin girl? Did Anton hurt you? Is that why you’re calling off the wedding?” “Don’t do this, Grace. He has feelings for you, I know he does. He risked his life for you twice! Every year for your birthday, he spends months searching for the perfect gift. I know you love him too. You learned to cook for him, you massage his hand every night to ease the pain. You would be so happy together!” “Besides, that Lin girl is trouble. We can’t let her win. Please, don’t leave out of anger.” In my past life, they had said the same things. In the end, I lost my husband, and they lost their son. We all lived with a lifetime of regret. I gently wiped a tear from her cheek. “Amelia, you can’t force love. Anton’s heart belongs to someone else. It’s wrong of me to force him to marry me.” “Last night, I had a dream. I dreamt that he and I were married. But he wouldn’t see me. He worked himself to the bone, driving his body into the ground. He wouldn’t eat the food I made for him, wouldn’t let me care for him when he was sick. He told me that the pain I brought him was greater than any happiness. He even… he even died at thirty, saving my life.” The words were a physical pain, making it hard to breathe. Amelia was stunned. “But… that’s just a dream, Grace. Anton wouldn’t…” I sniffled, forcing a smile. “Dreams can be warnings, Amelia. I want him to live a long life. It’s better that we’re not husband and wife.” “He’s a man of privilege, but he’s never truly been free to make his own choices. At the very least, he should be able to choose who he marries.” I knelt before them and bowed my head to the floor three times. “My travel papers are ready. Please, grant me this one wish. I will never forget your kindness. I will repay it for the rest of my life.” Arthur’s lips thinned. He helped me to my feet. Amelia, wiping her tears, pressed a thick stack of bills into my hand. “If this is what you’ve decided, then I will respect your choice. But remember, no matter what happens, this will always be your home.” My own tears finally fell, and I hugged her tightly. “Thank you, Amelia.” By cutting my ties with Anton, the tragedy of our past life would never happen. He would live a long life. His parents wouldn’t lose their son and grow to hate me. This time, everyone would have a happy ending. The second of his regrets was fulfilled. Now, only one remained. That evening, I went to Starlight Point. The scenic overlook was crowded with couples, all there to wish for a shared destiny. “Grace.” A familiar voice cut through the crowd. I turned, my heart leaping, only to see Anton’s thunderous expression. He grabbed my wrist, his eyes blazing with a furious, crimson light. “You know how much I despise people who abuse their power. I didn’t escort you home, so you ran to my parents and tattled, making them humiliate Evelyn. She tried to kill herself, Grace. She took poison. Are you satisfied now?”

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A new reality show about a billionaire family is the latest viral hit. During a live broadcast, someone brought me up. My mother, her arm wrapped around the fake heiress, Chloe, accused me of being a pathological liar. My brother, Sonny, his voice laced with ice, added, “She’s nothing but trash.” My childhood friend, Peter, frowned. “A vicious, ungrateful viper,” was his assessment. Then Chloe, in her sugary-sweet voice, intervened. “Mom, Sonny, Peter, please don’t say that about my sister. Why don’t we invite her on the show? I’m sure she’s seen the error of her ways by now.” They fell silent. The live-stream comments, however, exploded with excitement, demanding they go find the real heiress immediately. Everyone wanted to see what kind of monster Jodie Ashford was to be so universally despised. Finally, Sonny lifted his gaze, his expression unreadable. “Fine. Do whatever you want.” And so, the entire production, a massive entourage, set off to find me. I floated in the air, a silent ghost tagging along. I was curious. Where on earth could they possibly find me? 1 A crowd of people swarmed in front of a dilapidated old building. The corners of the lot were overflowing with garbage, a buzzing cloud of flies and roaches feasting on the rot. The crew from the show couldn’t help but pinch their noses against the stench. I did a slow loop in the air, grateful I couldn’t smell a thing. Just then, my mother, Sonny, and the others stepped out of their luxury cars. Dressed in limited-edition couture, they were a stark, shimmering contrast to the squalor around them. The live-stream chat filled with confusion: 【Wait, the real Ashford heiress lives in a dump like this?】 【That dress Chloe’s wearing could probably buy this whole building.】 Someone chimed in with an explanation: 【You guys didn’t see the news? Three years ago, Jodie Ashford killed her own father and ran away from home.】 【What? She’s that horrible? The Ashfords should never have taken her back in the first place.】 【Yeah, I heard about her. A real piece of work. Nothing like Chloe, who has Sonny Ashford and the medical prodigy Peter protecting her.】 The discussion was heating up. My mother pulled out a silk handkerchief, holding it to Chloe’s nose to block the smell. Then she turned to Sonny. “Go get Jodie to open the door.” Sonny took a single step up the crumbling concrete stairs, then froze. He’d realized he had no idea which apartment was mine. I’d actually told him before. But at the time, he was too busy consoling a tearful Chloe to pay any attention. But then I heard a low voice from behind him. It was Peter. “201.” I wasn’t surprised. Of everyone here, Peter knew me best. Sonny shot Peter a surprised look before continuing up to the second floor. There was no doorbell. The great Sonny Ashford, CEO of Ashford Corp, was reduced to pounding on a rusty metal door. A long, long time passed. No one answered. I tilted my head, watching Sonny. His face was hardening, a cold mask settling over his features. “Silly brother,” I whispered in his ear, though he couldn’t hear me. “Obviously, no one’s home.” He just kept knocking, a stubborn, repetitive rhythm. I found it fascinating. Normally, his patience with me wore thin in seconds. He would have stormed off by now, spitting, “Such a lack of manners,” over his shoulder. The viewers in the live stream were getting restless. 【Is she not home? Why don’t they just call her?】 【Who knows if they even have her number? Look at Sonny, he didn’t even know the apartment number.】 【I heard Peter grew up with Jodie in a group home. Now he’s a medical genius with a spotless reputation. If even he talks about her like that, she must be truly terrible.】 【I was so ready for the drama of Jodie joining the show. The real vs. the fake heiress, it would’ve been epic.】 Then, another comment: 【This place looks sketchy as hell. Isn’t anyone worried something might have happened to her?】 This was a live broadcast, so the people on set could see the comments scrolling by. “Maybe… maybe my sister saw the show and left ahead of time,” Chloe said, her head bowed as if in deep sorrow. “She doesn’t want to see us. When she left, she blocked all of our numbers.” “It’s all my fault. If it weren’t for me…” “This has nothing to do with you! She’s the ungrateful wretch!” Sonny had stopped knocking. His voice was cold, sharp with a hatred that seemed to cut through the air. “She’d better hope she can hide for the rest of her life.” I had heard those words, or ones just like them, too many times while I was alive. I didn’t want to hear them again. I drifted away from them, watching as they conferred with the production crew, finally giving up on their plan to invite me. Only when they began preparing for the next segment did I float back. 2 Just as everyone was about to get back into their cars, a woman in flashy, cheap clothes emerged from the building, yawning. She was halfway down the stairs when she saw Sonny’s face. She stopped, turned back, and threw him a sultry look. “Hey handsome, looking for me? It’s only two hundred.” I blinked, drifting in front of my brother to get a better look. Well. He was undeniably handsome. As I recalled, women had always flocked to him like moths to a flame. When had Sonny Ashford ever been subjected to such a humiliating offer? His face instantly darkened. “Get lost.” Several of his bodyguards moved forward, their expressions menacing. The woman flinched, about to run. “Wait,” Chloe called out, stopping her with a gentle smile. “Excuse me, have you seen the woman who lives here?” she asked, gesturing to the door of my old apartment. The woman glanced at the door. “Oh, her?” she said with a dismissive smirk. “She’s got good business. Always a few men with her at a time.” After she spoke, a dead silence fell over the scene. Chloe was the first to react, covering her mouth with her hand, the very picture of shocked innocence. “Oh my god. My sister… how could she do something like that?” My mother clutched at her chest, her face pale with rage. “What a disgraceful, filthy creature!” she seethed. Chloe immediately rushed to her side, helping her back toward the car and rubbing her back to calm her down. “That bastard!” Sonny finally processed the words, his initial shock turning into incandescent rage. “As an Ashford, how dare she?!” The force of his anger made me shrink back. I didn’t understand why he was so furious. Hadn’t he always told me I was born low-class, unworthy of the Ashford name? Why did it suddenly matter to him now what I did? The internet, of course, went into a frenzy. The comments flew by in a blur: 【What the hell, Jodie is a… a prostitute?】 【What a disgrace to the Ashford family. If only Chloe were their real daughter. She’s so pure and innocent.】 【Can we just move on? I don’t want to hear another thing about this person. It’s disgusting.】 But some offered a different perspective: 【Could this be a misunderstanding? Chloe isn’t always right. Peter grew up with Jodie, maybe he knows her better?】 At the mention of his name, everyone on set turned to look at Peter, waiting for his verdict. I floated over to him, waiting too. Peter simply lowered his gaze, his voice flat and devoid of emotion. “I never thought she’d sink so low.” He sided with Chloe, condemning me. He affirmed that yes, with a character like mine, I was capable of such a thing. A wave of murmurs went through the crowd. Sonny’s hands clenched into fists, the veins on their backs standing out like cords. Chloe, having settled my mother in the car, hurried back to his side. I stared at Peter. This boy, three years younger than me, whom I had once treated like my own brother. I thought I would be used to it by now. But my heart still ached with a familiar, numbing pain. When we were kids, bullies used to pick on him. I always stood in their way. Once, my arm was broken protecting him. Another time, I nearly lost an eye. But none of that seemed to matter as much as the simple umbrella Chloe had handed him on a rainy day. From that day on, whatever Chloe said, whatever she did, he defended her. She said I stole the class funds, so he testified against me, getting me ostracized by my classmates and disciplined by the school. Chloe fell down a flight of stairs when I was nearby, so he pushed me down a flight of stairs in return. And now, this. He knew. He knew the truth. When we were clinging to each other for survival, we lived in this very building. That flimsy metal door did nothing to block out the sounds from next door. He would cover my ears with his small hands, his jaw clenched in hatred. “Jodie, don’t listen. Don’t be scared. When I make money, we’ll move away from here.” We did eventually move. He got a big, beautiful house. But the sister in his heart was no longer me. It was Chloe. “Mr. Ashford, I’ve found the young miss’s number.” 3 Sonny’s assistant’s voice snapped me back to the present. I was a little surprised. My brother had actually sent someone to find my number? That was so unlike him. The resources at his command were usually reserved for Chloe and Chloe alone. I floated closer to him. He was frowning, staring at the number scrawled on a slip of paper in his hand. His face was a mask of conflict. Was he hesitating? Struggling with what to say to his disgraceful sister? Impossible. I shook my head. I knew better than that. The only times Sonny had ever called me were to demand I apologize to Chloe, or to vent his own frustrations… “Jodie, you have three minutes to get to Father’s memorial tablet and kneel.” The seconds ticked by. Sonny just stared at the number, unmoving. I was getting antsy for him. The live stream was, too: 【What’s he thinking? Just call already! Confront her!】 【They said they haven’t spoken in three years. Maybe it feels awkward?】 【CALL HER! Get her on the show so we can see how awful she really is.】 【I bet she won’t have the guts to show up. She burned her bridges with the Ashfords.】 The show’s director, growing desperate, cautiously approached his biggest sponsor. “Mr. Ashford, if you’d please…” Sonny silenced him with a single glare. The director scurried away, but not without a flicker of triumph on his face. He had seen it. Sonny’s phone screen now read: Dialing… Everyone held their breath. Only I wasn’t nervous. I was bored, looking around. After all, there was no way that call could connect. I was a ghost. How could I possibly answer a phone? But in the next second, the call connected. A voice on the other end said, “Hello?” I jumped in shock. But I quickly composed myself. My brother, on the other hand, was stunned into fury. He practically choked on the words. “Who is this?” “Where is Jodie?” 4 “This is your daddy!” The person on the other end seemed to hesitate for a second before snapping back. Sonny, after a moment of shock, regained his composure. “You must be her friend, Maya. She always did love running with gutter trash like you.” “Put Jodie on the phone.” I looked up, surprised. I didn’t think he’d even remember Maya, my best friend from before I returned to the Ashfords. I thought he never paid any attention to my life at all. Maya’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “Well, well. I thought the great Sonny Ashford was calling because he’d finally grown a conscience. Turns out you’re just as cold-blooded as ever. Is this how all you rich folk are?” Sonny didn’t rise to the bait. He calmly slipped on the jacket his assistant handed him. “Miss Maya,” he said with a faint, chilling smile, “I doubt you could find a more cold-blooded person on this earth than your dear friend, Jodie.” “Right, right. The kindest person in the world is your precious, two-faced fake sister, Chloe. There, are you satisfied, Mr. Ashford?” Maya was clearly furious now, her words tumbling out in a rush. “You build her up, fund this trashy show, and you want to drag Jodie through the mud as a prop? Don’t you think you’ve hurt her enough? It’s disgusting!” She paused, as if catching her breath, then added, “If you ask me, Jodie wasn’t cold-blooded enough. She should have just watched you get kidnapped all those years ago!” Sonny’s pupils contracted. His knuckles, wrapped around the phone, turned white. I felt a jolt of memory, a dizzying pull back to the year I was taken. My brother, sneaking me out of the house to play without our parents’ permission. A tall man grabbing him, trying to drag him into a van. I had clawed and bit at the man until he yelped in pain and let go. I kept screaming, crying, finally drawing the attention of passersby. Realizing he’d been spotted and that grabbing Sonny again would be too difficult, the man had simply shoved me into the van and sped off. I was four years old. My brother was ten. Sonny’s face became a thundercloud. “Who do you think you are, speaking to me like that?” he snarled. “I’ll say it one more time. Get Jodie. On. The. Phone. Now.” “Oh, that’s right! You’re all so high and mighty! Us poor folk aren’t worthy of speaking to you!” Maya was clearly terrified of Sonny, but she gritted her teeth and pushed on. “You want to talk to Jodie? Maybe in your next life!” Maya, you fool! Why are you provoking him? I was frantic, wanting desperately to stop her, but it was useless. I could see Sonny’s face had become so dark it looked like it was carved from obsidian. My heart twisted for Maya, terrified of what he might do to her in retaliation. I knew what that was like. It wasn’t pleasant. And Maya was just an ordinary person; she stood no chance against my brother. Strangely, Sonny took a deep breath and, for once, didn’t retaliate. Just then, Peter suddenly spoke up. “Let me try.” 5 Sonny tossed the phone to Peter, his face a mask of stone, and walked away. Peter caught it, his tone familiar and easy. “Maya, it’s been a while. Can you put Jodie on?” Maya, Peter, and I had all grown up in the same group home. Once upon a time, we were an inseparable trio. There was a long silence on Maya’s end before she finally spoke, her voice hollow. “Well, if it isn’t the rising star of the medical world. What’s it been, a few years? Have you already forgotten how to call the person who worked her fingers to the bone to put you through school ‘sister’?” Peter’s lips curved into an unconcerned smile. “Maya. Sister. Is that better?” “Was I asking you to call me that?” Maya exploded. “Peter, has your conscience been completely eaten by dogs?” The smile vanished from Peter’s face. His expression cooled. “Maya, my patience is limited.” “Where is Jodie?” “You want to see her?” Maya’s tone was strange, almost eerie. Peter’s lips thinned, but he said nothing. Maya let out a short, sharp laugh that grew louder and more unhinged. “You want to see her now? Isn’t it a little late for that? Where were all of you before?!” Still, Peter didn’t answer. Maya’s laughter died down. When she spoke again, her voice was quiet and steady. “Jodie? Oh, she’s probably… been reincarnated into a better family by now.” The call was on speaker, the volume turned up for the show. The entire set, including the crew and the thousands watching the live stream, fell into a profound silence. My heart leaped into my throat. So, it’s finally out. Before I died, Maya was the only one by my side. She handled everything afterward. She had already borne so much for me. It was probably for the best that she let it all out. I just didn’t know how my mother and brother would react. I lowered my head, unable to look at any of them. After what felt like an eternity, a low chuckle broke the silence. 6 I turned. It was my brother. He was laughing. “You went through all that trouble just to say that?” Sonny said, slipping his hands into his pockets, utterly convinced he had uncovered the truth. “Jodie put you up to this, didn’t she.” It wasn’t a question. “She really is something else.” Peter’s head was bowed, his hair obscuring his eyes. “A person that selfish… she wouldn’t die before she’s done ruining people’s lives,” he said, his voice laced with scorn, as if the flicker of panic in his eyes moments before had been a mere illusion. I bowed my head, helpless. Of course. Peter probably wished I would just drop dead. “That’s right, I was just messing with you! So what?” Maya’s voice suddenly turned manic. “Jodie is happier than she has ever been since she left you all! Did you really think she liked living in that toxic wasteland of a family? She was sick of it! Why is it always you people who get to summon her and dismiss her whenever you please? You want to find her? Then you can crawl over here yourselves!” Maya spat out an address and, without waiting for a reply, hung up. Everyone stared at each other. The director and camera operators exchanged nervous glances, but no one dared to move. They just kept the cameras rolling. Sonny stood frozen, his expression impassive, but the veins on the back of his hand were a web of angry blue. Peter remained with his head down, his thoughts a mystery. “Go. We’ll go right now. Let’s see what kind of game this little liar Jodie is playing!” The furious voice came from behind them. My mother, leaning carefully on Chloe’s arm, strode forward. “And bring the family register,” she commanded. “The Ashfords have no such person in their family!” Chloe froze, then turned to the camera, her face a mask of pitiful pleading. “Sister, I know you’re watching. Please, I’m begging you, stop making Mom and our brothers angry. It’s not too late to admit you’re wrong.” My grandmother’s intent was clear. She was going to disown me, live on this show, in front of the whole world. In a hundred years, the Ashford family had never had such a disgraceful child. Sonny’s expression shifted through a storm of emotions. Finally, he spoke. “Jodie, you’ve gone too far this time.” “It’s time you learned a lesson.” Hearing that, I silently floated into one of the cars. And I silently cursed myself. Jodie. How could you still hold out any hope that your brother would protect you?

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Eight years ago, to protect Lily, I fought a long and bitter war with a man named Anthony. Even though she was a mute, I ignored my family’s vehement objections and married her anyway. Eight years later, our house was on fire. I risked my life to save her, but to protect a wooden doll that looked unnervingly like Anthony, she shoved me back into the inferno. “Lily, just pretend to be mute. Just for me, okay? He’ll definitely fall for you.” “Okay.” That single recording, saved in a folder on her computer labeled “My Love,” plunged me into an icy abyss. All this time, what I thought was love at first sight had been a meticulously planned deception. Looking at her now, still refusing to speak, still covering for Anthony, a sharp, unrelenting pain seized my heart. But on the day I finally decided to leave her, I received a strange phone call. “Leo… don’t… don’t leave me. You’re all I have…” It was the seventh day of my hospital stay, and Lily still hadn’t come to see me. I stared blankly at the exquisitely crafted wooden figure in my hands, at the hauntingly familiar face carved into it, and felt my heart plummet into a frozen cavern. No one knew that face better than I did. After all, I had fought him for so long to keep Lily by my side. Before I could put the doll down, the door to my room burst open. It was Lily. She looked at me, her expression frantic, her brow furrowed as her gaze darted to the doll in my hands. Her look was an accusation, with no hint of concern for my bandaged, recovering body. “Leo! Why did you take this? Do you have any idea how long I’ve been looking for it?” Panting, she signed at me with furious speed, desperate, guttural sounds escaping her throat as she lunged to snatch the doll from my grasp. So, it was for the doll. Of course. Otherwise, she would have already taken it to see Anthony, to celebrate his birthday. She wouldn’t have wasted her time coming here. A doctor who had just walked in was stunned by the scene. I held on tight, my grip unyielding, but she was strong enough to yank me bodily from the hospital bed. I teetered on the edge, about to fall. “Hey! What are you doing?!” a nurse shouted. I looked at Lily, still wrestling with me, and a bitter, self-mocking smile touched my lips. I let go. She got the doll, and I crashed to the floor. Damn, that hurt. But the physical pain somehow dulled the ache in my chest. Lily froze, staring at the doll in her hands. A flicker of panic crossed her face. She glanced at me as if finally remembering I was there, and reached out a hand to help me up. I flinched away, shifting my body to avoid her touch. Her hand hung in the air for a moment before she awkwardly pulled it back. The doctor, furious, began to reprimand her for agitating a patient, but fell silent when he realized she was mute. “Don’t be upset,” she began to sign, her movements slow and pleading. “Let’s just forget this happened, okay? I promised you, I’ll make you a new one…” “Get out!” I didn’t wait for her to finish her pathetic pantomime. I grabbed the water glass from my bedside table and hurled it at her. That laughable promise, which once might have meant something, now only filled me with disgust. “Lily, where’s my gift?” As we stood in a tense stalemate, a new voice cut through the air. Anthony stood at the doorway, a smug look on his face as he watched Lily. Then, feigning surprise, he turned to me. “Well, if it isn’t Leo. Look at you. It’s been years. What a mess you’ve become.” The sound of more voices drifted in from the hallway. My old colleagues, the people I used to work with, were all filing in behind him. They stared, wide-eyed, at the pathetic sight I made on the floor. “Can’t you see? Anthony planned this,” one of them whispered, not quite quietly enough. “Poor Leo. What a tragedy, falling for a backstabbing viper like her…” And just like that, it all clicked into place. I looked at Lily’s pale face. Her hands trembled as she offered the doll to Anthony, the hopeful, eager light in her eyes telling me everything I needed to know. Liars. All of them. Anthony snatched the doll, then tossed it aside with a look of disgust. He immediately turned his attention back to me, mocking my current state, seizing every opportunity to show how much better he was doing. I was no longer the cheerful crusader I’d once been. “All of you, get out!” I roared. I closed my eyes, shutting out their false words of comfort and pity, and told the doctor to call security and have them all removed. “I don’t want you to keep being deceived.” I was at home, groggy and still healing, when the text message arrived. It was from Claire, a friend I hadn’t spoken to in years. Attached was a full audio file. In the recording, I heard Anthony’s low, indulgent laughter, and then the soft, mumbled sounds of a voice I knew better than my own—Lily’s. “Lily, if you get together with him, I’ll accept your gift.” “We grew up together, and he’s so into you. Just do this one favor for me, okay? It’s not like you’re losing anything.” “Okay. I promise.” My heart grew colder with each word. Listening to that soft, feminine voice—a voice I had never heard—I didn’t even realize when the tears started streaming down my face. For eight years, she hadn’t spoken a single word, all because of a request from Anthony. As the recording played on, the coldness seeped deeper into my bones, colder even than when she had abandoned me in the fire. So, from the very beginning, her love for me had been a lie. I stared at the wedding photo hanging on our wall, remembering the vows we’d exchanged. With a guttural cry, I hurled my phone at the frame, shattering the glass into a thousand pieces. Lily walked in at that moment and jumped, startled by the scene. But her expression quickly hardened, confident that I would, as always, be the one to back down and comfort her. But I just sat there on the sofa, silent. “Today was an accident,” she signed, her hands moving tentatively. “I really did want to see you. How’s your hand?” She seemed unable to bear the silence any longer. But I kept my head down, refusing to look at her. She was performing a one-woman show to an empty audience, her hands aching but too afraid to stop, that same pathetic, pitiful look on her face. “If you can’t speak, then don’t make those grating noises. I can’t stand to hear them.” My voice was ice. Lily froze, her face a mask of shock. The hand she had reached out to tend to my wound snapped back as if burned. I had never used her muteness against her, never thrown it in her face. This was a first. The thought that the person I had loved for over a decade could be so repulsive made me shut my eyes in disgust. “Mark, I’m coming back to the studio,” I said into the phone later. “As for Lily… I’m done.” “Boss, you’re finally back! You’re finally letting go of that woman?” Mark, my lead designer, looked exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes, but he was practically vibrating with excitement. His face soured, though, when I mentioned Anthony. I looked around the studio, at the awards on the shelves and the design blueprints on the walls. It felt like I was seeing them from a lifetime away. For all these years, I had poured everything into Lily, completely forgetting the man I used to be. Anthony and I had grown up together, and we’d despised each other from the start. I couldn’t stand the way he bullied Lily, who couldn’t speak up for herself. The day I saw him force her to go out and buy him something in a torrential downpour, something inside me snapped. I stormed over and grabbed her hand. “Are you an idiot? You’ll do anything he says? What, are you mute or something?” But then I looked into her wide, rain-slicked eyes, and my heart skipped a beat. I cursed under my breath and wiped the rain from my face, annoyed at myself for forgetting she really was mute. Lily just stared at me, not with irritation, but with a quiet curiosity. She nodded obediently and offered me a gentle smile. I never forgot that moment, not even after we were married for years. I gave up my own dreams, my own ambitions, to build a world for her. And now, to realize it was all a scam from the beginning, a game Anthony used her to play to get back at me… I sighed and shared a look with Mark. A real smile, for the first time in a long time. “I’m not leaving again,” I said. “This time, I’m here to stay.” Getting back into the rhythm of work was exhausting but fulfilling. My mood would have been perfect, if not for the sight of Lily waiting for me outside the studio. “Why won’t you come home?” she signed, her eyes filled with a convincing, weary sadness. I ignored her, just as so many others had ignored her in the past. I turned away, leaving her standing there, and started talking to my colleagues. People stared at her, their expressions a mixture of confusion and pity. They couldn’t understand what the mute woman wanted. Someone even wondered aloud if she was a beggar. I glanced at her clothes, torn and scuffed from a fall, and felt nothing. I used to be the one to jump to her defense, my heart aching for her. Not anymore. I wasn’t going to be the fool in this play. “Leo, old friend. How about a reunion? And you too, Lily.” Anthony had appeared out of nowhere, a teasing glint in his eye. I frowned and looked at Lily. Her eyes went wide, and she frantically waved her hands, trying to signal that she hadn’t been the one to call him here. “Sure, why not,” I said. Just then, my phone buzzed with another message from Claire. The information within made my blood run even colder, but I kept my expression neutral. “Anthony,” I said, a slow smile spreading across my face. “Your girlfriend will be there too, right?” The reunion was packed. Not just the three of us, but a crowd of our old friends and classmates. They joked about my “grand romantic gesture” back in the day, how the star-crossed lovers had finally ended up together. “But wait,” someone piped up. “Didn’t Lily used to have a thing for Anthony?” The ill-timed question silenced the room. All eyes turned to us, hungry for drama. What a show, I thought, looking at Lily. How long are you going to keep up this act? “I don’t care who she likes,” I said, my voice light, letting out a small laugh. “Because I’m done with this mute. She’s just a fool who plays with blocks of wood.” The crowd went dead silent. For years, they had mocked me for being with Lily, calling me a “white knight” with a savior complex. Lily had always hidden behind me while I fought her battles. This was a new dynamic. Lily stood there, humiliated, and looked to me for help as the whispers and snickers started. What was she looking at me for? I turned my gaze to Anthony. He was pointedly ignoring her too, a look of irritation on his face. I couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh. “That’s not right,” I said, my voice dangerously soft. “As I recall, Anthony had feelings for Lily, too. Maybe we should let Jenna hear some of your sweet nothings. Or maybe she’d like to see the wooden doll Lily has been saving for you for years.” A collective gasp went through the room. This was better than they could have hoped for. Beside me, Jenna’s face, which had been impassive until now, turned thunderous. “What did you say?” she demanded, turning on Anthony. “You and that… that mute. You haven’t been in contact, have you? And what’s this about a wood carving?” I sneered, watching Anthony’s face drain of color. I deliberately pulled out my phone, making a show of finding the audio file. “What do you think you’re doing! Don’t you dare try to frame us! Everyone knows you’ve always been jealous of me! You married a mute carpenter, and now that you can’t compete, you’re trying to ruin my life!” Anthony, completely unhinged, lunged at me, acting as if he had no idea what recording I was talking about. The moment his hands grabbed my collar, Lily, who had been sitting frozen, shot to her feet. With a strength I didn’t know she possessed, she tore us apart. Her face was a mask of anxiety as she checked the red marks on my neck, her hands flying as she asked if I was okay. I dodged her touch with a click of my tongue, turning away coldly. Lily tried to reach for me again, but Jenna, now incandescent with rage, kicked her hard in the back of the leg. Lily crumpled to her knees. “So that’s why,” Jenna snarled, towering over her. “That’s why Anthony suddenly invited you two. It was always about you, wasn’t it? You pathetic mute, still trying to climb the social ladder?” The others now openly jeered at Lily. She had always been the aloof, untouchable artist, protected by me. The polite respect they’d shown her was a facade. Now, their eyes were filled with nothing but contempt. “Still playing the high and mighty princess…” someone sneered from the crowd. Listening to the taunts, watching her get hit without being able to even cry out, a small, dark part of me felt a sliver of satisfaction. “My apologies. Have I come at a bad time?” A new voice cut through the noise. The crowd turned to the door. “Quite a party.” It was Claire. I raised an eyebrow, not surprised. I gave her a nod of thanks for the intel she’d sent. But Claire’s gaze was fixed on Lily, on the floor, and her expression was one of disappointment. Claire rarely attended these kinds of events, so her arrival immediately shifted the room’s focus. The gossip was forgotten as everyone flocked to suck up to the wealthy heiress. “Don’t be angry, Leo,” Lily signed desperately, pulling at my sleeve now that the attention was off her. “That’s all in the past. My heart is only with you. I only love you. Just let go of this feud with Anthony.” Still for Anthony. Even now, she couldn’t tell me the truth. I watched her frantic pledges of loyalty and found them utterly ridiculous. I forced a smile and nodded, my heart finally, completely dead. In her joyful eyes, I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around Lily. “It’s over now. It’s really and truly over. Goodbye, Lily. I’m just heading to the studio for a bit.” Lily hugged me back tightly, nodding hard, but she wouldn’t let go. “I don’t know why,” she signed slowly, her hands trembling, “but I have a feeling you’re not coming back.”

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After his first love died, Duke Cassian despised me for ten years. I tried everything to earn his affection, but he would only sneer. “If you truly wish to please me, Eleonora, you should die.” The words were a dagger in my heart. Yet, when the burning rafters of our manor collapsed, he died saving me. As he lay dying in my arms, he used his last ounce of strength to push my hand away. “Eleonora,” he rasped, “if only I had never met you in this life…” At his funeral, his mother, the Duchess, was inconsolable. “Oh, Cassian, it was my fault. I never should have forced you to marry her. If only I had let you marry Lilliana, would things have been different today?” His father, the old Duke, glared at me with pure hatred. “My son saved your life three times. Why do you bring him nothing but disaster? Why wasn’t it you who died?” Everyone regretted that he had married me. Even I did. In the end, I threw myself from the highest window of the Celestial Spire. And I awoke, ten years in the past. This time, I would sever all ties with Cassian. This time, I would give everyone the ending they wanted. 1 “Eleonora, you truly have a talent for it. Forcing my parents to threaten their own lives to make me marry you. Did you think that by wedding me, you would find happiness?” The deep, cold voice of a young man echoed in my ears. I blinked, my gaze fuzzy, and found myself staring at Cassian. He stood before me, dressed in the striking red tunic of the royal guard, his features sharp and untamed. He was different from the man he would become in ten years. This was Cassian at eighteen. I had truly returned. Swallowing the lump of grief in my throat, I drank in the sight of him. “You don’t want to marry me,” I stated, my voice steadier than I felt. “The one you truly want to marry is Lady Lilliana. Isn’t that right?” Cassian scoffed. “What if it is? Are you going to step aside?” “Yes,” I said, my voice firm. My parents had died as heroes on the battlefield, securing the kingdom’s borders. As a reward, the King had granted me a Royal Writ of marriage—a blank contract I could use to claim any nobleman in the realm as my husband. By the same token, I could use it to request a marriage for someone else. He froze for a second, then laughed, a harsh, humorless sound. “You used the King’s writ to pressure me. My parents are forcing me. Our marriage is set in stone. How, exactly, do you plan to ‘step aside’?” He took a step closer, his eyes burning with contempt. “Eleonora, I have no time for your games of cat and mouse. Take your royal writ and go back to the palace yourself. I will wait for you here.” With that, he turned and leaned against the cold stone of the palace wall. The raw disgust in his eyes was a physical blow. In both my lives, I had loved Cassian for so long. He had saved me twice, risking his own life without hesitation. I had mistaken that for a secret love, and with a joyful heart, I had asked the King to grant us marriage. It was only after his true love died that I understood. He had never loved me. My ten years of devotion had been his ten years of torment. In my past life, I had performed countless acts of charity, bartered my own life force with a Seer, all for the chance to bring him back. Before I was reborn, the Seer had given me a warning. “Within twelve hours of his rebirth, you must resolve his three greatest regrets. Once they are fulfilled, you must leave at once. From then on, you and he will walk separate paths. He will not die at thirty because of you. You will both find your own destinies.” “But rebirth always has a price, my lady. Be certain you are prepared.” As long as Cassian could live, I feared no price. I sought an audience with the King and petitioned him to issue a new Royal Writ, this one for the marriage of Duke Cassian and Lady Lilliana. I knew his three regrets. They were written in a leather-bound journal he kept locked in his study. “I regret marrying Eleonora. I regret not fighting my parents’ wishes. I regret not being able to save Lilliana.” Now, his first regret was fulfilled. I walked out of the palace, the new edict in my hands, and presented it to him. He looked at me with an expression of pure disdain, as if I were a predator who had finally cornered her prey. He reached to unroll the scroll. I gently pressed his hand down. “Wait until tomorrow,” I said, a soft smile on my lips. “There will be a surprise.” He shot me a look. “How tedious. Whether I read it today or tomorrow, it still says I must marry you, doesn’t it? What is wrong with you today? Are you mad with joy at the thought of finally having me?” I was. I was mad with joy. Because I was finally seeing you again, alive. I smiled. “I think you are the best man in the world. Anyone who marries you will be very, very happy.” “Let’s go,” he grunted, turning away so quickly I might have thought he was blushing, if I didn’t know better. Our carriage rumbled back towards his family’s estate. As we passed the bustling Flower Market, I pulled back the curtain and overheard the chatter of young women. “They say the Maiden Star appears tonight! From the top of the Celestial Spire, you can see a meteor shower that only happens once a century! The legend says that any couple who watches it together will be bound by love for three lifetimes!” I remembered hearing those same words in my past life. I had excitedly begged Cassian to take me. He had looked at me with that chilling, mocking glint in his eyes. “Binding me for one lifetime isn’t torment enough for you? You want three?” he’d sneered. “What a foolish, childish legend. If you want to be taken in by such fantasies, do it alone. Don’t drag me into it.” Even now, the memory of that cold glare sent a shiver down my spine. I quietly let the curtain fall. But this time, a calm voice spoke from beside me. “Do you want to go?” I looked up, startled. “I can take you to the Celestial Spire tonight,” he said, his tone flat. “After we are wed, I won’t have time to accompany you to your parents’ memorial. Consider this my apology in advance.” I stared at him, surprised, yet not. This was Cassian. A viper’s tongue, but a heart softer than anyone knew. He didn’t love me, but he had still given his life to save me. Three times. The first time, we were attacked by brigands on the road. He took a knife to his right arm to protect me. The hand that could put an arrow through a coin at a hundred paces could never again draw a bow. The second time, I contracted the Crimson Fever. He scaled the treacherous Dragon’s Tooth peaks to find the rare Ghost Orchid that would save my life, nearly falling to his death in the process. The third time was the Great Fire at the Royal Keep. He died pushing me from the path of a collapsing beam. Cassian was perfect in every way. He just didn’t love me. I knew that after today, we would be strangers. Even if we stood atop the Celestial Spire and watched the meteor shower of a century, the legend would not apply to us. Still, I pushed down the hot moisture welling in my eyes and gave him a smile so bright it felt cheap. “Yes. Let’s go see the stars together.” 2 Our carriage was stopped halfway. It was a servant from Lilliana’s household. She said Lady Lilliana had one of her terrible headaches and wished to see the Duke. Cassian’s brow furrowed, and he immediately swung himself out of the carriage. “Lilliana is unwell. I must go to her. You go on ahead. I will meet you at the Celestial Spire tonight.” I nodded. “Alright.” He looked at me, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. “You used to mind so much when I went to see her. A sudden change of heart?” I opened my mouth to speak, but he cut me off with a cold laugh. “Of course. We are to be married soon. She poses no threat to you now.” He strode away, not seeing the bitter, sad smile that touched my lips. I had never tried to stop his fondness for her. The only time I had ever interfered was when I discovered she was having an affair with a high-ranking court official. The evidence was irrefutable. I had tried desperately to keep Cassian from getting entangled with her. But he never knew. After she died, he grieved for ten years. If I had to choose, I would rather see him happy with Lilliana than see him suffer and die for me. My first stop was the city magistrate’s office, where I obtained the documents needed to leave the capital. Then, I returned to the ducal estate. The Duchess had prepared a feast herself, the entire table laden with all my favorite dishes. I reflexively slipped off my white fox-fur cloak and draped it over her shoulders. “It’s cold, Your Grace. You must take care of yourself.” She beamed at me. “My sweet girl, you are always so thoughtful. Now, let me see the Royal Writ! I have waited so long to finally call you my daughter.” The old Duke, seeing I had returned alone, bristled. “That boy didn’t accompany you? The edict has been issued, and he still doesn’t know how to cherish you? When he returns, I will give him a stern talking-to!” Their genuine affection was a painful twist in my gut. After my parents’ deaths, they had taken me in, raised me, given me everything. I had always been an obedient daughter. But this time, I had to betray them. I looked at them both, my expression solemn. “Your Graces, I will not be marrying the Duke.” “Tomorrow, I will be leaving for the Southern Marshes. I will no longer be here to serve you. You must take good care of each other.” The Duchess was stunned. “Your parents died on the battlefield. You grew up here. This estate is your home. Where will you go?” Her voice rose with alarm. “Is it Cassian? Did he mistreat you because of that woman? Is that why you’re calling off the wedding?” “Don’t think like that, my dear. He has feelings for you. He wouldn’t have risked his life to save you twice if he didn’t. Every year for your birthday, he spends months searching for the most unique treasures. I know you love him too. You learned to cook for him, you massage his old injury every day to ease the pain. If you two were to marry, you would be so happy!” “Besides, that Lilliana is a wicked woman. We can’t let her win. Don’t leave just to spite him!” She had said the same things to me in my past life. In the end, I lost my husband, and they lost their son. Everyone was left with a lifetime of regret. I gently wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “Your Grace, you cannot force love where it does not grow. I am not the one in Duke Cassian’s heart. I cannot force him to marry me.” “Last night, I had a dream. I dreamt that we were married, but he would not see me. He worked himself to the bone, day and night, until his body was broken. He wouldn’t drink the broth I made for him, wouldn’t let me care for him when he was sick. He said the pain I brought him was greater than any happiness. He even died… died at thirty, saving my life.” The words were a physical pain, making it hard to breathe. The Duchess stared at me. “But… but that’s only a dream, my dear. Cassian would never…” I sniffed, forcing a smile. “Your Graces, dreams can be warnings. I want him to live a long life, even if it means he doesn’t marry me, even if we are not husband and wife.” “He is a man of great rank, but he has so little freedom. I believe, at the very least, he should be able to choose who he marries.” I knelt and bowed my head to the floor three times. “I have my travel papers. I beg you, let me go. I will never forget your kindness. I will repay it for the rest of my days.” The old Duke’s lips thinned. He helped me to my feet. The Duchess, wiping her eyes, pressed a thick stack of bank notes into my hand. “If this is what you have decided, my dear, then I will not stand in your way. But you must remember, no matter what happens, this house will always be your home.” Tears finally spilled down my cheeks. I embraced her. “Thank you, Your Grace.” As long as I cut my ties with Cassian, the tragedy of our past life would not repeat itself. He would live a long life. The Duke and Duchess would not be heartbroken, would not grow to hate me. This time, everyone would have a happy ending. The second of Cassian’s regrets was now fulfilled. I had to complete all three within twelve hours. There was still one left. Would I succeed? That night, I went to the Celestial Spire. Couples were everywhere, come to seek a shared destiny from the stars. “Eleonora.” A familiar voice. I turned, my heart leaping, only to see Cassian’s face, dark with fury. He seized my wrist, his grip like iron, his eyes shot through with red. “You know I despise those who abuse their power. I was gone for a few hours, and you ran to my parents, turning them against Lilliana. They shamed her, humiliated her. She tried to take her own life, Eleonora. Are you satisfied now?” 3 My wrist throbbed, the pain sharp and radiating up my arm. The color drained from my face. In my past life, after Cassian and I were married, Lilliana had tried to kill herself a month later by taking a rare blood-curse poison. Cassian couldn’t find a blood match to create the antidote, and he was forced to watch her die. He had hated me for it, right up until the moment he died himself. But in this life, we weren’t getting married. Why would she still do this? I had been wondering how I would fulfill his third regret. And now, the opportunity had delivered itself to me. I looked at him, my voice calm. “So, you’ve come for my blood to make the antidote, haven’t you?” Cassian froze, clearly not expecting those words. His voice turned even colder. “You think I wouldn’t dare? You drove her to this. It is only right that you atone for it.” He dragged me to Lilliana’s residence. She lay on the bed, her breath shallow, her skin ashen. A physician produced a small, sharp dagger and made an incision on my arm. A fine, sharp pain, and I let out a soft gasp. The physician’s eyes lit up. “The curse reacts! My lady, your blood is a match.” He hesitated. “But to save her, we will need to draw blood directly from your heart. I am not certain your body can withstand such a procedure.” “No!” Cassian’s face paled, his brow furrowed. “Taking heart’s blood is nearly fatal. She can’t endure it. Is there no other way?” The physician looked grave. “Other blood will have a minimal effect. If the Duke is unwilling, then you must prepare for the worst. The lady who gives her heart’s blood may not die, but the one afflicted with this curse most certainly will.” Cassian’s jaw tightened, his gaze fixed on Lilliana’s pale form. I saw the anguish in his eyes. I looked at the physician. “I will do it. Take what you need.” “But my lady,” the physician protested, looking to Cassian for a final decision, “it will severely damage your vitality.” I managed a weak smile. “It’s alright. I can recover. Saving her is what’s important.” Cassian stared at me, his eyes a storm of unreadable emotions. Finally, he grimaced, tore a strip of fabric from his own white tunic, and used it to blindfold me. “I will owe you a debt,” he said, his voice a low growl. “I will repay you.” Then he was gone. The physician began the procedure. The blade pierced my skin. With every fraction of an inch it sank deeper, the pain became clearer, more defined. My mind drifted back. I was eight years old, my parents newly dead. The other noble children taunted me, said I had no one to protect me. Cassian had chased them off. He had ruffled my hair. “Don’t be afraid,” he’d said. “I will protect you.” He had kept his word. Even as he was dying, he had protected me. How could I not love him? But I knew, from the moment I was reborn, I had to sever that love, no matter the cost. As the heart’s blood was drawn, a warm trickle of blood escaped my own lips. The pain was a white-hot agony, and I collapsed, the world going dark. In the haze, I heard his last words from our previous life. “Eleonora, if only I had never met you in this life…” Tears streamed from under the blindfold. I smiled a faint, weak smile. “Cassian… this time, I will not chain you to me.” When I awoke, the sun was bright. I was in a guest room next door. A deep, throbbing ache radiated from my chest. I was alone, too weak to move. I glanced out the window. It was nearly noon. The twelve hours were almost up. I had to leave. Outside, I could hear the maids chattering. “Did you see the meteor shower last night? It was once in a century!” “I did! It was so beautiful! They say if lovers watch it together, they’ll be together forever!” Hearing their happy voices, a pang of regret shot through me. What a shame. To have missed something so beautiful. A short while later, the door opened, and Cassian entered, carrying a bowl of soup. It was the rich consommé from the royal kitchens, my favorite as a child. For a dizzying moment, I couldn’t believe he remembered. He looked at me, his voice softer than I had heard it in a decade. “Does your heart still ache? Should I call for the royal physician? She is out of danger, thanks to you.” I nodded. “Good.” Seeing my pale face, his brow remained furrowed. “I was harsh with my words yesterday. Don’t take them to heart. But Lilliana was an innocent party. You shouldn’t have dragged her into our affairs. Don’t go to my parents with tales again.” His words still stung, but I didn’t protest or try to explain myself as I would have in my past life. I just forced a smile. “I won’t. There won’t be a next time.” He tucked the blankets around me. “I’m sorry I couldn’t take you to see the stars last night. After we are wed, I will accompany you on a trip. I remember you always wanted to see the Southern Marshes. We can go there after visiting your parents’ memorial.” I froze, then gave a small, sad smile. “There’s no need.” “You don’t have to compensate me for last night. I chose to save Lady Lilliana myself.” Cassian looked taken aback, a flicker of something new in his eyes. “I have already arranged for the carriage to leave in five days. Once you have rested, we will depart.” I just looked at him, saying nothing. The bowl in his hands seemed to tremble. The old injury to his arm, the one he’d gotten protecting me, always ached in the damp weather. Even now, just holding a bowl was a strain. A wave of sympathy washed over me. “Do you regret it?” I asked, my voice soft. “Getting hurt like that, to save me?” His expression was calm. “There is nothing to regret. I would have saved anyone in that situation.” My heart sank. My voice was barely a whisper. “And when I had the fever? When you climbed the cliffs for the Ghost Orchid? Would you have done that for anyone?” “Yes.” Of course. I was nothing special. Tears welled in my eyes, but I forced a bright smile. “Cassian, thank you. For saving me, again and again.” “I had no parents. I was so desperate for a family. That’s why I forced you to marry me. My selfishness must have caused you so much pain, so much torment.” But not anymore. He wouldn’t have to abandon the woman he loved for me. He wouldn’t have to suffer for ten years. He wouldn’t have to die at thirty. This time, he would be alright. I thought I saw a flicker of panic in his eyes. He opened his mouth to say something, but just then, one of Lilliana’s maids rushed in. “Your Grace! My lady is awake, and she is asking for you! She refuses to eat until she sees you. Please, come quickly!” A genuine smile finally broke through Cassian’s grim expression. He glanced at me and stood to leave. “Wait for me here.” “Cassian,” I called out, stopping him at the door. I gave him the most radiant smile I could muster. “I’m sorry. And… I wish you a lifetime of happiness and peace.” He looked startled, a sense of unease clouding his features. “Why are you talking like this? I am just going to check on Lilliana. I will be right back. Eat something. Wait for me. I have something to tell you.” Then, he turned and left. It was almost noon. I forced myself out of bed. The physician came to check on me and left some medicine. I smiled gratefully. “I will take it, thank you, Doctor. And please, could you give the Duke a message for me? Tell him I have left for the Southern Marshes. Tell him to take care, and not to think of me.” After seeing Lilliana, Cassian rushed back to the guest room. It was empty. He called for a servant. “Where is Lady Eleonora? She is not well enough to be out of bed.” Before the servant could answer, one of his personal guards hurried in, his face grim. “Your Grace, terrible news! There was a brigand attack on the road out of the city. Several travelers were wounded, but there was one fatality—a young woman who had just had her heart’s blood drawn. Her name was Eleonora.”

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After my brother-in-law died, we adopted his daughter. My niece, naturally sensitive, always felt we treated her worse than our own son. She spread rumors that we’d only taken her in to get our hands on her father’s inheritance. My husband, blinded by familial love, never held it against her. My son and I bent over backward to accommodate her. But our kindness only fed her audacity. She conspired with outsiders to burn our whole family alive and seize our assets. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day we adopted her. Watching her put on a show, wailing about how she couldn’t bear to leave her home, I turned and walked away. “Good,” I said. “Because I don’t want you, either.” 1 Before I died, I watched my husband get bludgeoned to death. My niece, Chloe, said that since Mark was her uncle, she’d grant him a quick end. My son, Richard, and I weren’t so lucky. Chloe ordered a group of thugs to hold Richard down, systematically crushing his dignity. I knelt on the floor, my pleas useless. I tried to lunge at her, to take her down with me, but my neck and limbs were bound by iron chains. I was helpless. I could only watch as the people I loved were tortured to death. And my sweet, adopted niece stood by, giggling at the show. Her voice was laced with venom as she accused me. “When I was little, you wouldn’t even buy me a new dress. No money? Then you shouldn’t have adopted me.” “You bought your son a house for his wedding. Where did that money come from? You must have stolen my dad’s inheritance.” “People who favor boys over girls all deserve to die!” she shrieked. “You can argue your case in hell!” My mouth was full of blood. I couldn’t form a single word of defense. My last memory was of the fire, an all-consuming inferno that turned everything to ash. The hatred was a living thing inside me. I never should have let my compassion get the better of me. I never should have adopted Chloe. I nurtured a viper that destroyed my family’s happiness. I never expected to open my eyes again, back on the very day we took her in. 2 A small girl was curled into a ball in the corner, sobbing so hard she could barely breathe. A chill crept up from the soles of my feet. Chloe. The events of the past few weeks came rushing back in a disorienting flood. My brother-in-law had died in a car accident not long ago. When his wife heard the news, she grabbed their newborn son, took what little money they had left, and ran. My husband, Mark, his eyes red-rimmed, had tugged at my sleeve. He adored his younger brother and wanted to step up, to hold their shattered family together. He hadn’t slept a wink the night before. After the funeral, Chloe was the only one left. Our in-laws had passed away years ago. Chloe’s maternal relatives hadn’t even shown up for the funeral, making it clear they wanted nothing to do with her. If we didn’t take her, young Chloe would be sent to an orphanage. Mark, remembering the years he and his brother had depended on each other, swore an oath to raise Chloe as his own. In my last life, I had readily agreed. I never imagined I was inviting a wolf into our home. According to our previous discussion, this was my cue to step forward and officially agree to the adoption. The other relatives would then offer their performative praise. “Chloe is crying so hard, it seems she doesn’t want to come live with us. In that case, let’s just forget it.” I watched coolly as the little girl’s eyes widened in disbelief. A cold smile touched my lips. So, you want to play a part? Her father’s household had been a bastion of misogyny. Chloe had been forced to do chores from the moment she could walk, and she hated it. And now she was pretending she couldn’t bear to leave? As if our home were some kind of dungeon. The relatives exchanged uneasy glances. Those who knew the real story were just enjoying the drama. Chloe’s face flushed with shame. My husband, Mark, was too embarrassed to contradict me. He tugged at my collar so hard it choked me. I swatted his hand away impatiently. “We just bought a house in town,” I said, my voice cold. “Taking on another child will be a serious financial strain. How about this? You can all pitch in.” Who would want to pay to raise someone else’s child? They were all working-class people, living paycheck to paycheck. They had no extra money. They were happy to be the good guys, to morally pressure us, but not to actually do anything. My blunt words stripped away their masks of decency. They glared at me with righteous condemnation. My son, Richard, old enough to read the room, blushed beet-red and said nothing. Mark couldn’t take it anymore. “Honey,” he whispered, mortified. “We already agreed on this!” “She’s just a little girl. It’s just one more plate at the table. I’ll work more overtime, I’ll earn more. I promise it won’t affect your and Richard’s quality of life.” His words opened the floodgates. The very people who wouldn’t lift a finger to help now chimed in to persuade me. “A daughter is so sweet! You have a son, so you’ll have one of each. It’s a perfect set! So many people would kill for that kind of blessing!” “If it’s such a blessing, why don’t you take it?” I shot back. The woman who’d spoken also had only a son. It’s easy to talk when you have no skin in the game. Seeing I was resolute, the others backed off, not wanting to get drawn in. Just then, Chloe finally stopped crying. She stood before me, nervously twisting the hem of her shirt. “Auntie,” she mumbled, her lower lip trembling, “I want to come live with you. I won’t cost much. I can do chores. I won’t take any of my cousin’s things…” Her little speech softened the hearts of everyone in the room. Everyone but me. I knew her true face. “I don’t want to adopt you,” I said, my voice hard. “Can you understand plain English?” “I don’t want anyone sharing my son’s affection. I didn’t even have a second child for that reason. Richard is about to start middle school. I don’t have the extra energy.” “Since no one else wants to take her, let’s just send her to the orphanage.” Mark saw the unyielding look in my eyes and buried his head in his hands, squatting in despair. Chloe’s face was pale. She stood there, speechless. After more bickering, no one stepped up. In the end, Chloe was sent to the orphanage. 3 The gossip spread like wildfire. From that day on, I was the cold-blooded monster in the eyes of our friends and family. The woman who couldn’t even tolerate a little girl. If Chloe had been a normal child, I honestly would have done it without hesitation. My last life was proof of that. But being soft on others is being cruel to yourself. I honored the bonds of family, and in return, I lost my entire family. Wasn’t that enough? It was more than enough. And besides, in this life, Chloe hadn’t done anything to me yet. By not holding her future crimes against her, I was already being generous. I couldn’t tell anyone about my premonitions, so I had to endure the rumors in silence. Let them talk. As long as I could protect my family, I was willing to bear it. I thought the matter was settled. Mark could visit her on holidays if he wanted. Then, two months later, I came home from work, happy, carrying a burger and a new toy for my son. In my past life, Chloe’s possessiveness had consumed so much of my attention. My son had become quiet and withdrawn from my neglect. In this life, I was determined to make it up to him. But when I opened the door, I saw Chloe, sprawled on the sofa as if she owned the place. My son was sitting beside her, diligently doing his homework while she poked him in the head. “What are you doing?!” The words shot out of me. Everyone in the room jumped. Chloe immediately shrank back, a picture of pathetic misery. Mark emerged from the kitchen, holding a spatula, a sheepish grin on his face. Not wanting to scare Richard, I calmed myself, gave him his things, and sent him to his room. Then I dragged Mark into the kitchen. “Are you insane? We agreed to send her to the orphanage. What is this?” “Anna, you have no idea how pitiful she is…” Mark said, wiping his face, his voice choked with emotion. From his tale, I pieced together Chloe’s life at the orphanage. The food was bland and scarce. The teachers were mean and always yelling. The older kids made her wash their feet and threatened to make her drink the dirty water if she didn’t do it right… I almost laughed out loud. It sounded wonderful. Mark shot me a strange look and sighed, saying he just couldn’t bear to watch her suffer. “She’s so young! She doesn’t understand anything. To have no parents and be bullied on top of that… as her uncle, I just couldn’t stand by…” “So you got soft and brought her home? We all agreed! And what about our son? Have you even considered his feelings?” I tried to reason with him, to convince him to take her back. I wasn’t made of stone. The orphanage I’d chosen for her was a good one. It was strict, but it had no history of bullying. The director was an acquaintance of my family, a kind woman. And besides, Chloe was no pushover. In my last life, I’d never once seen her get the short end of the stick. You couldn’t just take a child’s word for it. Children don’t just talk. They lie. But this time, Mark had made up his mind. “Honey, please! Just until she’s eighteen, okay?” “Mom, she’s so pitiful. Let her stay! I can buy fewer clothes, eat fewer snacks.” Richard had appeared at the doorway. He was pleading for Chloe. And the culprit herself was hiding behind him, looking like a frightened little mouse. I could ignore Mark. But Richard was my bottom line. I didn’t want to disappoint him. After a long internal struggle, I agreed to let Chloe stay. At least if she was here, I could keep an eye on her. If I let her go, with her vindictive nature, there was no telling what she might do to get revenge. Even so, I warned Mark in advance: the first sign of trouble, and she was out. The three of them jumped for joy. I suppressed my revulsion and laid out the terms to Chloe. “You can stay, but we need to get a few things straight first.” Chloe, her eyes shining with unconcealed delight, nodded blankly. 4 Since we were officially adopting Chloe, there were things to be done. I went to the orphanage myself to handle the paperwork, asked the director about Chloe’s behavior, and got copies of some security footage. The director was diplomatic, but her frustration was clear. Chloe had been determined to leave. She made no effort to get along with the other children and seemed to deliberately provoke them. The moment a teacher tried to reprimand her, she would burst into tears, causing chaos. The orphanage was more than happy to be rid of this hot potato, though they were too polite to say so. As I was leaving, a teacher pulled me aside and warned me discreetly. Chloe was a selfish child, she said. I shouldn’t waste my kindness. Someone had said the same thing to me in my last life. I had dismissed it, thinking, she’s just a child, what harm could she do? Hearing it again now, I froze for a second, then thanked her profusely. I didn’t tell Mark about this warning. He was too careless and wouldn’t believe it unless he saw it with his own eyes. When I returned from the orphanage, we held a grand adoption banquet. Chloe, shedding the worn, dirty clothes she usually wore, was dressed in a princess gown. She held her head high, trying to look as if she belonged in it. I saw it all but said nothing. The banquet began, and Mark, on behalf of our family, gave a welcoming speech. “Chloe, from now on, you are my daughter, just like Richard. Whatever he has, you will have too.” “Think of this as your own home. Your auntie has a sharp tongue but a soft heart, hehe.” His face was flushed, his voice full of drunken cheer. He’d been taking a lot of flak from the relatives for not adopting his brother’s daughter. He’d been bottling it up, and today, he could finally let it all out. The relatives who had previously criticized us now wore satisfied smiles, nodding proudly as if they were the ones making the sacrifice. Just as the atmosphere reached its peak, I spoke, my voice cutting through the warmth. “Chloe’s father passed away suddenly. Her mother ran off with the rest of the money, leaving a mountain of debt. After selling the house to pay it off, there was only twenty thousand left…” “Today, with all of you as witnesses, this money will be given entirely to Chloe. We won’t touch a single cent.” Chloe’s face turned red with excitement. I didn’t give her a card. I gave her cash, stack by stack, so everyone could see it clearly, to prevent any accusations later. This move caught Mark completely off guard. He leaned over and whispered his disapproval. “Why are you talking about money? Chloe is still so young. How is she supposed to feel comfortable in our home now?” “Even with family, finances should be clear,” I retorted, rolling my eyes and pushing his face away. “What needs to be said, needs to be said.”

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Witchcraft runs in my blood. For generations, the Hamilton family has served the Devereauxs, the wealthiest dynasty in the country, performing an annual rite to alter their cursed fate. In this generation, the burden of the craft fell to me, and me alone. The moment my final exam ended on Friday, I was whisked into a waiting Maybach, heading for the old Devereaux estate. But as I stepped out of the car, a hand tangled viciously in my hair, yanking my head back. “You little slut! Isn’t it enough you’re seducing my fiancé at school? You had to chase him all the way to his family home? Don’t you know your place!” “I swear, if I don’t ruin that pretty face of yours today, my name isn’t Victoria Sterling!” A searing pain ripped through my scalp as I was thrown to the ground. Victoria’s friends descended on me, kicking and punching, their threats echoing in my ears. One of them stomped on my wrist. I heard the sickening crack of it breaking. The bone tore through the skin. But if I couldn’t perform the rite today, the entire Devereaux family would be consumed by a torrent of blood and disaster. 1 Both of my hands were shattered, crushed by a brick. The splintered bones of my wrists jutted out from the flesh, the agony so intense it stole my breath. Victoria’s friends stared, their faces pale with shock. They hadn’t expected their little “lesson” to go this far. They had no idea the real consequences had yet to begin. A thousand years ago, a curse was laid upon the Devereaux line. Every child, for generations, has been born with a fatal affliction. Only through my family’s witchcraft, an annual defiance of heaven’s decree, have they managed to survive. The magic was passed down, but I was the only one in my generation to receive its full power. Two years ago, the craft’s backlash claimed my parents, leaving me an orphan. Charles Devereaux, the family patriarch, was a man of modern sensibilities. He’d been skeptical that a young woman like me could rewrite his family’s destiny. During one rite, he deliberately altered the placement of several altars. The next day, his son, Caleb, was in a car accident that shattered both his legs. Doctors across the country were baffled by his condition. Simultaneously, several of his company’s largest projects were flagged for catastrophic errors. The Devereaux empire faced a crisis unlike any before. He had no choice but to hire me again, this time for a fortune. Only after I had completed the ritual did their fortunes begin to turn. From that day on, I became the Devereauxs’ most sacred protector. Barely an adult, I held more power in their house than anyone. To secure my loyalty, Charles had even transferred half of the company’s shares to my name. The lives and fortunes of over a hundred family members rested on my shoulders. And now, with my hands broken, they were all facing ruin. Victoria, oblivious to the gravity of her actions, was still preening over me. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to. Seducing Caleb at school is one thing, but following him home? I’m here today as his fiancée to meet the Devereauxs’ special protector. You dare ruin this for me? I’ll make you regret you were ever born!” The pain was so blinding I couldn’t speak. The sheer stupidity of it all left me breathless. Caleb had only been passing messages from his father, showing me financial statements so I could see my own earnings and discussing the placement for tonight’s altars. The celestial alignments changed each year, and the rite had to adapt. How had that become me seducing him? I tried to explain, but just then, the estate’s butler emerged from the villa. The scene before him drained the color from his face. “Miss Hamilton! Who did this to you?” he gasped. “It’s over… it’s all over! What are you all standing there for? Call an ambulance! If anything happens to Miss Hamilton, the Master will have your heads!” Victoria, consumed by rage, ignored him completely. Hands on her hips, she jabbed a finger at me. “Are you blind? I’m Caleb’s fiancée, and I’m teaching a homewrecker a lesson. Who are you to interfere? You’re just a dog kept by the Devereauxs. Don’t you know who your master is?” She scoffed. “Save her? To hell with that. If I don’t tear her face off today, I’ll have wasted twenty years of my life!” I raised a trembling hand, trying to signal the butler for help. But one of Victoria’s friends stomped her heel directly onto my shattered wrist. “Stop the act! We’re not as easy to fool as Caleb! You’re always clinging to him at school, your skin is thicker than a pig’s hide. It’s time you learned a lesson!” “Tori is the one the Devereauxs chose for him! You’re just some charity case dreaming of marrying into a dynasty? You’re not worthy! I spit on you!” Cold sweat drenched my body. I fought through the agony to explain. “You’re mistaken! Caleb was talking to me about the ritual tonight. You’ve broken my hands… the entire Devereaux family will die because of this!” “Let me go! If you get me to a hospital now, there might still be time. If we miss the auspicious hour, the Devereauxs are finished!” Caleb was arrogant and looked down on everyone. If not for my pact with his family, I’d never willingly speak to him. But choosing a harpy like Victoria as his fiancée? The Devereauxs’ centuries-old legacy was about to be destroyed by her sheer ignorance. I thought my explanation might make her pause. Instead, she laughed as if it were the funniest joke she’d ever heard, her face a mask of cold contempt. “A ritual? Honey, what century are you living in? You think anyone still believes that crap? If I hadn’t caught you today, I bet your ‘ritual’ would have ended up in Caleb’s bed!” “You little tramp, don’t you dare play innocent with me. Are you going to say the Devereauxs are only alive today because of you? Who the hell do you think you are?” The butler, frantically making a call, rushed forward to help me, but Victoria slapped him across the face. “I am the future Mrs. Devereaux! I’d like to see anyone here dare to touch me!” she shrieked. “If a single hair on my head is harmed, Caleb will have all of your miserable lives!” The guards flinched, not daring to move. The butler, afraid to offend Caleb’s fiancée, could only pace frantically. One of Victoria’s friends sensed something was wrong. “Tori, they don’t look like they’re faking,” she whispered nervously. “Maybe this bitch really is important to Caleb. He’s on his way here now, shouldn’t we wait?” Victoria shot her a glacial look. “Do I need you to teach me how to handle a slut?” “She’s just a tramp. Even if I beat her to death, Caleb wouldn’t dare say a word to me! He needs my father for that new project. You think he’d protect this bitch over that?” The friend fell silent, retreating back into the fold. A cold rage began to burn through my pain. “Your stupidity is your own problem,” I said, my voice dangerously low. “Don’t drag over a hundred members of the Devereaux family down with you.” “Every word I’ve said is true. If you don’t believe me, call Caleb right now and ask him.” “Today is the most important day of the year for the Devereauxs. You’ve made me bleed. They will not spare you. What good is a business deal when you’re dead?” Victoria didn’t believe a word. She swung her hand and struck me across the face, a hard, sharp slap. “To hell with your ritual! Do you think I’m an idiot? Call him? You’re not even worthy. You might fool Caleb, but you can’t fool me!” “Today, I’m going to teach you a lesson. Let’s just see if anything happens to the Devereaux family!” Suppressing my fury, I tried to use voice commands to have my phone call 911. Before I could finish, Victoria crushed it under her heel. “This is illegal! The Devereauxs won’t let you get away with this! Stop now, and you might have a chance. If the police get here, you’re finished!” She was unmoved, lunging at me again. Threats were useless. Using every ounce of strength I had left, I scrambled to my feet and threw myself at her. She tumbled to the ground, her face contorted with rage. I tried to crawl toward the butler, but a heavy blow struck the back of my legs, and I collapsed. “Beat her! Beat her until she can’t move!” Victoria screamed. “Some powerful witch, can’t even handle a single blow from a stick? You’re a fraud, a phony!” “I’ll teach you to act! I’ll teach you to seduce Caleb! If you walk away from this alive, I’ll change my name!” She climbed on top of me, pinning me down, her hands a blur as she rained slaps down on my face until it was a swollen, bloody mess. During a brief pause when her arms grew tired, I used my last bit of energy to scream at her. “Victoria, stop! The time is almost here! If I don’t go in now, people will actually die!” “Then it won’t just be Caleb, you’ll be an enemy to the entire Devereaux family! Do you think you can get away with murdering that many people? The backlash will destroy you!” Victoria’s fury turned to laughter. Another slap landed on my cheek. “A witch, are you? You perform rituals? Fine. Do one now. Let’s see if your magic can save you!” “Aren’t you so powerful? Aren’t you the one who can change fate? How come you couldn’t predict you’d meet with disaster the moment you stepped out your door today?” The pain was too intense for words. She took my silence as guilt. “No more excuses? What’s wrong, great witch? Done with the performance?” “You’re so amazing, I just have to let everyone see this. In this day and age, we still have superstitious trash like you! Performing your ‘rituals’ in other people’s beds!” “If it weren’t for you, Caleb wouldn’t have canceled on me so many times. Bitch, I’m going to tear your face apart!” Blood and tears mingled, blurring my vision. I couldn’t believe that scumbag Caleb was using me as an excuse for his own philandering. I’d run into him at restaurants several times with other women; he’d always paid my bill to buy my silence. I had even warned him not to cheat on his fiancée. And Victoria, completely unaware, saw me as the homewrecker. My body trembled with a powerless rage. “If you don’t believe me, ask the butler! He knows everything!” The butler rushed forward to explain, but Victoria’s friends blocked his path. “Miss Hamilton is truly the family’s benefactor! You can’t touch her!” he pleaded. “The Devereaux family owes its entire existence to her! I’ve already notified the Master, he’s on his way! If you continue, not even God will be able to save you!” Victoria spat in the butler’s direction and looked down at me, her eyes burning. “You’re more resourceful than I thought. You even managed to buy the butler. Is he the one who paved your way into the master bedroom?” “You’re no virgin, so why pretend? You’ve probably used this same act on countless rich men. Today, I’m going to expose you to the world. Let’s see how you seduce anyone after this!” With that, she took out her phone and started a livestream. The camera was pointed directly at my face. “Hey everyone, take a good look! A modern-day witch! So powerful she can dispel your family’s misfortunes just by sleeping with you. Ever seen a whore who does rituals? Well, now you have!” “Today, you’re all in for a real education!” The stream instantly flooded with over a hundred thousand viewers. The comments were a torrent of vitriol. “OMG this girl is insane for money. Is she that desperate for a man? There are homeless guys on the street, why not sleep with them?” “Anyone who resorts to this ‘ritual’ crap must be at their wit’s end. This girl uses her body to climb the ladder and still has the nerve to act all high and mighty? Shameless.” “These homewreckers will come up with any excuse. Nanny, maid, witch… what’s next? Mortician? Sluts like her should be struck by lightning! Girl, you hit her hard, I’m a lawyer, I’ll represent you in court for free!” The support from the viewers emboldened Victoria. She turned to the camera and proceeded to slap me dozens of times. I was fading, barely conscious, tears streaming down my face. Victoria, however, was triumphant. She moved the camera closer. “See, everyone? A few slaps and she’s acting like this. You’d think I was killing her! Is this how you play the victim for men? You’re nothing but a manipulative bitch, and I’m the one who’s going to fix you!” I knew nothing I said would change her mind. I had to save my strength and wait for the Devereauxs to rescue me. My lack of resistance only enraged her further. She grabbed my hair, forcing my head up. “What? Done with the act? Can’t keep it up anymore? Speak!” “Admit you’re a slut who seduces other women’s fiancés. Admit you don’t know any magic, that you just sell your body for money. Do that, and I’ll let you go today!” I bit my lip until it bled, refusing to say a word. Just then, a comment floated across the screen. “I heard roosters can ward off evil spirits. They can probably handle a slutty fox-spirit too. Why not let her get it on with a rooster? That would be an education for all of us!” Victoria’s eyes lit up. Her friends grabbed me and began dragging me towards the old manor. Realizing what they planned to do, I fought with all my might, collapsing to the ground and trying to crawl away. Victoria stomped on my back, and I coughed up a mouthful of blood. “Trying to run? Not a chance!” “You like men so much, don’t you? You’re so lonely, aren’t you? Today, I’ll be the witch. I’ll grant your pathetic wish!” The butler and guards followed from a distance, flinching with every move Victoria made, looking as if they might faint. “Please, stop! I’m begging you on my knees!” the butler cried. “Miss Hamilton is the family’s very soul! You’re destroying the Devereauxs!” He abandoned all decorum and lunged forward to save me, but Victoria’s friends slammed the door and locked it, trapping them outside. “Watch closely,” Victoria’s voice echoed from inside. “This is what happens to homewreckers. If any other shameless bitch tries to get near my man, this is how you handle them!” She dragged my broken body towards the room with the altars. The sounds of the butler’s desperate pleas faded into the distance. My heart turned to ash. There was no escaping this. The Devereaux family was finished. Victoria scanned the room, her eyes finally landing on the black rooster prepared for the ritual. I took the opportunity to break free, but I only made it a few feet before her friends dragged me back. Victoria grabbed a golden ritual bowl from an altar and smashed it over my head. “You bitch! Still fighting! I’ll teach you to run!” “Break her legs, too!” They swarmed me, their feet stomping down on my body relentlessly. Soon, I didn’t even have the strength to scream. I lay there, a heap of broken flesh. The viewers in the livestream cheered, proclaiming how satisfying it was to watch. Victoria then ordered, “Strip all her clothes off! Let everyone get a good look at what a real slut looks like!” Even my underwear was torn away and thrown aside. I was completely naked. Victoria approached, holding the ritual blade from the altar, its yew-wood handle dark in her hand. She tapped the flat of the blade against my chest. “This is what you use to seduce men, isn’t it? These two lumps of flesh? Let me help you get rid of them.” The consecrated blade touched my skin. The pain was a line of white-hot fire. I instinctively twisted away, trying to escape. The blade raked across my body, tearing through skin and muscle, carving a deep gash from my chest down to my stomach. I lay in a pool of my own blood, on the verge of collapse. Victoria aimed the camera at my mutilated body. “See that? This is what happens to sluts! All your witchcraft and rituals are useless against my knife!” As she spoke, she had her friends pin me down. There was no escape. I could only watch as she pressed the blade to my chest again, carving two deep, cruel circles over my breasts, pressing so hard it felt like she was trying to pierce my heart. The livestream was flooded with gifts and donations. Finally, Victoria threw the knife down in frustration. “Too bad the blade is too dull to cut them off. You’re lucky!” “The warm-up is over,” she said with a grin. “Time for the main event.” Her friend threw the rooster onto my body. Its sharp beak instantly dug into my flesh. “Tori’s ideas are the best! This bitch will never dare to go near Caleb again!” “Serves her right for not knowing her place. The Devereauxs? As if she could ever dream of being one of them.” “Forced to mate with a rooster, and broadcast to the whole world… If I were her, I’d kill myself right now.” Still not satisfied, Victoria grabbed the rooster, preparing to force it onto me.

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My sister Lisbeth and I were the last Twin Life-Lotus blossoms on the Spirit Lotus Continent. On our human transformation day, the heavens granted us two sacred fertility arts— Lisbeth, fearing childbirth pains, seized Immaculate Transference—the power to shift pregnancies to others. I was left with Miraculous Brood—bearing multiple offspring at once. We were wed to two great clans: her to the Tiger Prince, me to Dragon Prince Kaelan. But Lisbeth was insatiable. Night after night, she bedded beastmen of every tribe. To hide her bastards, she forced their unborn into my womb. I birthed litter after litter of mongrels—wolf, bear, and serpent hybrids—branded a continent-wide harlot. Prince Kaelan called me a stain on dragon blood. Each birth, he slaughtered the newborns before me, shoving their raw flesh into my mouth until I swallowed every piece. I leapt from Sacred Peak’s ten-thousand-foot cliffs. When I awoke—it was transformation day again. Just as before, Lisbeth lunged for the gift of Immaculate Transference. But this time, to my astonishment, the gift that remained for me was different. It was no longer Miraculous Brood. It was… Bloodline Ascension. I eagerly absorbed it into my soul. This time, I would accept every child she forced upon me. And with this power, I would transform them. I would unleash the long-extinct Mythic Beasts of Old, and they would once again walk the Animus Continent. The day of our transformation arrived. The most powerful beastmen from across the four seas gathered, forming a suffocating ring around the sacred ground where we grew. They were all here for us, for the Progenitor’s Gifts we would receive, gifts that could ensure the future of their bloodlines. Even before her petals fully unfurled, Lisbeth was already swaying seductively in the wind, a picture of captivating charm. She leaned toward me, her voice dripping with false concern. “Lyra, my sweet little sister, you’re so naive about the ways of the world. Let me choose first. I promise, I’ll leave the best gift for you.” She’d said the exact same thing in my past life. And she had indeed chosen the lesser gift of Immaculate Transference, leaving the supposedly superior Miraculous Brood for me. Back then, I was filled with gratitude, believing in the depth of our sisterly bond. I was a fool. From the very beginning, her plan was to use me as her vessel, a scapegoat for her lust. She would spend her nights tangled in the sheets of countless lovers, while I would endure the agony of childbirth and the shame of being branded the filthiest woman alive. The memory ignited a firestorm of hatred in my heart. The heavens had granted me a second chance, and this time, I would rewrite my destiny. Two bolts of celestial lightning struck the ground before us, materializing into two spheres of golden light. Floating within them were the Progenitor’s Gifts, visible only to my sister and me. Relying on my memory, I darted toward the light on the left. That should have been Immaculate Transference. But as I drew closer, I saw the words shimmering within, and my heart stopped. It was a power I had never seen before, a celestial-grade gift: Bloodline Ascension. As I stared in confusion, I heard Lisbeth whisper to herself, “Immaculate Transference? Does that mean I don’t have to suffer the pain of childbirth? Perfect. You’re mine.” Her words snapped me out of my daze, and confusion turned to elation. She was setting the same trap. But this time, I wouldn’t just avoid it—I would shatter it completely. With the gift of Bloodline Ascension, I would never again bear the weight of her sins. No matter what creature she conceived—be it serpent, bear, or dog—I could elevate its bloodline, transforming it into a legendary beast of myth, like the Taotie, the Hydra, or the Bai-ze, creatures long lost to time. With a surge of triumph, while Lisbeth was distracted, I reached out and absorbed the celestial gift of Bloodline Ascension into my very being. Lisbeth claimed her own gift and then turned to me, her eyes glinting. “Lyra, I saved the better one for you. What is your gift?” “Miraculous Brood,” I lied. A flicker of smug satisfaction crossed her face. Then, she turned to the assembled crowd of beastmen and announced in a loud, clear voice, “The time has come for you to choose your brides! I, Lisbeth, am a simple soul, but my sister Lyra is ambitious. She desires everything.” “That is why I gave her the superior gift. I urge you to consider her first!” It was the same manipulative speech as before, elevating herself while planting the seeds of my future ruin. Just then, a formidable figure stepped forward. Clad in golden armor, it was my husband from my past life: the Dragon Prince, Kaelan. As the crown prince of the Dragon Clan, a true Golden Dragon, he had the first right to choose his bride. His eyes met mine, and I quickly looked away. I couldn’t marry him again. He was a tyrant, a man ruled by his own violent whims. In my past life, no matter how I pleaded, he was convinced I was a tainted woman, forcing me to suffer the unspeakable agony of eating my own children. But he strode directly to me and took my hand. Beside me, Lisbeth’s face fell. She must have thought her ‘pure maiden’ act would win Kaelan over. But Kaelan valued power above all else. In my past life, if Lisbeth, consumed by jealousy, hadn’t immediately forced a litter of nine mongrel pups on me… if I had first birthed nine dragons for Kaelan… perhaps my fate would have been different. But none of that mattered now. I would not be his bride in this life. Kaelan held my hand, his voice ringing with false passion. “Lyra, will you be my Dragon Queen?” A roar of applause erupted from the crowd. To them, our union meant the birth of true dragons, the rise of a new Beast King who could finally unite the warring clans of the continent. I hesitated, trying to think of a way to refuse him without revealing that I had been reborn. But in that moment of hesitation, Kaelan’s expression twisted into one of pure disgust. He shoved me violently away, sending me stumbling backward. “Filthy woman!” he spat, his voice laced with venom. “Even with a superior gift, I would never marry you!” I stared, stunned. And then I realized. He had been reborn, too. Before I jumped from the cliff, I had poisoned his food with a soul-shattering toxin. It seemed he had eaten it. The crowd gasped, shocked by his sudden reversal. They looked to him for an explanation. After all, I was a heavenly-blessed Life-Lotus. Kaelan sneered down at me, even spitting on the ground at my feet. He surveyed the crowd like a judge delivering a verdict. “As a Golden Dragon, I possess the gift of foresight,” he announced. “The moment I touched Lyra’s hand, I saw her future: a future where she gives birth to a parade of low-grade mongrels, a brood of worthless beasts.” “I could never marry such a woman. She is a shameless harlot, destined to cuckold whoever takes her as a wife. Let the man who marries her be prepared to wear a crown of horns!” The beastmen exchanged looks of disbelief. Lisbeth rushed to my side, shaking her head with an air of profound disappointment. She pointed a finger at me, her voice ringing with condemnation. “Oh, Lyra, what am I to do with you? You’ve gained a new form, but you can’t shed your old habits?” “Even before, when so much as a stray dog wandered by, you would preen and posture, desperate for its attention.” “How many times have I told you? A woman must be reserved, pure as ice and jade! How could you be so foolish?” Rage choked me. She was describing herself, projecting her own debauchery onto me. “No!” I cried out. “That’s not true! They’re slandering me!” But no one listened. Trapped between Kaelan’s accusation and Lisbeth’s poison, I was drowning in a sea of their fury. They stared at me with disgust, their words like stones. “I can’t believe it. She looks so innocent, but she’s completely promiscuous.” “What a waste of a heavenly gift. Does she think we beastmen have no shame?” “If you’re so desperate for attention, maybe we should host a public revel for you next time!” My face was pale, my body trembling. I had been reborn, only to be hit with the same vile accusations, faster and more violently than before. And Kaelan, the architect of my misery, my former husband, watched my suffering without a flicker of remorse. He walked straight to Lisbeth, took her hand, and kissed it gently. “I, Kaelan, may value bloodlines, but I value honor more. I will only marry a pure woman like Lisbeth!” Lisbeth feigned surprise, her cheeks flushing. Then she shot me a triumphant, meaningful look. “Well, my dear sister. It’s your turn to choose.” The crowd of onlookers scattered, avoiding me as if I carried a plague. Soon, only a few remained before me—pariahs and outcasts who cared nothing for reputation. Their eyes glowed with lust, saliva dripping from their mouths as they made their vile proposals. “Lyra, since the decent folk won’t have you, come home with me.” “Don’t mind that I’m just a python. I can promise you a better time than any dragon!” “I run a brothel. Come with me, and I’ll let you have your pick of any man you desire!” Nausea churned in my stomach. Their depravity was on full display. Even Kaelan seemed a little disgusted, perhaps remembering that I was once his wife. He looked down at me with contempt. “Lyra, if you promise to behave yourself, I wouldn’t mind taking you back… as a servant.” Lisbeth’s face soured at the suggestion. “Lyra, hurry up and choose!” she snapped. “With your reputation, you can’t afford to be picky. You should be grateful anyone will have you. Make a choice, or you’ll die an old maid.” I ignored her. My gaze lifted past them all, toward the majestic, imposing peak in the distance. Mount Sovereign. My husband was there.

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Five years into our relationship, I brought my boyfriend, Gabriel, home for the Christmas holidays to meet my family. At the grand family dinner, my relatives couldn’t stop singing the praises of the man who had once been his state’s valedictorian. But then, my single cousin, Cora, suddenly gagged and ran from the table, clearly fighting a wave of morning sickness. My aunt, her mother, was mortified. She raised her hand, ready to slap her. “You’re an Ivy League graduate!” she shrieked. “How could you let yourself get knocked up by God knows who?” Cora didn’t say a word, just sobbed uncontrollably. That’s when Gabriel stepped forward, catching my aunt’s hand mid-air. “Don’t,” he said, his voice firm. “Don’t scare her. The baby’s mine.” He pulled Cora behind him, shielding her as he led her out of the room, leaving a trail of stunned silence in his wake. He never even gave me a second glance. 1 The ballroom was a whirlwind of noise. Some people were crying, others were shouting. My mind was a complete blank. Just minutes ago, Gabriel had been holding my hand, toasting my parents and elders. My relatives were all fawning over him, calling him brilliant, successful, and yet so humble. Now, under the glare of every eye in the room, he had walked out with my cousin, Cora. Leaving me to clean up the mess. “I knew it,” one of my aunts sneered. “I always said our plain little Vivi couldn’t possibly land a guy like that. What a joke.” “So, does this mean Vivi stole Cora’s boyfriend?” another whispered. “I mean, Cora’s pregnant. How could she do that to her own cousin?” “Well, Gabriel and Cora both went to top-tier universities. They always did make a more fitting pair.” Growing up, everyone had always favored Cora. She was prettier, smarter, and her side of the family had more money. In a situation like this, no one was ever going to take my side. “Vivi, sweetie… what… what on earth just happened?” My mother’s hand, cold as ice, found my wrist. I turned to look at her, but my eyes were drawn past her to my father. His face had gone a horrifying shade of purple. With a sickening thud, he collapsed back into his chair. “Dad! Dad, what’s wrong?” The last shred of his composure, his carefully maintained dignity, had finally been torn to shreds in front of everyone. From the ambulance to the hospital, my mother clutched my hand and wept. But I couldn’t afford to shed a single tear. I ran back and forth, handling admissions, filling out forms, my mind numb. It wasn’t until Dad was out of the emergency room and settled in a private ward that the reality of it all began to sink in. I checked my phone. The only new messages were automated debit alerts from my bank for the hospital fees. Not a single word from Gabriel. Taking a deep breath, I headed to the pharmacy to pick up Dad’s prescriptions. And that’s when I saw him, standing in the hallway, talking to a doctor I recognized as one of his old college friends. “Man, I never took you for the shotgun wedding type,” the friend said, clapping Gabriel on the shoulder. Gabriel’s gaze was distant. “The baby isn’t mine,” he said quietly. “I just… I couldn’t stand to see her judged like that.” “Then why are you here in the middle of the night, getting her admitted for observation? I thought you were with her cousin, Vivi. Weren’t you two about to get engaged?” Gabriel just hummed in agreement, a soft, noncommittal sound. “So you’re spending Christmas Eve with Cora, and you’re not worried your girlfriend is going to lose it?” “Cora’s well-being comes first. Once she’s okay, I can relax,” Gabriel said, his voice laced with a strange sort of resolve. “Besides, I’m going to marry Vivi. I’ll have the rest of my life to spend with her. What’s one night?” The doctor sighed, shaking his head. “I can’t believe you’re still carrying that torch for her. After all this time. Does she even appreciate what you do for her?” “I don’t need her to. As long as she’s okay, that’s enough,” Gabriel murmured, more to himself than to his friend. “Being part of her family, being able to look after her… that’s all I’ve ever really wanted.” A memory flashed in my mind. The first time Cora introduced me to Gabriel. He was already a legend at our high school, the valedictorian everyone still talked about years after he’d graduated. Cora had playfully pushed me toward him. “This is my cousin, Vivi. She’s your biggest fan.” I was so busy blushing I didn’t notice that every time Gabriel spoke, his eyes never left Cora. He asked me out not long after that. All this time, I thought it was love at first sight. I never realized I was just his way of staying close to her. “Gabriel,” a soft voice called. It was Cora, pale and frail in a hospital gown. Gabriel rushed to her side instantly, his voice softening. “What are you doing out of bed? It’s freezing out here.” “You were gone for so long. I got scared.” He immediately shrugged off his expensive wool coat and wrapped it around her shoulders. “Let’s get you back. We can’t have you catching a chill. Just be good, let the doctors run their tests, and if everything looks good tomorrow, you can go home.” Cora leaned into his embrace, and for a moment, they looked just like a devoted, loving couple. My voice trembled when I finally found it. “Gabriel!” 2 When Gabriel turned and saw me, the warmth on his face vanished, replaced by a cold mask of irritation. He strode over, blocking my path. “Cora needs to rest. Don’t you dare start trouble with her. I’ll explain everything to you later.” He actually thought I’d come to the hospital to confront Cora. “Explain?” I shot back, my voice rising. “What is there to explain? My father is in here because of you! He had a—” “Don’t make a scene!” he snapped, his patience gone. “Your cousin is in a fragile state. The doctor said her pregnancy is high-risk right now. Did you really have to follow us here to cause more drama? Can’t you be reasonable for once?” “Gabriel,” Cora’s weak voice drifted over. “Don’t be so harsh with Vivi. Please, just explain things to her patiently. She must be feeling so hurt after we just left like that.” Her words were like a magic spell, instantly smoothing the sharp edges of his anger. “I’ll explain it all another time,” he said to me, his tone softening slightly. “It’s not what you think. And don’t worry, I’m still going to marry you. Just… go home for now.” So that’s all it took. A single sentence from Cora, and he was gentle with me again. How pathetic. I didn’t say another word. I just turned and walked away. I spent the night by my father’s bedside. A message from Gabriel finally came through. 【Vivi, please don’t worry. The baby isn’t mine. Your cousin got involved with a real jerk, and I can’t let her face the fallout alone.】 【I’m sorry if I hurt you. I promise I’ll make it up to you.】 【Once this is all over, we’ll get our marriage license. We’ll go to Italy for our honeymoon, just like we planned. And when we get back to New York, I’ll sign over 1% of my company’s stock to you.】 I switched off my phone, a bitter laugh stuck in my throat. In his world, a promise of marriage and a payout could smooth over any wound. He couldn’t bear to see Cora face the gossip, so he’d simply redirected it all onto me. And now my father was lying in a hospital bed, recovering from a heart attack. What good were apologies and compensation now? “Vivi…” My dad was awake, looking as though he’d aged a decade overnight. I knelt by his bed, gripping his hand tightly. “You two should just… end it,” he rasped. A sharp pain lanced through my chest. Even after everything, his first thought was for me, worried I was with the wrong man. “Okay, Dad,” I whispered, forcing a calm I didn’t feel. “I’ll listen to you. Don’t you worry about me.” The next day, my mom arrived at the hospital, and almost immediately, her phone rang. It was Aunt Carol. Mom stepped out of the room to take the call, and I followed her into the main lobby. “Gabriel is such a dear!” my aunt’s voice chirped through the phone. “He gave us such a wonderful surprise, showing up this morning with a case of that expensive Scotch!” Then her tone shifted. “Say, sis, you know all those high-end wellness tonics you bought for Vivi? How about you send some over for Cora? She’s so drained right now. It’s not like Vivi needs them anymore, right?” I saw the corners of my mom’s eyes turn red, tears welling up. Before she could break, I snatched the phone from her hand. “Aunt Carol,” I said, my voice bright and cheerful. “You’re right, expectant mothers need the best. I have a friend in Switzerland who sources these amazing artisanal supplements. I’ll send you her contact info in a bit.” “Hey! Why are you being so stingy—” I hung up before she could finish. “The nerve of that woman!” Mom fumed, her face pale with anger. “Her daughter steals your boyfriend, and she has the audacity to ask me for gifts?” I wrapped an arm around her trembling shoulders. “It’s okay, Mom. Don’t be angry. No one stole him. I’m the one who doesn’t want him anymore.” As the words left my mouth, my eyes met a pair of cold, familiar ones. It was Gabriel, standing at the hospital entrance, his arms laden with shopping bags. 3 “What is he doing here?” Mom whispered urgently. “Tell him to leave. Your father doesn’t want to see him.” Gabriel’s gaze swept over us, his tone laced with disapproval. “Vivi, why did you bring your mother here? Cora needs to rest. You two shouldn’t be disturbing her.” I glanced at the bags in his hands. Boxes of premium supplements, prenatal vitamins, specialty teas. It clicked. He wasn’t here to visit my father. He was here to dote on Cora. I held my mom’s shaking shoulder. “Don’t worry,” I said, loud enough for him to hear. “We’re not here to see Cora.” As I turned to lead my mom away, Gabriel’s voice stopped me. “What did you say just now? Who is it you don’t want anymore?” The last thing I wanted was to fight with him in front of my mother. I spun a quick lie. “A puppy,” I said breezily. “My mom saw one she liked, but I was afraid it wouldn’t train well. So I said no.” Gabriel frowned, seemingly oblivious to the barb in my words. “Just take your mother home,” he said dismissively. My mom, worried about me, insisted I go home and get some real sleep. But instead of sleeping, I found myself wrapped in my duvet, my thumb hovering over Cora’s profile. I opened her Instagram. She’d posted a photo of a signed contract for a luxury postpartum recovery suite, a bouquet of white roses placed artfully beside it. I’d only seen that place in celebrity magazines; a famous actress had spent hundreds of thousands on her stay there. The caption read: 【All the panic, all the helplessness… you ended it in a single moment. With you here, what is there to be afraid of? 】 Gabriel had certainly spared no expense. I scrolled down through the comments, a flood of congratulations from friends and relatives. And right at the bottom, a comment from Gabriel himself: 【I’ll always be here.】 He’d never made a promise like that to me. I remembered a time I had the flu, my fever spiking to 104. Delirious, I’d called him on his business trip. A few hours later, he was there, having caught the first flight back to take me to the hospital. After my fever broke, he’d scolded me, his face tight with annoyance. “You’re a grown woman, Vivi. You have to learn to take care of yourself. I can’t always be by your side.” At the time, I thought he was just worried, speaking harshly out of concern. Now I understood. He was just telling me the truth. His promises were meant for someone else.

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1 My father was dying. I called my sister, who was on vacation in Paris with her husband, and told her to come back to see him one last time. By some miracle, Dad pulled through. But my brother-in-law, Mark, died in a freak accident abroad. While sorting through his belongings, my sister, Chloe, found his journal. In it, he’d written that my father and I had pushed him away, that he never felt like he had a place in our family. From that day on, she cut us out of her life. For nine years, we didn’t speak. Then, on the tenth anniversary of her husband’s death, my sister set our house on fire and killed us all. I woke with a gasp, my eyes flying open. I was back. Back on the day my father was pronounced critical. The first thing I did was race to the hospital. Dad’s condition was severe. He was hooked up to a ventilator, the machine breathing for him, keeping his vitals stable. The only sound in the room was the rhythmic, relentless beeping of the monitors. A knock at the door broke the silence. The doctor ushered my mother and me into the hallway. “We need you to sign the critical condition paperwork,” he said, his voice gentle but firm. “Your husband has reached a critical stage. Whether he pulls through now is entirely up to him.” The pen trembled in my mother’s hand. The tip hovered over the signature line, unable to descend. Seeing her anguish, I took charge. I took the pen from her and signed my name. As the doctor left with the clipboard, he gave us one last piece of advice. “If there are any other close family members, you should call them now. He might not make it through the night.” That was it. My mother’s composure shattered. She broke down, sobbing like a child. When the tears finally subsided, she wiped her face and looked at me. “Logan,” she said, her voice raw. “Call your sister. Tell her to come home.” My immediate impulse was to refuse. In my last life, I had listened to her. I’d called Chloe, and she’d caught the first flight back from Egypt. The good news was that Dad, seeing her, rallied and made a full recovery. The bad news was that Mark, left alone abroad, was kidnapped. The next time anyone saw him, he was a cold, lifeless body. Chloe never blamed us outright, but she could never get over it. I didn’t want to remember the fire that had consumed us all. Hearing my mother’s words now, I shook my head. “Mom, she’s in another country. Even if we call now, she won’t make it in time. I’m here. I can take care of everything. We don’t need to trouble her.” My mother didn’t understand. I was the one who always deferred to my older sister, who called her for everything. Why, now, in our darkest hour, was I suddenly insisting on handling it all myself? “Logan, I understand you want to step up, but if your sister doesn’t get to see your father one last time, she will hate you for it!” But Mom, don’t you see? If I call her, Mark will die, and she’ll hate more than just me. I couldn’t say those words. Instead, I took her hand, my grip firm. “Mom,” I said, looking her straight in the eye. “Trust me. Dad is going to pull through.” She stared at me for a long moment, then sighed and put her phone away. Just then, my phone buzzed. A notification from our family group chat: “The Happy Family.” I opened it. It was Chloe, picking a fight from halfway across the world. “I know you all have a bad impression of Mark, but we’ve been gone for days and not a single one of you has checked in. Is that so hard?” “For other people, family is a safe harbor. For me, it’s like I’m invisible.” “Logan, say something. Are you dead?” I didn’t have to guess. Mark had fed her those lines. He was a man with a massive ego and a petty soul, always looking for a slight. The ego of a king with the work ethic of a servant; he couldn’t earn a dime himself but dreamed of living like a millionaire. But this wasn’t the time to point that out. As I waited for Dad to wake up, I sighed and typed a message into the chat. “Hey Chloe, Mark. Did you guys arrive safely? Hope you’re having a great time. Things are a little crazy at home right now, Mom and Dad are swamped.” That night, luck was on our side. Dad’s condition stabilized enough for surgery. “If he can open his eyes on his own after this,” the doctor told us, “he should be out of the woods.” My mother was overcome with gratitude, thanking the doctor again and again. As we waited outside the operating room, a nurse from billing approached us. “Hello, who’s the family of Robert Vance?” My mother and I raised our hands. “His medical bill is due. There will be additional charges for the surgery as well.” Dad had been in the ICU for three days. There was one surgery when he was admitted, and this was the second. All told, the bill was a staggering two hundred and forty thousand dollars. 2 I had just graduated and started working; I had barely any savings. My parents were working-class people their whole lives. The hundred thousand or so they’d managed to put away was the fruit of a lifetime of hard labor. We pooled everything we had, called in every small favor, and we were still fifty thousand dollars short. Left with no other choice, I dialed my sister’s number. “Chloe? Hey, something’s come up at home. Is there any way you could lend me fifty thousand dollars?” Her response was a torrent of abuse. “Logan, have you no shame? Mark and I are on vacation, trying to be careful with our money, and you have the nerve to ask for fifty grand? Do you think money just grows on trees for me?” “No, Chloe, it’s not for me,” I tried to explain. “Something happened at home, it’s an emergency…” She scoffed, her voice dripping with disdain. “Something happened? What could it be? You probably got yourself into online gambling debt, right? Mark saw right through you from the start. He told me I needed to set you straight, and I defended you. I said you weren’t that kind of person, but I guess…” I opened my mouth to explain, but she wouldn’t listen. “Let me tell you something. Mark and I are having a wonderful time here in Paris, and you’d better not call again and ruin our mood. Logan, our family doesn’t need a disgusting leech like you!” She hung up. When I tried to call back, it went straight to voicemail. Desperate, I texted her. “Chloe, this is really, really urgent. Please, I’ll sign an IOU, whatever you want.” Her response was to block my number. Seeing my distress, my mom took her own phone and called. “Chloe, why did you block Logan? He was just trying to borrow some money.” At the sound of my name, Chloe’s voice turned sharp with irritation. “Logan, Logan, that’s all you two care about! You don’t give a damn about your daughter who’s halfway across the world, do you?” My mom tried to placate her. “Honey, it’s not what you think. We’re at City Center Hospital. You know so many people, even if you can’t send money, maybe you could help us figure something out?” But Chloe had no intention of helping us. Or rather, of helping me. The mention of the hospital only made her colder. “When I was a kid and my stomach hurt, I begged you to take me to the doctor and you said it was nothing. But now Logan needs a hospital and you rush him right over? You only have him in your hearts. You never cared about me!” “Since I mean so little to you, let Logan take care of everything! Why are you even calling me?” It was like she’d been brainwashed. Her words were irrational, completely divorced from reality, and she refused to listen to a word of explanation. The only person in our family who could ever get through to her was our father, and he was lying unconscious in a hospital bed. My mother was lost. She couldn’t understand why her daughter was being so cruel, so reckless. “Did we do something to upset her? Why did she change so much the moment she left the country?” One name came to my mind: Mark. My brother-in-law. He always looked at my father and me with suspicion, as if he believed we were plotting against him. No one knew what we had ever done to offend him. Perhaps only he knew the answer to that. “Mom, forget it,” I said, trying to sound stronger than I felt. “If Chloe won’t help, we’ll figure something else out.” We had to. We couldn’t just give up. It was just money. I would swallow my pride and call our relatives. If that failed, I’d beg the doctors. But when I called my uncle, the response was not what I expected. “Logan? Is that you? Look, I’m not trying to be old-fashioned, but you’re a young man. How could you get a girl pregnant? And now you need money for an abortion and you come crawling to your family? Are you trying to disgrace us? Don’t you have any sense of shame?” I was stunned. “Uncle, what are you talking about? An abortion? I am trying to borrow money, but it’s not for…” He cut me off. “Your sister already gave us all a heads-up. She said it was time you learned a lesson, that you shouldn’t be so reckless. Look, I get it, you’re a young guy, you have… urges. But you have to be responsible!” He hung up before I could say another word. It hit me then. Chloe had anticipated this. She had known I would turn to our relatives and had systematically poisoned the well, cutting off my last resort. I made several more calls. The answers were all the same. In that moment, I understood the true meaning of helplessness. 3 How could my own sister be so ruthless? How much did she hate me? I must have annoyed my uncle with my repeated calls, because he drove down to the hospital to lecture me in person. “Logan, you’re not a kid anymore, but you’ve got no sense of responsibility! And you,” he said, turning to my mother, “you need to keep a better eye on him! Don’t just dote on my niece.” My uncle had always favored Chloe over me. He wasn’t here to help; he was here to gloat. I grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the billing office. “Uncle, please, just lend me the fifty thousand. I’m begging you. After this is over, you can yell at me, hit me, whatever you want!” He shoved me away, sending me sprawling to the floor. “You think money is that easy to come by? Fifty thousand just like that? You’ve got your head in the clouds.” He was about to launch into another tirade when a long, piercing sound cut through the hallway from Dad’s room. Beeeeeeeeeeeeep— The heart monitor. It had flatlined. “Dad!” My legs gave out. I collapsed to my knees, unable to stand. A deafening roar filled my ears, the flatline tone echoing inside my skull, chaotic and overwhelming. “Dad, you can’t die! You can’t die!” My uncle finally seemed to realize something was wrong. He pointed toward the room. “What’s going on? Who is that on the bed?” “That’s my father! Your brother-in-law! The man who is about to die because he can’t get surgery for fifty thousand dollars! Aren’t you going to pay it now? If my father dies, you’re a murderer! All of you are murderers!” But he still wore that same look of smug disbelief. “You think I’ve never seen a heart monitor before? If he were really dying, the hospital would be rushing to save him. I see what this is. You found someone who looks like your dad to try and scam us! Logan, you’ve got some nerve!” My legs were jelly, I couldn’t move, but he still didn’t believe me. Nothing I said mattered. It was all a lie, a trick. I was powerless. What else could I do? What could I possibly do to prove I wasn’t lying? “Dad…” “Enough with the act. You’re coming home with me right now. You really think your uncle hasn’t been around the block? You think I don’t know how these hospitals work?” he sneered. “This kind of trick might work on your mother, but not on me. They’re not going to let a man die over money. They’d cover the costs first if it were a real emergency!” He looked down at me as if I were a cockroach in a sewer. “You thought you could use this man to cheat money out of me? You really underestimate me, Logan.” I was sobbing, my vision blurred with tears. He was right in one sense—the doctors and nurses were already rushing to stabilize my dad, even without the payment. It was basic humanity. But resuscitation wasn’t the problem. The surgery was. They could bring him back from the brink for free, but they wouldn’t perform a major operation on credit. “Uncle, please, yell at me later! Just give me the money. Once I pay the bill and Dad has his surgery, you can do whatever you want to me! You can beat me to death!” He remained unmoved. My mother, overwhelmed by her high blood pressure and the stress of it all, had been taken to an emergency room herself. But my uncle used that against me. “If your dad was really in trouble, where’s your mother? I see. You two are in on this together, trying to scam me!”

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