My husband had a sister who, while not biological, might as well have been. He gave her the Public Relations Officer position I had worked so hard to earn, just because she couldn’t handle the struggles of the Rural Community Development Program. When I was lying in a hospital bed after my miscarriage, he was busy taking care of his sister, who’d just had her appendix removed. And when I finally got into Yale, he handed that spot to her as well, saying, “Claire needs this more.” She took everything I worked for and still had the nerve to push me into the street, where I was hit by a car. I died angry, filled with regret for my own weakness. Given a second chance, I immediately filed for divorce. But my ever-cold husband refused. I blinked my eyes open, the stark white ceiling overhead coming into view. A dull ache tugged at my lower abdomen. Where was I? Wasn’t I hit by a car? The sensation of being thrown by the impact, the searing pain as I hit the ground—those memories felt like they’d happened just a second ago. “Emily, you’ve just had a miscarriage. You need to rest!” A woman’s voice, gentle and concerned, reached my ears. I turned my head. It was a young nurse. A miscarriage? I’ve been reborn. In my previous life, I’d spent two grueling months preparing for the Steelworks Factory entrance exam. I thought I had it in the bag, but when the final list of hires came out, my name was missing. I was devastated for days, but I tried to rationalize it—competition was fair, and there were always people better than you. Then, I overheard some gossip: “Andrew Carson is so impartial. He even gave away his own wife’s position to someone else.” “Right? The Public Relations office hardly hires anyone. They only took two people this time, and Claire Carson was third in line—just missed the cut.” “Andrew said his wife volunteered to give it up, so Claire could take the spot.” A woman nearby scoffed, spitting a sunflower seed shell on the ground. “He didn’t want Claire dealing with the rough conditions of the Rural Program. Claire’s living the good life while Emily Shaw doesn’t even know what hit her. Poor Emily—her husband’s never on her side.” The words hit me like a thunderbolt. I drifted home like a ghost, grocery bag in hand, my mind filled with the joy I’d felt when I thought I’d passed, the buried rage, and the unbearable bitterness of being replaced. I had passed the exam, but Andrew had taken it upon himself to make me “volunteer” my spot for Claire. Who the hell did Andrew think he was? How dare he play the hero with my opportunity without even consulting me? Did he know it was wrong, and that’s why he didn’t even ask? Just because he was my husband didn’t give him the right to make decisions for me. I dropped the groceries in the kitchen and stormed out to confront Claire. Andrew was still at work, but Claire would be home. “Emily, what a surprise! What brings you by?” Claire greeted me when she opened the door. I didn’t say a word. I just stared at her. She was nineteen, full of youthful energy, her big doe eyes practically begging for sympathy. The kind of girl most men would trip over themselves to protect, eager to give her anything she wanted. Andrew was clearly one of those men. “Did Andrew give you the Public Relations Officer position?” I asked, cutting right to the point. For a brief moment, panic flickered across Claire’s face, but she quickly smothered it. Rubbing her fingers nervously, she forced an awkward smile. “Emily, what are you talking about? I earned that spot myself.” She glanced around nervously before grabbing my hand. “Why don’t we talk inside? It’s not convenient standing out here.” Inside? Yeah, right. Claire was clearly guilty.
I yanked my hand from her grip, my expression cold and mocking. “You earned it? Claire, you barely scraped by in high school. You’ve spent the last few years partying, doing nothing productive. You really expect anyone to believe you earned that spot? You could ask the stray dogs on the street, and they wouldn’t believe you.” Seeing that I wasn’t about to back down, Claire’s eyes welled up with tears, her lip trembling in a picture of pure innocence. “They’ve been encouraging young, unemployed people like me to join the Rural Program. I just complained about it to Andrew, and he thought of a way to help me,” she explained pitifully. “I’ve heard farm work is dirty and exhausting. My parents always pampered me—how could I handle that? Besides, if I went away, my mom would be all alone. I just couldn’t leave her.” She looked at me, pleading. “Emily, please, let me have this chance. You’re so talented. You’ll easily pass the next Steelworks Factory entrance exam!” Sure, I passed the exam through hard work, but that didn’t mean Claire had the right to steal the fruits of my labor! I scoffed. “How can you justify taking what I’ve worked for? I’m going to get justice for myself. Let’s go—right now. We’ll go to the Company Board of Directors. Andrew doesn’t get to make all the decisions at that factory.” I grabbed Claire by the wrist and started dragging her down the stairs. Panicking, she struggled to break free. “I’m not going! Andrew promised the job to me, and that’s final. I won’t go to the countryside—I won’t!” Driven by her fear of the Rural Program, Claire yanked her arm out of my grip with all her strength. I lost my balance, tumbling down the stairs. A sharp pain shot through my abdomen, followed by a warm, wet sensation. Before I passed out, I caught a glimpse of Claire’s expression. Her panic had given way to smug satisfaction. And then I woke up, alive again. I placed a hand over my stomach. I’m sorry, little one. I couldn’t protect you in this second chance either. But don’t worry—I’ll make sure justice is served for you. The nurse mistook my silence for grief, thinking I was still mourning the loss of my child. She sighed softly and tried to comfort me. “Don’t be too upset. You’ll have more chances to have children. For now, focus on recovering.” Tears slipped down my cheeks, soaking the pillow. I wiped them away and forced a smile. “Thank you, nurse.” She efficiently replaced the IV and continued. “It’s my job. But where’s your husband? He should be here with you after something like this.” Andrew was probably with his beloved sister, Claire, right now. I’d never been able to compete with her for his attention. I offered a bitter smile, making an excuse to save face. “He’s busy with work. I’m sure he’ll come when he has time.” The nurse shook her head disapprovingly. “A baby takes two to make. How could his work be more important than your health? Honestly, some men…” Knowing better than to delve too deeply into someone else’s personal matters, she trailed off and checked her watch. “I’m on the night shift tonight. Call me if you need anything.” I nodded gratefully. “Thank you, nurse.” The next morning, after I’d finished breakfast, there was a knock at the door. It was my husband, Andrew Carson. With his sharp features and lean frame, he looked every bit the handsome, stoic man I’d married. But as he sat down by my bed, his brow furrowed in mild annoyance. “How could you be so careless? How did you not know you were pregnant?”
This was my husband. I had just suffered a miscarriage and was in the hospital. He showed up late, and the first thing he did was scold me. “My periods are always irregular. I didn’t know I was pregnant,” I said, looking at him with a mix of frustration and pain. “And why are you questioning me? Claire pushed me down the stairs—if you want to blame someone, blame her!” Andrew rubbed his temples, the dark circles under his eyes giving away the fact that he hadn’t slept well, likely because he had been up all night caring for Claire. “Claire is still just a kid. She told me it was an accident. Besides, if you hadn’t dragged her to the Company Board of Directors to argue, she wouldn’t have lost her balance and accidentally pushed you down the stairs.” A nineteen-year-old kid? Was he serious? It was laughable. Andrew Carson always had an excuse for Claire. “So, what you’re saying is, I deserved to lose the baby? That it’s my fault for not throwing a bone to the rabid dog so it wouldn’t bite me?” I snapped, feeling the anger rise. Without thinking, I grabbed the ceramic cup on the bedside table and threw it at him. Andrew dodged it, and the cup shattered against the floor. Calmly, he bent down, picked up the pieces, and placed them back on the table, his expression stern, as though he were dealing with a child having a tantrum. “Emily, I’m upset about the baby too, but I’ve already given the Public Relations position to Claire. Let’s just put this matter to rest and move on. Don’t make this messier than it needs to be.” “I made a promise to Jon—I swore I’d take care of Claire as if she were my own sister. I can’t just stand by and watch her suffer in the Rural Program. Letting her stay at the Steelworks Factory was the best option.” Jon, Jon, Jon—everything came back to Jonathan Carson, his best friend from childhood. Andrew had stayed behind in Pittsburgh, working his way up to factory manager, thanks to both his skills and his family’s connections. Meanwhile, Jon had joined the army, choosing to serve his country. Four years ago, Jon had died on a mission, leaving behind a letter asking Andrew to look after his mother and sister. Andrew had been heartbroken by his best friend’s death and had taken Jon’s request seriously. With Jon gone, he was constantly worrying about Claire and her mom, always there for them. In the two years we’d been married, I’d heard him use Jon’s name as an excuse to favor Claire more times than I could count. It was a familiar refrain in my ears by now. I hadn’t minded when it was just a little extra cash, some grocery coupons, or even gifts he bought for them. Those were Andrew’s things—he could give them to whoever he wanted. I didn’t care. But the Public Relations Officer job was mine. I earned it, and he had no right to take it from me. Move on? Was Andrew afraid the whole factory would find out he used his position to pull strings for Claire? I let out a bitter laugh, tears stinging my eyes. Andrew had fulfilled his promise to Jon, taking care of his sister and making sure she didn’t have to suffer in the Rural Program. Claire got a cushy job at the factory, all thanks to him. And what about me? My hard-earned position had been stolen, and I had lost my baby. Now, my husband was telling me to just drop it, to stop making things difficult. Anger and sadness twisted inside me, leaving my mind blank. My tongue felt tied, and I couldn’t find the words to respond. Seeing my silence, Andrew pressed on. “I know this is unfair to you, but I promise, this is the only time I’ll do this. It won’t happen again.” He sounded sincere, each word filled with emotion. In my last life, when Andrew had begged for my forgiveness in that soft voice, I’d believed him. I’d been naive. Back then, I had grown up in a small town, where they’d sent a few of the city’s volunteers to work. Those city folks couldn’t handle the farm work—half of them couldn’t even carry their own weight. The women had it even worse, constantly complaining about the long days in the sun and the hard labor. I had felt sorry for Claire then, a young girl being sent to the rural areas, working the land. Andrew had convinced me to let it go, and I had agreed to drop the issue. When Claire found out I wasn’t going to fight anymore, she had come to my house, full of gratitude. “Emily, I can’t thank you enough! Don’t worry, I’ll work hard and make you proud in that job!” She had clenched her fist and pumped it in the air, like she was making some sort of dramatic pledge. The room had been filled with laughter and good spirits. At the time, I had thought, “It’s just this once.” But, as it turned out, a wolf in sheep’s clothing is still a wolf. What happened next completely blindsided me.
Later, Claire came flaunting my college acceptance letter right in my face. “Emily, I can’t thank you enough! First, you got me the Steelworks Factory job, so I wouldn’t have to go to the Rural Program. And now, with the reinstatement of the college entrance exams, you went ahead and got me into Yale! What a sister-in-law you are!” “I just told Andrew that I’d never be able to get married without a college degree, and without hesitation, he let me take your spot.” She laughed—a cruel, mocking sound that burned in my ears. “You fool! You were always meant to pave the way for me. Andrew doesn’t even care about you! You miscarried after I pushed you down the stairs, and I faked a stomachache to get my appendix removed. Andrew stayed by my side all night!” “Face it, Emily, you should’ve stayed in that little town of yours. Stop trying to take what belongs to me. Once I finish college, you’ll be old news, and Andrew will realize that we’re the ones who truly belong together!” Her words sent a wave of fury crashing over me. In my past life, this had been the moment I lost control. Betrayed, humiliated, I had dragged Claire to the education board to demand my spot at Yale. But as we crossed the street, she pushed me into oncoming traffic. That was how my miserable, short life had ended. Looking back, I could see it clearly: “Villains walk with ease, while the righteous are laid low.” Once you compromise your principles, others will exploit every inch you give them. I had been too kind for my own good in my past life. But this time, things would be different. This time, I would take back what was mine. As for Andrew’s promises? They meant nothing to me now. I could barely tolerate hearing him speak. After my miscarriage, he had chosen to comfort Claire after her surgery. Andrew wasn’t fit to be a husband, though he certainly excelled at playing the role of the doting brother. He could go ahead and be the best brother in the world. It didn’t matter to me anymore. I had lived twice, and I was done being disappointed in Andrew Carson. Without bothering to argue further, I lay back in the hospital bed, pulling the covers up around me. “Fine, I understand. Now, please leave.” Andrew stood there for a moment, as if uncertain, but then leaned down to tuck the covers around me, his face filled with guilt. “You know, working in Public Relations isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It’s exhausting, always writing reports and handling press. Being the wife of the factory manager is much more relaxed. People would kill to be in your shoes.” Andrew always had this self-important air, acting like he was doing me a favor, like I owed him something. Still lying on my side, I rolled my eyes. The more he talked, the more I just wanted him to leave. It was as annoying as the barking of a dog. “Get out!” I spat, finally letting loose. It was the first time in both my lives that I’d spoken to Andrew that way, and it felt so satisfying. That man didn’t deserve my patience. Silence followed for a moment. Then I heard him sigh heavily before his footsteps retreated out the door. I assumed he was off to care for his precious sister again. Outside, the sun shone brightly, a soft breeze rustling the leaves on the trees. This time, I would live for myself. I spent a week recovering in the hospital before the doctors sent me home with instructions to take it easy for a while. As luck would have it, Claire was also being discharged that same day. So, naturally, Andrew was busy running around handling her paperwork while I managed to check myself out, alone. Slowly, I made my way back to the Worker’s Apartments. When I reached the building, I saw a familiar figure standing at the entrance. Her hair was neatly styled, and she wore a clean, tidy outfit. At her feet were several large bags and two bound chickens. “Mom?” She turned around, eyes full of worry. She hurried over to me, putting her arms around me for support. “When you called yesterday, I made your father pack everything up, and we took the first bus to get here,” she said, gently poking my forehead, her tone both scolding and loving. “How could you be so bold? You went through something this serious, and you didn’t tell us until yesterday? If you’d called sooner, I could have come to take care of you!”
In my previous life, after my miscarriage, I didn’t want my family to worry, so I didn’t tell my parents a single word about what had happened. If I didn’t say anything, Andrew certainly wouldn’t, so my parents thought my marriage was just fine. When I died in that car accident, my parents would have lost their daughter, their hearts heavy with grief. I couldn’t even begin to imagine how devastated they would be. Tears filled my eyes, and I quickly wiped them away, forcing a light smile. “I called to let you and Dad know; I just took a little longer. Please don’t be angry, Mom.” My mom placed the items she brought on the table and sat down on the couch. “Raising a child is a lifetime of worry, especially after something like this. I brought two chickens for dinner; I’ll cook one for you tonight. You need to eat well and take care of yourself!” These days, there were regulations on how many chickens each household could keep, and we only had one left. The saying that a child with a caring mother is worth a fortune couldn’t be truer. I wrapped my arms around my mom and rested my head on her shoulder. “Thanks, Mom. You’re the best.” She smiled, gently tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “Don’t think you can just get away with being coddled. You didn’t explain things clearly yesterday on the phone. Now you need to tell me honestly how my grandbaby ended up this way.” I fell silent for a moment. I knew this marriage was bound to end. Instead of hiding the truth and letting my parents worry, it was better to lay everything out on the table. So I shared the whole story of my miscarriage, including Andrew’s blatant favoritism towards Claire. After hearing everything, my mom was furious, launching into a tirade against Claire and Andrew. “That little brat, Claire Carson! Stealing your job, pushing you down the stairs, and now she has the nerve to come here! How shameless can she be?” “And Andrew isn’t any better. He always favors outsiders. I never approved of you marrying him. Who took your grandfather’s matchmaking seriously? But you liked him, so your dad and I kept quiet. But now look at the life you’re living!” Years ago, Andrew’s grandfather was injured in a war and fell off a cliff; my grandfather saved him. To repay that favor, they arranged for us to marry. Three years ago, when Andrew’s grandfather fell ill, he wanted to see his only grandson settled down and remembered the old promise. Andrew was charming and had an air of sophistication about him, so I quickly fell for him. My parents were worried about me moving to the city, fearing I’d be taken advantage of. But both grandfathers pushed for the marriage, and I insisted on going through with it. My parents prepared a nice dowry, happily sending me off. Little did I know, the marriage I had anticipated would end up like this. Andrew was my husband but also Claire’s brother. His favoritism toward her far outweighed what he gave me. Once unfaithful, always untrustworthy. I had already paid the ultimate price in my past life. Seeing my mom so worked up, I gently patted her back to calm her down. “Mom, please don’t be angry. It’s not worth getting upset over someone like that.” “And I want to divorce Andrew.”
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