When my husband learned his first love had passed away, he took his own life right there on our honeymoon. Reborn back to our teenage years, he decisively pulled his hand from mine and walked straight towards his first love. I watched them disappear into the distance, then turned and walked away. From that moment on, our lives became two parallel lines that would never intersect. Ten years later, we met again at a high-profile charity gala in New York. He had become a rising star in the city’s elite circles, confidently appearing with Chloe Miller, her arm intimately linked with his. When he saw me enter the gala, seemingly searching for someone, he couldn’t help but advise me. “Why are you still so fixated on me? Even if you’d waited ten years, I still wouldn’t have fallen for you.” I ignored him, pulling my son, who was sneaking bites of cake, out from a corner. His eyes suddenly flashed with a raw, desperate red, and he gripped my hand like a lifeline. “Are you deliberately trying to provoke me? Didn’t you say you’d only love me in this lifetime?”
I never imagined that I would ever cross paths with Liam Hayes again in this lifetime. At a high-profile charity gala in New York, he stood in the crowd with Chloe on his arm, his smile elegant and composed, bearing no resemblance to the boy he once was. The people around them beamed, their voices dripping with flattery. “Mr. Hayes, you’re truly impressive, achieving so much at such a young age. Securing that statewide project means your future is limitless!” “And this must be your lovely fiancée, right? A perfect match, you both look incredible together!” Chloe gazed at Liam with deep affection, her voice soft. “We’re planning to get married at the end of the year. If you’re free, please do come to the wedding.” Another round of congratulations followed, and someone asked. “I heard you two have been together for ten years. Why are you only getting married now?” That question piqued my curiosity too. In the last life, Liam loved Chloe so much he was willing to die for her. After being reborn, he immediately broke up with me. I thought they would get married right after graduation, but it seems they still haven’t made it official. Hearing the question, a flicker of stiffness crossed Liam’s face, almost imperceptible, before he quickly covered it with a smile. “Business first, then marriage, right? I wanted to give Chloe the best life possible.” He looked at Chloe, his eyes practically overflowing with tender affection. In my previous life, when we were together, I brought up marriage many times. It wasn’t until his family pressured him that Liam reluctantly agreed to marry me. It turns out, the difference between love and indifference can be painfully obvious. I was about to turn and leave when my eyes caught a fleeting glimpse of a small figure. My body instinctively followed. Splat! Champagne splattered across the floor. The waiter, holding a tray, glared at me with an annoyed expression. “Where did you come from? Can’t you watch where you’re going?” His voice wasn’t quiet, drawing everyone’s attention. Liam’s eyes widened in surprise when he saw my face. “Stella, what are you doing here?” I lowered my head, apologizing to the waiter and explaining. “I’m here looking for someone.” Someone curious asked Liam. “Mr. Hayes, do you know her?” Liam’s hand, holding the wine glass, tightened. His gaze darkened. “Yeah, an ex-girlfriend.” Someone nearby, too quick with their tongue, blurted out, “You two were together for ten years, I thought you were each other’s first loves!” The smile on Chloe’s face faded slightly. She took Liam’s hand, saying dismissively. “We were young back then, had a small fight and separated for a bit. Who hasn’t made a few mistakes when they were young?” Liam didn’t say anything, his gaze sweeping past me and settling on the waiter. “Put the damages on my tab. Let her go.” He stood there, his expression calm. Aside from that initial surprise, he wasn’t interested in giving me a single extra glance. It seemed he wanted to clearly draw a line between me – that “mistake” he made – and himself, especially in front of Chloe. The waiter immediately started pushing me out. “Mr. Hayes is being generous, helping you clean up your mess. But there won’t be a next time!” He eyed my wrinkled pajamas, scoffing. “This isn’t the kind of place you belong. Get out of here!” I pulled free from his grip, trying to explain patiently. “I’m looking for someone. Once I find them, I’ll leave on my own.” The waiter sneered, rolling his eyes. “I’ve seen plenty of people like you trying to latch onto the rich and powerful. Do you even have the right to be at a gala like this? If you don’t leave now, I’m calling security!” “Wait.” Liam’s voice came from behind the waiter. Chloe, pulling at the hem of her dress, looked at me with a sigh, sounding exasperated. “He’s here looking for me. Let me talk to him.” Chloe stood beside him, possessively intertwining her arm with his. “Stella, Liam and I are getting married soon. I think anyone with a shred of decency wouldn’t come looking for an ex at a time like this.” Liam’s face tightened a bit, and he couldn’t help but try to reason with me. “Why are you still so fixated on me? Even if you’d waited ten years, I still wouldn’t have fallen for you.” “Being with you was a mistake. Now that I finally have a chance to correct it, I hope you can move on from the past.” Chloe eyed me from head to toe, a sneer in her eyes. “I can understand why you’d still come looking for Liam. After all, things aren’t what they used to be. He’s a renowned entrepreneur now, surrounded by people trying to butter him up.” Perhaps my wrinkled pajamas gave her confidence, as Chloe said with her nose in the air. “You graduated from a good university, didn’t you? How did you end up like this? If I were you, I’d be too ashamed to leave the house!” Liam frowned, pulling out his phone, a hint of impatience in his voice. “If you feel like I wronged you when we broke up, I can give you a severance payment now.” “Fifty thousand? Is that enough?” His fingers moved across the screen for a couple of seconds, then froze. “Did you delete me from your contacts?”
I was a little puzzled, not understanding why his reaction was so strong. Deleting an ex after a breakup is pretty normal, isn’t it? Besides, I had someone at home who was incredibly jealous. If he found out I still had an ex-boyfriend’s contact information, he’d probably make a huge fuss. “Didn’t you say you hoped I wouldn’t come looking for you after we broke up?” Liam’s face went cold, looking like he wanted to say something but held back. I added in a flat tone. “And there’s no need for a severance payment. I don’t need it.” One setback after another, Liam’s face looked even worse. He said coldly. “Why are you still putting on an act in front of me? If it weren’t for how pathetic you look now, I wouldn’t even bother speaking to you.” Chloe gently comforted him. “Liam, you’re just too kind. Honestly, why bother with women like her? Look at her, she’s a complete mess, a lost cause!” His tone was dismissive, as if he’d forgotten that ten years ago, he was in a far worse state than I was. In the previous life, Liam’s family disapproved of him being with Chloe because she was a delinquent who skipped school and engaged in illegal activities. The first time I saw Liam in college, he had just bailed Chloe out of the police station and was being forced by his family to break up with her. During that period when Liam was at his lowest, I stayed by his side, helping him through it. He loved photography, so I used the money I had saved for my own startup to buy him tens of thousands of dollars worth of equipment. Who would have thought that Liam was the one who confessed to me first? I knew about his past with Chloe and had seen him occasionally lost in thought, staring at their old photos. So, when Liam confessed, I asked him very seriously. “Have you truly moved on from Chloe?” At the time, he held me tight, his voice firm. “That’s all in the past. I’ve long since realized who truly cares about me. Stella, I love you, let’s be together.” We dated for seven years, even his best friend was surprised. “He was so crazy about Chloe, I never thought you two would last.” But no one knew that Liam had rejected my proposals countless times in private. “Stella, I’m not the marrying type. Isn’t it good enough for us to just be together like this forever?” It wasn’t until Liam’s parents pressured him intensely that he finally agreed to marry me. During our honeymoon, news of Chloe’s accidental car crash arrived. He jumped off the cruise ship, leaving behind only a suicide note. The entire letter was filled with his love for Chloe, without a single word for me. At the very end, he wrote in his own blood. “Chloe, I only ever wanted to be your groom. Now, I’m coming to find you.” My love for him turned to ashes in that moment. So, when Liam wanted to break up with me after we were reborn, I didn’t stop him. Because I knew I couldn’t. Watching them get back together, I deleted all of Liam’s contact information, thinking I’d never see him again in this lifetime. But I never expected to run into him here. I wanted to leave, but Chloe was relentless, determined to humiliate me in front of everyone. “You really went to great lengths to get close to Liam. Judging by what you’re wearing, you probably don’t even have a decent job.” “Tell you what, I can get you a job as a waiter here. If you learn how to serve people, you could earn five figures a month.” Someone nearby, eager to please, chimed in with a chuckle. “This is a hotel in a prime location in New York City! Getting to work here would be an incredible opportunity for you. Hurry up and thank Ms. Miller!” I was surrounded and couldn’t leave easily, so I said helplessly. “Thank you, but I already have a job.” “It’s photography.” As soon as I said “photography,” Liam immediately looked at me. A complex emotion flickered in his eyes, and his lips moved a few times. He turned his head away, not looking at me, his voice cold. “How much money can you make from photography? A hobby won’t pay the bills. Out of courtesy, since we’re acquaintances, I can arrange a job for you.” I paused, immediately realizing he had misunderstood.
My love for photography isn’t some lingering attachment to Liam. In fact, the moment I read that suicide note in my past life, I was utterly heartbroken and gave up completely. It’s just that when I was reborn, I found that all my money had already been spent on camera equipment. I couldn’t sell it on eBay, so I just picked it up and started using it myself. And surprisingly, I actually fell in love with photography. In this life, I’m not trying to please anyone else; I’m doing it solely for myself. I politely declined Liam again, my tone distant and formal. “My hobby generates enough income for my living expenses, thank you for your concern.” Seeing my perceived lack of gratitude, a flicker of anger crossed Liam’s face. “You’re turning down this opportunity. Don’t come crying to me later!” I didn’t say anything, nor did I tell him. Currently, my photography work is commissioned by several national publications and top international journals. All the copyright fees combined are certainly not lower than Liam’s income. But if I said it out loud, he’d probably think I was bragging. After all, my wrinkled pajamas certainly made me look quite humble. It’s my son’s fault, really. He insisted on me playing with him in the sandbox. The moment I turned my back, he darted off downstairs. I hadn’t even had a chance to change clothes when I chased after him. I was just looking for an excuse to leave when the waiter seemed to notice something. He pointed at my clothes and said. “Balenciaga? Where did you pick up that outfit? You’re not one of the cleaning staff, stealing from a guest’s room, are you?” I couldn’t help but frown. “Can’t these clothes be my own?” Chloe scoffed, a mocking laugh escaping her. “Your own? Can you even afford it? What wealthy person runs around dressed so casually?” She dramatically pinched her nose. “It’s so dirty, you probably haven’t even washed it and just secretly put it on.” Liam looked at me, his brows almost knit together tightly enough to catch a fly. “Stella Maxwell, you’re in this state, are you still going to be stubborn?” I didn’t want to deal with them, so I turned directly to the waiter. “If you truly think I stole something, you’re welcome to call the police right now.” I knew he was just trying to curry favor with Chloe, seeing her displeasure with me, and wanted to kick me while I was down. Sure enough, his bravado immediately deflated, and he muttered quietly. “If it weren’t for an important person staying at the hotel today, and us not wanting you people to disturb them, I would have called the police already.” Chloe’s eyes lit up, and she quickly interjected. “Is it Arthur Kingston? I heard he and his family are in New York and staying at this hotel.” Liam nodded, a look of anticipation in his eyes. “If we could get the Kingston family’s support for the project our company is working on, that would be amazing.” The name “Arthur Kingston” dropped like a bomb, instantly igniting a feverish buzz of discussion. “Isn’t the whole point of coming to this gala today to meet Arthur Kingston? This entire building belongs to his family.” “I heard he got married and had a kid in his early twenties. I wonder which heiress he married.” As everyone was discussing, the lobby manager burst in, his face slick with sweat, followed by a whole team. “Everyone, has anyone seen a seven-year-old boy around here, about this tall?” The manager wiped his forehead, his eyes frantically scanning the hall. Someone quick-witted, seeing the commotion, immediately guessed something. “Is it the Kingston family’s young master? I heard he’s exactly seven this year.” The gala attendees became enthusiastic, quickly searching everywhere. After all, finding the boy could be a chance to connect with the Kingston family. Liam and Chloe also joined the search, no longer paying attention to me. I looked at the chaotic hall and walked straight to the dessert area. Sure enough, I found my son under the table, his face covered in cream. I frowned, extending my hand. “Come here.” My son jumped, hugging the table leg and refusing to let go. “No.” I was about to pull him over when Chloe suddenly appeared, blocking me, her voice righteous. “Stella Maxwell, what do you think you’re doing!” “Even if you want to connect with the Kingston family, there’s no need to lay hands on a child, is there?” Liam rushed over, his eyes filled with disappointment as he looked at me. “Stella Maxwell, I can’t believe you’d do something like this for fame and fortune.” The waiter grabbed the manager and complained. “It’s this woman! She suddenly crashed the gala and even stole clothes from another guest!” The manager’s face immediately turned cold, and he called security. “Grab this thief and take her straight to the police station! If she scares the young master, you’re all fired!” A triumphant smile flickered in Chloe’s eyes. She bent down, putting on a kind face for the Kingston family’s young master. “Come here, sweetie, Auntie will protect you.” My son ignored her completely. To everyone’s astonishment, he carefully reached out for my hand. “Mommy, I’m sorry.”
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