My nominal uncle’s first love took her own life the day I returned home. My family blamed me, every single one of them, except for Damon. He gently stroked my hair. “It’s not Autumn’s fault. Serena was just too fragile.” Later, I married him, as I’d always yearned to. Eight years into our marriage, I finally got pregnant. Overjoyed, I handed him the ultrasound report. A rare smile touched his lips. But the very next second, a searing pain ripped through me. Blood, so much blood, gushed from me uncontrollably. That’s when it hit me. He had poisoned the soup he just fed me. He had been waiting for me to die this whole time. He had never, not once, believed in me. Damon lit a cigarette, his gaze icy as he watched me. “Stop pretending. Serena suffered a thousand times more than you did back then.” I died from a massive hemorrhage. When I opened my eyes again, I was eighteen years old, standing at the grand entrance of the Hayes mansion. This time, I decided to fulfill everyone’s desires.
“Miss Autumn, do you… still need to freshen up?” Hearing Mr. Jenkins, the butler’s voice, I truly, fully realized that I was back. Snapping out of my daze, I quickly shook my head. “No, thank you. Let’s just go see Mom and Dad.” In my previous life, I was so nervous arriving at the Hayes mansion that I asked Mr. Jenkins to take me to the powder room. On the way back, I got lost, and stumbled upon Serena in a provocative negligee, sitting on a bare-chested Damon’s lap. Serena and I were both startled. She was terrified I’d tell on her and get her kicked out of the Hayes household. So that very evening, she threw herself from the third-story window. I kept my head down, hurrying behind Mr. Jenkins, even quickening my pace. As long as I didn’t pass that spot, Serena wouldn’t jump. But I hadn’t anticipated running straight into Damon. One hand in his pocket, he slowly exhaled a puff of smoke, the other resting heavily on my shoulder. “You’re here.” Just two words, but they hit me like a lightning bolt. Damon Blackwood, a close family friend I’d always called Uncle Damon, was like an adopted son to the Hayes, ruthless and aristocratic, yet detached. At this exact time in my previous life, it was my first formal meeting with him. He had just returned from overseas, wearing a perfectly tailored shirt and trousers. He’d only given me, the suddenly recognized niece, a polite nod. His gaze had been as indifferent as if he were looking at a new piece of furniture in a corner. It was nothing like this. Nothing like this intense, complex stare he was fixating on me now. It felt like an invisible hand squeezed my heart, stealing my breath. He had been reborn too. That realization shattered all my attempts at composure. I lowered my gaze, my nails digging deep into my palms. Every fiber of my being screamed to confront him, to demand answers. But rather than tearing him apart for another lifetime, I’d rather give myself a new one. I gave a gentle nod, then forced a calm demeanor, trying to move past him. He seemed surprised by my reaction, the fingers on my shoulder tightened for a fraction of a second, the pressure almost crushing my bones. But the next moment, he abruptly let go, as if I were something vile. I didn’t dare to linger, quickening my steps towards the sounds of laughter. Soon, we arrived at the brightly lit small living room. My father, Robert Hayes, was sitting on the sofa, reading a newspaper. He looked up at our footsteps. He was nearing fifty, his brows etched with the shrewdness of a seasoned businessman. My mother, Eleanor Hayes, stood by a flower stand, meticulously pruning a blooming orchid. The scene before me, was almost identical to my first time stepping into this room in my previous life. “Sir, Ma’am, Miss Autumn has arrived,” Mr. Jenkins reported respectfully. My mother turned at the sound, the gentle smile on her face not yet fully formed. It was interrupted by a faint rustle from the stairs. A soft, melodious female voice drifted down. “Damon, my head’s spinning, could you give me a hand?” I looked up. Damon had appeared halfway down the stairs, I hadn’t even noticed. His back was to the living room’s light, his face shadowed, his expression unreadable. Serena Hayes leaned against him, one hand delicately resting on his forearm. She wore a simple, off-white dress, her long hair cascading down, face pale, with a lingering hint of redness around her eyes. A picture of delicate frailty, designed to elicit pity. But as she, aided by Damon, descended the stairs step by step, her gaze subtly brushed over me, and a fleeting hint of mockery, like an ice-cold needle, pricked me deep in her eyes. She wasn’t truly weak. That look, it was clearly assessment and calculation, a condescending… confirmation. Damon carefully helped her to the living room. My father immediately rose, his voice filled with concern. “Serena, what are you doing down here? You should be resting if you’re not feeling well.” Serena gently shook her head, her gaze, however, settling on me, who everyone else seemed to ignore. Her pale lips curved slightly, “I heard my sister was coming home today… How could I possibly stay in bed and not greet her?” She paused, her gaze wrapping around me with an innocent cruelty. “Autumn, we finally meet again. This time… you really must stay, won’t you?” This time. Those two words, she spoke them lightly, but they struck my heart like a hammer. Her too. My breath hitched. She had also returned.
Serena’s words were a key, unlocking the most painful box deep within my memory. I steadied my breathing, lowered my lashes, forcing the storm raging within me back behind my eyes. This time, I wouldn’t fall into your trap. Dinner unfolded in a strange atmosphere. Serena commanded all attention, speaking softly, occasionally furrowing her brow in a way that seemed playful and sweet. Damon’s gaze barely left her. Just like in my previous life, he gently blew on her soup to cool it, his tenderness overflowing. But he fed her nourishing broth, and he fed me poison. Eight years of deep affection hadn’t earned me a shred of his true heart. My father and mother’s attention was entirely on her, offering me only a few perfunctory questions. After dinner, my mother seemed to finally remember my presence, speaking with an apologetic tone: “Autumn, your room is on the second floor, right next to Damon’s. It’ll be convenient for you to…” “Mom,” I softly interrupted, looking up amidst everyone’s surprised stares, my voice calm yet firm. “The guest room is fine. I just got home, don’t want to inconvenience Damon.” The air solidified for a moment. Damon lifted his eyelids to look at me, his eyes unreadable, cigarette ash silently falling from his fingers. He clearly hadn’t expected me to refuse so decisively, to be so eager to draw a line between us. My mother looked a little awkward: “But… the guest room is a bit simple.” “It’s fine, I’m used to simplicity.” I managed a faint smile, no longer looking at anyone. “I’ve been traveling all day, I’m a bit tired and just want to rest.” Eventually, I was assigned the smallest guest room at the end of the hallway. The room was indeed simple, but clean. I locked the door and leaned against the cold wood. Only then did I allow myself to drop all pretense, sliding wearily to the floor. Late at night, everything was silent. But a knock suddenly echoed. An alarm blared in my mind. I walked to the door but didn’t open it. “Who is it?” “Autumn, it’s me.” Serena’s voice came through the door, laced with a hint of a smile. “Can’t sleep, thought I’d chat with you.” I remained silent. She didn’t seem to mind, lowering her voice further as she continued. “Didn’t expect this, did you? We both came back. Last life, I miscalculated, really thought I’d just fall and die… Lucky you, you got to live for eight extra years.” My heart clenched, a sharp, piercing ache. “But,” She chuckled, “Damon, he took revenge for me later, didn’t he? I bet it was quite spectacular.” Her tone was filled with malicious speculation and delight. I clenched my fists, my nails digging deep into my flesh. The pain I had deliberately tried to forget surged through me again. Outside the door, her voice suddenly moved closer to the crack. “Autumn, this lifetime, Damon is mine, from beginning to end. You can’t steal him, and you don’t deserve him.” With that, her footsteps receded. But I felt a strange unease. I rushed to the window, yanking the curtains open. On the balcony of the neighboring guest room, Serena, in a thin nightgown, was standing barefoot on the narrow ledge of the railing! The night wind ruffled her long hair, and in her hand, she held a fruit knife, its blade glinting coldly in the moonlight. And on her pale wrist, a stark, crimson cut had already appeared! “Serena!” I cried out. She turned at the sound, giving me a twisted, pathetic smile. Then, she leaned back. “BANG!” My room door was flung open with brute force. Damon stormed in like a wild beast, “Autumn!” He roared, his eyes blazing with undisguised hatred. “I knew it! You came back too, and you’re still up to no good! You want to drive her to her death again, don’t you?!” He didn’t even give me a chance to explain. The next second, a stinging slap landed hard on my face. “SMACK!” The sharp sound exploded in the room. My head snapped to the side, my cheek instantly burning. My ears rang, and a metallic taste filled my mouth. The disgust in his eyes was sickeningly familiar. It was the same look he’d given me when I was dying in my previous life. Then, without hesitation, he turned and rushed towards the adjacent balcony. I clutched my stinging cheek, sliding down the cold wall, my numb heart aching violently. In my past life, I had tried to explain to Damon countless times, but he had only ever nodded, expressionless. “It’s all in the past, no need to dwell on it.” Outside the window, Serena’s weak sobs and Damon’s frantic reassurances drifted in. Soon, ambulance sirens wailed. Downstairs in the living room, lights blazed. My father’s face was ashen, my mother’s eyes red from crying. Damon left with the ambulance for the hospital. My father looked at me with exhaustion and disappointment, as if I were an unavoidable burden. He rubbed his temples, then finally spoke in a cold voice, “Autumn, things have been… unsettling around here. You just got back, you might not be adapting well.” He paused, then continued, “Liam Kingston, the eldest son of the Kingston family, is accomplished, and the Kingstons are interested in an alliance. You… should meet him. Settling down early would be good for you, and for everyone.” Liam Kingston? The notorious playboy, always surrounded by rumors? A cold despair settled in my chest. Yet, I suddenly felt a clarity, and a bitter amusement. In my previous life, they had always favored Serena, the adopted daughter. Fine. This time, I’d give them what they wanted. I lifted my swollen face, meeting my father’s gaze, my voice calm, without a ripple of emotion. “Alright, I’ll meet him.”
My meeting with Liam Kingston was arranged at a quiet, upscale Italian restaurant. I had prepared myself to deal with a flippant rich kid. But to my surprise, the man who walked through the door was refined and understated. When he saw me, he seemed even more nervous than I was, his ears tinted crimson, his eyes a little evasive, not at all like the seasoned veteran of flirtation the rumors painted him to be. “Miss Hayes… hello, I’m Liam Kingston.” He stood up, pulling out my chair for me, his movements slightly stiff but sincere. Throughout dinner, the initial awkwardness quickly dissolved. He spoke eloquently, with unique insights, knowledgeable in both art and business. Occasionally, if I looked at him a bit too long, he would blush slightly, shy as a college student fresh out of school. The rumors and reality were worlds apart. “I thought…” I began, choosing my words carefully. “You thought I was an uneducated playboy?” Liam finished my sentence, smiling wryly. “My family’s business is complex, and my father hasn’t been well. Some people… they prefer to see me as a good-for-nothing.” He didn’t elaborate, but the meaning was clear. When we parted, he stood by his car, looking at me very earnestly: “Miss Hayes, I… I like you very much.” “If you don’t object, I’ll have my parents formally propose to the Hayes family tomorrow, may I?” His directness and solemnity surprised me. Looking at his sincere and slightly anxious eyes, I nodded: “Yes.” It was late when I returned to the Hayes mansion. I tiptoed upstairs, but as I passed the master bedroom area, I heard sounds that made my cheeks burn coming from a slightly ajar door. A mix of a woman’s soft moans and a man’s heavy breathing. It was Damon’s room. And that female voice… it was Serena. My footsteps faltered. My blood seemed to turn to ice instantly, then rapidly warmed, leaving only a dull numbness. Just as I was about to quietly leave, the door creaked open from inside. Damon was only loosely wrapped in a bathrobe, his belt undone, his chest still bore faint, tell-tale red marks. He saw me outside the door, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, which quickly turned back to casual nonchalance. He gently closed the door behind him, shielding the intimate scene within. “You saw?” He lit a cigarette, leaning against the doorframe. “Serena and I are together now. Let’s just put the past behind us. This time, I’ll protect her, truly.” He exhaled a smoke ring, looking at me through the haze, his voice low. “Autumn Hayes, just give up. I apologize for the past, but please don’t upset Serena anymore.” A corner of my heart twinged, but it was quickly enveloped by a wave of coldness. I met his gaze, a calm smile on my face, and spoke in a cold voice. “Damon, you’re overthinking it. Who you’re with, what you do, it has nothing to do with me.” My composure clearly angered him. His eyes darkened. He suddenly stepped forward, grabbing my wrist, his grip so tight my bones ached. “Nothing to do with you? Autumn Hayes, who are you trying to fool? I’m telling you, Serena and I are already engaged.” He stared into my eyes, each word landing like a blow, as if to embed itself in my heart. “The wedding is in three days.” He suddenly forced a humorless smile. “Considering what we once had… if you still feel anything from back then, then come witness my happiness for yourself.” He was testing me, retaliating. He was using this method to flay the last shred of my dignity. I yanked my hand free, leaving distinct finger marks on my wrist. I stepped back, creating distance, my smile still serene. “No need, Damon. Your happiness has nothing to do with me. Let’s just go our separate ways and leave each other in peace.” With that, I turned and walked away, not looking back at his expression. The next day, my father indeed called me into his study, his face beaming as he informed me that the Kingston family had formally proposed. The wedding was set for three days later, a rare auspicious day. But then his expression clouded: “Autumn, there’s something… Serena and Damon’s wedding is also set for the same day.” “You know, Damon has been like a son to us for years, and Serena, our dear Serena, has always been a delicate flower… having two daughters get married from the Hayes household, it would be a bit much to have two grand affairs.” “So, your wedding… it would be best if it were a bit more private, simpler. Would that be alright with you?” His tone was consultative, but his eyes held no room for dissent. I gripped the beautiful invitation from the Kingston family, looking at Liam Kingston’s name, so different from what I remembered. I smiled faintly: “Of course, I have no objections.”
The night before the wedding, Serena knocked on my door again. This time, she didn’t even bother to feign politeness, a victorious, stinging smile playing on her lips, as she leaned directly against the doorframe. “Autumn, you’re getting married tomorrow. I’ve come to bring you a wedding gift.” She kept her voice low, just for the two of us to hear. “You know, lately, I’ve been having dreams… interesting dreams.” She tilted her head, her gaze like a poisoned needle. “Dreams about you having a baby once? Too bad… you couldn’t keep it. How did that feel? Pretty exhilarating?” A deafening roar filled my head. My entire body went numb. My blood ran cold, then surged back through my veins, frantic and burning, making my limbs tremble violently. I stared at her, my nails digging deep into my palms, almost drawing blood. She knew! How could she know so precisely?! “You…” My voice was bone dry. “How did I know?” Serena giggled, her eyes cold and cruel. “It doesn’t matter. What matters is, Sister, you’d better be sensible this lifetime, and stay gone in the Kingston family, don’t come back and be an eyesore.” She stepped closer, almost pressing her lips to my ear. “So what if you’re the biological one? Damon and Mom and Dad, their eyes are only on me!” “If you dare to come back, or touch anything of mine again… I won’t mind helping Damon again. Helping him… kill you with his own hands.” With that, she turned and sashayed away like a peacock displaying its plumage. Leaving me frozen at the doorway, cold all over, my stomach churning, threatening to spill its contents. That familiar despair, once again, choked me. The next day, before dawn, the Hayes household was bustling. All for Serena’s extravagant wedding. I packed my few belongings; there wasn’t much to sort through. Stepping out of the guest room, I passed the living room, and my footsteps involuntarily halted. In the nascent morning light, Damon stood before the grand floor-to-ceiling mirror in the living room, undergoing final adjustments from the tailor. He wore a perfectly tailored black tuxedo, his profile sharply defined in the soft light, still the alluring man from my memories. Memories flooded back uncontrollably. In my previous life, he had been like this too, in a well-fitted suit, walking towards me amidst everyone’s blessings. Then, there was a smile in his eyes, as he gently placed the ring on my finger. I had once believed that was the sum total of happiness, even after learning it was an eight-year-long, premeditated revenge. But in that moment, walking towards him in my white gown, the pounding heart and shy anticipation, those had been real. A dull ache, a belated one, spread through my chest. It wasn’t love, not hate, but a somber elegy for a past I’d been foolish enough to believe in. He seemed to catch sight of me in the mirror, his movements pausing slightly, then he turned around. The tailor discreetly retreated. Damon’s gaze settled on me, assessing my simple dress. His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, then smoothed out. “Where are you off to?” He took two steps closer to me, carrying a crisp, unfamiliar scent. He suddenly raised a hand, slowly adjusting his tie, his eyes fixed on me, “Does this look good?” His voice was low, his breath caressing my face. Once, I would have flushed crimson. But now, I only felt a sickening chill. I met his gaze, forcing a calm smile. “It looks very good. Congratulations, Damon, on finally getting what you wanted, on marrying the woman you adore.” My voice was clear and steady, like I was uttering the most commonplace blessing. “I wish you and Serena a lifetime of happiness, and many children.” His pupils seemed to constrict. He stared at me, a complex emotion I couldn’t decipher churning in his deep-set eyes. He pulled at the corner of his mouth, saying nothing more, but that look, it was unnervingly heavy. I averted my gaze, no longer looking at him, and pulled my lightweight suitcase, walking step by step towards the grand entrance of the Hayes mansion. Behind me, the prosperity and hypocrisy that had held my two lifetimes of blood and tears, were finally left behind. At the entrance, a discreet yet undeniably luxurious motorcade from the Kingston family awaited. Liam stood by a car, his eyes lighting up when he saw me. He quickly came forward, took my luggage, and opened the car door for me, his movements careful, filled with tenderness. “Let’s go home,” he murmured, his ears slightly red. I settled into the car, and through the window, I took one last look at the carved gates of the Hayes mansion. Just then, another motorcade, grand and boisterous, arrived. Adorned with flowers, ribbons, and boisterous laughter – it was Damon and Serena’ grand wedding procession. The two motorcades passed each other at the Hayes mansion’s entrance. One, silent and understated, drove towards an unknown, yet perhaps peaceful, future. The other, loud and festive, rushed towards public adoration. I didn’t look back, and in my heart, I whispered. “Damon, we’ll never meet again.”
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