Everyone knew I loved Kevin to the point of self-abasement. For ten years, I swallowed every insult, shielded him from every scandal, even gave my own blood, all for him. They called me the biggest joke in high society, the woman who shamelessly clawed her way into an engagement. Kevin thought so too. Until the day of our wedding, when I smiled, slipped on the ring, and leaped from the cliff. This wedding was never about love. It was because the System told me: “Marry Kevin, and you can bring your true love back to life.” Jennifer POV Late at night, the piercing ring of the phone echoed through the apartment. I jolted awake. On the other end, Kevin’s friend shouted, his voice laced with panic. “Jennifer! Kevin’s in trouble, he’s at Downtown General!” I was there in under fifteen minutes. Outside the hospital room, Kevin’s friends were laughing and joking, their voices jarringly loud. “Kevin’s such a madman! Wing-suiting just to get Sarah’s souvenir back, and he broke his leg!” “Seriously! All for a dare! I bet Jennifer, his little shadow, is already on her way. Her nose is sharper than a bloodhound’s.” “You can’t even get rid of her. Kevin says even if he beat her with a golf club, she’d crawl back, crying.” The words seeped into my ears, but my face remained expressionless. From inside the room, I heard Kevin’s scoff, his tone dismissive and utterly confident. “She loves me too much; she’d be lost without me.” I lowered my gaze, then pushed the door open. Silence fell for a moment inside, then burst into a chorus of laughter. “Kevin’s little pet has arrived!” “Jennifer, you’re quick! We thought you’d need to cry in the car for a while.” Kevin lay on the hospital bed, his left leg in a cast. His handsome face was pale, and his eyes, when they met mine, were arrogant and icy. He didn’t speak, just lifted his chin, signaling his cronies to continue. A man stepped forward, scrutinizing me playfully. “Jennifer, Kevin got hurt because of you. He’s not happy. Shouldn’t you do something to make it up to him?” “Yeah! Do something! Do something!” The jeers grew louder. Someone pointed out the window, making a cruel suggestion. “You said you’d die for Kevin, didn’t you? If you’re so brave, blindfold yourself and walk across to that scaffolding on the building next door.” I followed his gaze. Between the two towering buildings, a narrow, temporary steel plank bridge had been erected for construction. The night wind howled, making the plank sway precariously a hundred feet up, looking fragile and deadly. The sheer malice of their request sent a chill through me. “What, too scared?” I was about to refuse when Kevin finally spoke. Leaning against the headboard, he used my decade of devotion as a weapon, each word a cruel blow. “Jennifer, you said you loved me, that you’d die for me. Didn’t you?” My heart plummeted. Our wedding was in a month. For this wedding, I had endured for ten years. I couldn’t let everything fall apart at the last minute. Under their eager gazes, I nodded softly. “Okay.” Kevin’s friends erupted in excited whistles. Someone immediately produced a black silk ribbon and roughly tied it over my eyes. Darkness enveloped me. The humiliation nearly choked me. I was pushed onto the windowsill, my trembling toes reaching for the cold steel plank. Below, Manhattan’s lights twinkled, a dizzying abyss. Around me, mocking laughter and the click of phone cameras. I took a deep breath, stepping onto the plank, inching forward. The wind picked up, violently shaking my slender body in the air. Halfway across, just as I felt I was about to be blown off, Kevin’s furious roar stopped me. “Crazy woman! Get back here!” My movements froze. “What are you waiting for? Planning to fall and die there, polluting my view?” Kevin’s voice dripped with impatience. He commanded imperiously, “Go to the Upper East Side. Line up and buy me those limited-edition croissant donuts from that place! Don’t come back without them.” I felt like a prisoner granted clemency, scrambling back in a hurry. I pulled off the blindfold. The others looked disappointed, while Kevin turned his face away, refusing to meet my gaze. I said nothing, just turned and left. The trendy dessert spot had a long line. I waited for three agonizing hours before finally securing the daily limited-edition treat. When I returned to the hospital, the room was empty except for Kevin. He was asleep, brows furrowed, as if in the throes of a nightmare. I placed the dessert on the nightstand, about to leave, when I heard his mumbled dream talk. I instinctively leaned closer. “Sarah… don’t leave…” He whispered, his voice laced with a vulnerability and plea I’d never heard from him. “Just turn around, and I won’t get married, Sarah…” The words were a blade that sliced through my heart. My body froze, blood draining from my face. Ten years. I’d chased this man for ten years, from a naive girl to the laughingstock of high society. I’d sacrificed every shred of dignity for a wedding a month away. Yet, in his heart, the wedding I’d earned with ten years of blood and tears meant less than a single glance from Sarah. Despair choked me. Just as I felt the pain crush me, a cold, mechanical voice resonated in my mind. “Host emotional fluctuation abnormal. Warning.” “Task progress: 99%.” “Task objective: Marry Kevin.” “Task reward: Revive William.” “Host, please stabilize emotions and complete the final 1% of the task.” The voice was like a bucket of cold water, pulling me back from the brink of collapse. I slowly closed my eyes, memories flooding my mind. Ten years ago, I didn’t belong in this world. My childhood sweetheart and fiancé, William, and I were about to get engaged. But in an accident, William saved me and fell into a deep coma, becoming a vegetable. Doctors said his chances of waking were slim. In my despair, the voice of the System appeared. It told me that if I crossed into this world and completed the task of marrying Kevin, I would receive the reward of waking William. So I came. In this world, my identity was an orphan deeply in love with Kevin, pursuing him by any means necessary. I knew Kevin hated me because the “first love” of his heart, Sarah, was my stepsister. But I didn’t care. Kevin’s love and hate were merely background noise to the task. All his torment and humiliation were just steps I had to endure to complete my mission. My heart had died the moment William fell into a coma. The only belief that sustained me was completing the task and returning to William’s side. I opened my eyes again. The vulnerability and despair in them had faded, replaced by numb determination. I looked at the sleeping man on the bed, my nominal fiancé, my gaze as calm as if I were looking at a stranger. Only one percent left. As soon as the wedding was over, I could go back. William, wait for me.
Jennifer POV The next morning, I woke to the sunlight. Kevin was propped against the headboard, on a FaceTime call with Sarah. His profile, bathed in the morning glow, seemed softer than I’d ever seen it. “Yacht party? Okay, I’ll be there.” He answered in a low voice, a smile playing on his lips. The call ended, and the softness on his face vanished, replaced by his usual cold demeanor. “Go handle the discharge papers,” he commanded. My heart tightened. I instinctively pleaded, “The doctor said you need a few more days of rest…” “What?” Kevin shot me a cold glance. “Are you not listening to me now?” His threatening gaze sent a chill down my spine. I was terrified he’d cancel the wedding in a fit of pique. I could only obey. “Yes, I’ll go right away.” That evening, at the exclusive yacht club at the private marina. Sarah had organized the party to celebrate Kevin’s miraculous survival. As soon as they arrived, Sarah, champagne flute in hand, greeted him with a beaming smile, though her eyes hid a subtle sharpness. “Kevin, you’re finally here! You’re so late, you deserve a penalty.” No sooner had she spoken than waiters pushed in a dining cart laden with dozens of exquisite French dishes. My gaze swept over the food, and my heart sank. Several dishes were heavily garnished with crushed peanuts. Kevin was severely allergic to peanuts; if he accidentally ingested them, the consequences would be dire. “You have to try a bite of each dish to show you’re truly sorry,” Sarah cooed, offering a silver fork to Kevin. Kevin, knowing it was a trap, glanced at Sarah, then actually reached for the fork. “Don’t!” Without thinking, I snatched the fork from his hand. Under everyone’s astonished gazes, I straightened my back and declared, every word clear, “I’ll eat them for him.” Kevin froze. Sarah’s smile faltered, then turned playful again. “Miss Jennifer truly loves Kevin, doesn’t she?” A ripple of laughter spread around us. I ignored them, picked up the fork, and under everyone’s watchful eyes, tasted every single dish. I have a mild seafood allergy, and these dishes contained a lot of shrimp and crab. For the sake of the wedding, I had to endure it. Next, guests, for various reasons, kept bringing new dishes. “This one’s a chef’s special, Kevin, try it?” “This white truffle was flown in specially from Italy, a welcome gift for Kevin!” Each time, I ate them in his place, my expression unchanging. I didn’t know how much I’d eaten, only that my stomach was churning, and my throat burned. Finally, red rashes began to erupt on my skin, itching agonizingly. I made an excuse and rushed to the restroom, vomiting until nothing but bile remained. The woman in the mirror was deathly pale, her lips bloodless. I splashed cold water on my face, forcing myself to calm down. I couldn’t leave him out there alone. What if Sarah tricked him again, and he touched an allergen? What about the wedding a month from now? I couldn’t bear the thought. I quickly tidied myself, endured the discomfort, and hurried back to the party. As I approached, I heard Sarah’s mocking voice. “Kevin, look, Jennifer truly loves you. She’d risk her life for you.” Kevin’s voice held a hint of subtle smugness. “Naturally,” he chuckled. “Why else would I marry her?” Hearing that, my heart settled a little. At least he still remembered the wedding. But the next second, Kevin’s words plunged me back into despair. He turned to Sarah, his voice low, with a hint of a question, “Sarah, is our agreement still on? If you just…” “Oh, what are you talking about?” Sarah smiled, cutting him off. She pulled a stack of elegant invitations from her clutch and began handing them out. “Everyone, I’m getting married next month too. You absolutely have to come.” She smiled beautifully as she handed out the invitations, finally placing one directly in front of Kevin. “Kevin, you and Miss Jennifer absolutely must come.” Kevin’s face darkened, turning as black as a storm-laden sky. He stared fixedly at the gilded invitation, which clearly bore Sarah’s name and Anthony’s name. Anthony was the heir to another prominent family in the city, and Kevin’s long-standing rival. The air in the party grew cold. Kevin’s anger twisted into a cold laugh. He snatched the invitation, tossed it to the ground without a glance, and stormed off. I hurried after him. I followed him into his car. Through the window, I watched Sarah being carefully escorted into another sports car by her fiancé, Anthony. The sight stung my eyes.
Jennifer POV The engine roared. Kevin watched Sarah get into Anthony’s car, rage consuming him. He floored the accelerator. He repeatedly and dangerously cut off their car, reckless, as if playing a game of chicken on the highway. I had just recovered from my allergy-induced vomiting and was thrown around, dizzy and nauseous. My face grew even paler. The chase led to the marina, where both groups boarded speedboats. On the sea, the pursuit continued. Kevin, like a madman, clung to Anthony’s boat. “Boom!” A deafening crash as the two speedboats collided violently. The immense impact threw me forward. Without thinking, I lunged, shielding Kevin with my body. Excruciating pain shot through me, yet I remained conscious. The boat was sinking. Fighting through the pain, I fumbled to smash the cabin window. Seawater immediately flooded in. I swam out of the cabin, firing a distress signal, and then, with all my might, dragged the unconscious Kevin onto a life raft. As soon as Kevin regained consciousness, he shoved me away, swimming frantically toward the other sunken boat, screaming, “Sarah! Sarah!” He saw Anthony alone, scrambling onto a life preserver, fleeing without a backward glance. “Anthony! Where’s Sarah?” Kevin roared. Anthony’s face was ashen. He selfishly defended himself, “I’m the sole heir to my family; I can’t die!” Kevin ignored him, diving into the water. He pulled Sarah, who was unconscious from the collision, out of the sinking cabin. Just as they surfaced, the speedboat behind them, due to fuel leakage, exploded and caught fire, flames reaching toward the sky. In the hospital corridor, Kevin anxiously stayed by Sarah’s side the entire time, ignoring me, despite my serious injuries and soaked clothes. I was a ghost. Medical staff wheeled me past him, but he didn’t even lift an eyelid. Outside the emergency room, the doctor emerged, his expression grave. “Miss Sarah has internal organ damage, severe hemorrhage, and she has rare RH-negative blood. The blood bank is critically low.” “Take mine!” Kevin immediately stepped forward, without hesitation. “No!” I cried out, struggling off another hospital bed and rushing to the doctor. “He’s injured too, he shouldn’t donate blood! Take mine! I know I’m also RH-negative!” The doctor looked at my pale face and injuries, frowning. “Miss, your body is also very weak; you’re not suitable for blood donation.” But I was stubbornly insistent, gripping the doctor’s arm, my eyes resolute. “I insist. Use my blood.” Kevin looked at me, his expression complex. The operating room light stayed on for a long time. After the blood donation, my already weak body felt even worse. Nurses helped me out of the operating room, each step feeling like walking on a blade. I looked up and saw Kevin in the next room, tenderly caring for Sarah, who had just been out of danger. He was feeding her water and wiping the sweat from her forehead. That tender look, a luxury I’d chased for ten years and never caught. I suddenly felt a wave of weakness, my vision blurred, and I almost fell, saved only by the nurse beside me. “Why do you do this to yourself?” the nurse sighed. “He doesn’t have you in his heart at all.” I tried to force a smile, my face tight, probably managing a grimace worse than a cry. I didn’t speak, just lowered my head and continued bandaging my arm. A voice in my heart repeated, forcefully, No, I don’t love him at all. I only knew I had to do this. Only this way could the wedding proceed smoothly. And only this way would my William have hope of returning. In the following days, Kevin, naturally, stayed at the hospital. I often caught glimpses of him hurrying down the corridor, or carrying a basin to fetch water. He seemed utterly devoted. That day, I was leaning against the wall near the nurses’ station when I heard Sarah’s delicate voice drift from the half-open door: “Kevin, the nurses here are so clumsy…” After a moment of silence, I distinctly heard her next words, “I want Jennifer to take care of me.” A brief quiet. Then Kevin’s calm voice: “Okay.” Soon after, footsteps stopped in front of me. I looked up and saw Kevin. He looked at me and said in a commanding tone, “Go take care of Sarah.”
Jennifer POV I became Sarah’s official private caregiver. On the first day, Sarah pointed to a plate of lobster, sweetly complaining her fingers might get hurt, and demanded I peel out the whole lobster meat with my bare hands. I silently complied. Lobster shells are hard and sharp, and my fingers were soon raw and bleeding. I peeled one after another until my fingertips were numb with pain. When Kevin pushed the door open, I instinctively hid my hands behind my back. He didn’t notice, walking straight to the bed to pick up a bowl of soup, spooning it gently into Sarah’s mouth. The sight was like a needle piercing my heart, yet no blood flowed. The next day, Sarah deliberately dropped a diamond earring into the hospital garden’s frozen pond. “Oh dear, it slipped,” she feigned panic. “Jennifer, could you please find it for me? Kevin gave it to me.” It was deep winter, and the water was covered with thin ice. Without a word, I stripped off my coat and jumped into the pond. The icy water made me shiver, my teeth chattering uncontrollably. I dived repeatedly, searching, occasionally surfacing for air. From the hospital room window, I could see Kevin massaging Sarah’s shoulders, both of them laughing and chatting. It wasn’t until dusk that I found the earring in the pond’s muddy bottom. When I crawled ashore, my hands and feet were numb with cold, and my lips were purple. On the third day, Sarah had someone bring in a valuable long-haired cat. I am severely allergic to cat fur. Sarah pretended not to know, pointing to the luxurious cat tree in the corner, covered in fur. “Jennifer, the cat tree is filthy. Would you mind cleaning it, please?” she asked with a smile. I said nothing, and walked over. In the enclosed space, fine fur particles floated everywhere. Soon, I began to have difficulty breathing. My skin became red and itchy, my eyes bloodshot and tearing. I felt like I’d been thrown into boiling water. I fought the suffocating sensation, determined to clean the cat house until it was spotless. When I stumbled back into the hospital room, Kevin was sitting on the sofa. He saw the red rash on my face and my nearly swollen-shut eyes. His brows furrowed. I thought he might show a little pity. But he didn’t. He just spoke coldly, his voice laced with disgust, “Go clean yourself up. Don’t scare Sarah.” Those words cut deeper than any knife. As I turned to leave, I heard Sarah and her friends’ barely suppressed laughter behind me. “Look at her, she’s a mess! So funny.” “She’s got the life of a maid, yet she dreams of being a billionaire’s wife.” “I bet Kevin will get bored and dump her soon, then get back with Sarah.” Kevin didn’t reply. His silence, surprisingly, made me feel a little better. At least he hadn’t confirmed it himself. The day Sarah was discharged, the sky opened up, unleashing a torrent. Before getting into the car, Sarah suddenly grabbed Kevin’s arm, pointing at me. “Kevin, I don’t want to ride in the same car as her.” Kevin didn’t even look at me, simply commanded, “You take a taxi back.” With that, he closed the car door, and the black Bentley sped away from me, splashing mud. I stood in the pouring rain, soaked to the bone in an instant. I stretched out my hand, but couldn’t hail a single cab. Finally, I had no choice but to walk back in the rain, step by arduous step. Three hours. When I finally reached the empty mansion, I looked like I’d been pulled from the water; not a single spot on me was dry. The days of exhaustion, torment, and this downpour utterly broke my body. I fell ill, burning with a high fever that wouldn’t break. In my feverish sleep, I seemed to return to my own world, seeing the person I longed for day and night. William was holding me tenderly, his warm hand stroking my forehead. “William…” I couldn’t hold back anymore. Ten years of accumulated grievances and longing burst forth. I clutched his sleeve, like a helpless child, sobbing uncontrollably. “I miss you so much… I hurt so much… I almost couldn’t go on…” “Jennifer.” A cold, hard voice ripped me from my dream. I painstakingly opened my eyes. Through my fever-blurred vision, a tall figure sat by my bed. It was Kevin. His face darkened, his eyes churning with an anger and a scrutiny I couldn’t decipher. He stared at me, demanding, word by word. “Who is William?”
Jennifer POV The moment Kevin demanded an answer, my entire body tensed. Despite my severe illness, I forced a smile and lied without thinking. “William is my brother. We were inseparable. He passed away many years ago.” Kevin stared at my face, his gaze sharp, trying to find a crack in my expression. He seemed angry. He walked out, and the door slammed shut, leaving me alone in the room. Only then did I finally relax, slumping back onto the bed. Just a little more. A few days later, just as I began to recover, Kevin took me to a gala. When we arrived, I realized it was Sarah’s birthday celebration. The ballroom was magnificent, filled with high society. As soon as Kevin arrived, he left me behind, walking straight to the evening’s main attraction. Sarah, in her couture gown, looked absolutely stunning, like a princess. Kevin stood by her side, shielding her from unwanted attention, adjusting her dress, attending to her every need flawlessly. I became the laughingstock of the entire event. Guests intentionally or unintentionally avoided me, isolating me in a corner, as if I were something dirty. I was content to be ignored. I found an inconspicuous corner and watched the whole charade with a detached gaze. The gift-giving segment began, and the atmosphere grew lively. Kevin presented a velvet box. When he opened it, a gasp swept through the room. It was a necklace custom-made with rare pink diamonds, sparkling brilliantly under the lights, priceless. Sarah gasped in surprise, her eyes turning to Kevin, as she sweetly said, “Kevin, you’re too extravagant.” Kevin’s face showed a faint smile as he personally fastened it around her neck. The whispers of the crowd filtered into my ears. “Did you see that? Kevin only has Sarah in his heart.” “So what’s Jennifer? A lovesick fool throwing herself at him. So embarrassing.” “Exactly, she just shamelessly latched onto an engagement. Has Kevin even looked at her properly? Pathetic.” The words were sharp as needles, but I paid them no mind. I picked up a glass of champagne, raising it toward Kevin and Sarah’s direction, silently mouthing a blessing. As long as Kevin didn’t publicly cancel the engagement, he could give Sarah all the gold and silver, even his heart, and I wouldn’t care. I never loved him anyway.
Jennifer POV Halfway through the party, Sarah excused herself to the garden for some fresh air. Soon after, her sobbing voice came through a phone call, thick with tears. “Kevin, save me, someone pushed me into the pool… I’m drowning…” Kevin’s face changed instantly. He didn’t even hang up the phone, just dashed out. My heart tightened with a bad feeling. I immediately put down my drink and followed him. Deep in the garden, I indeed saw Kevin pulling a drenched Sarah from the pool. “Kevin…” Sarah nestled in his arms like a frightened bird, her cries sharp and broken. She extended a trembling hand, pointing to me not far away. “It was Jennifer, she was jealous you were good to me, so she pushed me.” She choked, each word like a knife, “I know you love Kevin, but how could you use such a vicious method…” Kevin was furious, his eyes on me as if he wanted to devour me whole. “Jennifer, you are truly wicked!” He didn’t listen to my explanation, announcing, word by word, “Our engagement is hereby canceled!” I panicked. My mission was going to fail! “No… it wasn’t me…” I rushed forward, clutching Kevin’s suit sleeve desperately, trying to explain, “Kevin, believe me, it really wasn’t me!” “Please, don’t cancel the engagement. You can hit me, curse me, just don’t cancel the wedding.” Kevin roughly shook me off, with such force that I fell directly to the ground. He carried Sarah away, without a backward glance, leaving my cries to echo behind him. I scrambled up regardless, chasing him out of the ballroom, only to watch his car speed away into the distance. I collapsed to the ground, but the man never once looked back. From that day on, Kevin refused to see me. For the sake of the mission, I could only resort to the most desperate method. Day after day, I stood outside the tightly shut ornate iron gates of Kevin’s mansion. The sky opened up, unleashing a torrent. The temperature plummeted. I was soaked to the bone, shivering in the rain, yet I dared not move an inch. “I know I was wrong. Please, don’t cancel the wedding.” I repeated the words into the intercom, my voice already hoarse. I stood in the rain for three days and three nights, until my legs swelled and my consciousness blurred. On the evening of the third day, the tightly shut gates finally opened. Kevin stood at the entrance, frowning as he looked at me, drenched and swaying precariously. His expression was complex. “Do you have no self-respect?” he asked, his voice hoarse. Seeing a glimmer of hope, I immediately seized the opportunity, tears welling in my eyes. “No… I don’t care about dignity… As long as I can marry you, I’ll give up anything…” Kevin stared at me for a long time. Finally, he conceded in a low voice, “If you want my forgiveness, go make amends to Sarah.” He took me to the alley behind an abandoned factory on the outskirts of town. A winding path was covered with broken glass, glinting sharply in the setting sun. Kevin’s assistant stood at the entrance, relaying Sarah’s words. “Miss Sarah said if Miss Jennifer can walk this path barefoot, she will forgive you.”
🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “344664”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn
Leave a Reply