In our past life, Julian and I were husband and wife. He never hid the fact that another woman held his heart, only occasionally offering me looks of pity. Everyone said I loved him desperately, enduring rumors and gossip to manage his household and secure his legacy. No one knew I was just doing it out of spite. On my deathbed, he sat beside me and sighed, "You've worked hard in this life, Autumn. If there is a next life, I will share a little love with you." I died too quickly, the words "I don't want it" stuck in my throat. When I opened my eyes again, I saw floating text scrolling before me: [The male lead is reborn. Seeing how dedicated the female lead was in her past life, he'll still give her a position as a secondary wife.] [It's a pity. The main couple loves each other so much, but they can't be together properly because of the supporting female character.] [Whatever, let's just pity the supporting female. She loves the male lead so much, she'd die without him.] Before I could recover from the shock of rebirth, I heard my parents' angry shouts from the front hall. It was Julian. He had come... to make me his concubine. 1 "Heartless! My Autumn won't marry at all before she becomes your concubine!" I heard my mother's cursing from afar. "When your family was poor, you pestered our Autumn every day, saying you'd marry no one but her, eating and drinking at our house. Now that you've been recognized by your rich father, you want our Autumn to be your concubine? Keep dreaming!" My mother's words were blunt. Usually, my father would have stopped her, but this time he just glared at Julian, looking ready to punch him. The neighbors all knew Julian and I were childhood sweethearts. His behavior was shameful, and many pointed fingers at him. Julian was clearly embarrassed. But he regained his composure the moment he saw me rushing over. His face returned to confident arrogance. "Uncle, Auntie, why deny this marriage so quickly? Why not ask Autumn? I'm sure as long as she can be with me, she'd be willing even as a concubine." The floating text scrolled faster: [See how gentle the male lead is? If he wasn't afraid the supporting female would kill herself if he abandoned her, he wouldn't even be here.] [Exactly. The supporting female's family can't see the reality. Look at the male lead's status, then look at theirs. He's going to inherit a title. Liking a merchant's daughter is already a huge blessing for her.] [Yeah, he could have just walked away. He only stayed because he was afraid she'd die for love.] Yes, in the past, my love for Julian was his biggest asset to trample on me. But that love died in my previous life. I stopped loving Julian a long time ago. But he didn't know. He thought I still adored him. To him, I would die without him. That's why he looked at me so arrogantly, speaking as if bestowing charity: "Autumn, although you'll enter as a concubine, once my marriage with Sarah is settled, she will elevate you to secondary wife. Don't worry, with Sarah's character and generosity, she won't let you suffer any grievances." He claimed I wouldn't suffer, yet he humiliated me in front of everyone. Seeing my silence, the text scrolled furiously: [No way, the male lead said all that and she's still putting on airs? Is she waiting for him to beg?] [Does she really think this will get her the position of main wife? Naive and laughable.] 2 In my last life, Julian did marry me as his main wife. He was poor and alone as a child, surviving on the charity of the neighborhood. He ate the most at my house. My family had been merchants for generations, wealthy even by capital standards. My parents had no son, only me. My mother was soft-hearted. That winter, Julian stood barefoot at our door in ragged clothes, staring at the fresh pastries in my hand, swallowing hard. I gave him all my food that day. He ate so fast his stomach hurt, alerting my mother. Seeing the bag of bones that was Julian, she cried out in pity and brought him inside. That day, Julian left wearing my father's old winter clothes, altered to fit him. He came often after that. At first, just to eat. As he grew older and learned shame, he said he came to see me. I knew it was an excuse. Julian was just hungry. He called me his best friend in the world, but his eyes were glued to the meat buns. Later, older and more shameful, he swore an oath to me. If he, Julian Thorne, ever made it big, he would never betray me. That oath bound him for half a lifetime. After being recognized as the lost son of Baron Thorne, he was quickly brought back to the fold. He was already twenty. Rejecting the women his father's concubines tried to push on him, he married me with grand ceremony. Julian was spirited that day. In our bridal chamber, he patted his chest and boasted, "See, Autumn? A gentleman keeps his word. I said I wouldn't forget you if I lived a good life, and I haven't." Julian didn't love me then either, but he kept his promise and treated me well enough. If he hadn't met Sarah White, we might have lived harmoniously forever. 3 But fate led him to Sarah, the woman he fell for at first sight, the one he wanted to protect for the rest of his life. Sarah was the illegitimate daughter of a government minister. She shouldn't have had it so hard, but the Minister's wife was notoriously cruel. She couldn't stop her husband from bringing women home, but she could torture them in the backyard. Even so, Sarah's mother, Concubine Snow, managed to gain favor with the Minister. Sarah wasn't treated poorly, but after meeting Julian, she cried to him about her suffering. She claimed Julian was her only lifeline. Julian, immersed in the fantasy of saving his beloved, publicly defended Sarah multiple times, disregarding propriety. Soon, rumors about them filled the capital. They were illegitimate lovers, yet Sarah refused to be a concubine, claiming she wouldn't follow in her mother's footsteps. But Julian couldn't divorce me. He wouldn't break his promise to care for me, and I had been a faultless wife, serving his family and using my family's wealth to pave his career path. Even his father, who initially despised my merchant background, acknowledged my virtue. I even offered to let Julian take Sarah as a concubine. But Sarah refused. Not only did she refuse, she tearfully accused me of hypocrisy in public. She claimed she and Julian were soulmates, their connection beyond worldly definitions, and that my suggestion insulted their love. Her shocking words moved Julian deeply. The world gossiped about Sarah, but Julian only cherished her more. In the end, Julian kept Sarah outside, setting up a home for her, neglecting his wife. They bore the insults but lived together for a lifetime. Only I remained, guarding the empty Baron's estate, refusing to leave out of spite. I didn't love Julian anymore, but I wouldn't make it easy for them. To the world, it was proof I loved him desperately. So on my deathbed, Julian sat by me, repenting, saying he would give me a little love in the next life. Of course, only a little. Most would still go to Sarah. This time, Julian seemed determined not to let Sarah suffer any indignity. I looked at his confident, determined face and smiled faintly. Baron Thorne had many children. In the end, Julian, with no maternal family backing, inherited the title. Did he think that without my family's wealth pouring into the Baron's estate, he could have stood out among his brothers? Seeing my smile, Julian relaxed, his tone turning affectionate. "Autumn, I knew you were always the most sensible. You understand me." The floating text cursed me: [What is the supporting female pretending for? She was holding back before, now she's smiling like a dog.] [Look how eager she is walking towards the male lead, throwing herself at him in public. Shameless.] [Watch, she's going to cry in his arms...] Slap! A crisp slap interrupted the scrolling text. Everything seemed to freeze. The only response was the bright red handprint on Julian's face. He stared at me, unable to comprehend what had happened. "Get out!" My shout brought him back to reality. After being a high-and-mighty Baron for half a lifetime, Julian hadn't been humiliated like this in years. His face turned colors, his eyes filled with rage. But the neighbors cheered. Here, his title meant nothing. Finally, he glared at me and threatened, "Autumn, I've done my best by you. Even if you beg me later, I won't let you in the door." I raised my hand again. Julian, muttering about shrews, fled with his servants. 4 After he left, my mother held my hand, her voice choking. "Autumn, you've suffered." "But although you vented your anger today, the news will spread, and it's bad for you. In this world, a man's words can ruin a woman's reputation. If Julian makes up lies to justify breaking the engagement, what will you do?" Looking at my mother's gentle, loving face, remembering how she died with eyes open in my last life because of my situation, my heart ached. Why did I waste my life spiting Julian? I spent a lifetime punishing a man who didn't love me. Never again. I leaned into my mother's embrace, comforting her softly. I told her, no, the world wouldn't blame me for this. The text was still scrolling: [The male lead is going to find our baby protagonist.] [In this life, they will meet early. The male lead will protect the protagonist, so she won't suffer anymore.] Yes, in the last life, Sarah often cried to Julian after they got together. The day he came to propose to me was the day she was pushed into the water by her legitimate sister. They didn't know each other then, but Julian, loving her, blamed himself for that regret. He said it was his fault for not appearing sooner to save her. In this life, he could finally fulfill his promise and be Sarah's hero. I just wondered if Sarah, currently flirting with several noble sons, would acknowledge this illegitimate son of a Baron who had just been recognized and had no status.
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