My mother asked me which of the Levitans I would marry. This time, I didn't choose Joe. I chose his uncle, Julian Levitan. A flicker of confusion crossed my mother's face. After all, the entire elite of New York knew I’d been chasing Joe Levitan since we were children. For ten years, I was his shadow, his loyal puppy, and I’d loudly proclaimed I would marry no one else. A bitter smile touched my lips. I remembered my last life. After I married Joe, a chasm of ice existed between us in the marriage bed. He never touched me. I’d assumed he suffered from some private affliction, a condition too humiliating to admit, and I dedicated myself to protecting his secret. It wasn't until our fiftieth wedding anniversary that I stumbled into the darkroom he kept locked, a sanctuary no one was ever allowed to enter. The walls were a haunting gallery, covered from floor to ceiling with photographs of my cousin, Kristen. The truth struck me like a physical blow. He wasn't cold or incapable of passion. He just didn't love me. So, in this new life, I’ve chosen to grant them their wish. I've set them free. But later, as I walked down the aisle in a gown of my own design, toward his uncle, the color drained from Joe’s face. And in that moment, he began to unravel. 1 Three days after the marriage alliance was finalized, I ran into Joe at a party. His friends spotted me first, their faces splitting into smug, mocking grins. "Hey, Joe, look what the cat dragged in. Your little shadow is here to play." "Eleanor, honey, you’ve already locked down the Levitan name. Don’t you think you’re clinging a little tight? Can't even let the guy have one night out with his friends?" When Joe saw me, his irritation was a palpable force. "Eleanor, are you that desperate?" he snapped, his voice low and sharp. "Forcing our families' hands without even talking to me? Now the whole city thinks we’re engaged. You’ve really got some nerve." His look of pure disgust was a familiar knife in my heart, but after a moment, I found my voice, calm and steady. "Your permission was never required. The man I'm marrying… it isn't you." A beat of silence, then the room erupted in laughter. Joe's friends howled, clutching their sides. "Whoa, Joe, you better smooth things over with your little fiancée! Looks like she’s trying a new tactic to get your attention!" Joe’s brow furrowed. "So now we're playing hard to get, Eleanor? Is that the new game?" He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Who else in my family would you possibly marry? You’ve been screaming from the rooftops that you’d only marry me since we were kids. Everyone in this city already sees you as my woman." He leaned in, his breath warm against my ear. "I’ll let the engagement announcement slide. But you need to understand something. I can give you a grand wedding, the event of the season... but the marriage license? That is reserved for the woman I truly want to marry." My eyes shot up to his, wide with shock. In my last life, at this exact moment, Joe had dutifully followed his family’s orders, marrying me without protest. Could it be? Had he been reborn, too? Before I could read the answer in his expression, my cousin, Kristen Croft, arrived. The moment she saw Joe and me standing together, tears welled in her eyes and began to stream down her cheeks. "Ellie... Joe... I heard... I heard you're getting married soon. I... I don't have a gift, but I just wanted to wish you... a lifetime of happiness..." Her voice broke, and she turned and fled, sobbing. "Look what you've done," Joe hissed, glaring at me before chasing after her without a second glance back. 2 When they returned, their fingers were intertwined. Kristen's lips were swollen and bruised from kissing, and a stark, fresh love bite bloomed on the column of Joe’s throat. Every eye in the room swiveled to me, hungry for the drama, waiting for the inevitable explosion. In the past, any girl who got this close to Joe would have been met with a storm of my tears and accusations, a desperate plea for him to turn his attention back to me. Joe protectively pulled Kristen behind him, his own expression a strange mix of defiance and anticipation. But minutes ticked by, and I remained silent. Motionless. A flicker of surprise crossed his face, quickly replaced by a cold sneer. "Well, look at you. Finally learning to act your age instead of throwing a tantrum." When the party wound down, Joe caught my arm as I was leaving. "It’s late. I’ll give you a ride." A free ride was a free ride. I didn't refuse. I moved toward the back door of the car, but Joe blocked me, opening the front passenger door instead. "You sit in the back," he commanded, then gently guided Kristen into the front seat. "Sorry, Ellie," Kristen said, her voice dripping with faux sweetness. "Joe's just worried about me. I get so carsick, you know..." I said nothing, sliding into the back seat where I’d intended to sit all along. The entire drive, Joe and Kristen flirted and laughed in the front, their voices a low murmur. At a red light, Kristen pouted, asking him to apply her lip balm. Their eyes met, the space between them shrinking until their breath mingled, heavy and charged. Suddenly, Joe’s gaze shot to the rearview mirror, as if just remembering I was there. When he saw me staring impassively out the window, a strange, dark expression clouded his face. He stomped on the gas the second the light turned green. When we arrived at my brownstone, he got out and stopped me again, a break from his usual routine. He pressed a small, velvet box into my hand. His tone was one of magnanimous charity. "Alright, that's enough. Stop with the 'I don't care' act. It's cheap," he said. "Consider this an engagement gift." "As long as you behave," he continued, "you’ll get your wedding. At least in name. Everyone in New York will know you as my wife." I looked up at him. "And the woman who gets the marriage license? Who is she? Kristen?" His face contorted with a flash of fury, but beneath it, I saw a dark, triumphant satisfaction. "I knew it. I knew you were pretending. Listen to me, and listen carefully. You will not breathe a word of this to our parents." "What Kristen and I have… it's not something you could ever understand! She's kind and fragile, not like you with all your petty schemes and manipulations. If you dare hurt her, don't blame me if I call off the wedding entirely." I almost laughed. His own cowardice, his inability to stand up to his family, was now somehow my fault. I turned and walked away without another word. The moment I stepped inside, my phone buzzed. It was a video from Kristen. In it, Joe was carefully fastening a necklace around her neck. I recognized the designer. It was then I realized the bracelet in my hand was the cheap, complimentary gift that came with the purchase of the necklace. Their bodies were close, and in the next second, they were kissing, a deep, wet sound that echoed unnervingly in the confines of the car. A text followed. [Ellie, honey. I’m sure Joe already told you, right? After his little wedding with you, he’s going to legally marry me.] [You know, a marriage that isn't recognized by law has no claim to the family fortune. I guess it’s finally my turn to be Mrs. Levitan for real.] 3 Kristen. She was reborn, too. It all made sense now. In our past life, she and Joe had kept their distance publicly. This time, they were inseparable, their affair on flagrant display. They must have found each other, confessed everything, and decided to live out the grand romance they were denied before. I looked down at my hands, remembering. After I married into the Levitan family last time, their corporation, Levitan Industries, suddenly flourished. Contracts and orders poured in, their assets skyrocketed, and soon they were the wealthiest family in the city. The elders all said I was their good luck charm, that I brought prosperity to the family. They adored me for it. And so, despite Joe's perpetual coldness, I had believed I was happy. Until I saw those photographs... My mother entered my room, her expression soft. "Julian will be back from Europe in five days," she told me. I was surprised. In my previous life, Joe’s enigmatic uncle had never married. I hadn't expected our alliance to proceed so smoothly. All I remembered of him was a kind, older presence from my childhood. Marrying him felt safer, more reassuring, than marrying anyone else. The next day, I was at my design studio early, ready to alter my wedding gown. I had been designing it since I started fashion school, dreaming of the day I would wear it. Back then, the man I was designing it for was Joe. Every stitch, every bead, was chosen to please him. He’d forbidden any of the floral embroidery I loved, calling it old-fashioned. This time, I could finally wear the dress I wanted, for a man who wasn't him. A few days later, after finishing the final alterations, I took a break in the lounge. Scrolling through my phone, I froze. It was Kristen's latest post. There she was, wearing my dress. Or what was left of it. The bottom half had been hacked off, turning my elegant gown into a vulgar micro-mini. In the photo, she was grinding against Joe on a dance floor. The caption read: [Joe knew I needed something to wear tonight, so he brought me this! It feels so good to be spoiled!] Disbelief propelled me to the fifth-floor ballroom. The scene was just as the picture depicted. Kristen and Joe were lost in a frenzied dance, her hips pressed tight against him. "That's my wedding dress," I said, my voice shaking with rage. "How could you give it to her? How could you let her destroy it like this?" Kristen saw me and immediately dissolved into tears, her face a mask of terrified innocence. "Joe... did I do something wrong? Why does Ellie look so angry? Sob..." Joe pulled her behind him. "Eleanor, it’s just a dress!" "You were going to wear it for me anyway, so what’s the big deal if Kristen borrows it for a dance?" he snapped. "Besides, I never liked that style. It’s stuffy. Just make a new one! Stop making a scene over nothing!" His shamelessness was breathtaking. "Who said this was for you to see? This is for my wedding!" Joe just shook his head, a dismissive sneer on his face. "Give it a rest, Eleanor. Your wedding, my wedding, it's the same thing. I already agreed to marry you. This little drama act is getting old." My eyes scanned the room and landed on a pair of fabric shears on a nearby table. I snatched them up, strode toward Kristen, and with one vicious snip, sliced through the trailing silk ribbons at her thigh. "Since you're so confident, Joe, watch closely," I said, my voice cold and clear. "I don't keep things that have been sullied. And I certainly don't keep men who are." Joe's face went slack, a flicker of genuine shock in his eyes. He’d never seen this fire in me, this final, cutting edge. My past tantrums had always been childish pleas for attention; this was a declaration of war. He reached for me instinctively, but just then, Kristen let out a theatrical sob. “Joe, my leg… I think it’s bleeding… Oh, but it’s okay, don’t worry about me, you should go after Eleanor… It’s all my fault…” He hesitated for a fraction of a second, his gaze torn between my retreating back and her crocodile tears. Then, his face hardened. “Let her go,” he snarled, his voice laced with a cold fury. “A woman consumed by jealousy like that needs to be taught a lesson. Let her stew in it.” 4 I stared at the silk threads still clinging to my hand. Wiping away a tear I refused to let fall, I mourned the loss of my creation. Still, sacrificing one dress to see a man’s true colors… it was a worthy trade. Tonight was the family dinner where I would formally meet Julian. First impressions were everything. After composing myself and redoing my makeup, I headed down to the garage. As I approached my car, I saw another vehicle parked in the shadows, rocking gently on its suspension. It was Joe’s Maserati. Through the half-open driver's side window, I could see him, with Kristen straddling his lap, her head thrown back in ecstasy, her body moving in a steady, urgent rhythm. Even knowing he didn't love me, the sight was a punch to the gut, a visceral, sickening jolt. Joe's eyes fluttered open and met mine. A flicker of panic, nothing more. Then, as if to spite me, he brushed Kristen's hair from her face and pulled her into a deep, bruising kiss. He increased his pace, and Kristen’s breathy moans echoed through the concrete space. I lowered my gaze, turned on my heel, and got into my own car, driving away toward the Levitan family estate. On the way, I stopped to pick up the tie I’d bought as a gift for Julian. I arrived at the estate at the exact same time as Joe. As he opened his car door, I caught a glimpse of used condom wrappers scattered on the passenger seat. His eyes landed on the gift bag in my hand, and the flicker of embarrassment on his face vanished, replaced by a familiar, smug certainty. "A present for me? Let me see." Fearing he’d snatch it, I quickly hid it behind my back. "It's not for you!" He let out a low, condescending chuckle, as if my defiance was a cute but tiresome game. He lit a cigarette, blowing a plume of smoke into the cool night air. "You saw what was happening in the garage." "I know you love me, Eleanor. I know you can't live without me." "But I was clear before. The wedding is for you, the marriage license is for Kristen. If anything, she’s the one making a sacrifice here." "She will be my legal wife. What we do… it’s normal. She’ll probably stay over at our house sometimes. You'll have to get used to it. I'm telling you this for your own good." Even though I had no intention of marrying him, the sheer, unvarnished audacity of his words shocked me. I turned to leave, but he grabbed my arm again. "My uncle Julian is coming tonight. The entire family relies on him, so this dinner is important. I’m giving you a lot of face by even being here with you. When we go inside, if the elders ask about the marriage license, you tell them we've already filed the papers." "And one more thing," he added, his grip tightening. "After dinner, you are going to apologize to Kristen for what you did to her this afternoon." "Don't forget, until that wedding happens, I can change my mind at any time." With his ultimatum delivered, he strode into the house and took his seat at the dining table. I took a deep breath. It's okay. He'll find out soon enough who I'm really here to marry. I entered the dining room. Julian hadn’t arrived yet, but the rest of the family was seated. I deliberately avoided Joe, choosing a seat that left an empty chair next to me for Julian. Joe saw me, and with a frown, he got up and moved to the seat right beside me. "Stop being so dramatic," he muttered. "I saved you a seat. There's no need for all this." I scowled, about to tell him that the seat was for his uncle, when a tall, commanding figure appeared in the doorway. Dressed in a bespoke suit, Julian Levitan walked in, his presence filling the room with an effortless, quiet power. 5 I hadn't seen him in years. Julian was even more handsome than I remembered, matured into a man who radiated an unmistakable aura of worldly success and refined confidence. Everyone in the room stood up. In his years abroad, Julian had built an empire of his own, one that now propped up the entire Levitan family enterprise back in New York. All eyes were on him, but his gaze found and held only mine. When he saw Joe standing beside me, a shadow, dark and unreadable, passed through his eyes. I opened my mouth to explain, but at that exact moment, Joe’s phone rang. He excused himself, saying he had to go greet someone. I glanced at Julian, a knot of anxiety tightening in my stomach. But he was already moving, striding across the room and taking the very seat Joe had just vacated, right next to me. "I hope I haven't kept you all waiting too long," he said, his voice a warm baritone. "Please, let's eat." He gestured for me to sit, and then, to my astonishment, he began to peel a shrimp for me. "It was Joe," I started, trying to explain. "He just sat there on his own—" "It's alright," he said, his focus entirely on the task at hand. "Let's eat first." He filled my plate with all my favorite dishes, an assortment of meats and perfectly cooked vegetables. A small mountain of shrimp shells quickly grew on my side plate. He deftly deboned a piece of fish for me, his care and attention to detail so thorough it was almost overwhelming. My cheeks were puffed with food when the dining room door opened again, and Kristen's overly cheerful voice rang out. "Hello, everyone! Good evening!" The Levitan family's expressions soured. Kristen was my uncle’s illegitimate daughter, a permanent black mark on our family’s reputation, and she was generally scorned by the city's upper crust. If not for my family's influence, she wouldn't have even been allowed in the door. Joe's father, the family patriarch, slammed his glass down. "Joe! What is the meaning of this? Bringing an outsider to a private family dinner!" Kristen’s eyes immediately reddened, and she scurried behind Joe like a frightened mouse. Joe, full of righteous indignation, shielded her. "Kristen is Eleanor's cousin, which makes her my family too. There's no reason she can't be here." His defiant gaze then fell upon Julian, who was now seated beside me. Joe's face froze, but he didn't dare say a word. As he watched Julian place another piece of food on my plate and refill my soup bowl, his expression grew darker and darker. My phone buzzed with a text from him. [What the hell do you think you're doing? Just because I brought Kristen, you're going to use my uncle to make me jealous? Is that it?!] I flipped my phone over, ignoring it. Across the table, Joe seethed, his glare so intense it felt like it could burn a hole through me. Just then, Mr. Levitan raised his glass. "As you all know, we have wonderful news to celebrate, something the whole city is talking about." "This dinner tonight is to make it all official." "We'll be discussing the timeline for filing the license and planning the wedding. Everything will be settled tonight…" Before he could finish, Joe jumped in. "Dad, don't worry. We've pretty much handled the license already. We'll take care of it ourselves, you and Mom don't need to stress about it." He looked at me, his eyes wide with meaning. "Right, Eleanor?" I kept my eyes down, refusing to meet his gaze. It wasn't my wedding he was talking about. There was nothing for me to say. Joe's face went rigid with anger and disapproval. My phone buzzed again. [SAY SOMETHING! If you keep this up, I swear to God I will cancel the wedding!] [Eleanor, do not test me.] Annoyed, I opened my phone and blocked his number. When he realized what I’d done, his eyes widened in disbelief, the veins on his hands standing out in sharp relief. At that moment, under the table, Julian’s hand gently found mine. His voice, calm and steady, cut through the tension. "For all the arrangements, I will respect Eleanor's wishes completely. Whatever she decides, we will do." The warmth of his palm spread through me, and my heart skipped a beat. Hearing this, Joe nodded eagerly. "Yes! Exactly! Uncle Julian is right! Mom, Dad, Eleanor and I have it all figured out. You two just get ready to come to our wedding!" The other family members looked at him, baffled. Finally, his father’s patience snapped. "We are discussing your uncle’s marriage! Why do you keep interrupting!"
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