After five years of marriage, Tristan and I went from being the perfect couple to bitter enemies. The year we wanted each other dead, he choked me, cursing me for being barren as karma for my "evil deeds." I smashed a teapot over his head, screaming that he deserved to bury the woman he loved. He locked me in the house; I strangled him with his own vows. We were locked in a death spiral. Until a stray arrow flew straight for my heart. Without hesitation, he blocked it for me, smiling as he died. "Now, I don't owe you anything." But idiots like him don't know how to block arrows properly. The arrow went through him and killed me too. Two for the price of one. When I opened my eyes, I was sixteen again, vibrant and full of life. This time, he went North to find his true love, and I went South to protect my family. We were supposed to be strangers. But Tristan... he regretted it. 1 "Miss Sarah, bad news. Tristan is kneeling in the front hall. He's begging... begging to break off the engagement. Your father wants to see you." Looking in the bronze mirror, my sixteen-year-old face was smooth, radiant, and untouched by the years of bitterness and gray hairs from my past life in that gilded cage. It's true. I've been reborn. "Fine! I agree to break the engagement!" Tristan whipped his head around, disbelief written all over his face. "Really?" "Really!" Seventeen-year-old Tristan was dashing and proud. Even kneeling, his back was straight, his confidence unshaken. "So from now on, we go our separate ways? Sarah Bennett and Tristan Cole have nothing to do with each other?" The gentle breeze blew pear blossoms like rain, highlighting the determination on his face. "Agreed!" I answered so quickly that Tristan was left speechless. In our past life, resentment and unwillingness kept us rotting together for a decade. In this life, he let go, and I was set free. Everything ended on this flower-strewn afternoon. My father was furious, smashing a blue porcelain cup. "You're foolish! The wedding is imminent. How can you let him break it off? Think of your reputation! Your future!" My brother kicked the door open, blood on his lip, eyes blazing. "Bullying my sister? Does he think the Bennetts are pushovers?" "I chased him for three miles and beat him bloody." "Sarah, just say the word. Even if he runs to Chicago, I'll drag him back to the altar!" So, Tristan was in a rush to break the engagement to go find his true love in Chicago. She was the love of his life, and the arsonist of my marriage. 2 In my previous life, Tristan and I were married for thirteen years, but we spent eight of them as enemies. We went from lovers to enemies because of one woman: Emma. Tristan saved her from bandits in Chicago and brought her home. There were many ways to repay a debt, but Tristan insisted on making her his concubine. She went through the standard procedures—morning greetings, serving tea to the main wife. None of it was malicious, but she felt I was humiliating her. "You'll regret this!" she screamed before running away. When we found her, she was a bloated corpse in the moat. Tristan went hysterical, accusing me of driving his savior to suicide. I was full of grievances, accusing him of being blinded by love and manipulated by petty tricks. That night, we had our worst fight. He accidentally pushed me down the stairs. My three-month-old baby turned into a pool of blood, dissolving our childhood friendship and three years of marriage. It also took away my ability to ever be a mother again. My father forced him to swear an oath: even if I remained childless, he could never take another woman without my permission. Tristan kept his word. He brought no one into the house. Instead, he kept a mistress in the city, rarely coming home. I wouldn't be outdone. I kept a gigolo in the North District, drinking and singing my days away. Until his mistress got pregnant and started provoking me. Her carriage charged at me on the street, trampling the only thing I loved—my dog—to death. Before I could slap her, Tristan caught my hand. He shielded her, eyes red. "Hit me if you have to. I bought her the carriage." "It's just a dog. I'll buy you ten more." The woman, who looked exactly like Emma, hugged his arm and wept. "I didn't mean to. If Sister hates me so much, I'll pay with my life." So I granted her wish. 3 I slapped Tristan twice, bloodying his face. While the woman ran upstairs to the tea room, I drew a sword and pointed it at her. She was so scared she fell down the stairs. One corpse, two lives. That night, Tristan stormed into my courtyard like a madman and choked me. "She's dead, the baby is dead. Are you happy now?" Suffocating, I felt like a dying fish. But seeing his pain gave me a twisted pleasure. "It was just a mistress I bought for five hundred silver. I'll pay you two thousand." Tristan's hands trembled. He spat venomous words. "You did it on purpose? You're evil. No wonder you're barren. It's your karma." My resolve shattered. Hatred burned inside me. I grabbed a pot of hot tea and smashed it over his head. "You deserved it too! Always burying the women you love." The people closest to you know where to stab to hurt the most. He stumbled, clutching his bleeding head, roaring in disbelief. "You want me dead over a gigolo?" "Didn't you want me dead over a dancer?" "You loved him? You slept with him?" he asked, incredulous. I laughed, gasping for air. "Your mistress was pregnant. Why should I stay chaste for you?" Shock cracked his expression. He staggered away, locking the courtyard gates, intending to imprison me until I died. We fought until the capital fell into chaos. A stray arrow flew toward me. Tristan blocked it, smiling as he died. "Now, I don't owe you anything." But the idiot didn't know how to block an arrow properly. It went through him and killed me too. I died behind him and woke up today. The rain beat against the banana leaves. I arranged flowers and told my story calmly, as if it were someone else's. But every word was thunder to my father and brother. My father turned pale, speechless. My brother crushed a teacup, eyes red. "I treated him like a brother! How dare he... how dare he do this to you!" "Since he treated you like this, why didn't I kill him?" My nose stung. Tears fell as I looked at them. "Because Father and Brother... were already gone!" 4 Thunder tore through the peaceful April sky. My mother died in childbirth with me and my twin brother. My father raised us alone, struggling every step of the way. He finally rose to power, becoming the tutor to the Princes. But party politics dragged him down. He was framed by his favorite student, the Third Prince. A forged letter condemned my father and the Fifth Prince for treason. The Emperor washed the capital with blood. The rain at the execution ground was heavy, washing away my father and brother in the blink of an eye. For the rest of my life, I lived in that cold rain, never standing straight again. The capital's wealth is blinding, but in this life, I just want my family to live. "The hydrangeas in Charleston are blooming. Father, shall we go home?" My father aged instantly, wrinkles carving into his face. He couldn't look away from me. "If I were gone, my Sarah would suffer so much." Ambition and legacy meant nothing compared to flesh and blood. My father loved me more than his career. He burned the stack of forged letters from the Third Prince. The dream ended. "I'm old. It's time to retire. Why not accompany Sarah to enjoy the mountains and rivers?" My brother smiled, pretending to be relaxed. "Charleston is nice. And Cousin Luke is even better."
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