On the third day after I ran away from our wedding, my fiancé took his own life in our new home, leaving his entire estate to me. While cleaning up his belongings, I found a room covered wall-to-wall with photos of me, and the floor stained with dark, dried blood. His assistant told me, "Mr. Thorne loved you for many years. "His depression was severe, but seeing you, thinking of you, was the only thing that gave him peace..." Every revelation was shocking, suffocating, and inexplicably tragic. So, when I was reborn, facing my childhood friend's plan to help me escape, I smiled and refused. "I'm not leaving." I want to see just how foolish this man, who loved me more than his own life, really is. 1 Julian Thorne died on the third day after I fled our wedding. My father and brother had just apologized to him about my disappearance. Moments after they left the estate, news broke that Julian had slit his wrists. Resuscitation failed. He was gone. In his will, drafted long ago, he left everything to me. I received the call from my brother while hiding out in Europe. My expression froze. To me, Julian was a bastard who forced a marriage upon my family. We were strangers. But everything that followed suggested he had loved me for a very long time. 2 At the lawyer's request, I rushed back to the States and stiffly accepted Julian's ashes. His background was a mystery; he had no living relatives. His assistant looked at the square box with deep sorrow and whispered to me: "Mr. Thorne loved you for many years. "His depression was severe. Only seeing you, thinking of you, brought him any relief. "I thought... once he married you, he wouldn't be so pessimistic. I never expected..." He stopped, not blaming me, but my heart clenched painfully. The assistant handed me a key. "This is the estate Mr. Thorne prepared for you. "It was the home he decorated himself." The place where he died. 3 The estate was massive, with a lush green lawn and even a horse stable. The decor was in my favorite shade of sapphire blue. The furniture, the ornaments—everything was exactly to my taste. Inside, there was a room covered in photos of me. I looked closely. From my sophomore year of college until now, almost every moment of my life had been captured by this man's camera. On the floor were the dark stains of his blood, still carrying a faint metallic scent. Every detail was shocking, suffocating, and inexplicably sad. I couldn't help but feel angry. If he liked me, why didn't he say so? Barging into my home like a bandit, demanding a marriage alliance—how could I possibly marry him willingly? And now, this tragic end... did he want me to feel guilty forever? Dream on. I donated his entire estate, including the villa. The cleaning crew tore down the photos, throwing them carelessly onto the floor to cover the bloodstains... Julian's brief but legendary life was completely erased from this world. 4 It took me three days to accept the fact that I had been reborn. Three days ago, Julian had just come to my house, forcefully demanding a marriage alliance. His methods were practically extortion. My childhood friend, Liam, heard about it and immediately told me to run, suggesting I hide out in Europe for a while. In my last life, that's exactly what I did. But in this life, remembering those photos and the terrifying bloodstains, I shook my head calmly. "I don't want to go." I said, "I'm going to ask him why he wants to marry me." 5 Julian's business empire was vast. When I went to find him, he was in a meeting. His assistant came down personally to escort me to his office to wait. "The boss will be down soon." I nodded softly. "Okay." Julian indeed came quickly. Before I could finish my tea, he walked in hurriedly, buttoning his cuffs as he moved. Seeing me, he stopped and called out calmly, "Miss Vance." His expression was cold and distant, as if looking at a stranger. I was rendered speechless by his indifference. I thought for a moment and asked softly: "Mr. Thorne, my father says you want to marry me. Why?" "I wanted to, so I did. No reason needed." Me: "..." How was I supposed to respond to that? I stood up slowly and picked up my bag. "Then I'll be going." Julian's expression shifted slightly, showing a rare look of astonishment. "You're leaving?" I looked at him blankly. He grew paler, a shadow of self-loathing falling over him. Yet, he stepped aside to let me pass. If I didn't know for a fact that this man loved me, I'd think he was playing games with me... I sighed, stepped forward, and tugged on his sleeve. "How about we grab dinner together?" 6 My interaction with Julian had his assistant on edge. As I left, the assistant kept apologizing. "The boss isn't good at talking to girls. Please don't be mad at him, Miss Vance." "I'm not mad." I smiled and told him, "I actually like his... look. He's my type." The office door wasn't fully closed. Through the crack, I saw Julian touch his face, looking stunned. I smiled slightly and told the assistant: "I invited your boss to dinner tonight. Remember to remind him not to stand me up." The assistant nodded frantically, as if afraid I'd change my mind the next second. I walked out of the office building in my high heels. Just as I stepped out, I got a call from Liam. Looking at the contact name "Liam," I hung up calmly and stared at the clouds in the sky. 7 Liam was good to me and genuinely cared about me. But childhood friends, best friends—they all eventually fade into the background of life. Just like in my last life. He found love, had kids, and learned to keep his distance from me. So when I was trapped in the mountains with an expedition team and called him for help, his wife mocked me, calling me a desperate old spinster. While his wife berated me, Liam stood by her side, silent. I died there, and I don't even know how he reacted. 8 Julian arrived early for dinner. The atmosphere was cold. I tried hard to find topics, but he was a conversation killer. Nothing seemed to interest him. I felt tired and slammed my fork and knife on the table. "Mr. Thorne, you're making me feel like you don't actually want to build a life with me." Julian's Adam's apple bobbed. He looked down. "I'm sorry." "You know that's not what I want to hear." I was exasperated. "You've run a company for years, undefeated at the negotiating table. Your insight into people should be flawless. Yet acting like this... "It makes me think you're not interested in me." Julian's face paled. His fingers dug into his palm, drawing blood. "Don't overthink it." He said, "I'm just... never been this close to you. I'm not used to it." His sudden, confession-like words surprised me. His nervousness, his loneliness, and the blood on his palm didn't seem fake. I suddenly remembered his assistant's words from my past life: "The boss's depression was severe. Only seeing you brought him relief..." "Mr. Thorne." I was suddenly curious and asked him directly: "Did we know each other before?"
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