Julian McCann and I grew up together, yet despised each other. He blamed me for Serena’s death—the love of his life. I resented him for never feeling anything for me. Ten years of marriage left us scarred and broken. But when our car plunged into the ocean, he gave me the only oxygen tank. “Swim,” he gasped, shoving me from the wreck. “Live a good life… alone.” As the car sank, his final words were: “My debt is paid. If there’s a next life… may we never meet again.” They only recovered his body—still clutching his true love’s ring. That night, I slit my wrists to follow him. But I woke up reborn—on the day of my arranged marriage. “I’ll marry into the Thorne family,” I told my father. “Let Serena have Julian.” This time, I’d endure the Thornes’ cruelty. Let him finally be happy with her. … “Do you have any idea what kind of place the Thorne estate is? It’s a den of wolves that chews people up and spits them out!” My father’s eyes were wide with disbelief. Serena and I were half-sisters, and we’d never gotten along. For me to suddenly renounce the love of my life and take her place in a dangerous marriage alliance was enough to shock anyone. “I know,” I said, my voice unwavering. “I just need you to agree.” My father looked at me, his expression a mixture of confusion and concern. The Thorne family was the wealthiest in the great port city, a sprawling dynasty of old money and new power. The head of the family, Damien Thorne, was rumored to have killed his own father to seize control. They said he was violent, sadistic, a true monster. Because my father carried a deep guilt over what happened to my mother, and because he knew how much I loved Julian, he couldn’t bear to send me into that nightmare. But now, seeing my resolve, he had no choice but to consent. His new wife had been tormenting him over sending her precious Serena away. This solved all his problems. He could have his peace, and his conscience would be clear. After speaking with my father, I went to the McCann estate. The marriage between Julian and me had been arranged by his grandfather, and it was only right that I inform the old man of my change of heart. As I stepped into the grand hall of the old mansion, the sharp crack of a whip echoed through the air. In my past life, Julian had refused the marriage, declaring his love for my sister, Serena. He had willingly submitted himself to the family’s brutal discipline to defy his grandfather. Back then, desperate to marry him, I had thrown myself in front of him, taking ninety-nine lashes meant for him on my own back. Crushed by guilt, he had finally agreed to marry me, going against his own heart. That act had sealed Serena’s fate. She was sent to Port Sterling in my place and was tormented to death by the Thornes. And for that, Julian had hated me for the rest of our lives. This time, as I entered the hall, I walked right past him. He was on his knees, his back a bloody mess, but I didn't spare him a single glance. I went straight to his grandfather. “Grandfather, I need to speak with you.” The old man lowered the whip. Before he could speak, Julian’s raw voice cut through the silence. “Anya, I’ve only ever seen you as a sister. Why are you so desperate to marry me?” I took a deep breath, fighting back tears. “I’m not.” Julian tried to say more, but another sharp crack of the whip silenced him. When I left the study, the old patriarch looked grave. But my mind was made up. He could only watch me go, his heart full of regret. In the center of the hall, Julian was still kneeling, his face pale as a sheet. “Anya Linwood, don’t you understand?” he rasped, his voice laced with accusation. “If I don’t marry Serena, she’s the one they’ll send to Port Sterling. She’ll die there!” A sharp pain shot through my heart. I wanted to scream that I was the one going, but I held my tongue. Instead, a bitter question escaped my lips. “The Linwood family has two daughters. If she doesn’t go, then it’s my turn. Does that mean I deserve to die?” His eyes darted away, unable to meet mine. A self-mocking smile touched my lips, and I turned to leave. “Does it have to be the Thornes?” he called out after a moment of silence. “Do you have so little faith in me? You think the McCann fortune can’t save your family?” My back was to him. “Yes,” I said, each word a shard of ice. “It can’t. The Linwood corporation is two hundred million in the red. How exactly were you planning to help with that?” Silence. I didn’t look back. I walked out the door as tears streamed down my face. Julian, you got your wish. In this life, you can be with the one you love. Staying away from you is my final gift. I didn’t sleep that night. I had died once, but it would be a lie to say I wasn’t terrified of marrying into the Thorne family. In my last life, Serena’s ashes were sent back after only six months. How long could I survive on that knife’s edge? The next morning, I decided to visit my mother’s grave. As I opened my front door, a hand shot out and clamped around my neck, slamming me against the doorframe. The strong scent of cigars filled my nose. Julian’s eyes were shot with red. “Anya Linwood,” he snarled, “are you really going to stand by and watch your own sister die?” His grip tightened. I clawed at his arm, my vision starting to blur. “Julian… let go…” But he was like a man possessed. “Anya, this cold-blooded monster you’ve become… you’re a perfect match for that devil in Port Sterling. You’re the one who should be going!” His voice dropped to a venomous whisper. “A person like you deserves to die at his hands.” My body went rigid. It was happening again. His face, his words—they were identical to a memory from my past life. The world blurred. Tears streamed down my face. The sight of them seemed to snap him out of his rage. He let go, stumbling back, the madness in his eyes clearing. He grabbed my hand, his voice shaking. “I’m sorry… Anya, I’m so sorry. I… I was just so angry.” His eyes were filled with regret, his lips trembling. But I turned away and got in my car. I knew his kindness was born from duty. My mother had been his mentor, his teacher. He felt he owed her. I was the fool who mistook obligation for love. I’d spent a lifetime being a fool. It was time to wake up. From the cemetery, I could see Julian and Serena in the garden, working at a pottery wheel. He was sitting behind her, his hands covering hers, their bodies pressed close. My father must have told Serena about the change of plans, but warned her not to tell Julian yet. Knowing her dream was about to come true, Serena was beaming. “Julian,” she cooed, “are you always this… intimate… when you teach pottery?” He squeezed her hands, his eyes filled with a tenderness I had never seen. “Only with you. And one other person.” A knife twisted in my chest. That other person was me. My mother was a master potter, and Julian had been her most prized student. I’d never cared for pottery until he came along. Then I spent every day in my mother’s studio, begging him to teach me. He never refused, always patient, always kind. He would even sculpt little animals for me. After my mother died, Julian became my entire world. He promised he would protect me in her place. But then my father brought his mistress and their illegitimate daughter, Serena, into our home. And everything changed. Julian changed. Serena’s voice pulled me back to the present. “Julian, let’s make a kitten mug!” Julian’s hands flinched on the clay, nearly sending it flying. I loved kittens. My mother used to make me all sorts of cat-shaped ceramics. After she was gone, Julian had taken up the tradition. I looked up and met Serena’s eyes. They were filled with triumph and provocation. I knew she was doing it on purpose. But I refused to fight her. I turned and went back to my room. The next morning, a small, unglazed clay kitten was sitting on my windowsill. I knew it was from Julian. It was our secret pact from childhood. Whenever he made me angry, he would leave a clay kitten as an apology. It was meaningless now. As I came downstairs, Serena’s voice came from behind me. “Going to Port Sterling means you’ll be reunited with your short-lived mother soon. You must be so happy, dear sister.” I spun around. She was smiling, her fingernails trailing lightly down my cheek. “I suppose I should thank you for making this all possible.” I slapped her hand away. “Serena! Don’t you dare speak about my mother.” Her smile widened. “Or what?” I trembled with rage, my hand raised to strike her. In that instant, Serena’s eyes darted past me. A cold smirk flashed across her face. She grabbed my arm and threw her weight backward, pulling us both down the stairs. “Anya, no! Don’t push me!” she screamed. The world spun. We landed in a heap, Serena on top of me. My head slammed against the corner of a table. A blinding pain, and then the warm rush of blood. A familiar figure appeared in my blurry vision. “Help… me…” I rasped. But Julian strode right past me. He knelt and gathered Serena into his arms. Only after he had settled her on the sofa and confirmed she had nothing more than a few scrapes did he seem to remember I was there. I struggled to sit up. But as Serena began to sob, Julian’s face hardened. “How could you be so vicious?” he snapped at me. “Pushing your own sister down the stairs? What if she’d been seriously hurt? Did you think you could take her place in the alliance then?” I clutched my bleeding head, trying to explain. “Julian, it wasn’t me…” “Enough!” he roared. “You disappoint me, Anya. How did you become so hateful and jealous? Is this how you honor your mother’s memory? Is this…” SMACK. I dragged myself to my feet and hit him, hard. He froze, stunned. His hand came up as if to strike back, but stopped in mid-air. Looking at him, a thousand moments from our past life flashed before my eyes. We were always like this. We knew each other so well, we knew exactly where to stick the knife. My body trembled as I glared at him, my teeth clenched. “No one has the right to speak of my mother,” I spat. “Not even you.” And then the world went black. Julian stood guard outside my hospital room for three days and three nights, but I refused to let him in. On the day before the wedding, I was discharged. He cornered me at the hospital entrance. “Anya,” he said after a long silence. “Don’t worry. I’ll marry you.” I was still weak. I didn’t answer. “I promised your mother I would protect you for the rest of your life,” he continued. “I won’t break my word.” I took a deep breath and looked up at him. “If I’m the one being sent to Port Sterling, how are you going to protect me then?” The silence was deafening. I pushed past him. As I walked away, he spoke again, a bitter twist to his lips. “Anya, your father would never let you go to Port Sterling… and you wouldn’t go.” In that instant, my heart froze over. I pulled my arm from his grasp and walked away without another word. I packed my bags for Port Sterling. I told my father not to send an entourage. Just a driver. Today was also the day of Julian and Serena’s wedding. My car had just left the villa when it was blocked. I couldn’t see who it was through the tinted windows until I heard Julian’s voice. “I’m sorry, Serena…” My heart skipped a beat. He’d left his own wedding to see me. No… not me. He was here to see Serena.
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