Chapter 1 · A Second Chance Without Reunion

Chapter 1

After starting afresh in a new life, I was determined to sever all contact with Marceau Soulier.

When he chose Shaloburg State University, I applied to Gauburg University.

I wanted us to be as far apart as possible so that we would never meet again.

When he returned home during his vacation and asked me out, I responded by taking a trip abroad.

I blocked him on all my social media accounts, and I never replied to his emails.

When he joined the company where I worked, I immediately submitted my resignation letter.

I didn't even want to catch a glimpse of his shadow.

I adored him for twenty years in my past life, only to be betrayed by him for twenty years in return.

In my thirties, I was diagnosed with a terminal illness.

As I lay dying, Marceau was preparing for his wedding to his longtime crush, while his beloved daughter was happily helping him with his tuxedo suit.

Meanwhile, I drew my final breath, all alone in the hospital ward.

I refused to allow such a pathetic, wretched fate to befall me again…

As the heart monitor emitted its ear-piercing alarm, my eyes were fixed blankly at the ceiling.

After living for 35 years, my story was about to end in this tiny room reeking of disinfectant.

"Blood pressure's dropping! Quick, get the adrenaline!" The shouts of the doctors and nurses started to fade into the distance.

I had no family by my side and no friends to see me off.

Right at this moment, Marceau Soulier was probably at his wedding ceremony and slipping a diamond ring onto Annabelle Zazou's finger. He had never thought of buying one for me.

And Eunice Soulier, the foster daughter we had spent ten years raising together, was probably holding the rings happily for them.

How ironic. The person I loved with all my heart was celebrating my absence as I was taking my last breath.

In the final second before my consciousness faded, I made a wish: in my next life, I never want to meet Marceau Soulier again.

*****

"Wendi! Wake up! You'll be late for the mock exam today!" My mom's voice jolted me awake.

I opened my eyes and found my eighteen-year-old self in my bedroom.

Study materials were piled high on the desk next to the baby blue curtains.

The wall was plastered with annual admissions brochures from the Shaloburg State University.

It was April 7th, 2010, about two months before the actual college entrance exams.

I had begun my life again at age 18. As I peered into the mirror, I saw no signs of aging on my face.

No wrinkles from all those years spent on incessant worrying.

No trace of the frailty that chemotherapy had left behind.

I had long, lustrous hair, bright eyes, and a very healthy body.

Tears started falling before I knew it.

"What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?" my mom asked with concern as she handed me a towel.

"I'm fine, Mom."

"I'm fine, Mom. I just remembered some things." I wiped away my tears and smiled for the first time in this new life.

In my previous life, on this same day, I had a meltdown after failing the mock exam.

Back then, Marceau was the senior I had a crush on. He comforted me, and that was the moment my twenty-year infatuation began.

However, I made it into the top ten in my cohort this time.

"Wendoline Lioncourt! You're incredible!" My schoolmate, Yemima Schwartz, gave me an excited slap on the shoulder. "This math test was brutal, and you actually scored an A!"

I simply smiled and did not run excitedly to share the good news with Marceau as I did in my previous life.

Because I knew that right now, Marceau was hanging out by the basketball court, and Annabelle was giving him a bottle of mineral water.

Back in my previous life, I had rushed up to him tearfully, saying I had flunked the exam. Marceau was sipping from that bottle, but I was so blinded by my infatuation that I only heard his comforting words. I did not notice Annabelle's look of disgust next to us.

"Yemima, which one are you applying to?" I asked casually.

"Probably Gauburg University. My parents are working in that city. But as you know, my grades are just average," she lamented with a sigh.

In my previous life, I chose Shaloburg State University without hesitation, just because Marceau was going there, even though I had qualified for better schools.

However, this time would be different.

"Let's go for it together. I want to apply to Gauburg as well," I said.

Yemima's eyes widened in surprise. "Weren't you always saying you wanted to follow your heartthrob, Marceau, to Shaloburg State University?"

"People change," I replied faintly. As I looked out of the window, I caught sight of Marceau walking past with his arm around Annabelle's waist.

"I think Gauburg's not bad," I added.

*****

After the college entrance exams, our whole class went out for a big meal. To my surprise, Marceau took the seat right next to me.

"I heard you're applying to Gauburg? Weren't you planning to apply to Shaloburg?" he asked as he handed me a glass of juice.

I accepted the glass, but I did not drink from it.

"I had a change of mind," I replied indifferently.

"Is it because of me? If it's about Annabelle and me..." Marceau asked in a low voice.

"You're thinking too much," I cut him off.

I put the glass down and looked him straight in the eye. "I just think that Gauburg suits me better."

Marceau was taken aback. In my previous life, I had never looked at him so boldly. And I would always be carefully gauging his moods whenever I was around him.

"Actually..." Marceau began, but hesitated.

Then he continued, "I broke up with Annabelle."

Chapter 1

After starting afresh in a new life, I was determined to sever all contact with Marceau Soulier.

When he chose Shaloburg State University, I applied to Gauburg University.

I wanted us to be as far apart as possible so that we would never meet again.

When he returned home during his vacation and asked me out, I responded by taking a trip abroad.

I blocked him on all my social media accounts, and I never replied to his emails.

When he joined the company where I worked, I immediately submitted my resignation letter.

I didn't even want to catch a glimpse of his shadow.

I adored him for twenty years in my past life, only to be betrayed by him for twenty years in return.

In my thirties, I was diagnosed with a terminal illness.

As I lay dying, Marceau was preparing for his wedding to his longtime crush, while his beloved daughter was happily helping him with his tuxedo suit.

Meanwhile, I drew my final breath, all alone in the hospital ward.

I refused to allow such a pathetic, wretched fate to befall me again…

As the heart monitor emitted its ear-piercing alarm, my eyes were fixed blankly at the ceiling.

After living for 35 years, my story was about to end in this tiny room reeking of disinfectant.

"Blood pressure's dropping! Quick, get the adrenaline!" The shouts of the doctors and nurses started to fade into the distance.

I had no family by my side and no friends to see me off.

Right at this moment, Marceau Soulier was probably at his wedding ceremony and slipping a diamond ring onto Annabelle Zazou's finger. He had never thought of buying one for me.

And Eunice Soulier, the foster daughter we had spent ten years raising together, was probably holding the rings happily for them.

How ironic. The person I loved with all my heart was celebrating my absence as I was taking my last breath.

In the final second before my consciousness faded, I made a wish: in my next life, I never want to meet Marceau Soulier again.

*****

"Wendi! Wake up! You'll be late for the mock exam today!" My mom's voice jolted me awake.

I opened my eyes and found my eighteen-year-old self in my bedroom.

Study materials were piled high on the desk next to the baby blue curtains.

The wall was plastered with annual admissions brochures from the Shaloburg State University.

It was April 7th, 2010, about two months before the actual college entrance exams.

I had begun my life again at age 18. As I peered into the mirror, I saw no signs of aging on my face.

No wrinkles from all those years spent on incessant worrying.

No trace of the frailty that chemotherapy had left behind.

I had long, lustrous hair, bright eyes, and a very healthy body.

Tears started falling before I knew it.

"What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?" my mom asked with concern as she handed me a towel.

"I'm fine, Mom."

"I'm fine, Mom. I just remembered some things." I wiped away my tears and smiled for the first time in this new life.

In my previous life, on this same day, I had a meltdown after failing the mock exam.

Back then, Marceau was the senior I had a crush on. He comforted me, and that was the moment my twenty-year infatuation began.

However, I made it into the top ten in my cohort this time.

"Wendoline Lioncourt! You're incredible!" My schoolmate, Yemima Schwartz, gave me an excited slap on the shoulder. "This math test was brutal, and you actually scored an A!"

I simply smiled and did not run excitedly to share the good news with Marceau as I did in my previous life.

Because I knew that right now, Marceau was hanging out by the basketball court, and Annabelle was giving him a bottle of mineral water.

"Yemima, which one are you applying to?" I asked casually.

"Probably Gauburg University. My parents are working in that city. But as you know, my grades are just average," she lamented with a sigh.

In my previous life, I chose Shaloburg State University without hesitation, just because Marceau was going there, even though I had qualified for better schools.

However, this time would be different.

"Let's go for it together. I want to apply to Gauburg as well," I said.

Yemima's eyes widened in surprise. "Weren't you always saying you wanted to follow your heartthrob, Marceau, to Shaloburg State University?"

"People change," I replied faintly. As I looked out of the window, I caught sight of Marceau walking past with his arm around Annabelle's waist.

"I think Gauburg's not bad," I added.

*****

After the college entrance exams, our whole class went out for a big meal. To my surprise, Marceau took the seat right next to me.

"I heard you're applying to Gauburg? Weren't you planning to apply to Shaloburg?" he asked as he handed me a glass of juice.

I accepted the glass, but I did not drink from it.

"I had a change of mind," I replied indifferently.

"Is it because of me? If it's about Annabelle and me..." Marceau asked in a low voice.

"You're thinking too much," I cut him off.

I put the glass down and looked him straight in the eye. "I just think that Gauburg suits me better."

Marceau was taken aback. In my previous life, I had never looked at him so boldly. And I would always be carefully gauging his moods whenever I was around him.

"Actually..." Marceau began, but hesitated.

Then he continued, "I broke up with Annabelle."