Chapter 1

My husband, Zachary Berry, never loved me.

The one he loved was my younger sister, Alayna Mason.

Especially after Alayna leapt from the city wall and died for him, the way he looked at me was soaked in hatred and disgust.

I hated that every corner of his heart belonged only to her.

He hated that my noble status had torn apart the love of his life.

By day, we despised each other. By night, we shared a bed filled with resentment, until the invaders broke through the capital.

Under a storm of arrows, he wrapped his arms tightly around me, shielding me with his own body.

Warm blood soaked through my layered royal gown.

When I reached for his face, he pushed my hand away.

With his last breath, he whispered, "Veronica... the greatest regret of my life... was ever meeting you."

Without Zachary, the capital fell.

The people dragged me from the palace, throwing stones at me, crying in despair, "Why weren't you the one who died? Give us back our guardian general!"

I lost all will to live.

Before his memorial hall, wearing the crimson wedding dress I had once worn to marry him, I cut my own throat with a sword.

As my blood stained his coffin, I whispered, "Zachary, in this life... I owe you everything."

When I opened my eyes again, I was back ten years earlier.

I was not yet his wife, and Alayna was still alive.

Everything could still be changed.

Zachary stood below the throne, armored and upright, asking the emperor for permission to marry a princess.

This time, before my father could speak, I stepped forward.

"Father," I said calmly, "I believe Alayna and General Berry are the true match made in heaven."

This time, I would give him everything he wanted, even my life.

*****

The Imperial Hall went dead silent.

All eyes locked onto me, shock, confusion, and in my shrewd father's gaze, a flash of scrutiny.

Zachary whipped his head around to stare at me.

There was no gratitude in his eyes, just an even more guarded and disgusted look. He probably thought I was playing hard to get again, trying to mess with him.

It all happened right here in my last life.

When he finally gathered the courage to ignore me, the princess he was already engaged to, and asked my father to let him marry Alayna, I completely lost control. I smashed my father's favorite crystal goblet to pieces.

I cried, made a scene, and even threatened to end my own life.

I screamed, "Zachary is mine! No one can take him away from me!"

That was the most undignified moment of my life.

I acted like a shameless shrew, shredding all my dignity for a man who never loved me.

I got my wish, but at what cost.

To appease me and win over the powerful Berry family, my father decreed that I would marry Zachary.

And the innocent, carefree Alayna was sent away for a political marriage.

Three years later, the peace envoy was ambushed by the Bonefolks at the border. Alayna threw herself in front of a deadly arrow for Zachary and died in his arms.

That arrow left a wound in his heart that would never heal.

And it created an unbridgeable gap between us, one that nothing could ever close.

This time, I didn't want to compete anymore.

I met Zachary's gaze, inclined my head with measured courtesy, and spoke evenly. "Father, heroes belong with beauties. General Berry is a rare young talent, and he and Alayna clearly cherish one another.

"If they were to wed, it would become a story sung for generations. As for me... I wish to dissolve our engagement and grant them the ending they deserve."

"You... My father sprang from the throne, fury choking his voice.

Zachary's fists tightened. His eyes were filled with disbelief. He could not understand how I, once proud, demanding, and possessive, could suddenly retreat so calmly.

But only I knew. Ten years ago, beneath that rain of arrows, my heart had already been broken beyond repair.

Now, I was nothing but a shell, living in this do-over of a life, just trying to make up for everything I messed up last time.

"Veronica..." A timid voice sounded.

Alayna stepped out from behind the queen, clad in a pale yellow palace gown, her expression gentle and untainted.

She glanced at me cautiously before turning to Zachary, her eyes overflowing with tender concern.

"Veronica... you shouldn't. Your engagement to General Berry was decreed by the late emperor..."

Look at her, she was still so kind, so considerate.

She always puts others first.

I smiled, walked to her, and gently clasped her hand.

Her fingers were soft and fragile, nothing like mine, hardened by years of martial discipline.