Chapter 3

Then Harold left without turning back.

I watched his figure disappear, a faint smile tugging at my lips.

I would never regret this. My greatest regret in life had already been marrying him before I went back in time.

The news about the canceled engagement spread way faster than I expected.

By the next morning, every major news outlet was running headlines like "Bailey Group Heir Calls Off Engagement" and "Bodyguard's Daughter's Rich Wife Dream Falls Apart."

The comments online were brutal.

[I knew it from the start. They were never a good match. How was she ever supposed to marry into that family?]

[I heard she was the one who called it off. That's funny. She probably got dumped and just said that to save face.]

[A bodyguard's daughter trying to marry rich, huh? Yeah, keep dreaming.]

I turned my phone off and never looked at it again.

Before everything started over, those comments would have crushed me. I would have cried, argued with strangers online one by one, and stayed up the whole night feeling miserable.

Now, I just thought all of it was pointless.

On the first day I moved into the Bailey family mansion, the housekeeper arranged a guest room for me on the west side of the house.

The room was small but neat and clean.

Before I came back, I had lived in the suite next to the master bedroom because everyone treated me like the future Mrs. Bailey.

Because of that, I had to see Angela every single day. I had to listen to her talk about how she and Harold used to decorate the house together while making little sarcastic comments at me the whole time.

Things were different now. There was nothing left to fight for anymore.

I was unpacking my suitcase when the door suddenly opened.

Angela stood there holding a cup of coffee, smiling at me. "Miss Barnes, are you settling in okay?"

Her voice sounded soft and friendly, so fake that it gave me chills.

"It's fine," I replied.

"That's good." She walked in, sat down in the chair, and crossed her legs. "Honestly, becoming the Bailey family's goddaughter was a pretty smart move.

"Since you couldn't marry into the family, you picked the next best option. At least now you still get to stay here and enjoy some benefits."

I kept folding my clothes and ignored her.

"But don't celebrate too early." She took a sip of coffee. "A goddaughter and Mrs. Bailey are worlds apart. From now on, you'll still have to survive by watching everyone's moods in this house."

I looked up at her. "Miss Glisson, are you really that scared I'll marry Harold?"

The smile on her face stiffened.

"You were terrified," I continued. "That's why you spread rumors everywhere that I'm a gold digger who used a favor to force a marriage.

"You embarrassed me at parties, acted innocent in front of Harold, and played the sweet, obedient girl in front of the Bailey family elders. You only did all that because you were scared I'd take your place."

Angela's face completely changed.

"But now you don't have to worry anymore." I smiled at her. "The engagement's over. You and Harold can finally be together openly. Nobody's stopping you now."

Angela stood up and looked down at me. "Julia, don't think you've won just because the engagement ended. As long as you stay in this house, I'll make your life miserable every single day."

"Whatever," I replied.

She shot me a glare and stormed out.

The door slammed behind her with a loud bang.

I kept folding my clothes.

Before everything started over, I had met plenty of people like Angela. On the outside, they looked classy and elegant. Underneath, they were cruel and nasty.

She was especially good at pretending to be kind in front of other people while secretly causing trouble behind their backs.

But I wasn't afraid of her anymore.

This time, I was never going to fight her over Harold again.

*****

That afternoon, Bruno called me into his study.

"Julia, have you really thought this through?" he asked while looking at me with concern in his eyes. "If you become part of the Bailey family as a goddaughter, people are going to gossip about you."

"I don't care," I replied.

"As for that idiot Harold, I'll deal with him myself," Bruno said angrily.

"There's no need." I shook my head. "It's true that he doesn't love me. You can't force feelings. I've accepted that already."

Bruno sighed heavily and said, "You're too understanding."

Before everything restarted, I had also been understanding.

I patiently endured Harold's cold attitude. I silently put up with Angela bullying me. I tried hard to please everyone who looked down on me.

In the end, being understanding got me nothing.

It didn't earn me love. It didn't earn me respect. And it didn't save my life.

"Mr. Bruno Bailey, I want to get a job," I said, changing the subject.

"A job? Doing what?" he asked.

"I studied jewelry design in college. I want to apply for a designer position," I said.

Bruno thought for a moment. "The Bailey Group owns a jewelry brand. I can arrange something for you—"

"No need," I cut in gently. "I want to do this on my own."

He looked at me for a few seconds, then nodded. "Alright. But if you need anything, tell me."

I nodded and left the study.

The second I stepped outside, I almost bumped into someone.

It was Harold. He leaned against the wall in the hallway with a cigarette between his fingers, staring at me calmly. "Julia, what game are you playing now?"

I stopped walking. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You called off the engagement, became part of my family as a goddaughter, and moved into our house. Now, you suddenly want a job." He slowly blew smoke into the air.

Through the haze, his eyes looked cold and distant. "Every move you made was perfectly planned. You kept your dignity while still staying connected to the Bailey family. So what exactly are you after?"