Chapter 1

At midnight, I woke up from a nightmare, drenched in cold sweat.

In the dream, Charles Evans stood before me, enunciating every word, "Claire, you killed Vanessa. You'll never escape this house."

The memories of captivity, humiliation, and emotional abuse surged back like a relentless tide. I wrapped my arms around myself and curled up in the corner of the bed.

Outside, neon lights flickered. I glanced at my phone.

I went back to the past—three months before I ever met Charles.

In my previous life, I had won first place in the National Jewelry Design Competition, catching the eye of Charles, the so-called "future tycoon of the Ravorpool".

He had pursued me relentlessly, drowning me in luxury cars, diamond rings, and sweet words until I fell for him completely. After our marriage, his old flame, Vanessa Reed, returned, and my nightmare began.

Vanessa accused me of plagiarizing her design in the competition, and Charles took her side, imprisoning me for three years. When Vanessa died unexpectedly, he lost his mind completely, locking me inside his villa and forcing me to kneel before her portrait in repentance.

It was only later that I learned the truth—Vanessa had stolen my sketches and turned the accusation against me.

I picked up the design draft lying on my bedside table—Blooming Nightshade, the piece I had created for the competition. In my last life, it had made me famous and ruined me.

I tore the drawing to pieces and made my decision. I would withdraw from the competition. This time, I would never repeat the same mistake.

*****

Early the next morning, my bestie Emily Brooks called. "Claire, don't tell me you're still in bed. The finals are just a week away, and all the judges can't wait to see what you've got."

"Em, I've decided to drop out of the competition," I said.

There was a long pause on the other end. "Are you out of your mind? This is a national-level competition. If you win, you get to join the design team at Azure Jewels. Isn't this everything you've ever dreamed of?"

"There's something more important I have to do. Just trust me." I hung up before she could protest. I walked over to my closet. The reflection staring back at me was only 26, with none of the fear or hopelessness from my past life.

I grabbed my phone and shot off an email to the organizing committee, officially quitting the competition. Then, I scrolled through Charles' social media feed.

Three years ago, he wasn't the tech tycoon he would become, but he already had that unmistakable edge. In every photo, he was rocking a tailored suit, his gaze sharp and predatory—already hungry for power.

"This time, I won't be your prey," I muttered to myself.

Later that afternoon, the head of the organizing committee, Peter Lynn, personally called me. "Ms. Winters, your work has made it to the finals, and the judges think very highly of it. Why are you suddenly withdrawing?"

"Sorry, it's a personal matter," I replied.

He said, "If you're feeling overwhelmed, we can..."

"No, I've already made up my mind," I said firmly.

After hanging up, a message popped up from Emily: [The competitors' cocktail party is tonight. You need to come and clear things up. It's at the Grand Regency Hotel.]

I paused for a moment. In my previous life, I first met Charles at this party. But now, it was not him I had to face—it was Emily, and I owed her an explanation for my choice.

Slipping into a plain black dress, I went for the most unremarkable makeup I could manage. This time, I didn't want to attract anyone's attention, especially not Charles'.

Grand Regency Hotel was lit up like a stage, with competitors and industry big shots mingling and clinking glasses. As soon as I stepped into the lobby, Emily came storming over. "Claire, what the hell are you doing? You can't just throw away an opportunity like this."

"I've been having some new ideas lately," I murmured. "I want to experiment with a totally different design style."

Emily rolled her eyes. "Claire, even though, couldn't you at least wait until after the finals? Everyone expects you to get the prize, and even the creative director from Azure Jewels is here for you."

My heart sank. In my last life, it was the creative director from Azure Jewels who introduced me to Charles.

I scanned the room and spotted a familiar face—Charles was deep in conversation with a handful of industry leaders, his gaze occasionally flicking toward the entrance.

"I'm not feeling well. I need to use the restroom," I said, then hurried off and slipped into the emergency stairwell.

After a few steadying breaths, I calmed myself. As I was about to leave, the door to the emergency stairwell swung open.

A man dressed in dusty, worn-out archaeology gear stepped in, clearly surprised to find someone else here. He said, "Sorry, I thought nobody would be here."

"Don't worry about it," I replied.

He ran a hand through his messy hair. "My sister's taking part in this big jewelry design competition and insisted I come to support her. I just rushed back from a dig site in Deverton, didn't even get a chance to change."

He flashed a truly sincere smile—so different from Charles' meticulously practiced grin.

"I'm William Shaw, an associate professor in the archaeology department at Deverton University," he said, extending his hand.

"Claire Winters," I replied, shaking his hand. His palm was rough and calloused.

"Are you a competitor too?" he asked.

"No, I dropped out," I said.

He looked at me, genuinely surprised. "Why? My sister said you're a shoo-in for the top prize."

I gave a wry smile. "Some things matter more than winning."

He nodded without prying. "I get it. I've spent ten years digging into the ancient civilization. More than once, I nearly quit, but it was always some random stone or a bit of carving that kept me hooked. Everybody's got something that makes them hold on, no matter what."

"That actually sounds cool," I said, truly intrigued.

He grinned, eyes lighting up. "If you're ever interested in ancient jewelry, you should come by and see some of the treasures we've unearthed. The ingenuity of those ancient craftsmen is honestly awe-inspiring."

Just then, Emily came over. "Claire, what are you doing here? Creative Director from Azure Jewels wants to see you."

I glanced at William, and he gave me a knowing nod. "You should go. It might be a good opportunity."

"Thanks, but I've already decided to leave," I replied.

I said with a smile to Emily, "Please apologize to Mr. Winters for me."

As I stepped out of the hotel, I glanced back at the packed lobby. Charles stood smack in the center, his gaze cutting through the noise as if he were hunting for someone.

Off to the side, William was quietly sipping a glass of juice, looking completely out of place amid all the glitz and glamour.

This time, I chose a different path. Fate would take me to a new life—just the way I wanted.