Chapter 3

Sebastian snapped his gaze back.

"Nothing."

He paused, his tone turning instantly cold.

"Let her have her few days of glory. Marrying a dying man means she'll be locked in a cage for the rest of her life."

When he was leaving, he passed by the balcony and stopped.

"Nora. When you move into the Sterling estate, behave yourself. Don't do anything to embarrass the Bennetts."

I didn't stop watering the plants.

"Got it." I didn't even look up at him.

Sebastian stared at me for several long seconds before scoffing, turning on his heel, and slamming the door behind him.

Over the next few days, he visited the Bennett house constantly.

Once, he brought a box of mango mousse.

Vanessa smelled it, frowned, and pushed the box away.

"You forgot. I'm allergic to mangoes."

Sebastian froze. He awkwardly slid the box across the table toward me.

"Since I already bought it, and Vanessa can't eat it, you can have it."

I glanced at the dessert box.

"No thanks. Just throw it away." I turned and walked into the kitchen.

The day before the wedding, Diane tossed a wrinkled, cheap white dress onto my bed.

"It's a private ceremony anyway, with barely any guests. This rental is more than enough. No sense wasting money on a new one."

I looked down at the fabric. There was a faint, unwashed red wine stain near the hem.

"No need. I have my own clothes."

"What decent clothes could you possibly own?" Diane rolled her eyes. "Stop being so ungrateful. You should be satisfied you have something to wear at all, instead of being so picky."

I didn't bother arguing with her. I just walked back into my tiny room.

On my desk sat a large box that had been delivered anonymously that morning.

I opened the lid. Inside lay a breathtaking, hand-embroidered ivory formal gown, clearly prepared for the wedding procession and pre-ceremony events tomorrow.

My fingertips had just brushed the exquisite fabric when someone knocked on my door.

Sebastian stood in the doorway, looking deeply uncomfortable.

"I came to drop off Vanessa's wedding shoes. Just a reminder—the Sterlings are sending their people tomorrow. Don't try any tricks."

He paused, his jaw tightening.

"Vanessa has suffered enough. In this life, I won't allow anyone to hurt her again."

I finally looked up at him.

Suffered?

Vanessa grew up in the massive master bedroom of the Bennett house. She got whatever she wanted.

When exactly did she suffer?

The one who actually suffered was me.

I spent seventeen years surviving in a decaying Appalachian town. When I was finally brought back to the Bennetts, I was shoved into a converted storage closet.

In my past life, after I married Sebastian, I was branded a scheming manipulator. I died alone in a sterile hospital room, and no one even bothered to check on me.

Sebastian's eyes dropped to the couture gown in my hands. His brow furrowed deeply.

"Where did you get that dress?"

"That's none of your business."

I carefully folded the gown and placed it into my suitcase, refusing to give him another glance.

Sebastian stood in the doorway for a long time. Finally, he let out a cold snort, turned, and walked away.

Chapter 3

Sebastian snapped his gaze back.

"Nothing."

He paused, his tone turning instantly cold.

"Let her have her few days of glory. Marrying a dying man means she'll be locked in a cage for the rest of her life."

When he was leaving, he passed by the balcony and stopped.

"Nora. When you move into the Sterling estate, behave yourself. Don't do anything to embarrass the Bennetts."

I didn't stop watering the plants.

"Got it." I didn't even look up at him.

Sebastian stared at me for several long seconds before scoffing, turning on his heel, and slamming the door behind him.

Over the next few days, he visited the Bennett house constantly.

Once, he brought a box of mango mousse.

Vanessa smelled it, frowned, and pushed the box away.

"You forgot. I'm allergic to mangoes."

Sebastian froze. He awkwardly slid the box across the table toward me.

"Since I already bought it, and Vanessa can't eat it, you can have it."

I glanced at the dessert box.

"No thanks. Just throw it away." I turned and walked into the kitchen.

The day before the wedding, Diane tossed a wrinkled, cheap white dress onto my bed.

"It's a private ceremony anyway, with barely any guests. This rental is more than enough. No sense wasting money on a new one."

I looked down at the fabric. There was a faint, unwashed red wine stain near the hem.

"No need. I have my own clothes."

"What decent clothes could you possibly own?" Diane rolled her eyes. "Stop being so ungrateful. You should be satisfied you have something to wear at all, instead of being so picky."

I didn't bother arguing with her. I just walked back into my tiny room.

On my desk sat a large box that had been delivered anonymously that morning.

I opened the lid. Inside lay a breathtaking, hand-embroidered ivory formal gown, clearly prepared for the wedding procession and pre-ceremony events tomorrow.

My fingertips had just brushed the exquisite fabric when someone knocked on my door.

Sebastian stood in the doorway, looking deeply uncomfortable.

"I came to drop off Vanessa's wedding shoes. Just a reminder—the Sterlings are sending their people tomorrow. Don't try any tricks."

He paused, his jaw tightening.

"Vanessa has suffered enough. In this life, I won't allow anyone to hurt her again."

I finally looked up at him.

Suffered?

Vanessa grew up in the massive master bedroom of the Bennett house. She got whatever she wanted.

When exactly did she suffer?

The one who actually suffered was me.

I spent seventeen years surviving in a decaying Appalachian town. When I was finally brought back to the Bennetts, I was shoved into a converted storage closet.

In my past life, after I married Sebastian, I was branded a scheming manipulator. I died alone in a sterile hospital room, and no one even bothered to check on me.

Sebastian's eyes dropped to the couture gown in my hands. His brow furrowed deeply.

"Where did you get that dress?"

"That's none of your business."

I carefully folded the gown and placed it into my suitcase, refusing to give him another glance.

Sebastian stood in the doorway for a long time. Finally, he let out a cold snort, turned, and walked away.