Chapter 1
Everyone in Brisea knew I was out every night, busting Lucas Sterling for cheating.
Lucas was always fooling around, never spending two nights with the same woman.
He hated me for pushing his first love over the edge.
I hated him for barely even looking at me for ten years.
We were like two trapped animals, tearing each other apart in the nastiest ways we could find.
But when that runaway truck came hurtling toward us, Lucas suddenly lunged, throwing himself over me to shield me.
Blood was bubbling from his lips, but he actually smiled, looking relieved. He said, "Guess I've paid you back now. If there's another chance, let me go, okay? I just want to see her again..."
I looked down at the steel rod impaling my stomach, but I forced myself out of the wreckage so that I didn't die with him.
When I opened my eyes again, I was standing in front of my father and said, "I'll marry into the Foster family."
This time around, I'd let him go.
I'd return everything he ever wanted, his freedom, and the one he longed for.
*****
The chandelier came crashing down again at the party.
Lucas, who was supposed to be saved by me, suddenly shoved me aside.
I caught a flash of relief in his eyes.
The next second, in my horrified gaze, he was swallowed up by the falling shards of crystal.
The crash echoed through the hall, and everyone started screaming.
I stood there, frozen, watching the blood seep into the carpet.
So, he'd come back, too.
In my previous life, I saved him.
But I couldn't dodge in time. The chandelier shattered my leg and left me limping for life.
Even though I knew he was in love with my sister, Genevieve Reed, I still forced him to marry me.
This time, he'd rather end up bleeding and battered than owe me anything ever again.
Lucas was carried away on a stretcher, covered in blood.
Some people, clueless about what had just happened, started ushering me toward the ambulance. "Violet, get in. Mr. Sterling needs you more than anyone right now."
My heart felt like it'd just been stabbed.
Without thinking, I grabbed Genevieve and pushed her into the ambulance. "You go."
Genevieve stared at me, wide-eyed in shock.
Before she could say a word, the paramedics slammed the doors shut and sped off.
The guests nearby looked at me, stunned.
Someone blurted out, "Violet, why didn't you go? Mr. Sterling put himself on the line for you."
"You two have been childhood friends forever. How could you let a stranger be the one by his side when he needs you most?"
I didn't say anything, just quietly watched the ambulance vanish into the distance.
In both lives, he'd used such a painful way to draw a line between us.
I didn't understand how worthless I was to him.
After the party was cut short, I went back to the Reed residence.
My dad looked at me in disbelief. "You're really going to marry into the Foster family instead of Genevieve?"
He couldn't believe his ears.
He knew better than anyone just how much I hated Genevieve, his bastard daughter.
Back when my mom was really sick, Genevieve barged into her hospital room, pointed at my mom, and sneered, "The real homewrecker is the one nobody loves."
That was the blow that finally broke my mom.
Dad asked, "Wasn't it Lucas or no one for you just yesterday?"
Instead of answering, I just got off the subject. "Genevieve was here again today, making a scene about breaking off the engagement, wasn't she?"
Dad's face stiffened for a second.
In my previous life, right around this time, Matthew Foster, the Foster family's only heir, got into a car crash and was left crippled.
The Fosters were not a kind type.
If we called off the engagement now, the whole Reed family would be screwed.
After a moment's pause, Dad's expression turned somber. "The wedding's set for next month. If you want out, you can still change your mind before then."
I couldn't help but scoff to myself.
He looked downright pleased. He'd always liked Genevieve, the one who always knew how to say the right things, way more than me.
If he wasn't worried about being known as the guy who bullied his late wife's only kid, he'd have shipped me off to the Foster family.
When I stepped out of the study, my phone was blowing up with messages.
Literally everyone thought Lucas got hurt trying to save me.
So even if it was just to keep up appearances, I still had to go see him.
When I pushed open the hospital room door, Lucas was leaning back against the pillows, his forehead wrapped in thick bandages.
As soon as he saw me, he looked at Genevieve, who was sitting by his side, and spoke gently, "Genevieve, can you step outside for a moment?"
Genevieve nodded obediently, and as she passed me, she called out in a timid voice, "Hi, Violet."
The door clicked shut, and the room fell silent.
He glanced at my leg, looking visibly relieved.
A bitter taste filled my mouth.
He was just checking to make sure I didn't have a broken leg to guilt him into anything.
Seeing how pale Lucas looked, I said in a hoarse voice, "Does it hurt?"
"Violet," Lucas called out, his voice weak but unwavering. "I saved you. Can you promise me one thing?"
My heart dropped. Something told me this wasn't going to be good.
"What do you want from me?" I asked.
He took a deep breath and said, "Don't push Genevieve into marrying Matthew. Your mom's death wasn't her fault. She was just a kid back then."