Chapter 1
Damarion Mayer's childhood friend, Brylee Whitney, relapsed into depression, leaving me another note.
He said: [Sorry, let my friend stand in for me at the wedding this time. Wait for me a year, and I'll host a grand wedding for you then.]
This time, I didn't make a scene.
In my past life, I couldn't endure his repeated wedding cancellations and forced him to finish the ceremony at the threat of my own life.
That night, Brylee jumped off the building.
He claimed it was Brylee's choice, and no one could stop her.
Yet after the wedding, he schemed to force my parents into debt, driving them to attempt suicide.
On the day I fell ill, he cruelly pushed me into a hospital room filled with lilies.
"If you hadn't forced me with death before, Brylee wouldn't have died. You must pay with your life," he said.
After suffocating to death from an allergic reaction, I returned to the wedding scene.
His mixed-race friend looked at me seriously and said, "I've loved you for five years. Can you leave him and make our pretend love real?"
I nodded. If I were going to marry, it had to be someone who truly loved me.
*****
Once the ceremony was over, I received a message. [All it takes is a little beckon, and Damarion comes right back to me.]
This wasn't the first time Brylee had sent me a taunting message.
In my previous life, I pointed out her malicious intent more than once, but Damarion Mayer always instinctively defended her. "You're overthinking it. She's not that kind of person."
It wasn't until I sacrificed my life for this relationship that I finally realized Damarion was never someone I could truly rely on.
I calmly deleted the message, when Damarion suddenly called.
He said, "Eloise, I'm sorry. I promised Brylee's mom I'd take care of her. Let's wait until next year before we have kids."
At the mention of kids, my eyes instantly reddened, and I clenched my fist so hard it hurt.
William Donovan took my phone. "It's me. Eloise forgot her phone while changing dresses."
Damarion paused on the other end, then laughed lightly.
He said, "Good thing you're with Eloise. She just wants the ceremony anyway, so it doesn't matter who stands at the altar with her. If she asks where I am, don't tell her. I'm afraid Brylee might try to jump again."
I gave a self-deprecating smile, tears falling uncontrollably down my cheeks.
Luckily, I saw his true colors just in time. From now on, I wouldn't let him hurt me again.
Two years later, the drama in the Donovan family finally calmed down.
I finally got the chance to take my daughter back to visit my parents.
When my bestie heard about it, she invited me over to her bar for some drinks and a heart-to-heart.
After a few rounds of drinks, her boyfriend came to pick her up. I was totally wasted, stumbling toward the door to wait for my ride.
Suddenly, a thick, meaty hand grabbed me and yanked me away.
I snapped out of it a little and shouted, "Let go of me!"
But he slapped his hand over my mouth, forcefully shoved me into the car, and slammed the door shut.
I frantically pounded on the window, desperately screaming for help.
Suddenly, someone shouted angrily, "Let her go!"
The fat guy shot a vicious glare. "Mind your own business..."
Before he could finish, two bodyguards were all over him, pounding him into the floor.
The car door was yanked open, and Damarion dragged me out.
Damarion snapped, "I was only gone for a year and you're already trying to get back at me? Who gave you permission to go and play beer girl just to spite me?"
The moment our eyes met, every awful memory from my past life hit me all at once.
I jerked my hand away, disgusted.
If my jealous man back home ever found out, my waist would be done for.
"You think I'm dirty?" Damarion stared at me, totally shocked, then sighed in defeat. "I get it. You're just faking it, right? Still throwing your little tantrums like always. Now that Brylee's doing better, we can finally make it official."
Seriously, how arrogant could he get.
I gave him a sarcastic look. "Why on earth do you think I'd wait around for you?"
Damarion just assumed I was being difficult.
He said, "Who else could you possibly marry if not me?
"I've been texting you for two years and you never replied once. Eloise, is your heart made of iron? Are you really going to stay mad at me for this long?"
The more he spoke, the more hurt he sounded, his eyes growing red with emotion.
Watching him act like he was so in love with me was just ridiculous.
Funny, considering he's the one who hurt me the worst.
"Damarion, I'm already someone else's wife." I held up my hand and flashed the diamond ring on my ring finger.
His expression darkened instantly.
Damarion snapped, "Eloise, embarrassing yourself as a beer girl is one thing, but how could you go around lying to people?"
Brylee swaggered over, eyes full of challenge. "The Snake Shadow is the Donovan family's legendary emerald ring. Seriously, you expect anyone to believe that cheap knockoff is the real deal?"
I froze for a moment, then ran my fingers over the Snake Shadow ring.
I had to suppress a laugh.
Of course she had no idea what it was. No one outside the Donovan family had ever seen the real thing.