Chapter 1 Her Rebirth
- Pain.
- That was all Adriana felt as she slowly opened her eyes. The excruciating agony coursed through her entire body and penetrated deep into her bones, sending cold sweat dripping down her back.
- Both her legs were badly injured, with bones visibly protruding from the depths of her wounds.
- She tried to open her mouth to ask for help, but all that escaped were painful groans.
- A few steps away, a beautiful girl dressed in a pure white wedding gown adorned with diamonds could be seen sitting on a vintage parlor chair. Her makeup was exquisite and flawless, making her look like a royal princess.
- And this woman was none other than her own stepsister, Olivia.
- Behind her stood the grand Kingsley manor, rivaling the splendor of a royal garden palace. Its towering walls kept out the noise and concealed everything that transpired within the grounds.
- "Oh, you're awake?" Olivia raised her eyes and chuckled softly when she saw that Adriana had regained consciousness. She stood up from her chair and slowly approached Adriana, who was lying on the grass in a miserable state.
- "Riana, today is my wedding day with Sebastian. You’re the first one to see me in my wedding gown. Aren’t you happy?" She asked and twirled around playfully as she flaunted her beautiful gown.
- Adriana’s eyes turned red with hatred. She wanted to attack Olivia, but she had no strength left in her body. Behind her was the terrifying alligator pond at the Kingsley manor. The reason her legs were so badly injured was because they had been bitten by alligators!
- Olivia had finally gotten Sebastian and was about to marry him. Why couldn’t she just let her go?
- "Every alligator here is Sebastian’s prized possession, but they’re all dead because of you.” Olivia laughed charmingly. "As compensation, I’ll give you to the remaining alligators. That way, your five years of loving him won’t be in vain."
- Hearing rustling from the bushes behind her, Adriana's body immediately trembled. "Olivia, you’re insane! I curse you to never live happily with Sebastian and to die a horrible death!"
- Olivia laughed coldly. "Sebastian himself said that the alligators here haven't been fed fresh meat in a long time. If you want to hate someone, then hate him."
- The fear of death and Olivia's words crushed Adriana’s chest like a heavy stone. It felt like her heart was being gripped by someone, the pain was so intense she could barely breathe.
- Sebastian was the one who had told Olivia...
- Even at the end, he had no intention of letting her body go.
- To such an extent he hated her.
- Adriana laughed bitterly.
- "It hurts, doesn't it? You shouldn’t have betrayed him, Adriana. This is his punishment for you."
- "I didn’t!" Adriana screamed at the top of her lungs. Her throat was broken, and when she screamed, her voice sounded like sand scraping against the earth. "You’re the one who killed his grandmother, not me!"
- "Eh, you’re not that stupid, but unfortunately, you won’t get the chance to tell him. Oh, and there’s one more piece of news I have to share with you. Adriana, guess what? You’re pregnant!" Olivia laughed cheerfully and raised her hands. "Adriana, goodbye."
- As soon as she clapped her hands, the bodyguards standing behind her immediately pulled Adriana up and forcefully threw her into the grass next to the alligator pond.
- "Even if I become a ghost, I won't let you go!" Adriana screamed in grief and indignation. "Even if I die, I will make you pay for my death with your blood!"
- The rustling sound from the bushes grew louder and clearer as the alligators quickly gathered around with their mouths wide open.
- A desperate will to live forced Adriana to keep crawling forward. Tears and blood fell to the ground as she continued to drag herself through the pain. She had a baby, she couldn’t die.
- Just as she was about to climb out, the iron gate slammed shut. One of the alligators bit into her left leg, and a heart-wrenching scream quickly escaped her mouth. "Help!"
- Within no time, her body was dragged into the water, and waves like a tsunami began crashing against her skin and flesh as the alligators bit into her. The water began to dye red.
- In her semi-conscious state, she heard the sound of gunshots before something heavy fell into the water and pulled her into a warm embrace.
- Adriana struggled to open her eyes, and when she saw the familiar face of the man holding her, she cried in sadness.
- Sebastian?
- How could he be here?
- Wasn’t the woman he loved Olivia?
- ‘Why? Why are you doing this to me?’ These were the questions Adriana wanted to ask him, but her consciousness was beginning to fade, and the strength that remained had already left her.
- She missed his embrace so much, but it was too late.
- If there were an afterlife, she never wanted to fall in love with him again.
- Blood spurted out from her mouth like a burst water pipe, and Sebastian tremblingly lowered his head and kissed her forehead deeply, as if he were trying to tell her something.
- Adriana weakly raised her hand to touch his face when suddenly, a loud explosion echoed in her ears, and darkness began to engulf her. Then, everything went silent.
- ···········
- "Why?" Adriana cried out loudly and sat up on the grass with sweat dripping down her face. The bright sunlight from above almost blinded her, causing her to subconsciously close her eyes.
- After a moment, as her eyes adjusted to the light, she began to tremble when she saw the familiar surroundings and the backpack beside her.
- This... Wasn’t this the day she was supposed to meet Sebastian for the first time?
- Had she been reborn?
- Adriana froze for a moment before quickly searching for her glasses and putting them on. Then she grabbed her backpack and walked away from there.
- Today, Sebastian and Madam Kingsley would be coming to the Hudson residence to meet her. She had two and a half hours before their arrival, so she still had a chance to turn things around.
- Rumor had it that Sebastian would face a great calamity at the age of 28, and if he wanted to live safely, he had to marry a girl whose astrology was compatible with his.
- And she was the chosen one. However, after hearing Olivia’s lies that Sebastian was incomparably ugly, seriously ill, and super perverted, she decided to run away from home to defy this fate. But when she tried to jump off the 3-meter-high wall, her foot accidentally got caught on a tree branch, causing her to fall and fracture her arm. She was then saved by Sebastian, who just happened to be passing by, and was brought back to the Hudson residence in pain.
- The reason Olivia spread these lies and helped her run away from home was to enter the Kingsley family in her place.
- But in the end, Olivia’s plan failed and she still entered the Kingsley family.
- That was the reason she died with such grievance!