I am reborn with memories of my past life.

And I carry a secret with me: my fiance, Ethan Larsen, had forged our marriage certificate. The one he had actually married was Serena Gray.

But I do not expose his lie. Instead, I quietly submit my application to Greenvale University and eventually become a permanent resident in Verenza.

In my past life, I spent a lifetime believing in a lie.

I thought I was his wife, until I learned the truth on the day he died.

He married Serena out of love but kept me only due to his sense of duty.

On the funeral day, Serena arrived dressed in white, holding the actual marriage certificate in her hand.

She effortlessly took over all his inheritance, while I was thrown out of the house, penniless, with nothing left but a trampled heart.

In this life, I will no longer beg for love nor stay put out of pity.

I'll leave quietly and live freely. They can keep acting out their so-called "perfect" love story.

Because now, I can see it crystal clear—some women are born to be loved, while others are reborn so they don't have to wait to be loved.

The wind in Floren, Novara, was as gentle as ever, but I was no longer the same woman who could be fooled by gentleness.

In my past life, I married Ethan Larsen, the head of the Larsen Family, a mafia clan. Everyone said he was the most devoted man in all of Novara, and I believed it without question.

Throughout our 60-year marriage, he never once lost his temper with me. He showered me with tenderness and spoiled me so much that all the women in the city envied me.

I thought that was love until I died on a dark street corner in Floren. That was when I finally realized he had deceived me all my life, using the gentlest means possible.

I was never the one he loved.

When I opened my eyes again, sunlight streamed through the blinds onto a familiar desk. The air was choked with chalk… and I saw the application form I had signed.

"Elara?"

I jerked my head up and saw—that face! It belonged to George Moore, my mentor from 60 years ago.

The way he looked at me was just as it had been back then: gentle, yet reluctant to let go.

"Are you really giving up on your chance to study at Greenvale University? You've spent so many years to reach this point," George said, "I know you're getting married to the head of the Larsen family, but… marriage can wait. Opportunities like this won't come around again."

I stared at him in shock as tears instantly blurred my vision; I had been reborn, and I had gone back to the year when fate had taken a turn.

In my past life, I had passed up on the acceptance letter to study abroad for Ethan. I gave up on my dreams, my medical career, and my entire life.

I once thought staying by his side was happiness. But that happiness was nothing more than a cage disguised as tenderness.

Choking back sobs, I said in a trembling voice, "I'm not giving up on it, Mr. Moore… I want to go to Verenza."

George was stunned, then broke into a relieved smile. "Really? That's wonderful news! Now this is the Elara I know!"

He excitedly flipped through the documents for a while before suddenly pausing. He hesitated as he asked, "But what about Ethan? He has never let you leave his side at all before."

My fingers trembled, but the corners of my lips curved into a faint, bitter smile. "I'll manage it."

Since his heart already belonged to someone else, this time, I would give them my blessings. There was no need to claim that forged marriage certificate anymore.

George looked at me, tears glinting in his eyes. "You've finally made a choice for yourself."

I nodded and signed the form. At that moment, I could almost hear the cogs of fate crack ever so slightly.

By the time I left the college, the sun was high. The wind in Floren brushed along the tree-lined path, carrying a faint scent of orange blossoms.

In the distance, I saw Ethan. He still carried himself the same way, calm yet captivating. Leaning lazily against the tree with his suit jacket casually draped over his arm, his blue eyes gleamed like the deep, dangerous sea.

This was the man I had loved for 60 years. But in this moment, I finally saw it clearly—the way those eyes had never reflected me.

At the end of the path, Serena Gray was walking toward us. She was my junior—sweet and radiant, like the early summer sunlight.

When Ethan saw her, he straightened slightly, tugged at his cuff, and brushed the stray hair away from his forehead.

My heart twisted painfully in that instant.

In my past life, I had missed countless little moments like this.

It wasn't just a casual gesture—it was the instinct of a stirred heart.

"Thank you for your sponsorship, Mr. Larsen. I can only continue my studies thanks to you." Serena spoke timidly. "May I invite you to the most expensive restaurant in Floren for a meal?"

Her eyes shone with admiration and longing.

Ethan was silent for a few seconds before replying in a calm, controlled voice. "I'm sorry, but I have to accompany my fiancée to her wedding dress fitting."

Serena's expression faltered slightly, and I saw his fist clench, the emotions he could no longer contain. So that was what happened.

It was no wonder he had seemed distracted the entire time at the wedding dress fitting in my past life.

Halfway through, he had excused himself, saying he needed to 'take a call' and was gone for fifty minutes.

Back then, I thought he was busy with work. But now I know—he had gone to meet her in those fifty minutes.

The wind swept through the trees, stirring the fallen leaves and carrying away the last remnants of my attachment.

This time, I wouldn't stay anymore.

I stood frozen, my back stiff as I forced myself to look composed, even though my heart had already crumbled into dust.

Ethan spotted me almost instantly. He walked over briskly, his expression carrying a tenderness that was hard to ignore.

"Are you done, Ellie? Let's go to the bridal shop then," he said. That nickname, 'Ellie', had once carried warmth and familiarity for me. But now, it cut me like a knife.

He reached out, trying to take my hand. But I subconsciously stepped back.

The air between us hung awkwardly.

"I'm tired," I said, avoiding his gaze, my voice barely above a whisper. "I don't want to try on wedding dresses anymore."

Ethan was stunned for a moment, his brows furrowed. He pressed his palm to my forehead. "Are you feeling sick? I'll take you to a doctor."

I could feel his large hand tremble slightly against my skin.

For a moment, I almost believed in him again—that he still cared about me. But loving someone and being used to caring for them were never the same thing.

I stared at him blankly as tears streamed down my cheeks uncontrollably.

Ethan panicked at the sight of that. "Don't cry, Ellie. Okay?"

He had never let me shed a tear for him before. I drew in a deep breath and forced a smile. "It's fine. Let's go check out the wedding dresses."

Perhaps, this was the last chance I would ever give him.

…

The bridal shop was softly lit, and the mirror stretched across the entire wall.

I tried on one wedding dress after another, layers of white tulle surrounding me like a carefully woven dream.

Ethan sat on the sofa, his gaze gentle but distant.

"Ethan," I asked softly, "you'll stay with me the whole time, right? You won't have something come up and leave halfway?"

He flashed me a gentle smile. "Of course not. I'll stay with you until you find the dress you're happy with."

That smile was too perfect, even I almost fell for it. But then—

"Mr. Larsen." That voice was soft as a whisper, but it pierced right through my heart like a needle.

It was Serena. She stood at the doorway, her eyes reflecting a mix of complicated emotions—regret and restraint.

Ethan's steps faltered briefly, but he quickly regained his composure, moving forward as if nothing had happened. Yet, the hand he held mine with tensed up ever so slightly. His knuckles stiffened, fingers cold to the touch.

In that instant, I heard the sound of my heart breaking.

I tried on more dresses, letting him comment on each, allowing myself to drown in the illusion. Perhaps in my past life, I had neglected him too much, which drove him to seek someone else.

So this time, I wouldn't let go.

But his responses grew increasingly indifferent. Each time I asked for his opinion, he would simply say, "Looks nice."

When his phone buzzed, his gaze was almost instantly drawn to the screen. He instinctively gripped it tightly, to the point his knuckles turned white, as if afraid I might see the content.

Those few seconds of silence were more piercing than any fights.

I stared at him, my fingers clutching my dress.

He finally looked up, offering an apologetic smile. "Something urgent came up, Ellie. You go ahead and choose—I'll be back right away."

I reached out, holding him tightly. "Don't go, please? Just for today?"

My voice trembled, and my fingertips were pale.

He lowered his gaze, silent. A few seconds later, still as gentle as ever, he pried my hand away. "I'm sorry. I'll be back as soon as I can."

The moment he left, my heart became completely hollow. I almost sank to my knees, but clung to the counter with all my strength, forcing myself to appear dignified.

"Ms. Brooks, we have a few new dresses here. Would you like to try them on?" The saleswoman's smile was bright and polite.

I fought back tears, adjusting the straps of my dress, but they had already fallen onto the white tulle as I whispered, "No, thank you. I don't need a wedding dress anymore."

She was stunned for a moment as her smile faltered. I turned and left the bridal shop.

It felt as if the wind carried me all the way to the most expensive restaurant in Floren.

Perhaps some truths must be witnessed with your own eyes before you can finally let go of them.

Through the glass, I saw them. Ethan sat by the window, wearing a black shirt with the collar slightly undone, his posture relaxed and yet composed.

Serena sat across from him, her eyes sparkling. Their glasses clinked together, the crisp sound felt like a slap across my face.

He wiped a trace of red wine from the corner of her lips, so tenderly it made me want to throw up. It was a gentleness I had never received before in this life.

My fingers pressed against the glass, cold and almost numb. In the reflection, I wore my pristine wedding dress, looking like a ridiculous ghost.

It turned out I hadn't lost him. I had just finally seen him for who he truly was. When I turned, I caught a glimpse of my reflection, split in two by the glass.

It was in that moment that I finally understood: the sharpest blade was never betrayal, but gentleness.

The lighting in the restaurant was soft and suggestive, reflecting off the glass like shattered gold. Through the glass, I could see Ethan. He was cutting up Serena's steak carefully, as if handling precious treasure.

He sliced it into small pieces and placed them on her plate, then peeled some prawns for her until his fingertips turned red from the rising steam.

It was such a tender sight, I almost forgot how to breathe. The corners of my lips curved upwards a little. But there was no warmth in that smile.

Ethan had always been a clean freak and never ate food someone else had touched. Whenever we had fish or chicken wings, I would pick out the bones, piece by piece, for him.

I thought that was love, but it turned out to be just a habit. Watching them, I felt my chest tighten with every breath. Even breathing became a difficult thing to do.

I didn't step forward. Instead, I turned and quietly left.

A gust of wind swept through the doorway, messing up my hair and carrying away the last piece of stubbornness in me.

From the moment he chose Serena, things were already over between us. When I returned to the villa, I began packing my belongings.

With every piece of clothing I folded, the ache in my chest worsened. Initially, I had only planned to stay in Verenza for four years, just long enough to graduate before returning home.

After all, Floren was where I'd grown up—the place I once thought of as my home. But now… I was taking everything with me. I was leaving for good.

Before I could finish packing, my phone rang. A familiar name lit up the screen—Ethan.

In my past life, he'd called me then, too. And at that time, I'd waited the entire night for him, just like a fool. He did come home eventually, only to say, "Sorry, something came up."

And he brought with him a mango cake—one filled with lies.

I took a deep breath and answered the call.

"Ellie? Weren't you waiting for me at the bridal shop?" His voice was as gentle as ever.

"I went home," I said flatly, "I don't feel like trying on wedding dresses anymore."

There was a brief silence before his familiar laugh came through.

"Alright then, I'll take you there again another day. Once I'm done here, I'll bring back that mango cake you love, okay?" Ethan said.

My heart twisted painfully. Mangoes… I've never liked mangoes.

The one who did was Serena.

Reflecting on my past life, Ethan would always bring me a mango cake whenever he returned from a trip. He did that for 60 years. But I'd always preferred strawberry cakes!

So it was most likely Serena who liked mango cakes all along.

At 11:00 pm, Ethan finally came home. His face was still flushed from excitement. His shirt was wrinkled, and one of the buttons on his jacket was missing.

I quietly looked away, pretending not to notice anything.

After Ethan showered, he came over and wrapped his arms tightly around me. Even after a shower, I could still smell the faint trace of cheap perfume on him.

I held my breath and turned my head slightly to the side. A single tear slipped silently onto the pillow.

Lost in his thoughts, Ethan didn't notice how I flinched from his touch.

"Our wedding's in three days, Ellie. I want to focus on finishing my work before then, so I can give all my time to you after the wedding." His voice was gentle, filled with hope for the future.

"We'll get our marriage certificate at the ceremony. After that, we'll travel to Elysia for our honeymoon. The Larsen family owns a private beach there. No one will be able to disturb us…"

I stayed silent and simply listened. I had heard the same promises in my past life after all. Yet, I never got to set foot on that beach in my entire life.

Ethan suddenly suggested bringing me there—it could be due to guilt, or perhaps it was an act.

Either way, I no longer cared.

…

The next morning, before dawn, a suitcase lay open on the floor, its zipper undone.

Ethan slung a bag over his shoulder and dressed neatly as he stepped out of the door. He said he had urgent business to attend to.

I sat quietly on the edge of the bed, watching the door close behind him.

Sunlight slipped through the gap in the curtains, landing on the phone by the table.

I picked it up and typed into the search bar, 'Serethan.'

In my past life, when Serena had thrown me out of the house, she'd shown her Instagram account to me with a proud smile.

"Ethan only liked you back then because he hadn't met me yet," Serena said, "He told me himself that he'd only learned what real love felt like until me. I've posted about all our shared memories online. Over three million people have blessed our love, yet you didn't even know about it, did you?"

Back then, I thought I'd already died once. But I realized death didn't hurt—coming to your senses and facing the truth did.

I turned off my phone screen and took a deep breath.

This time, I wouldn't wait any longer.