Serena's POV

The moment I closed my bedroom door behind me, the shouting from downstairs began.

My father's angry voice echoed through the house, followed by my stepmother's sharp, disapproving tone. Lily's soft crying soon joined them, perfectly timed and carefully dramatic.

I leaned against the door and closed my eyes.

Some things never changed.

Even ten years earlier, the pattern was exactly the same.

Lily cried.

My stepmother defended her.

My father demanded obedience.

And I was expected to surrender.

In my past life, I had always done exactly that.

But not anymore.

I walked toward the window and pulled the curtains open. Morning sunlight poured into the room, bright and warm, illuminating everything.

Everything looked the same.

But I wasn't the same person anymore.

My gaze drifted to the acceptance letter on my desk.

Westbridge University.

One of the best business schools in the country.

The same opportunity I had thrown away ten years ago without hesitation.

I picked up the letter again, running my fingers over the printed words.

"Congratulations, Serena Vale..."

In my previous life, this letter had meant nothing to me compared to Lily's happiness.

But now I knew better.

Education wasn't just about studying.

It was about independence.

Power.

The ability to stand on my own feet instead of depending on people who would betray me.

A slow determination settled inside my chest.

This time, I would go to Westbridge.

This time, I would build my own future.

Not the future my family wanted for me.

My future.

I sat down at my desk and opened my laptop.

If I had truly returned ten years into the past, then I possessed something incredibly valuable.

Knowledge.

Knowledge of everything that would happen over the next decade.

Stock market crashes.

Tech companies rising from nothing to billion-dollar empires.

Real estate booms.

Business mergers that would reshape entire industries.

And one name stood at the center of it all.

Adrian Kingsley.

I stared at the screen as his name appeared in a search result.

Even now, the sight of it made my heart beat faster.

In the present timeline, Adrian was only twenty-six.

He was already known as a brilliant businessman, but his company was still relatively young. Most people saw him as a rising star-someone with potential but not yet a legend.

But I knew the truth.

In ten years, Adrian Kingsley would become one of the most powerful billionaires in the world.

His tech empire would dominate global markets.

His net worth would exceed fifty billion dollars.

And I had once been engaged to him.

My fingers hovered above the keyboard.

Back then, our engagement had been arranged through family connections.

I never truly understood why Adrian agreed to it.

He had always been distant.

Polite, but cold.

I assumed he didn't particularly care about me.

After all, Lily had always been more charming, more likable, more... desirable.

Sometimes I even wondered if he would have preferred her instead.

A bitter smile touched my lips.

What a fool I had been.

I had spent years believing Lily deserved everything more than I did.

But Lily had never believed that.

She believed she deserved everything I had.

Including Adrian.

I leaned back in my chair, staring at the ceiling thoughtfully.

If I wanted to survive this life...

If I wanted revenge...

Then I needed power.

And Adrian Kingsley would eventually become one of the most powerful men in the world.

The thought made my pulse quicken.

Not because of romance.

But because of strategy.

In the future, Adrian would control an empire.

If I aligned myself with him early...

The possibilities were endless.

A knock suddenly interrupted my thoughts.

"Sister?"

My entire body stiffened.

Lily.

Of course.

I slowly closed the laptop.

"Come in."

The door opened cautiously.

Lily stepped inside, her eyes slightly red as if she had been crying.

Anyone who didn't know her well would immediately feel sorry for her.

But I had seen the truth behind that innocent face.

She walked closer to me hesitantly.

"Sister... can we talk?"

I nodded calmly.

"Sure."

She sat on the edge of my bed, clasping her hands together nervously.

"I don't understand," she said softly.

Her voice trembled slightly.

"Why did you change your mind?"

I tilted my head.

"About what?"

"The university," she said quickly. "You promised it was mine."

Promised?

I almost laughed.

In my past life, maybe.

But not in this one.

"Did I?" I asked casually.

Lily blinked.

Her expression flickered with confusion.

"You always said you didn't care about school," she insisted. "You said you wanted to support the family instead."

That had been true.

Once.

Before I learned how little my sacrifice meant to them.

I stood up slowly and walked toward the window.

"You should study harder," I said calmly.

Lily stared at me.

"What?"

"If you want to attend Westbridge," I continued, "you should try getting accepted yourself."

Her face flushed.

"But I didn't get in!"

I turned back to look at her.

"Then apply somewhere else."

The shock on her face was almost amusing.

"Sister... you're being unfair," she whispered.

Unfair.

The word echoed in my mind.

Unfair was dying at twenty-eight because the person you trusted most poisoned you.

Unfair was sacrificing everything for people who never once protected you.

Unfair was living your entire life for someone else's happiness.

I walked closer to her.

Lily looked up at me nervously.

Our eyes met.

For a brief moment, I allowed the cold anger inside me to surface.

"Life isn't fair," I said quietly.

Her eyes widened slightly.

She had never seen me like this before.

In the past, I had always been gentle with her.

Always patient.

Always willing to give in.

But the girl she knew had died on that balcony.

"You'll have to get used to disappointment," I added.

Lily stood up abruptly.

"Sister, I don't know what's wrong with you today, but-"

"I'm going to Westbridge," I interrupted calmly.

Her mouth fell open.

"You're serious?"

"Yes."

"But Father will never allow it!"

I shrugged slightly.

"That's his problem."

The words seemed to hit her harder than anything else.

For the first time, Lily looked uncertain.

She stared at me for a long moment as if trying to figure out who I had become overnight.

Finally, she turned and walked toward the door.

But just before leaving, she stopped.

When she looked back at me, the sweetness had disappeared from her eyes.

Only for a second.

But I noticed.

Then she smiled again.

The innocent Lily everyone loved.

"I hope you don't regret this," she said softly.

The door closed behind her.

Silence filled the room.

I walked back to my desk and opened my laptop again.

On the screen, Adrian Kingsley's name stared back at me.

A slow smile spread across my face.

"No," I murmured.

"I definitely won't."

Because this time...

I knew exactly how the future would unfold.

And I intended to take full advantage of it.

Serena's POV

Two weeks passed quickly.

The argument about the university never truly stopped in my house. My father tried everything-anger, threats, guilt-but I refused to change my decision. My stepmother called me selfish more times than I could count, and Lily cried whenever my father was around.

But none of it worked.

For the first time in my life, I didn't bend.

And eventually, they realized they couldn't force me to sign the transfer papers.

So the matter was left unresolved, hanging in the air like a storm waiting to break.

But I had other things to focus on.

Because tonight was important.

Very important.

I stood in front of the mirror in my room, adjusting the simple black dress I had chosen for the evening. It wasn't as extravagant as the gowns my stepmother preferred, but it suited me perfectly.

Elegant.

Confident.

Different from the timid girl everyone expected me to be.

Tonight was the Kingsley Charity Gala.

A high-profile event hosted by Adrian Kingsley's company every year. In my past life, I had attended it several times with my family.

But the first time I attended...

I met him.

My fingers paused on the zipper of my dress.

Adrian Kingsley.

Even now, remembering his name made something tighten in my chest.

Not because of romance.

But because of the strange connection between us in my previous life.

We had been engaged for years.

Yet we had never truly been close.

At least... that's what I used to believe.

I picked up a pair of earrings from the dresser and fastened them carefully.

In my past life, I had always kept my distance from Adrian emotionally.

Part of it was shyness.

But another part was guilt.

Because Lily had liked him first.

Or at least, that's what she told me.

So I convinced myself that Adrian deserved someone better than me.

Someone more lively.

More charming.

Someone like Lily.

A bitter smile crossed my lips.

How foolish I had been.

If Lily truly loved him, she wouldn't have poisoned me to steal him.

A knock came from downstairs.

"Serena!" my father called.

"We're leaving!"

"I'm coming," I replied.

I grabbed my small evening bag and headed out of my room.

The car ride to the gala was quiet.

My father sat stiffly beside my stepmother in the front seats, while Lily sat beside me in the back. She kept glancing at me occasionally, as if trying to figure out what had changed about me.

I ignored her.

The city lights blurred past the car windows as we drove toward the Kingsley Grand Hotel.

When we finally arrived, the building looked just as impressive as I remembered.

Bright lights illuminated the entrance, and expensive cars lined the street. Photographers stood behind velvet ropes, snapping pictures of every influential guest who stepped out.

The moment our car stopped, Lily's posture changed instantly.

Her shoulders straightened.

Her smile became sweeter.

The perfect social mask.

We stepped out of the car one by one.

Flash.

Flash.

Flash.

Cameras exploded with light.

My father greeted several familiar businessmen while my stepmother waved politely at a group of socialites.

I barely paid attention.

Because my eyes were already searching the ballroom.

Looking for him.

Inside, the gala was even more dazzling than outside.

Crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, casting golden light across the room. Waiters moved gracefully through the crowd carrying trays of champagne, and elegant music drifted softly through the air.

Powerful people filled every corner of the ballroom.

Politicians.

CEOs.

Investors.

But there was only one person everyone truly wanted to see.

I spotted him almost immediately.

Standing near the center of the room, surrounded by several businessmen, was Adrian Kingsley.

My breath caught for a moment.

He looked exactly the same as I remembered.

Tall.

Broad-shouldered.

Dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit that made him stand out even in a room full of wealthy elites.

His black hair was slightly messy in a way that somehow made him look even more attractive. His sharp jawline and calm expression gave him an almost intimidating presence.

But it was his eyes that always drew attention.

Cold grey eyes.

Eyes that revealed almost nothing.

In my past life, I had never been able to understand what he was thinking.

Tonight didn't seem any different.

As if sensing my gaze, Adrian suddenly turned his head.

Our eyes met across the crowded ballroom.

And the moment stretched strangely long.

For a second, everything around us seemed to fade away.

The music.

The conversations.

Even the flashing lights from the photographers.

All I could see was him.

And the strange expression that appeared on his face.

Recognition.

My heart skipped.

No...

That wasn't possible.

We hadn't met yet in this timeline.

Yet Adrian's eyes remained fixed on me.

Sharp.

Focused.

As if he were studying something extremely important.

I forced myself to remain calm.

Maybe I was imagining things.

But then something happened that made my pulse quicken.

Adrian excused himself from the businessmen he had been talking to.

And began walking directly toward me.

Each step was slow and deliberate.

The crowd parted almost automatically to let him pass.

People whispered as he moved through the ballroom.

Because Adrian Kingsley rarely approached anyone first.

Especially not someone insignificant like me.

Lily noticed it too.

Her hand suddenly gripped my arm.

"Sister... why is he coming here?" she whispered.

Her voice held a mixture of excitement and confusion.

I didn't answer.

Because I didn't know either.

Adrian stopped in front of us.

Up close, his presence felt even more overwhelming.

His gaze moved slowly over my face, as if confirming something.

Then he spoke.

"Miss Vale."

His deep voice sent a strange chill through me.

I blinked in surprise.

"You know me?"

A faint smile appeared on his lips.

But it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"How could I forget you?" he said calmly.

My heart skipped a beat.

Because something about the way he said it sounded... familiar.

Too familiar.

And suddenly a terrifying thought crossed my mind.

What if...

No.

That couldn't be possible.

Could it?

But Adrian continued looking at me as if he knew something I didn't.

And for the first time since waking up in the past...

I wondered if I wasn't the only person who remembered the future.

Serena's POV

For a moment, I forgot how to breathe.

"How could I forget you?"

Adrian's words echoed in my mind, repeating again and again like a warning bell.

We hadn't met yet.

Not in this timeline.

So how could he possibly recognize me?

I forced my expression to remain calm, even though my thoughts were racing.

"Are you sure we've met before?" I asked carefully.

Up close, Adrian's presence felt even more overwhelming. He was taller than most men in the room, his broad shoulders straight and confident beneath his tailored black suit. His grey eyes studied my face in a way that made me feel like he was reading every thought in my mind.

For several seconds, he didn't answer.

Then he tilted his head slightly.

"Not yet," he said.

The words sent a chill down my spine.

Not yet?

What was that supposed to mean?

Before I could ask anything else, he extended his hand toward me.

"Adrian Kingsley."

His voice was calm, steady.

Almost formal.

As if the strange moment from earlier hadn't happened.

I hesitated for a brief second before placing my hand in his.

"Serena Vale."

His hand was warm and firm around mine.

But the moment our hands touched, something strange happened.

His grip tightened slightly.

Not painfully.

Just enough for me to notice.

When I looked up, his expression had changed.

For a split second, something flickered in his eyes.

Relief.

The emotion was gone almost instantly, replaced by the usual cool indifference he showed the world.

But I had seen it.

And it made my heart beat faster.

Why would Adrian Kingsley feel relieved to see me?

Unless...

No.

I quickly pushed the thought away.

That kind of thing only happened in stories.

People didn't just remember past lives.

Right?

Lily suddenly stepped forward beside me.

"Mr. Kingsley," she said sweetly, flashing him one of her most charming smiles.

"I'm Lily Vale. Serena's sister."

Her voice was soft and gentle, the same tone she used whenever she wanted someone to like her immediately.

In my previous life, it had worked on almost everyone.

Including my father.

Including countless people in high society.

And for a long time, I believed it had worked on Adrian too.

But now I watched him carefully.

Waiting for his reaction.

Adrian glanced at Lily briefly.

Only briefly.

His expression didn't change.

"Miss Vale," he said politely.

That was it.

No warmth.

No interest.

Just polite acknowledgment.

Lily's smile faltered slightly, but she recovered quickly.

"We've heard so much about you," she continued, clearly trying to keep his attention.

"You're very impressive for someone so young."

Adrian nodded once.

"Thank you."

Then his gaze shifted back to me.

Completely ignoring her.

Lily's fingers tightened slightly around her clutch purse.

If someone wasn't watching closely, they might miss the flash of irritation that crossed her face.

But I saw it.

I had spent my entire life watching Lily's expressions.

Learning the difference between her real emotions and the ones she showed the world.

Adrian spoke again.

"Would you mind walking with me for a moment, Miss Vale?"

The question caught me off guard.

"Me?"

"Yes."

He gestured toward the quieter side of the ballroom where a large balcony overlooked the city.

"I'd like to talk."

Lily's head snapped toward him.

"Serena just arrived," she said quickly. "Maybe I could-"

"I asked Miss Serena."

Adrian's voice wasn't loud.

But it was firm enough to stop her instantly.

Silence settled between us for a moment.

Then I nodded.

"Alright."

I followed Adrian through the crowd toward the balcony doors.

I could feel Lily's stare burning into my back the entire time.

The night air was cool when we stepped outside.

The balcony overlooked the glowing city skyline, lights stretching endlessly into the distance.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

Adrian stood beside the railing, his hands resting casually in his pockets as he looked out over the city.

Then he glanced at me again.

"You look different."

I frowned slightly.

"Different from what?"

He didn't answer immediately.

Instead, he studied my face again with that same intense gaze.

Finally, he said quietly,

"Different from how I remember you."

My stomach tightened.

There it was again.

That strange sentence.

"How you remember me?"

I crossed my arms slightly.

"Mr. Kingsley, are you sure we've met before?"

A faint smile touched his lips.

"Very sure."

"But I don't remember meeting you."

"That's understandable."

My patience was beginning to wear thin.

"Then maybe you should explain."

For a moment, Adrian didn't respond.

The wind moved gently through his dark hair as he looked out over the city again.

Then he said something that made my entire body freeze.

"You died on a balcony."

My heart stopped.

The world seemed to tilt slightly beneath my feet.

Slowly... very slowly... I turned to look at him.

His expression was calm.

Almost thoughtful.

"You were holding a champagne glass," he continued quietly.

"It slipped from your hand when you collapsed."

My breathing became shallow.

That scene...

That exact moment...

No one should know about it.

Not yet.

Not in this timeline.

I stared at him, my voice barely above a whisper.

"How do you know that?"

Adrian finally turned to face me fully.

Our eyes locked.

And this time, he didn't hide the strange emotion in his gaze.

Regret.

"I was there," he said.

My heart pounded violently.

"That's impossible."

"In this timeline," he agreed calmly.

The words hit me like lightning.

Silence filled the balcony.

Neither of us spoke for several seconds.

Then I asked the only question that mattered.

"You remember it too... don't you?"

Adrian didn't look surprised.

Instead, a small, almost amused smile appeared on his face.

"Yes," he said simply.

My breath caught.

The impossible had just become real.

I wasn't the only one who had returned.

Adrian Kingsley remembered the future too.

And suddenly...

My second life had become far more dangerous than I ever imagined.