In my previous life, my marriage to Caspian had driven Amelia to despair. A month later, she swallowed a Parasitic Curse and ended her own life. Caspian could not find compatible blood to counter it. He could only watch as she faded, breath by breath, until she was gone.

That was when his hatred for me truly took root. He carried it with him until his death.

But this time, I had not married him. So why had Amelia still chosen to die?

I had been wondering how I was supposed to fulfill his third regret. Now it had delivered itself to me.

I looked at him calmly. "So you came to take my blood. To neutralize the Parasitic Curse?"

Caspian froze. He had clearly not expected those words. When he spoke again, his voice had turned glacial. "You think I wouldn't dare?"

His grip tightened. "You humiliated Ames until she drank poison. You owe her. This is your penance."

-

Caspian dragged me straight to Amelia's residence.

She lay on the bed, barely breathing. The physician drew a dagger and sliced my arm. Sharp, fine pain bloomed, and I let out a muffled groan.

The physician's eyes lit up. "The Parasitic Curse is reacting. This young lady's blood is indeed compatible."

Then he hesitated. "But to save her, we need blood from the heart. I can't guarantee this lady's body can endure it."

"No." Caspian's expression changed at once. His brows drew tight. "Someone who loses heart's blood loses half their life. She can't withstand that. Is there no other way?"

The physician looked troubled.

"Other blood will have limited effect. If the heir refuses, then you must prepare yourselves. Taking heart's blood will not kill this lady," he said carefully. "But the woman poisoned by the Parasitic Curse will certainly die."

Caspian pressed his lips together, his gaze fixed on Amelia. Pain showed clearly in his eyes.

I turned to the physician. "I'm willing. Take it."

The physician looked back at Caspian. "But this will severely damage her vitality."

I smiled faintly. "It's fine. I can recover. Saving her comes first."

Caspian stared at me, hard and unblinking. At last, with a frown, he tore a strip from his white robe and covered my eyes.

"I owe you," he said stiffly. "I will repay this debt."

After he left, the physician began. The blade pierced my flesh. With each fraction deeper, the pain sharpened, clear and merciless. As it cut in, memories rose without warning.

When I was eight, my parents died. Noble children bullied me and said I had no father, no mother, and no one to protect me.

Caspian had driven them off. He then rested a hand on my head and said, "Don't be afraid. I'll protect you."

He had kept that promise. Even at the moment of his death, he had shielded me. There had been no way for me not to love him.

But I knew that from the moment I was reborn, I had to sever our bond, no matter the cost.

When the heart's blood was taken, warm liquid flooded my throat. Blood spilled from the corner of my mouth. Pain tore through me, and I fell into darkness.

Dimly, I remembered the last thing he said to me in my previous life. "Evelyn. How much better would my life have been if I had never met you."

Tears burst free. I smiled weakly and whispered, "Ian, this time, I won't cling to you anymore."

-

When I woke again, daylight filled the room. I had been moved to a side chamber.

Agony twisted through my chest. The room stood empty. My body felt hollow and powerless, unable to move.

I looked toward the window. It was nearly noon.

"Time to leave," I murmured.

Outside, maids chatted as they passed.

"Did you see the meteor shower last night? It was a once-in-a-century one."

"I did. It was beautiful. They say if lovers watch it together, they will stay together for life."

As I listened to their satisfied voices, regret pricked softly.

What a pity. Such beautiful meteors, and I had still missed them.

Not long after, Caspian pushed the door open with a bowl of food in his hands. It was something I had loved as a child: Royal Grand Potage, prepared by the royal kitchen.

For a moment, I felt dazed. I had not expected him to remember.

He studied me, his voice gentler than it had been in a long time. "Does your chest still hurt? Should I call a royal physician?"

He added quietly, "Thanks to you, she's no longer in danger."

I nodded. "Alright."

When Caspian saw how pale I was, his brow remained furrowed. "I spoke too harshly yesterday. Don't take it to heart. But Ames is innocent. What happens between us should never involve her. In the future, don't complain again."

A dull ache spread through my chest. This time, I did not explain myself as I had in my previous life. I only curved my lips into a faint smile. "Sure. There won't be a next time."

Caspian tucked the blanket around me. "We didn't see the meteors last night. After we're married, I'll go with you to pay respects at your parents' graves. I remember that you like Willowreach. After that, we can travel there together."

I froze for a moment, then smiled lightly. "There's no need. You don't have to make up for me for last night. I chose to save her."

He paused. Emotions churned in his eyes.

"I've already arranged a carriage to leave the city in five days," he said. "Once you recover, we'll depart."

I met his gaze and said nothing.

He held the bowl, his hand trembling faintly. That hand had once been badly injured, the tendons nearly ruined. Whenever the weather turned damp, it ached. Even holding a bowl required effort.

My nose stung. I asked softly, "Do you regret becoming like this, for saving me?"

His expression stayed calm. "There's nothing to regret. If it had been someone else, I would have saved them too."

My gaze dimmed. My voice grew lighter, thinner. "Then when I caught that epidemic, when you climbed the cliff to gather snow lotus, would you have done the same for anyone else?"

"Yes."

So there truly had been nothing special about it.

Tears gathered in my eyes, yet I still forced a smile. "Ian, thank you for saving me again and again. I lost my parents when I was young. I wanted a home far too badly. That was why I forced you to marry me. My stubbornness must have caused you so much trouble—put you through so much pain."

From today onward, it would not be like that anymore. He would not have to abandon the woman he loved to marry me. We would not torment each other for 10 years. He would not die at 30 because of me.

In this life, he would live well.

I thought I saw a flicker of panic cross Caspian's face. He opened his mouth to speak, but a maid rushed in and cut him off. "My Lord! My Lady has woken up. She keeps asking for you and refuses to eat. Please go see her at once!"

Relief and joy surfaced at once on Caspian's handsome face. He glanced at me and stood. "Wait for me. I'll be right back."

"Ian," I called after him, my smile the brightest it had been all day. "I'm sorry. And I wish you a smooth life ahead, full of long years and good health."

He looked startled, unease flashing across his features. "Why say something like that all of a sudden? I'm only going to see Ames. I'll be back soon. Eat properly and wait for me. I have something to tell you."

Then he turned and left.

Before noon, I got out of bed. The physician came to examine me and prescribed medicine.

I thanked him with a smile. "I'll take it properly. Thank you. Please also help me pass a message to Lord Caspian. Tell him that I have gone to Willowreach. Ask him to take care, and not to think of me."

-

After Caspian finished seeing Amelia, he hurried back to the side chamber and found it empty.

He seized a maid. "Where is Lady Frostwood? She hasn't recovered yet. Where did she go?"

Before the maid could answer, a guard rushed in, panic written across his face. "Lord Caspian, something terrible has happened. Bandits blocked the road out of the city. The civilians who were attacked are still alive. Only Lady Frostwood, who had just lost heart's blood, bled out and died."