Chapter 1
VIVIENNE’S POINT OF VIEW.
“Do you, Vivienne Sterling, take Ethan Cross to be your lawfully wedded husband, in sickness and health?” The priest’s voice slowly drowned out as I stared around me. The unmistakable gathering of men and women dressed elegantly in the pew ahead, the priest in front of me, and the man in front of me.
Ethan, my intern, the love of my life.
He held onto my hand, lips curled with that smile I’d fallen in love with, until it was too late, and I choked on my own blood in front of him. His left eye twitched, his grip on my wrist tightening for a moment before he whispered, “Honey, the priest asked you a question.”
“I-w-what…” I looked around again. “What is going on?”
“What do you mean, honey?” he chuckled. “It’s your wedding day; we’re getting married.”
“W-we are?” I frowned, looking around again. “B-but we are already married.”
Just moments ago, he stood over me right outside my study door after I transferred my company to him, my best friend on his arm, smirking. All I could taste was blood, spreading into my mouth until I choked on it; the cancer had spread all over my lungs, rendering them useless.
“Babe, I know you’re very excited for this, but this is our wedding day.” Ethan chuckled again, then he gestured all around us. “Look, it’s exactly as you planned it.”
I felt a warm touch against my lower back suddenly. “Vivienne?” My best friend’s voice hit me like a whiplash. I turned to stare at her, and there she was. She looked much younger; the evil glint in her eyes had disappeared, and the hateful twist on her lips... she looked normal. Not the girl that fucked my husband inside my study, the girl who planted Ethan in my office when my parents died because she knew I would need that emotional connection.
I thought they were my family, but they fed me poison, paid my doctor to tell me it was cancer, and kept poisoning me until finally, my body couldn’t take it.
“Y-you.” I gasped, jumping away from her as if she burned me. The long, flowy white dress nearly tripped me, but I stepped away from her.
“Vivienne? What's wrong? Why are you acting like this?” She chuckled, eyes filled with worry, but I wasn’t fooled. Cassandra was anything but the doting best friend I thought she was.
“Vivienne.” Ethan held his hand out to me, but I didn’t dare take it. “Come here right now; this is our wedding day. Why are you like this?”
Before I could respond, another hand clamped down on my shoulder, followed by a sickeningly sweet voice I’d recognize anywhere. “Dear, are you alright? Is it the nerves?” I flipped around to make eye contact with Mrs Cross, Ethan’s mother. “I already told you not to worry, love. My son and my family love you very much.”
The diamonds around her neck nearly blinded me. I could recognize them anywhere. My mother’s rare blood diamond; she had them on as if they belonged to her. My lips twisted as I reached for it, snatching it from her neck swiftly.
“Ahhh!” she screamed, eyes wide. Her smile dropped, replaced with a pained one instead. Small spurts of blood showed on different parts of her neck before her hand clamped down on it. ‘What the hell was that for you, bitch?!”
“No longer sweet, huh?” I hissed through gritted teeth. Ethan jumped beside his mother, holding onto her.
“Are you alright, Mom?” He whispered.
“Tell your wife to get a grip. Look what she did to my neck, plus she took my necklace.”
“It’s not your necklace.” I hissed through gritted teeth.
“E-excuse me?” Mother and son blinked. I didn’t respond at first; all I could do was look around until my eyes found a clock. It was past twelve, and before, at this time, I’d already signed my death certificate when I said I do to Ethan.
I’d been reborn…Everything I knew was my past life. And now, I wouldn’t let the same events repeat themselves.
“I said, it is not your necklace, Sasha.” I glared at them, bringing the diamond up; small droplets of blood from when I snatched it from her neck stared back at me. “Last I checked, it belongs to my mother.”
“B-but you were the one who gave it to me.”
“A mistake on my part, but don’t worry. I won't make it again.” I returned the sickeningly sweet smile she usually gave to me. She tapped her son’s arm, lips pulled in a thin line.
“Son, tell her to give my necklace back to me.”
“Yeah. Vivienne, I don’t know what's gotten into you, but as your husband, I command you to give that to my mother this second.”
I waited for the usual fear, usual submission I’d have given to him to swell, but all I could do was chuckle. My heart felt more like a dead, unwatered plant. He didn’t expect my laugh; he glanced at his mother, then back at me. “What’s funny?”
“You.” I sighed. “First of all, this is not your mother’s necklace. If she wants a diamond, she can bloody go get one for herself. Oh right! You can't afford one.
That’s why your stupid fat mother doesn’t want to get one for herself. Lay off the burgers, Sasha.” I glanced at his red-faced mom. “You’re already over five hundred pounds, for goodness sake.”
“I won't tolerate you speaking to my mother like that!” he raised his arm to smack me, but I held it just in time.
“Touch me, Ethan. And I swear, I’ll have you sleeping in a cell every night for the rest of your pathetic life.” I looked around at the visibly shocked guests. “I hate to break it to you all this way, but this wedding will not hold.”
“What?” Cassandra, my best friend, gasped before she walked in front of me. “Are you insane, Vivienne? Look, I know you’re upset at Ethan because he did something you probably didn’t like. But he will beg you, and we can forget all about this.
But you can't just call off a wedding whenever you feel like it.”
‘Why the hell not, Cassandra? I mean, I paid for the hall, the dress I have on, your dress, his suit, his mother’s dress, the décor…I mean, since all of this happened because of me, I’m sure it can be called off by me.”
“That doesn’t make sense. Why would you call it off like that? You’re just acting like this because you have daddy’s money.” She rolled her eyes, and for a moment, the evil glint in her eyes from my past life reappeared.
I clenched my hands into fists before my eyes searched around. They stopped once they found his grey ones.
Felix Cross.
Pushing the veil off my head, I tossed it to the floor, then marched over. Ethan and his mother moved aside, probably on reflex, but I barely looked their way.
No, I had one goal.
Hit them where it hurts most.
So the moment I stopped in front of Felix, I whispered, “Play along.” I didn’t think; I crashed my lips on his.
