"Today, the execution of Countess Liv Erickson will be carried out."
The judge's voice echoed through the square. Crowds filled the plaza, faces alight with excitement and disgust toward the woman they called evil—vile, envious, and rotten to the core.
They said I poisoned Count Erickson's beloved concubine out of jealousy for her beauty, for the child she carried. That woman… was me.
Dragged up the stairs toward the execution platform, I could hear the jeers and curses from the mob. The stench of rotten eggs, tomatoes, and sewage water filled the air as they hurled their filth at me. Some even gagged from the smell.
Pain?
I no longer felt it. My tongue had been cut out long ago, and the torture in prison had already numbed every inch of my soul.
"Kill that witch!"
"Disgraceful woman!"
"She's cursed!"
"Count Erickson's misfortune began the day he married her!"
Their hatred rolled over me like waves, and I could only smile bitterly.
If only they knew—their accusations were meant for someone else, not me.
"Stop."
The voice came from beside me. I turned slightly and saw a tall man standing next to me, shielding me from the next barrage of stones and filth. His eyes met mine for a fleeting moment before the guard yanked my hair, forcing me forward like an animal.
He walked beside me still, silently blocking what blows he could. But the crowd roared louder.
"Let her die! She deserves it!"
With a dull thud, my knees hit the wooden platform. My head was forced into the groove of the guillotine, eyes fixed on the sea of faces shouting for my death.
"You shouldn't have ruined yourself," a low voice whispered near my ear. I smiled faintly.
Then—
Slash.
My head rolled, and for eight fleeting seconds, I saw my entire life flash before my eyes. The last thing I saw before darkness claimed me was a pair of glowing red eyes… watching me.
It should have been the end—silence, emptiness, nothingness.But then I heard it.A heartbeat. Slow. Heavy. Mine.
The scent of damp soil filled my lungs as my fingers twitched, clawing through cold dirt. My body trembled, memories flashing—crowds, the blade, the pain.And those eyes. The crimson eyes that watched me die.
I gasped, dragging myself out of the grave. Thick fog blanketed the night, the pale moon hanging above as a silent witness to my return.My dress was torn, covered in blood and earth—but I was alive.
No…I was back.
When I opened my eyes, I wasn't in the square where people cursed me, nor in the cold prison where I'd been whipped and beaten until my tongue was cut.No. I was—
"My lady?"I turned. Annie stood before me—smiling. Breathing. Alive.I froze.
"Annie?" My voice trembled."My lady, what's wrong?" she asked, panic flickering in her eyes.
I didn't answer right away. Around us, roses bloomed in soft colors, their fragrance filling the gazebo.Was this… heaven? Annie was dead. And yet—she stood right here.
"Please, don't scare me, my lady," she whispered."Annie… where are we?""In the Rose Garden Café. You forgot?"
I blinked at her."You fell asleep waiting for Young Master Erickson," she added softly.
Wait.I inhaled sharply. My thoughts raced.Dead. I was supposed to be dead.
"Annie… what's the date and year today?""Twelfth of Solmare, Year of the Wolf," she replied.
My heart stopped.The Year of the Wolf—three years before the Year of the Rose.Three years before my execution. Before the lies. Before everything fell apart.
My chest tightened. Memories crashed over me like waves.The Rose Garden… yes. I had waited for Andrey here. He came late, claiming he'd been busy with the family's finances.Fool that I was—I believed him.Years later, I learned the truth. He had been with his concubine, Angelina.
My hands clenched. No. Not again."Annie, let's go home," I said firmly."But, my lady, the young master's men said—""No." My tone was sharp, final. "I'm going home."
I strode out of the gazebo. Annie followed, breathless, while people turned to stare. I didn't care.I raised my hand, signaling to Martin. He rushed to open the car door.
"My lady—""Take me home," I said, voice cold."Yes, my lady."
I leaned back in my seat, closing my eyes.Let them stare. Let them talk.The gods had given me one more chance—and I would not waste it again.
The carriage stopped in front of a grand stone castle—the Albrecht Estate.
I stepped out in a rush, not waiting for the servants. My heart pounded as I ran across the courtyard, past startled guards and maids. I didn't care for their gasps or questions.I just needed to see them—to know that this time, it was real.
Bang!The doors flew open. Everyone in the hall froze.
And there—among a group of nobles—stood Mother, and Leon, my brother.
"Liv?" Leon's voice trembled, disbelief in his tone.
I didn't hesitate. I ran straight to him and threw myself into his arms.
Thud.Tears burst forth as he caught me, holding me tight.
"Liv, what's wrong?" Mother's voice was calm but filled with worry.I couldn't speak—I could only cry.
"Postpone the meeting," Mother ordered softly. "We'll continue tomorrow."The hall fell silent, the nobles exchanging glances before bowing and leaving the room.
"Liv…" Leon murmured again.
I pulled back, just enough to see Mother's face."Mother…" I whispered, and then I broke—falling into her embrace.
"What happened?" Leon asked gently.
"I'm sorry…" My voice cracked. "I'm so sorry… both of you…"
My strength gave out. Mother followed me down, and soon the three of us sat on the cold marble floor. She stroked my hair gently.
Mother was never a gentle woman to others. But to me, she always was.The Marchioness Albrecht—the woman who took over the title after Father's death—strong, proud, and unyielding.
And in her arms that night,for the first time since my death—I truly felt alive again.
"Cry, if it helps ease your heart, my daughter,"