Chapter 1 – I Died on My Wedding Day
I died on my wedding day.
Not in battle.
Not by assassination in some dark alley.
I died smiling, dressed in white, holding the hand of the man I loved.
The palace hall was filled with music and laughter. Crystal chandeliers reflected golden light onto marble floors polished so perfectly they looked like mirrors.
Noble guests whispered praises about how beautiful the bride looked, how fortunate I was, how enviable my future seemed.
I believed them.
I believed in love.
I believed in destiny.
I believed in him.
"Drink," he said softly, lifting the crystal goblet toward me. His eyes were gentle, his smile warm. The same smile that had comforted me through years of court politics and family pressure.
I raised my cup in return.
"To our future," I said.
The wine tasted slightly bitter. I frowned, but before I could question it, warmth spread through my chest—too fast, too wrong.
Then the pain came.
It was not immediate. At first, it felt like heat blooming under my skin, like standing too close to a fire. My fingers loosened around the goblet. The glass shattered on the floor, red liquid spreading like spilled blood.
My vision blurred.
"Ah…" I gasped.
The music faltered. Conversations stopped.
My knees gave out.
He released my hand.
That was when I understood.
I collapsed onto the cold marble floor, my white dress staining crimson as my body convulsed. My lungs burned.
My heart hammered wildly, as if trying to escape my chest.
I reached for him, desperate, confused.
"Why…?" I whispered.
He looked down at me.
There was no panic in his eyes.
No guilt.
Only pity.
"You should have known," he said calmly. "You were never meant to live this long."
The world shattered.
My ears rang as screams erupted around us. Servants rushed forward. Nobles backed away in horror. Someone shouted for a healer.
But he didn't move.
He simply stepped back, as if distancing himself from something unpleasant.
My body felt heavy, unbearably heavy. Darkness crept in from the edges of my vision. I struggled to breathe, each gasp weaker than the last.
That was when I saw him.
Standing at the far end of the hall, half-hidden by shadows and black banners, was a man dressed entirely in dark colors. His posture was relaxed, almost indifferent, as if he were watching a performance rather than a death.
Kael Raventhorn.
The most dangerous man in the empire.
Our families were enemies. Our paths had crossed only a few times, always briefly, always tensely. He was rumored to be ruthless, cold-blooded, incapable of affection.
Our eyes met.
He did not look surprised.
That was what terrified me the most.
His gaze was steady. Knowing.
As if my death was something he had already seen.
Something he had already accepted.
My fingers twitched against the marble.
Then the darkness swallowed everything.
I woke up choking.
Air rushed violently into my lungs as I jolted upright, my body drenched in sweat. My heart pounded so hard I thought my ribs might crack.
I was alive.
The sensation was overwhelming—too real to be a dream. My chest rose and fell rapidly. My hands clenched into the bedsheets, feeling the texture beneath my fingers.
"Miss Elena!"
A familiar voice rang out. Footsteps rushed toward me.
I turned my head slowly, afraid that the slightest movement might shatter this fragile reality.
The room was… mine.
Sunlight streamed through tall windows framed by pale curtains embroidered with silver thread. The scent of lavender filled the air. My vanity stood by the wall, a small crack in the mirror I remembered all too well.
This was my bedroom.
My childhood bedroom.
A maid hurried to my side, her face pale with concern. "Thank the gods—you collapsed earlier. We were so worried."
Collapsed?
My gaze darted to the wall.
The calendar.
My breath caught in my throat.
Five years earlier.
The date burned itself into my mind.
This was the day my engagement had been announced.
The day my fate had been sealed.
I pressed a hand to my chest. My heart was beating—strong, steady, alive.
I had returned.
Rebirth.
The word echoed in my mind like a thunderclap.
This wasn't a dream. Every detail was too precise, too vivid. The fear, the pain, the betrayal—it was all still there, carved deep into my soul.
The maid kept talking, but her words blurred together.
I had only one thought.
I will not die again.
I closed my eyes, breathing slowly until the tremors in my hands subsided.
In my previous life, I had been obedient. Kind. Naive.
I had trusted the wrong man.
Ignored warning signs.
Believed love alone could protect me.
This time, I would be different.
"Miss Elena?" the maid asked cautiously. "Should I call the doctor?"
"No," I said.
My voice sounded unfamiliar—calm, cold, steady.
She froze.
I opened my eyes and looked at her directly. "Leave me."
She hesitated. "But—"
"Now."
She bowed quickly and hurried out of the room.
Silence fell.
I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood, walking slowly toward the mirror. The girl reflected back at me looked younger, softer, untouched by tragedy.
But my eyes were not those of a young noblewoman anymore.
They were the eyes of someone who had died.
I remembered everything.
The betrayal.
The poison.
Kael Raventhorn's gaze.
Why had he been there?
Why had he looked like he already knew?
In my past life, Kael had always been distant. Untouchable.
Dangerous. But I knew one thing for certain.
He was powerful.
More powerful than the man who had killed me.
And power was exactly what I needed.
A knock sounded at the door.
"Miss Elena," a servant called. "Your father requests your presence. He wishes to discuss your engagement."
I laughed softly.
So it begins.
In my previous life, I had bowed my head and accepted the arrangement. I had believed it was my duty.
This time?
I straightened my back.
"Tell my father," I said evenly, "that I have made my decision."
The servant paused. "Your decision…?"
I smiled.
"I will marry Kael Raventhorn."
Silence.
Then a sharp intake of breath from behind the door.
I turned away from the mirror, my pulse steady.
If this world was a battlefield, then I would choose the most dangerous weapon available.
And if Kael Raventhorn truly knew about my death…
Then this marriage would either save me—
Or destroy us both.