I didn't sleep that night.
Even after my mother left the room, the words she had said continued echoing inside my head.
"Tomorrow is your wedding with Dominic Blackwood".
I sat on the edge of my bed for a long time, staring at my hands.
They looked the same.
Soft. Unscarred. Alive.
But my memories were not.
They were painfully clearer than anything. The cold mansion. The silent dinners.
The endless loneliness.
Five years of marriage that had felt more like imprisonment than love.
And then the storm.
The accident.
And finally my death.
I slowly pressed my palm against my chest, feeling the steady rhythm of my heartbeat.
It was warm. Strong. Real.
I had truly died.
And somehow... I had been given another chance.
A second life.
But this time, I knew exactly how the future would unfold. I knew the pain waiting for me if I walked down that aisle tomorrow.
The thought made my stomach twist. In my previous life, I had accepted the marriage without hesitation.
I thought it was fate. I thought I could make Dominic love me if I tried hard enough.
But now I knew the truth.
Dominic Blackwood had never loved me. And he never would.
I stood up slowly and walked toward the window. The night sky was calm now, the storm from my memories nowhere to be seen. The city lights glittered in the distance.
Tomorrow, I was supposed to become Mrs. Blackwood. The wife of the most powerful billionaire in the country.
The woman everyone envied.
A bitter smile touched my lips.
If only they knew how empty that title truly was.
In my previous life, I had spent years chasing Dominic's affection.
I tolerated his indifference.
I endured Vanessa Crowe's constant presence.
I convinced myself that if I was patient, everything would eventually change.
But nothing ever did.
I was the only one fighting for a marriage that had been dead from the beginning.
This time..
I would not make the same mistake. A quiet knock sounded on my door.
"Seraphina?"
My mother's voice.
I quickly turned around as she stepped inside the room again. Her expression was filled with gentle concern.
"You're still awake?"
I forced a calm smile.
"I couldn't sleep".
She walked toward me and gently brushed my hair away from my face.
"Nervous?"
I hesitated for a moment.
In my previous life, I had been nervous.
Excited. Hopeful.
But now...
Those feelings felt like they belonged to someone else.
"I guess", I replied softly.
My mother smiled warmly.
"That's normal. Every bride feels that way before her wedding".
Her words made something tighten inside my chest.
Every bride.
But I wasn't like other brides. Most women walked into marriage believing they would be loved, but I already knew the opposite for my case.
My mother continued speaking cheerfully.
"Your father has been busy all day with the arrangements. The Blackwood family is very particular about these things".
Of course they were.
The Blackwood name carried enormous influence.
Even my own family had been eager to secure the marriage.
Back then, I had believed it was destiny. Now I understood it was nothing more than a business alliance.
My mother squeezed my shoulder gently.
"You should try to rest. Tomorrow will be a long day".
I nodded quietly.
"I will".
She gave me one last smile before leaving the room.
When the door closed behind her, the silence surrounding me returned as I sat down on the bed again. My gaze drifted toward the mirror across the room.
Slowly, I stood up and walked toward it. The girl staring back at me looked exactly like the Seraphina I remembered from years ago.
Her eyes were still soft. Her face still carried innocence. She looked like someone who believed in love.
But I wasn't that girl anymore. Not after everything I had lived through.
My reflection stared back at me quietly.
"I won't do it again", I whispered softly to myself.
"I won't destroy my life for him".
For the first time since waking up, my thoughts became clear. If I truly had returned to the past...
Then I still had time to change everything.
I didn't have to marry Dominic. I didn't have to spend five years loving someone who treated me like nothing. And most of all, I didn't have to become the woman who died alone on a rainy highway.
The realization sent a strange sense of relief through my chest.
I finally had a choice.
In my previous life, I had walked willingly into that marriage.
But this time...
I could walk away.
The thought should have scared me.
Instead, it felt freeing.
I stared at my reflection for a long moment before quietly turning away.
Tomorrow would change everything.
Either I would repeat the same tragic life....
Or I would finally choose myself.
.....
Morning arrived far too quickly.
Sunlight streamed through the curtains, filling the room with warm golden light.
I had barely slept. But strangely, I didn't feel tired. If anything, my mind felt sharper than ever.
Today was the day of my wedding.
In my previous life, I had woken up full of excitement.
My heart had been racing with anticipation.
Today, my heart was calm.
Too calm.
A soft knock sounded on the door before it opened.
"Seraphina!"
My best friend, Clara, rushed into the room carrying several garment bags. Her face lit up when she saw me.
"You're already awake!"
I smiled faintly.
"I couldn't sleep much".
Clara laughed.
"That's normal! Brides never sleep before their wedding".
She carefully hung the garment bags near the wardrobe.
"Your dress arrived this morning. You should see it—it's absolutely stunning".
My gaze drifted toward the elegant white gown she revealed. I remembered it perfectly. In my previous life, I had thought it was the most beautiful dress in the world, had felt like a princess wearing it.
But now....
It just looked like a costume.
A beautiful disguise hiding a miserable future.
Clara didn't notice my silence. She continued talking excitedly.
"The entire city is talking about this wedding. You're marrying Dominic Blackwood, Seraphina! Do you know how many women would kill to be in your place?"
I lowered my gaze slightly.
Yes. I knew.
That was exactly what everyone thought.
They saw wealth.
Power. Status.
They didn't see the loneliness. The cold stares.
The empty mansion, I had felt alone.
Clara suddenly leaned closer with a playful grin.
"So...are you excited?"
Her question lingered in the air. I looked at the wedding dress again.
The same dress I had worn in my previous life.
The same dress I had walked down the aisle in while believing my future would be filled with love.
I remembered Dominic standing at the altar.
Tall. Handsome. Emotionless.
He had looked at me the same way someone might look at a stranger. Even when he placed the ring on my finger, there had been no warmth in his eyes.
The memory felt painfully clear. My fingers slowly curled at my sides.
Clara tilted her head slightly.
"Seraphina?"
I looked back at her.
For a moment, I considered telling her the truth.
That marrying Dominic Blackwood had been the worst decision of my life. That the marriage would destroy me. But how could I explain something like rebirth?
No one would believe it.
So instead, I gave her a small smile.
"I'm thinking".
Clara laughed.
"Well, don't think too much. Today is supposed to be the happiest day of your life".
My smile faded slightly.
In my previous life, it had been. Because I had believed I was marrying the man I loved.
But love alone was never enough.
I took a slow breath.
The decision I had made last night returned to my mind.
I had another chance now.
Another life.
And I would not waste it repeating the same mistake.
My gaze moved from the dress to the sunlight pouring through the window.
For the first time, I felt something unfamiliar growing inside my chest.
Not love. Not fear.
Freedom.
I turned toward Clara calmly.
"Clara", I said quietly.
"Yes?"
I looked directly into her eyes.
Then I spoke the words that would change everything.
"I don't want to marry Dominic Blackwood".
The room fell silent.