Chapter 1

On the night of our wedding, after three years of dating Julian, my new mother-in-law, Eleanor, walked into the bedroom with a porcelain plate of brightly colored dumplings and a tight, pleasant smile.

"Vivian, dear," she said softly. "It’s a tradition in the Miller family. The bride must pick the right dumpling on her wedding night to secure a lifetime of happiness. Go ahead, choose one."

In my first life, I picked the red one, thinking it symbolized celebration and love.

The very next second, Eleanor pulled a carving knife from behind her back and plunged it straight into my heart. Before I could even scream for help, I bled out.

"Red is the color of blood! You’re planning on murdering me, aren't you?!"

In my second life, trembling with fear, I picked the blue one because blue was Julian’s favorite color.

The moment I swallowed it, Julian grabbed the heavy silver serving tray and smashed my skull in.

"Blue is the color of water! You want to drown me in my sleep!"

In my third life, I deliberately avoided every symbolic color and chose an unassuming black one.

My caution didn't save me. It triggered an explosive rage from both of them.

"Black summons malevolent demons! You’re trying to curse this entire family to death!"

When I opened my eyes again, the vibrant, multi-colored dumplings were right in front of me once more.

Eleanor’s voice purred in my ear. It sounded warm and maternal, but an unspeakable chill leaked through every word.

"Vivian, pick one. If you choose right, I’ll give you a grand gift..."

I closed my eyes in pure despair, terror clawing at my chest.

How the hell was I supposed to survive this choice?

The plate crept closer until the dumplings were practically brushing against my lips. My heart leaped straight into my throat.

What if I didn't get another respawn after this?

My eyes darted across the identical-looking dumplings. Suddenly, a thought struck me.

If every choice led to death, wouldn't refusing to eat keep me alive?

I swallowed hard, scrunched my face in discomfort, and pushed the plate away.

"Eleanor, can I skip it tonight? My stomach is killing me. I really can't eat anything."

The smile on Eleanor’s face froze for a fraction of a second. When she spoke again, her voice was gentle, but her tone was ironclad.

"Once you swallow this bite, Julian will take you to the emergency room."

"Be a good girl, Vivian. Just one bite won't hurt. This is our sacred family tradition. Anyone who breaks the rules on their wedding night will be torn to shreds and rot in hell."

That last curse felt like it crawled straight out of the underworld. A shiver ran down my spine.

Julian slid an arm around my waist, pulling me into a protective embrace. His voice overflowed with concern, yet his hand steadily nudged the plate toward me without missing a beat.

"Does it hurt that bad, babe? Let me rub your stomach. As soon as you eat, I’ll drive you straight to the hospital. Pick one, Vivian. I’ll feed it to you."

My body went rigid. Playing the sick card wasn't going to work.

Taking a deep breath, I forced a look of touched surrender. I took the plate from Julian's hands and stared down, pretending to inspect each one carefully.

A moment later, my eyes lit up.

"I’ve decided! I’ll take—"

Under their eager, expectant gazes, my hand jerked violently. The fork slammed hard into the rim of the dish.

Gasping as if terrified, I let the plate slip from my fingers. It shattered onto the hardwood floor, and in my staged panic, I stomped all over the colorful mess.

After making sure every single dumpling was smashed into an inedible pulp, I let out a shaky breath and put on an apologetic face.

"Eleanor, Julian, I'm so, so sorry! It was an accident. Maybe we should just forget the tradition for tonight? We live in the modern world anyway; nothing bad is going to happen."

"It’s getting late, and we’re all exhausted. Let’s just go to sleep. I promise I’ll make a fresh batch for breakfast tomorrow to make up for it."

Eleanor’s face darkened into something grotesque. The murderous glare she shot me was palpable.

Just when I braced myself for her to pull a knife and butcher me again, her expression softened. That fake, polite mask slipped right back over her face.

"It’s fine. I’m not tired at all. Ruined food is just ruined food, but the Miller family tradition can never be broken. I’ll just whip up another batch."

"You two wait right here. It won’t take long."

"This time, sweetheart, you only have to pick the color. I’ll feed you myself..."