Chapter 2

Eight o’clock the next morning.

I changed into the dress I had prepared.

A dark blue mermaid gown, making my skin look very pale.

I stood in front of the mirror and put on lipstick.

The color was bright red.

In my last life, I always wore light colors because Ethan said they looked “gentle.”

Now that I think about it, that was just his way of “training” me.

My phone rang.

It was Ethan.

“Ava, are you ready? I’m coming to pick you up.”

His voice was gentle, exactly the same as in my last life.

In my last life, I thought that was love.

Now I knew it was just acting.

“I’m ready. Come on.”

Half an hour later, Ethan’s car stopped downstairs.

Today he wore a dark gray suit and looked sharp.

Lily was in the passenger seat.

I knew she did it on purpose.

The passenger seat was reserved for the closest person—that was the unspoken rule between lovers.

We had argued about this many times.

Every time, Ethan said, “Lily has sat in my passenger seat since she was little. She’s used to it.”

“She’s used to it.”

“She didn’t mean it.”

“She’s still a kid...”

Every time, it was never Lily’s fault. If I said one more word, I was just being petty.

Today, Lily wore a pink dress and had her hair in a bun, looking like an innocent young girl.

When she saw me, she smiled sweetly.

“Ms. Ava, you look so pretty today!”

I smiled, said nothing, opened the door, and sat straight in the back seat.

Lily froze for a second.

Probably because I didn’t, like before, make a fuss about why the passenger seat wasn’t left for me.

She probably wanted me and Ethan to argue first before we even got to the engagement banquet.

That way, Ethan would be even angrier later.

But she hadn’t expected that today I wouldn’t even ask another question and would just get in the back seat.

In the rearview mirror, I saw Ethan quietly let out a breath.

So, he had always known what I cared about, but he just refused to give in.

The car drove toward the hotel.

Lily chattered nonstop the whole way.

She said she had prepared a “special program” for our engagement banquet.

“Ethan, Ms. Ava, you two are definitely going to remember it forever!”

Her eyes were sparkling when she said it.

Like a child waiting to be praised.

Ethan smiled indulgently. “Don’t make it too over the top, kid.”

“I won’t! I’ve been preparing for a long time!”

Logan sent a message:

“I’m in position. Everything’s ready.”

“I found Tyler too. He admitted Lily paid him to do it.”

I replied:

“Proceed as planned.”

The car stopped in front of the hotel.

The biggest five-star hotel in New York.

The Blake family had booked out the entire banquet hall.

Most of the guests had already arrived.

My mom was standing at the entrance greeting people, and when she saw me, her eyes turned a little red.

“Ava, you look beautiful today.”

I hugged her.

Very tightly.

In my last life, I never gave her a proper hug.

I always thought she was nagging, old-fashioned, and didn’t understand me.

Not until the moment she fell.

Only then did I know what regret meant.

“Mom, no matter what happens today, don’t panic.”

My mom froze.

“What?”

“It’s nothing serious,” I said, letting go of her. “Just take care of your health.”

When I walked into the banquet hall.

There were flowers and balloons everywhere.

The big screen onstage was looping photos of me and Ethan.

Everything was so perfect.

Exactly the same as in my last life.

Lily had already run backstage.

I looked toward the control room beside the stage.

Logan’s people were already there.

Ethan held my hand.

“Ava, from now on, you’ll officially be my fiancée.”

He looked serious when he said it, his eyes sincere.

In my last life, I believed him like that too.

But what happened in the end?

I ended up watching him “forgive” Lily on my behalf.

I lowered my lashes.

“Mm.”

The engagement banquet began.

The host went onstage.

He said a bunch of blessing words.

Ethan’s parents also went onstage.

Lily sat obediently in the first row below the stage.

She kept glancing at me.

Her eyes were full of hidden excitement.

I knew what she was waiting for.

I was waiting too.

Finally, the host said the line:

“Next, let’s review the love journey of our groom-to-be and bride-to-be!”

Lily stood up.

“I’ll play it! This is the gift I prepared for Ms. Ava!”

She ran onto the stage.

An USB drive was in her hand.

Mrs. Blake smiled and said, “This child is so thoughtful.”

Ethan also smiled.

“Lily has always liked Ava.”

I watched Lily plug the USB drive into the computer.

Watched her open the player.

Watched her turn around and give me a sweet smile.

“Ms. Ava, this is the gift I’m giving you two.”

The big screen lit up.

The footage appeared.

My face, and an unfamiliar man.

The whole room went silent for two seconds.

Then it exploded.