Chapter 1

"Anna, it's your 22nd birthday soon." Lisa Melrose's voice rang out from the phone, her voice thick with anticipation. "You'll have to choose your fiancé from five men. Have you made up your mind yet?" Adrianna stood in front of floor-to-ceiling windows, absentmindedly brushing her fingers past the windowsill. Sunlight shone through the glass, bathing her in a warm glow—but it did nothing to melt the ice in her eyes. "Yes," she whispered. "I knew it!" Lisa chuckled. "You've been following James around ever since you were a kid. It's him, right?" "No." Adrianna's voice was eerily calm. "I'm not choosing him." Their conversation lapsed into silence. "Then…" Lisa hesitated. "You're picking from Nolan, Conrad, and Liam? They all have a crush on you." "I'm not picking them either." Lisa inhaled sharply. "Then Derick's the only one left! But he's your nemesis. You couldn't have—" "I'm picking him," Adrianna interrupted, her voice unyielding. "Mom, I'm marrying Derick." "What did you just say?" Lisa's voice rose an octave. "Anna, you haven't been on good terms with him since you were a child. "When you were five, you pushed him into the pool. On his tenth birthday, you sneaked hot pepper powder into his cake. When you were 15, you threw the limited edition sneakers he cherished in the fountain… " A smile crossed Adrianna's face as she listened to Lisa ramble on and on about her past misdeeds. "And a year ago, you said you didn't want to see him," Lisa continued. "He was so upset that he went abroad right after. Why do you suddenly want to marry him now?" Adrianna dropped her gaze, her hands balling up into fists. Only after being reborn did she realize that out of the five men, only Derick truly loved her—and she wasn't even aware of it until now. In her past life, she had happily announced to Lisa that she would marry James. But at the time, she never would have expected James to fake his death and elope with another woman, making her suffer for two decades. She was born into the wealthy Quinnen family of Gildford. Lisa was close friends with the ladies of the Emmons, Livingston, Hargrave, Winsley, and Ashford families. The six women had been pregnant at the same time—the other five gave birth to sons, while only the Winsley family had a daughter. On the day Adrianna was born, the five ladies were so envious that they fought over who would get to hold her first. They even quarreled so fiercely over who could be Adrianna's future mother-in-law that Lisa had to make a promise that when Adrianna turned 22, she would choose a fiancé from among the five families' sons. In her past life, Adrianna chose James without a second thought, convinced the man who had stolen her heart as a girl could make her happy. But on the eve of their wedding, his plane crashed. No remains were found. She had searched for him like a madwoman, refusing to give up for 20 years. Nolan, Conrad, and Liam had stayed by her side. They were gentle, attentive, and most importantly—they loved her, hoping to help her move on. She was grateful for their efforts, but she could never forget James. It wasn't until that rainy night, she saw James pinning Cecilia against the wall and kissing her. She thought he was dead. The poor student Adrianna had once sponsored was now wrapped tightly in her fiancé's arms. Meanwhile, Nolan, Conrad, and Liam stood nearby. When the kiss ended, they fussed over Cecilia, quickly draping a coat over her shoulders and handing her coffee. "The kiss lasted for so long," they chided, their voices tinged with concern. "Look at how swollen your lips are." "Ceci, don't worry. Stay abroad and live happily with James," they had told her. "We'll keep Adrianna distracted so she'll never find you." Only until then did Adrianna finally realize James had long fallen for Cecilia. He even staged his death to elope with her. And the other three men had loved Cecilia, too. Pretending to love Adrianna was just a ploy to keep her from interfering with the woman they truly cared about. After stumbling upon the truth, Adrianna fled in panic—only to be struck by a car moments later. Across the road, the four of them watched as she took her final breath. In the end, it was Derick—her life nemesis, the one she often fought with—who gathered her remains and wept before her grave. "Anna?" Lisa's voice pulled her back to the present. "Are you listening?" Adrianna took a deep breath, her fingers trembling slightly. "Mom, I've decided. At my 22nd birthday party, I'll announce that I'm choosing Derick as my fiancé." "Please tell him to return as soon as possible." She paused, then continued in a soft, yet firm voice, "It's best if you and Dad go ask him in person. Otherwise, he probably won't believe it. Lisa had no idea what Adrianna was up to, but she'd always doted on her daughter. "Alright, if you insist," she said with a sigh. "We'll fly to Swarenthia tomorrow." After hanging up, Adrianna let out a breath of relief and went upstairs. She opened a hidden compartment in her dressing room. Inside were four exquisite boxes—one held a diamond necklace from James, another a limited-edition gift from Nolan, the third a highly valuable painting from Conrad, and the fourth a custom perfume from Liam. Each of them was priceless, but they all reminded her of their lies in her past life. She took them out and walked out of her dressing room. Just as she reached the garden, a familiar voice drifted over. "James…" Cecilia sobbed, her eyes bloodshot. "It's almost Adrianna's 22nd birthday. She's smitten with you, so she'll definitely choose you. "You'll soon be a married man, and I can't stay with you anymore. She's been sponsoring my studies, and it's bad enough that I've been deceiving her by being with you." She lowered her head, her voice growing softer. "You're the respectable heir of the Emmons family, while I'm just a poor student living on the Quinnen family's charity. Let's just end our fleeting romance once and for all…" Adrianna stopped in her tracks. Not far away, Cecilia was surrounded by four men. James' expression was dark as he grabbed Cecilia's wrist. "Who said you could leave? Even if she chooses me, you're the only one I love. "Don't worry. I've got everything sorted out. If she picks me, I'll arrange a plane crash on the day before the wedding and give up everything to take you away." "Ceci, don't be afraid," Nolan said gently, offering her a handkerchief. "After you two elope, the three of us will keep Adrianna occupied so she won't be able to find you." "Exactly. Just enjoy your life with James," Conrad added with a chuckle. "But…" Cecilia bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes. "If Adrianna finds out, she'll be devastated." The four men spoke in unison. "We only care about you. Whatever happens to Adrianna doesn't matter to us." Behind the tree, Adrianna felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her. Indeed, she didn't matter to them at all—they had proved that in her past life. With a stoic expression, she walked on, arms laden with boxes, heels clicking against the cobblestones. "Adrianna?" Cecilia's expression changed drastically as she hurried over. "W-What brings you here?" Adrianna didn't even look at her. "Taking out the trash." "I'll help you!" Cecilia reached out for the boxes. "Your family paid for my tuition—I said I'd do anything to repay you!" "No need." "Please, don't be so polite—" Both refused to give in. Just then, Cecilia twisted her ankle and lost her balance. Screaming, she grabbed Adrianna's arm, and they both tumbled into the swimming pool. The cold water swallowed them in an instant. Adrianna couldn't swim. She thrashed, desperate to reach the surface. "Help…" she choked. On the shore, four men jumped in—but not for her. She watched as they all swam frantically, Cecilia. Bit by bit, she sank. Through the burning in her nose, she saw James lift Cecilia onto the poolside. Nolan wrapped her in his jacket. Conrad performed CPR on her while Liam called for an ambulance. Finally, James grabbed Cecilia's chin and kissed her hard.