Chapter 1
When the silk ribbon was tied over Julian's eyes, the entire venue fell silent.
He walked straight past me without faltering once.
In the end, he stopped in front of Sienna and firmly took her hand.
The ribbon slipped from his eyes. He looked down at her, his gaze soft and solemn.
"I choose Sienna Jensen. Starting today, she is my fiancée and the future Mrs. Grayson."
After a stunned silence, the entire room erupted into frantic whispers.
Everyone there knew I'd been by Julian's side for six years as his girlfriend.
He'd once brought me to every Grayson family banquet, personally walking me through the family's complicated web of relationships.
He'd held my hand in front of all the elders and declared that he'd never marry anyone but me for as long as he lived.
But now, those same people who'd once raised their glasses to toast me turned away, though they couldn't resist sneaking glances at me from the corners of their eyes.
Some looked at me with pity. Others didn't bother hiding their glee.
Sienna's eyes were red as she leaned into Julian's arms.
"Julian, did you really choose me?"
Julian's hand paused for a split second before he gently rested it on her shoulder.
"I did."
I picked up a flute of champagne from a passing waiter's tray and walked straight toward them.
The moment Julian spotted me, the smile on his lips faded.
His eyes flicked down to my steady hand before settling on my face.
"Summer..."
I held the glass out toward them.
"Congratulations."
Sienna didn't take it. Instead, she clung tighter to Julian's arm.
"Summer, you're not mad at me, are you? This position should always go to whoever deserves it most. It's not like I can control whether Julian chooses me."
I gave her a smile.
"Of course I'm not mad at you. After all, if a man truly wants to leave, there's no one who can hold him back but himself."
Sienna's face stiffened for a moment.
Julian lowered his voice.
"Summer, don't make a scene today."
I lightly tapped my glass against his.
"You worry too much, Mr. Grayson. I wish you both a lifetime of happiness together."
The sound of the glasses meeting rang out, clear and sharp.
Julian's hand, the one holding Sienna's, trembled noticeably.
The banquet ended. I'd barely stepped into the lounge when he followed me inside.
He grabbed my wrist and shoved me back against the edge of the table.
"Why didn't you wait for me to explain?"
"Haven't you already explained it well enough?"
"I chose her to save her life." His eyes were bloodshot. "In my last life, she completely broke down right after this night. If I married you, she jumped from the top floor of the Grayson Group building and died right in front of me. Summer, I still see that pool of blood every time I close my eyes."
His grip on my wrist tightened.
"In this life, I can't just stand by and watch her die again."
I stared at the face I knew so well, and a dull ache spread through my chest.
After Sienna died in our last life, Julian had looked at me exactly like this, his eyes red.
But back then, there hadn't been any love in his gaze. Only undisguised hatred.
He'd banned me from entering his bedroom, forbidden the servants from calling me Mrs. Grayson, and refused to let me stand beside him at any public event.
I'd clung to a marriage that had become nothing more than a meaningless title on paper.
It wasn't until I was wasting away on my deathbed that he'd finally taken my bony hand and sobbed as he begged me for another chance in our next life.
Now, that so-called next life was here.
And he still hadn't chosen me.
When he saw that I remained silent, Julian softened his voice.
"Just give me a little time. Once Sienna is fully stable, I'll figure out how to take care of her properly."
"What about me?"
He froze.
I finally found the courage to ask the question my past self had always wanted answered.
"Julian, what exactly am I supposed to be to you?"
He looked away.
"We don't need some stupid title to prove what we have. You know you're the one I love."
I almost laughed in his face.
He couldn't bear to let Sienna die, but he couldn't bear to give up the love I'd always given him either.
So he'd neatly planned out both our roles for us.
Sienna got to stand in the spotlight as the respected Mrs. Grayson, while I was supposed to stay hidden in the shadows and endure his so-called difficult situation.
He pulled me into his arms, his voice weary and soft.
"This lifetime, I just need to repay the debt I owe her first. Next life, I'll be completely, entirely yours."
I pried his fingers off me, turned on my heel, and walked straight toward the door.
"Don't bother waiting for the next life, Julian. We're done in this one."
