He Married Me For Duty, I Said No This Time

In the winter of 2006, Violet Ross drew her final breath in the Winston family's standalone mansion, exactly twenty years after marrying into the family. As she lay dying, every servant and every member of the younger generation of the Winston family knelt beside her bed. She had never given birth to a child. Even so, she had managed every aspect of the household for two decades. Everyone in the family respected her. The two sons and three daughters Adrian had with other women had always treated her as the true lady of the house and shown her nothing but respect. Her face was pale and gaunt as she used every last ounce of strength to stare at the bedroom door. Violet was waiting for the man she'd loved her entire life. She just wanted to see him one last time. Footsteps echoed from the hallway, and hope flickered in her eyes. But the person who hurried inside wasn't him. It was only the family's personal assistant. "Madam, Mr. Winston got tied up in an emergency project meeting at the company. He asked if you could wait a little longer." The tiny spark in Violet's eyes went out completely. Wait... Again? She thought, 'Adrian, I've spent my whole life waiting for you. This time... I just can't do it anymore.' A bitter smile tugged at her lips. A single hot tear slipped from the corner of her closed eye. Then her final breath faded away. She was gone. "Madam!" Heartbroken sobs instantly filled the entire mansion. ***** Her consciousness slowly returned. Somewhere nearby, a familiar voice called anxiously. "Violet? Violet, wake up!" It was her aunt, Lydia Ross. Still dazed, Violet finally focused on the elegant, gentle face before her. Her eyes immediately reddened. "Aunt... Have you come to take me with you?" Her parents had died in an accident when she was little. Lydia had raised her with her own hands. Later, after marrying the Winston family's patriarch, she brought Violet into the Winston mansion to live with her. The moment the words left her mouth, Lydia lightly tapped her forehead. "Silly girl. Did you sleep so hard that you're still dreaming? Hurry up. We're going to the Winston family today to discuss your marriage to Adrian." Violet froze. Discuss... their marriage? Wasn't that twenty years ago? A ridiculous yet terrifying thought flashed through her mind. Her throat felt painfully dry. "Aunt... what year is it now?" "2004." The answer exploded in her head like a thunderclap. She had really come back. Back twenty years. One full year before she married Adrian Winston. Back then, their engagement had been awkward from the very beginning. Violet had accidentally fallen into the swimming pool at a country club on the outskirts of town. Adrian happened to pass by and saved her. Rumors spread through high society overnight. Cornered by public gossip, Adrian had offered to take responsibility and marry her. Otherwise, how could an orphan with no parents like her ever have had the chance to marry the heir of the Winston family? Because their relationship had begun with guilt and obligation, she'd spent her entire previous life after the engagement walking on eggshells, terrified of making even the smallest mistake or earning the family's disapproval. But this life... Lost in thought, Violet suddenly felt a warm hand cover hers. Lydia gently squeezed her hand. "Don't be nervous. I'm here. Nobody's going to bully you." Violet's heart ached. Only after living an entire lifetime did she finally understand. The only person in the world who had truly loved her and protected her had always been her aunt. ***** The two of them drove to the Winston family's main mansion. Lydia walked in with her back straight. The moment they stepped through the entrance, a man happened to be walking out. A black cashmere coat rested over Adrian's shoulders. He stood tall, carrying himself with effortless elegance and quiet authority. When he saw Lydia, he gave a polite nod. "Ms. Ross." The man she'd obsessed over for an entire lifetime, the man she hadn't even gotten to see before she died, suddenly appeared right in front of her. While Lydia returned his greeting, Violet stared blankly at him. She wasn't paying attention to the step beneath her feet and nearly tripped. A strong arm caught her just in time. "Careful." That cool, familiar voice landed in her ears. Violet jerked her arm away as if she'd been burned and quickly steadied herself. Keeping her head down, she avoided his gaze. "Thank you... Adrian." Her obvious attempt to keep her distance caught Adrian off guard. Watching her slender figure, he couldn't shake the strange feeling that today's Violet was nothing like the girl he'd met before. Inside the grand living room, every woman from the Winston family sat on the sofas. Their eyes settled on Lydia and Violet like judges staring down a pair of criminals. The instant they stepped inside, Jane Winston, seated in the place of honor, spoke coldly, "Kneel." She was Adrian's grandmother. The exact same scene. Violet had lived through it once before. "Aunt..." She reached for Lydia. But Lydia gently pushed her hand away and knelt without hesitation. Whispers of mockery immediately spread through the room. "Seriously? The aunt married into money as someone's second wife, and now the niece makes a scandal by falling into a pool. This family really has no shame." "They never should've brought that girl into this house. No parents, no upbringing. She doesn't know the first thing about proper manners." Everything was unfolding exactly as it had in her previous life. Violet watched Lydia clench her hands tightly, swallowing every bit of humiliation before lifting her head. Lydia said, "Jane, we're here today for an answer about Violet and Adrian's marriage." Jane looked Violet up and down with open disgust before letting out a cold laugh. "She lost both parents when she was little. Her fate brings bad luck to others. What makes her think she's worthy of marrying the heir of the Winston family? If we're generous enough to give her a title, at most she can be a woman kept on the side. Becoming the legal wife? That's out of the question." Word for word. Exactly the same as before. Violet's heart sank. She knew what would happen next. Lydia would threaten to leave the Winston family, forcing them to accept Violet as Adrian's legal wife. But Lydia didn't know. Even though she'd gotten exactly what she fought for, Violet had lived a lifetime of misery. If she had the choice, she would rather never have stepped through the doors of the Winston family at all. Seeing Lydia about to argue, Violet quickly grabbed her arm. Then she stepped forward, knelt down herself, and faced everyone's stunned expressions. Her back remained perfectly straight as she spoke, every word calm and unwavering. "Jane, my family may not be wealthy, but we've never raised daughters to settle for being second best or someone's mistress. So... This marriage ends here."