Born Twice, Broken Once

Episode 4 [ Final ]

The Van family had been losing influence lately, which only made them more desperate to secure this marriage alliance.

Charlotte Van began visiting Lucas Heng more frequently, even going so far as to leak to the media that the two were about to get engaged, trying to stir up public buzz.

Under pressure from all sides, Lucas became increasingly irritable, making the atmosphere in the company tense and suffocating.

I continued performing my duties as his assistant diligently—silent and uninvolved.

But Lucas couldn’t resist making emotionally charged comments again. “Evelyn, being born into a family like this, even marriage isn’t your own choice. It’s pathetic…”

I couldn’t help but let out a dry laugh. “Sure, sure.”

He gave me a dark look and muttered, “Even a block of wood should know better.”

I replied plainly, “Mr. Heng, I’m gold. You’ve got gold as an assistant and still call me a block of wood?”

Smack—he stormed off in a huff.

One day, Charlotte Van came by the office when no one else was around.

“Evelyn.” She crossed her legs on the sofa, her tone condescending. “Coffee.”

I handed her a cup.

She took a sip and smiled sweetly. “Glad to see you still remember how I like it.”

Then her tone turned sharp with implication. “No wonder Lucas can’t let go of you. You take such good care of him.”

I replied emotionlessly, “Mr. Heng pays me quite well.”

“Hmph…” Charlotte scoffed. “Don’t pretend to be clueless. You think I can’t tell what Lucas feels for you? After all these years, you’ve become the moonlight in his heart.”

Feigning confusion, I said, “I don’t understand what you mean, Miss Van.”

She stood up, eyes full of disdain. “Understand or not, doesn’t matter. If he refuses to get engaged to me because of you, I’ll just have to find another way. Assistant Tran, stay tuned.”

I calmly saw her out. “Take care, Miss Van.”

And sure enough, Charlotte went big.

She went straight to Eliza Tran, handed her a one-million-dollar check, and tried to bribe her into seducing Lucas Heng.

To her, Lucas was just obsessed with me because he couldn’t have me. So if he could get someone like me—a substitute—the obsession might fade.

Reasonable logic. The problem? Eliza Tran.

With her head constantly filled with music, driven nearly mad by writer’s block, she happened to encounter Charlotte.

Initially dazed, Eliza didn’t recognize her until she introduced herself and stated her purpose.

In less than a second—memories from a past life and her current mental state clashed—Eliza picked up the phone and called the police.

When I got home, the police were trying to calm Eliza down—she was sobbing almost to the point of fainting.

“Evelyn, Evelyn, I’m so scared… hu hu hu…” As soon as she saw me, Eliza flung herself into my arms, crying uncontrollably.

Standing beside her was Charlotte Van, face darker than I’d ever seen—probably cursing both of us in her head ten thousand times over.

According to her assistant, Eliza had screamed, backed away, called the police, and even pulled at her own hair in panic: “Don’t come near me! You inhuman demon! You won’t hurt me again!”

The officers couldn’t communicate properly with someone like Eliza, so they politely suggested, “Miss Tran, perhaps you should take your sister in for a checkup?”

I forced a smile and nodded. “Yes, I will. Thank you for your trouble.”

Just as I was about to turn around after seeing the police off, I heard a familiar voice.

“Evelyn, what happened?”

Lucas Heng had just arrived—and the tension shot up again, this time thanks to Charlotte.

Fuming with pent-up anger, she exploded. “Lucas Heng! What are you doing here?! At your assistant’s house?!”

I had no intention of getting dragged into her tantrum and simply carried Eliza back to her room.

She had calmed down by then. Exhausted from crying, she whispered, “Sorry, I got you into trouble again.”

I gently wiped her tears. “No, it’s me who brought trouble to you.”

After explaining everything, Eliza’s eyes were still red, but she smiled. “I told you—wherever you are, you’ll live well. But please… don’t let me be the reason you think about revenge. You’re healthy, I’m healthy—that’s already enough in this life.”

My dear Eliza, always so gentle, always thinking of me first.

“Don’t worry,” I said. “You know me best. I know what should and shouldn’t be done.”

She scooted over, and I lay down beside her.

We held hands, foreheads touching.

I whispered, “The Lucs or the Vans—they’re just flies buzzing around a giant tree now. And we’re still young. We’ve got time to deal with this.”

“I’m really happy, Evelyn. I have music, people love my songs, and I have you by my side. My biggest headache is writing something better—that’s more than I ever dreamed of in my past life.”

She smiled innocently. “Let’s protect this happiness together.”

I smiled too. “We will. Definitely.”

A knock came at the door.

I tucked Eliza in and went to open it.

Charlotte had left.

Lucas stood there, looking weary. “Why didn’t you tell me from the beginning?”

I poured him some tea. “Because it wasn’t necessary.”

“Not necessary?” he raised his voice. “I’m the one—”

He stopped, then gave up. “Has Zachary Cole contacted you lately?”

I nodded honestly. “He’s invited me to dinner a few times, but work schedules clashed, so I declined.”

Lucas let out a laugh—equal parts relief and bitterness.

He stared at me and muttered, “What kind of spell do you have on people…”

Three years later, Lucas had matured and finally got officially engaged to Charlotte Van.

I remained his assistant, but my role had changed entirely.

I was now in charge of major projects, holding almost as much power as an executive director.

Charlotte’s PR tricks got more elaborate, while Zachary Cole kept trying to poach me with increasingly creative methods.

Lucas was buried in work, carrying an air that made people keep their distance.

But I was happy—Eliza had joined a singing competition. Though she didn’t win first place, she came third and won over a lot of hearts.

One night after work, I saw her short hair and froze.

“Eliza, your hair… what happened?”

A hundred horrible scenarios rushed through my mind—anti-fan attacks, acid burns…

She dusted flour off her hands, twirled in front of me, and smiled. “What’s with that face? Doesn’t it look good? Fans say I look cute with short hair.”

I sighed in relief and patted her head. “Yeah. You look great.”

She hummed a tune while cooking.

The drawer once filled with diaries now only held dossiers on the Luc and Van corporations.

I always liked being one step ahead.

If there’s an easier road before I destroy them, I won’t hesitate to take it.

That’s why every day I quietly pray—pray that they fall apart on their own.

Science or superstition—I believe in both.

A still heart will find its answer.

Zachary recently finished a major project. With his schedule lightened, he had time to stir up trouble again.

He even shamelessly drove to my office to pick me up for dinner.

By the next day, Lucas had already ordered security to block Zachary’s license plate from entering the premises.

Time flowed like a river.

At twenty-eight, Lucas Heng and Charlotte Van got married. The news went viral in real time.

Two months later, I resigned on my own terms.

Due to a non-compete clause, I became temporarily unemployed.

Eliza, as if anticipating it, pulled out a bank card and proudly said, “Spend as much as you want.”

I took it without hesitation.

Lucas probably thought I left because I was heartbroken. He got drunk and showed up at my door multiple times—only to be coldly turned away each time.

I spent two years at home, but not idly.

The connections I built at the Luc Corporation remained strong despite my resignation.

I kept a close eye on every move Charlotte made.

At thirty, Eliza released a song to commemorate her thirtieth birthday.

I put on my old business suit and walked into the headquarters of the Cole Corporation.

“The sky grows heavy, dark clouds not yet rain Your umbrella appears before my eyes I look up—and see a face hauntingly like my own…”

Eliza held out an umbrella and gently whispered, “Call me when you’re done. I’ll come pick you up.”

Zachary Cole walked out of the building. The moment he saw us, he froze.

Eliza leaned close and whispered in my ear, “Evelyn, are you choosing him this time?”

“Whether letting go or just watching… it’s cruel all the same. I’ll always choose you.”

Everything was moving in a direction completely different from the past life—so what?

I knew how he felt about me had changed—so what?

Their malice no longer targeted me—so what?

Our relationships might have shifted—so what?

I was just a snail, hiding a blade in its shell, slowly climbing the trellis—patiently waiting for the grapes to ripen.

[ Final ]