Reborn To Take Back What's Mine

VERA I died two days ago. I spent most of the last forty-eight hours coming to terms with the fact that I woke up inside a version of myself that was two years younger, breathing in a life that should have been over. All the horrors haven’t happened yet. Not the theft. Not the betrayal. Not the blood. And he's still here. Julian Valmont. The man who watched me die, The man I loved so blindly I would have jumped into a burning building for, didn't even lift a finger! all because, I asked questions, when numbers didn't add up, when hidden transfers resurfaced and my signatures forged on withdrawals that were meant for my parents foundation. I still remember, my body being dragged across the filfthy floors, the smell of petrol and the silence that followed as life slipped out of me. I remember him watching with satisfaction, like he wasn't the same man that promised me the world and everything in it. The man I fought everyone close to me for, did nothing. And I died. In pain. In rage. Thinking that was the end. Then I woke up to wedding planners calling my phone and fabric samples spread across the bed. For a moment, I thought it was a dream. Then my chest tightened. The pain I felt was too real, too hollow to be a dream. now back in the past, being welcomed by his family, smiling across polished tables at people who once decided my life was disposable felt... stark. “Vera, there you are!” Julian bursts through the door, face beaming at me. I don't smile back. “So this is where you’ve been hiding.” he asks, stepping closer, the masculine scent of his cologne hits me instantly, a hint of something sweet and fruity made my stomach twist and I pull away. "i've been here" i say evenly, "just finishing somethings" he glances at the fabrics swatches scattered across the bed, “The planners were asking for your opinion on the roses.” I nod my fingers tighten around my glass, gaze drifting to my phone on the dresser. “I was thinking,” he continues, “maybe somewhere with mountains for our honeymoon. Rocky Mountains and beaches. Best of both worlds.” “Rocky Mountains?” my parents were pushed off a cliff to their deaths. in my last life i had followed throught with the plan because i thought it was Kelly’s idea so this time I told his assistant specifically not to go ahead with that idea, Yet Julian’s bringing it up today? The glass creaks softly in my grip. “Vee.” His voice sharpens. “Are you listening?” I force a smile. “Of course.Go on.” He watches me closely, eyes narrowing slightly. “So, what do you think? Mountains, beaches… perfect, right?” Anywhere he chooses… does it matter? but I let the silence stretch. Let him feel it a tiny hope that he would rethink it. he doesn't, steadying the tremor in my chest. “Anywhere you choose is fine,” I say softly. “Just tell me what to pack.” His smile falters, just for a moment, as if sensing something. “You know,” he says slowly, “the package we want comes with private bookings and fewer people.” “Is that so?” I turn toward the balcony, the city lights blurring. “I know how much you love being alone in nature, and I want you to have that, despite the circumstances.” “Circumstances?” I turn. “It’s nothing serious. Costs stack up quickly when you want things done properly. But we can manage it.” “If it’s going to be a hassle, we can change locations. I don’t mind. I could make a call—” “I thought of that too,” he cuts me off smoothly, “but we only get one honeymoon, Vee. And the place I found… is perfect.” He pauses after saying it, like he’s waiting for me to argue. When I don’t, something flickers in his eyes. Disappointment… or calculation. Then he smiles again. “You know,” he says lightly, “your parents left you more than most people see in a lifetime.” I don’t respond. “You’ve never touched most of it,” he continues. “And I always admired that. You’re not careless like everyone else.” “Hmm.” “It’s a shame to see it sitting there,” he adds, “while meaningful plans like this shift around.” The words land, and I swallow the sting. Has he always been like this? “I’m not saying this to make you pay for anything.” He reaches for my hand, and it takes everything in me not to pull away. “I just don’t want you to feel excluded from decisions about our future.” My eyes lock on his dark ones. Nothing about them looks suspicious. Hell, he even seems like he cares. Yet something deep in my core refuses to lean toward him. So I let the silence stretch. I want to see what he’ll do next. But Julian’s expression shifts with the faintest concern, as if I’ve misunderstood something obvious. “Hey, I just thought… since you handle finances better than anyone I know… you could give me some tips on how I should go about the plans.” He exhales, cutting himself off. “But I don’t think now’s a good time for that.” “If you say so…” I mirror his smile. He leans closer, pressing a light kiss to my cheek. I let it linger—not because I like it, but because I want him to think he still has control. then turns, only to pause at the door. “Mother’s asking for you downstairs.” The door closes softly behind him. And just like that, the pressure disappears, leaving only the uncomfortable sense that I’ve failed some unspoken test. I steady myself, drain the last sip of wine, smooth my dress. Then I step out. The house is in chaos. Staff rushing. Metal clanging. The event planner barking orders. The smell of snacks and perfume thick in the air. Just like last time. I’m halfway down the stairs when my phone buzzes. Three photos. From an unknown number. I open them without thinking. Julian. Shirtless. Under white sheets. A blonde in a crisp white shirt, the shirt he was just wearing, if I’m not mistaken, tucked against his chest. Kelly. My thumb hovers. Then I swipe. In the second photo, he’s smiling. Not the polite smile he wears at dinners. Not the careful ones he saves for me. This one is real. A message follows. Unknown: Congratulations on your wedding, Vera. Unknown: I hope you enjoy the early wedding gift. My breath locks in my chest. Not because I’m shocked. But because last time, nothing like this ever came through. All I got were baseless rumors, ones Julian laughed off before I could think to dig deeper. I stare at the screen. Again. And again. Then I lower the phone slowly. I swallow the urge to cry. To turn around. To run upstairs and confront him. I force my vision to clear. I’ve already been stupid once and didn’t survive it. This time, the Valmonts won’t see what’s coming until it’s too late.