Chapter 1

The clan hall was silent as I stared at my older sister, Rhea Silverhilt, across the room with a flat expression.

On the other hand, she was practically glowing. "Mother, I fell in love the moment I saw Flint! Please let me marry him!"

Mother's expression darkened. "The wolves are notorious for their brutish ways. Flint has nothing to his name. You'll only suffer if you marry him."

Even though Rhea and I were both her children, she'd always favored Rhea. She couldn't bear the thought of her beloved Rhea suffering even the slightest discomfort.

Rhea panicked when Mother refused and anxiously paced like a cat on a hot tin roof. "I'm marrying him! If you won't allow it, I'll bash my head in right here!"

Mother nearly fainted at the threat. Terrified, she hastily consented.

When I saw the smug smile on Rhea's face, I knew that she'd been reborn too.

In our previous lives, she'd rushed to claim Drakon Ragnarok of the prestigious fire dragon clan. I had been forced into a marriage with Flint Greyfang of the wolves and had been exiled to the desolate wetlands.

After we married, I ran the house and poured my possession into his fledgling business ventures. Against all odds, Flint seized a crucial opportunity and amassed a staggering fortune.

Meanwhile, the fire dragon clan was consumed by endless war. Drakon marched into the battlefield and never returned.

Rhea became a destitute widow. The rest of the clan stripped her clean of whatever assets she had left, leaving her life in ruins.

She was bitterly convinced that I had stolen the life of luxury that was rightfully hers. During a grand sacrificial rite, she lured me out and stabbed me to death with a dagger.

"If I have to suffer, you don't get to live well either!"

The memory of her crazed, bloodshot eyes flashed through my mind, and I couldn't help clenching my fists at my side.

Since she'd decided to throw herself into hell in this new life, I would gladly show her all the support. "Since Rhea likes Flint, I'll willingly step aside."

The excitement in Rhea's eyes was almost palpable. She could already envision a life of luxury waiting for her.

Mother shot me a look of displeasure. "If Rhea hadn't graciously given up such a good match for you, you'd never amount to anything. Hurry up and thank her."

I couldn't believe how shameless they were. They were stealing from me and still wanted gratitude.

"Don't thank me," Rhea said quickly. "An older sister should let her younger sister enjoy the better things."

She couldn't wait any longer or stay for more talk. She rushed off to the wolves' pack grounds to discuss wedding plans.

Mother watched her leave with a doting smile. It vanished the moment her eyes fell on me.

"You know how tight our finances are. We can only afford one wedding gift. Since Rhea is marrying into such difficult circumstances with the wolf pack, she'll starve if we don't help or provide her with ample support."

I immediately caught the meaning behind her words and let out a cold laugh.

In our previous lives, Mother had used a different excuse when Rhea was to marry into the prestigious fire dragon clan.

"The fire dragons are nobles. She'll be looked down on without a generous wedding gift."

Either way, the wedding gift was never going to be mine. Not that I cared.

"Whatever you decide is fine, Mother."

My apparent docility seemed to unsettle her. She slipped an emerald bracelet off her wrist and handed it to me.

"This was from your grandmother on my wedding day. Now that I'm passing it to you, at least it shows I care as your mother."

Later, when Rhea learned that I was to marry Drakon instead, she nearly doubled over laughing.

"Lucky you! Everyone knows that Drakon is noble, devastatingly handsome, and every woman's dream. You'll be living like a queen.

"But I've heard that the fire dragons are always at war. Make sure you send him off safely and try not to end up being a widow too soon."

The idea of my early widowhood seemed to bring Rhea immense satisfaction while she was busy fantasizing about her rise to riches.

Still, she'd never know that, though Flint was brilliant, he was a violent wolf.

In my previous life, any tiny mistake earned me fists and kicks until there wasn't a single unbruised spot on my skin. He only stopped once I surrendered every mercantile secret I had, and after his business flourished.

Now, I wondered if Rhea could escape his brutality in this new life without those mercantile secrets to offer.