Chapter 1

“I can’t bear the thought of her having no one by her side to take care of her. Please just let me marry into the Green family!”

Sean looked at our mother with determination written all over his pale face. Even though he looked weak, his voice was firm.

However, our parents were stamping their feet in frustration, looking as though they were at their wits’ end.

“This is nonsense! Absolute nonsense!”

“Juniper is still unconscious! If you marry into that family now, you might become a widower!”

Dad’s face was dark with anger, yet he still couldn’t bear to hit his precious youngest son.

Then, his gaze suddenly shifted toward me, where I stood silently watching from the side. Instantly, his anger exploded.

“Was this your doing? Did you pressure your brother into marrying that cripple?”

“You useless jinx! This family will never know peace as long as you’re here!”

As he shouted, he lifted his leg and tried to kick me. I instinctively stepped aside to dodge it, but before he could continue, a voice interrupted him.

“Who said I’m crippled?”

I turned around and saw it was Juniper, my wife from my previous life. Only this time, she wasn’t lying unconscious in bed. She was standing there, perfectly healthy and commanding.

My heart skipped a beat. She had awakened an entire month earlier than in my previous life.

Dad stiffened instantly, disbelief filling his face.

“M-Miss Juniper? Y-You’re awake? This is incredible news!”

Juniper couldn’t even be bothered to spare him a glance. She walked straight past him and stopped in front of Sean. Then, under everyone’s shocked stares, she took a delicate velvet box out of her handbag and held it out toward him. Inside the box rested a man’s diamond ring with a sleek, elegant design.

“Sean,” she said softly, her voice filled with a tenderness I had never once received from her, “I’m sorry for making you wait. We’ve lost too many years together, but in this life, I can finally propose to you myself. Will you marry me?”

Sean looked shocked and overwhelmed with joy. His hands trembled as he nodded frantically.

“Yes! Juniper, of course, I will!”

Our parents were so excited that they could barely speak. It was as if they could already see the Hale family rising to unimaginable wealth and status.

At that moment, I realized that the three of us had all been reborn. Well, this was perfect. This time, I could finally free myself and live a life that belonged to me.

Without saying a word, I dusted off my clothes and turned to head back to my room, planning to pack up my few belongings. However, the moment I stepped inside, someone suddenly grabbed my wrist tightly from behind.

It was Juniper. At some point, she had followed me in and shut the bedroom door.

“William, stop playing these pathetic little games. I’m telling you right now, no matter what you do, you’ll never have my attention again. The only person I’ve ever loved is Sean.”

I looked at her and almost laughed. I hadn’t done anything at all. I simply wanted to leave. Yet, in her eyes, even that had become some manipulative trick to get her attention. How narcissistic of her.

I tried to yank my hand free, but her grip only tightened. Just then, the bedroom door swung open, and Sean stood in the doorway.