Chapter 2

Glowera town of Archendia country was close to the capital, Nightingale city. Because of that it had grown beyond limits. Taverns, inns, and marketplaces kept appearing one after another, making the town lively and crowded. When Victoria opened her eyes, her body trembled as the memory of pain rushed back to her. Her hand moved to her stomach at once, searching for the deep cut. But it was not there, as if it had never existed in the first place.

“I know she is acting. There is no way my daughter could injure her that badly. She must have faked her sickness so she would not need to meet the special guest tonight.” A shrill voice rang out and Victoria froze. She looked around and quickly realized she was inside her aunt’s house again. It had been ten years since she had left this place. The noise outside slowly grew louder and soon the door opened. Her aunt walked in. She had the same brown hair and black eyes as Victoria, but her plump body made her eyes look smaller and her movements clumsy. The wooden floor creaked under her weight.

“Hey, you. Wake up and start working. We do not have time for your acting when the Harrigans are coming to visit.” she said in a grudging tone. The Harrigans. Victoria’s heart tightened the moment she heard the name.

That name had been the beginning of her ruined life. The start of her nightmares. The darkness that destroyed her future. She had been accused of seducing that man, and after that her reputation fell into the mud.

Just thinking about it made her shiver. That man had died. She had killed him herself after she came out of prison, right before she was sentenced to death. So how could he be alive now?

“Look at you. You are only sixteen and already acting like an old woman. Open your eyes this instant or my stick will help you.” Sixteen. Victoria grabbed the blanket tightly as the pieces slowly came together. It had been one week before her birthday when she first met Bernard Harrigan. Could it mean she had returned to the past? Or was this just another nightmare? But how could it be when she had clearly died?

“You never learn, do you?” Suddenly she felt a sharp pull and her scalp burned with pain. She could not stop herself from wincing as her aunt gripped her hair tightly and pulled.

“I said wake up!” she shouted loud enough to make the maid standing by the door flinch. Victoria slowly opened her eyes and looked at her aunt. Her mother’s sister. The woman who had taken all of her mother’s jewels and gold in exchange for raising her. But what had she really done? She had destroyed her life.

Victoria felt a burning rage rise in her chest.

“What? Why are you looking at me like that? Have you forgotten how to respect your elders? Or have you forgotten your place in this house?” Her aunt wrapped Victoria’s hair around her hand and slammed her head against the wooden post of the bed.

Victoria remembered this moment clearly. This exact scene from her past. The pain made her realize it was truly happening again. Memories rushed through her mind all at once.

Her expression turned cold and dark.

“Are you ready to wake up now?” Her aunt pushed her head three more times before letting go, clearly satisfied that she had taught her a lesson.

“You will come downstairs in half an hour after washing up and wearing the dress I left for you.” Without giving Victoria another glance, she turned and walked out of the room.

Victoria’s gaze moved to the red dress lying on the chair. She did not even need to unfold it to know what it looked like. The dress had a deep neckline and a long slit that barely covered her thighs.

That dress had once been her doom.

Still, she took a deep breath and put it on. She walked to the mirror and stared at her reflection. Her forehead was swollen, but not because of what had just happened. Her cousin had pushed her down the stairs the night before.

But her eyes did not stay on the bruise for long. She studied her reflection carefully. Her brown hair was smooth and beautiful. Her black eyes were clear and bright. Her face looked younger and her skin was still soft without the rough marks life had given her later. She looked beautiful.

Victoria drew in a deep breath. She had wasted one life in the hands of her relatives. She would not repeat the same mistake again.

This time she would take revenge on every single one of them.

When she walked down the stairs, she saw the three maids working for the family decorating the hall with fresh flowers and new vases. Even the painting in the hall had been changed.

Her aunt stood in the center of the room, shouting orders and making sure nothing went wrong. Her face was red with irritation. The moment she heard footsteps, she turned toward Victoria. Her anger slowly faded when her eyes fell on Victoria’s figure. The tight dress pushed up her newly developed chest, and every step made the slit move enough to reveal her legs. She looked like a young woman asking for attention.

A wide smile spread across her aunt’s face. She nodded in satisfaction, especially when she noticed that Victoria had painted her lips red and hidden her injuries under makeup. Even her hairstyle looked seductive and matched the dress perfectly.

“Good. Now you are ready for dinner.” She waved her hand and motioned Victoria closer. “Listen carefully. The Harrigans are very important guests. They will decide your uncle’s future in the company. You must make sure he enjoys your company tonight. If you do that, I will allow you to take the entrance exam for the business school you want. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Aunt. You have nothing to worry about.”