Now She Burns in My Place

My flight was booked. Departure was in two hours.

This time, I was going to make them pay!

At that very moment, Cora Talbot was picking out swimsuits.

She'd already invited Rhys Barron to an ice lake in the Frostmark, determined to steal the groom out from under me and ruin my wedding.

A message popped up on my phone.

It was Rhys.

"Mae, I've got a business trip out of town coming up, so I can't make it to your dress fitting.

"Don't be mad. I'll bring you back a present."

I let out a cold laugh.

He was obviously heading to the Frostmark to ogle a pretty girl in a swimsuit, but he had to call it a business trip.

Why bother?

"What a coincidence. I can't make the fitting either."

I picked up my car keys and that plane ticket to Solvarra, a smile curling my lips.

"I'm going sunbathing."

Mom stopped me on my way out.

"Mae, your sister's craving your ribs and lemon-butter salmon today. Don't go out. Stay home and get everything ready."

I followed her gaze.

Every ingredient was already laid out.

All that was missing was me at the stove.

In my last life, Cora had deliberately put in colored contacts while I was cooking and "accidentally" jabbed her own eye.

Instantly, I couldn't open my eyes, and a pan of sizzling oil came crashing down on me.

She paused the sensory swap just in time.

My legs—legs I'd danced ballet on for ten years—nearly had to be amputated.

Just thinking about it turned my whole body cold.

"Can't the housekeeper make it?"

Dad, who'd been reading the paper in the living room, flared up instantly.

He threw the newspaper down and stormed over to lecture me.

"Maeve!

"Cora's lived a good life in this house for twenty years. You think she's short one meal? She wants your cooking because she wants to get close to you!

"Do you know how many times Cora has cried behind our backs, trying so hard to accept you? She's terrified we'll stop loving her now that you're home!

"If Cora wants your cooking, you cook it, no arguments! So what if you're our biological daughter? In my house, the good daughter is the one who knows how to behave!"

I looked at him and fell silent.

So that was how they saw me.

I was their own flesh and blood, the one who'd struggled out in the world for twenty years.

And just because I'd protected myself instead of cooking for the girl they'd raised in my place, I wasn't even good enough to be called a good daughter.

The last bit of warmth in my heart vanished for good.

"Then just treat me like an outsider."

I'd simply take my resources and clients with me.

The moment I said it, Dad completely lost it and raised his hand to hit me.

But his hand froze in midair, trembling nonstop.

Mom tensed up instantly.

"Are you crazy? Even if you don't care about hurting her, think about Cora!"

Every drop of blood in my body ran cold.

So they'd known all along.

In my last life, Cora had gone swimming in an ice lake at -22°F while I froze inside a heated house until my organs began to fail. I threw away every shred of dignity and begged them to take me to the hospital.

They said I was putting on an act.

They even filmed me and sent the video to Cora to cheer her up.

Just then, a message came in from my assistant, Elise.

"The hotel in Solvarra and the armed security team are all set. Your flight lands at 3 p.m. Ground temperatures there are forecast to hit 127°F."

I gave my parents one last look.