Chapter 1

"He's all used-up, and you're still acting like he's a treasure? You must be really desperate! What's the difference between that incubus and a dog in heat? Someone like you should just find an honest guy willing to take you in!"

Tracy Rowe was standing outside the county office with Jamie Stephenson, arguing with me at the top of her lungs.

Meanwhile, Lionel Andrus, the man with an incubus bloodline, was waiting quietly to the side, holding our paperwork.

Suddenly, it hit me all at once. I had come back to this very day—the day Lionel and I were supposed to get our marriage certificate.

When Tracy saw me staring straight at Lionel, she got so flustered that she started stomping her feet. She grabbed my arm and basically shoved me toward Jamie.

"Incubi are born flirts! How do you know you're his only woman? Once he's bored, he'll toss you aside. He doesn't even know what love is! Don't ruin your whole life being his plaything."

"Shirley, I fell in love with you at first sight. I don't care if you've slept with that incubus," Jamie said, trying to sound noble.

The two of them took turns preaching about true love and morality.

Tracy and I had grown up together, yet looking at her now, I barely recognized her.

But this time, I wasn't going to give her what she wanted.

I yanked my arm free and pulled Lionel toward the entrance.

"When your heat cycle's over and you want a divorce, I'll go along with it," I told him.

If we didn't divorce, even better. I wasn't about to let go of such a handsome, rich, and obedient man. A powerful guy wanted to marry me—what the hell was I hesitating for?

Lionel wasn't the flirty incubus as they had claimed. Instead, that so-called honest man ended up giving me a string of STDs in my past life.

Lionel must've caught my tone, because he took my hand and rushed us through the paperwork.

Tracy stood at the gate, watching us come out holding our marriage certificate. She ran up, pointing at me furiously.

"Shirley, are you out of your mind? How could you marry him? You can still fix this! Go back in there, tell them it was a mistake, and get it annulled! Look how good Jamie is. He's still waiting here for you!"

Her angry face made me roll my eyes. "If he's so great, then you can have him. I won't fight you for him."

Tracy's eyes reddened. "If Mom and Dad find out you married an incubus, they'll be ashamed of you! They won't even let you set foot in the house again! I'm your sister, Shirley. Only the man I chose for you can make you happy."

Her words buzzed in my ear like a fly, but they no longer affected me. I tucked the marriage certificate carefully into my bag and looked at her calmly.

"My life's my own business. It has nothing to do with you."

If I had just gone ahead with marrying Lionel in my past life, I wouldn't have ended up dead and miserable.

This time, I wasn't letting Tracy control me again.

"Don't worry," Lionel said seriously. "As long as you're Mrs. Andrus, I'll be loyal to you."

Last time, I had believed Tracy's nonsense and ignored his pleading. I'd gone into the office and married Jamie after only meeting him once.

Meanwhile, Lionel had never gotten into any scandals during his marriage to that rich city socialite.

But me? I ended up catching STDs after marrying Jamie, becoming the neighborhood joke.

Seeing Lionel's affectionate gaze as he looked at me, Tracy rushed between us again, pushing us apart.

"Lionel, don't think Shirley will accept your so-called open marriage now that you're married," she snapped. "She just hasn't been with other men yet. Once she gets to know Jamie, she'll dump you, you dirty scum!"

Luckily, I had lived through this before and seen how Tracy chased after Lionel after my marriage in my past life. Otherwise, I might've actually fallen for her fake concern.

Lionel ignored her completely and suggested we go grab something to eat.

I reached for the car door, ready to get in, when Tracy suddenly grabbed my arm again.