Accused

Rebecca swallowed with innocent eyes.

"I didn't do it."

"What did I just hear?" Mrs. Park screeched. "Do you mean my brother's dead?"

"We got a call from your home, ma'am. He was found lying dead in Miss Rebecca's room by one of the maids with a glass of water that had her fingerprint all over." The police officer announced.

She struggled to her feet.

"No! No, I didn't kill anyone. I haven't seen Uncle since he last came to the house a few months ago." She argued, shaking her head frantically.

When did he arrive? She had not left the wedding venue since she got here.

How come he was found dead in her room?

"I'm afraid you'd have to follow us to the station, Miss. You can plead not guilty at the court."

They moved to lead her out of the hall, but she took a step back.

"I said I didn't kill him." Rebecca looked to her father for help. "Dad! Say something. You know I didn't kill him. Today was supposed to be my wedding; when would I have found the time to kill him?" Her gaze found Jacob's, who was watching her with a look of disappointment; he turned to comfort a wailing Patricia. "Jacob. You know I'll never kill anyone. Why would I even want to do that?

"Because you hate him!" Mrs. Park sneered. "We all know you do."

"I didn't even know he was around."

"That's a lie. You knew he was going to attend Patricia's wedding. He left a few minutes ago to find you, and now... and now..." She burst into tears, and some of the guests ran to her side in comfort.

"Come on, Miss." Two policemen took hold of Rebecca's arms again.

She glanced around, cowering under the disgusted and spiteful gazes of the audience. She didn't need to read their minds to know what they were thinking.

Any shred of dignity she had left was destroyed.

They not only saw her as a seductress who wanted to ruin her sister's relationship but also as a murderer.

Her eyes connected with that of the disabled man once again. He cocked his head to the side, still studying her intently, but his eyes held a cold look this time. At last, he looked away, and with a small, insignificant wave of his hand, a man in a black suit stepped forward to wheel him out.

Tears streamed down Rebecca's face.

Was this all her life had amounted to? Living a worthless life wasn't enough, but she was going to spend the rest of it in prison for a murder she didn't commit?

"Please move, Miss, or we will not be held liable for using force." One of the policemen warned, and she began walking towards the exit in surrender.

Mrs Park jerked her head up, squinting at her.

"What did Steven do to deserve this from you? With everything he did for our family? He loved this family like it was his own—treated you and Patricia like you were his yet you killed him? You have always been the black sheep. Was whoring yourself to him not enough?"

"Again? What degrading girl?" Someone from the onlookers piped up.

Rebecca halted, whipping her head towards Mrs Park as soon as she uttered those last words. Her eyes were blazing with malice.

"I told you all. I didn't seduce him. He forced himself on me."

"That's a lie. Steven would never do that. Stop trying to defame the dead."

"But you want to defame me, the living?" She snarled.

She was livid. Everything her family had done to her she could take, but not this. After all the disgrace they put her through, her stepmother wanted to pin this on her, too?

That she wouldn't have! She'd had enough!

"Your brother took your stepdaughter's virginity when she was just eighteen years old. Why don't you tell the whole world the truth instead of painting him as a—

"You seduced him! You tainted his drink with an—

"Enough!" Mr. Park roared.

Rebecca snapped her head towards him.

"Father." She pleaded. "I am your child. Do you still believe that I did that?"

Mr. Park walked over to her with a grim look on his face.

"A worthless girl like you would never be my child. All you have ever done is disappoint me. I didn't say a word when the incident happened four years ago, but after what you did to your stepsister, I see you would never change. You cease to be my daughter from today. I disown you!"

His words were like a hot, searing knife piercing through her heart.

Just like that? Was he finally abandoning her?

Her mind recalled the painful memory. She was just eighteen years old when the unusual and unnecessary touches started. Her father was never around so she couldn't complain to him. When she told her stepmother, Mrs. Park had said:

It's your fault. Stop wearing revealing clothes.

It wasn't like she was correct—nothing was revealing about the clothes Rebecca wore, but she listened anyway, yet he didn't stop after that until he finally had his way with her.

Even then, after it happened, her family believed his words over hers and labelled her a whore.

It was a secret, a secret she was ashamed of. One she was going to take to the grave, but now it was out in the open.

"I can't believe I almost married a whore. Thank you for revealing the truth to me, my love." Jacob mumbled, placing a chaste kiss on Patricia's cheek, but Rebecca heard him clearly.

Was that the reason he left her for her stepsister? Couldn't he have confirmed the truth from her?

She took in the look on their faces.

Her father. Her stepmother. Patricia. Jacob.

How had she lived her life to end up this way? To be walked all over in the eyes of the world?

Rebecca choked back a sob, as she clenched her cuffed hands in resolve, her eyes filled with contempt.

If she could get one more chance. Just a chance to relive her life... She'd make them pay!

But there was nothing as a second chance and with a small tug, the policeman pulled her towards the exit, like a lamb to slaughter.

Just as she was about to step out, the unfamiliar disabled man was wheeled out, and his arm brushed past her, but he didn't look back. Rebecca's  brow pulled into a frown,

Hadn't he left before?

Her gaze was stuck on him; she didn't notice the hem of her wedding dress getting caught beneath her foot as she took the next step and then, she was falling.

A high-pitched scream escaped her lips, her eyes snapping close as she anticipated the pain. But it didn't come.

The moment they opened again, she was back in her bridal room, her stomach churning with nerves as she waited eagerly to hear the words,

'Bring out the bride.'

She had gone back two hours in time.