The Bride Swap

"Joyce! Get off the damn train right now, you stupid girl! You won't marry a perfectly good accountant for a husband, but you'll run off to some godforsaken island. Why did I have to give birth to such a troublesome child…"Watching my mother chase the train, yelling, her voice tight with fury and helplessness, I felt a dull ache rise in my chest. But I told myself—this time, I wasn't wrong.Scholcher Island was remote. Blake Malcolm wasn't exactly easy to live with, either. But so what? If we could make it work, great. If not, we'd part ways cleanly. I was a grown woman—was I supposed to not survive without a man?But my cousin, Sarah Cameron... she couldn't. In our last lives, she married Blake, and the two of them were trapped in a lifetime of misunderstanding because of someone else. She was the gentlest soul you could meet, and even she couldn't escape being worn down by him.So this time, after being reborn, I looked at Sarah's worried face, her furrowed brow, and started pac

The courtyard fell into a stunned silence. Everyone stared at me in disbelief.Seriously? Pulling this kind of stunt at my wedding? And what was that about a special day? Last time around, the two of them had gone off to celebrate it like it was some sacred anniversary. When they came back, they didn't give Sarah so much as a word of explanation. That icy silence between them lasted a lifetime.'But I'm not Sarah. She could swallow that kind of thing. I can't—not even a little.'Wanna go celebrate that day? Go ahead. I'll fight you right there and then, throw my things in a bag, and leave this godforsaken island without a second thought. 'Did you think the daughters of the Cameron family are desperate to marry? If it weren't for the elders clinging to some ancient promise, I'd be living my best life right now—no strings, no nonsense.'"Blake, are you hurt? You can't treat him like this, Joyce. He's a man—how could you just..." Leila's pale face flushed with fury, her eyes fille

In the chaos of it all, I caught sight of Blake racing toward us, and beside me, Leila pretending to be flustered and afraid.A wave of anger surged in my chest. Men who flirt with every woman that passes by—they're the worst.Without wasting another second, I turned and swam hard toward her.A choice between the two of us? Did I look like the kind of woman who waited for a man to come save her?Not only would I save myself, but I wouldn't let her be saved by him either.Leila clearly hadn't expected me to know how to swim. Her expression was pure disbelief. When I reached her, she began thrashing wildly, trying to push me away.All the while, she kept crying out, "Blake, save me! Save me…"Watching her flail around like a hog before New Year's dinner, and seeing Blake already preparing to dive in, I didn't hesitate. I raised my hand and chopped her neck cleanly. She went limp instantly.Without an ounce of politeness, I dragged her back toward the shore.Thankfully, we hadn't

In the days that followed, Leila didn't appear in front of me again.Instead, the neighborhood wives started showing up more often, bringing vegetables they'd grown themselves or inviting me to comb the shore for shellfish after the tide had gone out.Time passed in a quiet, unhurried rhythm. Slowly, I found myself falling in love with life on the island. Things between Blake and me grew steadier, more settled.Everything seemed to be heading in the right direction. But for some reason, a strange unease lingered in my chest, like something was off-kilter, though I couldn't say exactly what.Then one day, I returned home with a bag full of freshly gathered oysters, grinning with satisfaction, only to find Blake pacing anxiously by the courtyard gate, his brow furrowed. He held something in his hand, glancing down at it now and then, his whole body tense with worry.The moment he saw me, he rushed over and grabbed my arm."Oh? Gone for just a little while and you're already this wo

As soon as the words left Leila's mouth, Vince broke into a cold sweat. Panic washed over his face as he rushed forward, grabbing Leila's arm.From where I stood, I caught the flash of menace in his eyes."Young lady," he said through clenched teeth, "you can eat recklessly, but you can't speak that way. Don't drag me down just to help Blake. I have a wife and kids. Aren't you worried about your reputation?"The moment he said that, Leila's eyes shifted, quick as a spark. She turned toward Commander Brack and Blake, tears welling up in her eyes."Blake... I'm sorry. I only did all this because I was jealous of Joyce, because she got to marry you. Just now, she pushed me to the ground because I brought up our memories together. I lost control of my mouth. You know it's always been you in my heart. Please don't be angry."She lowered her head and covered her face, looking every bit the picture of wounded innocence.Her words sent ripples through the gathered crowd. Their gazes drif