The Flowers Bloom in the South, but You're Nowhere to Be Found

Three years into their marriage, Vivian Cole was thrown into the basement for the ninety-ninth time. Half her face was swollen, and a bruise darkened the corner of her eye. Before she could struggle, a bodyguard roughly forced her into a chair.

“Last month, you sneaked into bars three times and went street racing once. You ended up bedridden for a week. Haven’t you learned your lesson?”

Disappointment weighed heavily on Alexander Blackwood’s face.

“When will you finally learn to behave and become a proper Mrs. Blackwood?”

Vivian glanced at the restraints wrapped around her arms and gave him a faint smile.

“So this is how a Mrs. Blackwood is supposed to be treated? I’m living worse than a stray dog on the street.”

His expression darkened, and his chest heaved with anger.

“If you hadn’t kept breaking the rules, I wouldn’t have had to lay a hand on you!

“You’re my wife! You’re the face of the Blackwood family, not some woman out on the street who can do whatever she pleases!”

“Rules, rules, rules! I’m sick of hearing about those stupid rules!” she snarled, her usually delicate face contorted with fury. “I just want to live as myself! I don’t want to be some puppet whose only purpose is to obey the Blackwood family’s rules!”

Alexander stared at her with cold, unreadable eyes for a long moment.

“Anyone could be Mrs. Blackwood. You could be, or any other woman.”

Just as he turned to leave, Vivian spoke in a desperate, pleading voice.

“Fine. Just don’t leave me. I’ll try harder to become the perfect Mrs. Blackwood.”

From that day on, Vivian gave up street racing, stopped going to bars, followed every rule, and studied proper etiquette.

But at a formal gala, she lost her temper and struck a woman who had been openly mocking her.

Then her father, Thomas Cole, addressed that very woman as his daughter.

Vivian froze.

Alexander’s expression stiffened as well. The words on his lips shifted, and his face gradually settled into an impassive mask.

“She has always been rebellious and poorly mannered. Her lack of discipline is my fault.

“Get on your knees and apologize to her.”

Vivian felt as though she’d been struck by lightning. After making sure he was truly ordering her to apologize, she stumbled backward in disbelief.

Three years of marriage and five years of love. With just one sentence, he had reduced all her efforts to nothing.

Dazed and heartbroken, she ran out into the street, failing to notice the truck approaching from the roadside.

She was killed on the spot.

But when she opened her eyes again, she realized she’d been given a second chance at life.

She had returned to the days before her wedding.

Chapter 1

Vivian raised her head and stared blankly at her reflection in the mirror. After taking several deep breaths, she quietly clenched her fists.

In this life, she wanted to live only for herself.

Just as her thoughts began to spiral, Thomas suddenly barged into the room.

She instinctively wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes, but he had already noticed her reddened, slightly swollen eyes.

“Did you two have another fight?”

Vivian turned away, presenting him with her back without answering.

Thomas furrowed his brows, his voice tinged with reproach. “Did you start causing trouble again? I’ve told you countless times that you can’t keep acting so recklessly...”

His words made her laugh in disbelief. She turned her head slightly, her eyes icy.

“You’re questioning me without even knowing what happened. So tell me, whose side are you on? Is he your son, or am I your daughter?”

Thomas’s brows knitted together, and his voice dropped sharply.

“Enough! Do you have any idea how exceptional Alexander is? Of course I know! Countless women would kill to marry him. You should be grateful, yet all you do is go against him. If he ever loses all faith in you, it’ll be too late for regrets!”

Looking at his exasperated expression, Vivian casually asked, “So, in your eyes, does having money automatically make someone exceptional?”

Thomas flew into a rage and slammed his hand against the table.

“What the hell is wrong with you? Everything I do is for this family!”

Vivian had no patience left for his excuses. She got straight to the point.

“Is it really for this family? Or is it so your illegitimate daughter, who’s been living outside this house, can have an easier life?”

Thomas’s expression changed dramatically. His eyes widened in disbelief, and his entire body stiffened.

“My mother must have been blind to marry a heartless man like you.”

Vivian let out a cold laugh, digging her fingernails into her palms.

“You cheated on my mother behind her back and even fathered a daughter with your mistress. She certainly did her job well.”

The memory of Thomas shielding that woman at the gala in her previous life, then turning on Vivian and berating her, made her heart clench painfully.

Thomas’s expression grew complicated before eventually returning to its usual calm.

“Since you already know, there’s no point in hiding it anymore. From now on, she’ll also be your—”

Before he could finish, Vivian pointed toward the door and screamed hysterically, “I don’t want to hear another word! Get out!”

BAM!

Once the door slammed shut, Vivian stood motionless, her expression blank as she quietly considered her next move.

In her previous life, Alexander had abandoned her after becoming captivated by her half-sister’s grace and refinement. Naturally, he would fall for her again in this life.

If that was inevitable, Vivian might as well bring them together and finally reclaim her freedom.

The moment she left home, Vivian began processing the paperwork to move abroad. Then she got into her car and drove straight to the address of her father’s mistress, a place she remembered from her previous life.