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Lahat ng Kabanata ng Across a Lifetime, Never Again: Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 10

10 Kabanata

Chapter 1

"Vivienne, have you lost it?"The second I said I was gonna marry the so-called psycho from Northvale's Clementine family, Dad's fists balled up. He thought I was just being petty about Elodie."What happened at your birthday was nothing. You're really gonna trash your engagement over that?"Three days ago, Elodie and I both fell into the pool. In front of everyone, Stanley dove in—straight for her—leaving me, his fiancée, floundering like a loser."It's not breaking it off," I said, smirking. "I'm just letting him marry my sister."Dad froze, but I grabbed the betrothal contract, scribbled out my name, and slapped hers in. He opened his mouth to argue, but Elodie was faster, clutching his arm."Dad, do you even care about me? Or am I just not good enough for Stanley?" she said, all wide eyes and fake heartbreak.Dad's eyes flicked between us before he went quiet. Eighteen years raising Elodie—of course he cared about her.I walked out under her smug little smirk. The night air

Chapter 2

He clamped his hand around my throat. "You forced Elodie to marry that lunatic, didn't you? I told you what happened at the birthday party was an accident. Why can't you just leave her alone? Girls from the slums like you always gotta make everything messy!"My eyes burned. "Don't forget who put me in the slums—who stole my life, my father!"A bitter taste hit the back of my throat, and I doubled over, coughing hard.Stanley knew exactly what I'd been through—he was the one who dragged me out of that place.And now he was slicing me open with the cruelest words he could find, all for Elodie.His face shifted like he'd just snapped out of a fog. He reached for me, trying to wipe my tears. "Vivienne, that's not what I meant. I'm sorry."I stepped back, dodging his hand, jaw locked."Elodie's not even your family's real daughter," he said, voice low. "Your dad loves you—so of course he'd do what you want."I couldn't hold it in anymore. My hand cracked across his face. "Get out."

Chapter 3

This time, I was just... done.Should've figured it out ages ago—if someone's hell-bent on not believing you, nothing you say will ever change their mind.***After the banquet, I headed back to my old place in the slums.The alley was narrow, dark, and smelled the same as always. I was about to push the door open when a voice stopped me cold."Dad, Mom, I'm begging you, just leave!"Through the crack, I saw Elodie yanking at my aging adoptive parents—her real parents—Brigitte and Donald. Her tone was razor-sharp."In a few days, I'll be Stanley Hamilton's wife. If people find out YOU'RE my parents, how am I supposed to keep my place in the Hamilton family?"Brigitte, all guilty eyes, clutched Elodie's hand. "Elodie, it's my fault. For your happiness, I'll do anything..."Watching her cry into Elodie's arms was like getting dropped into an ice bath.They'd always known exactly who she was.What happened back then wasn't some twist of fate—it was Donald and Brigitte's plan to

Chapter 4

I pushed the door open and found Elodie on the floor, draped in my custom-made wedding gown. She turned, smiling like she'd already won. "Tomorrow's my wedding with Stanley."I held out my hand, voice ice-cold. "Where's the locket?"Her eyes went wide in fake innocence as she pulled the porcelain locket from the cabinet.But just before it touched my palm, she let it slip through her fingers.I dove for it, but too late.The locket—carved with my birth date—lay shattered.My eyes burned. "What are you trying to pull?"Elodie rose slowly, her stiletto heel coming down hard on my hand.Her eyes gleamed with malice. "Why'd you have to come back? You should've rotted in the slums forever. Why take Stanley from me—along with everything I fought for?"Pain shot up my arm as the heel dug into my palm.I yanked free, stood, and slapped her hard."Stop!"Stanley burst in, sliding between us."Stanley," Elodie's voice trembled with practiced tears, "I was just trying on the dress. I

Chapter 5

The car sped off, leaving him shouting into the wind.Back at the wedding, Stanley just stared at the diamond on his finger—the same one he'd slipped on last night when Elodie begged for a proposal.The idea of her marrying a guy with that kind of reputation made his stomach twist, but he still went through the motions.Right as he moved to lift the veil, the bride ducked behind her bouquet.She didn't lower it until the vows, stepping toward him from the far side of the flower arch.Bit by bit, her face came into focus."Stanley Hamilton, do you take Elodie Weston to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love, honor, and cherish her for as long as you both shall live?"The name hit him like a jolt.Everyone waited for his "I do."Instead, he stood frozen, voice hollow. "How... How could it be you?"Eyes red, he grabbed Elodie's shoulders. "What is this? How did YOU end up as the bride?"Tears brimmed in her eyes. She grabbed his hand and pressed it to her chest. "I begged Vivi

Chapter 6

Ciel couldn't care less who was the bride. Me, Elodie—same difference.The Clementine house was dead quiet when we pulled up.Sebastian, his butler, greeted me, then frowned. "Mr. Clementine's parents died young. He's been on his own for years. Doesn't keep staff. From now on, you're handling his daily needs."I took the keys and, still wrapped in satin and tulle, face-planted on the bed. Sleep was just pulling me under when I felt it—that stare.I cracked my eyes open. Ciel stood over me, blank as stone.He slid a dagger from under my pillow and pressed it to my throat.A cold smile curved his lips. "My family forced this marriage. If you're dead, problem solved."The blade bit into my skin, a thin line of blood welling up. Pain shot through me, but I held his gaze, steady.In my past life, he'd tossed Elodie into the snow on their wedding night, nearly freezing her to death.A spoiled princess like her—no wonder she'd cracked in a year.Clutching the blanket, I tried to fig

Chapter 7

Right before I blacked out, I felt a warm, solid embrace.Ciel's voice brushed my ear, low and rough. "Idiot."When I came to, it was already dark. My shoulder was cleaned, wrapped tight in thick bandages.I sat up, scanning the room, and spotted Ciel in the hall, a line of people kneeling before him.One of his men was shaking so hard he looked ready to fall over. "Mr. Clementine, you said you just wanted to scare your wife so she'd back off. We didn't think she'd actually run in—"Ciel spun a dagger between his fingers, his voice icy. "Do it yourself."The blade clattered to the floor at the man's knees.He didn't argue. Jaw tight, he picked it up and, eyes squeezed shut, drove it into his own left shoulder—the same spot I'd been shot.I squeezed my eyes shut, but something strange stirred in me.Was he... actually standing up for me?That night, thunder cracked the sky wide open.I jolted awake to shattering glass and a furious shout.In the study, Ciel sat slumped on th

Chapter 8

After that night, Ciel and I weren't quite strangers anymore.He still vanished most evenings, but if a thunderstorm rolled in, we'd end up in the same bed without a word.At first, we just lay there. Then he kept shifting around like he was wrestling ghosts, so I finally caught his hand and pulled him closer."Vivienne, you—"Half-asleep, I patted his head. "Relax. Stop squirming."After that, he started grilling Sebastian about the stuff I liked.On my birthday, a box showed up—custom heels."I heard you used to have a pair you loved. Why didn't you bring them?"His face was hard to read.I smiled. "Stanley gave me those."Silence. Then, finally—"Do you like the pair I gave you?"I slipped them on, catching the faint flush creeping up his cheeks.Before long, Ciel started dragging me to social events.At one party, he told everyone, "This is my wife, Vivienne."Every so often, I'd catch whispers about Stanley.A friend from Southport leaned in. "I heard Stanley walke

Chapter 9

Stanley wasn't clueless about Elodie's games.But drowning in grief over losing her last time around, he convinced himself I'd killed her.The truth? Easy to find—if he'd bothered. But he didn't. Too scared to admit he'd come back too.When the call cut off, I tossed and turned all night.Ciel must've noticed, because he pulled me in. "What's wrong?"I shook my head, just praying tomorrow wouldn't implode.***The wedding rolled on like a dream. Even with Ciel's hand in mine, it didn't feel real.He smiled, brushing a kiss against the corner of my lips. "Why so distracted?"The church doors banged open."Vivienne!"Stanley stumbled in, blood seeping through his torn suit. He didn't seem to notice the pain—his eyes were fixed on me.That dazed smile—half awe, half heartbreak—was worse than the wounds."Vivienne, you look beautiful in a wedding dress. Shame you're not marrying me. But soon... you'll be mine alone."Ciel's face iced over.He stepped in front of me, smile sh

Chapter 10

Ciel moved in beside me, yanking the detonator out of Stanley's hand.His voice was ice. "Get him to the police. Sweep the place for explosives, now."I shook my head, unclasped the Tiffany necklace from my neck, and held it out to Stanley."No one knows you better than I do. You'd never actually plant a bomb. Take it. From now on, we're even."The second he saw it, all the color drained from his face. "Vivienne... you're even giving this back?"It was the necklace he'd given me the day he pulled me out of the slums.Back then, Stanley had told me, "Vivienne, you're the purest girl in the world. You're no less than anyone."That necklace had been with me through the longest, ugliest years. Even at the end of my last life, I'd never let it go.Now, I handed it back—along with every shred of love, hate, and regret we'd ever shared.They hauled Stanley toward the station. In Northvale, I knew Ciel would see to it he paid.Before they took him out, he gave me a bitter smile. "Can

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