Novel & Cerita Starting Over As A Tree

Veronica Murphy has always lived in the shadows—abducted at birth, raised in poverty, and forced to watch her identical sister, Tiffany, enjoy the life that should have been hers. But one fateful night changes everything: while delivering food, she risks her life to save a bloodied stranger from a burning Ferrari—unaware that the man she just saved is Matthew Kings, the cold, ruthless heir of one of Bloomstead’s most powerful families. Her bravery earns her nothing but danger. Recognized as Tiffany by Matthew’s family, Veronica is pulled into a world of wealth, manipulation, and family politics she never asked to enter. Betrayed and powerless, she must endure lies, stolen credit, and the threat of losing her adoptive parents’ lives—all while navigating the tangled desires of a man who is as dangerous as he is irresistibly handsome. When Tiffany steps in to claim the credit for Veronica’s life-saving act, Matthew is drawn to the wrong woman, and Veronica is left to watch from the sidelines…until the truth surfaces, and her patience turns into vengeance. In a world ruled by power, deception, and obsession, Veronica must fight to reclaim her identity, protect her family, and survive a man who could either be her greatest enemy—or the one she can never forget.

In this life, I refuse Ray Leger's suggestion to go live in the south with him. Instead, I go to the north alone and devote myself to the national translation service. It is because in my previous life, I leave my hometown and follow him to a southern city. In the end, I become nothing more than a cash cow supporting him and Shannon Cross. I work during the day and take on translation jobs at night. Eventually, I collapse and cough up blood from exhaustion, only to hear Ray's disgusted remark. "Nora Spencer, you really are useless. It has only been ten years, and you've already outlived your usefulness!" I lift my head in a daze, and what I see are the mocking expressions on his and Shannon's faces. Just before I die, I learn that our marriage certificate is fake. It is just Ray's excuse to trick me into going to the south with him. When I open my eyes again, I see Ray trying to lure me with marriage once more. "Nora, as long as you come to the south with us, I will register our marriage right away!"

I was four months pregnant with the Alpha’s heir when my best friend, Ariana, slammed into me. She called it an “accident.” I lost the pup. My brother, Liam, tried to expose her to the pack elders. But he was framed for treason, stripped of his Beta title, and thrown in the pack dungeons. I ran to my mate, Alpha Byron, begging for help. He held me close and swore he'd save Liam. The next day, I found Liam in the dungeons, chained in silver, barely alive. Heartbroken, I went to Byron again, searching for a way to prove Liam's innocence. That's when I overheard him talking to his right-hand man. “Alpha, if the Luna finds out you let them frame Liam… she will hate you.” Byron’s voice was laced with exhaustion and suppressed pain. “I know what she’s like. This was the only way to make her forgive Ariana at the Blood Moon ceremony. Ariana saved my life. I won’t let this destroy her.” He paused, his voice completely cold. “As for Sandra… I’ll more than make it up to her. She will never know the truth. Ever. Right now, she just needs… to obey.” The mate I trusted with my life… He threw my family to the wolves. All to protect the woman who killed our child. My heart shattered. Shaking with a fury I’d never known, I called the one person I hadn't spoken to in seven years. My father, Alpha Caden. [Father, I'll accept the strategic alliance. The marriage you wanted. But I have one condition. I need your help… to burn the Blackwood Pack to the ground.]

I was sitting at the police station. My landlord scolded me harshly and pointed at my nose. Out of nowhere, my mother called and berated me mercilessly. “Chloe went to your place and disappeared! Did you lose her?!” “I know you’ve had grudges against me and your brother all these years, but how could you take it out on your niece?” In my previous cycle, when my mother told me Chloe was missing, I panicked and searched for her everywhere. Instead of helping, my mom and brother’s entire family dragged me to court without hesitation. I could not understand it. Chloe disappeared on her way to my place. How was that my fault? I begged the police to clear my name and review all the surveillance footage in the city. But the footage showed Chloe arriving at my door that day, and I opened the door for her. After that, she was gone, as if she had vanished into thin air. I stared blankly at the footage of her hopping cheerfully into my apartment. I had no way to explain myself. My sister-in-law lost it. She was convinced I had killed Chloe and threw boiling oil at my face in a fit of rage. I ended up in the hospital. I was disfigured and completely crushed, both physically and emotionally. No matter how hard I tried, I could not recall ever opening the door for Chloe. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back on the day Chloe disappeared.

Having dated for five years and been married for seven, she had never missed his birthday in the past 12 years. The 12 gifts from previous years were carefully placed in the storage closet. However, this year's birthday gift...

My husband is poor. We've already been married for three years, but I've covered all our expenses during that time. Even when I'm interested in a cheap bag when we go shopping, he says it's too expensive. He tells me not to buy it. Later, I discover that he gives his first love a four-million-dollar diamond necklace for her birthday. It turns out he's not broke and heavily in debt—he's the heir to an affluent family with a net worth of billions of dollars.

To celebrate our third wedding anniversary, I get us a dinner reservation and prepare a gift for her, complete with a handwritten love letter. But my wife, Teresa Sloan, doesn't show up. Meanwhile, while attending the welcome-back party for her first love, Carlton Unger, she walks around on his arm with a radiant smile on her face. Someone asks her who I am. She replies, "No one worth mentioning." From that day onward, I stop waiting around for her. Sometime later, she comes crying to me, saying, "I love you, Silas." I tell her, "It's too late."

My husband secretly swapped the transplant recipient, giving the kidney that was meant for our daughter to the daughter of the woman he had always loved. Not long after, our daughter's condition worsened. The doctors tried to save her, but it was no use. She didn't make it. At the same time, the other girl's surgery was a success. My husband was so overjoyed that he handed out little gifts to the entire hospital in celebration. Rage and grief overwhelmed me, and I collapsed. When I came to, the doctors told me I had cancer. Late-stage. My time was running out. With nothing left to hold on to, I walked out of the hospital, clutching the urn that held my daughter's ashes. In the cold, empty house, I sat alone and drafted the divorce papers.

At our company dinner, my girlfriend, Katherine Hale, makes a detour to get some treats. She hands a glass of juice to my childhood friend, Mark Langley, who is sitting opposite us. Then, she sets down a cup of yogurt in front of me. Mark thanks her with a smile. "How thoughtful of you! You remembered I can't have iced drinks because of my gastric issues." I stare at the cup of yogurt with mango bits in it. Then, I nudge it further away from me, my expression blank. "What's the matter?" Katherine asks casually. I respond, "I'm allergic to mangoes. Did you forget that again?" She freezes for a moment. Then, she smiles and shrugs. "Come on, it's no big deal. Just pick out the mango bits." But she never forgets that Mark doesn't want any cilantro or onion in his food. Also, he only accepts chilled juice without any ice or sugar. Meanwhile, I have difficulty breathing if I take even a single bite of mango, but she thinks it's fine as long as I pick them out. Turns out, if one is biased enough, they can overlook even matters of life and death. On our way home, I sit in the back seat as usual. I look at the two people in the front, who seem perfect for each other. All of a sudden, I feel relief washing over me. Katherine can't even remember my allergies, so what am I holding onto this relationship for?

Amanda Courtney had loved Riley Griffin for eleven years. She’d been Mrs. Griffin for three. But Riley Griffin had ignored all her efforts, always treating her with indifference, staying out late, and never introducing her to his friends—people knew he was married, but no one even knew who his bride was. Amanda had thought that was just how he was, until Faye Aiken returned. Only then did she realize how Riley acted around someone he truly cared about. Heartbroken, Amanda decided to divorce him and live for herself from then on. It wasn’t until Amanda left that Riley realized what a failure of a husband he’d been. He pleaded with Amanda for a second chance, gripping her hand tightly. “I’ll wait for you as long as it takes.” “Oh, but I won’t be waiting for you anymore,” Amanda couldn’t care less. The roles were reversed, but would Amanda, who had long since lost faith in Riley, have a change of heart?