Threw away every honor he'd earned, started from scratch—just to be a colleague she'd nod at in passing.
I had cried, I had fought. And all he ever gave me was one weightless line:
Vivian and I have never crossed a line.
Right. Never crossed a line.
His love letters were still hidden in that box. His feelings had never been spoken to Vivian. His body had never strayed.
What excuse did I even have to cry?
Hadn't I been the one who forced this marriage into existence?
Hadn't I been the one who silently allowed his feelings for Vivian?
Everything wrong was my fault. What right did I have to blame him?
So in this second life, I was determined to learn my lesson.
In the months since my rebirth, I'd stayed in and refused every chance to see Nathaniel, giving him back to Vivian. I thought that would be enough to stop the whole mistake before it started. I never expected Nathaniel to show up at my door.
In the middle of the night, someone pounded on our front gate.
My parents were still at the factory. My younger siblings were fast asleep. I dragged myself out of bed, threw a jacket over my shoulders, and went to answer.
"Who is it?"
"It's me. Nathaniel."
My stomach dropped.
I'd been trying so hard to avoid any entanglement with him. Why was he here?
When I didn't open the door after answering, he knocked again.
"Is Layla home? I need her. It's urgent!"
"Who's asking for me?"
Layla appeared beside me, rubbing sleep from her eyes.
"It's Nathaniel. No idea what he wants this late."
With Layla there, I went ahead and opened the gate. Nathaniel stood on the doorstep, caked in mud, a wreck.
"What happened to you…?" Layla was taken aback.
Nathaniel was usually careful about his appearance. He didn't own much, but he always kept himself clean.
"Layla, please. I'm begging you. Save Vivian."
He dropped to his knees right there in the dirt and pressed his forehead to the ground at my sister's feet.
"She's bleeding so much. I can't stop it—"
"Just save her, I'll do whatever you want. You want me to leave Vivian and marry your sister instead, fine, I'll do it—"
A life was at stake. Layla didn't wait for him to finish. She was already turning back into the yard, wheeling out the family bicycle. She told me to stay and watch over the younger ones; she'd be back as soon as she could.
I sat in the courtyard until the sky turned pale. I made breakfast for my siblings. Only then did Layla come home.