My uncle Dylan had a mental illness, yet he somehow managed to deceive a beautiful college girl from out of town and was preparing to marry her.
Feeling a pang of sympathy, I couldn’t bear to see her fall into this trap, so I secretly told her the truth.
The girl took advantage of the situation. She swindled Dylan out of all his money and fled.
Before leaving, she made sure to expose me by saying, “It was your niece who told me you were crazy. If you’re mad, blame her!”
Dylan snapped. In his rage, he came to my house and brutally attacked me, stabbing me to death.
When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back on the day Dylan introduced his new girlfriend.
This time, I raised my glass in celebration.
The lunatic and that manipulative girl deserved to be locked together in their own misery.
1
Dylan brought home a stunning college student, announcing plans to marry her.
As we were relatives from the same village, my parents brought me along to meet her.
I stood there, staring blankly at the beautiful woman in front of me, feeling my face grow pale.
“Say something! She’ll become a family member soon,” my mother nudged me with a frown, “Have you been staring at your phone so much that you’ve forgotten basic manners?”
I couldn’t process what was happening. In my previous life, Dylan had brought home the same college girl, Teresa, with everyone saying the wedding was imminent.
I had been puzzled – Dylan, with his severe hereditary mental illness, had somehow found a woman willing to marry him?
My mom had explained back then, “He met her out of town. She’s not from here, so how could she know about his illness? Dylan never told her.”
“Are you serious? He didn’t tell her about something as serious as that? Isn’t that basically tricking her into marriage?” I had been horrified.
Mom had silenced me. “Don’t talk nonsense! It’s not trickery. She’s willing to marry him, isn’t she? And Dylan has spent a lot of money on her already to convince her to come home and marry him.”
“But what if she finds out later? Won’t she just leave?” I had asked, feeling uneasy.
Mom had shaken her head. “Once they’re married, have a kid, and are legally tied down, it’ll be hard for her to leave. Most women don’t just up and run.
“Even if she does leave, at least she’d leave behind a child. That solves Dylan’s future care needs, doesn’t it?
“It’s a deal that can’t possibly go wrong. Your uncle has everything to gain and nothing to lose.”
The cold, calculated nature of her words had chilled me to the bone. None of the relatives around us had objected, either. Instead, they chimed in, offering suggestions on how best to ensure the girl stayed long enough to marry and have Dylan’s child.
Once as a college student myself, I couldn’t stand it. My education had instilled in me the knowledge that this was morally wrong.
I had looked at Teresa, who was about my age, with a growing sense of sympathy and guilt.
Dylan, already thirty-two, was an average-looking man doing manual labor at construction sites, while Teresa was only twenty-three and still a senior in college. She looked so naïve, likely drawn to Dylan’s attention and kindness, eagerly awaiting their wedding.
Eventually, my conscience got the better of me.
I gave in, secretly warning her about the situation, explaining Dylan’s hereditary mental illness and urging her to reconsider the marriage carefully.
It wasn’t that I looked down on people with mental illnesses. If she had known about Dylan’s condition and still chose to marry him, I would have respected and even supported their union. But in this case, Dylan and his family were clearly deceiving her, hoping to trap her into a life of servitude. I couldn’t bear the guilt of letting her fall for such a lie.
“Keep this to yourself. Don’t tell anyone I said anything. And when you break things off, don’t mention his illness. Just use some other excuse. Dylan’s mental state isn’t stable, and if you mention it, he might get violent with you...” I had cautioned her sincerely.
Teresa had promised me she would handle the situation delicately, even feigning gratitude, saying, “Thank you so much. I can’t even imagine what would have happened to me if you hadn’t told me the truth. I’ll make sure to end things properly.”
Yet, that very day, she ran away.
Over the next two months, she faked illness and drained Dylan of his money.
Once she graduated, she cut off all contact with him, disappearing to start a new life elsewhere. Not only that, but she also made sure to tell Dylan exactly who had spilled the beans.
2
“I’ve had enough of you! If it weren’t for the money you spent on me, I would have dumped you ages ago!
“You’re a psycho! You actually think I’d marry you? Keep dreaming! Your whole family is full of nutcases!
“Even that niece of yours is no better. She pretends to care, but really, she just wants to look like a saint! She told me you’ve got some hereditary mental illness, but it was all just a way to build up her good-guy image. Disgusting!
“Good thing I’m smart! All the money I took from you is exactly what I deserve. Call it compensation for my wasted youth. You should thank your niece! If it weren’t for her, maybe you really would’ve been able to marry a ‘normal’ woman like me,” Teresa mocked.
Teresa, being an orphan, had no family.
She fled to another city, and my uncle had no way of finding her.
He was left with nothing – no money, no bride. His mother and grandmother were so furious they fainted, and our relatives had to rush them to the hospital in a panic.
No one noticed my uncle as he picked up a knife and stabbed me to death.
I had tried to help Teresa out of kindness, and yet she ignored my plea and deliberately sold me out!
As for my uncle, when he killed me, he was fully aware of what he was doing.
I begged for my life, but all he said was that it was my fault he couldn’t get married.
“You can go straight to hell. If it weren’t for you, Teresa would never have left me!” he screamed as the blade pierced my heart. The blood splattered onto his face, and he looked even more deranged.
I died a painful death, and he feigned a mental breakdown, avoiding legal punishment. He was merely sent to a psychiatric hospital.
My parents, eager for compensation money, signed a settlement agreement that helped my brother with his down payment on a house.
In my past life, I had been too soft-hearted and meddlesome, and I paid the ultimate price for it.
This time, I raised my glass in celebration.
“Here’s to my uncle and his future wife – may you have a long, happy marriage and many children.”
The psycho and that gold-digging bimbo deserved to be shackled together for life!
Teresa smiled at my words. “Thanks! Out of everyone here, we’re the closest in age. Maybe I can come hang out with you sometime?”
Before I could answer, my mom chimed in, “Of course! It’s the holidays, and she doesn’t have to work.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Mom, even though it’s the holidays, I still have to work from home sometimes.”
“What on earth are you so busy with all the time? She’s from out of town, and you, as a relative, can’t even take care of her properly? You’re not married off yet, but you’re already acting like you don’t care about your family! No wonder you’re nothing compared to your brother!” my mom snapped.
Her words chilled me to the bone.
From a young age, I knew my parents favored my brother. Everything in the house belonged to him, and I didn’t even have my own room – I slept in the living room.
I was frustrated and did my best to be a dutiful daughter, hoping to earn their love.
But they always preferred my brother. In my previous life, they didn’t even seek justice for my murder, choosing instead to use the settlement money to buy my brother a house.
Over time, my heart grew cold. Now, in this new life, I let go of any desire for their affection.
“Okay, Mom. I get it,” I said as I put down my teacup.
Teresa gave a shy smile. “Mrs. Hardy, no need to be so serious! We’re all family. I’ll just hang out with Amy occasionally – I won’t bother her work.”
3
“Please, don’t be so polite! That girl should be happy to keep you company. After all, you’ll be her aunt soon,” my mom said, patting Teresa’s hand and exchanging a few pleasantries with her.
After we finished eating, the family gathering came to an end. Teresa approached me suddenly. “I feel like Dylan is hiding something from me. Do you know what it is, Amy?”
In my past life, this was the moment when she came to me for answers after dinner. Back then, I felt sorry for her and told her the truth, begging her not to reveal that I had spilled the beans. I urged her to think carefully before marrying him.
This time, I played dumb.
“Why don’t you ask my uncle directly? I just got home from work, so I don’t really know much about what’s going on with their family.”
Teresa frowned at my response. “I’ve asked other people, but no one will tell me. Amy, you’re the only person I trust here. We’re about the same age, and I feel really close to you.
“Your uncle wouldn’t keep something from me, right?”
She was trying to play the sympathy card, but inside, I was laughing coldly.
Last time, I told her everything. And how did she repay me? By blaming everything on me to get away from my uncle, which led to my tragic death.
This two-faced witch.
I blinked innocently. “Are you saying you don’t believe me?”
I put on a sad expression. “I’m just an outsider – I don’t even live with them. How would I know what’s going on in their family? If you’re so curious, why don’t you ask them yourself?”
Seeing that she wouldn’t get anything out of me, Teresa quickly lost interest. She glanced at the necklace around my neck. “Oh wow, nice necklace! Where’d you get it?”
Before I could respond, she yanked it off and put it around her own neck, walking over to the mirror to admire herself.
“It’s really pretty! I want one like it too. How much was it?”
Her eyes then landed on my skincare products in the living room. She immediately picked one up and began applying it to her face before I could stop her.
“This necklace? Oh, it’s not expensive – just a couple of bucks from the dollar store. If you like it, you can have it. It’s not worth much anyway,” I said with a smile.
Teresa instantly frowned, taking off the necklace and tossing it back at me.
“Forget it. You can keep this cheap junk.”
But she was still eyeing my most expensive skincare product, the one worth over a thousand bucks.
“Now, this skincare product is great! It’s so rare to see someone as thrifty as you with clothes and accessories but willing to splurge on your face!” she said as she grabbed it.
“I’m going to be your aunt, so it’s not too much to ask for a little gift, right? I wouldn’t mind taking this off your hands, even if it’s been used.”
Before I could respond, Teresa had already stuffed the product into her purse.
I forced a smile as anger boiled inside me. What nerve.
No wonder she kept stringing my uncle along, even after learning about his illness. Teresa wasn’t just a two-faced witch – she was a shameless gold digger.
But instead of showing my true feelings, I smiled even more.
“Oh, that old thing? I didn’t even know it was that great. I saw a colleague using it and ordered a knockoff from an overseas seller for 30 bucks. It’s super cheap!”
Teresa’s face instantly turned pale.