Chapter 1
“Keira, Vincent and your sister are engaged now, so stop trying to break them up. We’ve already bought you a plane ticket—spend the next few years abroad. Come back only after Kimberly’s married.”
Keira York looked at her parents, who acted like they meant well. Only then did she realize that she’d been reborn. She was back to the day her parents forced her to go abroad and give up on Vincent Slater.
In her past life, her parents had also tried to convince her to leave, but she’d been unwilling. She’d explained to Vincent time and time again that she was the one he was supposed to like. She had begged her parents countless times to tell the truth instead of letting her sister, Kimberly York, take the credit for what she’d done.
Yet in the end, she’d only made Vincent hate her more. When her life had hung in the balance after getting into an accident, a nurse had called Vincent. However, he had merely said coldly, “This is just another trick she’s pulling. Tell her not to ruin my and Kimberly’s wedding.”
Keira had ultimately died during the operation. She’d watched the global livestream of the wedding of the century. She had spectated as Vincent lovingly slipped a wedding band onto Kimberly’s finger. She’d watched as everyone blessed them…
Since the heavens had given Keira another chance at life, she wouldn’t be so pathetic and dumb this time around. She reached out for the flight ticket and said calmly, “Alright. I’ll go.”
Her parents, Frank York and Melinda White, were surprised by her decisiveness. “Are you really willing to go, Keira? This isn’t another scheme you’ve cooked up to ruin things for Kimberly, is it?”
Ruin things for Kimberly? How ridiculous. Vincent was supposed to be hers, but they’d snatched him away so Kimberly could have him.
Over 20 years ago, Kimberly was diagnosed with leukemia. Frank and Melinda hadn’t hesitated to have another child just to save her. And so, Keira was born. Her umbilical cord blood had saved Kimberly, but she’d lived in the latter’s shadow ever since.
Because of her poor health, Frank and Melinda gave Kimberly all the love they had. Since childhood, Keira had given up everything for Kimberly—her room, friends, and spot in a competition…
The only thing Keira had refused to give up was Vincent, the heir to the Slater family and the person for whom she’d fallen in love at first sight.
He was once a golden boy who’d stood high above the rest, but he’d lost his vision in an accident after a birthday celebration. From then on, the Slater family had banished him to a villa in the suburbs.
Keira had stolen the key to the villa behind his family’s back. Every day after school, she would climb over the wall and run into the villa to keep him company.
“I’ll come every day.” Her sweet voice became Vincent’s only salvation in the darkness.
She had never told him her name. All she had done was write on his palm, “Call me Kiki.”
Vincent had combed her hair and played the piano for her. He had also pressed her cold hands to his chest on a stormy night.
The night before his operation, he had kissed her fingertips and made a vow. “You’re the first person I want to see when I regain my vision. We’ll get together when the time comes, okay?”
His operation had lasted 12 hours. But when he regained consciousness, Kimberly was the first person he saw.
That was thanks to Frank and Melinda. After learning that Kimberly also had a crush on Vincent, they’d laced Keira’s water with sleeping pills, conking her out for a day and night.
Then, they had lied to Vincent, telling him that Kimberly had spent those days and nights by his side. And so, Kimberly had successfully taken Keira’s place.
Vincent never suspected a thing. He and Kimberly got together and eventually got engaged, seemingly head over heels for each other.
Over the next three years, Keira tried countless times to tell Vincent the truth—that she was the one who’d been by his side and that she was the one he should love. He had never believed her, not even until the day she died.
Keira looked at Frank and Melinda, finding their reactions laughable. “You kept pushing me to leave, and now that I’ve agreed, you don’t believe me. Isn’t that a bit contradictory?”
“That’s not what we meant. It’s good that you’re willing to go. You’ll leave for Endor in half a month, so take this time to pack your things and deal with whatever you need to.”
Frank and Melinda were worried that she would go back on her word, so they reminded her of a few things before they left happily.
Keira returned to her room. Her phone buzzed as soon as she shut the door. It was a text from Vincent. “Come to The Grain at 8:00 pm tonight. Room 1808.”
She tightened her grip on her phone when she saw that. In her past life, she’d been overjoyed upon receiving this text. She had thought that Vincent was finally willing to listen to her explanation, but when she got there, she realized he just wanted her to witness him in bed with Kimberly so that she would give up on him.
At the time, she had broken down in tears. However, he’d merely said coldly, “You saw us, so I’m sure you know what this means. Your sister is the only one I love.”
In hindsight, she thought she had been so pathetic.
Keira took a deep breath and replied, “Okay.”
…
She arrived at The Grain at 8:00 pm sharp. The door to room 1808 wasn’t locked. Vincent and Kimberly were inside, naked as the day they were born, entangled with each other.
Used condoms were scattered across the floor, and the room reeked of sex. Kimberly couldn’t help screaming when she saw Keira standing outside the room.
Meanwhile, Vincent lowered his head to press kisses to her collarbone. He said tenderly, “Don’t be scared. I called Keira here to prove to her that you’re the one I love. This way, she’ll stop fantasizing about being with me and accept that I’ll only ever be her brother-in-law.”
This was Keira’s second chance at life and her second time witnessing this scene. Still, she felt like she’d been stabbed in the heart. It was a bloody mess, and she was in agony. However, she knew that she had to get used to it. After all, Vincent would never be anything more than her brother-in-law.
She had no idea how much time had passed before she finally unclenched her fists, her palms marked where her nails had dug in. She watched as Vincent approached her, fully dressed.
“You saw that, right? Your sister is the only one I love. Know your place and get it into your head that I’m your brother-in-law. Stop doing those shameless things!” he said.
Keira looked at him emotionlessly. “I saw, and I understand.”
He was taken aback, seemingly surprised that she was so calm. After a moment, he picked up an invitation from the bedside table and handed it to her. “Kimberly and I are getting married next month. I hope you’ll be there.”
Keira accepted it. “I will. I wish you both all the happiness in the world.”
Vincent studied her closely, a slight furrow in his brow. He thought that she was being extraordinarily compliant for some reason. He didn’t question her, though. He merely held Kimberly’s hand and led her out of the hotel. Keira followed them, her footsteps heavy.
Her head was lowered, and she was distracted. Suddenly, she heard a piercing scream come from beside her. A second later, a massive overhead light crashed down without warning.
Vincent instinctively pulled Kimberly into his arms, shielding her as he backed away, avoiding the light. Meanwhile, Keira was left alone as the light fell on her, making her collapse on the floor in a pool of blood.
Pain crashed over her in waves, gnawing away at her nerves. She was in such agony that she trembled violently while lying there.
Tears rolled down her face and blurred her vision. The last thing she saw before shutting her eyes was Vincent holding Kimberly protectively.
The young man she’d kept in her heart would never return, and she could finally let him go.
