- 21 hours ago
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00:01The day my sister and I turned 18, two shifters showed up at our door demanding
00:06we honor a marriage pact our grandfather had made. One was strikingly handsome,
00:11but dirt poor, a merman. The other was a hideous, brutal heir to the wealthiest
00:17serpent-blooded family. In my previous life, my sister, blind to everything but
00:24a pretty face, screamed true love conquers all, and snatched the merman first. So I
00:30ended up marrying the Kensington heir. Soon after that, the merman died in an
00:36accident. My sister became a widow with nothing, reduced to begging on the streets.
00:41Please give me some food.
00:45Meanwhile, I became the envied Mrs. Kensington, dripping in wealth and luxury.
00:50My sister carried that bitterness with her. And on my birthday, she poisoned me dead.
01:01Now I was back. Back to the day the two shifters came to propose. My sister was reborn as well.
01:13She couldn't wait to snatch up the Kensington heir. She shot me a smug little smile.
01:20The broke one's all yours, sis. He's not gonna live long anyway. This time, I'm the one coming out on
01:25top.
01:26I grinned so wide my face hurt. She had no idea. The merman she'd thrown away like trash was the
01:33real Kensington heir.
01:35And her precious serpent-blooded prince? Nothing but a swamp creature squatting in someone else's life.
01:47When I came to, noise was ringing in my ears. I opened my eyes. Two men stood on opposite sides
01:55of
01:55our living room, the floor lined with gift boxes tied in red ribbon. Mom and Dad looked uneasy, glancing
02:01between me and my sister. Your grandfather set up these engagements. One's a merman, one's serpent-blood.
02:07Each of you picks one and marries him. The first man wore a suit so faded it had gone white
02:12at the
02:12seams. But his face was extraordinary, refined and elegant. When he caught me looking, he offered
02:18a gentle smile. I'm Orion, merman. The other man was dressed sharp, every hair slicked into place.
02:23But his protruding lips, tiny eyes and flat nose wrecked whatever aristocratic image he was going for.
02:29He swept a cold look over me and my sister. Chin tilted up. I'm Tristan. Serpent-blooded. Kensington.
02:36Before the words were even out of his mouth, my sister rushed to Tristan's side. She popped open
02:42one of his suitcases, and her eyes lit up at the gold packed inside. I choose Tristan! Nearby,
02:47Orion quietly tucked the small gift box in his hands behind his back. Fair enough. Next to Tristan's
02:53flashy display, his single little box did look pathetic. Mom and Dad beamed the moment they
02:59saw Lily had picked the wealthy one. Before I could even open my mouth, they sealed the deal.
03:04Good! Since you've both decided, that settles it. Lily marries Tristan, and Ivy, you'll marry Orion.
03:13I stood there, frozen. Their favoritism cut the same way it always did. My sister saundered over,
03:20leaned in close to my ear, eyes blazing with ambition. This time, I'm the billionaire's wife. One
03:26sentence, and I knew, Lily had been reborn too. In our last life, my looks-obsessed sister grabbed the
03:34gorgeous Orion first. She lived in misery. Less than a year into the marriage, Orion died in a sudden
03:41accident. Our parents had already passed from an unexpected illness by then. Lily became a homeless
03:48widow, ended up begging on the streets. Meanwhile, I'd married Tristan, and become the most envied woman
03:55in the city. Wealthy beyond measure, everyone wanted a piece of me. I took pity on my sister,
04:01and brought her into the Kensington household. But once she saw that wealth and power up close,
04:08jealousy swallowed her whole. She poisoned me without a shred of hesitation. The last thing I
04:13heard before I died was her life. So what if you married into the Kensingtons? You still died by my
04:19hand. Want a better life than mine? Maybe next time. But she didn't know. Tristan was a monster.
04:32Marrying him was worse than dying.
04:36I snapped back to the present, watching the barely contained glee on my sister's face. I walked over to
04:42Orion and took the gift box from his hands. My smile was real. No one knows. This penniless
04:50merman was the real heir to the wealthiest family in the land. Tristan was just a swamp creature who'd stolen
04:57his place. I'm happy to marry Orion. Orion looked surprised. Then he smiled at me, full of gratitude.
05:07That smile was like the first thaw of spring. Like every flower in the world blooming at once.
05:14For a moment, the whole room seemed brighter. Lily faltered, then recovered with a sneer.
05:19A broke guy with an expiration date. At least he has got a pretty face.
05:24Even as she said it, her eyes stayed locked on Orion, didn't blink once. I smiled to myself.
05:29Second life, same old Lily. Obsessed with looks, always wanting what she couldn't have. Too bad for
05:35her. This time, the man beside her wasn't gentle, patient Orion. I glanced at Tristan. Sure enough,
05:41he'd caught where Lily's eyes had wandered. His face went dark. His gaze turned venomous,
05:47like a snake coiled in the shadows. I remembered my previous life.
05:52I'd said a few extra words to a bodyguard once.
05:57The next day, that bodyguard was hanging upside down outside my bedroom door,
06:02face skinned off, blood still dripping.
06:07I'd opened the door, seen blood everywhere, and crumpled to the ground. Couldn't speak,
06:13couldn't scream. Tristan just leaned against the wall, watching my terror with a little smile.
06:18Next time you say one extra word to someone, it won't be them hanging there.
06:24A shudder tore through me, but Lily was already skipping off with Tristan, delighted.
06:30I watched her go and thought, will she even survive tonight?
06:34I always knew Orion was poor. But until I followed him home,
06:38I didn't grasp what nothing really looked like. He rented a tiny studio in an old walk-up,
06:44less than 400 square feet. The only real piece of furniture was a bed. I sighed. At least I'd
06:49brought my dowry when I left home. My grandparents left one share for each of us. Enough to get by
06:55until
06:55I helped Orion reclaim his place with the Kensingtons. That's right. The moment I chose
07:01Orion, I'd already made up my mind to help him get back what was his. Once he inherited the Kensington
07:06fortune, I'd be free of Tristan the Psychopath and could go right back to living as a comfortable,
07:11wealthy wife. Perfect.
07:16Dusk settled in. Orion flicked on the light, and the little apartment turned warm and bright. He brought
07:21two steaming bowls of pasta to the table and handed me a fork. You must be starving. Eat up, fill
07:25your
07:26stomach. He looked guilty. I'm sorry. Being with me means roughing it. I glanced at his bowl, plain
07:32spaghetti with just some canned tomato sauce. Then at mine, grilled chicken and a fried egg on top.
07:37That gift box he'd brought to our house earlier was probably the last of everything he had.
07:41I pushed the egg onto his plate and smiled. It's okay. Things'll get better.
07:46My phone buzzed. Lily had added Orion and Tristan to the family group chat. A video popped up. In it,
07:53Lily filmed the lavish wedding venue on her phone. She twirled in an elaborate gown,
07:58then leaned into Tristan's arms, looking blissful. Tristan wore an indulgent smile. They looked like a
08:04real couple in love. Mom, Dad, I told Tristan to keep the wedding simple, but he insisted I deserved
08:10better. Look at this venue. The Kennington estate is unreal. Ivy, I heard a Rowian lives in a walk-up.
08:18Don't tell me he can't even afford a wedding. Orchestra music and Lily's gloating voice spilled
08:23out of my phone. Orion heard every word from across the table. He pressed his lips together and forced
08:28an apologetic smile. His eyes were swimming with guilt. Lily did that on purpose. In our last life,
08:34my extravagant wedding video went viral. Lily saw it and lost it, screaming at Orion for being useless.
08:39She didn't give him a civil word until they visited our parents. She knew damn well Orion
08:44couldn't afford a wedding. He couldn't afford anything. He'd been on his own since childhood,
08:49scraping by on student loans and part-time gigs. No savings. No family. This was purely to humiliate
08:55him. I set down my fork, climbed right into Orion's lap, held up my phone, and snapped a selfie of
09:00the
09:00two of us. Orion was devastatingly hot in that photo. Cheeks flushed, eyes wide. That startled look,
09:09making him somehow even more gorgeous. The warm light made it look like the photo was already
09:14filtered. I posted it to the group chat with the caption. With a face like this on my husband,
09:18even a trip to City Hall for a marriage license feels like something I need to keep under wraps.
09:22But perfect wedding or not, I'll love him forever. Lily left the group. I laughed so hard I nearly fell
09:28off my chair. I could just picture her face right now. She was obsessed with looks. And how could a
09:39look red? He leaned back slightly, stammering. Ivy, you might want to get off. I realized I was still
09:46sitting in his lap. My own face went hot. I scrambled back to my seat and buried myself in
09:50my pasta. His cooking was genuinely good. Could cook, looked like that, and was secretly heir to
09:55a fortune. I'd hit the jackpot. After dinner and a shower, I sat on the edge of the bed in
10:00my nightgown,
10:00nervous. Tonight was our wedding night, but I couldn't stop thinking about my last life.
10:07Tristan was good at hiding what he really was. The Kensington Patriarch was serpent-blooded and
10:12his wife was merfolk. No child of theirs could ever be a swamp creature, and Tristan knew it. So he
10:17hunted down distant relatives and bathed in what he bled from them just to pass as one of them. It
10:21rotted him from the inside out. Every kill twisted him further until cruelty became his only pleasure.
10:26There was a hidden room in Tristan's bedroom. It was filled with instruments no sane person
10:33could look at without breaking, and Tristan's favorite pastime was using every last one of
10:37them on me. Every night with Tristan was agony. Lily thought marrying him meant living like a queen.
10:43She had no idea she just walked straight into hell. Tonight, Tristan would show her what he really was.
10:48I wondered if she'd survive live long enough to regret it. While I was lost in thought,
10:52the bathroom door swung open. Orion walked out, toweling his hair. A towel slung low on his waist,
10:58lean abs, and a perfect V-line on full display. Stepping through the steam, he looked like a siren
11:03straight out of myth. I stared, but all I could think was, apparently snakes are packing double down
11:08there. Orion's got serpent blood, so does that mean⦠What are you looking at? His ears went red,
11:14just checking if you've got two. It just slipped out. The second I heard myself say it, I slapped both
11:22hands over my mouth, dying of embarrassment. Orion short-curted. The man looked like he'd been
11:26boiled alive and struck by lightning at the same time. After a long, painful silence, he pressed his
11:32lips together, walked over to the bed, and kissed me on the cheek. And just like that, I was the
11:40one
11:40melting. Two red-faced people sat in silence. Orion thought for a second, then pulled his suitcase over
11:46and popped it open on the floor. Inside were a few worn pieces of clothing, and a wooden box.
11:51He sat on the edge of the bed and placed the box carefully in my hands. Open it. I lifted
11:56the lid.
11:56Nestled in thick velvet lay a silver medallion, the Kensington serpent pressed, etched into its surface.
12:02The metalwork was so fine and old that even I could tell it was priceless. What isβ¦
12:07I looked up at Orion, stunned. His expression was dead serious.
12:12My foster dad said this was around my neck when he found me. Must be something my family left.
12:17It's the only thing of value I own. Now that you've married me, I think you should have it.
12:24I exhaled slowly. The medallion suddenly felt impossibly heavy in my hands. I'd seen this medallion
12:30before. In my last life, Lily got obsessed with designer bags. She resented Orion for being too
12:36broke to buy her one. She tore the apartment apart looking for anything to sell and found this
12:40medallion. Took it straight to a pawn shop. As luck would have it, that pawn shop belonged to the
12:44Kensington's. The moment Tristan saw the medallion his people brought in, his face changed. He had
12:49someone trace where it came from. Not long after that, Orion was dead. The night Orion died, I brought
12:55Tristan his evening drink in the study. I overheard him on the phone telling someone,
12:59it's been taken care of. Orion's death was no accident. Tristan recognized the family cream for what it was.
13:04To protect his stolen identity, he had Orion killed. Now in this life, Orion handed me that same
13:10medallion without a second thought. Good. With the proof in my hands, I could start planning.
13:14I tucked the medallion away carefully and wrapped my arms around him.
13:19Thank you for trusting me. Orion shook his head with a soft smile.
13:23I should be the one thanking you for choosing me. Two warm bodies pressed close. Before long,
13:28something soft brushed the corner of my mouth. The scent of his freshly showered skin made my head spin.
13:33He sent me to Cloud9 so many times I stopped remembering my own name. Though my question was answered.
13:41Three days later, Lily and I both brought our husbands home for a family dinner. Orion and I
13:45pulled up in a cab and we couldn't get to the front door. The whole street was jammed with
13:48Kentington vehicles, every one of them loaded with gifts. By the time we squeezed inside with
13:52our wine and flowers, Lily was sitting at the table, staring at nothing. The second she saw me,
13:57she lunged. Her fingers dug into my shoulders, her face twisted up. You did this on purpose,
14:01didn't you? Why didn't you tell me why? Flawless makeup, expensive outfit. She looked every bit
14:05the society wife. But beneath those oversized sleeves, her arms told a different story.
14:09Purple bruises, cuts, burned scars. Two days with Tristan, and she already looked like this.
14:15I frowned, about to say something. Then Tristan showed up, smile plastered on,
14:19and slid his arm around Lily's shoulders. Babe, what are you two chatting about?
14:23Lily went rigid. Her whole body trembled the second he touched her. Orion picked up on it.
14:28You okay? Tristan just smiled. Probably under the weather. She's fine.
14:31Mom and Dad rushed over all smiles and ushered Tristan and Lily off to rest.
14:36The second they were gone, Dad whipped around and glared at me. Your sister's not well and
14:41you're bothering her? What are you playing at? Some big sister you are. Mom looked at me like I was
14:46the enemy. Ivy, you all made your own choices. Don't go getting jealous because your sister
14:50married better. I laughed. My choice? If I remember right, Lily chose first. Mom opened her mouth,
14:57but nothing came out. Dad's face went hard. What's that supposed to mean? You still want to
15:03compete with your sister? Orion stepped in front of me, frowning. Mrs. Bellwood, Lily came to Ivy first.
15:14You're blaming the wrong person. I gave a thin smile. Let's go. No point. Mom and Dad always
15:19favored Lily. I'd known that my whole life. In my last life, every visit home after marrying Tristan
15:24came with the same lecture. They said I stole the life that should have been Lily's. If it weren't for
15:29you, your sister would be the one living in luxury. You owe her everything. Helping her is the least you
15:33can do. She wants a car? Buy it for her. They said this right to my face. Two minutes before
15:38that,
15:38Lily had been mocking me for reeking of money, for marrying an ugly man for wealth. But it was
15:43always Lily who chose first. I took Orion's hand and headed for the dining room. Then I stopped and
15:48looked back at my unbothered parents. You know what? I should actually thank Lily. If it weren't for her,
15:53how would I have ended up with such a sweet, gorgeous husband? And soon to be a filthy rich
15:57one, too. I kept that part to myself. At the table, Orion and I sat across from Lily and Tristan.
16:02This time, Lily kept her eyes off Orion. Probably learned her lesson. But every now and then,
16:07I caught resentment flickering in her sideways glances. Once the dishes were out, Tristan set
16:12a bottle on the table in sleek packaging. Her dad likes his whiskey. Brought a 1980 single malt.
16:18Dad's face lit up. He went on and on about what a great son-in-law Lily had found. Lily
16:22pleaded,
16:22then turned that smug look on me. Ivy, what did you and your husband bring?
16:28She leaned hard on those last words. She wanted to watch us squirm. Tristan's eyes glinted with
16:33amusement. Mom and Dad frowned at Orion. Nobody moved to bail us out. Orion pressed his lips together.
16:40He shot me an apologetic look, then stood with his glass raised. Mr. and Mrs. Bellwood, I'm sorry.
16:46You know my situation. But I promise I'll take good care of Ivy. That's all I can offer.
16:50He raised his glass. To family. Lily scoffed. To family? That's cute. Do you even know how much
16:57that whiskey your sipping costs? 200 grand a bottle? You couldn't buy it if they sold you.
17:03That was nasty. I pulled Orion back down and smiled. It's fine, babe. Mom and Dad married off their
17:10daughter, not sold her. Why would they be fishing for gifts? Besides, what good is money if you're
17:15miserable? With a handsome, devoted husband like mine, I'm sure they couldn't be happier. I pressed down
17:22on handsome and let my eyes slide over to Lily. Neither she nor Tristan looked pleased. I turned
17:29to my stunned parents. Right, Mom? Dad? Their smiles dropped. They stared at me a long time before
17:36squeezing out two words. Just eat. I beamed at Lily's furious face. Talk trash. Get burned. Now
17:43nobody's having a good time. Except me. I was having a great time. I picked up some meat and dropped
17:49it into
17:49Orion's bowl. Eat up. Four people. Over a dozen dishes. Most of them Lily and Tristan's favorites.
17:57In my last life, when Tristan came here as my husband, he never got treatment half this good.
18:08A few rounds of drinks later, dinner wound down. Mom and Dad pulled Lily and Tristan aside to chat,
18:14so I grabbed Orion and headed out. The surprise was Tristan offering us a ride home.
18:24I've got my car. It's on the way. Let me drop you off. Oran and I traded a look and
18:29got in the back.
18:30We barely pulled away before Tristan spoke, casual as anything.
18:34I noticed you two talking with Lily at the door. What was that about?
18:40I knew it. He heard her. My eyes shot up. In the rearview mirror, Tristan's gaze was locked on my
18:46face.
18:47Cold. Probing. Hunting for a crack. I put on a confused look.
18:53At the door? Oh, that. Her favorite singer just announced a concert and I forgot to tell her.
18:59She got mad.
19:02I gave him a sheepish smile. She's been obsessing over this really hot musician lately, going kind of crazy about
19:09it.
19:09She's not usually like that with me.
19:13Oh, that's so.
19:16His tone gave nothing away. The rest of the drive, I didn't shut up.
19:22I gust about how ridiculously attractive this musician was. How charming. How magnetic.
19:30I laid it on so thick, even I almost believed it.
19:37By the time Tristan pulled up to our building, his face was darker than a thundercloud.
19:42But he couldn't say a damn thing.
19:47With his psychotic possessiveness, Lily was probably in for another night of hell.
19:52Just like the countless nights I'd lived through myself.
19:58Back then, I was too scared he'd go after my parents.
20:01So I never said a word.
20:11When they did see my bruises, they looked the other way and kept asking me for money to give Lily.
20:20Now it was Lily's turn.
20:23Would she take it in silence or run crying to mom and dad?
20:31Before getting out, I asked Tristan for two tickets to the upcoming ball.
20:34Told him I wanted to see how the other half lived.
20:38He barely hid his contempt, but handed them over.
20:41The second I had those tickets, I finally let out the breath I'd been holding.
20:45Got them.
20:46Tristan figured I was just some social climber fishing for connections at a fancy party.
20:51The truth was, in three days, the Kensington patriarch and his wife would both be at that gala.
20:57It was the only shot around and I had it getting close to them.
21:03I was going to get around his identity back at that event.
21:07After we got home from my parents' place, Orion went quiet, brooding.
21:11I had to ask him three times what was wrong.
21:13He finally caved, trying way too hard to sound casual.
21:17Was that musician I'd been raving about in the car better looking than him?
21:20I laughed so hard I doubled over.
21:22Didn't stop until Orion, flushed and annoyed, pulled me into his arms.
21:26I cupped his face and planted a loud kiss right on his lips.
21:30My husband's the best looking man alive.
21:32His face went red.
21:33He tilted my chin up and kissed me back, slow and careful.
21:37Outside, soft rain started to fall.
21:39Under the warm glow of the lamp, Orion held me on our new couch and kissed me like the rest
21:44of the
21:44world didn't exist.
21:45His lashes kept brushing against my cheeks.
21:48I sighed to myself.
21:50Honestly, just spending the rest of my days like this with Orion would be enough.
21:55But Lily knew the medallion existed.
21:58She could tell Tristan anytime.
22:01If I didn't take him down first, Orion was a dead man.
22:06I couldn't shield Orion from someone with Tristan's kind of power.
22:10My only option was to scheme behind his back, even if he'd hate me for it once he found out.
22:17Three days later, I wore a gown I'd picked out carefully.
22:21Orion was in a tailored suit.
22:23We walked into the gala together.
22:26The moment we stepped through the doors, every eye in the room landed on Orion.
22:31Of course they did.
22:34He'd made Lily pick him over money and thread back clothes.
22:38Now cleaned up and dressed right, his beauty was on a whole different level.
22:42He outshone every single person in that room.
22:45Orion cleared his throat, tugged his tie, and whispered.
22:48Isn't this a bit much?
22:49I grinned.
22:50Not at all.
22:51Not even a little.
22:53Okay, maybe a little.
22:54These outfits burn through most of my dowry, but you get what you pay for.
22:58If Orion showed up looking out of place,
23:01the Kensington Patriarch wouldn't spare him a glance.
23:04Besides, tonight was all or nothing.
23:06If we failed, we were dead anyway.
23:08No point saving money for a corpse.
23:10But if it worked, and Orion became the Kensington heir,
23:14today's tab was pocket change.
23:16I led Orion to the front of the room.
23:18The music swelled.
23:20Lily came down the spiral staircase on Tristan's arm,
23:22dressed to the nines.
23:24I smiled and waved.
23:25Lily's face soured the instant she spotted me.
23:27Pure disgust.
23:28But then her gaze drifted to Orion beside me, and she froze mid-step.
23:34Tristan followed her line of sight.
23:36Something dark flickered across his face.
23:38He yanked her forward.
23:40She pulled herself together, walked up to me,
23:42looked at Orion first, then back at me.
23:44Jealousy and resentment all over her face.
23:47What are you doing here?
23:51It's the Patriarch's birthday.
23:53We're here to wish him well.
23:54I kept smiling.
23:55After all, we're all family now.
23:58Celebrate?
23:59Lily narrowed her eyes.
24:00Where's your gift?
24:01Right here.
24:02I waved the small box.
24:03It's the thought that counts.
24:05Lily sneered.
24:06Married a broke guy.
24:07Of course you can't afford anything decent.
24:11The jealousy drained from her face after that.
24:13She looked at Orion with disdain and settled back into her haughty composure.
24:17Whatever.
24:17A party like this is probably once in a lifetime for people like you.
24:20Just don't embarrass me.
24:22Tristan had already wandered off to mingle.
24:23Lily turned to leave.
24:24I glanced at Tristan across the room, let out a little gasp, pretended to stumble,
24:28and grabbed at Lily on the way down.
24:30Her sleeve tore clean off.
24:31Tonight, Lily wore a champagne-colored gown.
24:33High neck, long sleeves, sheer fabric covering every inch of her shoulders and arms.
24:37My rough grab ripped through the fabric, exposing skin covered in injuries.
24:40Cuts, burns, purple bruises layered on top of yellowing ones.
24:44Orion sucked in a breath.
24:45Oh my god.
24:46Gasps rippled through the crowd.
24:47The society wives closest of us got the clearest look, and hands flew to mouths.
24:51Across the room, Tristan felt those stares land on him.
24:54He figured it out fast.
24:56When he saw Lily standing there with her wounds on full display,
25:00his face turned to stone.
25:01He rushed over and grabbed Lily's arm,
25:03voice urgent, playing the concerned husband to perfection.
25:06Babe, what happened?
25:08Where did these come from?
25:09Your parents are going to be worried sick.
25:11Concern on the surface.
25:13A threat underneath.
25:14He was telling her to say she did this to herself or her parents would pay for it.
25:18Too bad.
25:19Lilla wasn't me.
25:20She'd been spoiled rotten her whole life.
25:23In her world, she always came first.
25:25Why else would she have killed me over jealousy without thinking twice?
25:31She saw Tristan's desperate eyes, his warning,
25:35and she knew this was her best shot at getting out.
25:38Instead of covering for him, she crumpled to the floor, curled into herself, and sobbed.
25:43Don't hit me!
25:44Please!
25:45Please don't hit me!
25:51The whole hall went into an uproar.
25:55The Kensington heir beat his wife behind closed doors.
25:59Tonight's guest list was packed with powerful shifters and wealthy humans alike.
26:04If word got out, Tristan's reputation was done.
26:08And not just his.
26:10The entire Kensington name would be dragged through the mud.
26:13Maybe that's why.
26:15Five minutes after the scene broke out, the Kensington patriarch and his wife showed up.
26:28She's still your sister.
26:31Want to help her?
26:34I shook my head.
26:38Orion frowned, but didn't push it.
26:40I could feel what he was thinking.
26:43To him, Lily was just sharp-tongued, still my sister, still being abused right in front of us.
26:50My refusal must have looked cold.
26:52And, yeah, that stung a little.
26:56But Lily killed me in our last life.
26:59Why should I help her?
27:00I wasn't just not going to help her.
27:02I was going to use her.
27:04The second the patriarch and his wife appeared, their eyes went straight to Orion.
27:10He was stunning, especially standing next to Tristan.
27:13The contrast was almost cruel.
27:16The couple exchanged a glance.
27:17Something like doubt passed between them.
27:19The patriarch was serpent blood.
27:21His wife was merfolk.
27:23Both beautiful.
27:24Yet their supposed son had always been explicitly ugly, his bloodline suspiciously thin.
27:29They never said it out loud.
27:31But the disappointment was always there.
27:33In my last life, Tristan threw rages about it all the time.
27:37And every rage meant I paid the price.
27:41I knew that once they laid eyes on Orion,
27:44the medallion in my hands would find its way to theirs.
27:48Please.
27:50Please.
27:51Help me.
27:52Help me.
27:53Tristan tried to kill me.
27:55Lily wailed through her tears.
27:56She ripped off her other sleeve and heist her skirt up past her thighs.
28:02Every guest could see it.
28:04There wasn't an inch of unmarked skin on her limbs.
28:07The damage was horrific.
28:09Everyone who saw it flinched.
28:11Except Tristan.
28:12His jaw clenched.
28:14He backhanded Lily to the ground.
28:16And that still wasn't enough.
28:17He clamped one hand around her throat, veins bulging at his temples, snarling.
28:21You crazy bitch!
28:23Lost your mind?
28:24You're trying to ruin me?
28:27I'll kill you!
28:28I swear to God, I'll kill you!
28:30His mother stood frozen.
28:32Mr. Kemvington reacted first, shouting for security to drag Tristan off.
28:37Tristan hit the floor, panting, glaring at Lily with pure hatred.
28:42Lily scrambled away on all fours and threw herself behind Orion, glitching his pant leg.
28:47Orion! Orion, help me!
28:49Orion glanced at me on instinct.
28:52Like a reflex, he shook her off gently, standing there completely lost.
28:57I snorted.
28:59Tristan snapped.
29:00You shameless slut!
29:01Knew you were hung up on that pretty boy!
29:03No shame at all!
29:04I should've carved your face up!
29:06You dare look down on me?
29:07Take a look in the goddamn mirror!
29:09I frowned, snatched two bottles of liquor off a nearby table,
29:13walked up to Tristan, and poured them both over his head.
29:23He wiped his face, about to explode.
29:27Then two long whiskers sprouted from beside his lips.
29:30Hard liquor burned away Tristan's disguise and dragged his true form to the surface.
29:35Mr. and Mrs. Kensington, look.
29:37Tristan is not your son.
29:39What you're looking at is nothing but a swamp creature, a mud fish.
29:43The patriarch and his wife stared at the whiskers on Tristan's face.
29:49Their shock melted into horror.
29:53And I heard Orion's voice, urgent and sharp.
29:57Ivy, watch out!
30:00Next thing I knew, I was pulled into a warm embrace.
30:03We hit the ground together.
30:05I whipped around just in time to see Tristan, face twisted with rage, driving a glass shard into Orion's thigh.
30:12Blue blood gushed from the wound.
30:17His mother gasped.
30:19Merfolk?
30:20The gift box I'd been helded fell during the scramble.
30:23The family crest medallion rolled across the floor and came to rest right in front of Orion.
30:28Security had Tristan pinned.
30:32I picked up the medallion, steady hands, calm face.
30:36I couldn't bring myself to look at Orion.
30:39This has been with Orion since the day he was born.
30:42Ma'am, do you recognize it?
30:46The patriarch's face changed.
30:48That's...
30:49His wife was already in tears.
30:51Tristan screamed and thrashed against the guards.
30:54From the look on his face, if he got free, he'd kill me on the spot.
30:59I pulled my glaze away and stole a glance at Orion.
31:02He wasn't looking at his father, wasn't looking at his mother, not at anyone else.
31:07He was looking straight at me.
31:10Still and unblinking, I looked away.
31:14Mrs. Kendington threw herself at Orion, sobbing, and Mr. Kendington's eyes were red.
31:20My boy, what you've been through all these years, how did you survive?
31:27The three of them held each other and wept.
31:31Every guest in the hall stood frozen, champagne glasses suspended in mid-air,
31:36doing their best to blend into the wallpaper.
31:43Lily screamed from the floor where she sat crumpled, every head turned.
31:46No. No!
31:50You knew all along, didn't you?
31:53You planned this!
31:57Her eyes burned into me, pure venom.
32:00If she'd had a knife in her hand, I'd be full of holes already.
32:03You bitch!
32:05She hissed through her teeth.
32:07I won't let you get away with this!
32:11Then she stumbled, crying toward Orion, fell to her knees beside him, and wailed.
32:17Orion, it should have been me! I'm the one who was supposed to marry you!
32:21Ivy played us both! She's been poisoning you against me this whole time!
32:25She's a schemer, a liar! How can you not see that? She'll destroy you!
32:31The patriarch and his wife went stiff. They looked at me with wary eyes and pulled Orion behind them.
32:37I opened my mouth, but before a word came out, Tristan let out an animal roar.
32:42He ripped free from the guards and came barreling at me.
32:45A sickening crack. A bottle exploded against my skull.
32:48Blood poured down my face and drowned my vision.
32:51Through the red haze, I could make out Orion.
32:54His lips were moving, but my skull was ringing so loud I couldn't hear a thing.
32:59As I crumpled, his voice finally cut through. Orion, screaming my name.
33:04But why did he sound like he was breaking apart?
33:08One month later, I was lying on the deck of a cruise ship, staring out at the Aginian Sea.
33:13My guide, a guy named Marco, walked over with a drink.
33:16Next stop, Santorini. Gorgeous little volcanic island. You're gonna love it.
33:19I took a sip and nodded.
33:21Sure, let's do it. Marco tilsted his head.
33:25You showed up two weeks ago saying you wanted to travel, but you couldn't care less about where.
33:32Gotta say, I'm curious what really brought you out here.
33:35I dropped my gaze and sighed. Travel? Hardly. I'd been handed a fat check and shown the door.
33:43A month ago, Tristan cracked a bottle over my soul.
33:47The Kensingtons put me in the hospital out of basic decency.
33:51Orion's leg wound was deep, packed with glass shards.
33:54He was ordered to stay put and recover under the family's private medical team.
33:58The Kensingtons finally had their real son back.
34:01Polite, well-mannered, everything they could have dreamed of.
34:03They couldn't stop doting on him.
34:05Meanwhile, Lily threw tantrum after tantrum demanding to marry Orion,
34:09swearing they were connected from a past life.
34:11She dragged my name through the dirt every chance she got.
34:14The Kensingtons went to my parents to get the full picture.
34:17Mom and Dad, falling over themselves to hand Lily what she wanted and cling to the Kensington name,
34:22ripped me apart without blinking.
34:24On top of that, I was the one who orchestrated the whole gala scene.
34:28The Kensingtons turned cold on me real fast after that.
34:30The day I got discharged, Mrs. Kendington was waiting with a check in hand.
34:34Polite, distant.
34:36Miss Belmort, Orion never truly had feelings for you.
34:40Consider this compensation.
34:42For both your sakes, I'd prefer you don't see each other again.
34:47I looked at the number, seven zeros trailing behind it, staggeringly generous.
34:54I thought for a second, does Orion know about this?
35:02The complicated, pained look on their faces told me everything I needed to know.
35:07Right. He'd been recovering this whole time and never once came to see me.
35:11Maybe he genuinely didn't care. Or maybe he flat out resented me.
35:15I figured I'd nearly killed myself helping the Kempingtons get their son back.
35:19This money was fair compensation. Taking it wasn't unreasonable.
35:23So I took the check, and I walked.
35:26Finding Marco was pure luck.
35:28He just happened to be the only guide who didn't get on my nerves at first sight.
35:32Two weeks in, he turned out to be genuinely great at his job.
35:36If he weren't permanently stationed around the Aegean,
35:38I would have dragged him halfway across the globe.
35:41I sipped my drink and watched the sunset bleed across the water.
35:45Beautiful.
35:47Too bad I'd never get to share it with Orion. Not now. Not ever.
35:53Marco was still waiting for an answer.
35:55I shrugged. Got dumped. Came overseas to lick my wounds. Maybe find a fling.
36:09Why wouldn't I? If a gorgeous woman like you is on the market,
36:15I'd like to throw my name in.
36:16Before he even finished, a splash erupted from the sun. We both spun around.
36:20Out in the blue water, an iridescent tail broke the surface and came slicing toward us at impossible speed.
36:26Oh my god, a merman!
36:31Marco shouted in amazement, but my heart had been slamming against my ribs since the second I spotted that silhouette.
36:38I pressed a hand to my chest. The familiar figure burst through the waves, and in the golden light of
36:43sunset,
36:44he was so beautiful it hurt to look at him. I stretched my arms out toward the sea.
36:49Orion launched himself from the water and swept me into a gentle embrace.
36:56We tumbled onto the deck together. Marco got completely drenched. He wiped his face slowly.
37:02This is... this is really...
37:05He took one look at Orion, figured out what was going on between us, and quietly walked away.
37:10I ended up sitting on Orion's massive tail. We just stared at each other. After a moment,
37:15his face went red. I thought for sure he'd stutter and tell me to get off, just like that first
37:20night.
37:20But he didn't. Orion looked at me, long and steady. Then he leaned in and kissed me.
37:28A fling? I spend a few months healing up, and my wife flees the country looking for a fling.
37:37So tell me, does this one meet your standards?
37:44The moment I found out who I really was, I couldn't process it. My whole life I thought
37:51I was an orphan. Turns out I was the Kensington Sun. But that wasn't what shook me the most.
37:57It was the fact that Ivy was the one who uncovered it. I always knew she was keeping something from
38:02me.
38:03Even when she zoned out, her brows were pinched tight. Some nights she'd jerk awake in a cold sweat.
38:08Once, in the middle of a nightmare, she kept whispering, can't make it in time.
38:13Can't make it in time.
38:15I never understood what that meant, but I knew one thing for certain. I couldn't lose her.
38:20So when Lily came crying, saying Ivy had been playing me all along, I pushed her away.
38:25She's never hurt me, and she never will.
38:29I wanted to hear the truth from Ivy's own mouth.
38:32I never saw Tristan's attack coming. When I looked over and saw her face covered in blood,
38:38something inside my chest cracked wide open. I couldn't picture a world where she didn't exist.
38:45Thank God she pulled through. My leg was in rough shape though, glass buried deep in the muscle.
38:50The Kensington's? No. Mom and Dad now. They promised if I focused on healing,
38:55they'd get the best doctors for Ivy. So I ate every meal, changed my bandages on schedule,
39:00pushing myself to recover fast enough to get to her. But Lily and her parents kept coming around.
39:04They actually had the nerve to tell me Lily was my real wife. I had no idea what planet they
39:09were
39:09living on. My wife was Ivy. Only ever Ivy. Maybe when you hear a lie enough times, people start buying
39:15it. Eventually even my own parents told me I should let Ivy go. How was that supposed to be okay?
39:20The Bellwoods must have been filling their heads with garbage. I knew it. They never cared about
39:25Ifes. Never liked me either. At the ball, when I asked Ivy if she wanted to help Lily and she
39:33shook
39:33her head, it clicked. They must have hurt her. Again and again. She must have swallowed so much
39:41disappointment before she finally decided to cut them out for good. That gutted me. All the things she
39:48went through when I wasn't around to see. All the pain she carried alone. It's okay. From here on out,
39:57I'd be right beside her. But the second I finished dealing with the Bellwoods,
40:05my parents sat me down and told me Ivy took the check and left.
40:12Twenty million. She'd been through hell with me. She deserved every last cent of it.
40:20But how could she just walk away without me? I had more money now than I knew what to do
40:25with.
40:26She could have all of it. And if that still wasn't enough, I'd make more.
40:32I tracked her down. The Aegean Sea. People said it was beautiful out there. I had a private jet fly
40:40me to Greece that same night. Before I left, I told my parents straight. If they couldn't accept
40:46Ivis, I wasn't coming home. If freedom was what she wanted, I could give her that too.
40:55It took a while to track her down. I found out she was on a cruise ship called The Angel.
41:00I chartered a helicopter and had the pilot drop me in the water nearby. She always wanted to see my
41:05tail. I'd had it specially groomed before coming, just for her. She was gonna love it. But when I
41:11got close, I saw Ivy up on the deck with some guy, leaning on the railing, sharing drinks and laughing.
41:16She told him she'd been dumped. That she was out here looking for a fling. Absolutely not. We weren't
41:21even divorced. Right as I was about to surface, the guy smiled and told her to consider him.
41:26That did it. I kicked up the biggest splash I could imagine. Luckily, the grooming paid off.
41:31The second Ivy spotted me, her whole face lit up and she threw her arms open. I couldn't get to
41:36her
41:36fast enough. And I made damn sure my tail drenched at that guy head to toe. That's what you get
41:41for
41:42going after someone else's wife. Her lips were just as soft as I remembered. I unclasped the family
41:48Eck medallion from my neck and fastened it around hers. It was worth a fortune. She'd like that.
41:55But what mattered more was what my parents told me. This medallion belonged to the Kensington bride.
42:01You don't take back something you've already given away. So take the medallion and take me with it.
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