Chapter 3
There were fifteen days left in the mandatory separation period, and Xavier hadn’t come home once.
That night, I wandered into the church, bored and restless–only to find Sophie praying at the altar.
She was still wearing that faded white habit, head slightly bowed, her expression pure and devout as she faced the cross.
Then, as if sensing something, she turned her head ever so slightly–and spotted me in the back pews.
Her eyes lit up.
In the next second, she was hurrying toward me with a light, eager step.
She took my hand in hers, warm and trembling slightly, and began to trace letters across my palm:
“I’m so sorry about that day. My boyfriend showed up unexpectedly. If it’s okay… I’d like to take you to dinner to make up for it.”
In my last life, Xavier once said Sophie was different from people like us–those of us filled with blood and fire.
He said her soul was pure, untouched.
An angel on Earth.
Back then, I’d scoffed at the idea.
But looking at her now… I could almost believ
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“If anyone should be thanking someone, it’s me. Come on–dinner s on me.
I led her to a small diner nearby. When the food arrived, she stared at the plates for a long time, then blinked rapidly.
Tears had welled in her eyes.
“What’s wrong?”
She wiped at the corners of her eyes, then pulled out a notepad and pen from her bag. In neat, careful handwriting, she
wrote:
“I broke my vows for him… But ever since I got pregnant, he’s been pulling away from me.”
So they’d slept together.
I wasn’t surprised.
But hearing it still made something inside me twist.
“Do you think he already has a family?” she asked.
That sent a chill down my spine.
The ache in my chest was instantly replaced by fear.
Chapter 3
Tame him conquer him, but try not to get too attached
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If she ever found out that Xavier was married–was my husband–she’d leave him on the spot.
And if that happened, Xavier would think I sabotaged their relationship. He’d retaliate the only way he knew how–by going
after my parents again.
And this time, I couldn’t risk it.
I forced a smile and said, “No way. You’re the kind of girl the angels protect. If I were your boyfriend, I wouldn’t be running.
I’d be right there–no matter what.”
Before she could ask anything else, I excused myself and ducked into the restroom.
Hands trembling, I called my mom.
Only after she confirmed–three times–that she and Dad had arrived safely at the Aspenridge vineyards did I finally let
myself exhale.
She heard the strain in my voice immediately.
“Avery,” she said gently, “is everything alright with you and Xavier?”
My eyes burned hot. I wanted to tell her everything.
How much I’d endured.
How much I wanted to stop pretending.
But the words wouldn’t come. I just sat there in silence, biting down on the pain.
In my last life, after Xavier had my parents killed, he threw me in prison.
He faked a death certificate for me, then married Sophie.
I hated him.
I hated her.
I hated everyone who had ever hurt me.
I tried everything to escape the prison.
But the moment I reached the first checkpoint… one of his men shot me dead.
“I don’t care what it is,” my mother said softly on the phone, “just know this–your father and I love you. No matter what
you do.”
“We’ll start over if we have to. All that matters is that you’re happy.”
I closed my eyes, clutched the phone tight.
“Thanks, Mom. I know what i have to do now.”
Chapter 3
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Tame him, conquer him, but try not to get too attached
