Chapter 1

At dawn, Odalys Stone cracked open her eyes, the sunlight pouring through the window making her squint. For a moment, she stared blankly, her mind groggy, before her gaze fell on the crooked calendar on the wall. A bitter smile tugged at her lips.

She was back. Back to this godforsaken day—the day her life had been ripped apart; the day she was sold into a hellish marriage, betrayed by the very people she’d called family, and ultimately killed.

Hatred boiled in her veins, rising like a tide that threatened to drown her. But just as quickly, she forced it down, replacing it with icy calm. Her past life had already wrung every last drop of emotion from her. Not this time. This time, she wasn’t that naive, helpless girl. She was alive. And she was here to make them pay, every single one of them.

The sound of heavy footsteps snapped her out of her thoughts. A sharp knock rattled the door, followed by louder, more impatient banging. Before Odalys could move, the door burst open with a deafening crash. A tall figure stormed in, roughly grabbing her arm and yanking her towards him.

“Odalys Stone, are you fucking dead?” Henry Bennett barked, his grip bruising, his expression one of pure rage.

Her face turned glacial, her lips curling into a sneer. Without hesitation, she sharply twisted his wrist and shoved him away with enough force to make him stumble. As he regained his balance, blinking in stunned disbelief, Odalys calmly reached for her phone, pressing the record button without missing a beat.

Henry gawked at her, his jaw slack. This wasn’t the meek, obedient sister he knew—the one who flinched at his every word. She wasn’t cowering or apologizing. She had fought back.

“What the hell’s gotten into you?” he spat, pointing an accusatory finger at her. “Do you think this is some kind of joke? The Stewarts are coming today, and you’re still lying in bed? Do you want them to take Sophia instead? Is that it?”

Odalys’s gaze hardened, her voice cutting through his tirade like a knife. “Why, Henry? Isn’t she the one engaged to him? Or is it because their son is dying that you want me to take her place? You’re scared she’ll end up a widow, but me? I’m just expendable, right?”

His mouth opened and closed, his face turning an ugly shade of red. “Sophia is different,” he muttered, his eyes darting away. “If people find out she’s been married before, her life will be ruined.”

A bitter laugh escaped her lips, sharp and cold. “Oh, I see. Her reputation is sacred, but mine? That’s disposable! How fucking convenient.”

Henry’s fists clenched at his sides, his face twisting with anger. Before he could lash out, a frail figure appeared in the doorway.

“Henry, stop,” Sophia Bennett said, her voice trembling as tears streamed down her pale cheeks. She looked heartbreakingly pitiful, her wide eyes shimmering with sorrow. “I’ll do it. I’ll marry him, okay? If he dies, then… then I…” Her voice broke into sobs, her frail body shaking as though she might collapse.

“Enough!” Hannah Bennett’s voice sliced through the room like a whip.

Odalys turned her gaze to her mother, who stood in the doorway flanked by her two brothers, Caspian and Atlas Bennett. Their faces were etched with fury; their contempt for her was palpable.

“Odalys,” Caspian snapped, his fists tightening. “How can you be so heartless! Sophia is your sister. Are you really going to let her face this alone?”

Atlas crossed his arms, his tone dripping with disgust. “We’re not asking you to die. Just marry him for a while. Once he’s gone, you’ll come back safe and sound. What’s the big deal!”

Their audacity was almost laughable. Before her time travel, this might have broken her. She might have screamed, begged them to see reason, only to be crushed under their blackmail and cruelty. She had been drugged, stripped of her dignity, and forced into that cursed marriage. And when it became too much, she had ended it all in despair. But not this time.

“Fine,” she said coolly, her tone so steady it was almost unnerving. “I never said I wouldn’t marry him.”

Chapter 1 (Continued)

Taking a deep breath, Odalys straightened her shoulders, her lips curling into a calm, almost serene smile. Without a word, she walked to her desk, picking up a pen and paper. Her phone, still recording, caught every calculated move.

The room fell silent. They exchanged confused glances, trying to figure out what game she was playing.

A moment later, she turned back to them, holding out a document she’d just written. “Here’s the deal—you’re all signing this agreement to sever any and all family ties with me. I want it airtight, legally binding, and notarized. No bullshit, no loopholes. Once that’s done, I’ll marry the guy. Simple as that.”

Their stunned silence quickly turned to outrage.

Atlas grabbed the document with a sneer, his voice dripping with mockery. “Cut ties with us? Who the hell do you think you are? Spit it out—how much do you want?”

Henry didn’t hesitate. He pulled a sleek black card from his wallet and tossed it onto the table with a cold, detached expression. “Thirty thousand dollars. Take it and get out. Stop playing the victim—it’s just a goddamn wedding. You’re acting like we’re sending you to the gallows.”

Sophia’s eyes flickered with a momentary spark of relief when she saw the agreement, but she quickly smothered it with crocodile tears. “No, no, don’t do this, sister.” Her voice cracked as she shook her head, her tone full of exaggerated despair. “I’ll go. I’ll marry him if that’s what it takes. Please, don’t fight with Mom and the boys because of me. It’s my fault—I should’ve left the house the moment you came back if I’d known you felt this way.”

She spun around dramatically, her frail frame trembling with grief, and collapsed conveniently into Henry’s arms.

“Sophia,” Henry murmured, holding her close. He shot Odalys a glare filled with venom. “Is this what you wanted? To tear this family apart?”

Odalys met his fury with icy detachment. “I’m not tearing anything apart. Just sign the damn agreement, get it notarized, and I’ll go play your sacrificial lamb.”

Their angry, incredulous faces only fueled her inner amusement. Why did I waste so many years trying to please these people? Why did I beg for affection from people who wouldn’t piss on me if I were on fire?

Once, she’d been their discarded daughter, tossed aside like trash while they paraded around their replacement—a shiny new girl they’d adopted to fill her spot. Meanwhile, Odalys had been left to fend for herself in the streets, barely surviving. If not for her mentor, she’d have been dead long ago. And yet, despite all that, she’d come back, hoping to earn their love, only to be betrayed in the cruelest way imaginable. But this time, she wasn’t here to beg.

“You’ll regret this!” Hannah’s shrill voice snapped through the tension like a whip. She turned to the nearest servant and barked, “Get the lawyer. Now!” Her desperation was almost laughable—she wasn’t worried about principle, only about Odalys backing out. The brothers exchanged uneasy glances but stayed silent, too afraid to challenge their mother.

“Uh… yes, ma’am,” the servant stammered before scurrying off.

Henry stood frozen, his jaw clenched as he processed what was happening. “Mom, you’re not seriously doing this, are you?” he asked, his voice tinged with disbelief. But before he could get an answer, Sophia’s soft sobs stole the spotlight.

“Mom, let’s not take it this far,” Caspian chimed in, playing the concerned brother. “She’s still family.”

Hannah’s lips curled into a sneer, her eyes flashing with pure disdain. “This ungrateful brat thinks she can just walk away! Fine. Let her try. Without the Bennett name, let’s see how far she gets in this world.”

The lawyer arrived moments later, looking thoroughly confused but professional. Hannah showed him the document without hesitation, watching as it was officially notarized.

Odalys took the signed agreement, her face calm and unreadable. She snapped a photo of it with her phone before slipping the papers into her bag. Without a word, she turned and walked toward the door, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floor.

“Move,” she said coolly, her voice like a blade. “You’re in my way.”

Hannah stood frozen, her fury simmering beneath the surface. Finally, she grabbed her phone and hurled it toward Odalys’s retreating figure. “You selfish little bitch! Are you trying to kill me?!”

Chapter 1 (Continued)

But Odalys didn’t even flinch. Her voice floated up the staircase, steady and sharp. “Are those the wedding gifts from the Stewart family?”

“Yes, ma’am,” a servant replied hesitantly.

Everyone froze, their confusion quickly morphing into curiosity as they followed her downstairs. There, Odalys stood in the entryway, surveying the piles of lavish gifts stacked neatly by the door.

She pulled out her ID and handed it to the nearest servant. “Go to the bank. Open a safety deposit box and store everything there.”

The servant blinked, visibly stunned. “Pardon me, ma’am?”

Odalys arched a brow, her lips curving into a smirk. “What’s the problem? Aren’t these gifts for me?”

“Y–yes, ma’am,” he stammered, nodding quickly.

At her command, a team of guards began loading the extravagant gifts back into the trucks. The grand Bennett estate erupted into chaos as workers scrambled to carry out her orders.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” Hannah screamed, her voice hoarse with rage.