Chapter 1: Poison

The prison was chillingly cold, filled with the strong stench of blood. Madelyn, painfully curled on the ground, was enveloped by the oversized prison garb, her frail, emaciated body accentuated by it. A violent coughing fit racked her body, blood gushing from her mouth. The pain was unbearable; it felt as though ten thousand knives churned in her stomach, darkening her vision. The poison was terrifyingly potent, piercing even her guts.

"Why… why are you treating me like this?" Madelyn mustered her strength to lift her head, her eyes filled with deep-seated hatred as she stared at the prisoner.

"Hehe, are you asking why I poisoned your food?" the prisoner laughed cruelly, looking down at her with a mix of disdain and pity. "Someone paid me to kill you. Your very existence stands in the way of her happiness!"

"Who?" Madelyn braced her stomach with her knee, struggling to stay conscious.

"Fine, since you're already dying, I'll tell you. You're going to marry Mr. Lockhart, aren't you? That's why she doesn't want you around! Once you're gone, they can be together…"

Excruciating pain coursed through her body. Despite the agony, a woman's face flashed in her mind: Janessa. It's her! Madelyn thought. That despicable woman! I can't believe she stooped so low!

Madelyn cried out, her tear-filled eyes reflecting regret and remorse. Janessa, once her closest friend, had meticulously plotted against her, leading to her imprisonment. Because of Janessa, she'd given up the best man in the world. That handsome man, once so devoted, had been turned against her by Janessa's machinations. Only then did Madelyn realize she'd been manipulated. I'm such a fool, she thought. Imprisoned, and now dying. But it's too late for regrets… I'm no longer worthy of him.

She spewed another mouthful of blood. Lying in a pool of crimson, she gazed into the encroaching darkness through tear-filled eyes. The gut-wrenching pain faded, replaced by profound regret, so intense that even death couldn't erase it.

The prisoner sighed in pity, stepping forward to gently brush his fingers over her eyes. Her eyes, wide with anger and hatred, closed. Only a beautiful, lifeless face remained. He sighed again, rose, and left, leaving only the pungent smell of blood.

Pain and resentment surged, engulfing Madelyn. She shuddered and yelped, finding herself submerged in an abyss of suffering. Before she could react, a strange sensation shattered her consciousness. A man's seductively deep voice, coupled with palpable pain, evoked a sense of bewildering familiarity. Before she could ponder it, the man's actions claimed her.

After what felt like an eternity, Madelyn laboriously opened her eyes, stunned by her surroundings. The pristine, if plain, furnishings were identical to those in the hotel she'd stayed in seven years prior. She turned to the person beside her: Sebastian. His thin lips bore a dark red, scabbing bite. A subtle smile played at the corner of his lips as he slept.

Madelyn covered her mouth, stifling sobs. It's Sebastian! It's really him!

She was back seven years, to the night of her engagement to him, the night she slept with him. That evening was etched in her memory, not only for her loss of virginity, but also for her family's pressure to marry Sebastian, a pressure she'd vehemently rejected. Rumors painted him as a formidable, hot-tempered, cruel man. Terrified, she'd opposed the arranged marriage, suspecting her father and stepmother of ill intent.

That night, she'd refused Sebastian's touch, declaring her love for Christopher Gale and her intention to remain a virgin for him. This had sparked Sebastian's fury, leading to him forcefully taking her. Afterward, she'd been even more convinced of his terrifying nature. Only later did she realize the cold-hearted man was the one who loved her most. She had squandered his affection.

Now, reborn, she sobbed with joy. Her trembling fingers brushed his injured lip. Fate had granted a second chance. She would reclaim everything, including him. She wouldn't repeat her mistakes, nor allow Janessa, her killer, to manipulate her again.

Madelyn moved closer, her trembling lips kissing the corner of his mouth.

Knock! Knock!

Rapid knocks echoed from the door. Madelyn froze. If my memory serves me right, Janessa is outside. She's here.