Chapter 4

When I woke up, my entire body ached as if I'd been hit by a truck.

I picked up my torn clothes from the floor, wrapped them around myself, and slipped out of bed.

Back home, I rushed into the bathroom and examined myself in the mirror.

My neck was covered in red marks, layers of deep and light bruises overlapping.

Just as I walked out of the bathroom, I heard the front door open. I pressed an ice pack to my neck, hiding the marks.

Blake walked in and frowned when he saw me with the ice pack.

"What's wrong? Got a stiff neck? Icing it so early in the morning."

I avoided his gaze, my eyes darting around nervously.

"Um... yeah, stiff neck. Just icing it a bit."

Blake stepped closer, his gaze sharp.

"Aria, drop the act! You think I don't know your mom deliberately got me drunk last night?"

His voice was cold, filled with undisguised disgust,

"She's always trying to push you onto me. You two are so pathetic, always clinging to me."

"What, couldn't get into my bed last night, so you went out desperately looking for some random guy?"

"You think I'd worry about you? That I'd run around like a dog looking for you? Dream on! Your little games of playing hard to get only disgust me!"

I was stunned. How could he say such hurtful things?

I hadn't come home all night, wasn't it to give him and Olivia a chance to be together?

What right did he have to accuse me so self-righteously?

"As you wished, I was with Olivia last night, and we'll be together from now on. Olivia will be my wife, never you! So I suggest you give up on this foolish idea and stop doing these ridiculous things!"

Blake tilted his chin up, his tone arrogant and smug, the fresh red marks on his neck clearly visible.

I looked at Blake standing before me, my heart aching.

Once, this man had been my everything, a mix of love and hate, deeply etched into my soul.

Now, it was all in the past. Could I really let go?

When I wake up from dreams at midnight, will I still feel regret?

Fighting back the pain in my heart, I forced a smile,

"Don't worry, I'll let you two be happy."

My voice was soft, but loud enough for him to hear clearly.

"I'll tell my parents that I don't like you anymore. I won't bother you again."

Blake was clearly taken aback by my words. His frown deepened, as if he couldn't believe I would give up so easily.

I suppose in his eyes, I, Aria James, should always be chasing after him.

After all, my entire family had gone mad trying to arrange our marriage.

They'd made him a close family friend, given him company shares, and even promised to transfer all the family assets to his name if he agreed to marry me.

How ridiculous!

Thinking back to my previous life, how much I had sacrificed to marry him, how much pain I had endured.

After our daughter was born, I thought I had finally found happiness, but in the end, it led to the destruction of my family and the tragic deaths of both mother and daughter!

Living this life again, I absolutely will not repeat the same mistakes!

Blake was about to say something more when my mother's questioning voice suddenly came from the pool area.

"Olivia?! What are you doing here?!"

My heart skipped a beat. I ran to the balcony and saw my mother standing by the pool, pointing at Olivia, who had just climbed out of the water.

Blake's face changed. He immediately rushed over, shielding the dripping wet Olivia behind him.

"I brought Olivia here. She said she didn't sleep well on the yacht last night, so I let her come here to rest."

"Yacht? Olivia was on the yacht last night too? What was she doing there? Weren't you supposed to be with Aria last night?!"

My mother's face turned extremely unpleasant as her gaze darted between the red marks on Blake and Olivia's necks.

She looked up at me standing on the balcony.

Feeling guilty, I shrank back and quickly retreated to my room, closing the door.

Whatever was about to happen next, I couldn't be bothered to watch.