When I wake up, I find myself in a hospital bed. The last thing I remember is fainting in the arms of that handsome man. I have no idea how I got here—until I hear a familiar voice.
—"I knew you wouldn’t do the same as in your past life," says my cousin Jeremy, surprising me with that statement.
I'm stunned to see Jeremy, and at the same time, happy that he’s alive. How could I have forgotten to make sure he was okay? I had only thought about changing my fate with Gregory—I didn’t want him in my life at all. As a few tears fall, I feel a sense of peace knowing Jeremy is safe. I still remember what happened the day we both died.
It was the first day of July 2025 in my previous life. After leaving the room where I had discovered my husband cheating on me with my best friend, I ran desperately down the hallway to the elevator and took it to the lobby. Everyone was talking about the naked woman in the hallway. I sat there crying endlessly, not knowing what to do, when suddenly I felt someone place their hand on my shoulder.
—"Don’t just sit there. Marilyn Thompson was never a crybaby," I heard Jeremy say. Limping, he helped me out of the hotel.
I was crying so hard I could barely see what was happening around me. We got into the back of a luxurious car, and Jeremy just held me. I think if I’d been alone, my heart would have stopped right there in that hotel lobby. I had no idea where we were going until we arrived at a beautiful house by the beach. I know I fainted, but I remember someone carrying me inside. It couldn’t have been Jeremy—his ankle was injured. I also remember the woody scent with notes of pineapple, rhubarb, and iris from the person holding me.
When I woke up, I was in one of the rooms of that house. Jeremy was asleep in a chair. I sat up, still unable to speak with strength, and managed to whisper “Jeremy” twice. Miraculously, he woke up and sat next to me. He’d always been a heavy sleeper.
—"You’re such a sleepyhead, Mari. How are you feeling?" he asked me.
—"I hate them. I hate them so much. They need to pay for what they did to me. How could I have been so blind?" I answered, deeply hurt.
—"You need to calm down and think about what you're going to do. Gregory’s been texting like crazy," Jeremy said, handing me my phone.
That shameless man had sent me message after message—threats, mostly—warning me of what could happen if I didn’t forget everything. Not a single message showed remorse or asked for forgiveness. He wasn’t even pretending to be the stereotypical guilty cheater. It was clear what he really feared: losing the money and social standing that my last name had given him. When we got married five years ago, his family was new money, not part of our country’s elite. My family, on the other hand, belonged to one of the most prestigious bloodlines. To cement their status, they needed a Thompson—and I, so foolishly in love, was the perfect victim.
In the last message, he asked me to meet him at a famous seaside restaurant with a terrace over the ocean. I knew you had to book that place in advance, so he likely planned it for a date with Katherine. The thought made my blood boil. I wanted to curse him out in ways I didn’t even have the vocabulary for. But after talking with Jeremy, I decided to meet Gregory at Punta Arabí, a famous hippie market near the beach of S’argamassa in Ibiza. I knew my detestable husband hated places that weren’t upscale or exclusive—so maybe, before ending everything, he deserved to suffer a little.
Jeremy and I got there first, and he made sure to position himself close to where I’d be meeting my cheating husband. He needed to record everything Gregory said. I never imagined I’d be doing something like this, but my world had changed in a matter of hours. Nothing would ever be the same again. On the way out, Jeremy's friend wasn’t home, so he left him a voice message about everything that happened. The reply was short: "Be careful." Maybe we should’ve paid more attention to that warning.
I was just outside a clothing shop when I felt someone standing behind me.
—"You and your incomprehensible taste for these ‘weird’ places. I thought you’d sworn off them," Gregory said with disdain.
—"That was my mistake—doing only what made you happy. But in the end, it didn’t matter," I replied bitterly.
—"Buy whatever you want. I’ll pay for your ridiculous tastes. Just keep playing the loving wife," he sneered, annoyed that people were brushing past him.
—"You think I’d ever be with you again after seeing you rolling around with my so-called best friend? I’d feel nothing but disgust if you touched me again," I shot back.
—"Touching you never thrilled me either. I only kept trying in hopes you’d give me a child. But even for that, you’re useless," Gregory said, his disdain unmistakable.
—"So now you plan to have a child with Katherine? You looked pretty cozy in her arms," I said, trying not to cry.
—"She’s no ornament in bed. She gives me pleasure you never could. But let’s be honest—she’s not the one with the valuable last name. She knows her place. And you should know yours. You’re my wife, Marilyn. Bland as you are, even dressed in designer clothes and dripping in jewelry, no one would look at you—unless they wanted what little money you have left," he added with a smug grin.
—"What little money? What are you talking about? Even without my parents’ wealth, my grandmother’s inheritance is enough for me to live comfortably," I said, confident.
—"You naive fool. You let me handle that inheritance ‘however I saw fit.’ I invested it in my businesses. Your partners were thrilled. The money you spend? It comes from me. Everything you buy, every charity or cultural event you support—I fund it. You have nothing, Marilyn. Just the Thompson name. That’s your only value and the only reason you’re still my wife. So go home, wait for me to return from my ‘business trip.’ Greet me nicely. Try to look pretty. Now that you know the truth, no need for gifts or sweet words. Let’s just keep trying for a baby. I’ll let you choose if we do it naturally or with medical help. Believe me, it’s an advantage. You’ll be the mother of the Smith heir. See? I’m not that bad."
I slapped him hard. It echoed through the market. People turned to look. His cynicism hurt deeply. I could see the fury in his eyes. I had always treated him with love, respect, and tenderness. I had once thought he was the best man in the world. But now, I saw his true face—a man obsessed with status and success, who never valued my feelings, incapable of love. He lunged at me. I backed up and bumped into a table, knocking over a mirror that shattered on the ground. I bent to pick it up, grabbing just one piece before Gregory grabbed my arm and tried to drag me away. He squeezed so hard I thought my bones would break. He didn’t care that people were watching.
—"Let her go, you idiot! Can’t you see you’re hurting her?" Jeremy shouted, limping toward us.
—"Your stupid cousin. So you’re the reason for all this. You left your family because you never fit into the business world, and now you're dragging your cousin into your poverty," Gregory spat.
Jeremy didn’t reply. He simply placed his hand on Gregory’s arm and forced him to release me. I thought Gregory would leave—but after a few steps, he turned back and punched Jeremy, who stumbled due to his injured ankle and fell hard. Gregory then grabbed my arm again, but I stabbed him with the shard of mirror. He winced but wasn’t seriously hurt. He gave me a look of hatred—then noticed the recording device in my pocket. He stepped back and left.
I was devastated. Jeremy had gotten hurt because of me. I helped him up, only to be surprised when he started laughing.
—"I never thought I’d see Marilyn Thompson attack someone—least of all her beloved husband, Gregory Smith. The fierce little Mari is still in there," Jeremy said, proud.
We walked slowly out of Punta Arabí. It was dark, and the streets were deserted. Suddenly, a car pulled up next to us. Gregory got out, his face twisted in rage, veins bulging. He shoved Jeremy to the ground, hurting his ankle worse, then tried to force me into the car. When I resisted, Katherine got out and grabbed my hair.
—"You bitch! You’re going to pay for humiliating me!" Katherine screamed.
—"Just take the recording equipment," Gregory said coldly.
I held onto it tightly. Then Fabian grabbed my jacket and pulled me toward him. He pulled a gun from his pocket. I knew then he’d lost his mind—his whole body language screamed it.
—"Guess I’ll have to give up on the Thompson name by becoming your widower. You won’t ruin my image. This will just be a failed mugging of the Thompson cousins."
He fired. I don’t know how Jeremy managed to stand, but he took the bullet for me. We both fell to the ground. The shot was fatal. He wasn’t breathing. Blood poured from his chest. House lights flicked on. My hands were covered in blood. Gregory and Katherine jumped in the car in a panic. I screamed for help. My heart pounded. No one came. I stood up and ran down the street, yelling, trying to find help. Then the car came back—and Gregory ran me over.
That’s why seeing Jeremy alive now moved me so deeply. And from what he said, he remembers it too.
—"What do you plan to do now, Mari?" he asks me.
—"Change our fate," I answer.
He smiles. Then the handsome black-haired man I saw before waking up in the hospital walks in. He approaches, and I smell that same woody scent with pineapple, rhubarb, and iris—the same scent from the man who carried me into that house in Ibiza.
—"This is my friend, Liam Montgomery," Jeremy says. "Liam, this is my cousin, Marilyn Thompson."
—"A pleasure to meet you, Miss Thompson," Liam says with a smile.
For some reason, his deep gaze captivates me. He’s visibly handsome, and I feel like I’ve seen him before—though I can’t remember where. I just smile and say, "Thank you for helping me." He smiles in return.
I think that if he’s Jeremy’s friend, he must be a good person. But I quickly push away any romantic thoughts. Life—or rather, death—taught me it’s better to stay alert and never trust someone until you’ve seen every side of them.
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Comments
Asnisa Amallia
Absolutely in love with this story, please continue with updates.
2025-06-29
0