From Drowned Bride To Shining Starlight

during a blizzard. He had a choice: save m

itate. He lef

in a loveless marriage. He blamed me for her death, his silent accusations a constant torment. My own

penance, making me his living sca

, I was back in the sinking car

iled and pushed

commanded. "She

pte

ssa

ed into the icy depths. My breath hitched, not from the impact, but from a chilling familiarity.

voice ripped through the cha

uised and weary thing, thumped a discordant rhythm against my ribs. No. Not aga

it. My second chance. A gruesome, terrifying gift. The blizzard raged outside, a white shroud over the r

w, cutting through the roaring wind and the creak

h, barely holding air, only enough for one adult. It bobbed uselessly in the churning water beside us. The icy current was already draggi

s arm, pointing towards her. My voice was sharp, a command, not a p

impossible choice, now rested squarely on his shoulders. Or rather, I had forced it there. A wave of exhaustion washed over me. I could

placed by another, equally terrifying. He didn't look back at me. Not really. His gaze was already fixed on Kia

orm. He fumbled for the deflated raft, his movements clumsy with desperation. His w

backward glance. He never did. He was already focused on his real priority, his true love. Th

ack for me?" I scoffed under my breath, the words disso

na? She drowned. Lost to the icy depths, her death a silent accusation that haunted every waking moment of our marriage. Christian blamed

ianna. Christian stood beside me, his arm stiffly around my waist, a public display of grieving fiancé. But his eyes, hollow and haunted, w

re they used to play as children. It was a beautiful spot, serene and picturesque, a place he would visit every week, placing fresh flowers, w

he expensive suit had said, his voice devoid of warmth. "And as a token of our appreciation for your... fortitude during the accident." It was hush money, a bribe to ensure my silence, my complicity

r had asked, her voice laced with an unsettling blend o

he' d said, his jaw tight, his eyes hard. "For our families. For Kianna." He' d wrapp

wisted logic that drove his actions. Not until much later. He hadn't wanted me to die, not really. But he hadn

perience a fraction of the agony he felt for Kianna's loss. I was his living, bre

d fallen and hit my head, blood matting my hair. "Why do you blame me? I di

any words. It was the silence of a man who believed his

her onto the flimsy raft. He wrapped his coat around her, whispering frantic words against her pale face. His true feelings, raw and undeniable, were laid bare i

ecretly pined for. He never wanted to save me. Not then, not now. He only saved me in the first life because of the societal p

ne he actually loved. He should be grateful. I almost laug

t pulled me back to the surface. The blizzard intensified, a howling vortex of white and wind. Christian and Kianna wer

d was unbearable, but a fierce, burning resolve ignited within me. I was alone. Truly, utt

gry waves crashing against unseen rocks. Surviva