Chapter 1
Chapter 1
My marriage was perfect. Or so everyone thought. My husband, Godric, was attentive, loving. People envied our life.
That was until the day he died.
He clutched my hand, whispering the name of my twin sister, Rowena, over and over.
That’s when I realized I was just a stand-in. A placeholder.
I woke up, reborn. Mom was holding up two photos, asking me to choose a fiancé.
“Darling, there’s Godric and Jaxon. You prefer Jaxon, right?”
Everyone in town knew I, Willow, was head-over-heels for Jaxon Baker.
Last time, I’d had a “pregnancy scare” removed, begged, even offered to alter my lady parts, all for him.
“No.”
I shook my head. “I want Godric.”
This time, if I could choose real love, I wouldn’t settle for a substitute.
1
The day the plans for a Willow-Godric union were confirmed, Rowena came home.
She saw my custom wedding gown, flown in from France.
The sight pushed her over the edge, resulting in a suicide attempt by wrist-slitting.
That night, Jaxon stood me up for our dinner with my family.
Instead, my sister posted an update late at night.
“You said I’m your eternal love. You said you’d never let go.”
The photo was of her and Jaxon holding hands, fingers intertwined.
Overnight, I became the laughingstock of the town.
They all said Willow, the backup daughter, had finally landed the man she’d been thirsting after, only to have him sneak off with her sister on their engagement night.
Such a pathetic loser.
I just laughed at the mean comments.
The dinner was really about discussing the plans for Godric and me. Jaxon? He was just a nobody whose presence wasn’t required.
I kept planning my wedding. Then Jaxon suddenly showed up at my door, furious.
“Willow, get over here!”
“You have some nerve! You let the Godric family agree to this union without my permission. You’re really scheming to get me, aren’t you!”
“Do you have any idea what this did to Rowena? She almost died because of you!”
My expression was blank.
“Don’t worry. She’s not going to die. And I don’t want you.”
Rowena’s so-called suicide attempt last night was just a scratch with an eyebrow razor. She could heal herself by the time she got to the hospital.
My calm attitude pissed Jaxon off even more.
His friends started insulting me in a snide way.
“Willow, are you even human? Stirring up trouble like this!”
“Don’t think we don’t know what you’re doing. You’re just trying to get Jaxon’s attention.”
“A woman like you, using every trick in the book to get a man, isn’t even worthy to lick your sister’s boots. You don’t deserve Jaxon!”
Jaxon was red-faced too. “Willow, you go to the hospital and apologize to her right now. Then I might forgive you.”
“But don’t even think I’ll marry you. You’re not good enough!”
I almost laughed out loud. “I don’t need your forgiveness. I’m not marrying you.”
For a second, the furious crowd looked like they had just heard the joke of the century.
The wedding hall filled with jeers.
“Willow, why are you pretending to be some ice queen? Everyone in town knows you’re a backup!”
“You’ve been chasing Jaxon for seven years. He’s almost sick of you. Now you say you won’t marry him? If you have that kind of backbone, I’ll livestream myself eating dog poo!”
Jaxon was basking in the flattery, looking pleased.
He leaned in close, lowering his voice.
“Willow, other people might not know you, but I do.”
“Last time, I just mentioned I didn’t like kids, and you got your parts snipped for me. Is there any woman more worthless than you in the world?”
“You love me so much. Can you even live without me?”
He remembers!
He was reborn too!
I stared at him, shocked.
Jaxon misunderstood, looking smug.
“Don’t worry. As long as you don’t interfere with me and Rowena, and if you behave, I might let you be my woman on the side.”
“But don’t expect me to see you often. That wouldn’t be fair to Rowena.”
I thought he was out of his mind.
Jaxon sneered triumphantly.
“You secretly decorated the whole wedding venue. And you say you’re not marrying me.”
The blue sky and white clouds were fresh and clean.
So different from the always flashy Jaxon.
2
Jaxon was too busy feeling smug to notice anything was wrong.
On his birthday, someone asked him at the party how he had tamed a high-roller like me.
He laughed, dismissively.
“Willow’s an ice queen? Don’t be ridiculous.”
“She loves me so much she’ll keep on being a worthless doll. If I tell her to go east, she won’t dare go west. I swear, she’d get on her knees if I told her to!”
Everyone cheered.
“Jaxon, you’re a role model for us men!”
“Yeah, so what if she’s the Willow heiress? In Jaxon’s hands, she’s as obedient as a dog!”
I pushed the door open. The laughter didn’t stop.
It actually got louder and more outrageous.
“Well, speak of the devil! Jaxon, why don’t you show us a demonstration of your power?”
Jaxon hadn’t said anything yet. My sister was already uncomfortable.
She was sitting on his lap, Jaxon’s arm around her waist.
She bit her lip, nervously getting up.
“Willow, don’t get the wrong idea. Your future husband and I didn’t do anything. It’s just that I’m on my period, and he was afraid the couch would be too cold for me.”
Jaxon grabbed her waist, his voice soft.
“Why are you so afraid of her? You’re the one I love.”
Then, he looked at me defiantly.
“Willow, don’t push it! Just because our family agreed to a union doesn’t mean you can openly check on me like this. You don’t have the right!”
“If you didn’t have a face that looks seventy percent like Rowena’s, do you think I’d put up with you this long?”
That’s right.
But why did you think I stayed with you last time?
“Don’t worry. I don’t care what you do. You guys have fun.”
Mom asked me to keep an eye on my sister, afraid she’d do something outrageous again.
It wasn’t for him.
Maybe it was because I didn’t throw a fit or make a scene, but Jaxon frowned.
After a while, he snorted.
“Consider yourself lucky. Be more self-aware in the future.”
Then, the guys who wanted to see me get on my knees started cheering again.
“I heard that in the old days, when a man took a concubine, the concubine had to kneel and serve tea to the man and his wife! Jaxon’s heart belongs to Rowena, so Willow’s the concubine!”
“Quick, quick, it’s Jaxon’s birthday. Willow, hurry up and get on your knees and offer a drink!”
Jaxon’s friends always made fun of me.
Because Jaxon did too.
He was hugging my sister, looking smug.
“So, what do you say? Kneel down and give me and your sister a drink. Then I’ll forget about you hurting Rowena last time.”
Everyone clapped and cheered. Someone even pulled out a camera.
If this picture got out, it would be a scandal for the Willow family.
Jaxon was sure I would cave.
I looked him in the eye, a smile on my face.
“Sorry. My bones are too stiff to kneel. I don’t feel comfortable in this dirty place. I’m leaving.”
I turned around and left.
Jaxon’s face went dark.
“Willow, try walking out of this room. I dare you. Do you think I’m going to let you sleep around!”
Funny.
It’s not like I ever agreed to be with him.
That night, a mutual friend said Jaxon was angry, waiting for me to comfort him.
I turned off my phone and kept going over the wedding list.
For days, I didn’t contact him.
Jaxon sent me a card through someone.
He called and said, “Willow, have I been too easy on you lately? You’re getting to be a diva.”
“Okay, take the card and stop being a drama queen. Don’t make me break up with you.”
3
Jaxon was crazy.
We weren’t even together. How could we break up?
I ignored him. My phone buzzed, showing a video of my sister flaunting her wealth.
The video showed a villa in a rich neighborhood worth millions.
Three limited-edition luxury sports cars.
The caption said, “Where the love is, there’s money. Today, I’m surrounded by love.”
The video casually showed Jaxon’s profile.
The card he gave me probably couldn’t even buy a tire for one of the cars.
But I didn’t care who he loved.
I liked and commented, “So happy for you. I hope you’re together forever.”
Soon, my sister sent me a private message.
“My dear sister, you’re jealous, aren’t you?”
“Don’t think you can beat me this time!”
So, my sister was reborn too!
Last time, she died early, not having time to cause trouble.
But she also killed the man I loved before she died.
I was furious and about to confront her. Jaxon suddenly showed up at my door.
“Willow, that’s enough. What’s that post supposed to mean!”
“Because of you, Rowena didn’t eat last night!”
He was about to say more when he saw the wedding invitations and decorations in my room.
His disgusted expression was replaced with a smirk.
“Willow, I didn’t think you loved me this much.”
“You know I’m going to marry your sister, but you still decorated your room, pretending to be my bride. You’re really desperate.”
Crazy.
I didn’t even bother to pay attention to him. I turned around and left.
——
The venue was finally set up, I wanted Godric to see this surprise as soon as he returned.
Mom helped me prepare my dowry, feeling a little sentimental.
“Godric is in charge of the Godric family. His first choice wasn’t the Willow family. I didn’t expect him to agree so quickly!”
I smiled but didn’t say anything, my heart aching.
This time, I wouldn’t let us miss each other.
The day before he came back, everything changed.
At 3:30 AM, my sister Rowena became the top trending search.
She was throwing a drug-fueled party.
The location was the villa where I was supposed to be spending my wedding night!
The wedding I’d been looking forward to for two lives was ruined before it even started!
The pictures showed Rowena wearing my wedding dress, spraying champagne everywhere.
The wall with my custom paintings was broken, and the white flower wall was covered in graffiti.
There were even some used condoms in the living room.
Before it happened, she posted, “I have a genie. If you need a place to have a party, my dear husband-to-be will take care of it!”
Jaxon took them there! How could he!
I sped to the villa.
Jaxon and my sister seemed to be finishing up, getting dressed in no hurry.
The bed I was going to share with Godric was dirty, covered in disgusting stains.
Rowena’s clothes were scattered on the pillows.
She put on her dress, looking innocent.
“Sister, I’m sorry. I was just tired and rested with my future husband. We didn’t do anything. You don’t mind, do you?”
I looked at her and slapped her.
“You and Jaxon can do whatever you want. I don’t care.”
“But this is my wedding room. Why did you break in and make it dirty!”
Rowena screamed, crying as she hid behind Jaxon.
I was still angry, wanting to hit her again.
Jaxon kicked me to the ground!
“Willow! Don’t go too far!”
“What if Rowena slept in your wedding room? That’s an honor!”
“Besides, you decorated this room for me. So I’ll be the one using it. The room is mine to decide!”
4
“This house is my dowry from my mother. Rowena can’t touch it, and you don’t have the right to do so either!”
Jaxon sneered, “Come on, isn’t your dowry mine?”
“You love me so much. Besides me, would you marry another man?”
Jaxon was certain. Then, he changed the subject.
“My uncle is coming back. He’s the one who has the most influence in the Godric family. I’ll ask him to let me marry Rowena and cancel our union.”
“Say good things to my uncle about Rowena, you hear?”
“If you help me with this, I won’t hold what you did to Rowena against you, and I’ll let you be my mistress in the future.”
I would go to the Godric family tomorrow, but it had nothing to do with them.
I stared at the two of them.
“Jaxon, listen carefully. I’m going to get married, but it has nothing to do with you!”
“Also, I never agreed to be your woman on the side!”
“If you say anything else like that, I’ll sue you!”
I turned around and left.
Jaxon’s face was dark.
He wanted to run after me, but my attitude made him uneasy.
Rowena huddled in his arms, shivering.
“What should we do? My sister seems angry. Should I apologize to her?”
“No!”
Jaxon’s face was cold. “I’ve been too nice to her. A woman like her needs to be kept in check!”
——
Overnight, the news spread.
Jaxon and Rowena’s accounts were flooded with angry messages.
“What a couple of animals. Willow chased him for seven years, and he cheated on her with her sister!”
“I don’t think Rowena’s any good either. I heard she’s wild!”
“Willow’s a wimp. She let her husband fly away. It’s her fault she couldn’t keep him!”
The heat online was rising. Jaxon took the chance to announce his relationship with Rowena.
He was going to force the Godric family to accept her as their daughter-in-law.
But Rowena had a bad reputation ever since she was in school. Everyone knew that. The Godric family wouldn’t want someone like that.
I came across the post and immediately made an announcement.
“I’m the one who will be in the Willow-Godric union, but it’s not with Jaxon. Please don’t get me wrong. As for my sister and Jaxon’s relationship, I respect them.”
My announcement blew up.
Jaxon called me.
“Willow, why are you making things worse! Don’t think you can force me to marry you!”
“I didn’t know you were so jealous!”
“Take down that post. If it affects the union, you and I can’t handle the consequences!”
——
Of course, I didn’t take it down.
So, when the Godric family had a dinner for Godric that night, Jaxon’s face was green when he saw me.
He stared, about to yell at me.
He glanced at the wedding ring on my hand, and his lips curled.
“You say you won’t marry me, but you already bought a ring.”
“Women are cheap. If you don’t treat them badly, they won’t come after you.”
“Okay, give it to me. I’ll just wear it for a bit. If you say good things about Rowena to Uncle, I’ll wear it for a few more days.”
I quickly pulled it back. “Get out of here. It’s not for you!”
I stepped back, and he saw I was sitting with his uncle.
This was the spot for his uncle’s family.
Godric didn’t have anyone with him before, so it was empty. But not now.
Jaxon frowned.
He reached out to pull me. “Do you know where you’re sitting? Get up. Be careful, or I’ll let you be my lady on the side!”
“You’re my woman. You should be sitting here!”
“Let go!” I struggled.
Suddenly, a tall man walked over, his voice playful.
“She’s your woman?”
“I didn’t know my wife was someone else’s.”