Chapter 4 — The Second Beginning
The morning sun poured through the lace curtains of Rosemont Villa, soft and golden — the kind of light that once made Elena believe in happy endings.
But now, she knew better.
She sat up in bed, her heart still racing, eyes scanning the room — the silk sheets, the familiar scent of rosewood perfume, the clock ticking steadily. Everything was exactly as it had been before her wedding.
Before the betrayal.Before Noah.Before death.
It wasn't a dream. Somehow, impossibly, time had turned back.
Her mind spun, but her purpose burned clear as fire.This was her second chance — not to find love, but to destroy the lies that had ruined her life.
A New Elena
When she descended the grand staircase, her mother looked up from her tea, surprised."Elena, you're up early. You have an art exhibition to prepare for, remember?"
Elena smiled softly. "Of course, Mother. The Aurora Exhibit, right?"
Her mother blinked. "Yes… How did you—?"
Elena hid her smirk. She already knew everything — every secret, every betrayal, every word her family would say before they said it.
At breakfast, her sister Vivian entered, radiant as ever, pretending innocence. The same face that would soon destroy her.
"Elena!" Vivian said sweetly. "You're glowing this morning. Did something good happen?"
Elena lifted her teacup. "Actually, yes. I just realized how precious life is."Her tone was calm, but her eyes carried something new — something that made Vivian's smile falter for just a second.
The Encounter
Later that afternoon, Elena visited an art supply store downtown — a place she used to love before her world fell apart.
While looking through the aisles, she heard a sharp voice behind her.
"Careful with that, it's fragile."
She turned.
A tall man in a black suit stood there, holding a crystal frame she'd nearly bumped into. His expression was cool, his posture perfect, his presence quietly commanding.
He was Damian Lee, the reserved and brilliant heir of Nova Enterprise — a man known for his ruthless business sense and his distaste for scandals. In her past life, Elena remembered seeing him once — at a gala where he'd silently watched Noah and Vivian with thinly veiled contempt.
Now, seeing him up close, she noticed the sharp intelligence in his eyes — eyes that seemed to read people like open books.
"I'm sorry," Elena said, bowing slightly. "I wasn't paying attention."
Damian studied her for a moment. "You're Elena Seo, aren't you? The artist?"
Her lips curved faintly. "You know me?"
He nodded once. "I saw your work at the Aurora Exhibit last year. The one called 'Roses Behind Glass.' It was… haunting."
Elena's heart skipped a beat. That painting — she hadn't even created it yet.
So this was how fate worked: giving her glimpses of what was to come, only for her to change it all.
"Thank you," she said softly. "But this time, I plan to paint something very different."
Damian tilted his head. "Different how?"
Her smile deepened. "Something sharper. Something that cuts back."
For the first time, he looked intrigued.
A Secret Plan
That night, Elena stood in front of her mirror again, her reflection clear, her mind sharper than ever.
In her past life, she'd been used like a pawn.In this one, she would become the player.
Noah, Vivian, her mother, her father — they had all trapped her once.But now, she knew every move they would make.
And soon, she would make her own move — the perfect counterattack.
Her new plan began with one simple idea:Marry someone powerful enough to destroy them all.
And as fate would have it, she already knew the perfect man.
Damian Lee.