Our Elegant Revenge

1
The moment we were reborn on the set of that godforsaken reality show, I scheduled a hysterectomy. My fianc, the heir to the Croft empire, booked a vasectomy.
In our past life, it all started at our engagement party.
Melody, the underprivileged student we were sponsoring, burst in and pointed a trembling finger at me. "How can you marry him when you're carrying my brother's baby?"
Then she turned, weeping, to my fianc, Julian. "And I'm carrying your child! How could you just abandon me?"
We thought it was a sick joke. Wed never done what she claimed. Wed met her family when the show had us stay at their rural home, and moved by their poverty, we offered our support.
But then, in front of a ravenous press corps, she produced two positive pregnancy tests. Hers, and mine.
She tried to force me to marry her brother. She demanded Julian marry her.
When the story broke, my acting career imploded overnight. Julian's family business was dragged through the mud, the stock price plummeting, pushing them to the brink of bankruptcy.
To clear our names, we had no choice but to see the pregnancies through. We waited for the births, for the DNA tests that would finally prove our innocence.
We never imagined the results would only seal our public execution.
Unwilling to drag our families down with us, we walked into a blizzard on a remote mountain and let the cold take us.
And then, I opened my eyes. We were back. Back on the very first day we stayed in Melody Songs home.
...
I gasped, my lungs burning as if Id been starved of air. A cold sweat soaked through my clothes, the phantom chill of the blizzard still clinging to my bones. I looked down at my handspale and slender, not the swollen, frostbitten claws I remembered.
A knock came at the door.
Sera? I need to talk to you
That voice. Cool, familiar, beloved. Tears streamed down my face. I threw the door open and launched myself into his arms like a moth drawn to a flame.
Julian Croft. The crown prince of New Yorks high society. Wed grown up together, and the moment he heard I was joining a dating reality show, hed signed up too.
He held me back with the same desperate force, like a man reclaiming a lost treasure.
When we finally calmed down, we sat on the edge of the flimsy bed. The room smelled of damp earth and mildew, the walls stained with black mold. Neither of us spoke. Julian pulled out his phone, and I saw the date.
September 20th. Day one of filming. The day we were assigned to stay with the Song family, the day our naive compassion set our doom in motion.
I saw the complex emotions warring in his eyes.
He remembered, too. We were both reborn, back at the start of the nightmare.
I cant believe it, he whispered, his voice thick with a fear that mirrored my own. Were both back.
Neither could I.
In our last life, our story on the show had been a fairytale. We became the nations sweethearts, and the proposal was the perfect, logical next step.
That day, the one wed anticipated our whole lives, became the first day of our damnation.
Julian was on one knee, the ring box open, my hand trembling as I reached for it.
Thats when Melody burst in.
She claimed we had toyed with her and her brothers affections during our stay. She screamed that the baby in my belly wasnt Juliansand that the one in hers was the true Croft heir.
We thought she was insane. Wed never even been alone with either of them.
Then she produced the pregnancy reports.
The media, always hungry for a scandal, devoured the story. Copies of the reports were everywhere. Our careers, our lives, were put on hold. But Julian and I, we never doubted each other. To prove our innocence, we agreed to wait for the births, for the DNA tests.
The moment the babies were born, we thought we were saved. Instead, we were dragged into an even deeper abyss.
When the results came back, we stared at the two reports in disbelief. My child was a genetic match for her intellectually disabled brother, Peter. And her child was a 99.9% match for Julian.
The hospital was a circus of flashing cameras. Live streams of our public humiliation hit millions of viewers in minutes. The worlds judgment was swift and merciless.
Sluts and scumbags. No wonder they found each other.
The rich are all the same. They see a poor family and just use them for sport.
Disgusting. Who would ever support them again? God knows what diseases theyre carrying.
Our families were dragged into it, accused of using their philanthropic work as a front for depraved activities. The shock sent Julians grandfather to the ICU.
We couldn't let them suffer anymore. We posted one final, cryptic message online, and walked into the snow.
Now, sitting in that wretched room, we tried to piece it together, to understand how it had all gone so wrong. One thing was certain: once this show wrapped, our families would push for that engagement party again.
The thought of that day, once a dream, now a terror, made Julians hand tighten on mine.
This time, we said in unison, our voices a low, fierce promise, we find the truth. And we never repeat the past.
The next morning, the roosters crow woke us. As Julian and I stepped out of the room, we found Melody standing right outside the door, her eyes blazing.
Why are you two coming out of the same room? she demanded.
Julians gaze was hard as flint. He draped an arm over my shoulder, pulling me close. We grew up together. Were in love. Get over it.
Melodys expression flickered. She seemed to realize shed come on too strong. Her voice softened. I was just worried. Youre on camera. I didnt want it to affect your image.
She bustled off to make breakfast as the film crew began to arrive. A few minutes later, she returned with just two boiled eggs, her head bowed in practiced humility. The camera zoomed in on her, and she shuffled her feet, drawing attention to her worn-out shoes. Her brother, Peter, wandered out, his pants stained with something unidentifiable.
Last time, we had immediately offered to sponsor them, to find the best doctors for Peter.
This time, we just wanted the truth. We wanted to get as far away from these two as possible.
Melody offered us the eggs. Her stomach rumbled audibly, and Peter drooled, his eyes fixed on the food.
I smiled sweetly and pushed the eggs back towards her. Were not hungry. You two eat. We said nothing about sponsorship.
Melody froze, insisting we take them.
A crew member chimed in. Just take it. Its a kind gesture. Its the last two eggs they have.
Julian was a Croft. Hed only reined in his imperious nature for my sake. That comment was the last straw. He snatched the eggs and thrust them at the crew member. Here. You eat it. Dont let her kindness go to waste.
The man, remembering exactly who Julian was, paled and accepted the eggs.
I turned and met Melodys eyes. They were filled with a burning hatred. Even Peters vacant stare held a flash of malice.
Something was deeply wrong here. Peter had a government-issued disability certificate; that couldn't be faked. And yet, in our past life, after my child was born, he had miraculously recovered his health. He and Melody had come to us, demanding I take my child and marry him.
We still had several days of filming left. Julian and I knew we couldnt eat or drink anything the Songs offered us.
Seeing our refusal, Melodys eyes welled up with tears. She cast a wounded look at the director. He whispered something to her, and she immediately calmed down, turning to me with a faint, chilling smile.
A sense of dread washed over me.
Sure enough, the next day, without any warning, the show was switched to a live broadcast.
As the cast sat together, Melody appeared, representing the village. She carried a platter of local fruit, her eyes wide and pleading. I hope you wont look down on our humble offering.
The other cast members, unconcerned, each took a piece of fruit.
Remembering our last life, Julian and I didn't move.
Suddenly, Melody dropped to her knees. She looked up at me, her eyes brimming with tears, a portrait of defiant sorrow. I followed her gaze and saw eight cameras pointed directly at us.
I understood. I almost had to laugh at the sheer audacity of it.
The network knew their audience. They loved watching entitled celebrities and rich kids bully a simple, poor girl from the countryside. Theyd seen our hostility towards the Songs and cooked up this little piece of theater on the fly.
Just as theyd hoped, the live chat exploded.
So much for the 'philanthropist' actress. Her true colors are showing.
Theyre two of a kind. She's just as fake as he is. That poor girls hands are shaking and they wont even take the fruit.
Melodys voice broke into a sob. I know our village is poor and you probably look down on us but this is the best we have to offer, Miss Pitt
I saw the fury building in Julians eyes and put a hand on his arm, stopping him.
Melodys acting was superb. It was a shame she wasnt in Hollywood. But she forgot one thing. I was an actress, too. An award-winning one.
I bit my lip and sighed, bowing my head. When I looked up again, my own eyes were glistening with unshed tears.
Julian, its okay, I whispered, my voice trembling slightly. So what if I have a skin allergy right now? I can eat it. If something happens, Im sure the network will get me to a hospital.
Julian, my partner in all things since childhood, caught on instantly. His tone shifted to one of grudging concern. Youre right. Its a kind gesture. Worst case, Ill just stay with you at the hospital. We can watch the rest of the show from there.
We were the shows main draw. The director knew he couldnt afford to lose us. He cleared his throat, ordered the live broadcast cut, and waved for the crew to help Melody up and escort her away.
But she suddenly wrenched free. She ran to Julian, her face a mask of innocent concern, but her words were a cold blade of terror.
Brother, why are you so angry? Its okay. Youll belong to Melody soon anyway.
She then turned to me, her smile serene. And you, Miss Pitt, will be part of our family, too.
With that, she calmly allowed the crew to lead her away.
In our past life, her words would have been nonsense.
This time, Julian and I felt a chilling dread seep into our very bones.
The show ended, and as expected, our on-screen romance captivated the nation. A month later, despite my caution, a paparazzo caught me looking nauseous. The tabloids ran with it.
Our parents saw the news and called immediately, urging us to get married as soon as possible. They even bought a ridiculously large diamond at auction and had it couriered to Julian.
The news spread like wildfire: The Croft heir and the A-list actress, a shotgun wedding. The proposal was imminent, and the world expected a spectacle.
I leaned against Julians shoulder, the memory of our icy deaths making my voice catch. Julian, maybe we shouldnt do the proposal. Maybe we should just elope.
He took my cold hands in his. I cant let you marry me without a proper proposal. Weve been so careful this time. I still want to give you the wedding of your dreams.
Our parents were insistent. There was no getting out of it. A dark premonition settled in my gut, but with Julian by my side, I felt a flicker of security.
On the day of the engagement party, I was in a couture gown, Julians hand holding mine as we entered the grand ballroom. And just like before, Melody was there, with Peter in tow.
She was clutching a stack of papers, dressed in thin, ragged clothes, her stomach slightly rounded.
Youre getting married? What about us? Did you think you could just play with our hearts and walk away without any consequences?
The room erupted. Reporters swarmed, their cameras flashing.
With tears and snot running down her face, Melody spun her tragic tale of coming all the way from her poor village only to find the father of her child marrying another womana woman who was carrying her own brothers baby.
Gasps filled the hall.
Melody began handing out copies of the pregnancy reports.
She pointed at me. To create some saintly image for yourself, you seduced my disabled brother! You got pregnant with his child! And after the show, you just tossed him aside! But hes in love with you now! He cant live without you!
Then, turning to Julian, she wept. And you! You told me you were tired of this woman, that you only loved me! You gave me this baby! Why are you still with this slut? Why?
Just like last time, the crowd was swayed by her performance. They turned on us.
Tsk, tsk. They took advantage of those poor villagers, and now its come back to bite them.
A pair of disgusting cheats. They make me sick.
Julian and I met each others gaze and shared a cold, humorless smile.
She was here. Right on cue.
As Melody reached for me, trying to drag me away with her brother, I pulled free.
I slapped a piece of paper against her face.
My words were clear, ringing through the silent hall. Then explain this. How does a woman with no uterus get pregnant with your brothers child?
Julian, with a look of utter disgust, threw his own report at her feet. The one confirming his vasectomy.

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