The Do-Over
In a past life, to stay by the side of the man I loved, I’d chosen to remain a girl. I played the devoted wife and mother, helping him ascend from an unknown small-time operator to a titan of industry, a Silicon Valley magnate. Our two children I’d seen through to Harvard and Stanford.
But on my fiftieth birthday, after eating a cake he’d baked himself, I’d gargled a mouthful of black blood, bitter and metallic.
My children stood by, their eyes as cold and flat as lake ice, not even reaching for a phone.
“Mom, you can go peacefully. Aunt Brooke will take care of us and Dad.”
“Being your child was truly humiliating.”
They’d exploited me for a life of privilege, then casually shoved me into the abyss.
When I next opened my eyes, I stood in the family sanctuary. Grandpa extended a yellowed parchment. “Casey, it’s time to decide.”
01
I took the aged parchment from Grandpa’s hand, the paper feeling thin and fragile, like a dried leaf. Each stroke of the pen on its surface etched my destiny, the final flourish a definitive, irreversible declaration.
Grandpa looked up, startled. “Are you truly certain, that you wish to be a man? And your boyfriend… will he accept you after your transformation?”
Before he’d even finished speaking, Liam was already peering anxiously from outside the sanctuary door—but he was an outsider, unable to enter, unable to hear our words.
I reverently lit the parchment, watching it curl into ash, and offered Grandpa a soft smile. “Grandpa, my mind is made up. Please keep my decision a secret until the transformation is complete.”
“Very well. Your life, your steering wheel. The ritual will be done in a week. Your new ID will be delivered to you.”
A week.
I whispered the words to myself—a week from now, I would have a completely new life, one so perfect it felt like a dream. But before that, Liam had to be dealt with.
Stepping out of the sanctuary, Liam immediately grasped my wrist. “Casey, you’ve sacrificed so much for me. I swear, you’ll never regret it. Will you bind yourself to me?”
I hesitated. In my past life, Liam had never mentioned a binding pact. Could he be a reborn soul too?
I tested him. “A pact isn’t like marriage, Liam. Once it’s sealed, we can never truly separate. Can you genuinely love me forever, never stray?”
“Of course,” he vowed.
His eyes brimmed with what looked like devotion, but I saw past the practiced performance, catching the glint of cold ambition, the very same ruthless glint that had shone in them when he’d raised the poisoned glass to my lips in another life.
“Casey, the thought of you ever leaving me… it kills me. Please, say yes. Say you’ll be mine.”
A sudden, searing knot twisted in my stomach, a phantom agony as if the poison from a forgotten lifetime had ripped through my guts all over again. I swallowed the pain, offering him a bright, sweet smile. “Yes, I’ll bind myself to you. I don’t want to be separated from you either. Let’s do it now.”
I cut a lock of his hair, intertwining it with a strand of my own, and asked Grandpa to burn it in the sanctuary’s brazier. “Liam and I bind our lives today, in love and unwavering devotion.”
Grandpa started to speak, then stopped. “Casey, but you’re not…?” He remembered my request, his gaze sweeping over us, complex and heavy, before finally just letting out a deep sigh.
Watching the hair turn to ash in the flames, a genuine smile finally touched my lips.
That very night, Liam began discussing wedding details with my parents. He shed his daytime veneer of charm like an old skin, sprawling at the head of our dining table, not even bothering to look up. “Auntie, when are you transferring the house and car titles to my name?”
Mom’s face hardened. “What are you talking about?”
“To be frank, my family doesn’t have much money. Wedding expenses will probably fall to you. If you’re worried about costs, we don’t have to have a wedding at all, I don’t care. But after we’re married, Casey is my wife. Her house and car will be mine eventually anyway, so what’s the difference if it’s sooner rather than later?”
He even reached over to drop a chicken drumstick into my bowl, grinning smugly. “Right, Casey?”
My parents’ eyes locked on me. They knew this decision ultimately rested with me.
“Casey, did you hear that? You’re not even married yet, and he’s already eyeing our assets! Do you really think you’ll have a good life with him? Even if you stay a girl, your father and I can find you a much better match! If you say the word, we’ll throw him out right now!”
Dad silently grabbed a wooden stick.
Liam scrambled, yelling, “We’re already bound by a pact! You can’t back out! If Casey isn’t my wife, she’ll face a terrible end!”
My parents looked as if they’d been struck by lightning. Seeing my silence, Mom panicked, calling me foolish, while Dad, his face purple with rage, clutched his chest as if his heart might burst right out of it.
I placed a steadying hand on Mom’s trembling shoulder, soothing her quietly—Liam’s true malice and shamelessness, they hadn’t even begun to witness. The heavens had granted me this second chance, meant for me to see the true depths of his depravity.
I turned to Liam, my voice calm. “Aside from the house Mom and Dad live in, all our family’s assets are in my name. Sixteen lavish estates, two prime downtown properties, seventy commercial storefronts, thirty-four vehicles, and six hundred million in savings. If you want them, I’ll transfer them all to you. This house, though, stays with my parents for their retirement—do you agree?”
Liam’s eyes glowed with avarice. In another life, I’d merely nudged him, and he’d soared to unimaginable wealth. He’d known I had money, but he’d never grasped the true extent of my family's fortune.
He readily agreed. “Absolutely.”
“But your parents need to write their wills now. After they’re gone, that house has to be signed over to me, and only me.”
His greed held no surprises for me. I arranged everything exactly as he’d demanded. As the final deposit was transferred to Liam, a single, iridescent snake scale shimmered into existence on his left forearm.
“What… what is this?”
“A token of our binding pact. When all three scales appear, the pact will be fully sealed.”
“Why didn’t it appear before?” he mumbled, confused, then quickly shut his mouth. He saw my gaze was calm, even though I’d just given away everything. Liam looked away, a flicker of unease in his eyes.
“You don’t have to be upset. My money is your money, isn’t it? I’d never treat you badly. When the money’s in the man’s hands, the family thrives.”
In the previous life, I was the one who initiated the pact. When he swore he’d treat me well, his words were far more sincere than they were now. But what had he done in the end? A cup of poison, sending me to my grave.
02
With money in his pockets, Liam first splurged on his dream cruiser motorcycle. Then he went wild with credit cards, buying an avalanche of jewelry, designer clothes, and skincare products—all things women typically craved. My phone buzzed with an endless stream of notifications, each one a digital breadcrumb of his extravagance. What he bought for me, however, was a nine-dollar-and-ninety-nine-cent plated bracelet from a discount online store.
I took it, smiling. Not a single complaint.
With four days left until the ritual's completion, Liam suddenly dragged me from my room in the middle of the night. Still in my sleep shirt, I was yanked from bed, dragged out into the biting night air and shoved into his car, which sped us toward the hospital.
“My sister was in a car accident. You have the same blood type as her. You have to donate blood.”
Once we were in the emergency room, I knew. His “sister” was Brooke. The “Aunt Brooke” my son had spoken of. The woman Liam and my children truly loved.
Liam grabbed a nurse by the arm, just as she was about to enter the operating room. “Take her blood. No matter what, save Brooke.”
The nurse drew 400 milliliters from my arm. Liam’s brow furrowed savagely. “Isn’t it supposed to be 1000 milliliters? Why aren’t you drawing more?”
The nurse looked at him, distressed. “Drawing more than 400 milliliters is dangerous. 1000 milliliters would put this lady into shock. Besides, the patient inside isn’t severely injured, and the blood we ordered is already on its way.”
“I don’t care. Her blood is better. Just draw hers.” He turned to me. “She’s my wife. Don’t you think I know her body? A mere 1000 milliliters of blood, what’s the big deal?”
Onlookers began to murmur.
“This guy’s a real piece of work, using his own wife as a blood bag?”
“Seriously, as if blood has different grades. He just wants to kill his wife.”
“Miss, don’t you dare agree. It’s not worth hurting yourself for someone else.”
I smiled, extending my arm towards the nurse. “Draw it.”
“Liam asked for it. I have to give it to him.”
The nurse stared at me in disbelief, as if I were insane. Even the people who’d been defending me moments before now turned away, muttering that I had no brains, that you couldn’t save someone determined to destroy themselves.
I was unmoved. I watched, impassively, as my blood drained from my body. How did Liam know my blood was “better”? In my previous life, he’d been in the ICU with pneumonia, doctors saying he wouldn’t make it. It was my own blood I’d given to brew the medicine that brought him back.
So in this life, even with the hospital having plenty of blood, even with Brooke’s injuries being minor and not life-threatening, he still insisted on draining me dry to save his one true love.
A hazy curtain of pain descended, and when I finally blinked awake, Liam was there, a blurred shape by my bed. I pulled up his sleeve, revealing the second snake scale on his left arm. Liam saw it too, his eyes a jumble of conflicting emotions, as he softly comforted me.
“Casey, I never knew you loved me so much. I was wrong this time. I’m sorry.”
“The doctor said you lost too much blood. You… you miscarried the baby, and your uterus couldn’t be saved. You can’t have children anymore.”
I smiled. “Really? Well, if it’s gone, it’s gone. I don’t care.”
“You’re not angry?!” Liam, seeing my indifference, was suddenly livid. “That was our child! Why aren’t you heartbroken it’s dead?! Why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant sooner?!”
And if I had told him sooner, would he have stopped drawing my blood? Besides, what was there to cherish about Liam’s child? I’d raised them with boundless effort, providing them with the most privileged life and the best education. Our son, brilliant but defiant. Our daughter, quiet and obedient, but with a low IQ. Did they reach those elite universities through their own merit and talent? No. It was all thanks to my family’s ancient lineage and my tireless support.
But had those ingrates shown an ounce of gratitude? They’d watched, unmoved, as their mother writhed on the floor, her fingers digging into the wood, bleeding from the sheer agony. They’d even been cheerfully discussing where to take Brooke on vacation.
With that thought, I gripped Liam’s hand. “Liam, it’s happened. What can we do now?”
“At least your sister was saved. She’s safe. If you want children later, we can just adopt hers.”
“Is… is that so?” Liam was stunned by my apparent reasonableness. He seemed unable to comprehend how I could be so utterly devoted. But my suggestion held no downsides for him. So he pulled me into his arms.
“Casey, how blessed am I to have a wife like you.”
“From now on, we’ll adopt Brooke’s children. You raise them well, and they’ll surely succeed. And then they’ll honor you properly. If they ever disobey, I’ll teach them a lesson.”
His words flowed like honeyed promises, but in the twisted landscape of his desires, I knew exactly whose back he’d be breaking.
03
Liam brought Brooke home and put me in charge of her care. While I was washing fruit, Brooke casually tossed a flimsy lace thong into the bowl of freshly washed fruit I was preparing.
“Sister-in-law, I just got out of the hospital. The doctor told me not to get wet. Could you do this for me?”
My hand paused. Then I put the lace thong under the faucet and began to rinse it. Brooke arched a brow, a malicious smile twisting her lips. “Liam was right. You’re completely tied to him. Pathetically devoted.”
“Is it true that you’ll do anything Liam asks?”
“Not exactly. There are still two days until the ritual is complete.” I didn’t look up, focusing only on my task. “This will be the last time I help Liam.”
“The last time for what?” Liam walked over, saw what was in my hand, and shot Brooke a disapproving glance. In a few days, he wouldn’t even have this small spark of guilt; he’d simply treat me like a maid.
Brooke smiled at me. “Then I’d better make the most of this last chance.”
The night before the ritual was complete, Liam and Brooke bound my hands and feet and shoved me into a large birdcage.
I frowned, calling Liam’s name. “What are you doing? Where are you taking me?”
The car jolted and bounced. Until the cloth covering the birdcage was yanked off. Light flooded in. My eyes met a pair of lecherous, greedy eyes. The man looked at least seventy, staring at my chest, drooling.
“Soft. So soft. You sure I can play with her however I want tonight?”
A low, molten heat began to coil in my gut. My gaze was a brand, burning into Liam. “What is the meaning of this?”
Liam avoided my eyes. Brooke draped herself over his shoulder. “A few days ago, we had a motorcycle accident. We accidentally ran over and killed Big Tony’s prize-winning dog.”
“Tony said if we couldn’t bring his dog back to life, he’d take one of Liam’s arms.”
“So I suggested you spend a night with Tony, to make amends for us. You love Liam so much, you wouldn’t mind, right?”
A bitter, humorless laugh almost bubbled up from my throat. Still, I stared at Liam. “Liam, I want you to say it. Say you’re really going to hand me over to another man. All for the life of a dog?”
“Casey, don’t be afraid. Just tough it out for one night. Besides, I’m your husband. I don’t care if you get ‘dirty,’ so what do you have to worry about?”
Liam’s demands truly knew no bottom. My chest heaved with rage, and I dug my nails into my palms, repeating ‘endure, endure’ to myself.
The old man, Tony, grew impatient. “What do you mean ‘just a dog’? What about a dog? I ought to take your lives for killing my dog. Looks like this woman isn’t willing, huh?”
“Before I lose my temper, you. Get over here. Tie your wife to my bed yourself. Or you can find out what happens when you cross me!”
Liam’s face went white. He gritted his teeth, opened the cage door without bothering to untie me, and hoisted me, then tossed me onto the bed.
A thick, disgusted glob of spittle left my mouth, landing squarely on his cheek. “You’re truly shameless, Liam. I gave you so much money, and you can’t even handle a simple problem like this.”
“Say whatever you want.” Liam pinned my hands, binding them to the bedpost. “Casey, remember this: after tonight, I’m the only one who won’t look down on you.”
“Don’t even think about leaving me. From now on, you’ll be obedient, and we’ll live our lives with me and Brooke. I won’t mistreat you.”
I sank my teeth into his hand, biting down until my mouth filled with the coppery taste of blood. Liam hissed, drawing a sharp breath, and wrenched his hand free after several attempts. Then he slapped me hard across the face.
“Crazy bitch.”
“Just wait till tomorrow. I’ll teach you a lesson.”
With that, he even managed a fawning smile at Tony, then pulled Brooke from the room. Brooke looked at me, disheveled and trapped, her eyes betraying an unmasked mix of pity and triumph.
Tony, smelling faintly of stale cigars and desperation, lunged forward, his gnarled hands fumbling at my clothes. Just as his hand reached my back, the clock chimed midnight. A wave of excruciating pain ripped through my body. My limbs curled in on themselves, the ropes binding me straining taut.
Tony frowned, peering at me. “What are you doing? What trick is this?”
“Liam! Get in here! What’s wrong with this woman?!”
At that exact moment, Liam, outside, looked down and saw it: the third snake scale shimmering into existence on his left hand. What was happening? He’d always believed the scales signified Casey’s love. The more scales, the deeper Casey’s love, the more inseparable she was from him, the stronger their marriage pact. But now Casey clearly hated him. Why were the scales still appearing?!
A sudden, immense dread flooded him, a primal terror that rooted him to the spot. It was the instinct of a small animal facing an overwhelming predator. He frantically pushed open the door.
“Tony, what’s going on?!”
As he entered the room, a strange, yet familiar, young male voice cut through the air. The voice commanded.
“Kneel!”
Thump.
Liam found his knees buckling, slamming hard onto the floor without his conscious will.
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