Choosing a Deceased Fate
Choose a husband to protect you day and night, he said.
I picked Ian Taylor, the gentlest of his protégés. But on our wedding day, he withdrew all my security. Tied to a rooftop chair with a knife at my throat, I heard his cold sneer over the phone:
"Sent thugs to harass Lily, and now playing victim? I just reassigned your guards to protect her for twenty-four hours. Wanted you to know fear."
With each toll of the distant clock, they took a finger. After twenty-four hours, I bled out.
When I reopened my eyes, I was back to choosing a husband. My father held the same eight photos. This time, I skipped Ian’s face, pointing to the reckless grin in the corner.
But my father said, "That man is already dead."
1
I stared at the eight photographs in my father's hand. My finger traced a path over Ian Taylor’s chiseled, gentle face and landed squarely on the man at the very bottom—the one with the sun-kissed skin and the cocky smile.
My father froze. "Sierra? I thought Ian was your favorite. Why choose Kai Donovan?"
My hand clenched into a fist, nails digging into my palm.
Kai Donovan. A star athlete since childhood, he was also the most notorious playboy in our elite circle. His skin was tanned from countless hours on the racetrack, his nights spent in clubs with a rotating cast of glamorous women. My father despised him, eventually shipping him off to manage a dead-end project in some remote, godforsaken mountain range.
But I remembered. In my last life, as I bled out on that rooftop, the last thing I saw before I threw myself over the edge was Kai, his face a mask of raw terror and heartbreak, sprinting toward me as if he could outrun death itself.
"Him," I said, my voice trembling.
My father frowned and pulled out his phone, scrolling through his contacts. He stopped, a flicker of awkwardness on his face. He didn't even have Kai’s number saved. How ironic. All eight men were his adopted "sons," his wards, yet Kai wasn't even worthy of a contact entry.
His executive assistant called back within minutes. "Sir, Kai Donovan was killed last month in Redstone Canyon. There was a mudslide."
My father sighed. "Sierra, just pick someone else. Ian is—"
"Then I choose no one." I shot to my feet, my throat tight. "If I can't have him, I don't want anyone."
In my past life, the other so-called "brothers" had either fawned over Ian’s cousin or watched my suffering with cold amusement. If I had to live again, I would rather be alone than be stabbed in the back by their false kindness.
I stumbled out of the office, Kai's final expression burned into my mind. If even he was dead, who in this world would fight for me?
Suddenly, a cold hand clamped around my wrist.
I looked up. It was Ian.
And standing beside him, her slender frame leaning against his, was Lily Reid. Her eyes were red-rimmed, as if she had suffered a terrible injustice.
Ian’s expression was gentle, but his words were hard. "Sierra, Lily isn't well. Your mountain spa is just sitting empty. Let her go there to recuperate for a few days. She hasn't been sleeping, and her cough is getting worse."
The old me would have melted, would have agreed instantly.
This time, I just gave them a detached glance. "No."
I pulled out my phone and dialed my assistant. "Lock the gates to the estate. Don't let any trash wander in."
Ian's face darkened. "Sierra!" He tightened his grip on my wrist, the pressure painful. "She's my cousin. She'll be your family soon too. Can't you be a little more understanding?"
I laughed, a sharp, bitter sound, and ripped my arm from his grasp. "Who said anything about being family with you?"
His eyes widened as if I'd struck him. "What has gotten into you? Is this because Lily wore your hairpin that one time? You have rooms full of jewelry. What's the big deal if she borrows one thing?"
On cue, Lily began to sob, tears clinging to her lashes. "Ian, it's okay… Miss Stark looks down on me. I… I was never worthy…"
I had no patience for this melodrama. I turned to leave. "I said no. That's the end of it."
Back in my suite, I threw myself under the covers and slept. The dizzying sensation of rebirth still echoed in my head, a disorienting hum that was only broken by the shrill ring of my phone.
"Miss Stark!" my assistant's panicked voice cried. "Mr. Taylor and Miss Reid forced their way into the estate! I couldn't stop them! All the guards listened to him…"
I shot upright in bed.
The memories of my kidnapping flashed before my eyes. The bodyguards who were supposed to protect me had done the same thing then, abandoning me without a second thought on Ian’s command, leaving me to the mercy of my captors.
When I stormed into the spa, one of the guards actually had the audacity to block my path. "Miss Stark, Mr. Taylor gave orders that no one is to disturb them."
Crack.
The sound of my hand striking his face echoed in the marble hall.
"You eat my family's food, and you take orders from him?" I was shaking with fury. "Get out of my sight. Now."
I threw open the doors to the main thermal pool, and the scene before me made my blood run cold.
2
Through the rising steam, Lily Reid was draped over the edge of the pool, her body languid, her cheeks flushed with an unnatural, feverish pink. "Ian… I feel so dizzy…"
Before the words were even out of her mouth, she went limp, sliding bonelessly beneath the water's surface.
Without a moment's hesitation, Ian dove in and swept her into his arms. Water streamed down his sharp jawline, dripping onto her bare shoulder.
"Ian," I said, my voice cutting through the humid air. "I told you. You are not welcome here."
He froze, and in his arms, Lily's eyelashes fluttered.
"Sierra!" Panic flashed in his eyes, quickly replaced by anger. "Do you have to be so aggressive? She almost fainted! Can't you have a shred of decency?"
Suddenly, Lily struggled out of his embrace and fell to her knees before me with a splash, her forehead hitting the stone floor with a sickening thud. "Miss Stark, I'm sorry! It's all my fault!" Blood trickled down her pale cheek.
She lunged forward, grabbing my legs, but in the next second, she recoiled as if shoved, tumbling back into the pool. She thrashed wildly in the water. "Help! My leg is cramping…!"
Ian dove in again, scooping her up. When he emerged, his eyes were filled with disgust.
"You've gone too far, Sierra!"
He lunged forward and shoved me hard. I fell backward into the pool, my arm slamming against the stone wall with a sharp crack of pain, a deep bruise already forming.
"If you ever bully Lily like this again," he said, cradling the shivering girl in his arms, his voice like ice, "I will not marry you."
As I watched them leave, I dragged myself out of the water, bruised and humiliated. "Everyone who let them in today is fired! Get them off my property!"
I was changing when my assistant rushed in. "Miss Stark! We found a lead on Kai Donovan!"
I drove through the night to Redstone Canyon, the storm-ravaged mountain roads a treacherous river of mud. I had just checked into a small motel in the nearest town when a large hand grabbed me from behind, pulling me into a dark alley. A warm palm clamped firmly over my mouth.
I looked up in terror and met a pair of eyes that shone like stars in the darkness.
"Kai?!"
He snatched his hand away, his face flushing crimson beneath his mask. "Miss Stark, what are you doing in a place like this…?"
"You're not dead?" My voice was a shaky whisper.
He scratched his head awkwardly, revealing a charmingly crooked canine tooth. "There was a traitor in my division on this project. The mudslide was the perfect cover to fake my death and smoke him out."
"You know how to do things like that?" I asked, surprised.
His bright smile dimmed. "Is that a disappointment? Did you… did you always think I was just some idiot?"
A sharp pain lanced through my chest.
I grabbed his hand, my grip desperate. "Listen to me! You have to be back before the 8th, for the wedding!"
His body went rigid, the light in his eyes extinguished. "Right. Your wedding. I'll be there."
"You idiot," I stomped my foot in frustration. "It's our—"
"Boss! The traitor is making a run for it!" a voice shouted from down the alley.
Kai took a frantic step back. "Miss Stark, it could be dangerous here. Please, go back! I promise I'll be at the wedding!"
And just like that, he was gone, his figure vanishing into the darkness.
I stood there, a thousand thoughts swirling in my mind. In my past life, he was the one I paid the least attention to. Everyone said he was all brawn and no brains, a simpleton who was only good for nightclubs and extreme sports. Not like Ian, always impeccably dressed in a tailored suit and gold-rimmed glasses, a master of strategy. But it was always Kai who was sent to handle the most marginalized projects, the most difficult clients.
Thinking back now, those "marginalized projects" involved dealing with the most unsavory, dangerous characters. How could anyone handle that without being cunning and extraordinarily capable?
On the drive back, I had my assistant create a new digital wedding invitation and send it to Kai.
It was well past midnight when my phone finally lit up with his reply.
"Miss, you wrote the groom's name wrong. You should fix it."
The "typing…" bubble flickered for a long time before another message appeared.
"Don't worry. I'll definitely be there to see you get married."
I couldn't help but smile. He wouldn't believe anything I said now. I would just have to explain it to him in person when he returned. My phone buzzed again and again with messages from Ian.
"Lily deserves an apology from you."
"Stop being so childish."
I opened our chat and, without a second thought, deleted him.
3
Knowing Kai was not only alive but far more brilliant than I had ever imagined filled me with a sense of hope I hadn’t felt in two lifetimes. I began to throw myself into the wedding preparations.
One afternoon, I pushed open the glass door of the bridal boutique, only to be assaulted by a wave of cheap, cloying perfume.
"Ian~ Do I look beautiful in this?" Lily's saccharine voice made my skin crawl. She was standing in front of a mirror, admiring herself in the custom-made wedding gown my mother had designed for me.
Ian gazed at her, his voice soft. "Lily, you look beautiful in everything."
"Oh, stop~ You always know just what to say~" she cooed, twirling around and sending another noxious cloud of perfume into the air.
I forced down my rage and walked toward them.
The moment Ian saw me, his face went rigid. He instinctively stepped in front of Lily, his voice a carefully constructed mask of gentleness. "Sierra, don't misunderstand. Lily's health… she might not… she might not live to see her own wedding day. She just wanted to feel what it's like to wear a wedding dress."
Lily began to cough delicately.
"Take it off," I said, my voice ice.
Lily’s eyes immediately filled with tears. "Miss Stark, I'm so sorry. I was just so envious of you." She clutched at Ian’s sleeve, her body trembling. "It's all my fault, don't be angry with Ian…"
Ian's expression hardened. "You're going to marry me anyway. What does it matter if she tries it on? Can't you just let her have this one moment of happiness?"
"I said, take it off," I repeated, each word a shard of glass. I turned my glare on the terrified shop assistants. "When did my bespoke gown become available for anyone to try on?"
The two assistants scrambled to help Lily out of the dress, leaving red marks on her pale arms.
Lily was sobbing hysterically now. "I'm sorry! I'm worthless! I don't deserve to wear something so beautiful!" She suddenly went limp, her knees buckling.
Ian lunged forward to catch her, then turned to me, his voice a furious roar. "Are you satisfied now, Sierra?"
"Disinfect it three times," I said, my nose wrinkled in disgust. "I don't want a trace of that smell left on it."
Lily covered her face and ran out of the shop.
Ian glared at me, his face a thundercloud, before slamming the door behind him.
That evening, my assistant sidled up to me, her eyes sparkling with gossip. "Miss Stark, you'll never guess what happened! That frail little flower, Lily Reid, got hit by a car today! I heard she broke her leg!"
She gestured excitedly. "If you ask me, it's karma! Everyone knows Ian is your fiancé, but she's always clinging to him, acting all innocent. It’s disgusting!"
I swirled the red wine in my glass, a cold smile touching my lips. "Who told you Ian was my fiancé?"
My assistant's eyes went wide, the fruit platter in her hands nearly tumbling to the floor. "Miss Stark, are you saying…?"
"Have the wedding planner change the groom's name on the invitations," I said, taking a sip of wine. "To Kai Donovan."
"Yes!" my assistant cheered, clapping her hands. "That Ian guy seems nice enough, but he has no boundaries! He and Lily are always together. He's such a flirt."
I had to smile. Even my assistant could see it so clearly. How had I been so blind in my past life? Love, it seemed, was truly a blinding force. I sighed at the thought.
The next morning, as I stepped out of the company headquarters, something was thrown over my head, plunging me into darkness. A burlap sack.
"Who are you?! Let me go!" I struggled, but my attackers were rough, shoving me into a car. My back slammed against the door, and I gasped in pain.
A familiar, paralyzing fear washed over me. The memories of my past kidnappings came flooding back.
"Please! I'll give you whatever you want!" My voice trembled uncontrollably, tears soaking the rough fabric over my eyes.
The only response was a suffocating silence.
Then, a familiar scent drifted into the small space. The sharp, clean smell of Ian’s signature cologne.
My heart sank like a stone. "What… what do you want from me…?"
"Someone wants me to teach you a lesson," a voice said, low and intentionally disguised.
Even though I had already decided never to marry him, the fact that he was doing this, that he was capable of this, shattered something inside me.
THUD.
An iron bar slammed into my leg. The pain was so intense my vision went black. A tearing agony ripped through my chest, but I gritted my teeth, refusing to let him know I recognized him.
I curled into a ball in the corner of the trunk, my silent tears soaking the sack.
The last thing I heard before I lost consciousness was his cold, dispassionate voice.
"Remember this lesson."
4
The iron bar landed with a sickening thud. Once, twice, three times…
Fifteen times. I could hear the crack of my own bones.
The pain finally dragged me into unconsciousness. I was dumped like trash at the gates of the Stark estate.
The antiseptic smell of the hospital was overwhelming. From the VIP suite next to mine, I could hear Lily’s voice. "Ian, you've been here with me every day. You must be so exhausted!"
My heart felt like it was being crushed. Ian. To get revenge for Lily, you were capable of this.
"My daughter!" My father rushed in and hugged me, his voice shaking. "Who did this? I swear, I will make them wish they were never born!"
"Dad, it's okay," I said, forcing a smile through the pain. "Just… hire me a new security team." I took a breath. "And by the way, Kai is alive. When we get married, he'll protect me too."
After my father left, I hobbled to the window on my crutches. In the garden below, Ian was spinning Lily around in his arms. She leaned in and whispered something in his ear that made the tips of his own turn red. He was smiling, a tender, genuine smile I had never once received.
The day before the wedding, Kai arrived, looking like he’d just stepped out of a dust storm. He carefully pulled a smooth, warm piece of jade from his pocket. "Miss Stark, a wedding gift!"
"The groom is finally here," I said with a smile, my voice loud enough for everyone to hear.
Kai froze, his eyes instantly turning red. His lips trembled, but no words came out.
My assistant quietly informed me that Ian hadn't been seen for days. I scoffed. He was waiting for me to break, for me to come crawling back and beg him to marry me. He was in for a disappointment.
That night, my phone buzzed. It was a video from Lily. The shaky footage showed her and Ian, tangled together in bed. It was disgusting.
A moment later, the video was deleted.
"Pathetic," I muttered, turning off my phone. Their games were laughable now.
From my window, I saw Kai standing alone under the stars, looking up at my room. He gave me a small wave, his smile warm and steady. In that moment, a profound sense of peace settled over me for the first time.
On the morning of the wedding, my phone rang.
"If you apologize to Lily right now, I will come and marry you," Ian said, his voice as arrogant as ever.
"Not necessary," I replied, hanging up without another word, a cold smile playing on my lips.
At the venue, the guests were whispering amongst themselves.
"Where is Ian Taylor?"
"Is the wedding going to be canceled?"
I ignored them all, taking Kai’s arm and walking down the aisle. His bicep was tense, but he held me so gently, careful not to hurt my still-healing leg.
"Let us congratulate Mr. Kai Donovan and the heiress of the Stark family!" the officiant's voice boomed.
At that exact moment, the grand doors to the hall were thrown open.
Ian stood there, his face as white as a sheet. The bouquet of flowers in his hand fell to the floor with a soft thud.
I smiled, and under his stunned, disbelieving gaze, I pulled Kai closer and kissed him.
First, search for and download the MotoNovel app from Google. Then, open the app and use the code "258537" to read the entire book.
MotoNovel
Novellia
Bookworm« Previous Post
My Husband Paid Me Millions to Keep His Affair a Secret
Next Post »
Her Dilemma