Second Chance at Love
In her past life, when her father asked for the object of her affections, she unhesitatingly chose the handsome Felix Gresham.
But a year into their marriage, he was reported "killed in action".
She was left to care for her mother-in-law alone, raise her young siblings, and even sell her property to bail out her ne'er-do-well brother-in-law.
She lived out her days as a widow, only for her long-"sacrificed" husband to return in his twilight years, basking in glory with his mistress and their children and grandchildren.
It turned out his "sacrifice" was just a clever escape, a way to run off with his true love.
Driven to despair, she jumped to her death from a building at his grandchildren's 100-day celebration...
When she opened her eyes again, she was back on the day her father asked her which boy she fancied.
"Jane, tell Dad quickly, which of those four boys do you like?"
The familiar voice sent a shiver down Jane Johnson's spine.
Looking up, she saw her young father gazing at her with a loving smile.
She had been reborn, back to seven days before her engagement – the day she would choose her husband!
"I think that boy from the Gresham Family is quite handsome. You've always had a thing for good-looking people. What about him? I'll go talk to him in the next day or two..."
"No!" Her voice echoed through the study, so loud that she startled herself.
Jane's father paused, surprised. "What's wrong? Why are you so upset?"
Her eyes were bloodshot, and she trembled violently. The memories of her past life were as vivid as if they had happened yesterday.
Felix Gresham's cold, disdainful gaze, the mocking laughter of those around her—each barb a bullet tearing her apart, the pain almost suffocating.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, and forced a smile. "Dad, I'm fine. I just don't like Felix Gresham anymore."
"You don't like him anymore?" Jane's father stared at her, astonished. "Everyone in the Courtyard knows you've been glued to that Gresham kid since you were little. You chased away so many girls who liked him! How can you suddenly say you don't like him?"
Lost in thought, Jane Johnson clenched her fists and gave a self-deprecating laugh.
She was twelve when Jane's father brought the Gresham Family and four other families to the Courtyard.
Several of their fathers were comrades-in-arms. After they died, Jane's father arranged for the families to live together to help each other out.
She was the only girl among the five families living in the courtyard.
The elders had decided long ago that when she turned twenty-five, if she and one of the boys were in love, they would get engaged at her birthday party.
In her past life, she chose Felix Gresham.
He didn't refuse her, but he ultimately deceived and used her, driving her to desperation.
This time, she wants nothing to do with that man.
"Jane, you said you don't like Felix Gresham anymore. Does that mean there's someone else? If there is, even if he's not from our Courtyard, as long as you like him, you can bring him home for your father to meet. As long as he's a good person and treats you well, his family background doesn't matter..."
She hesitated, then a face flashed in her mind: "Dad, I... I want to marry Zachary Zamora."
"Zachary?" Jane's father frowned, surprised. "Don't you hate him? I remember asking you about him when you were eighteen. You said his personality was enough to drive you to an early grave. Why the sudden change of heart?"
Jane Johnson lowered her gaze. The old her certainly wouldn't have.
Zachary Zamora was the Courtyard's famous strong, silent type. Better off not talking at all, because when he did, he could cut you to ribbons.
She was lively and outgoing, and preferred men who were eloquent and considerate—the complete opposite of Zachary.
They barely interacted in her past life, yet after her death, when no one else would, he personally collected and carefully buried her body.
She thought, if Zachary Zamora was willing to have her, she would marry him.
Nodding firmly, she looked at her father earnestly: "Dad, I've made up my mind. I... I like him, and I want to marry him."
After a moment's thought, Jane's father smiled: "Actually, I think that young Zamora fellow is better than Felix Gresham. He's steady, grounded, and his capabilities in the army are plain for all to see. Alright, I'll go to his house tomorrow and ask him. If he likes you too, then..."
"Dad, I want to ask him myself. It's a new era; we should have freedom of love."
"Okay, okay, then it's freedom of love. If he agrees, then your father will publicly announce your engagement on your birthday."
When she walked out of the study, her hands were still ice-cold.
Suddenly, she remembered how in her previous life, at this very moment, she had happily run to Felix Gresham with this good news, asking if he was willing to marry her, only to receive a cold, indifferent "okay" in return.
She once thought he liked her, but now she realizes that wasn't love at all.
Just as she left the small Western-style house, intending to find Zachary Zamora, her childhood friend Joseph Lewis dragged her to a social gathering.
Unexpectedly, Zachary Zamora and Felix Gresham were there too.
"Jane Johnson, your birthday is just days away! Tell us, who have you chosen?"
Hearing Xavier Dawson say that, Joseph Lewis perked up, teasing, "Who else could it be? Of the four of us, the least likely is Zachary Zamora. If those two married, it would drive Jane Johnson to an early grave!It's most likely Felix Gresham. Jane Johnson has been trailing after him since childhood. The moment she heard he was coming, she rushed over. If you ask me, that guy is definitely..."
Jane Johnson couldn't resist glancing at Zachary Zamora and Felix Gresham.
Zachary Zamora silently nursed his beer, acting completely indifferent.
Felix Gresham's coat hung loosely on his shoulders, a cigarette dangled from his sensual, slightly reddened lips, and he gazed down absently, seemingly lost in thought.
In her past life, she'd been drawn to his easygoing nature, so different from Zachary Zamora's rigid formality, only to be utterly betrayed.
She was about to speak when he suddenly threw his cigarette to the ground, crushed it beneath his heel, and said...
"I won't marry you. I'm already seeing someone."
Jane Johnson's heart lurched.
That didn't happen last time.
Looking up at his resolute face, an unbelievable thought flooded her mind.
Could he have been reborn too?
So this time, he's rejecting her outright, not even bothering with a polite excuse?
But in her past life, he was the one who made her suffer a lifetime! His whole family deceived her, making her a willing widow to care for his sickly, difficult mother, raise his younger siblings, and steal the savings and property her father left her before he died, leaving her to die full of bitterness and regret.
He only feared and coveted her father's position as Chief, wanting to exploit her family's wealth and resources to support his entire family and his precious darling. How dare he act so wronged!
Even knowing the truth, Jane Johnson's heart still ached unbearably, as if a giant hand was crushing it, leaving her gasping for air.
Jane Johnson nearly screamed, "How dare you! Why are you doing this to me? What did I ever do to deserve this? I'm telling you, I won't choose you! I don't want you!"
But the words caught in her throat.
If all went according to plan, she would be married to another man in seven days.
Why should she entangle herself with him any further?
Besides, without her money this time around, she wanted to see if Felix Gresham could still become rich and achieve his perfect life!
She took a deep breath and said calmly, "You'll all find out who I've chosen in seven days. It's my birthday then, so just be there!"
Ignoring the stares, she turned and headed for the bathroom, needing to compose herself. But as she rounded the corner, she bumped into someone.
"Jane, please, give Felix to me!"
Laura Wyatt suddenly dropped to her knees with a thud, her forehead hitting the ground hard as she tearfully begged.
Before she could react, Laura Wyatt grabbed her pant leg again, sobbing, "Jane, you know when I came to you for treatment last time... you know my stepfather is a beast. He ruined me, got me pregnant, and then I had a miscarriage. No one will want me now. You're doing so much better than me; you can have any man you want! Please, just give me a break and let me have him, okay? I'm begging you..."
Seeing her tears fall on him, Jane Johnson recoiled in disgust, but just then, a figure rushed forward.
Felix Gresham shielded Laura Wyatt, his eyes blazing with a rage she'd never witnessed before: "Jane Johnson! I'm the one who loves Laura! If you have a problem, take it out on me, but why humiliate her like this?"
"Which eye of yours saw me force her to kneel and kowtow?"
Jane Johnson trembled with rage. It was always like this in her past life. Every time they met, Laura Wyatt would play the victim, as if Jane were some monstrous bully abusing her power.
But she'd done nothing wrong from beginning to end, yet Felix Gresham never believed her.
Just like now, he bent to scoop up Laura Wyatt and leave, but as he turned, Laura Wyatt kicked her hard. Losing her balance, she tumbled down the stairs.
A sharp pain shot through her brain. In her blurred vision, someone rushed toward her.
"Jane!"
Zachary Zamora?
It had to be an illusion. Otherwise, how could she be seeing that usually cold and steady man with an expression of anxiety and heartache she'd never witnessed before?
When she finally came to, it was the next day, and Jane Johnson was in a hospital bed.
"Comrade, who brought me here, please?" She croaked to the nurse.
The young nurse beamed, a hint of envy in her voice. "Why, it was your boyfriend, of course! He carried you all the way here, his white shirt completely soaked through. The doctor was terrified, thought something awful had happened! Luckily, you just bumped your head; nothing too serious. But Dr. Johnson, he really loves you! You're so lucky to have such a wonderful boyfriend."
A white shirt?
It's Zachary Zamora.
The blurry scene before she lost consciousness replayed in her mind, stirring Jane Johnson's heart.
Could it be that he likes her too?
Too bad she didn't get to ask him yesterday. She'll have to hurry and ask him as soon as she gets out of the hospital.
But unexpectedly, when she went to find him after being discharged, she learned that Zachary Zamora had been sent on a mission to another county. He'd left a message, though, promising to return on her birthday with both wedding and birthday gifts.
Jane Johnson couldn't help but chuckle at that.
He's the only groom she wants. What need does she have for wedding gifts from anyone else?
Over the next couple of days, gossip about Felix Gresham and Laura Wyatt spread like wildfire through the Courtyard—
"Did you see that? Felix Gresham is riding his bike to the textile factory again to bring Laura Wyatt food. I heard he bought the groceries first thing this morning and cooked it for her himself."
"That's not all! At the ice skating rink, that Gresham boy held Laura Wyatt's hand in front of everyone and confessed his love, declaring he'd love only her for the rest of his life. The whole place erupted in cheers!"
"Someone even saw Felix Gresham taking Laura Wyatt to the movies last night. When they came out, Laura Wyatt was pushed and twisted her ankle, and he actually carried her all the way home."
Hearing those words, Jane Johnson felt nothing. A treacherous, ungrateful wretch—whoever wants him can have him. What does it have to do with her?
She'd thought their next encounter would be at the birthday party, but instead, she was stopped as she left work by a furious Felix Gresham, his eyes bloodshot.
"Jane Johnson! Why did you falsely accuse Laura's brother?"
Jane Johnson froze. "What false accusation?"
"Just because I like you, you'd stoop so low? You'd actually try to hurt her family to force her to leave me, to force me to give in? Her brother is still a minor! How could you bear to falsely accuse him of theft!"
Felix Gresham seized her wrist, his grip so tight she thought her bones would break. "Come with me!"
Jane Johnson stumbled as she was dragged, angrily shouting, "Let go of me!"
"Don't make me hurt your hand. You're a gynecologist; that hand is pretty important, isn't it?"
The stark threat made Jane Johnson's fingertips tremble with rage.
She was dragged a short distance away. Just as Jane Johnson spotted Laura Wyatt, her face streaked with tears, and opened her mouth to speak, a sharp pain shot through her knee, and she found herself forced to the ground.
Her mind blank for a moment, Jane Johnson looked up at Felix Gresham in disbelief. She tried to stand, but he held her shoulders down firmly.
"This is for what you did to Laura. You humiliated her last time, and now you've framed her brother. The only reason I'm letting you off with just kneeling and apologizing instead of reporting you is because we grew up together!"
"Felix Gresham!" Jane Johnson struggled. "What makes you think I did this? If you have proof, report me! This is assault and slander! I can sue you!"
Felix Gresham was about to speak when Laura Wyatt suddenly swayed. He rushed to support her. "What's wrong, Laura? Where does it hurt?"
"Felix, it's all my fault. Jane likes you so much; I shouldn't have tried to steal you from her..."
"Even if she likes me, what does it matter? Laura, ever since you saved me in the school storage room when I was ten, you and your butterfly hair clip have illuminated my soul. I'll marry no one but you in this lifetime."
Felix Gresham pulled a hair clip from his pocket. Jane Johnson felt as if she'd been struck by lightning.
Isn't this her hair clip?
That year, she was ten, and loved making handicrafts. With her father's help, she made two identical butterfly hair clips and wore them to school.
However, after a heroic act in the storage room, she lost one. She casually gave the other away.
So, she gave it to Laura Wyatt.
So, that boy was Felix Gresham.
And he mistook her for someone else.
Life truly is a grand theater, full of dramatic twists and turns.
She rose with a mocking sneer, her face pale as she glared at Felix Gresham: "Felix Gresham, you're blind and heartless. I'll be waiting for the day you regret this."
With that, she turned and left, refusing to see the look on his face.
In the days that followed, Jane Johnson kept busy at the hospital and at home, quietly waiting for Zachary Zamora to return.
Then, two days before her birthday, rumors ripped through the compound that Laura Wyatt was a woman of loose morals and had even had an abortion.
Jane Johnson was still reeling from the shock of who could have started such a rumor when Felix Gresham stormed in.
"Jane Johnson, how could you be so cruel? All I asked was for you to kneel and apologize! How dare you spread lies and slander Laura? And you, the daughter of a high-ranking official, stooping to such despicable acts?"
Jane Johnson found it utterly ridiculous: "She told you I was spreading rumors?"
Felix Gresham scoffed: "Laura Wyatt has nothing to do with this..."
"Tell me, yes or no!"
"Yes!"
That single word, like a knife, ruthlessly shattered the last vestiges of their childhood sweetheart affection.
She finally understood that people really do laugh when they're speechless: "Felix Gresham, how do you know it's a rumor and not the truth?"
Felix Gresham froze. Just then, Laura Wyatt's younger brother burst in: "Felix, you have to come quick! My sister tried to kill herself! She slashed her wrists and they just took her to the hospital!"
Felix Gresham's face tightened, and he turned and ran out in a panic.
Jane Johnson hadn't expected Laura Wyatt to actually slash her wrists, but, upholding her Hippocratic oath, she followed anyway.
Before she even reached the emergency room, the doctor came out, saying, "The patient has lost too much blood and needs a transfusion. The hospital's blood bank is low. Does anyone here have type A blood?"
No one did, but Felix Gresham suddenly remembered something. He grabbed Jane Johnson, shouting anxiously, "She's type O, a universal donor! Use her blood!"
The next moment, Jane Johnson slapped him hard across the face: "Felix Gresham, you bastard! What right do you have to make decisions for me?"
Felix Gresham belatedly realized he was wrong, but stubbornly insisted: "Jane, I know you're still angry, but you drove Laura to suicide. You should be responsible for what you did. So, if you agree to save her, I'll grant you two wishes, okay?"
Jane Johnson stared intently at him: "Even if it means you have to kneel, would you do it?"
Felix Gresham was proud and never bowed to anyone. That's why, in my past life, he risked being discovered and faked his death to swindle my family rather than ask me for help.
Forcing him to kneel in public would be worse than death for him.
Jane Johnson never thought he'd agree, but then—bam!—a sound erupted in front of her.
Felix Gresham had actually knelt down!
Jane Johnson's face froze. Did he really love Laura Wyatt that much?
If Felix Gresham ever realizes he mistook the wrong person for his savior, chased after the wrong dream, how utterly laughable would this moment be?
Laura Wyatt should be alive. How can a dead woman be punished?
"Okay, I'll donate."
Jane Johnson hurried to the blood transfusion room. A steady stream of blood flowed from her body, and just as she finished donating and stood up, her vision went black, and she collapsed.
The expected pain didn't come. She looked up and met a pair of anxious eyes.
"Zachary Zamora, you're back?"
"Yeah, weren't you so capable before? Why are you being such a coward now? You've completely humiliated yourself, haven't you? Don't you even know you have low blood sugar? You just had to play the hero and donate blood. What's with that? So much love you're willing to risk your life?"
Even though Zachary Zamora grumbled, he expertly unwrapped a White Rabbit Creamy Candy and popped it into her mouth.
The sweet, milky flavor instantly flooded Jane Johnson's mouth, and she froze.
How did he know she had low blood sugar?
Jane Johnson's heart skipped a beat, and she suddenly recalled her previous life.
Felix Gresham had never noticed her low blood sugar. Even during their year of marriage, whenever she had an episode, he'd accuse her of being dramatic, even turning his nose up and walking away in disgust.
But Zachary Zamora was different. Every time he returned from a mission, he'd bring her some White Rabbit Creamy Candy, always claiming a friend had given it to him and telling her not to read too much into it.
Even after Felix Gresham was "killed in action", a stash of the candy would appear under her window every so often.
Looking back, Zachary Zamora must have been the one leaving those candies. It wasn't just some friend casually giving them to her.
Zachary Zamora knew.
Because he remembered.
A warm feeling welled up inside her. She rolled her eyes at him playfully and said, "If you could ever manage to say something sweet, I would have chosen you on my birthday."
Zachary Zamora was stunned for a moment, an unreadable emotion flickering in his eyes. "Tsk, running low on blood, so you're filling the gaps with nonsense? Your symptoms don't look like blood loss; they look like dementia."
"I'm not talking nonsense. I'm perfectly clear-headed, Zachary Zamora. If I said I wanted to marry you, would you be willing to marry me?"
Zachary Zamora scoffed. "What's this? Felix Gresham break your heart, so you're running here to ruin me? Fine, you dare to marry me, I dare to marry you."
"Then it's settled. You have to come on my birthday. If you don't, I'll never speak to you again."
Jane Johnson smiled, pushed him away, and turned to leave.
She wasn't afraid he wouldn't come.
She knew he would come!
Because he loved White Rabbit Creamy Candy too.
She hadn't walked far when Jane Johnson suddenly bumped into a hard, unyielding chest.
Seeing it was Felix Gresham, Jane Johnson quickly stepped back.
With his arms suddenly empty, Felix Gresham felt a strange emptiness in his heart. He didn't know where this feeling came from, but he didn't dwell on it before speaking in a deep voice.
"Thank you for saving Laura. I will fulfill my promise. What is your second request?"
Jane Johnson sneered: "Second, I demand you be at my birthday party."
Felix Gresham stared at her, his fist clenching and unclenching, his voice hoarse: "Okay, I'll come to your birthday... but I won't agree to marry you. Do you still want me there?"
Jane Johnson hadn't expected him to assume that inviting him meant she wanted to marry him.
Laughable.
She wanted him to watch her choose another man with his own eyes!
She wanted his regret to be a deeper, more maddening pain!
On her birthday, the Johnson Family home was bustling with activity. Relatives, friends, and Jane's father's colleagues all came to offer their congratulations.
Many people whispered, "The Johnson Family's son-in-law has to be that Gresham kid."
"Yeah, everyone knows the Johnson girl is completely smitten with Felix Gresham. How could she choose anyone else?"
"But doesn't Felix Gresham already have someone?"
The whispering died down.
Jane Johnson descended the stairs, her white floral dress swaying gently, the hem adorned with tiny pearls that shimmered softly in the lamplight.
Usually, she was plain, but today she was transformed—her dark hair was softly curled and cascaded over her shoulders, a touch of crimson on her lips accentuating her snow-white skin.
She walked slowly, each step seeming to weigh on everyone's heart, holding them in suspense.
In that moment, she wasn't the Jane Johnson they knew, but a radiant moon in the night sky—cold, distant, and utterly captivating.
Felix Gresham, Zachary Zamora, Joseph Lewis, and Xavier Dawson stood in a line.
Jane's father smiled and approached, ready to speak, but Jane Johnson shook her head. "Dad, let me handle this."
She surveyed the men before her. Lewis and Dawson looked unfazed, clearly aware they were just there for show.
Laura Wyatt was there too, her eyes red, standing beside Felix Gresham, who gripped her hand tightly, as if making a declaration.
And Zachary Zamora...
He stood with his arms crossed, his eyes filled with an emotion Jane Johnson couldn't decipher.
Taking a deep breath, Jane Johnson walked forward, step by step. She paused briefly when she reached Felix Gresham, but before he could speak, she turned to Zachary Zamora and said with a smile,
"Zachary Zamora, I like you. Will you marry me?"
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