A Way Out of Mistaken Love
The instant Ethan slipped the ring onto my finger, I caught a glimpse of Serena Lincoln, his childhood sweetheart, in my peripheral vision. Seated amongst the guests, her eyes were filled with sorrow, red-rimmed, and she bit her lower lip so hard her fingernails nearly pierced her palm.
That night, Serena drove alone to Green Mountain on the outskirts of the city. On the way, a sudden downpour triggered a landslide, burying her car in the ensuing mudslide. She disappeared without a trace, neither alive nor dead. Her last WeChat post read: [Ethan, in my next life, I must be your only woman].
I expected Ethan to be devastated and make a scene. Instead, he gripped my hand tightly, his eyes resolute, and said, "From now on, you're my Mrs. Shawn."
Later, while pregnant, I was kidnapped by a group of unknown assailants. They took me to an abandoned warehouse, stripped me naked, forced me to kneel on the cold concrete floor, and made me call Ethan. When the call connected, Ethan simply sneered on the other end: "Whatever, just kill her." Then he hung up, and subsequent calls went unanswered.
Enraged, the kidnappers beat me mercilessly, breaking my limbs and leaving me in the freezing snow. My unborn child and I gradually succumbed to the cold that night.
When I opened my eyes again, I was back at my wedding. The Master of Ceremonies was smiling as he asked, "Bride, do you take..."
"I don't!" Without hesitation, I tore off my veil and ran.
The wedding venue erupted in chaos. Guests whispered amongst themselves, pointing and gossiping. Ethan's face turned ashen. He strode over, seizing my wrist with a grip that threatened to crush my bones. "Nina, what madness is this?"
Frantic, I scanned the guest seating area, but Serena's seat was empty. The agonizing memories of my past life surged back like a tidal wave: that rainy night, Serena's WeChat posts, Ethan's callous words, my despair in the snow... Each scene was a sharp blade, tearing at my heart.
I knew that if Serena were to be harmed again, Ethan would undoubtedly place the blame squarely on my shoulders. "Let go of me!" I screamed, struggling against their grip. "Hurry to Green Mountain! Serena is in danger!"
Ethan's pupils constricted. Instead of releasing me, his grip tightened. He turned to the host and said coldly, "The wedding is suspended." Just as I breathed a sigh of relief, he dragged me toward the parking lot. "You're coming with me! You'd better explain your bizarre behavior today. If anything happens to Serena, you know the consequences!"
He shoved me roughly into the passenger seat, his eyes filled with suspicion and menace. I watched the scenery blur past the window, feeling anxious and helpless. I said softly, "I didn't do anything. But if you hurry, you might still be able to save her." Ethan's face was rigid, and he remained silent. I knew he didn't believe me.
I sighed helplessly and reached for my phone, wanting to send Serena a reminder. The moment my fingertip touched it, Ethan snatched it away and threw it out the window. "You—" I said, both angry and annoyed, "Why did you throw my phone?"
He looked at me coldly, his eyes full of accusation. "You're acting strangely today. Who are you trying to contact? What are you planning to do to Serena this time? Why do you always target her?"
A sharp pain pierced my heart, and my throat constricted. It was Serena who had always bullied me, pinching my arms when no one was around, deliberately spilling scalding coffee on me as I walked by, and then pretending I had pushed her in front of Ethan. And I, for Ethan's sake, had repeatedly swallowed my anger.
I bit my lower lip until I tasted the metallic tang of blood. The car screeched to a halt at the foot of the mountain, and Ethan slammed the door shut, rushing towards the summit. I stumbled after him in high heels. After only a few steps, my heel caught on a roadside stone. Sharp pebbles cut my foot, and blood seeped out, making each step excruciating.
Finally, we found Serena at the summit. She wore a pure white dress, her hair disheveled, and her eyes hollow. When she saw us, a fleeting hint of triumph flashed in her eyes before tears streamed down her face. "What are you doing here? Wouldn't it be better if I just died? Isn't that what you wanted?"
Ethan frowned, strode over, and held her tightly in his arms: "Don't be ridiculous. I'll take you home!"
Just then, the ground suddenly began to shake violently. A dull rumbling sound echoed from the distance as the entire mountain trembled. This is bad, it's a landslide! "Landslide! Run!" I shouted.
No sooner had I spoken than a boulder rolled down the mountain, striking my right foot. A distinct "crack" echoed as my bone broke, and excruciating pain shot through me. I couldn't help but scream, collapsing to my knees as blood quickly stained the ground crimson. "Ethan..." I reached out to him in agony, hoping he would help me.
Ethan was just about to approach when Serena, in his arms, suddenly slumped against him, weakly saying, "Ethan, I feel dizzy..." Ethan's expression changed drastically. He immediately scooped Serena into his arms and turned to leave, "Serena, hold on!"
More and more stones tumbled down the mountain, striking the ground around me and kicking up dust. I had no phone to call for help, and could only watch their figures disappear into the distance. Hot tears streamed down my face, mingling with blood and trickling into the corners of my mouth, leaving a salty, bitter taste.
Was I doomed to be abandoned, even in this new life? As the roaring sound grew louder, I slowly closed my eyes, my heart filled with despair.
I awoke to a sharp pain, unsure how long I'd been unconscious. The room was both familiar and foreign. Lee, Ethan's nanny, sat beside the bed, holding a hot towel. Her eyes were red-rimmed with tears as she cried, "Madam, you're finally awake!"
My throat was terribly dry. I turned my neck with difficulty and asked, "How did I get here?" Nanny Lee wiped her tears and said, "Hunters in the mountains found you. You were covered in blood, clutching the young master's business card tightly in your hand. That's why they brought you back."
My heart clenched, a sharp, agonizing pain. I endured it and asked, "Where is Ethan?" Nanny Lee's eyes flickered. She hesitated, then said, "Miss Lincoln was frightened, and the young master is with her."
A bitter smile tugged at the corner of my lips, the movement pulling at my wound and causing me to gasp in pain. Only then did I realize my right leg was encased in a thick plaster cast. Nanny Lee, ever blunt, couldn't help but complain, "Young master is really something. His wife is so badly injured, and he's still only concerned about others!" I shook my head, my voice weak. "The wedding didn't happen, and I'm not his wife."
Hearing this, Nanny Lee said nothing more, making an excuse to leave in a hurry. My forehead was burning, and I was running a high fever, drifting in and out of consciousness. In my daze, I heard Serena's cheerful laughter coming from upstairs, along with Ethan's gentle coaxing. Nanny Lee came in from time to time, using a wet towel to help cool me down.
Late at night, the door was suddenly thrown open. Ethan stood in the doorway, looking at me with disgust. "Serena told me everything. You sent her those messages, insulting and provoking her, which drove her to the mountain! You're about to marry me, what more could you possibly want? Why can't you just leave her alone?!" He advanced on me, his eyes filled with anger and accusation.
"If there's a next time, I won't consider our families' relationship and will cancel the Marriage Contract immediately!" He snorted, and his assistant tossed a new phone in its box onto my bed. "Remember, this is your last chance. If you ever lay a hand on Serena again, you'll regret it."
Once his footsteps faded completely, I trembled as I picked up the new phone and dialed my older brother Ryan's number. Hearing his cold voice, I felt a surge of relief, as if I'd found a lifeline. I couldn't help but cry, "Ryan, I don't want to get married. Please, come and get me!" Without hesitation, Ryan replied, "Okay, wait for me. I'll be there soon."
I hung up the phone and gazed at the pale moonlight outside the window, my heart a turmoil of emotions. Ethan, I want nothing to do with you, either the love or hate you offered.
I don't know how long it had been, but I awoke again. Serena was sitting at the head of my bed, staring at me with resentment: "Why didn't you die on the mountain?"
"Serena, what do you want?" I asked, warily, as I struggled to sit up. A cold smile curled on her lips. "What? Can't I even visit? The Shawn family will be mine soon enough. You have no right to question me."
Clutching the quilt tightly, I suppressed my anger and said, "Don't worry, I'll leave soon and won't be an eyesore." "Heh," she said, leaning closer. The strong perfume choked me, making me frown. "Don't pretend to be so magnanimous. You clung on and refused to leave before; now you're putting on this act! If it weren't for that Marriage Contract, I would have been Mrs. Shawn long ago!"
Just then, the acrid smell of burning drifted in from outside. She said flippantly, "Since you're leaving anyway, I thought I'd help you burn all that junk. You don't mind, do you?" The burnt smell filled me with bitterness. Those were just things Ethan had given me without a second thought, nothing worth keeping.
A moment later, a young nanny entered, carrying a tray with fragments of a peace charm. "You!" I lunged forward, trying to snatch the pieces, but they slipped through my fingers. It was a peace charm Grandma had obtained after kowtowing every few steps, begging before the Buddha for three days and nights. When she gave it to me, her eyes were filled with love: "May Ethan be safe and sound, and be good to my Nina." But when I gave the charm to Ethan, he sneered and tossed it to the ground, saying dismissively, "Things from the dead are bad luck!"
I was consumed by anger and fury, and I grabbed Serena's wrist fiercely. "Why did you burn my good luck charm? You'll pay for that!" "Ah—!" she suddenly screamed.
"Nina! What the hell are you doing now?!" Ethan's furious voice exploded in my ears. The next second, his hand was around my neck, slamming me against the wall. He didn't release me until my face was flushed crimson and I could barely breathe.
I touched my throbbing neck and suddenly laughed. Before, I would have desperately tried to explain, to regain his trust. But now, after everything I've been through, I simply stood there, watching them, a wretched smile playing on my lips.
I remembered that cold winter night from my past life. I was kneeling naked in the snow, feeling my child gradually cease to move, and slowly losing my own breath. That despair and pain felt as vivid as if it were happening again.
Without a word, I walked to the drawer and took out a green jade pendant.
"Here." I handed him the jade pendant, my voice utterly calm. Ethan's pupils constricted. "Nina! This is the betrothal token between our families. What is the meaning of this?" I looked at him steadily. "The marriage didn't happen, the marriage contract is cancelled. I'm returning it to you." "You think you can just cancel it?!" He seized the jade pendant, his knuckles white with strain. "So, you're going to use our elders against me? Fine. I want to see what both families will say when they discover how jealous you are!"
I lowered my eyes. "Think whatever you want." Ethan's face turned livid. He turned to Serena and said, "Serena, didn't you want to go for afternoon tea? Let's go. Ignore her; let her reflect on her own!"
After that, Ethan took Serena traveling, and Serena flaunted it on her social media every day. Her latest post was a picture of Ethan sleeping soundly, captioned: "The best things are right here with me." I swiped past it expressionlessly, completely unmoved. I'm just waiting for Ryan to arrive, and then I'll leave this heartbreaking place.
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