Not far from her stood Vivian Hayes, her half-sister, in a plain white dress. She looked painfully skinny, nothing like the glamorous socialite Caroline remembered.
She'd been reborn.
One year before she died.
This was the same day their mother asked her and Vivian to choose who they'd marry.
At this point in time, Vivian hadn't married Braydon Lewis. And she herself hadn't become Jacob Lloyd's wife either.
"Carrie?" Amanda looked at her with concern. "Why are you standing there like that? You've been staring into space this whole time. Hurry up and come sit down."
Keeping her emotions hidden, Caroline walked toward the couch.
The two files lay open across the coffee table.
Braydon's profile sat on the left side.
He led the Lewis family and held power in both high society and the criminal world. Born into wealth and status, he became known for making fast and brutal decisions.
The photo attached to his file showed a man with cold, sharp features. His thin lips were pressed together, while the look in his eyes carried a chilling coldness.
Beside his file was Jacob's.
He was the Lloyd family's second son. Unlike Braydon, he was known for being gentle, refined, and cultured. However, his health had been poor since childhood, and he spent most of his life in a wheelchair.
The photo showed him wearing a faint smile. His eyes looked soft enough to melt anyone's heart.
"Carrie, you should pick first," said Amanda.
Looking at those two files, Caroline felt nothing but irony.
In her previous life, her mother had also told her to choose first.
Vivian was the daughter her father had with his mistress.
For years, Vivian lived in their home like Cinderella.
Her father spoiled her out of guilt toward her and her mother, while Vivian always acted obedient no matter how she was treated. Because of that, she received every good thing first.
Even when it came to choosing a husband, she got the first choice.
Her mother had always hoped she would marry Braydon, the most powerful man in the city.
But in her previous life, she stubbornly chose Jacob instead, even though he couldn't walk.
For three years, she stayed by Jacob's side during his physical therapy. She searched everywhere for skilled doctors who could treat him.
She spent almost all the money her parents gave her. During winter, she even knelt in the snow to beg for a prescription.
As the treasured daughter of the Palmer family, she had thrown away her pride for Jacob.
Then one day, Jacob's legs recovered miraculously.
After that, everyone in Praginia envied them and called them a perfect match.
Back then, she truly thought he meant every promise he made.
Jacob held her hand and looked at her with complete sincerity. "Carrie, no matter what happens, I won't betray you."
At the time, she trusted every word.
Not long after that, the Lloyd family fell into crisis. Their funds ran dry, debts piled up, and bankruptcy was closing in on them.
Jacob looked exhausted as he said, "Carrie, Braydon is the only person who can save the Lloyd family."
For Jacob, she got on her knees before Vivian, the woman she'd once looked down on, and begged her to speak to Braydon for her.
Not long after that, Vivian and Caroline were kidnapped by Braydon's enemy.
The man pressed a gun to Caroline's temple and demanded to know which of them was Braydon's wife.
To survive, Vivian lied, saying Caroline was Braydon's wife.
Then Jacob arrived. The second Caroline saw him, relief crushed her chest.
She believed Jacob would tell them the truth. He'd make it clear who she really was.
Hope hit her hard enough to make her lose control. She called out his name.
"She isn't Mrs. Lewis," Jacob said while looking at the kidnapper. "The woman next to her is."
The person Jacob was protecting was Vivian.
Caroline watched him move toward Vivian without hesitation. Guilt filled his face as he lowered his voice and said, "I'm sorry, Carrie. You've always had everything. Vivian only has me."
That was it. Just one apology. Everything Caroline had done for him became worthless because of those few words.
Only before death finally came for her did she understand the truth she had refused to see.
The woman Jacob loved from the very beginning was Vivian.
He once promised he'd never fail her. What a joke that turned out to be. The fool had been her all along.
"Carrie?" Amanda's voice pulled her out of her thoughts. "Have you decided yet?"
Caroline slowly lifted her head.
Vivian stood nearby and looked at her with a timid look. "You should choose first. I'm not in a hurry."
Those were the exact words Vivian said in her previous life too.
Back then, Caroline picked Jacob. That left Braydon for Vivian.
Later on, Caroline learned the truth-Vivian had wanted Braydon from the start.
Before the selection day even came, Vivian kept feeding her all kinds of nonsense about him.
She stepped aside on purpose and let Caroline take Jacob so she could end up with the man she truly wanted.
Caroline stared at Vivian's pretty face and gave a cold laugh.
If she hadn't gone through that extra lifetime, she probably would've fallen for Vivian's innocent act.
She pressed her hand against the file sitting on the left side. "I'm choosing him."
Silence spread across the living room.
The smile on Vivian's face almost cracked apart.
Even her mother looked caught off guard. "Carrie, are you serious?"
Just the night before, Caroline had been crying over Jacob, insisting she wanted to marry him no matter what. Yet now, she was choosing Braydon.
"I've already decided." Caroline's tone stayed flat. "I'm marrying Braydon."
Shock flickered across Vivian's face before she forced herself to smile. "Why would you suddenly pick him? Weren't you saying before that Jacob was kind and thoughtful?"
"That was before," Caroline said flatly. "Jacob's health is a mess, and I don't want to spend my life looking after someone sick all day."
"Marriage isn't some game. Don't be impulsive," Vivian said with fake concern.
"I'm not being impulsive." Caroline rose from her seat and stared straight at Vivian. "You've always been so caring, haven't you? Jacob needs someone patient enough to take care of him. Honestly, the two of you sound perfect together."
The blood drained from Vivian's face. "How could you say that?"
"What?" A cold smile touched Caroline's lips. "Don't tell me you suddenly don't want him anymore. Or were you hoping I'd take Jacob so you could have Braydon for yourself?"
The words landed too hard. Vivian's expression turned completely white.
"I wasn't thinking that at all..." Vivian's eyes reddened instantly. Her voice came out shaky and hurt. "I was only worried you'd regret this later..."
"That's enough," Amanda interjected, rubbing her temple. "Carrie's already made her choice. Vivian, you'll marry Jacob."
"But I..."
Caroline lifted a brow. "But what? Didn't you just say Jacob was such a wonderful man? You should be happy."
Vivian couldn't get another word out.
A wonderful man?
Everyone in Praginia knew Jacob was mobility-impaired.
Nobody in the Lloyd family took him seriously. He was sickly and frail.
If she married him, she'd end up widowed sooner or later.
By comparison, Braydon was the city's most powerful man.
Caroline used to care only about Jacob. Why did she suddenly choose Braydon?
Still, the decision had already been made.
Vivian pressed her lips together tightly.
It didn't matter.
Even if she couldn't marry Braydon, she knew Jacob had feelings for her.
Once she married Jacob, she'd become part of the Lloyd family. No matter how anyone looked at it, her future would definitely be better than Caroline's.
After all, Braydon's name might carry power across all of Praginia, but everyone knew how terrifying he was.
People in their social circle often talked about him behind closed doors. They said Braydon was ruthless. The kind of man who could destroy someone without changing his expression.
If he ever decided to deal with a person, that person probably wouldn't even know what killed them.
Caroline took one look at Vivian's face and immediately guessed what she was thinking.
A mocking smile tugged at her lips.
Vivian actually thought marrying Jacob would give her a better life?
What a joke.
Being with Jacob would only drag Vivian into something far worse.
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