Chapter One: Rebirth, You're Merely a Substitute
Pain.
Such throbbing pain.
When Aurora opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was that familiar man.
It's him...
Indeed, the man who ruined her life.
She was supposed to be dead, having been pushed down the stairs by Taylor while eight months pregnant, resulting in two lives lost.
Like a lightning bolt of realization, Aurora woke up, trying her best to get away from the man, but she couldn't escape his grasp.
Tears welled up in her eyes, "Ryan, are you still human? Let me go! The child in my womb is yours!"
Ryan laughed mockingly in anger, wishing he could strangle her on the spot.
The man chuckled menacingly and said, "Let you go? You can forget it in this lifetime."
--
When Aurora woke up again, Ryan was already gone.
Looking at her surroundings, Aurora paused in surprise.
She hadn't stepped foot in this room since their divorce.
For her divorce, she left with nothing but the clothes on her back, and this had been going on for half a year now.
Could it be... she had been reborn?
'Knock knock.'
The room door was knocked.
Aurora looked alertly at the door, "Who is it?"
It's impossible for Ryan to knock on his own room's door.
"It's me, Taylor."
Taylor!
Hate flared in Aurora's eyes, her hands grabbing tightly onto the blanket beneath her.
Taylor, her once closest confidant.
From junior high to high school, and then to university, they lived in the same dormitory, their relationship surpassing that of sisters.
She once thought that the most trustworthy person in this world was Taylor.
But who would have guessed that every seemingly heartfelt persuasion of hers was to provoke Ryan, leading to humiliation and imprisonment.
As for Taylor, she took advantage of the situation. On one hand, she betrayed Aurora to curry favor with Ryan; on the other, she stole her sheet music to partake in a competition, becoming a renowned musical prodigy. She found her biological parents and became an envied young mistress admired by all.
In the end, Taylor pushed her, alongside her unborn child, down the stairs, resulting in two deaths.
Taylor stood at the door. Upon receiving no response, she simply pushed the door open and entered.
At this moment, Aurora was a bit disheveled. Jealousy had crossed Taylor's eyes, but she feigned an expression of heartache, seemingly on the verge of tears.
She ran over and said, "Aurora, you and him... last night..."
She had really reincarnated! And today was just that day...
Even the words Taylor said were exactly the same as her previous life!
Aurora concealed the hatred in the depths of her eyes and said in a low voice, "Isn't it an obvious fact?"
Taylor's face was filled with heartache and disappointment. "How could you do this, didn't you promise to remain pure for Chris?"
Chris was Aurora's ex-boyfriend.
In her previous life, Aurora had been forced by her adopted parents to marry Ryan, and she never really accepted him. Instead, she relied heavily on Chris. With Taylor's constant instigation, Aurora finally agreed to meet with Chris.
But before she could meet Chris, Ryan had arrived.
When she woke up, it was the scene from last night.
Taylor wiped some nonexistent tears and said, "Chris waited for you all last night, yet you never showed up. If he knew you were in bed with another man..."
Not again!
Taylor knew precisely where Aurora's weaknesses lay in her past life.
If it were the Aurora from her previous life, she would surely feel immense guilt and distress.
But now...
Aurora made a confused expression, "Other men? Do you mean, Ryan?"
Taylor said as a matter of fact, “Who else could it be! You hate him too, don't you? Just yesterday, you even said that you wish he would die sooner so you can reclaim your freedom!”
Her voice rose lightly, as if she meant for someone to overhear it.
Taylor looked blankly towards a mirror not far ahead, which reflected a man standing on the balcony, his aura growing darker as he listened.
Taylor felt somewhat gleeful about it.
This fool, Aurora, probably has no idea that man is standing there. If she did, she would be too scared to say anything.
And now, with her hate for Ryan, her words are sure to be sharp.
I wonder what Ryan's reaction will be when he hears this?
However, Aurora's reaction was unexpected.
She raised her eyes to look at Taylor, “When did I ever say that?”
Taylor was momentarily stunned, hurriedly holding her hand and saying, “You said it a few days ago, you claimed that you and Chris are truly in love. You even said you were going to elope with him. Don't you remember?”
“Taylor,” Aurora brushed her off coldly, “I am already Mrs. Smith, such things might be okay to discuss privately. However, if Ryan hears it and misunderstands, it could lead to unnecessary trouble.”
Taylor was taken aback.
God damn it!
This fool would usually only agree with her; now, however, his attitude was completely different!
"I've never met Chris in person before. The only reason I agreed to see him last night was to clear things up and tell him to forget me. But I don't know which gossiping woman blabbed the news to Ryan..."
Taylor felt unsettled.
This gossiping woman could be anywhere, even right before her eyes.
Aurora looked at Taylor, saying, "That's why Ryan was so angry last night. He is usually quite gentle..."
As she went on, she became shy.
The man smoking on the balcony swallowed hard.
Usually?
Where did this 'usually' come from?
This woman normally couldn't wait to distance herself from him. What on earth was she playing at now?
However, Taylor was dumbstruck, both jealous and resentful. "Are you saying this has happened many times before?"
Lowering her gaze, Aurora nodded, "Mmm... So, could you tell Chris to stop pestering me? Otherwise, Ryan might get jealous again, and I'm not sure I can handle it."
Taylor clenched her fists, even more frustrated, her face full of disappointment. She choked out, "The weather in the capital was so cold last night. Chris waited for you at the café until after 10 o'clock. He only left when the café closed, and he even cried. While he was heartbroken over you, you were with another man...
I know you have your difficulties, you need to repay the Xie family for their nurturing. But does this really have to cost you a lifetime of happiness?"