This time, I was just... done.

Should've figured it out ages ago—if someone's hell-bent on not believing you, nothing you say will ever change their mind.

***

After the banquet, I headed back to my old place in the slums.

The alley was narrow, dark, and smelled the same as always. I was about to push the door open when a voice stopped me cold.

"Dad, Mom, I'm begging you, just leave!"

Through the crack, I saw Elodie yanking at my aging adoptive parents—her real parents—Brigitte and Donald. Her tone was razor-sharp.

"In a few days, I'll be Stanley Hamilton's wife. If people find out YOU'RE my parents, how am I supposed to keep my place in the Hamilton family?"

Brigitte, all guilty eyes, clutched Elodie's hand. "Elodie, it's my fault. For your happiness, I'll do anything..."

Watching her cry into Elodie's arms was like getting dropped into an ice bath.

They'd always known exactly who she was.

What happened back then wasn't some twist of fate—it was Donald and Brigitte's plan to swap me out so their real daughter could live the good life.

Elodie was still telling them to get out of Southport when I shoved the door open.

Brigitte froze. "V-Vivienne... W-What are you doing here?"

Before I could say a word, a shadow loomed behind me.

Stanley stepped closer—just in time for Elodie to jab her finger at me, all fake outrage. "Vivienne, how could you try to drive my parents away?"

She clung to Brigitte, crying like her heart was breaking. "Mom, I'm useless. I couldn't get myself a good marriage, couldn't protect you. But no matter what, you and dad raised Vivienne for eighteen years——how could she toss you out of Southport just to save face?"

I looked straight at Brigitte, my voice low. "Is that true?"

Even if it was a lie, I'd treated her like my mom for eighteen years.

Brigitte's gaze flicked to Elodie before she closed her eyes and said nothing.

Stanley let out a cold laugh. "Vivienne, what's left to explain? Elodie's about to get married, and you're trying to toss out her real parents? How low can you go?"

His fingers gripped my chin, all that earlier guilt gone—just pure disgust.

I'd had enough. "Stanley Hamilton, are you that sure I'm gonna marry you?"

I sank my teeth into the base of his thumb. He hissed and let go.

Then my eyes cut to Elodie.

She looked away. "I- I don't know what you're talking about..."

"Don't know?" My smile went razor-sharp.

I pulled a fresh betrothal contract from my bag and tossed it at Stanley. "Go on—read it."

***

For a second, Stanley just stared at it like his brain had short-circuited.

His hands shook as he reached for it, but before he could open it, Elodie's face drained of color and she crumpled.

The contract hit the floor as he scooped her up and bolted.

As he brushed past me, his voice was rough. "Vivienne, I'm taking Elodie to the hospital first. We'll talk later."

I figured he'd let her wrap him around her finger again.

But not long after, Stanley showed up in front of me.

"I checked the security footage from the banquet," he said. "I came to apologize."

I kept my head down. "Don't bother. I can't afford your apology."

I turned to go, but he grabbed my arm, looking rattled. "I misunderstood you about Elodie. She's not a bad person, just... scared. Vivienne, you already took her marriage. You two are even now."

I let out a sharp, mocking laugh, yanked my arm free, and walked off.

After I packed my stuff, word came that Elodie wanted to see me.

"Vivienne," she said, "your mom's locket's still with me. If you want it, come get it."

I pushed the door open and found Elodie on the floor, draped in my custom-made wedding gown. She turned, smiling like she'd already won. "Tomorrow's my wedding with Stanley."

I held out my hand, voice ice-cold. "Where's the locket?"

Her eyes went wide in fake innocence as she pulled the porcelain locket from the cabinet.

But just before it touched my palm, she let it slip through her fingers.

I dove for it, but too late.

The locket—carved with my birth date—lay shattered.

My eyes burned. "What are you trying to pull?"

Elodie rose slowly, her stiletto heel coming down hard on my hand.

Her eyes gleamed with malice. "Why'd you have to come back? You should've rotted in the slums forever. Why take Stanley from me—along with everything I fought for?"

Pain shot up my arm as the heel dug into my palm.

I yanked free, stood, and slapped her hard.

"Stop!"

Stanley burst in, sliding between us.

"Stanley," Elodie's voice trembled with practiced tears, "I was just trying on the dress. I didn't know it would upset Vivienne. I already gave you to her—why won't she let me go?"

She raised her hand, streaked in blood, aiming straight for his heart.

He didn't know the blood was mine.

His jaw locked, and he yanked me in front of her. "Apologize to Elodie."

I bit my lip hard enough to taste blood.

His voice dropped to ice. "Vivienne Weston, don't make me use force."

For a second, I went blank—pulled back to my last life, when I'd missed Elodie's hand and could only watch her jump from the rooftop.

Stanley had shown up too late, eyes bloodshot with rage.

At her grave, he'd shoved me to my knees, forcing me to beg for forgiveness.

A sharp slap yanked me out of it, splitting my lip.

Stanley's hand dropped, his face stunned.

He hadn't expected me not to dodge. "Vivienne, I—"

The tight string in my head finally snapped. I swayed, then fell.

"It wasn't me who killed her..."

Stanley froze.

***

While the nurse patched me up, Stanley knelt by my bed, clutching the shredded wedding dress.

"Before the wedding, I'll get this fixed."

His eyes caught on the split in my lip, a quick flash of something passing through them.

Then, like he was trying to make it up to me, he pulled out his family's heirloom necklace and reached for my neck.

In my last life, no matter how much I begged, he never gave it to me.

Now he was offering—but I didn't want it anymore.

I turned my head, my throat too raw to speak.

He paused, then set the necklace on the table.

"Tomorrow at eight, I'll pick you up for the wedding. I promised Elodie I'd spend tonight with her one last time... After that, I'll make things work with you."

I whispered at his back, "Stanley Hamilton, there's not gonna be a wedding for us."

The next morning, I slipped into a plain wedding dress and climbed into the car headed for the airport.

Just as the engine kicked on, Stanley showed up downstairs in the same suit I remembered, waving for someone to roll up a delivery van stacked with luxury boxes.

As the Clementine family's car passed his, his gaze went cold.

He jogged to my window, voice low. "Elodie, I'm sorry. I promised I'd marry you, but I couldn't follow through."

When he didn't head inside, Geoffrey started nudging him along.

Across the way, Elodie stood in her gown, watching.

But Stanley's eyes stayed locked on the closed window.

As the car crept forward, he ran after it. "Elodie, I can't watch you marry him. Come with me—I'll take you overseas, give you a life where you'll never have to worry, okay?"

He had no clue the woman behind the glass wasn't his precious Elodie—

It was the bride he thought would be his.