Rumor had it that the women of the Jefferson family were cursed. Any man who betrayed a Jefferson woman would either die or suffer a severe injury.

The young men in the city steer clear of us, avoiding the drama and the bad luck.

But Louis Anderson, my childhood friend, wasn’t like the others. He ignored all the warnings from his family and boldly proposed to me.

“Elise Jefferson, I’m not afraid of the curse,” he said, looking me squarely in the eye. “I’ll never betray you.”

His words made my heart swell, and I couldn’t hold back my tears. I agreed to marry him, convinced our love would break any curse.

Five years into our marriage, Louis’s first love, Nicole, returned to the country.

From that point on, everything went downhill.

Louis and I fought relentlessly, especially when he insisted on a child-free marriage. Yet he allowed Nicole, his so-called 'first love,' to get pregnant.

To avert the curse that was set to take effect in seven days, I resolved to take matters into my own hands and request a divorce.

Louis, however, ripped the divorce papers into shreds with a mocking laugh. “Elise, do you really think I believe in your family's curse? I don’t believe you can kill me!”

And as if to prove his point, people started placing bets right in front of me.

They bet on whether, in seven days, it would be Louis who suffered, or if I would be the one crying and begging him to return.

I stopped arguing. I grabbed my luggage and walked out.

Out of respect for the years we had shared, I had given Louis a chance to survive.

But he chose not to take it.

——

Elise's POV

As I stepped outside the Anderson family home, Louis suddenly ordered his men to drag me back.

“Elise, once you’re in the Anderson family, you’re part of this family. Where do you think you’re going?” he demanded.

“I’ve brought Nicole to stay with us while she rests. She’s not used to strangers, so you need to stay and take care of her.”

I narrowed my eyes at him and asked, “Aren’t you afraid I might harm the child in Nicole’s belly?”

Before I could even finish the thought, the wine glass in Louis’s hand came crashing against my face.

“Elise, how dare you threaten me?” he sneered. “Stay in your lane. And don’t forget, your mother is still lying unconscious in the hospital, clinging to life with the help of Anderson's family medicine.”

My hands clenched into fists, shaking with rage.

Blood, mingled with red wine, trickled down my cheek.

Louis must have forgotten.

It was my mother who took the fatal blow for him all those years ago, sustaining a brain injury that left her in a permanent coma.

Nicole Sutton approached, holding a handkerchief, her voice laced with insincere sweetness.

“Elise, that night was just an accident. Once the child is born, I’ll leave here. I won’t interfere with your marriage to Louis.”

She reached out to wipe my face, deliberately pressing down hard on the wound.

I flinched, instinctively stepping back.

Suddenly, Nicole collapsed backwards, falling to the floor with a loud crash.

Gasps filled the room as she hit the ground, her hands pierced by broken glass and bleeding heavily.

Louis rushed to her, shoving me aside with such force that I tumbled several feet away.

“Elise, you dare hurt Nicole in front of me?” he shouted, his voice dripping with anger. Then Louis spat, “Do you really think I won’t do something about this? Get down on your knees and apologize to her right now! Or I’ll pull your mother’s oxygen tube. You’ll pay for this.”

I lay there, clutching my chest, coughing up blood.

But instead of being afraid, I laughed bitterly. “Louis, I can kneel, but I don’t know if she or the child in her belly can survive it.”

Nicole glanced at me, her face filled with unease as she noticed the cold smile in my eyes.

“Louis, forget it,” she said, her voice softening. “After all, she’s still your wife. It would look bad with so many people watching.”

Louis’s gaze softened, but his words were still sharp. “You’re always so kind, Nicole. But some people don’t deserve your pity.”

The personal doctor rushed in, medical kit in hand. Louis picked up Nicole and followed the doctor to a room.

As they passed me, Louis suddenly halted.

“Take her to the confinement room. She doesn’t leave unless I say so.”

I lifted my head, my voice low but firm. “Louis, you’ll regret this.”

He smirked, completely unfazed. “Oh, right. The curse. Let me guess, you’re saying I’ll be punished?”

Louis leaned in slightly, his voice mocking. “Well, let me tell you this. I’m not afraid, Elise.”

Elise's POV

A heavy sigh escaped my lips as I watched Louis’s retreating figure disappear into the distance. If only he had agreed to divorce me when I first asked, maybe the curse wouldn't have come to pass.

After days of silence, Louis finally agreed to see me.

I hadn’t eaten or drunk anything for three days, and when he entered, I was so weak that I couldn’t even lift my head to meet his gaze.

Without saying a word, Louis grabbed me by the arm and yanked me off the floor.

“Elise, I didn’t expect you to be this malicious!” His voice was harsh, accusing, as if I had betrayed him.

Confused, drained, and unable to think straight, I asked, “What did I do?”

But Louis didn’t respond.

He simply dragged me toward the backyard, his grip firm. The cobblestones beneath my feet scraped and bruised my legs with every step.

The pain shot up my thighs, but he didn’t care. I winced with each movement, yet he pushed me forward.

When he saw the expression on my face, a flash of disdain crossed his features. “You knew Nicole was allergic to flowers, yet you deliberately filled the garden with roses. Are you trying to kill her?”

I opened my mouth to defend myself, but no words came out.

Louis had forgotten. He was the one who loved roses, not me.

And that garden—that sea of flowers?

It was a surprise. I’d spent 540 days preparing for him.

Biting my lip, I managed to say just one thing. “I’ll clean it up now.”

With a limp, I made my way to the garden, pulling rose after rose from the earth by hand.

The thorns dug into my palms, leaving them bloodied and raw. Blood trickled down my wrists, but Louis didn’t even flinch.

His eyelids twitched, and he turned his gaze away without another word.

“Don’t assume that playing the victim will win me over," he muttered, his tone icier than before. “It’ll just make me hate you more.”

Louis turned away, leaving me in the garden, shattered and isolated. After the last rose was pulled out, my strength finally vanished. My legs gave way, and I fell to the ground.

...

The next morning, I woke to find my hands and face still covered in bandages, the wounds beneath them aching dully.

I sat up slowly, and a single thought came to mind. 'I had to find Louis.'

When I reached the door to his study, I heard his voice. It was louder than I had expected, sharp with anger.

“The projects were already signed. Who do they think they are, just canceling them like that? Don’t they realize I poured all our liquid assets into those deals?”

A pause, then his voice dropped, bitter. “Why does everything seem to be falling apart lately?”

Another beat. “Handle the canceled projects first. I’ll deal with the rest later.”

It was clear that the Jefferson curse was starting to take its toll.

I pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Louis, still on the phone, glanced up in surprise.

“Elise? What are you doing here?” His brow furrowed. “Since you’re awake, go check on Nicole.”

Then, with that usual smugness creeping into his voice, he added, “I remember you used to make soup. Nicole said the baby’s been craving some. Why don’t you whip something up for her?”

I had never cooked in the Jefferson household.

It was always beneath me, or so I thought.

But once, Louis said he missed the taste of home. So, I humbled myself. I learned to cook to make him happy.

Now, with my hands still bandaged and too raw to even touch water, I let out a cold, bitter laugh.

“I can make it if you’re not afraid I’ll poison it.”

Louis’s expression darkened.

He leaned back in his chair, his voice turning cold. “Still not done with the confinement room? Do you want to go back in?”

I pulled out the chair across from him and sat down, steady and deliberate.

Meeting his eyes, I said, “Louis, I’m giving you one last chance. While there’s still time, sign the divorce papers. You’ve already fallen for someone else—let’s end this cleanly.”

Louis's gaze narrowed, fury flickering just beneath the surface. “Did you sabotage my projects? Is this your way of getting back at me?”

The accusation struck like a slap, yet I couldn’t hold back the bitter laugh that escaped.

“Louis, you locked me in a room for three days. How exactly do you think I pulled that off from there?”

He snorted, full of contempt.

“You’d better not try anything,” he snapped. “And forget about divorce—it’s not happening. If you hadn’t lied to me back then, I never would’ve mistaken you for Nicole. I wasted all these years on you, and now she’s paying for it.”

I furrowed my brow, trying to make sense of his twisted reasoning.

“What did I lie to you about?” My voice was steady, a direct challenge to his insanity.

Elise's POV

Louis sneered icily. “You’re still pretending? I already know everything like how ten years ago, you…”

Before he could finish, Nicole suddenly burst into the room, cutting him off. “Louis, I’m not feeling well. Can you take me to the hospital?”

I stood up, ready to press him for answers, but Louis shoved past me before I could get a word out.

Right then, Nicole clung to his arm as the two of them stormed out.

I stood there, frozen, the frustration building in my chest until it finally boiled over.

But I forced myself to stay composed.

A short while later, I made my way to the hospital.

...

In the quiet of the hospital room, I sat beside my mother’s bed, gently holding her hand.

“Mom, you once told me Auntie took her own life because she couldn’t bear to watch Uncle die from the curse after he betrayed her. That’s why you always warned me not to marry, not to believe anyone could stay loyal forever.”

I let out a long, shaky breath. “I understand now. I was wrong. But don’t worry, I won’t punish myself for someone else’s sins. I’m still waiting for you to wake up.”

As visiting hours concluded, I dried my tears and exited the room quietly. While passing through the hospital lobby, I unexpectedly encountered Louis.

“What are you doing here? Following me?” he snapped, a flash of disgust crossing his face.

I didn’t bother replying. I turned to leave, but he grabbed my arm, refusing to let go.

“Elise, I’m talking to you. Are you deaf?”

I yanked at my arm, trying to break free. “Louis, if something’s wrong with you, see a doctor. Stop lashing out at everyone like a madman. You seriously think I’m following you around? Don’t you remember my mom’s here too? I come every day to see her.”

The bitterness in my voice surprised even me, but it felt good to let it out finally.

Louis froze, caught off guard by the outburst. His eyes dropped to my face, noticing the faint tear stains.

His tone softened, almost uncertain. “I was just in a rush… I forgot…”

Before I could respond, Nicole appeared, stepping between us.

She waved the ultrasound report in front of Louis.

“Louis, the doctor said the baby’s healthy. Look, the eyes and nose look just like yours," she chirped, her voice saccharine and oozing with false sweetness.

Louis smiled gently at her. “It’s better if the child looks like you. That way, I’ll have two little treasures.”

Nicole leaned into him, her playful tone laced with teasing. “You’re so annoying, Louis. Elise is still here. She’s going to be upset when she hears this.”

If it had been the old me, I would’ve been furious. I would’ve argued with Louis and Nicole, demanding an explanation.

But now, all I felt was cold detachment. I simply turned and walked away without a second glance.

Nicole called after me, her voice dripping with sweetness. “Elise, tomorrow’s our wedding. Why don’t you come and be our wedding emcee?”

I paused and turned around, locking eyes with Louis.

A sarcastic smile spread across my lips. “You and the mistress are getting married? And you want me, your wife, to be the emcee? You two really know how to play this game, don’t you?”

Louis’s face darkened, guilt flashing in his eyes for a moment. “Elise, can you not be so harsh? You’ve already got me. I’m just giving Nicole the wedding she wants. I’m fulfilling her wish. Why are you being so petty?”

I opened my mouth to refuse, but before I could speak, Louis cut me off.

“You must come to the wedding tomorrow. Don’t forget, your mother still needs the imported medicine from the Anderson family.”

My fists tightened instinctively as anger surged within me. I hardly noticed my hand's wound reopening, yet blood started to flow again.

...

Louis had arranged a wedding for Nicole that was more extravagant than the one we had five years ago.

When the guests saw me walk in, whispers filled the air.

“Elise Jefferson really has a big heart. She’s willing to attend her husband’s wedding to someone else.”

“I think those rumors about the Jefferson women are false. They were just lies to trap a man,” one guest whispered, clearly judging me.

Another guest chuckled. “They thought they could make a man loyal, but no man is willing to marry them anymore.”