After a grueling half-month journey, the towering city walls of Landon finally loomed before us.

I wondered how Joshua was doing academically this lifetime and whether he'd manage to secure a government position.

Anyway, I'd never been the wife of an official before.

"What's on your mind?" Joshua asked, catching my longing gaze.

I was munching on a candied apple, its sugary coating dissolving into a tangy sweetness in my mouth. "Just wondering if you'll do well on the imperial test and become an official," I said as I chewed. "Then I could have all the candied apples I could ever want."

Joshua gave a soft laugh, which sounded like music to me. "For your candied apples, Miss Stewart, I'll do my very best."

On the day of the exam, I packed a lot for Joshua, including snacks, a cushion, a blanket, and even pots and pans.

I didn't forget a good luck charm because I knew how much mortals valued such things.

Another woman, who was there to see her husband off, looked at Joshua and said enviously, "You're so lucky. Your husband is incredibly handsome."

Normally Joshua would blush at such comments, but this time, I was the one who turned red.

The place was packed, so it wasn't the time to argue with the woman.

Joshua caught my hand, his deep eyes locking onto mine. "No, I'm the lucky one, having married such a good wife."

Joshua had already disappeared inside the exam hall, and I stood there, still processing his words.

I mused, "What did he just say?"

It was just like him, keeping me on edge no matter the lifetime. He'd always enjoyed making me wait.

A few words from him once had me waiting for centuries.

This time, his offhand comment had me distracted for nine days.

"Joshua, you're such a rascal!" I grumbled as I poked at an anthill with a stick.

While crouching under a tree destroying another anthill, a pair of feet stopped in front of me.

I looked up to see none other than a smiling Joshua.

"Seriously, Joshua!" I exclaimed as I jumped up, my head spinning and stars in my eyes. Joshua quickly steadied me.

"Why am I always the one waiting?" I blurted out, annoyed.

Joshua looked a bit puzzled. I realized he didn't quite understand the full weight of my "always."

I cleared my throat and turned slightly away. "So, how did the exam go?"

He pondered for a moment, chin in hand. "Well, getting you endless candied apples won't be a problem, darling."

"I'm not your darling," I retorted.

"You haven't proposed yet, and I haven't agreed. How did I suddenly become your darling?" I mused silently.

"We're together, sure. But this lifetime's dating and marriage rituals still apply. How could I just marry him without that?" I reasoned.

Joshua wasn't just talking big. He could now buy me endless candied apples. And heck, he could buy the world's supply if he wanted to.

He had aced the imperial test, coming out on top, and the emperor himself had awarded him first place.

Riding high on his success, Joshua took me back to his hometown to break the good news. I braced myself to meet his parents.

Having faced many challenges, including meeting the parents of Joshua's past seven incarnations, a lonely old father once, and an orphaned younger brother another time, I was still nervous.

The day before we were to visit the Quincy Mansion, Joshua held my hand, trying to ease my worries. But the next day brought shocking news. His parents flat-out rejected our marriage.

They claimed Joshua was already promised to someone else since childhood.

I didn't need to look in a mirror to know I had turned ghostly pale.

"A childhood promise? And Joshua knew all along. What am I to him then?" I thought.

Joshua's mother, Fiona, looked at me with pity. She pushed a bag of silver coins into my hands. "Miss Stewart, the Quincy family appreciates all you've done for Joshua. This is a token of our gratitude.

You and Joshua aren't right for each other. If you truly love him, let him go."

My head spun, and I felt a chill run through me as reality set in.

I stood there, with the bag of silver coins in my hands, each one feeling like a ton.

I had never imagined Joshua could do this to me.

It felt like my heart was being squeezed out of my chest, shattering with a snap, impossible to put back together.

"Where's Joshua? I need to see him," I insisted.

Fiona waved her hand dismissively, and her servants began dragging me out of the Quincy Mansion.

Overwhelmed with grief, I'd forgotten how to use my spells. I struggled clumsily, tears streaming down my face as I screamed, "Joshua! Joshua!

Why won't you face me, Joshua?"

The servants dumped me in the street and spit after me.

"Mr. Quincy is the emperor's personally appointed top scholar. You think you're worthy of him?" one of them scoffed.

Another mocked, "This fool dreams of being Mrs. Quincy."

They burst into laughter.

Drained of all strength, I collapsed to the ground, coins scattering around me.

Spectators swarmed to snatch up the silver.

The pain of being trampled on and my face scraping against the ground didn't compare to the agony in my chest.

"You're so cruel," I murmured.

When I came to, I found myself in a woodshed.

The ropes around my wrists and ankles spoke volumes about my situation.

"Warren, she's awake," said a man.

A rough, dark hand grabbed my face, forcing me to look up.

The man was dark-skinned with a bushy beard. Beside him stood a short, skinny man who had spoken earlier.

This scene felt eerily familiar, though I couldn't quite place it.

Warren examined me for a moment before letting go. "Hmm, she's quite pretty."

"Exactly. And she's been with the latest top scholar. It makes her worth even more," the shorter man said with a wicked grin.

Warren frowned. "We aren't going to run into any trouble, right?"

"Not a chance. The Quincy family tossed her out. We're clear," the other assured.

"Good," Warren replied.

From their brief exchange, I realized they were human traffickers.

I leaned my head against the woodpile, feeling numb.

By now, what happened to me hardly mattered.

Whether I escaped or ended up being sold, it all seemed irrelevant now.

There would be no next life for me, no future with Joshua.

It dawned on me that all my previous lives had been built on false hope.

Lost in thought, I pondered, "If I hadn't been so persistent all these years, would Joshua have already married someone else?

He is such a big liar."