The last sensation I felt was the cold hardwood floor pressing against my cheek. The final sound I heard was Silas’s voice, stripped of the love I had adored for ten years.

Then came a rhythmic knock that pulled me back to consciousness.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

“Cassie? Wake up, sunshine! The makeup artist is going to be here in thirty minutes!”

My eyes flew open. I shot upright, my hand clutching my chest where the intense pain had just been. But there was no pain.

My heart was beating in a steady, youthful rhythm. I looked at my hands and they were soft, free from bleach stains or the scars of countless kitchen misadventures.

I wasn’t in the villa. I was in my childhood bedroom, surrounded by the lavender scent of my mother’s favorite candles.

“Cassie? Did you have a nightmare?”

The door swung open, and Loanne stepped inside. My breath caught in my throat. She looked twenty again, dewy-eyed, wearing a floral robe, her face radiating a sisterly warmth that moments ago had been replaced by pure malice.

“Loanne…” I whispered, my voice shaking.

“Who else?” she laughed, sitting on the edge of my bed. She reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. Just moments ago, that hand had been gripping Silas’s hand while I lay dying on the floor. Now, it felt like a snake slithering over my skin. “You’re shaking! It’s just wedding jitters, Cassy. Silas is downstairs having coffee with Dad. He’s so nervous he’s already checked his tie five times.”

Silas. Dad.

Those names hit me hard. If Silas was downstairs with my father, it meant my parents were still alive.

“What... what day is it?” I asked, my mind racing. I needed confirmation.

“June 14th! Your wedding day!” Loanne exclaimed, beaming. “And don’t forget, Mom and Dad are leaving for that mountain retreat tomorrow morning to give you and Silas the house for your honeymoon. Everything is perfect.”

The mountain retreat. The “accident.”

This wasn’t a dream. I had been sent back to the very start of the end.

“I... I need a moment,” I said, forcing a smile that felt like it could crack my face. “I’ll be down in a minute.”

As soon as Loanne left, I locked the door behind her. My legs felt weak, but my mind was sharpening with alarming clarity. I glanced at the calendar.

I had less than twenty-four hours to prevent a murder and derail a life sentence masquerading as a marriage.

I walked to the window and looked down at the garden. There he was. Silas.

He sat on the patio with my father, laughing. He looked handsome, devoted, exactly like the man I had adored until my last breath.

But seeing him now didn’t ignite love; it ignited a cold, visceral nausea.

As I was lost in thought, a heavy knock at the door startled me.

“Cassie? It’s Silas.”

His voice was like honey poured over poison. “Can I come in? I know it’s bad luck to see the bride, but I needed to hear your voice. I love you so much, honey.”

Ten years of adoration screamed at me to open the door, to run into his arms and pretend the nightmare wasn’t real. But then I remembered the metal box. I recalled Loanne’s silk robe. I remembered my children’s cold stares.

I took a deep breath, smoothing my hair. My hands stopped shaking. The “Gentle Cassie” had died on that villa floor.

“I’m coming, Silas,” I called out, my voice smooth and sweet. “I love you too.”

I walked toward the door, but instead of reaching for my veil, I grabbed the letter opener on my desk, tucking it into the waistband of my robe.

It was barely 9 AM, but I had already mapped out my first three moves. I took a deep breath, feeling the cold metal of the letter opener hidden in my robe, and opened the bedroom door.

Silas stood there, a bouquet of lilies in hand, my favorite at the time. He looked at me with such feigned devotion that for a split second, my old heart fluttered.

But then I remembered him standing over my dying body, and that flutter turned to a cold knot of nausea.

“Cassie,” he whispered, stepping closer to kiss my forehead. “You look beautiful. Even with sleep in your eyes. Are you ready for our forever?”

“Forever is a long time, Silas,” I replied, my voice sweet. I took a step back, avoiding his touch. “Actually, I wanted to talk with you and Loanne about something before the ceremony. Something regarding the estate.”

Silas’s expression shifted. A glimmer of hunger momentarily flickered in his eyes before he covered it with a smile. “Of course, honey. Anything. But isn’t it a bit early for business?”

“It’s never too early to protect the family,” I countered.

We made our way downstairs to the sunlit breakfast nook. My parents were there, my father reading the newspaper, and my mother pouring tea.

Seeing them alive, breathing, and smiling nearly broke my composure. I wanted to scream at them to stay away from the mountains, to run far from the two predators seated at the table.

But I couldn’t. I had to play the game.

Loanne was already there, butting into a croissant. She looked up, eyes wide and innocent. “There’s the bride! Silas, doesn’t she look like an angel?”

“She does,” Silas said, pulling out a chair for me.

I sat down but didn’t touch the food. Instead, I focused entirely on my father. “Dad, I’ve been considering the dowry and the Vance family trust. You know Silas and I discussed merging our accounts after the wedding.”

Silas leaned in, his posture suddenly alert. This was what he had been waiting for, the legal keys to the kingdom.

“But,” I continued, stirring my tea slowly, “I have decided to transfer all my personal assets and the inheritance I’ll receive today into a private, restricted trust. Just in my name. For the next ten years.”

The silence that followed was deafening.

Loanne dropped her knife. It clattered against the china like a gunshot. “Ten years? But Cassie, Silas is your husband! You two are building a life together. Why would you want to keep him away from your finances? It sounds so... untrusting.”

Silas’s smile remained fixed, but his jaw tightened, as though he were about to snap. “Honey, we talked about this. It’s much easier for the company if I handle the finances. You mentioned not wanting to deal with the ‘boring’ numbers.”

“I changed my mind,” I shot back, maintaining eye contact. I didn’t blink. “I think it’s crucial for a wife to be responsible. Besides, if our love is as ‘pure’ as you say, Silas, money shouldn’t be an issue, right? You’re marrying me for who I am, not for the Vance trust.”

I saw a vein throbbing in Silas’s temple. Under the table, I knew his fists were clenched. He was furious. His entire plan for the last ten years hinged on accessing that money today.

“Of course, Cassie,” he replied, his voice strained yet sweet. “If that makes you feel secure... then I support you. But we should consult the lawyer before the ceremony to ensure it’s done ‘correctly.’”

“I already called him,” I smoothly lied. “He’ll be over with the new papers in an hour. I’m sure you won’t mind signing a new prenup, right, Silas? Since you love me so much.”

Loanne’s face had gone pale. She glanced at Silas, and I could see an unspoken panic flicker between them. They weren’t just losing money; they were losing control.

“Cassie, dear,” my mother said, looking puzzled. “Is everything alright? You seem... different this morning.”

I reached over and squeezed her hand. Her skin felt warm. Real. “I’m just growing up, Mom. I’ve finally realized that if I don’t protect what’s mine, no one else will.”

I stood up, leaving the table before they could protest. As I walked away, I heard Silas harshly whisper something to Loanne.

They were scared. For the first time in two lifetimes, I was the one holding the knife.

But as I reached the stairs, I realized I had another issue to deal with. I had blocked off the money, but I still needed to prevent the car crash. I knew Silas, if he couldn’t get the money through marriage, he would resort to a tragedy.

I returned to my room and pulled out my laptop. I needed to find out exactly where they had planned for the “accident” to occur.

A few hours later,by half past ten, I sat at my vanity, observing through the mirror as Loanne brushed my hair. Her hands trembled slightly. To her, I was still the “gentle” twin, just having some pre-wedding nerves. She didn’t realize I was watching her reflection like a hawk.

“Cassy,” she whispered, her voice dripping with faux concern. “About the trust... Silas is really hurt. He feels like you don’t believe he can protect you. You know how hard he’s worked to impress Dad.”

I stared at her through the glass. “He’s worked very hard, hasn’t he?”

I let the double meaning linger in the air. Loanne paused, her eyes darting to mine.

“I just want us to be a family,” I continued, softening my tone to match the old, breathy pitch she was used to. “I transferred the money into a private trust because I wanted to surprise Silas later. Once we’re settled, I’ll give him access. I just want to make sure everything is... legally sound. For our future kids.”

I could see the tension ease from her shoulders. She believed me. She thought I was just being a “good, cautious girl” instead of a suspicious woman.

“Oh! Well, that makes so much more sense,” Loanne giggled, the silver brush moving smoothly again. “He’ll be so relieved. You know how he is… he just wants to provide.”

He wants to plunder, I thought.

Downstairs, the guests were starting to arrive in the garden. Among them was the family lawyer, Mr. Henderson. An old man who had been loyal to my father for decades. In my previous life, Silas had convinced me to replace him with a “younger, trendier” firm within a year.

I found a moment to pull Mr. Henderson aside in the library.

“Mr. Henderson,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “I need you to do something for me. I’m signing the marriage documents today, but I want you to hold off on filing them for forty-eight hours. Tell Silas it’s a ‘clerical delay’ at the county office.”

The old man frowned. “That’s unusual, Cassie. Why?”

“I have a hunch about the Vance estate,” I explained, leaning in closer. “I want a full audit of the accounts Loanne has been managing for the gallery before the marriage is finalized. Just as a safety precaution.”

Henderson’s eyes sharpened. He had always been wary of Loanne’s expenditures. “I understand. If you insist, I can certainly fabricate a technical issue to delay the processing.”

“Thank you.”

As I walked back out, I ran into Silas. He looked dashing in his tuxedo, the perfect image of a groom. He grabbed my waist, pulling me into a corner.

“I talked to Loanne,” he whispered, his breath warm against my ear, the same ear she had whispered into as I lay dying. “I understand now, honey. You were just being cautious. I’m sorry I got upset.”

He kissed me deeply, reclaiming his territory. I didn’t pull away. I played along, letting my arms wrap around his neck, but inside, I was counting the seconds until I could scrub my mouth clean.

“I love you, Silas,” I lied, the words tasting like ash. “I can’t wait for our life to begin.”

“Neither can I,” he replied, casting a glance toward my father, who was handing his car keys to the valet, preparing the SUV for the mountain trip the following day.

The poison was already in the bottle. Now, I just needed to ensure they were the ones drinking it.

“Silas,” I said, adjusting his tie. “How about we have a pre-wedding toast? Just the three of us, in the study. Before heading to the altar.”

His eyebrows raised in surprise. “Now? The ceremony is set to start in thirty minutes.”

“Just a quick one,” I insisted, pouting. “For luck.”

“Anything for my bride,” he smirked.

He had no idea that while he was toasting to our “future,” I had already sent a silent alarm to my father’s mechanic.

More importantly, I had hidden a digital recorder under the velvet lining of the study sofa.

I needed them to say it. I needed proof that would ensure they never saw the light of day.