An ancestor of the Xavier family once seized a widow’s ancestral grave by force and was cursed with a death spell.

From that moment on, every male descendant of the Xavier family would be hunted by vengeful spirits upon turning 25.

The only way to break free was to fake his death and marry a woman gifted with a naturally sensitive spirit—someone whose genuine grief could calm restless souls and deceive the vengeful forces haunting him.

In my past life, my sister and I were born on the same day.

Jason Xavier drew lots to choose between us, but I knew her secret — and quietly swapped the lots so he would marry me instead.

During the staged funeral, my sister accused me of stealing her beloved. That night, she hanged herself in the Xavier ancestral hall with a white silk scarf.

My parents lashed out, called me cruel, and cast me out.

Jason despised me for what happened. On the first anniversary of her death, he sealed me in a coffin with ninety-nine nails — and buried me alive.

Desperate, I screamed the truth: I had switched the lots to save him.

“She would’ve saved me if not for you! Miranda died because of you! You deserve to rot in hell!”

I suffocated — and died, full of grief and rage.

When I opened my eyes, I was back on the very day the Xavier family drew lots to choose their bride.

This time, I waited—

Waited to see Miranda Langston cry, and cry until she really died.

——

“Young Master Xavier’s choice is—Miss Miranda!”

As soon as the result was announced, Jason sprang up, wrapped his arms around Miranda, and whispered, voice shaking,

“Miranda, it’s you. This time, I chose you.”

Miranda gently tapped his chest with a shy smile.

“Everyone’s watching… you’re being annoying.”

He held her even tighter. His gaze drifted to me—cold, venomous.

A chill crept down my back. In that instant, I understood.

He had been reborn, too.

So what?

This time, I made sure they could be together.

Why would he still hate me?

Madam Xavier slipped the jade engagement bracelet onto Miranda’s wrist.

“In seven days, Jason turns twenty-five. Let’s hold the wedding and funeral together.”

Miranda obediently nodded and exchanged smiles with him.

My mother wiped her eyes. But when she noticed me watching, her expression stiffened.

“Evelyn, I’ll find you another husband. It’s heaven’s will. Don’t fight your sister on this.”

I turned away, staring at the corner of her tear-filled eyes.

My heart sank.

Sister? Just a fake daughter swapped at birth.

In my past life, I feared the Xavier family would discover she didn’t have a spiritual body and take it out on my parents.

So I secretly rigged the lottery.

Only later did I learn my parents had already bribed the Xavier family’s servants.

My name hadn’t even been in the box.

They never feared the curse. They only wanted Miranda to marry a rich man.

They never considered me.

The outcome had been decided from the start.

There was nothing left for me to do.

Jason approached, grabbed my arm, and whispered, “Evelyn Luxton, you won’t get to switch the lot this time, will you?”

I frowned and stayed silent, watching him with caution.

He leaned in, voice low and eyes darker than night.

“Stop pretending. I know you’ve been reborn too. If you don’t hurt Miranda this time around, I might even let you be my mistress.”

I flung his hand away, disgusted, as if I’d swallowed something foul.

He had clearly forgotten—he was the one who really killed me.

Back then, as he sealed the coffin shut, I begged him to speak the truth: Miranda wasn’t born with a spiritual body.

But he found my pleas annoying—so he had my mouth sewn shut.

I suffocated in eternal darkness.

Only moments before my death did I realize—he had always known about the rigged lottery.

He had originally been promised to me.

The draw was just a ploy to make Miranda’s replacement seem legitimate.

That memory suffocated me all over again. I took a deep breath and said coldly,

“Jason, instead of dreaming, start thinking about how you’re going to survive past twenty-five.”

Jason clicked his tongue in irritation.

"Evelyn, cursing me again? It's just mourning—everyone cries."

Before I could respond,

Miranda quickly stepped forward, clutching Jason’s arm, shooting me a gentle but warning glance.

"Sister, you're not going to speak ill of me to Jason, are you?"

I pressed my lips together in silence and turned to leave.

But from behind, Jason's steady voice rang out:

"Evelyn, just wait. Miranda will definitely save me."

I sneered inwardly, turned back to give him a frosty glare, and walked away without another word.

No sooner had I stepped outside the Xavier family gates than a few thugs blocked my path.

"Miss Luxton, please—save our boss."

I stepped back, reaching for my phone to call the police.

The blond-haired leader suddenly burst into tears.

Apparently, Jason wasn’t the only Xavier man turning twenty-five soon.

The karma of Xavier’s father’s old romances was about to claim another life.

I vaguely recalled the mysterious death of the Golden Hawk Cartel leader in my past life.

Before I could gather more memories, the car pulled up to a secluded villa.

A man stood sideways,

A Buddhist bead bracelet wrapped around his wrist. He looked at me, half-smiling.

"Miss Luxton, do you remember me?"

A few hours later, the blond man respectfully escorted me home.

As I stepped inside, my brow twitched.

Seven or eight bodyguards stood beside Miranda, calmly waiting for me.

"Miranda, Jason chose you. What more do you want?"

Miranda put on a pitiful look.

"Sister, the Xavier family only accepts someone with a spiritual body like me."

"I’m so scared… What if you’re jealous? What if you tell them I’m not really a spiritual body?"

I frowned. "I won’t say a word. I won’t interfere between you and Jason."

Miranda laughed softly. "Sister, when have we ever trusted each other?"

Suddenly, the roar of a car engine came from outside.

Miranda’s lips curled into a smile. She grabbed a vial from the table and poured the contents over herself.

"Ahhh—"

"Sister, why are you doing this to me?!"

Jason and his parents rushed in just as she was drenched.

"Evelyn!" Mom shrieked, rushing toward Miranda.

"What did you do to your sister?!"

Dad slapped me hard across the face.

"You ungrateful girl!"

I held my burning cheek, teeth clenched.

"It wasn’t me. It was her—"

Before I could finish, Jason gripped my neck and yelled,

"Evelyn! I thought you’d changed, but you’re still vile!"

"You're disgusting!"

"Jason…" Miranda weakly tugged his sleeve.

"Don’t blame her… I brought this on myself. If the poison takes my voice, I won’t be able to mourn you..."

I was nearly choking under his grip, so I lowered my head and bit his palm.

He let out a sharp cry and flung me aside.

I spat out blood, eyes burning with fury.

"You monster!"

Dad’s hands trembled in anger. "You still refuse to admit your fault."

Mom, tears streaking her cheeks, cried out:

"Evelyn, why are you so cruel?"

"She’s your sister! Didn’t you think about how much it would hurt us before doing something like this?"

Resentment surged in my chest.

My eyes reddened as I shouted,

"She did it herself!"

But no one believed me.

Jason glanced at me, and the bodyguards instantly pinned my arms.

He stepped forward, gripped my chin, and said darkly,

"Someone brought a needle and thread. Sew her mouth shut."

"I want her to pay for her own sins!"

My pupils contracted.

Despite my frantic struggle, the bodyguards forced me to the ground.

"Jason, you beast! I told you—it wasn’t me!"

"You’ll get what’s coming to you! You’ll die a miserable death!"

"Ah!"

The needle stabbed into my lip, flooding my senses with blinding pain. My screams of agony were silenced, stitched shut one cruel loop at a time.

In the end, all that remained on my face was a grotesque trail of blood.

"Tsk. Disgusting."

Jason stared at the blood pooling on the floor, then grabbed a handful of my hair.

"This could make a great mop. Rip it off and clean the mess."

Time blurred.

I was drenched in blood, my scalp torn open, like a discarded rag doll.

But I refused to die here.

I dragged myself forward, inch by inch.

Miranda clutched her chest and said, feigning concern,

“Dad, Mom, look at my sister. She’s still trying to run away.”

“She dares to hurt me now—won’t she ruin my wedding in seven days?”

Jason narrowed his eyes, then smiled at my parents.

“Miranda has a point.”

“I think the Luxton family’s basement is perfect—dark and quiet. Like a coffin.”

Tears streamed down my cheeks. He knew.

He knew about my trauma—and he was using it.

I gripped the carpet, trembling, choking back sobs.

A bodyguard seized my shoulders and dragged me back.

My father didn’t hesitate.

“Lock the eldest daughter in the basement. Don’t let her out until seven days pass.”

My mother turned her head, pretending to show reluctance.

“Take Evelyn’s phone, too. We can’t risk her harming her sister again.”

As the two bodyguards lifted me, Jason leaned down and whispered:

“Evelyn, all this fuss—you still want to be Mrs. Xavier, don’t you?”

“If you kneel now and beg me, swear you won’t hurt Miranda again, I’ll make you my lover. I’ll even spare your family. How about that?”

Eyes bloodshot, I glared at him, hatred burning.

He chuckled and straightened up.

“You really don’t know how to be grateful.”

Miranda curled into Jason’s arms, a triumphant smirk on her face.

She mouthed, ‘Sister, I win again.’

The basement was dark and musty.

I curled into a corner, trembling, hatred swelling uncontrollably in my chest.

Whatever love I had left for my parents—

It is gone now.

In seven days, I’d make them all pay.

Just as I thought I’d die in that basement,

The heavy iron door creaked open.

The thugs from before burst in.

The yellow-haired man carried me out.

Even hardened gang members gasped at my battered state.

When I opened my eyes again, I saw the white ceiling of a hospital.

My wounds had been treated. I wore a floppy hat.

The yellow-haired man told me his boss had advanced his plans, and I should rest for two days and meet him at the funeral.

I nodded, looking down at the diamond ring on my finger.

There was a message on my phone from him:

"Keep the ring for now. Once you recover, I want the world to watch you marry me in grandeur."

On the seventh day, Jason and Miranda’s wedding ended. The fake funeral began in full swing.

I arrived to mourn—just as Jason’s funeral procession began.

Miranda led the line, carrying a fake portrait.

The moment she saw me, she shrieked:

“Sister?! You’re here?! Even the basement couldn’t hold you?!”

The coffin lid suddenly lifted.

Jason sat up, dressed in funeral robes, his face still caked in death makeup.