Vows of Vengeance: A Bride Reborn

Late-stage stomach cancer.

Calliope Godfrey never imagined that death would knock this early-she was only twenty-eight.

She used to be the envy of all of Riverbend, the Mrs. Sterling, married to Lucien Sterling-handsome, wealthy, and famous for being deeply devoted to his wife.

Seven years of marriage, and he treated her like day one. He remembered all her quirks, put up with her temper, kissed her good morning without fail, and every night, without missing a beat, warmed up a glass of milk to help her sleep.

He didn't have women hovering around. It really felt like his world had room for only one person-her.

She used to think she was the luckiest woman alive. Until twenty-eight hit her with a cancer diagnosis like a punch to the gut.

It happened fast. Her once healthy, radiant face sank in; she shed weight like crazy. The pain? Constant. Unrelenting.

Lucien seemed even more devastated than anyone else. He dropped all his non-urgent work, stuck to her like glue, held her hand, and kept telling her, "Don't be scared, Calliope. I'll do everything I can-everything."

He was calling up top-tier specialists, splurging on the best meds money could buy. When the chemo made her throw up, he held her and patted her back. When she cried over losing her hair, he told her every version of her was still beautiful.

The doctors, the nurses, friends who came to visit-everyone said he was the definition of loyal and loving.

Calliope was completely wrapped up in it. She leaned on that love to survive the endless rounds of treatment. Sometimes, she even felt guilty-like she was dragging him down.

Then Alice Hughes, her best friend from med school, came to see her. She stood by the bedside, staring at the empty glass of milk with a frown. "Calliope, your cancer's progressing way too fast. This doesn't add up."

Alice worked at a top hospital. Sharp as ever. "I looked into the meds Lucien's been giving you. All legit and gentle. Nothing that matches what you're going through..."

A strange chill ran down Calliope's back. At Alice's urging, she kept half a glass of milk the next night and didn't say anything.

Three days later, Alice returned, looking more pale and shaken than Calliope had ever seen. She handed her a report, voice trembling. "There's something hidden in the milk-a compound that slowly erodes the stomach lining. Long-term exposure can cause cancer. Calliope... this isn't illness, it's poisoning."

Poisoning.

This one word hit like bullets straight through her chest.

Her brain shut down. Everything went silent, except for the buzz in her ears. She couldn't even make out what Alice said next. All she could see was Lucien's loving face, flashing in her mind like a ghost.

It couldn't be him. No way. No freaking way!

Like someone losing control, she combed through seven years of memories over and over, trying to catch some flaw, some clue. But all she could see was affection, attention-love.

Why? What had she done that made him hate her enough to pull off a seven-year-long plan just to kill her?

Once the seed of doubt took root, it grew like wildfire.

One afternoon, when Lucien was out of town, she pushed herself out of bed and used a code she'd happened to learn long ago to unlock a drawer in his study-one he'd always kept locked.

No business docs. Just a navy leather journal.

Hands shaking, she took a deep breath and flipped it open.

Normal stuff at first. Then, right around the time they were planning their wedding seven years ago, the handwriting turned messy. Angry. Dark.

[October 2018, rainy day. My Angelina is gone. If it hadn't been for Calliope nagging me non-stop to go try on some stupid wedding dress, I might've answered her call in time. She must've been so scared... It's all my fault. I failed to protect her.]

[November 2018, overcast. Calliope was laughing so brightly in that wedding dress, and honestly, it made me sick. Why does she get to smile like that? She's the one who got Angelina killed. She took away the love of my life. So now, she'll spend her life paying it back.]

[December 2018, sunny. The wedding's done. And now, the game begins. I'll drown her in sweet lies, make her fall for me completely. Then, right when she's happiest? I'll take it all away. Death is easy. I want her to rot slowly in despair. The doctor said that drug works slow, over several years... Perfect. I've got time.]

...

[May 2025. She said her stomach hurt today. Looks like the meds are finally kicking in. Saw her pale face and for a second? I felt... satisfaction. Angelina, are you watching? I'm getting justice for you.]

...

Each page, each word, struck her heart like a searing brand, burning pain into her soul.

Seven years-what she thought was love turned out to be a carefully planned murder!

His nightly tenderness, the loving glass of milk he'd bring her-it was poison. Poison with a smile.

It all came crashing back. That day they tried on wedding outfits, she vaguely remembered the news reporting a violent crime in the west side of town. A woman had been murdered.

That woman... was Angelina Miller. And Lucien blamed her, blamed her hopeful little phone calls, for it all.

The grief, the absurdity of it all-it hit her like a tidal wave. She collapsed onto the cold floor, clutching that diary to her chest, feeling completely hollowed out.

The truth hurt far worse than the cancer ever did. Just knowing the reason behind it all was killing her faster than the disease.

When Lucien came home and saw the diary in her hands, his eyes flickered-panic, then a strange sense of relief, before it all faded to cold indifference.

He didn't even try to make up an excuse.

As the last moments of her life ticked away, she looked at the man she'd loved for seven years... the same man who had hated her for just as long. With her dying breath, she forced out the final words from her cracked lips: "Lucien... If there's a next life, I swear I won't marry you."

Then, everything went black.

*****

When she came to again, it was a mess of voices and harsh sunlight that brought her back.

"Mrs. Sterling, do these shoes fit? They're handcrafted crystal heels from an renowned designer, limited edition-they'll match your dress perfectly!"

Calliope's eyes flew open and her heart nearly jumped out of her chest. Bright lights, mirrored walls, designer gowns... She was in the VIP fitting room of a bridal boutique.

And staring back at her in the full-length mirror-was her 22-year-old self.

She was alive.

Back in that moment, seven years ago, the very day she and Lucien were trying on wedding outfits.

The memory of her cancer, of his betrayal, of all that unbearable pain-it surged up, almost drowning her. But tangled in that ocean of emotion was also a burning wave of fury and the wild thrill of getting a second chance.

Lucien... you never saw this coming, did you?

The universe handed me a do-over.

This time around, I won't be the love-blind idiot I once was.

What you owe me-I'll make sure you pay it back, every bit of it. With interest.

Inside the lavish VIP room of the bridal boutique, soft lighting cast a warm glow over rows of stunning dresses. The whole place radiated a dreamy, romantic vibe.

But all of that came crashing down the moment Calliope stepped out of the fitting room.

She hadn't tried on a single gown. Still wearing her simple off-white dress from earlier, there was not even a flicker of excitement on her face - just a layer of exhaustion and unmistakable detachment.

Eleanor Carmody, waiting nearby on the sofa, quickly stood up and took her daughter's hand, worry flickering in her eyes. "What's wrong, Calliope? Not in the mood because Lucien hasn't shown up yet?"

She gently patted Calliope's hand, trying to soothe her. "Don't stress, sweetie. Men always put work first. I'll call him, remind him what's important. No matter how busy he is, this wedding stuff can't wait."

She reached into her purse for her phone.

"Mom, don't bother." Calliope lightly stopped her, pressing her fingers to her mother's wrist. "If he's not coming, that's fine."

She paused, her gaze landing briefly on the expensive main bridal gown displayed nearby, a sharp, almost imperceptible twinge of pain flashing across her eyes. "I don't feel like trying anything on either."

Eleanor froze, then let out a small chuckle, thinking her daughter was just sulking.

Smiling fondly, she reached up to smooth an already neat lock of Calliope's hair. "Don't be silly, sweetheart. You're just saying that out of spite. The wedding's only two days away - how can you not try the dress on? If Lucien can't make it today, we'll just come back tomorrow. I'll be with you, and I promise, you'll be the most beautiful bride ever."

"I'm not coming back tomorrow either," Calliope said, lifting her eyes to meet her mother's gaze head-on. "Mom, I'm not going to marry Lucien."

The words hit Eleanor like a thunderclap. Her smile froze, eyes widening in disbelief. "Calliope! Do you even hear yourself? That's not something you joke about!"

"Did you two have a fight? It's normal for couples to argue - you can't just jump to breaking off the engagement over one squabble. Everyone can see how caring and thoughtful Lucien is with you... he's been near perfect-"

"Caring and thoughtful? Perfect?"

Calliope repeated the words silently, a bitter taste rising in her throat like blood mist.

Yeah... That was the same polished act that had fooled her for seven whole years last time around. All that love and tenderness led straight to her hospital bed - and her final breath.

Just thinking about how her mom got into that car crash on the way to what was supposed to be her "perfect wedding" in her past life made Calliope feel like her heart was being squeezed to a pulp-she could barely breathe from the pain.

She couldn't let history repeat itself. Not again.

"Mom, this isn't me losing it." Calliope grabbed Eleanor's hand tightly, her voice trembling despite her effort to steady it. "I know exactly what I'm doing. I have to call off this wedding."

"But why? There has to be a reason!" Eleanor's worry and panic bled into her voice as it got louder, "Calliope, just talk to me. Did something happen between you and Lucien? Did he do something to hurt you?"

She couldn't wrap her head around it. Just yesterday her daughter had looked genuinely happy-now it was like she'd flipped overnight.

In everyone's eyes, Lucien was basically the gold standard of a fiancé-great background, successful, good-looking, and more importantly, had been ridiculously devoted to Calliope for ten years straight.

Even when the Godfreys ran into trouble with business recently, it was Lucien who quietly stepped in and helped them out.

This engagement wasn't just about love. In many ways, it was tied to the future of the whole Godfrey family.

Seeing the sheer confusion and concern in her mother's eyes, Calliope felt as if she were being grilled alive.

How was she supposed to explain the truth? That she'd been reborn and knew Lucien would ruin her life and destroy their whole family in seven years?

No way her mother would believe that. She'd just think she'd lost her mind.

The weight of what she knew, and the fact she couldn't share it, nearly crushed her. She opened her mouth, hesitated, then settled on a simple-but firm-reply: "It doesn't matter why. Mom, just trust me this one time. Lucien is not a good man. If I go through with this, our family's going to face total disaster."

"Disaster?" Eleanor stared at her, completely thrown off by the fear and intensity in her daughter's eyes-a look she'd never seen before. "Calliope, are you sure you're not just burnt out or... imagining things? Lucien would never..."

Right then, a faint buzzing broke through the tension. Calliope's phone vibrated on the coffee table. The caller ID lit up-Lucien.

Her gaze went ice-cold in an instant.

In that previous life, this exact call had been his excuse-saying he had to postpone trying on wedding outfits because of some urgent work thing. In reality, he'd been off shopping for a gift for Angelina.

And the old her had actually bought the lie.

Under her mom's questioning stare, Calliope picked up the phone and hit the speaker button without hesitation as she answered.

"Calliope," Lucien's rich, smooth voice came through, tinged with a bit of guilt, "I'm sorry, but I don't think I can make it to the fitting. Also... our wedding might have to be called off."

Lucien's words were like a dagger, stabbing Calliope right in her most vulnerable spot.

Even though she'd already experienced the sting of betrayal once and come back determined to cut all ties, hearing him-actually hearing him-rush to dump her for another woman still knocked the breath out of her. That sharp, bone-deep pain came rushing back just like before.

"Why?"

The word slipped out before she even realized it, voice shaking, tinged with a desperation she hated herself for.

But what was she even hoping for? That maybe he'd feel guilty? That maybe he'd at least try to let her down gently?

Lucien was silent on the other end for a beat before he finally said, "Calliope, I think you deserve the truth now. I never loved you... not that way. It's always been Angelina. Only her."

"I used to think maybe love would grow between us, like we could learn to make it work. But then just now... Angelina nearly got hurt. In that moment, I knew. I can't lose her. I can't have anything around her that could hurt her or shake her peace. I have to eliminate every threat. Calliope, I'm sorry, but I can't lie to you-or myself-anymore. I love her. And no matter what happens, I'm not letting her go."

Eliminate. That's the word he used.

So this is what she was now? A problem to be cleared out?

That one word made her blood run cold. Her whole body froze.

But colder still was the terrifying thought that burst into her mind-fast and clear as lightning:

In her previous life, even when Lucien hated her enough to kill her, he never admitted loving Angelina. He always wore that mask of kindness, never let her see through it... until it was too late.

But now, this Lucien-he wasn't hiding a thing. He sounded relieved. Like he'd just dodged death itself.

Suddenly, everything clicked.

What if... what if he had been reborn too?

What if that's why he was in such a hurry to call it off and run back to Angelina? Because he got another shot, and this time, he wasn't going to waste it.

The thought exploded in Calliope's head, shaking her to her core.

All the pain, the betrayal, the helplessness she felt in that past life came flooding back, boiling inside her like lava.

If Lucien really had come back too... did that mean he thought he could just hurt her all over again? That, for Angelina, he could treat her like nothing for a second time?

Her chest was so tight with rage and heartache, she could barely breathe.

She opened her mouth, ready to throw his words back at him-

But before she could say a thing, the fury that Eleanor had held in finally snapped.

"Lucien!" Eleanor grabbed the phone from her daughter in a flash. Her usual elegant voice was sharp and thunderous now, practically shaking with rage.

"Say that again, I dare you!"

Eleanor's chest heaved, her carefully maintained face flushed with anger. "You've been in love with that Angelina this whole time? Then what the hell was all this with Calliope for? What about everything you promised when your family came to propose? Was all that just a game to you?"

Her voice trembled with emotion, each word forced out with barely-contained rage.

"Lucien! What has the Godfrey family ever done to wrong you? What part of my daughter isn't good enough for you? How could you treat her like some kind of fool?! If your heart belonged to someone else, why didn't you just say so earlier? Why wait until the night before the wedding to humiliate her like this, to crush her like that? What do her seven years of feelings mean to you? What about our family's dignity?!"

Calliope stood frozen, watching her mother break down. Her heart felt like it had been slammed into by something heavy and sharp.

In her memory, Eleanor was always the picture of grace and composure. No matter how unpleasant a situation, her mother never raised her voice-let alone lose control like this.

Lucien's cruel confession hadn't just broken her mother's heart; it had crossed a line that Eleanor, as a mother, could never forgive.

A blow to her daughter's pride hurt Eleanor more than any insult to herself.

On the phone, Lucien hadn't expected Eleanor to be there, much less to lash out like this.

He fumbled for words, clearly caught off guard. After a pause, he finally managed to say, "Mrs. Carmody, I'm sorry. This is all my fault. I let Calliope down. I let your whole family down. I'll make it up to you-whatever you've lost, I'll compensate twice over..."

"Compensate? And what exactly are you going to give her to make up for wasting her youth and playing with her feelings?" Eleanor was shaking, every nerve on edge, about to explode all over again.

"Mom," Calliope suddenly stepped in, voice strangely calm. She gently held her mother's trembling hand, giving her a reassuring look before taking the phone.

"Lucien, I heard your apology. I'm agreeing to call off the engagement."

Her calmness made the silence on the other end even heavier.

Without giving him room to speak again, she continued, her tone unwavering, "From now on, you go your way, I'll go mine. We're done here. And please, keep your new love, Angelina, far away from me."

Without hesitation, she ended the call.

Eleanor looked at her daughter's serene face and felt her heart ache all over again. She pulled Calliope into a tight hug, her voice choked, "Sweetheart, it's okay to cry. You don't have to hold it all in when you're with me..."

Calliope sank into her mother's arms, her eyes stinging, but she forced the tears back down.

Now wasn't the time to cry. If Lucien had relived events like she had, then things might already be heading down a dangerous path.

She needed her mother to see through some people, to protect what belonged to the Godfreys.

She slowly pushed away from her mother, her eyes clear and steady, maturity in her gaze that didn't match her age.

"I'm not wasting tears on someone like him, Mom. He's not worth it."

She squeezed Eleanor's hand firmly. "Right now, we've got more important things to handle."

Eleanor looked back, puzzled.

Lowering her voice, Calliope leaned close and spoke seriously, "Mom, don't you think it's a bit too convenient that Angelina's been living with us this past half year?"

Eleanor blinked. "What do you mean? That poor girl's had a rough life... Her mom was my good friend for years-"

"You can never really know someone's heart, especially when money's in the equation," Calliope interrupted, her gaze sharpening.

"Money?" Eleanor frowned, still confused.

Calliope inhaled deeply, her voice barely above a whisper. "Mom, find someone reliable, a professional auditor maybe, and go through Dad's recent financial dealings, especially anything unusual-big transfers, foreign accounts..."

She paused before adding, "I heard there might be some trouble with Dad's company's funds..."