Pain.
Everything hurt.
Sienna Astor lay on the cold, wet ground, her life bleeding out into the soil around her. The rain pelted her face like sharp bullets and she coughed.
"Is she dead?" Sienna heard a high, squeaky voice somewhere above her.
She squinted, trying to see past the rain and her blurring vision. There, with a lacy umbrella raised daintily over her head, was Vivianne Astor.
Sienna's step sister tottered over in high heels and peered down at her. She was beautiful, and in the dark night, all Sienna could see was her step sister's face lit up by the car headlights like an angel.
Except that this 'angel' shot out a foot and kicked Sienna hard. Sienna wheezed for air, her entire body seizing up in more pain.
"She's not dead yet!" Vivianne shrilled, "I thought I told you to kill her!"
Oh, Sienna finally realized, the one behind this was her beloved step sister. After all she had done for her.
"You bitch," Sienna gasped with the little air left in her lungs. Every minute that passed, it got harder for her to keep her eyes open.
Vivianne heard and she crouched to lean close to Sienna, her lips pulled into a cruel smile.
"You'll die soon enough so you should know that your husband never loved you. And I know that because he preferred me to you," Vivianne cackled.
Sweeping her red curls to one side, she revealed a single green gem nestled in an infinity loop hanging from a pendant.
Impossible.
Peridot was her birthstone, and Damon had told her this design was the only one ever made in the world. How did Vivianne have one as well?
A fresh wave of pain came over Sienna, but this was emotional pain.
She knew her husband had married her due to an agreement between their families, but she had loved him all the same.
Could what Vivianne said be true? Had Damon given the same necklace to both sisters?
Her necklace.
She desperately scrabbled for the thin chain around her neck only for Vivianne to yank it off her neck with a sharp pull.
"Since he gave one to me, you shouldn't wear yours any longer," Vivianne held it up and inspected it with disinterest, "It's not like you're special or anything."
Tears rolled down Sienna's face and disappeared in the rain drops. It may have been a loveless marriage for her husband but she had loved him and cherished the only gift he had ever given her, that necklace.
"It doesn't mean anything," Sienna watched in horror as Vivianne threw the necklace into the dirt and stomped on it, "He doesn't care about you at all."
Sienna struggled to reach the necklace, but she was too far away. Closing her eyes, she felt weaker and weaker.
Mom, dad, help!
But even then, she knew they would never help her in this situation. Not once in her life had they chosen her over Vivianne.
Vivianne got the entire family inheritance and all the love and praise while Sienna was married off like a cow sold to pay for dinner.
Damon…
She thought of her husband, whom she had fallen for when they had crossed paths in university and then later at social events.
She had been happy to marry him, even if it was because of some old agreement between families. But the moment they married, he had shut her out completely.
"This marriage is only on paper," He had told her on the wedding night, "You live your life, I'll live mine."
How stupid!
She was a foolish, foolish girl to think she could please her parents by going through with the marriage.
Stupid to think she would get along with her step sister if she treated her nicely.
She must have been delusional to think her husband would love her after three years of a contract marriage.
I lived my life trying to love people who didn't love me, she thought sadly as her breathing got slower. Everything around her felt slowed down, as if in slow motion.
If I could do it again, I would fight for myself. I wouldn't love any of them anymore!
Her eyes drifted shut before opening slowly when she heard someone scream her name.
Warm hands cupped her cheek and Sienna felt herself being pulled inwards towards a warm body.
Who is this?
The scent on this person was familiar, like cedar and sea salt.
"Sienna," A voice was calling her name. She knew this voice, but she had never heard it sound so heartbroken.
Someone was hugging her. Despite her fear and anger and sadness, this person made her feel comforted somewhat.
"Sienna," The person called and she tried to see who it was but she couldn't keep her eyes open much longer. Her heart was slowing to a stop.
A loud gunshot rang through the air.
Then darkness.
***
"Are you still sleeping?" A high voice cut through the darkness, "You can't oversleep today of all days!"
Sienna opened her eyes to bright sunlight and lay there for a moment.
Wasn't she dead?
She remembered the car crash, the horrible pain, the terrible betrayal. And that broken voice calling her name.
How could she wake up? Was this the afterlife?
"Sienna!" Vivianne burst into the room, having given up on knocking and calling from the outside, "Wake uuuuppp! You can't be late on your wedding day!"
Wait.
"Wedding day?" Sienna repeated, completely confused now.
"You can't possibly have forgotten that you're marrying into the Wright family today," Vivianne giggled as if she hadn't just tried to kill Sienna.
Not tried. Succeeded.
Sienna had a quick mind, so she took a good look at Vivianne, then checked the date on her phone.
Sure enough, it truly was her wedding day, with the right year and everything. Vivianne also had on the limited edition Dior earrings that she wore only during those few months around Sienna's wedding before she lost them later that year.
If Vivianne was still wearing the earrings and still smiling brightly at her as if nothing was wrong… Had it all been a dream?
Sienna couldn't believe that she had dreamed three years of marriage and her own death. So she decided to test it.
"Where's mother and father?" She asked carefully, knowing the answer she would get.
Most brides would have their parents fussing over them before they married, and surely that would be the case had it been Vivianne getting married.
But Sienna knew her parents had gone off to do business even on her wedding day.
"They went to sign the contract for the construction project," Vivianne waved a flippant hand.
That was right.
Even the second time round, Sienna couldn't help but feel the hurt feelings from swelling up.
No! She had promised that she wouldn't love any of these people any longer.
If she was right, she had been given a second chance. Now, it was up to her what to do with it.
Agreeing to come down for breakfast soon, she got ready in private and stared at her reflection.
It looked a little different from what she remembered. Just before she had died, she had looked sad and tired, her face had been pale and drawn.
Now, she was three years younger and her chestnut locks were glossy, her green eyes were still bright.
There was no way to avoid the wedding at the last minute, she was going to have to go through with it.
But she tilted her chin and narrowed her eyes.
From today, I'm no longer the Sienna Astor from before!
When I was good, I didn't get anything I wanted. So now, to get my revenge and my own happiness, I'm about to be very, very bad.
If anyone wants to mess with me, they're in for a big surprise.