A New Dawn, A Different Path

Luke's face was ghostly pale as he sprinted toward us. He grabbed Riley just before she tumbled down the staircase. I kept an iron grip on my emotions as I watched the two of them. The worry that Luke harbored for Riley was so palpable that I could nearly see it manifest in a tangible form.

Riley's eyes were filled with tears as she stared at me. "Summer, I admit it was my fault. I shouldn't have kept Mr. Logan by my side, and I've already apologized to you. But no matter how angry you are at me, you still shouldn't push me down the stairs!"

Luke picked Riley up after hearing her words. His gaze burned with fury when he glared at me. "Why did you try to hurt her, Summer? You know that she was injured recently. She would lose her life if she fell down the stairs! Since when did you turn into such a horrible person?"

With Riley cradled securely in his arms, Luke shoved past me and hurriedly left the scene. My stomach collided with the railing and the excruciating pain that came after made me break out in a cold sweat all over my body.

I felt like I was once again on the brink of death. I let out a bloodcurdling scream but Luke didn't spare me even a single glance.

Although Riley's miscarriage did not make Luke angry at me in this life, he still did not choose me. Blood trickled down slowly from between my legs. When the nurses noticed my condition, they rushed me into the operating room.

With a frown, the doctor said, "It doesn't look good. It'll be extremely difficult to save the baby."

I handed my abortion appointment to him and told him hoarsely, "Don't worry about it, doctor."

In my past life, I sacrificed everything that I had for Jesse's sake. But instead of being grateful, Jesse had stabbed me in the back for someone else. Since he didn't want me to be his mother, he could be born as someone else's son in this life.

My heart was too battered to hold any love for him anymore. The anesthesia felt chilly as it was injected into my veins, matching the glacial cold I felt in my heart.

When I woke up, my body felt hollow, like a letterbox that had a missing door. The wind blew in and rattled the empty space as it pleased. I knew at that moment that my last connection to Jesse had been severed.

My phone chimed. When I looked at the screen, I noticed it was a notification from a number I didn't know. In the message was a picture of two intertwined hands. Luke's and Riley's matching tattoos on their collarbones were also in full view.

After what had transpired, Riley no longer wanted to keep her relationship with Luke in the dark. As for me, I no longer wanted to fight with her for anything. I didn't reply and blocked her number.

Three days later, I returned home. The Logan residence that I had lived in for close to a decade looked no different from when I left it. The walls were covered in photographs that detailed Luke's and my history.

I was younger than him by two years. When I was five years old, Luke and I were actors in our preschool's reenactment of a fairytale. We got married on stage for that performance.

When I was 12 years old, I had my period for the first time. Luke thought I had been gravely injured and had hugged me tightly as he cried his head off.

When I was 15 years old, my parents passed away. Luke had patted my shoulder and whispered, "Don't worry. I'm here."

When I was 21 years old, Luke graduated from an overseas university and returned home. He had gotten drunk and kissed me for the first time.

My heart was trapped in the abyss known as Luke Logan. It was being torn apart over and over again in a vicious cycle.

…

I took down all the photographs just as Luke arrived. His back was to the light as he approached me, making it difficult to discern his emotions as his face was cast in shadow.

"Why did you take down the photos?"

I wanted to leave as quickly as possible, so I simply said, "I'm thinking of renovating the place."

Silence was his response. He sat down and helped with organizing the photographs.

After a moment passed, he said, "I know you care about me. I understand that you only did something so reckless because you were angry that day. Riley is alright, and she has agreed to forgive you. She won't bring up this matter anymore. But she does have a request."

I raised my head to look at him, waiting patiently for him to speak.

After a pause, he said, "The wedding clothes that Mom prepared for us looked amazing in our wedding photos. Riley has never worn a wedding dress. She wants to try wearing one."

"The dress was tailored to my body," I retorted coldly.

"The two of you are around the same size," he countered quickly.

I laughed darkly. "How do you know her measurements?"

Luke's face hardened. His embarrassment quickly morphed into frustration. "Summer, I'm talking to you nicely right now. Stop behaving like you're some sort of princess. You're the one who hurt her first.

"She was only willing to forgive you after I convinced her. Don't make things worse. She'll return the dress to you for the wedding."

"Fine."

I brought out the magnificent wedding dress. Rose had hastily designed the dress after she found out Luke and I were together. She had already been diagnosed with cancer by then. Only after the dress was completed was she willing to close her eyes and fall into an eternal slumber.

In my past life, I looked after the Logan family for Rose's sake. I was going to live for myself in this life.

Luke's face was filled with glee after he got his hands on the wedding dress, and he left quickly after obtaining it. An hour later, I received a message from Riley, who had switched to another number.

"The wedding dress is mine, and so is Luke."

Riley looked like a flower in full bloom with the wedding dress on. There was nothing but adoration on Luke's face as he held her hand. At that moment, I noticed that the hem of the wedding dress had been stained by an unidentifiable liquid. Disgust churned in my stomach.

"You can have both of them," I replied.