After My Rebirth, I Married My Ex's Brother

The bedroom door slammed open.

Ethan jumped to his feet.

Sophia's face turned pale.

For a moment, nobody spoke.

I stared at them.

At the clothes scattered across the floor.

At the lipstick on Ethan's neck.

At my best friend sitting on my fiancé's bed.

My voice came out barely above a whisper.

"...Tell me this isn't real."

"Scarlett."

Ethan immediately walked toward me.

"It's not what it looks like."

I laughed.

A broken, disbelieving laugh.

"Not what it looks like?"

I pointed at Sophia.

"She's my best friend."

Then at him.

"You're my fiancé."

"Scarlett, listen to me—"

"No."

My eyes burned.

"Tell me I'm hallucinating."

"Tell me I didn't just catch you two together."

Sophia lowered her head.

Ethan's jaw tightened.

The silence was answer enough.

Something inside me shattered.

Three years.

Three years of believing this man would become my husband.

My future Alpha.

And all of it was a lie.

"How long?"

Neither answered.

"How long?"

Ethan sighed.

"It doesn't matter."

"It matters to me."

"Scarlett—"

"Was it before we got engaged?"

His expression changed.

I got my answer.

My stomach twisted.

"Unbelievable."

I stepped backward.

"You've been cheating on me for months."

Ethan reached for me.

I immediately slapped his hand away.

"Don't touch me."

For the first time, irritation appeared in his eyes.

Not guilt. Irritation.

As though I was creating a problem for him.

That made me even angrier.

"You know what?"

I nodded slowly.

"Fine."

Ethan looked relieved.

Then I continued.

"I'm telling everyone."

The relief vanished.

"What?"

"The Elders."

I counted on my fingers.

"The Council."

"The Pack."

"The media."

"I'll tell every single person."

Sophia's face instantly lost all color.

"Scarlett, don't—"

"Oh, now you're worried?"

I looked directly at Ethan.

"You want to become Alpha, right?"

His expression hardened.

Everyone knew the Alpha election was only weeks away.

His entire campaign revolved around one image.

Loyal.

The perfect future Alpha.

If news of his affair became public, everything would collapse.

"You wouldn't."

"I would."

My voice was calm now.

Terrifyingly calm.

"I'll make sure everyone knows exactly who you are."

Ethan stared at me.

Something dark flickered behind his eyes.

For the first time all evening, I felt uneasy.

But I kept talking.

"You betrayed me."

"You betrayed the Pack."

"You don't deserve to become Alpha."

The room went silent.

Sophia grabbed Ethan's arm.

"Ethan..."

He didn't move.

Didn't blink.

Just kept staring at me.

Then suddenly—

He smiled.

Too calm.

"Scarlett."

His voice softened.

"I made a mistake."

I folded my arms.

"A mistake?"

"Yes."

He took a step closer.

"I was stupid."

Another step.

"I got carried away."

Another.

"It won't happen again."

I should have noticed.

Should have recognized the look in his eyes.

But I didn't.

Because despite everything—

A part of me still loved him.

Still wanted to believe him.

I swallowed.

"Then prove it."

His smile widened slightly.

"How?"

"You never see her again."

I pointed at Sophia.

"Ever."

Sophia's eyes widened.

"Scarlett—"

"Stay out of this."

I kept my gaze on Ethan.

"You cut all contact."

"You publicly apologize."

"And if I ever find out you've met her again..."

I paused.

"I'll tell the entire Pack."

Ethan was quiet.

Then he nodded.

"Okay."

I blinked.

"Okay?"

"Okay."

His voice was gentle.

Unexpectedly gentle.

"I can do that."

Sophia looked horrified.

"Ethan!"

He ignored her.

Instead, he slowly opened his arms.

"Come here."

I hesitated.

"Ethan..."

"I'm serious."

His expression looked sincere.

Almost regretful.

"I don't want to lose you."

My heart wavered.

Maybe because I wanted closure.

Maybe because I wanted one last answer.

Or maybe because I was stupid.

Either way—

I stepped forward.

Ethan wrapped his arms around me.

For a brief second, everything felt familiar.

Then he leaned close to my ear.

"So you'll give me another chance?"

"Yes."

I closed my eyes.

"One chance."

His arms tightened.

"Good."

Something cold touched my stomach.

My eyes snapped open.

"What—"

Pain exploded through my body.

I looked down.

A knife.

Buried deep in my abdomen.

For a second, my brain refused to understand.

"Ethan..."

Blood stained my shirt.

Ethan smiled.

The same smile he used during campaign speeches.

The same smile everyone trusted.

Then he pulled the knife out.

And stabbed me again.

I screamed.

The second strike drove me to my knees.

The third entered my chest.

Everything went numb.

Sophia shrieked.

"Oh my God!"

I collapsed onto the floor.

Blood spread beneath me.

My vision blurred.

"Ethan..."

Why?

Ethan crouched beside me.

Completely calm.

Not panicked.

Calm.

As if he had already planned everything.

As if this moment had existed in his mind long before tonight.

I tried to move.

Couldn't.

Tried to breathe.

Couldn't.

Ethan leaned closer.

His voice was barely a whisper.

Yet I heard every word.

"I was willing to apologize."

"I was willing to lie."

"I was willing to pretend."

His eyes turned cold.

"But I will never allow anyone to stand between me and the Alpha position."

My heartbeat weakened.

"No..."

He smiled.

"You wanted to ruin everything."

"You forced my hand."

Tears slipped from my eyes.

Not because of the pain.

Because I finally understood.

The man I loved never existed.

He had only been pretending.

Ethan stood up.

Looking down at me like I was already a corpse.

And before darkness swallowed me completely—

I heard his final words.

"Nobody."

"Absolutely nobody..."

"...will stop me from becoming Alpha."

My vision went black.

And the last thing I felt was the warmth of my own blood.

Then—

Nothing.

Ethan stared at my body for several seconds.

Then he sighed.

Almost as if he were annoyed by a minor inconvenience.

"Sophia."

She was shaking.

"You killed her."

"Lower your voice."

"You killed her!"

"I know."

His calmness terrified even her.

For a moment, neither spoke.

Then Ethan crouched down and checked my pulse.

A few seconds later, he nodded.

"She's dead."

Sophia covered her mouth.

"Oh my God..."

Ethan stood.

"Help me clean this up."

"What?"

"Help me."

His voice turned cold.

"You were here too."

Sophia froze.

"I didn't—"

"If I fall, you fall with me."

Silence.

Then slowly—

Sophia nodded.

And the two people I trusted most began discussing how to dispose of my body.

Darkness swallowed everything.

________________

When I opened my eyes again—

I was standing in the same room.

Except my body was gone.

The blood was gone.

The carpet was clean.

I looked down at my hands.

Nothing.

No heartbeat.

No warmth.

No breath.

I wasn't alive.

I was dead.

The realization should have terrified me.

Instead, I felt numb.

Days passed.

Or maybe weeks.

Time no longer felt real.

Nobody could see me.

Nobody could hear me.

I simply followed Ethan.

Watched.

Listened.

Waited.

The police ruled my disappearance a voluntary departure.

No body.

No evidence.

No suspects.

Case closed.

Exactly as Ethan planned.

Meanwhile his popularity exploded.

News outlets praised him.

Citizens admired him.

The grieving fiancé.

The loyal Alpha candidate.

The man who had tragically lost the love of his life.

Every interview made me sick.

"Scarlett was the most important person in my life."

Lie.

"I'll spend the rest of my life honoring her memory."

Lie.

"I loved her."

The biggest lie of all.

Yet everyone believed him.

________________

Three months later.

Alpha Ascension Day arrived.

The largest event in the city.

Thousands gathered.

Pack Elders.

Business leaders.

Government officials.

Media crews.

Everyone wanted to witness Ethan becoming Alpha.

He stood on the stage wearing black.

A silver Alpha pin on his chest.

Perfect.

Confident.

Victorious.

Exactly as he had always imagined.

The crowd erupted into cheers.

"Alpha Ethan!"

"Alpha Ethan!"

"Alpha Ethan!"

Ethan smiled.

Waving to his future subjects.

Then—

The main doors exploded open.

The entire hall fell silent.

A familiar figure walked inside.

Tall.

Broad shoulders.

Dark suit.

Cold eyes.

Damien Blackwood.

Ethan's younger half-brother.

My breath caught.

Even after death.

Everyone knew Damien.

The illegitimate son.

The unwanted son.

The family disgrace.

The man Ethan hated most.

Several guards rushed forward.

Damien didn't even slow down.

"Stop right there!"

Bang.

A gunshot echoed through the hall.

One guard collapsed.

Panic erupted instantly.

Screams filled the room.

People began running.

Others froze in place.

Damien kept walking.

His gaze never left Ethan.

"Ethan."

The smile disappeared from Ethan's face.

"What are you doing here?"

Damien stepped closer.

"Ethan."

His voice was quiet.

Dangerously quiet.

"You murdered her."

The entire hall went silent.

Ethan's eyes narrowed.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Really?"

Damien laughed.

A humorless laugh.

"I spent three months digging through every lie you told."

My heart stopped.

Three months?

Ethan stiffened.

Damien continued walking.

"Three months looking for Scarlett."

"Three months searching for evidence."

"Three months wishing I was wrong."

His voice cracked.

For the first time—

I saw grief.

Real grief.

Not Ethan's fake tears.

Not public sympathy.

Actual heartbreak.

And suddenly memories surfaced.

The flowers that appeared whenever I had a bad day.

The anonymous gifts.

The way Damien always showed up whenever I needed help.

The way he looked at me.

I never understood.

Because I was too busy looking at Ethan.

But now—

I finally saw it.

Damien loved me.

He always had.

________________

"Ethan."

Damien stopped in front of the stage.

"You buried her beneath the old northern quarry."

The color drained from Ethan's face.

The crowd gasped.

My own eyes widened.

He found me.

He actually found me.

"You forged surveillance records."

Damien's voice grew colder.

"You bribed police officers."

"You paid witnesses."

"You erased evidence."

Every word hit Ethan like a hammer.

Because every word was true.

"Ethan Blackwood."

Damien slowly raised his gun.

"You don't deserve to breathe."

"Elders!"

Ethan shouted.

"Arrest him!"

Nobody moved.

Nobody could.

The evidence Damien had just revealed was too much.

Too horrifying.

Too real.

Damien smiled.

Then he pulled the trigger.

Bang.

The bullet tore through Ethan's chest.

Screams exploded throughout the hall.

Ethan staggered backward.

Shock filling his eyes.

Bang.

A second shot.

Bang.

A third.

His body crashed onto the stage.

Dead.

The future Alpha was gone.

Just like that.

________________

The hall was silent.

Nobody moved.

Nobody spoke.

Damien stood over Ethan's corpse.

Breathing heavily.

Then he looked at the body.

And whispered—

"How could you do that to her?"

Something inside me broke.

Because the grief in his voice was genuine.

Raw.

Unfiltered.

The grief of a man who had lost everything.

Then he said quietly,

"She was the most precious thing in my life."

Tears filled my eyes.

I wanted to tell him I was here.

I wanted to tell him I knew now.

But I couldn't.

I was already dead.

________________

Police arrived minutes later.

Weapons drawn.

Damien never resisted.

Never ran.

Never denied anything.

He simply surrendered.

As though revenge had been the only reason he was still alive.

Months later.

The court sentenced him to death.

Even though Ethan's crimes were exposed.

Even though the truth finally came out.

He had still murdered the future Alpha in public.

The law demanded punishment.

On the day of his execution—

I stood beside him.

Just as I had followed him every day since his arrest.

The warden asked,

"Any final words?"

Damien smiled faintly.

For the first time in months.

And then he said,

"If there is another life..."

His eyes lowered.

As though imagining someone.

Someone he could never have.

"I'll find her first."

"I won't let him take her away again."

My vision blurred.

My chest hurt.

If I still had a heart—

it would have shattered.

The execution began.

Damien slowly closed his eyes.

Darkness swallowed the world.

And for the first time since my death—

I felt myself falling.

Falling backward through time.

Toward the day everything started.

Toward a second chance.

Toward him.

And then—

I opened my eyes.