Back To The Past, Setting Him Free

My husband, the financial tycoon Martin Hawthorne, had a college sweetheart who suffered a mental breakdown. Lacey Davis couldn't accept that he was marrying me, so she fled town in a fit of despair.

From then on, Martin was wracked with guilt over her, and our marriage devolved into a cold war between two people who despised each other.

However, when the rival Prescott family orchestrated a "workplace accident" to kill me, Martin shoved me out of the path of a collapsing pile of rebar.

The falling debris crushed him instead. As he lay dying in my arms, he whispered, "I saved your life. My debt to your father is paid. In our next life… let’s be strangers."

"I'm done hating you," he murmured, his breath fading. "All I want is for you to be that carefree designer you used to be. Now… I can finally rest."

And just like that, he was gone.

After bankrupting the Prescott family in revenge, I chose to follow him in death.

When I opened my eyes again, however, I was back at age twenty—the year of our engagement. I turned down my father’s arranged business marriage, opting instead to move to Seattle and take charge of our family's new real estate project.

This time, I would keep my distance. I would let Martin and Lacey have their happiness.

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1

After my rebirth, I stopped chasing Martin Hawthorne. But the psychological trauma from my past life lingered, bringing with it debilitating migraines.

On the night before our engagement was to be finalized, the pain was unbearable. I was rummaging through my drawers for painkillers when Martin entered, carrying a steaming cup of specially brewed herbal tea.

He didn't say a word, simply setting the cup down and massaging my temples with the pads of his fingers. The focused gentleness of his touch sent an unwelcome flutter through my chest.

"Ava, you can't keep doing this," Martin said, his voice low. "This isn't the way to get my attention. You have to take care of yourself."

His words hit me like a splash of cold water. A familiar bitterness rose in my throat. That was him—capable of the most tender touch, yet armed with the cruelest words.

I'd once told myself he was just bad at expressing his feelings. But after Lacey Davis left, I finally understood the cold truth: he wasn't awkward; he just didn't love me.

When I didn't respond, his tone hardened. "Say something, Ava Monroe! I'm only going to say this once: pull another stunt like this, and you’ll disgrace both our families."

His voice was laced with the same chilling disgust he’d shown me in our past life, right after Lacey had gone.

Tears pricked my eyes, but I forced a nod. "Fine. I won't chase you anymore. I won't bother you again."

After a brief hesitation, I gently tugged on the hem of his sleeve, blinking back tears. "Could you… just look at me one last time? The way you used to?"

A flash of annoyance crossed his features. He frowned, taking a half-step back.

I took a shaky breath and pressed on. "Please… I swear, this is the last thing I'll ever ask."

He looked as if he was about to refuse, but my fingers found his hand, and the unexpected warmth of my palm against his made him pause.

"Ava," he began, "don't push it. You're only making me resent you more. I've told you before—to me, you're a business partner's daughter. Nothing more."

I fought the lump in my throat, savoring the fleeting warmth of his hand in mine. Then, I gave a solemn nod. "I know. And starting today, I'll leave you alone."

He clearly didn't believe me. With a sigh, he rubbed his temples. "I hope you mean that."

With that, he gave me one last, perfunctory glance before turning and leaving my room without looking back.

I stared at his back as he walked away, frozen to the spot.

The faint scent of his cologne hung in the air. I breathed it in deeply, a desperate attempt to hold on to one last piece of him.

Remembering the skepticism in his eyes, a bitter smile touched my lips. This time, I meant every word. No more chasing.

I would keep my distance and become exactly what he wanted: the daughter of his business partner, a woman he’d never have to think about again.