The Life She Stole

Holly's laughter rang out, unrestrained and mocking.

"Yasmine, who would've thought your infamous curse label would reach your dear husband's ears so fast?"

She paused, her voice dropping to a whisper. "A curse and a loser. You two are a match made in heaven."

My fists balled up tight, knuckles popping with the strain.

Anthony stumbled in, shoved by his buddies, his face a mask of reluctance.

Holly, spotting him, crossed her arms and stood tall, her statuesque figure drawing eyes even in a crowded room.

However, Anthony's gaze cut through the crowd, fixed solely on me.

I caught sight of his striking features and paused, taken aback.

His stern look was even more captivating up close than any celebrity splashed across a movie poster.

It made sense why Holly always bragged about Anthony's good looks.

Noticing the boutonniere pinned to my chest, Anthony realized the bride had been switched.

His brows knitted together as he blurted, "Why is it you? Wasn't I marrying Holly?"

Holly, already irked by being overshadowed, snapped back without missing a beat, "Marry you, a lowly grunt? As if you're worth my time."

She ran her fingers through her sleek black braids, tilted her chin up defiantly, and turned away.

Anthony's face fell as he grasped the gravity of his mistake.

I spoke with a steady voice. "You promised to marry the girl who once saved your life. That girl is me."

Anthony's eyes widened in shock, his breathing became heavy, and he stared at me with intense seriousness.

It was as if he had been anticipating that moment for ages.

"I know."

A shiver ran through me as a daring thought crossed my mind.

"Sorry. Let's get this wedding back on track. I want to marry you!"

The crowd was thrown for a loop by Anthony's behavior, but his mother quickly defused the tension with a laugh.

"He's just light-headed with happiness about his new bride! Silly boy!"

Anthony's usual defiance melted away, and a blush crept up from his neck to his cheeks.

Holly rolled her eyes, huffed, and took her seat again.

The wedding proceeded without a hitch, but as it was winding down, Holly complained about the poor study conditions in the countryside and demanded that Anthony find her a city tutor.

Anthony looked like he wanted nothing to do with it and kept quiet.

However, his mom agreed on the spot. "If Yasmine's sister needs something, we're on it!"

She arranged for Holly to stay at a guesthouse to study for her exams.

As my parents left, they reminded me about my role.

"Don't forget where you came from now that you're married. Bring some of Anthony's family's nice things for your sister, don't let her overwork herself.

"Make sure you cook three meals a day and deliver them, and come wash her clothes. Your sister's exams are a big deal. Looking after her is what you should be focusing on!"

Holly lounged on the bed, snacking on nuts from the wedding, smug as she could be.

"Listen up! Don't get all high and mighty just because you married a big shot. No matter where you go, you're still fated to be my servant!"

Mom and Dad nodded in agreement with my sister's harsh words, echoing the sentiment that one should never forget where they came from.

I bit back my anger, keeping silent.

For two long weeks, I had been shuttling non-stop between the guesthouse and my in-laws'.

Anthony, seeing how worn out I was, had our cook take over the errands.

However, Holly, right in front of the cook, shattered a plate and scoffed, "Tell Yasmine to drop the act. If I hadn't let her snag Anthony, she'd still be chasing cows on some hillside!"

When Anthony heard about it, he was ready to defend my honor and send her packing back to the village.

However, Holly just sneered and jeered at him.

"Anthony, don't get too cocky. Watch out, or you might end up stuck on some godforsaken borderland, never to return. For all you know, you could die out there and not even get a proper burial."

In my previous life, I had heard tales about Anthony in the city.

Ashwood, on the frontier, was where he had met his tragic end. His body never recovered.

Anthony stared at Holly, seething with fury, shaking with the effort to hold back his words.

I had to pull him away, and for the first time, he exploded at me.

"Why are you taking her side instead of mine?!"

I was speechless, and there was a strange tension hanging in the air between us.

It was not the right time yet. I had to wait.

On the final day of the college entrance exams, I was a bundle of nerves, even more so than Holly.

If my memory served me right, that was also the day Anthony's transfer orders would come through.

Holly strutted into the exam hall, leaving me with her parting shot.

"Yasmine, you won't be able to strut around after today!"

Our parents sent her off with eyes brimming with hope, as if the family's luck was about to turn for the better in just a few hours.

My hands were clammy with nerves.

I spun around to find Anthony across the street, shouting my name. He was waving a manila envelope, the emblem on it catching my eye in a flash.

A sudden shock hit me.