Returning to Say No Chapter 1

On the way home for the holidays, my husband, Joshua, and I were in an accident.

When I opened my eyes again, we were back in college, before we’d even started dating.

In my last life, we were married for seven years. Our home was a place of quiet respect, but never warmth. He wouldn’t even give me a child. It was only later that I found out his heart had always belonged to someone else—his first love, his old flame.

After being reborn, I decided to set him free.

We silently deleted each other from our contacts, kept our distance, and chose different lives.

Seven years later, he was a top trader on Wall Street. At our college reunion, he and his girlfriend, Isabella, officially announced their engagement.

Seeing me still single, he couldn’t resist a smug taunt.

“Sienna,” he said, a smirk playing on his lips. “I know I was the best man you ever had in both lifetimes, but you don’t have to stay single forever waiting for me.”

I ignored him and reached for my son’s hand.

The color drained from Joshua’s face. His eyes, suddenly bloodshot, locked onto me.

“You said you’d love me for a lifetime,” he hissed. “That you’d only ever have children with me.”

…

We met again at the Northwood High reunion, seven years after we’d both been given a second chance. I’d just come from a marathon session of back-to-back surgeries and was too exhausted to change, so I walked straight into the ballroom in my scrubs.

Joshua was the center of attention, his arm wrapped around Isabella’s waist as he soaked in the praise.

“Joshua, you’re incredible! Just a few years on Wall Street and you’re already one of the top rising traders. You’re the pride of Northwood High!”

“No kidding! I heard the big shots in New York pay just to have dinner with him. The consultation fee alone was in the six figures—that’s more than most of us make in a year!”

“Hey, Joshua, I’ve been dabbling in stocks. How about you give an old classmate some inside info? Help a brother out!”

Then, a curious voice cut through the noise. “So, Joshua, are you and Isabella getting engaged soon?”

Joshua’s gaze softened as he looked down at her. “We are. December 20th.”

A fresh wave of congratulations erupted.

An old friend chimed in, “Joshua, do you ever talk to Sienna anymore? You two were so intense back in the day. I heard you wrote your first song just for her!”

At the mention of my name, I saw Joshua’s smile tighten, his eyes darkening for a fraction of a second.

Isabella, however, just laughed it off, a picture of grace.

“Oh, you,” she said, her voice light and charming. “Joshua and I are getting married. You know how it is. High school hobbies don’t last, and neither do high school romances. He moved on from Sienna ages ago!”

The crowd chuckled, turning their attention back to what a perfect couple they made.

But I knew the truth. He wrote that song for me the night he confessed his love. We were a classic campus romance, love at first sight. He’d looked at me with such sincerity and said, “Sienna, look into my eyes. I love you. The eyes don’t lie.”

And I believed him.

But in our last life, his eyes had lied.

I walked into the ballroom, my expression calm. A classmate with sharp eyes spotted me.

“Sienna! You finally made it!”

“What are you wearing? You couldn’t change into something more formal?”

“Don’t tell me you just got off work. Where are you slaving away? There are successful people here, you know. They could hook you up with an easier job!”

A few people snickered at my casual attire. I paid them no mind, offering a polite, distant smile.

From the moment I entered, Joshua’s eyes were fixed on me.

“Long time no see,” I said, my voice even.

He seemed taken aback for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then, a mocking smile spread across his face. “Sienna. After all these years, you haven’t changed a bit. Still no ambition.”

Isabella’s gaze was venomous. She deliberately tightened her grip on Joshua’s arm, leaning into him as if staking her claim.

“Joshua, don’t say that!” she purred, her tone dripping with false sweetness. “She might be having a rough time, but we shouldn’t rub it in. Life’s already hard enough for Sienna.”

She looked me up and down, her lips curling in a sneer.

“But really, Sienna, what is that outfit? It’s… a choice. You’re not getting any younger. A woman has to take care of herself, or how will you ever get married? What man wants a woman who looks like she’s given up?”

“Do you want me to lend you some makeup?”