The Stranger Who Claimed Me Husband Chapter 1

On what was supposed to be the happiest day of my life, my fiancé and I went to get our marriage license. But a strange man suddenly appeared, pointed at me, and shouted, “Honey, I finally found you!”

Two children at his side burst into tears and rushed toward me, crying in unison, “Mommy! Mommy!”

I had no idea who they were.

But my fiancé, without a moment’s hesitation, turned on me, his words like venom. His accusations quickly turned to violence. The strange man, fueled by his own rage, joined in, striking me until I collapsed.

Even as I drew my last breath, I couldn't understand. How could I have two children with a man I'd never met? And why had my fiancé, who had always loved me more than life itself, turned on me so suddenly?

When I opened my eyes again, I was back. It was the day before we were supposed to get our license.

* * *

“Babe, I can’t wait for tomorrow! Once we get that license, you’ll officially be my wife. Get some sleep tonight, okay? Love you.”

The sound of Richard’s voice confirmed it—I had been reborn. But before I could even respond, he’d already hung up.

In my past life, Richard had always been a perfect gentleman. Before we were engaged, the most intimate he’d ever been was a soft kiss on the cheek. He’d treated me like a precious treasure, showering me with affection and care.

But on the day we went to get our license, when that stranger accused me, he hadn't even listened to my explanation. He’d just started screaming, his fists flying. The terror of my own death had overshadowed the disappointment, but now, the most important thing was to cancel our appointment for tomorrow.

I found my parents in the living room, cuddled together watching a movie.

“Mom, Dad,” I began.

They looked up, surprised. “Ella, honey, why are you still up?”

“Did we wake you?”

They exchanged a confused glance.

I took a deep breath. “Mom, Dad, I’m not getting the license with Richard tomorrow. I’m not going to marry him.”

“What?!”

“What?! I won’t allow it!”

My mom’s reaction was… odd. She had always been against my marriage to Richard. She thought he was irresponsible, immature, and broke. The only reason she’d consented was because I’d threatened to do something drastic. So why the sudden change of heart? Was it because she thought I was treating marriage like a joke?

My dad put a comforting arm around her shoulder and turned to me. “Ella, did Richard do something to upset you? Why the sudden change of heart? You know all our friends and family know you’re getting married. The wedding is in two weeks. Everything’s been booked. You can’t just call it off.”

“We’ve spoiled you, that’s the problem,” he continued, his voice hardening. “Letting you think marriage is some kind of game!”

My voice was steady and firm. “Richard cheated on me. He slept with another woman.”

In my past life, I’d waited at the courthouse for two hours before he finally showed up, looking like he’d just rolled out of bed, his clothes a mess, a hickey on his neck he hadn’t even bothered to hide.

My mom just frowned, her tone dismissive. “You said he loves you. A man who loves you that much wouldn't do something like that. You must be mistaken.”

I stared at her, a flicker of confusion in my eyes. The old Mom would have been dragging me to Richard’s place to confront him, to defend my honor. But now, she just gave me a cold, detached look, as if I were a stranger, not the daughter she had cherished her whole life.

“Well, I’m not marrying him,” I said, my voice resolute. “And I’m not going to the courthouse tomorrow. You can deal with it.”

My parents had handled all the wedding arrangements. Richard’s parents had passed away when he was young, and his older brother, who had raised him, had died recently. Now, his only living relative was his sister-in-law.

“You can’t just not marry him!” my mother shrieked. “What about our reputation? What will people say?”

Her words triggered a flash of memory from my past life. After the stranger had accused me, and everyone was pointing and whispering, my mother had screamed at me, “You’ve brought such shame on this family! How could you be so shameless?”

At the time, I had been so focused on defending myself, on trying to explain things to Richard, that I had completely missed how strange my parents were acting.

My dad, seeing the confusion in my eyes, quickly tried to placate my mother. I shot them a suspicious glance but said nothing. I just turned and went back to my room.

A second chance at life. Nothing was more important than that. And this time, I wouldn't let that man destroy me.