The Cursed and the Curse-Breaker

Eloise's POV

In my past life, after my sister’s suicide, I tried to tell my parents the truth about her secret. But they refused to listen. They even called me cruel and heartless, and cut all ties with me.

I tried to tell Tristan, too. But instead of listening, he tied me to a helicopter and let me fall to my death. I was nothing more than a splatter of blood and bones by the time I hit the ground.

It wasn’t until my last breath that I realized the truth. He and my sister had been together all along. She didn’t kill herself because I “stole” her love. She took her life because she discovered the secret hidden in her own body, and it terrified her.

The memory of it sent a chill down my spine. I could still feel the pain of crashing from that great height, waves of it rushing back like a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from.

But this time, I was not going to play the hero. I would just let them destroy each other.

“Don’t worry, Tristan,” I said, steady and calm. “You’re not the one I want to marry, anyway.”

I gave him a long look, then turned to everyone else with a polite nod. “I’ll be leaving now.”

As I walked away, I heard my parents trying to smooth things over with the Clark family. “Our eldest daughter has always been a bit strange. Not easy on the eyes, either. Please forgive her…”

A dull ache settled in my chest.

Since we were kids, they had always favored my sister, just because she was born a few seconds after me. Every time, I had to give in to her, step aside for her, and let her shine.

When I discovered her secret and tried to tell Mom, she snapped at me, accusing me of being jealous. Dad pinned all his hopes on my sister, his beautiful, obedient daughter who, he believed, could marry into high society and elevate our family.

They never really cared about me. And now? I was done caring about them too.

I took out my phone and opened a text from three days ago.

“I’ll marry you,” I replied. “But I have one condition.”

That same night, as if afraid I’d ruin his plans, Tristan had people leak the news that he was going to marry the second daughter of our family. The wedding was set for one week later on his 25th birthday.

Coincidentally, that was the same day I planned to get married, too.

Over the next two days, the man I agreed to marry sent people every day to escort me to wedding dress fittings and banquet tastings.

I was exhausted and tempted to just give up, but he was serious.

“You saved my life,” he said, “and you’re the only woman I’ll ever marry. So the wedding has to be grand. I won’t let you settle for anything less.”

His deep, sincere gaze made my heart skip for a moment.

In my last life, he had approached me, too. But I had already promised myself to Tristan, so I rejected him, cold and firm.

Later, I heard he took his own life.

The guilt stayed with me for a long time. But back then, I only cared about saving my sister and my parents from the wrath of the Clarks. I was willing to sacrifice everything for them back then.

But not this time.

This time, I was putting myself first. I would save the people I wanted to save. I would live the life I wanted to live.

Three days before the wedding, he told me he was flying overseas to pick out a diamond worthy of me.

“Eloise,” he said, gently holding my hand, “I’ll have someone pick you up tomorrow. You’ll love the wedding dress this time. I promise.”

Then he got in the car and headed to the airport.

The next day, I saw the dress, and it was breathtaking.

The boutique owner told me he’d rushed over a hundred designers to complete it in time. He even named it after me.

The moment I slipped into it, the entire room seemed to light up. Even my usually dull features looked striking in the mirror.

Then I heard a voice I knew all too well.

“Tristan, I love that dress she’s wearing!”

As I turned around, I locked eyes with Tristan.

For a split second, I saw surprise flash in his eyes. But it quickly twisted into a sneer.

“Eloise?” he scoffed. “What are you doing here? Did you find out we were coming to try on dresses and show up just to ruin our day?”

Bianca threw herself into our mother’s arms and pouted. “Mom, do you think she’s upset because we didn’t invite her?”

My parents turned on me immediately.

“You little brat!” my mother snapped. “So this is where you’ve been hiding. You're trying to upset your sister on purpose?”

“Take that dress off and get out of here! What, are you that desperate to get married? You’re a disgrace to our entire family!” my father venomously spat.