3. Second Life

This was not a dream. It was really the beginning of my second life. I was given a second chance. How did this happen? I cried on my fortieth birthday and now I am seventeen again.

Everything was the same. Bella’s nagging, and the people in the castle who are busy welcoming guests. In June, three months before my seventeenth birthday, three men came to Riverrun Island again as scheduled.

Julien Renal.

Phil Rosemond.

My ex-husband, Antoine Guell. I gritted my teeth just thinking about him.

The Duke of Renal peeled a peach as affectionately as he did in his first life and then ignored me. He’s still handsome and I’m still unlucky.

The Count of Rosemond is still the same. With all kinds of gold and silver treasures; emerald, ruby, lapis lazuli, obsidian, and shining jewels that captivate the human eye.

The disgusting Antoine Güell is still the same too. Now that I look at him again, everything that used to look good looks different.

The haggard face, the lazy look, the long limbs, the lazy movements, the childish poems, the smell of poverty, and pretending to be friendly. I know that bastard too well.

“I have nothing but a rose for you, but if you accept this flower, I will make you happy for the rest of your life.”

“If you have nothing, you wouldn’t have had the money to travel to Riverrun Island. You don’t even show sincerity to prepare a bunch of roses and you will make me happy? If you propose to me while just picking flowers next to you, do you think I will accept it?”

“Leah, that’s……”

“Why should I marry someone like you?”

“I, Antoine Güell, will make you happy for the rest of your life.”

“With what? What are you going to do to make me happy?”

“That’s, um, I will always be kind to you—”

“You know what, Antoine? It’s all about money. I have more money than you. You are beautiful, but I am more beautiful. Why should I marry someone like you?”

Antoine hesitated with a bewildered face. I have lived with him for 23 years, and I have seen his true nature.

I wanted to tell him that the poetry he reads under my window every night was really childish, but if I did that, he would cry like a child on the spot and yell at me again to apologize, so I kept quiet. I don’t want to see that kind of thing anymore in this life.

However, at the age of seventeen this time, I turned down Antoine who proposed to me. Of course, that can’t compensate for the hardships I have been living with him for 23 years. Still, it was like pretty big revenge to me. Just looking at his distorted face made me feel a little more at ease.

“If you marry me, all the jewels I have are yours. Will you give me the honor to live with a woman who shines brighter than jewels?”

The Count of Rosemond also proposed to me with the same lines as in his first life.

Pink diamonds glistened in the summer sun. What does this mysterious and dazzling light mean?

It’s money.

Money!

In my first life, I really didn’t know anything. At that time, I liked Antoine’s simple flower more. What happened to me?

Life depends on money.

Money makes happiness.

Kindness comes from money.

“What is good for me if I marry you?”

“I will make you happy forever.”

“Everyone promises happiness. How are you going to make me happy?”

“I have enough money to hire people to feed and clothe you for the rest of your life, even if you just lie down and do nothing.”

“I don’t want to just lie down and do nothing. And I still have people to feed and clothe me.”

“I am not interested in the dowry from Riverrun. I only want to get you, I will buy you anything you want. I will always find beautiful jewels for you. I will always value your beauty more than any jewel. I know that some women are more beautiful than jewels.”

He was still looking at me with hazy eyes, but his heart seemed sincere. Best of all, if I marry the Count of Rosemond, as he said, I will have no hard time.

I know once I’ve lived my life that money is everything. The saying is also true; if you have money, you win. If you have plenty of money, your mind will be at peace, so you can naturally become kind.

The Count of Rosemond could be as trashy as Antoine. Like Antoine, he may be nice at first and then change. But I don’t love him anyway, so I won’t be offended if he’s not friendly to me.

Above all else, he has enormous wealth. There are also incredibly beautiful jewels. Even if I cry, I will cry among the piles of jewels. Even if we fight, he might fight by throwing emeralds and release his anger by tearing the finest velvet.

“Okay. I will accept your proposal.”

In my second life, I married the Count of Rosemond.