A Moment of Difference

After five years of wedded life, my health took a turn for the worse, eventually confining me to my bed.

As I lay there, on the brink of death, I saw my husband, John Black, who was often lauded for his devotion and love for his wife. He was barely able to contain his eagerness for me to pass, taking out his phone to speak to someone on the other end, "Sherry, our plan has come to fruition. After six long years, that wretched woman is finally gone. Once the formalities are settled, I'll inherit her estate. Then, our family of three can be reunited!"

Sherry? She was my best friend since childhood, whom I've known for over a decade!

He was so engrossed in his excitement that he didn't notice me closing my eyes in a mix of hatred and despair.

The next time I awoke, I found myself in the room I lived in before my marriage.

A knock on the door preceded Frank, my grandfather, entering. In my previous life, he had passed away from illness two years after my wedding.

Frank looked vibrant and healthy, sitting by my bedside to tenderly remind me to rest early, for tomorrow would be a busy day. He also advised me to be less willful and cautious in my future life after the wedding.

This scene was eerily familiar.

I reached for my phone to check the date. As I expected, it was the day before my marriage to John.

In my past life, I had been joyously preparing for my wedding the next day. The groom, whom I had loved since college, and the bridesmaid, my childhood friend, filled me with anticipation for the life ahead.

After reassuring Frank and sending him off to rest, I returned to my room to ponder my current predicament.

From what I had overheard before my demise, John and Sherry had been in a relationship even before my marriage with John, and they even had a child together. My illness and eventual death were all meticulously designed by them solely to inherit my family's wealth. And why did Frank remind me of these words? He had always been against my marriage to John. Could it be that he had seen through them all along?

Since fate had granted me a second chance, I must seize it and make that evil couple taste the bitterness I had endured.

The following morning, I rose punctually and headed to the hotel to get ready. After changing, the makeup artist presented me with a jewelry box.

"Ms. Lawson, you're so fortunate. Your future husband is not only handsome but also thoughtful. He asked me to help you wear this necklace!"

I took the box and opened it. There it was, the necklace with diamonds so minute they were almost invisible. John had given it to me on our first anniversary, claiming he had saved up from working part-time for half a year. I was deeply moved, believing it to be the most meaningful gift. On my wedding day, as I toasted with this necklace on, its clasp broke, dropping into my wine glass. In my haste to retrieve it, the necklace lost its luster. That incident became a source of ridicule among my circle. Instead of wearing the ancestral emerald or ruby necklace, the eldest daughter of the Lawson family insisted on a necklace that faded.

I closed the jewelry box without a word and tossed it aside. Sherry happened to enter at that moment.

"Oh, what's on the ground?" She picked up the box and opened it.

"Cynthia, isn't this the symbol of your love with Johnny? Why did you just leave it here?"

Johnny? How did I not notice it before? With that endearment and tone, anyone unaware would think John was Sherry's husband.

I stared at the makeup artist in the mirror and ignored Sherry.

"Bring me the red box from the second drawer on the right. The ruby necklace is more fitting for today."

Sherry came up behind me, placing her hands on my shoulders. Her eyes glinted as she looked at the necklace around my neck.

"Cynthia, you're the star of the day. Won't the ruby necklace overshadow you? Besides, the necklace Johnny sent you is more meaningful."