Lost Love, Gained Bliss

"It hurts…" Joanna Horton clutched her swollen belly in agony, a deep, wrenching pain twisting through her that words couldn't describe.

Terror filled her voice as she cried out, "It hurts so bad… Theo… please, save our baby…"

But outside, there was only silence—except for the soft, steady sounds of prayers and chanting from the next room.

That was where her monk husband, Theo Brook, was, praying for the soul of his long-dead first love.

Ever since Sharon Cooper jumped off that building, Theo had been grief-stricken. He left everything behind and became a monk, never missing a single night of chanting for her.

People said he had the heart of a saint, that he was devoted and had never stopped loving her.

But they didn't know that just on the other side of that wall was Joanna—his lawfully wedded wife, the one he had once married in a grand ceremony.

Joanna was burning up with fever, her eyes barely open, her face pale and tired.

A few days ago, she had made Theo angry. Since then, no matter how much she cried out in pain, he ignored her.

Another sharp wave of pain hit, and suddenly, a rush of blood spilled from between her legs.

The baby inside her stopped moving.

She knew then—her child was gone.

Joanna Horton's scream tore through the air, hoarse and desperate.

That raw cry of pain and grief finally caught Theo Brook's attention.

Moments later, the door creaked open, and Theo walked in. He looked down at her pained expression and smirked with a mix of mockery and disgust.

He marched over, grabbed her wrist roughly, and snapped, "Cut the act. Don't you ever think you'll soften me with this stunt. I'm telling you, it won't work."

Joanna glared up at him, anger boiling in her chest. Her fury rose so quickly that she coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Her eyes rolled back, and she fainted on the spot.

Theo stood frozen. That was when he finally noticed the large, spreading pool of bright red beneath her.

The disgust in his eyes shifted into pure panic.

He pulled her into his arms and shouted, "Call an ambulance! Someone, hurry!"

As Joanna was being carried out on the stretcher, the rosary bracelet Theo always wore suddenly snapped.

The beads scattered across the floor, glinting eerily under the moonlight.

Joanna's eyes fluttered open, as if she could sense that her end was near. With the last of her strength, she grabbed Theo by the collar.

"I regret ever loving you," she said through gritted teeth, her voice filled with hate. "I hope you suffer for all eternity… I hate you… I… hate you…"

Her furious cry echoed through the whole monastery.

Then silence fell.

-

Joanna jolted awake, soaked in sweat, her whole body shaking.

She looked up and saw a man standing by the floor-to-ceiling window.

Sunlight poured into the room, shining on his tailored suit. He stood tall and elegant, his back to her.

It was Theo.

Her heart sank.

She looked around the room, and as the memories returned, she slowly realized that she had been reborn.

Today was her wedding day, and she was in the bridal makeup room.

She had dozed off for a bit, probably because Theo had worn her out the night before.

She just wanted a short nap before the ceremony.

But when she woke up, she had gone through a tragic past life.

Moving slowly to the vanity, she stared at her reflection in the mirror.

Her skin looked soft and flawless, her eyes clear and bright like jewels.

She looked nothing like the broken woman from her past life with thin cheeks, hollow eyes, and no light left in her.

Joanna touched her face gently, barely believing what she was seeing.

Behind her, Theo's annoyed voice rang out. "Tell Sharon that if she wants to kill herself, then go ahead. Just don't mess up my wedding!"

Joanna's heart clenched hard.

Why, of all times, did she have to come back to this day? Why not to the time before she even met him?

In her last life, on this exact day, Theo's childhood sweetheart, Sharon Cooper, had threatened to jump off a building.

He acted like he didn't care and went through with the wedding anyway.

But Sharon jumped. Her blood stained the white roses meant for their ceremony.

From that moment on, Theo lost it.

Saying he was atoning for his sins, he became a monk and moved into the Stoneveil Monastery.

He gave up meat, prayed day and night, and donated almost half his fortune within six months.

People said he was a saint and called his love for Sharon the love story of the century.

But to everyone else, Joanna was the villain, the homewrecker who destroyed their love.

People online cursed her every day. But no one knew the truth.

She was the one Theo had pursued relentlessly for three years. She was the one he had proposed to and married in a grand wedding.

She was his wife.

But even Theo forgot. He blamed Sharon's death on Joanna and locked her up.

He made her copy scriptures, day after day, and forced her to beg for forgiveness in front of Sharon's grave.

She still remembered the way his face twisted when she asked for a divorce.

"We're both guilty," he said. "Neither of us deserves happiness. So don't even think about leaving. You'll spend your whole life repenting."

Until the day she died, Joanna never understood what her crime was.

Back at the bridal makeup room, Theo slowly turned around.

Their eyes met, snapping Joanna out of her painful memories.

This time, she wasn't going to repeat the same tragic path.

Since Theo loved his childhood sweetheart so much, she'd make sure he got exactly what he wanted.