Once His Bride, Reborn to Be His Punishment

The Emerson family had two child brides. One was me. The other was Eliza Quinn.

On Hunter Emerson’s twenty-fifth birthday, Eliza died in a car accident. Just like that, I became the daughter-in-law of the Emerson family.

After our marriage, Hunter and I lived with mutual respect, a quiet harmony growing between us. I loved him. I loved the family. I gave them everything I had.

I truly believed the rest of my life would pass in peaceful fulfillment, surrounded by love and warmth.

But I never imagined that in my final years, Hunter would look me in the eye and say he wanted Eliza’s ashes moved into the Emerson family’s ancestral tomb, to take my place.

I was stunned.

I cried. I screamed. I cursed him with every breath I had left.

But Hunter remained unmoved.

To break my spirit, he coldly told me he had already written a will. After his death, I would be left with absolutely nothing.

When I learned that all three of our sons, and even the grandchildren, stood firmly by his side, a fury so deep exploded within me that I spat blood on the spot and died in front of him, wretched and heartbroken.

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back on the day the Emerson family was choosing a bride.

Weston Emerson stood at the head of the grand hall, his expression solemn and unreadable.

"Hunter, you’re not young anymore. It’s time to decide."

"Tell us, who do you want as your wife?"

Sloane Emerson offered a gentle smile. "I suppose our son will choose Maya. He’s been clinging to her since he was a boy."

In both beauty and wit, I had always outshone Eliza. Everyone in the family knew I was the obvious choice, the daughter-in-law in all but name.

But in this life, Hunter’s eyes met mine with a piercing chill. His gaze was filled with hatred, thick and unforgiving.

At that moment, I understood he had been reborn, too.

So be it if Eliza meant that much to him, I would grant his wish.

——

I rose slowly, my voice steady as I said, "Uncle Weston."

"Maya knows she lacks the grace and brilliance to be worthy of Hunter."

"And so, I respectfully withdraw."

Hunter’s eyes widened in disbelief, clearly unprepared for my surrender.

A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes, but it vanished just as quickly, replaced by cold indifference.

He said nothing, just turned, and left the hall in haste.

But I knew exactly where he was headed. At this moment in time, Eliza hadn’t yet gotten into that car. The accident hadn’t happened. Everything was still in place.

I stood motionless, a bitter smile curling at the corners of my lips.

Decades of marriage in my past life had crumbled into nothing more than a beautiful lie.

"Maya, what did you just say?"

Weston’s voice echoed from the head of the hall, laced with disbelief.

I looked up, meeting his eyes.

This man, who once treated me like his own, now stared at me with confusion written across his face.

I drew in a breath, the sound steady and unfamiliar to even myself.

"Uncle Weston, since Hunter's heart belongs to someone else, I withdraw from the bride selection."

Weston and Sloane exchanged glances.

But recalling the way their son had turned and walked away without hesitation, neither could find the words to comfort me.

I returned to my room in silence and began packing quietly, readying myself to leave without a sound.

The next morning, when I opened my social media apps, my feed was flooded with news about Hunter and Eliza.

In the featured photo, Eliza nestled sweetly in Hunter’s arms, her smile bright and dazzling like a spring sunrise.

He held her tightly by the waist, his eyes soft and overflowing with affection.

Without changing my expression, I swiped the notifications away, one after another.

By midday, noise erupted downstairs.

I stood at the window, watching Hunter lead Eliza into the mansion with confidence, his arm wrapped intimately around hers as if they already owned the place.

Moments later, heated voices erupted from the study.

Hunter’s voice rang out sharp and impatient. “Dad! I already told you, I chose Eliza!”

“Why is Maya still the chief designer?”

Weston’s voice followed, calm and measured.

“Hunter, Maya has always led the jewelry department. Removing her now would rattle the board and crash the stock price.”