Chapter 2 — The Man Who Remembered

The grand ballroom of the Carter mansion glittered beneath crystal chandeliers.

Soft piano music floated through the air while wealthy guests laughed elegantly over champagne glasses and business deals.

But to Evelyn Carter, the entire night felt like a nightmare she had already lived once before.

Because she had.

Tonight was the night of her engagement party with Damien Blackwood.

The night she once believed marked the beginning of a fairytale.

In reality, it had been the beginning of her destruction.

Evelyn stood at the top of the staircase in a silver satin gown, her fingers tightening around the railing.

Below, the guests admired her beauty openly.

“She looks stunning.”

“They’re the perfect couple.”

“Mr. Blackwood must truly love her.”

Love?

The word almost made her laugh.

Taking a slow breath, Evelyn descended the staircase gracefully, hiding the storm inside her eyes.

Then she saw him.

Damien stood near the champagne table in a perfectly tailored black suit. Tall, calm, untouchable.

Just like before.

But the moment his gaze lifted toward her—

Evelyn froze.

Those eyes…

They weren’t the eyes of the young Damien she remembered from this point in time.

They were colder. Darker. Filled with something heavy and familiar.

Exactly like the Damien who had watched her die in court.

For several seconds, neither of them moved.

The noise of the ballroom seemed to disappear entirely.

Then Damien slowly picked up a wine glass.

“This wine,” he said quietly, “tastes exactly the same.”

Evelyn’s heartbeat stopped.

His voice remained calm.

“But this time, no one poisoned it.”

Shock crashed through her chest.

Her fingers trembled slightly around her clutch bag.

Impossible.

There was only one reason he would say that.

He remembered.

Damien tilted his head slightly, studying her pale expression carefully.

“Surprised, Evelyn?”

The air between them became suffocating.

Around them, the guests continued laughing, completely unaware of the war silently beginning.

Evelyn forced herself to stay calm.

Slowly, she walked toward him and picked up another wine glass from the table.

“You remember everything,” she said softly.

Damien didn’t deny it.

Instead, he gave a faint smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

“So do you.”

A bitter laugh escaped Evelyn’s lips.

“How interesting,” she murmured. “Fate must enjoy cruel jokes.”

She raised the glass slightly.

“In my previous life, you personally destroyed me.”

For the first time, Damien’s expression cracked slightly.

Guilt flickered across his face before disappearing again.

“I know.”

Evelyn stared at him coldly.

The memories returned sharply.

Him standing in court. Him refusing to meet her eyes. Him sentencing her to ruin with a single sentence.

Hatred twisted painfully inside her chest.

“This time,” she whispered, “I won’t trust anyone again.”

Damien stepped closer.

Close enough for her to smell his familiar cologne.

“You shouldn’t,” he replied quietly.

His answer startled her.

Before she could speak again, another voice interrupted them sweetly.

“Evelyn!”

Sophia Hayes approached with a bright smile, her white dress flowing elegantly behind her.

The sight of her nearly made Evelyn’s blood boil.

Sophia wrapped an arm around her affectionately.

“You disappeared the moment you arrived,” she teased. “And Damien keeps staring at you like he’s obsessed.”

Evelyn looked into Sophia’s innocent-looking eyes and felt only disgust.

This woman had betrayed her most cruelly in her previous life.

Yet tonight, she smiled as if nothing had happened.

Evelyn suddenly smiled back sweetly.

“Sophia,” she said gently, “tell me something.”

Sophia blinked innocently.

“What is it?”

Evelyn’s eyes darkened slightly.

“What kind of punishment do you think betrayers deserve?”

For the briefest moment—

Sophia’s smile stiffened.

Then she laughed awkwardly.

“You’re being dramatic again.”

Maybe.

But this time, Evelyn could finally see the fear hiding behind Sophia’s perfect mask.

And across the ballroom, Damien silently watched everything unfold.

As if waiting for the game to begin properly.

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