Chapter 2
The Reason for Coming Back
“I don’t know who you really are. Just what kind of person are you?”
Larienne dreamed again. In the dream, Sir Verner smiled at her sadly, as if holding something back.
Even in her dream, she could feel the same frustration she felt when she was with him.
Why couldn’t he ever open up about himself? Why did he always hide so much? She regretted ever falling for him.
Sigh, that dream again… It was already unbelievable that she had come back to life.
But what was worse was that she still couldn’t get him out of her head. And yet—she had no choice now but to avoid him.
He was a dangerous man, the man who had once dragged her toward death.
Still, she couldn’t figure out why he had been caught up in such danger.
Was it revenge? Was there some hidden enemy? She couldn’t guess, and the not knowing made her head ache.
Enough. Stop thinking about him, Larienne.
As long as you don’t get involved with him again, you’ll be fine.
It should have been that simple. But she was still afraid that somehow she would cross paths with him again.
She wanted to see him and not see him all at once.
But first—her own situation needed solving. She didn’t have time to dwell on him.
Her forced engagement, her father’s reckless decisions, and even her own death—all of it weighed heavily on her chest.
Throwing off the blanket, Larienne made up her mind. She would go to work at the trading company earlier than planned.
She couldn’t just sit and tremble in fear. She checked the dates in her mind.
She had come back exactly one year before her death.
This is a blessing from God. A second chance!
She jumped to her feet and rushed to find her mother.
“Mother!”
The Countess of Hennessy was sitting in the parlor, quietly knitting, when Larienne called out.
“Father is trying to marry me off to the Marquis of Hannes as his second wife, isn’t he?”
The Countess’s eyes widened. It was true—she had only just learned of her husband’s secret dealings that very day.
How had Larienne found out?
“Larienne, don’t worry. I’ll stop it somehow. No matter how poor our family has become, I will never let my beautiful daughter be sent as a wife to that old Marquis.”
Her mother clenched her fists as if she had made up her mind. But Larienne only shook her head.
“No, Father won’t give up. I know everything, Mother. His reckless business ventures failed, and now there’s no way he can stand back up again.”
Larienne’s eyes turned cold. Coming back one year earlier meant she knew the future one year ahead.
That meant she had a chance. If she acted carefully, she could stop her death. But first—she had to stop this marriage.
“Mother, before Father comes home tomorrow, we need to pack our things and leave. I’ve thought of a way out. If we stay, something terrible will happen. We have to avoid meeting him at all costs.”
The Countess frowned, bewildered.
“Where would the two of us even go? Do you have somewhere in mind?”
She was clearly reluctant about running away.
“Mother, you won’t believe me, but we must avoid this time. Please, just trust me.”
Larienne’s eyes grew watery as she pleaded. When her mother didn’t move, she realized she had no choice. She would pack her things herself.
“I’ll take care of it. We can’t miss the train.”
Her destination was the capital, Iseriel.
That was where the Maen Trading Company was based—the only place she could find work and survive.
There, she would start untangling the mess of her future.
She had to survive first. Only then could she uncover the truth of why she had died, and why Sir Verner was tied to it all.
He was dangerous, yes. But if she wanted to escape death, she would eventually have to uncover his true identity.
To stop her forced marriage, Larienne even considered creating a fake fiancé.
That way, she could avoid being entangled with Sir Verner again. It would bring ugly rumors, but it was better than death.
I don’t need marriage. And I don’t need love either. If I want to survive, I have to erase all of that.
Her mother’s voice interrupted her thoughts.
“Larienne, the very idea of you marrying that old Marquis makes my skin crawl. Don’t worry. I’ll stop it. And if I can’t, then we’ll run away together.”
But Larienne shook her head firmly. She knew too well: if they waited until tomorrow, it would be too late.
‘Mother… tomorrow night, you’ll accidentally kill Father. And then you’ll be thrown in prison. If I tell you the truth about the future, will you even believe me?’
She hesitated, about to speak, when a servant hurried up the stairs.
“My lady, the Count has returned. Madam, he asks for you.”
Larienne froze. Tomorrow? But he wasn’t supposed to come back until tomorrow! Was the future already starting to change?
She bit her lip. If her father was home early, then the situation was shifting.
That meant she had to be even more careful. To prevent disaster, she had to keep her parents from clashing tonight.
She needed to run away while her father was gone on business tomorrow. Before leaving, she would write a letter to him—one that would force him to abandon the marriage plans.
“Mother, listen. When you meet Father, just agree with everything he says. Don’t argue. Leave the rest to me, please.”
Her mother blinked at her, surprised at how serious her daughter suddenly looked.
***
“Wife, things went better than I hoped with the Marquis of Hannes. He’s given me enough capital to start again. We’ll be back on our feet in no time. Isn’t that right, Larienne?”
Count Tarin puffed up with pride as he addressed his wife and daughter in the drawing room. His gaze on Larienne wasn’t filled with love—it was full of greed.
How many times had she heard words like these? Dozens. And every time, they ended in failure.
Even her mother’s dowry had been swallowed up by his schemes.
The Countess kept her promise to Larienne. She didn’t scold, didn’t argue, didn’t say a word.
She only listened. Larienne, meanwhile, fought to hold back her rising anger.
The Count rambled on, describing his business plans in detail, then slipped in what he truly wanted.
“And one more thing. To strengthen our ties with the Marquis, I want you to marry him, Larienne. He lost his wife not long ago. You’ll be the new Marchioness of Hannes! Imagine living in the capital.”
His eyes gleamed slyly. Larienne wanted to shout, but instead she kept her head bowed and nodded demurely.
‘You would even sell your own daughter? I won’t let it happen. I’ll stop you, Father. Whatever it takes.’
Her fury burned inside, though her face stayed calm.
The Countess stepped in gently.
“It’s already late tonight. Why don’t we discuss the rest tomorrow? Everything will work out.”
The Count paused, then smirked at his wife’s words. To him, it sounded like approval.
Larienne quietly asked about his plans.
“Father, will you be busy tomorrow?”
“Yes, I’ll be meeting another investor. I’ll have to travel through the capital and nearby towns. You just focus on preparing yourself to be a fine bride.”
The Countess quickly urged everyone to go rest. She gave Larienne a look, signaling her to retreat upstairs.
When her parents left the room, Larienne was finally alone. She let out a long breath.
Knowing the future should have been a blessing. But it felt heavy, like she was losing herself.
The timeline was already starting to shift. Could she really change fate?
Her mind returned to Sir Verner—his teary eyes as he swore to save her. Could she truly stay away from her first love?
Just thinking of him made her chest ache.
But she had to. If she wanted to live, she had to avoid him.
She stood, but the dizziness returned, and she swayed on her feet. Her heart filled with one desperate prayer: Please, let nothing happen tonight.
Tomorrow, she would take her dowry money, hide near the capital for a few days, then find work at the Maen Trading Company.
That money, untouched thanks to her mother, would help her escape.
It wasn’t much compared to other noblewomen’s dowries, but she didn’t care.
She wasn’t planning to marry anymore.
She would live by her own hands.
The reason I came back… it’s so I can change my fate.
