Chapter 1

Selene's POV

"Selene, they should be back soon."

Jessa Greer-Morrison sat on the sofa in the manor's front hall, anxiously watching the entrance.

It had been three days since news of the yacht explosion in the Gulf of Mexico reached us, and we'd been waiting here ever since. Waiting for word from the rescue team, waiting for a miracle, waiting for our husbands to return safely.

I sat on another sofa, hands clasped tightly, appearing just as anxious and distressed as Jessa on the surface. But deep down, I knew exactly what was about to happen.

"You think they'll be okay, right?" Jessa turned to look at me, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Of course they'll be okay," I comforted her. "Alexander and Adrian are both excellent swimmers. They'll definitely make it back safely."

Just then, the door lock clicked, and we both shot to our feet.

Alexander appeared at the entrance, covered in bandages, cradling a white urn in his hands, his face etched with grief.

"Alexander!"

"Adrian!"

Jessa and I called out our husbands' names almost simultaneously, rushing toward the door.

"Thank God you're alive!" I reached him first, moving to embrace him.

But Alexander stepped back, the urn trembling slightly in his hands. "Selene... Jessa... I've brought Alexander home."

"Alexander?" I stopped in my tracks, my face instantly draining of color. "You mean..."

"The explosion..." his voice choked up, "took Alexander away..."

"IMPOSSIBLE!" I screamed. "What are you talking about? You ARE Alexander! You're my husband!"

"Selene, I'm sorry. I... I'm Adrian."

I lunged at him, gripping his shirt collar with both hands, shaking him violently. "How could you possibly be Adrian? How could I mistake my own husband?"

As I pulled and tugged at him, Alexander's shirt collar tore open slightly, and I caught a clear glimpse of thick bandages wrapped around his right arm.

Right there. In my past life, I had discovered these bandages the same way, but back then I thought it was just an ordinary injury. Now I know what's hidden underneath—the dragon tattoo, the identifying mark that only Alexander possessed.

"What happened to your arm?" I deliberately questioned loudly. "Why is it wrapped in such thick bandages?"

Alexander's pupils contracted as he instinctively covered the area with his other hand. "I was injured in the explosion... severe burns."

"Burns?" I let out a cold laugh. "Then why is your face completely unharmed? Why is only your arm injured?"

"Selene, what are you doing?" He tried to break free from my grip.

"I need to verify something!" I stared intently into his eyes. "Alexander has a dragon tattoo on the inside of his right arm. I want to see who you really are!"

Alexander's face changed as he quickly used his left hand to shield his right arm. "Don't touch it! It's... badly injured!"

"Selene, calm down!" Jessa suddenly intervened, walking toward us. "Can't you see? He's seriously hurt. Questioning him like this is too cruel!"

"I'M cruel?" I turned to Jessa, angry tears welling in my eyes. "He just told me my husband is DEAD, that he's Adrian, and you think I should react HOW exactly?"

"But..."

"I AM Adrian." Alexander suddenly spoke up. "I know this is hard to accept, but I have proof."

"What proof?" I challenged.

Alexander took a deep breath and began unbuttoning his shirt. "You both know that Adrian has a heart-shaped birthmark on his left shoulder, while Alexander doesn't."

As the buttons came undone, he exposed the skin of his left shoulder. Sure enough, there was a faint heart-shaped mark.

What clever "evidence." In my past life, I was convinced by this very birthmark. But now I know that modern tattoo techniques can easily create such temporary markings.

"Do you see?" Alexander said softly. "I really am Adrian."

Jessa approached him, studying the birthmark carefully, then suddenly covered her face and began to cry. "Adrian... is it really you?"

"It's me, Jessa." Alexander looked at her with gentle eyes. "I'm back."

"No..." I stumbled backward, my voice beginning to tremble as I deliberately made myself appear on the verge of collapse. "This can't be possible... Alexander can't just be... DEAD..."

"Selene, I know it's hard to accept." Alexander rebuttoned his shirt and walked toward me step by step. "But that's the truth. I'm sorry... Alexander, in his final moments, he made me promise to take care of you."

"Take care of me?" I looked at him, then suddenly collapsed to the floor, breaking into loud sobs. "Alexander... my Alexander... how could you leave me... how could you..."