Villains Aren't Stepping Stones! - Chapter 28: Legacy

It’s been 11 years since I’ve lived for others and not for me.

The moment I cried out wanting to get away from my exhausting life, I opened my eyes in the body of some Count’s 20-year-old daughter.

Since this happened, I decided to live my life freely as a single woman.

But…

“I need a lady to act as my fake wife for a certain period of time.”

“A contract marriage?”

“The term is one year. When the time is up, I’ll give you divorce with no strings attached.”

The Duke of the Empire whom I had happened to meet at a ball was hitting on me.

Turns out he’s no other than the Emperor’s beloved brother, Duke Scade!

Hold on, it’s just going to end in a clean divorce with no strings attached?

“You should also give me alimony. Give me one of the best lands of the Ducal household with 10 years’ worth of profit.”

“…..What?”

“If you don’t want to do that, then we cannot get married.”

This time I’m going to live a life taking care of the things I need first!

***

“I’ll escort you since it’s late.”

Where to? My bedroom is just around the corner.

“Tonight, I’ll do my best.”

No, I don’t need you to do that.

“Did you just look at that man?”

Excuse me, Duke, you said it’s for a limited time only, so why do you keep obsessing over me?

Victoria Monroe worked hard for three years during their hidden marriage to get pregnant, and she finally was, only to discover that he had a child with someone else.She proposed a divorce but was refused, and when she attempted to return to work, she found numerous obstacles.It turned out that this marriage was something he had planned for a long time, using the bond of marriage to cage her, clipping her wings and imprisoning her by his side.Sickly and obsessive, he whispered in her ear, “Victoria, no one else in this world loves you more than I do, don't even think about escaping!”But he was unaware that his beloved wife was already pregnant with his child.On a stormy night, as he rushed towards the child in the mistress's womb, blood soaked beneath Victoria Monroe.Eighteen years of affection were buried here, and she was utterly disheartened, leaving decisively.Later, at the engagement banquet of The Portoros Circle's Crown Prince, he finally found his little rose.Victoria Monroe, dressed in a magnificent gown, stunning beyond compare, was hailed as the Portoros Circle's Crown Prince, who knelt on one knee, reverently and restrainedly kissing the back of her hand.The always noble President Fordham was red-eyed and went mad...

Has my life been for nothing?I asked myself that question as I fell into the eternal embrace of death, having tumultuous waves of regret washing over me. But, in a strange twist of fate, I found myself awake once more in the body of my fifteen-year-old self.What kind of sorcery is this?The existence of the Leviathans and their mystical powers is all shrouded in mystery.But none of it matters to me.What matters now is that I can finally pursue the dreams and aspirations that I set aside in my past life. This time, I will ensure to live true to myself, without restraints or regrets.I will be free.Tags: Regression. Fantasy. Action. Adventure. SliceOfLife. Mystery. Time travel. NoHarem. WeaktoStrong. Antihero. Academy.

“Let me tell you something honey, Revenge is the best dish served cold.’’****To her, betrayal was the most excruciating pain in the world—the kind that pierced her soul.The people she had loved with her entire heart had not only failed her, but ruthlessly deceived her.“How could you?” she had once cried, her voice shaking as she stared at the man she had chased like a madwoman. But he had already cheated on her—expecting a child with the very woman she despised with every fiber of her being.Her so-called “family ” was no better. The relatives she thought she could trust? They only wanted the inheritance meant for her and her little brother.The people who once smiled sweetly and flattered her? They were nowhere to be found when her glamorous and envious life crumbled to nothing.“I thought you all cared about me...” she whispered bitterly, watching as one by one, they all turned their backs on her when she needed them the most.In that devastating moment, everything became painfully clear. The bubble she had lived in popped and she finally saw their true faces.But....it was too late.Everything she had was gone, slipping through her fingers like sand in the wind.Except for him.Her former fiancé, the one man she had tried to ruin with every scheme she had planned, remained by her side until the end. He stood by her, even as she took her final breath.She had accepted her tragic fate—until something phenomenal happened. She woke up once again.Back to the past.Where nothing had happened yet.