"Mom, would this work?" After the initial excitement, Isabella asked. She heard that despite the curse, there were still a few greedy families that wanted to marry their daughters to Kevin. After all, after the deaths of his former wives, their families were duly compensated with wealth, but he had rejected them all.
Some said that after three deaths, he was too kind-hearted and did not want another innocent person to die, but kind and Kevin Goodman could not be mentioned in the same sentence.
His mother had died when he was just ten years old. His father married another woman within six months. Usually, it was the stepmother who mistreated the child, but in Kevin's case, it was different.
The ten-year-old Kevin was filled with schemes. It was rumored that he caused his stepmother two miscarriages after she married in. And now only the illegitimate child she brought into the marriage was still alive, but he was led astray and was good for nothing; this was also to Kevin's credit.
By eighteen, Kevin had already joined the family business and found a way to push his father out of the company's board. Now, the right to inherit the business would skip his father's generation and fall straight to him. Even his two uncles who dared to oppose him were not having a good time.
He was ruthless in the business world and always found a loophole within every law to get away with a crime. So even without a curse, he had many enemies who would want his wife dead. After all, he already wielded so much power; if he managed to inherit his grandfather's power, he would become untouchable.
Now, after a car crash, he suddenly wanted her to marry him. What if he took a liking to her, or he just wanted her dead for her actions? Everyone knew Kevin was not easy to talk to; there was something strange about his proposal.
The whole family quieted down. Indeed, Kevin was not easy to fool.
"Don't worry, as long as no one says anything, how would he know? I already changed all the information in the hospital to Loretta. As long as he does not investigate closely, he will never find out," Mrs. Gladstone said. If not that she feared being discovered, she would never have asked for Loretta's permission—just drug her and marry her off. But if Kevin ever found out he was fooled, their family would be in trouble. As long as Loretta was willing to take Isabella's place, no investigation would be needed and everything should go smoothly. More importantly, since she was going to die, there would not be enough time to carry out an investigation.
"Oh... Mom, you love me so much," Isabella said, throwing herself into her mother's arms. Mr. Gladstone looked at the mother and daughter and felt proud of the wife he had chosen.
...
Two days later.
Loretta stood by the window of her small apartment when she heard a knock on the door.
She frowned slightly.
She had not ordered anything.
Still, she walked over and looked through the peephole.
A delivery man.
She already knew.
Loretta opened the door and received the envelope.
"Sign here," the man said.
She signed without asking questions.
Then closed the door.
She walked back to the window, the envelope still in her hand.
For a long moment, she did not open it.
She already knew what it contained.
Still, her fingers tightened slightly before she finally tore it open.
Inside were neatly arranged papers.
A family severance letter.
The words flowed into her eyes.
Cold.
Formal.
Final.
From this moment on, she had no ties to the Gladstone family.
No rights.
No obligations.
No place.
Her name sat at the bottom of the page.
Beside it—
Her mother's signature.
And Mr. Gladstone's.
Loretta stared at it quietly.
Then slowly, she let out a small breath.
She placed a hand on her chest.
Nothing.
No anger.
No pain.
Just emptiness.
She noticed something else inside the envelope.
A small card.
She pulled it out.
Her eyes paused.
A wedding notice.
May 15th.
She did a quick count.
One month.
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
Then it turned bitter.
"So I only have a few weeks left… or less."
She remembered the rumors.
Kevin's last fiancée had not even lived to see her wedding day.
Loretta placed everything back into the envelope and dropped it on the table.
For a moment, she stood still.
Then she looked around her apartment.
It was small.
Simple.
Everything there was earned by her.
Every piece.
Every corner.
She used to think this was the only place she was free.
But now—
It felt different.
Lighter.
No family.
No expectations.
No one to please.
Just herself.
At least for the next few weeks.
Loretta walked to her desk and opened her laptop.
She stared at the screen for a few seconds.
Then she began to type.
She had worked at the Gladstone Company for three years.
She was hardworking.
Diligent.
She had even helped secure several contracts.
Yet, she remained a contract staff member.
Others were confirmed within a year.
She was not.
Instead, she was given more work.
More pressure.
And small bonuses that meant nothing.
She used to think it was unfair.
Now—
It felt like a blessing.
As a contract staff member, she could leave anytime.
No long notice.
Just twenty-four hours.
Within minutes, she finished writing the email.
She paused for half a second.
Then clicked send.
(Sent successfully)
Loretta stared at the words on the screen.
Another strange feeling rose in her chest.
Freedom.
She stood up and walked back to the window.
She opened it.
A soft breeze entered the room.
Loretta closed her eyes.
If she was going to die soon…
Then she would live the rest of her days properly.
For herself.
Not for anyone else.
She opened her eyes again.
A small spark appeared in them.
There were many things she had never done.
Things she had only seen in movies.
Things she was never allowed to try.
A nightclub.
A street market.
A male strip club.
She had always wondered what it would feel like.
Now…
There was nothing stopping her. No Gladstone family image to protect.
Without hesitation, she picked up a pen
and began to write.