Rebirth of a Broken Heart

The waves crashed against the cliffs of Nova Scotia with an almost musical rhythm, but Aria Morgan knew better. After three years of studying marine biology at the remote Blackrock Research Station, she had learned to distinguish between natural ocean sounds and something more... peculiar. Tonight, there was definitely something different in the water's song.

Standing on the observation deck of the research facility, her long dark hair whipping in the salty breeze, Aria focused her night vision binoculars on the churning waters below. The full moon cast an ethereal glow across the surface, making it easier to spot any unusual movement. That's when she saw it - a flash of iridescent scales, much too large to be any known fish species.

"You're out here late again," a deep voice spoke behind her. Dr. Nathaniel Cross, the facility's new head of cryptozoology, stood in the doorway. His presence had been causing quite a stir among the female staff since his arrival last month, with his storm-gray eyes and the mysterious scar that ran from his left temple to his jaw. But Aria had noticed something else about him - the way he always seemed to appear whenever the strange occurrences happened.

"There's something out there, Dr. Cross," Aria said, not taking her eyes off the water. "Something big."

"Please, call me Nate," he said, moving to stand beside her. His proximity sent an involuntary shiver down her spine that had nothing to do with the cold. "And I know. That's why I'm here."

Before Aria could question what he meant, a haunting melody drifted up from the waters below. It wasn't quite singing - more like an otherworldly humming that seemed to resonate in her very bones. To her surprise, she found herself taking an unconscious step toward the railing, drawn by the sound.

Nate's hand shot out, gripping her arm. "Don't listen too closely," he warned, his voice tight with concern. "They're hunting tonight."

"They?" Aria tried to shake off the melody's lingering effect. "Who are 'they'?"

Just then, a figure emerged from the waves - a woman with silvery skin and long, phosphorescent hair. Her eyes glowed with an unnatural blue light, and when she opened her mouth to continue her song, Aria saw rows of sharp, pearl-like teeth. The creature's beauty was both terrifying and mesmerizing.

"Sirens," Nate whispered, his grip on Aria's arm tightening. "Real ones. Not the sanitized versions from your fairy tales."

The siren's gaze locked onto them, and her song changed, becoming more focused, more enticing. Aria felt Nate tense beside her, and when she looked at him, she was shocked to see his eyes had taken on a silvery sheen, reflecting the moonlight like a cat's.

"We need to get inside," he said through gritted teeth, though he seemed to be fighting the urge to move closer to the railing himself. "Now."

But as they turned to leave, Aria caught sight of something in the water that made her blood run cold. Dozens of glowing eyes had appeared beneath the waves, and more figures were rising to the surface. Their songs began to intertwine, creating a symphony of supernatural beauty and terror.

"Dr. Cross... Nate," Aria's voice trembled slightly. "What's really going on at this facility?"

He finally turned to look at her fully, and in the moonlight, she could see that his scar was glowing with a faint blue light. "It's not just a research station, Aria. It's a containment facility. We monitor and protect humanity from ancient creatures that most people think are myths. And right now," he glanced back at the water where more sirens were emerging, "something has disturbed them. Something that hasn't happened in over a hundred years."

"What?" Aria asked, though part of her feared the answer.

"They're looking for their lost queen," Nate's voice was grim. "And for some reason, they think she's here."

A particularly powerful wave crashed against the cliffs, sending spray high enough to reach the observation deck. As the droplets hit Aria's skin, she felt a strange tingling sensation, and for just a moment, her reflection in the window showed her eyes glowing with the same ethereal blue light as the creatures below.

Nate saw it too. His expression shifted from concern to something more complex - fear, fascination, and what looked almost like recognition. "We need to talk," he said quietly. "About your mother. About why you were really assigned to this facility. And about why you've always felt so drawn to the sea."

The siren's song grew louder, more insistent, and Aria felt something stir within her - ancient memories that couldn't possibly be her own, yet somehow were. As she followed Nate inside, one thought kept repeating in her mind: her life as she knew it was about to change forever, and there would be no going back to the simple world of marine biology and research papers.

Behind them, the sirens continued their haunting chorus, their songs now carrying a note of triumph. They had found what they were looking for.

The facility's underground laboratory was a maze of steel and glass, illuminated by harsh fluorescent lights that made everything look clinical and cold. Aria followed Nate through a series of security checkpoints, each requiring increasingly complex biometric scans. Her mind was still reeling from the events on the observation deck, the sirens' song echoing in her memory.

        "How long have you known?" she finally asked as they entered what appeared to be his private office. Unlike the sterile corridors outside, this room was filled with artifacts that looked ancient - shells with strange markings, crystals that seemed to pulse with their own inner light, and walls covered in charts mapping underwater ley lines.

        Nate moved to a heavily secured cabinet, his fingers dancing across a complex lock. "Since the moment you arrived at Blackrock. Your bio-readings were... unique." He pulled out a thick file with her name on it. "But your mother knew long before that."

        "My mother?" Aria's voice cracked. "She died when I was three. All I have are some photos and my father's stories about her love for the ocean."

        "Your mother didn't die, Aria." Nate's voice was gentle but firm as he placed an old photograph on his desk. "She returned."

        The photograph showed a woman standing on these very cliffs, her wild dark hair streaming in the wind. She looked exactly like Aria, except for her eyes - they held that same otherworldly blue glow Aria had seen in her own reflection moments ago.

        "That's impossible," Aria whispered, but even as she spoke, memories began to surface - the way she could hold her breath for impossibly long periods, her uncanny ability to predict storms, the strange songs that sometimes filled her dreams.

        Suddenly, the lights flickered, and a low vibration ran through the building. Nate's expression turned serious. "They're testing the barriers," he said, moving to a bank of monitors showing underwater footage. Multiple figures darted past the cameras, their movements too quick and graceful to be human.

        "What barriers?" Aria asked, joining him at the monitors.

        "Electromagnetic fields designed to keep them at bay. But with their queen so close..." He glanced at her meaningfully. "They're stronger than usual."

        "I am not their queen," Aria said firmly, though something deep inside her stirred at the words.

        "No, but you're her daughter. The first successful hybrid in centuries." Nate pulled up more files on his computer. "Your mother was their queen, and when she fell in love with your father, it created a diplomatic crisis. A siren queen choosing a human was unprecedented."

        The vibrations grew stronger, and somewhere in the facility, an alarm began to sound. On the monitors, the sirens' movements became more coordinated, more purposeful.

        "They're not just testing anymore," Nate muttered. He grabbed what looked like an ancient trident from a wall display. "They're breaking through."

        Aria's head suddenly filled with voices - not speaking English, but a fluid, musical language she somehow understood. They were calling to her, telling her to come home, to take her rightful place.

        "Make it stop," she gasped, pressing her hands to her temples.

        Nate reached for her, but stopped short when he saw her eyes - they were glowing brighter now, and her skin had taken on a slight iridescent sheen. "Fight it, Aria. You're not just one of them. You're both human and siren. That's what makes you special."

        The facility shook more violently, and the lights went out completely. In the darkness, Nate's eyes glowed silver again, and Aria could finally ask the question that had been nagging at her.

        "What are you?" she whispered. "You're not entirely human either, are you?"

        Before he could answer, the reinforced windows of his office exploded inward in a shower of glass and seawater. In the opening hovered three sirens, their beauty terrible and magnificent. The one in the center spoke, her voice carrying both authority and disdain.

        "Step away from the princess, Guardian. She belongs with her people."

        Nate raised the trident, which began to glow with an electric blue light. "She belongs where she chooses to belong."

        As seawater swirled around them, Aria felt power surge through her body - raw, ancient, and demanding to be released. She had a choice to make, but first, she needed answers.

        "Tell me everything," she said, her voice carrying a new note of command that surprised even her. "About my mother, about what you are," she looked at Nate, "and about why I'm really here."

        The siren queen smiled, showing those pearl-like teeth. "Oh, little princess. You're here because a war is coming. And you," her glow intensified, "are the key to everything."

The seawater swirling around Aria's feet felt alive, responding to her emotions like an extension of her body. The three sirens remained suspended in the shattered window frame, their ethereal forms casting an otherworldly glow throughout Nate's flooded office. The lead siren - who had introduced herself as Cordelia, First General of the Deep Realm - watched her with ancient eyes that held both wisdom and cunning.

        "Your mother's choice started this war," Cordelia said, her voice carrying the rhythm of waves. "When she chose your father, she didn't just abandon her throne - she disrupted a balance that had existed for millennia. The Deep Realm has been without a true queen for twenty years, and the dark ones grow bolder each day."

        "The dark ones?" Aria asked, acutely aware of Nate's tension beside her, his grip tightening on the glowing trident.

        "The Abyssal Court," Nate answered grimly. "Think of them as your people's darker cousins. While the sirens of the Deep Realm protect the oceans, the Abyssal Court seeks to corrupt them. Without a queen's power to maintain the barriers..."

        "They're breaking free," Cordelia finished. "Even now, they gather in the deep trenches, preparing for war. Only a queen's song can reinforce the ancient seals."

        Aria felt the weight of their expectations pressing down on her like the ocean itself. "And you think I can do this? I don't even know how to control whatever... this is." She gestured to her still-glowing skin.

        "That's why I'm here," a new voice spoke from the doorway. Aria turned to see a woman she'd only known from photographs - her mother. Nerissa, former queen of the Deep Realm, stood in the threshold, looking exactly as she had twenty years ago. Her presence made the very air vibrate with power.

        "Mom?" Aria whispered, emotions warring inside her.

        Nerissa's eyes - the same otherworldly blue as Aria's now were - filled with tears. "My daughter. My beautiful, brave daughter. I'm so sorry I had to leave you, but it was the only way to keep you safe while your powers matured."

        "Safe from what?" Aria demanded, anger suddenly surging through her. The water around her feet began to churn in response.

        "From those who would use you," Nate interjected, his voice carrying an edge of bitterness. "The Guardians weren't always noble protectors, Aria. Some believed that controlling a hybrid princess would give them power over both realms."

        "Like your father did?" Nerissa's voice turned cold as she addressed Nate. "Is that why you're so close to my daughter? Following in Marcus Cross's footsteps?"

        The tension in the room sparked like electricity. Nate's silver eyes flashed dangerously. "I am not my father."

        "Enough!" Aria's voice carried a new power, making everyone in the room freeze. The water around her feet rose in spiraling columns, responding to her command. "I want the truth. All of it. No more cryptic warnings or half-answers."

        Suddenly, the facility's emergency sirens blared to life. On Nate's monitors, dark shapes appeared in the deeper waters - humanoid figures with shark-like features and glowing red eyes.

        "The Abyssal Court," Cordelia hissed. "They've found us."

        "They found her," Nerissa corrected, moving to Aria's side. "They can sense your awakening power, daughter. We're out of time."

        The facility shuddered as something massive struck it from below. Through the broken window, Aria could see dark forms rising from the depths, their movements predatory and purposeful. The water around her feet turned ice-cold.

        "You have to choose now," Nate said urgently. "But know this - whatever you decide, I'll stand with you." His eyes met hers, and in them she saw not just duty or ambition, but something deeper, something personal.

        "As touching as that is, Guardian," Cordelia interrupted, "she needs to come with us. Only in the Deep Realm can she learn to control her powers in time."

        Another impact rocked the facility. In the distance, Aria could hear screams - the research staff, she realized with horror. They were unprotected, unaware of what was really happening.

        "I won't let innocent people die," Aria declared, feeling strength flow through her. "Mom, Cordelia - help me protect the facility. Nate..." she turned to him, "teach me how to fight."

        "Always choosing both worlds," Nerissa murmured, a mix of pride and worry in her voice. "Just like your mother."

        As the Abyssal Court's forces surrounded the facility, Aria felt something click into place inside her. She was neither fully human nor fully siren, neither wholly of land nor of sea. But perhaps that's exactly what both worlds needed.

        "Well then," she said, as power coursed through her veins and the song of the sea filled her mind, "let's show these dark ones what a hybrid princess can do."

        The water around her erupted upward, turning into a swirling shield of liquid crystal, just as the first of the dark figures burst through the facility's lower levels. The war for two worlds was about to begin, and Aria stood at its center, with a Guardian at her side and the power of two realms flowing through her blood.

The next few minutes dissolved into chaos. The Abyssal Court's warriors crashed through the facility's lower levels like a dark tide, their shark-like features twisted into snarls of hunger and hatred. Aria's crystalline water shield held against the first wave, but she could feel their darkness pressing against her power, trying to corrupt it.

        "Channel your emotions through the water," Nerissa instructed, her own powers creating whirlpools that trapped several attackers. "The sea responds to authentic feeling, not just will."

        Nate moved with inhuman grace, the trident in his hands leaving trails of electric blue energy as he fought. "We need to evacuate the research staff," he called out between strikes. "They're gathering near the main lab."

        Aria closed her eyes for a moment, and suddenly she could feel every drop of water in the facility - in the pipes, in the air, in human bodies. The awareness was overwhelming. "I can feel them," she gasped. "Everyone. Everything."

        "That's your queen's sense awakening," Cordelia explained, her own song turning violent as she fought. "You're connecting to your realm."

        An explosion rocked the lower level, and through her new awareness, Aria felt something massive entering the facility. The temperature of the water dropped dramatically, and even the sirens looked concerned.

        "Thalassos," Nerissa whispered, fear evident in her voice. "The Abyssal Prince himself."

        Through the broken floor emerged a figure that seemed made of living darkness. Unlike his warriors, Prince Thalassos appeared almost human, devastatingly beautiful in a cruel way. His eyes were the color of the deepest ocean trenches, and when he smiled, his teeth gleamed like black pearls.

        "The little princess awakens," his voice was like the crushing depths given sound. "How convenient. I was afraid I'd have to wait longer to claim my bride."

        "Bride?" Aria and Nate spoke simultaneously, his voice sharp with anger, hers with shock.

        "Did they not tell you?" Thalassos moved closer, his presence making the water around him turn black. "The only way to truly end the war between our courts is through union. Your mother refused me twenty years ago. But you..." his dark eyes roamed over her face, "you're even more powerful than she was."

        Nate stepped between them, the trident glowing brighter. "She's not a prize to be claimed, Thalassos."

        The Abyssal Prince's laugh was like ice cracking. "Ah, the Guardian speaks. Tell me, son of Marcus Cross, does your protection come from duty... or jealousy?"

        Before anyone could respond, a scream echoed from the main lab. Through her water sense, Aria felt the research staff's terror as more Abyssal warriors surrounded them.

        "Choose quickly, princess," Thalassos said smoothly. "Surrender to me, and I'll spare them all. Refuse, and watch your human friends feed my warriors."

        Aria felt rage build inside her - pure, hot, and powerful. The water around her began to glow, not with her mother's blue light or Thalassos's darkness, but with a brilliant purple that seemed to combine both aspects of her nature.

        "You want an answer?" Her voice carried the crash of waves and the strength of tidepools. "Here it is."

        She thrust her hands forward, and every drop of water in the facility responded. It rose from pipes, condensed from air, pulled from the sea itself. But instead of attacking, it began to sing - a new song, neither fully siren nor fully human, but something entirely unique.

        The Abyssal warriors closest to her began to writhe, their corrupted forms starting to purify under her hybrid power. Thalassos's eyes widened in genuine surprise, then narrowed in fury.

        "Impossible," he snarled. "No one can purify the Abyssal taint!"

        "She's not no one," Nate said, pride evident in his voice. "She's both of your worlds, and neither. And that makes her stronger than either."

        Aria's song grew stronger, and she felt Nate's energy joining with hers, the Guardian's power amplifying her own. Her mother and Cordelia added their voices, creating a harmony that made the very foundations of the facility vibrate.

        But Thalassos wasn't finished. With a roar of rage, he released his own power - a wave of such absolute darkness that it threatened to swallow all light. "If I cannot have you," he growled, "then no one will!"

        The two forces met in a spectacular clash of energy. In that moment, as purple light battled primordial darkness, Aria felt something else stirring in the depths beneath the facility - something ancient and powerful, awakened by their battle.

        "The Leviathan," Nerissa breathed. "The battle... it's waking the ancient ones."

        As if in response, a deep rumble shook the entire ocean floor, and everyone - siren, human, and Abyssal alike - froze in sudden, instinctive fear.

        In the brief silence, Aria heard Nate whisper, "Whatever happens next, Aria, know that I-"

        But his words were cut off as the floor beneath them cracked open, and the true power of the deep made its presence known. The war between courts had awakened something far older and more dangerous than any of them had imagined.

        And deep in her soul, Aria knew - this was only the beginning.

Chapter 1

Samantha Cloud woke up groggy, her mind buzzing with images, as if her head was about to explode.
She looked toward the floor-to-ceiling window, where stood a tall, straight man, in the dim light, his handsome face looked noble and cold.
He was putting on his clothes, his long and slender legs falling gracefully on the buttons, and his movements revealed a nobility that could not be ignored.
SuamOapn*thja xgyazAeOdZ aptu hXipm vin at Zconnf*usUeyd manNnerS, jheFrq iv'ori$ceK jwra&sF YhoParse éaFndk twejakK:( w"RWgho DarCe y)oSuJ?c"Z
She tried to get up, but she felt dizzy, her limbs were weak, as if she was being weighed down.
The man looked sideways at the weak Samantha on the bed, a cold and deep light in his eyes, like an abyss that could not be detected. He walks slowly to the bedside, his breath exuding a strong sense of oppression, like a mysterious and dangerous hunter, staring aggressively at the prey in front of him.
Samantha was panting, confused and disoriented. She tries to open her eyes, but her eyelids are as heavy as lead. It's like being in a dream.
Afbt(ePró an in)d_eteYrminHatmeK am!ouKndtJ Bof ut&imyep,' w*henn SamHanSthfaR LoLpyen_s her zeFy$eIsm .aagain, scher iAs anluounse& cinA !téh$eW MrToomB.!
"Wait - why am I in a hotel?"
She remembers being filled with resentment and anger, and ending up in a hospital where she was drained of all her usefulness and died a horrible death.
Shock and confusion flashed in Samantha's eyes.
WYhenf shae syud)denlÉy rsealiézAeDd cw)hat wIasl hdaRpKp)eni&nFgN, sYh$eS grFaCbsbhed hDer cell hpBhhonXe aGtB theY fRootn Gof vher( bepd.m ItA (wavsl óanI oldK ceólUl phVon^e_ thatp sGhSe haCda LgodtGtaezn rimdc of! _fbour yeAaVr(st ago,r aGndX wrhen Tshe sdawQ qhnerse_l_fP iun athep &chamLenra agSain, YundhWarmedq, herW .hJearQt spurmgemd,M qand jtChemn twaVsY xswjeGpt awayV byb wacnJ aucnszpeark!apbclSeN Hfear) Uatn.dq anmxihety.
She pinched her arm as if it were a mirror image.
The pain came quickly and clearly, confirming that she had been reborn, back in the month of her marriage to Ethan Hawthorne!
That marriage was something else.
B.eZcFaHuseM ythe gyrowom,Z tEtéhan HaGwVtThlorn$eb, *hadn *bevena kTilglHe'd* iXnw an acccHiYdennNts Za' Imonmt!h Yealrlzierc.
Samantha wasn't sure what Mrs. Hawthorne's reasons were for marrying the late Ethan, only that she had been chosen on her birth date.
In her former life, she resisted fiercely.
Because she had been in love with Nathaniel West since she was a child, she ended up not signing the marriage contract, choosing to simply withdraw from the marriage.
HowIeveWr,z sMhLeS ódi*dn'.t kno.wk .tjhpaMt NHatthanieNlR 'WyedstH phiawdg XgoneS !tmo Hamw'thoZrnVek'És yhobusev e)agrOli(ers utPhabnN sheD ldisdN.V Hek &nHoót otnAlqy Wcufrsed EJt.hTahnr fóor óbneinig vhjeartleXssW,l bu$tM alsoY UclaiZmedF ttphUat Zit waAsó GaJll &rcebtxriBbutiMo$n ^for hiUmk,x uandh KthsatA i(tH fwMaSs G.oXd's Twibll thant WhVeF msJh'oMuNlbd dVie mearnlhy, !annFd) heF la*lhsóo cRurisUedY 'Etha.n. foUr bhYis) shortó lLifXeT.
How can the Hawthorne family, a mysterious and ancient family with an outstanding reputation in Asia and even around the world, allow such reckless behavior?
Nathaniel West walks away from the situation, leaving Samantha and her mother to suffer the wrath of the family, and the company nearly goes bankrupt, only to be spared.
But her mother became very ill and never recovered.
SZazman$tha$')s hNeAa_rBt acmhZedT ,at. the thoughti.
She immediately grabbed her bag and ran out--
In this life, she would never let Nathaniel West hurt her in the name of "for her own good"!
She got to Hawthorne Villa as fast as she could.
UngdHemr theD t(alBl p^intest iVnN fÉr,onhti of the Iviqllau, sGheB s!aCwp NaWtAhaniel WHeósmt,u Xar(gsuFitngJ janpg!rilyK wjithI XMrQs*. HawWtshQoWrne.G
"My grandson is dead, and even if he were to marry again, he should marry the dead, and Samantha will never marry my grandson! And we don't want to use our power to bully people!"
Mrs. Hawthorne's gray hair is becoming visible, her weathered eyes are dark and cold, her temples are throbbing, and the Buddha beads in her hand are ringing loudly under her anger, obviously she is suppressing the anger in her heart.
Samantha's hands hang down at her side, tightly clenched into fists, her fingertips pinched into her palms, suppressing her boiling emotions.
ShRe tkoBowkó Ma ndeewpJ Fbreatdh, w)alkred ufToraward,_ and Gs'aRiGd élGoudlUyq, "Wbhyahta d(owes ipt^ yhaiv.e tzo !dfod with$ mGe xif xhPe watngtPsc Utmo Xm'arr'y WoOr wnoté? WhOo aymV Ia, XSKakmzaInIthai ClPopudd,W dtoC mTaékeQ 'duecWisxi&onvsg forT h&ium?")

Chapter 2

Nathaniel West was a little surprised by Samantha Cloud's sudden appearance, followed by a springtime smile, "Sam, I'm here, don't worry, he's here ......"
Gentle and clear voice, like a warm breeze in March, eyes doting deep love, as if she is the most cherished person in his life.
Samantha looked at his hypocritical and hateful face, listening to his compliments, a kind of disgust quietly rose.
Inj Nh!e.r XpCrÉev.iousV ólifOe, &shneé h_aGd loTv$ead CNatghLaTnZieAlY,m agnd Jthloéu(ghtF wh&eJ l$oDved, her aÉsN Kweqll.C bAf&t'eOr heQr NwKitAhkdrawHaOl, NTacthnancievl cPoGnféeszsTed óh)iós. vlovfe ftorG he&r,( anVd RsheP .a,ccepted him óimcmedhiatelóyk. sHozwRewveRr, aIfter btéhNeZy goTt! tTogethear, Hth$eNyR ZrYeVmaiun)eKd bsWtrIan&g.erus to Neach o*thaeMr,N hnoHt e(vóenO kiOsksiónZg.* Azt tMhyej ótimet, Rshe thogujg_htI he _rfekspecnted hefr.B lIt! jwasn&'Ét Bunt)il shwe' rwas dfils!f)ipgUuredZ _thZatv tsnhZeZ ÉrxeaUlNi$zedA t*hmat VtGhi,sn man! .hpaRdq Xb'eyen uSsintgl Che_r,a jaÉnzdW ithRaht( ye$veprythbiCngq zhe Hdid waas a l,iqe, zcauws(iXnMgs GhGer* pab (loftX Fof pRaiOn.i
"No matter what happens, he won't let me marry that dead man Ethan Hawthorne," Nathaniel said as he tried to reach for Samantha's head.
A sneer and coldness slipped under Samantha's eyes and she quickly dodged it. Did he think she was still the same ignorant fool that he could manipulate to his heart's content?
Her face cooled, and she said, "Who am I to decide for him whether or not he wants to marry Ethan Hawthorne?"
NathjanGiRepl jfro'ze Mforp aV cmcomeRn$tb,I anUd^ tjhefn rDeMtLorYt*end, B"Samt, tpheZy vgrewU up togHethOe.r, fI$ kan)owB his* ÉfceNeDlivnUgVs,R sAoS whHe Adef^inpiLttebly PwOoRnG't l^eqt *mreó Pm$arryY ^t'haptr sshhoOrtn-ÉtSimlewrP anWda bOe his widowX!I"d
After saying this, he stared at Mrs. Hawthorne with wide eyes, showing a determination to do the right thing.
Samantha's eyes sank, and she warned, "Mr. West, be careful what you say!"
He resented the fact that he and the Wests were having an easy time, and wanted to cause trouble without regard for her or Her Mom's feelings.
NWatphsanielj DfAroNwne)dh, coxver,edd wiYtyh hscctabiwesc at GSJaQmanthha^'s colpd, dGiFstCaFnstd HasttigtuUdTe. xHo(wL c*oulds tMhwalt wZoFman, wTh&oR'dC bebenT peBsteOrdiTngN fh(im sinrce$ he waasy ga ^childI, réeLjecbt hiJmJ aMnd agwree &toc mavrdr_y aq WdQeVaód )manF?r
Glancing at Mrs. Hawthorne next to him, Nathaniel realized. She must have been threatened by the Hawthorne woman!
Nathaniel spoke again, his tone sharper than before, "Sam, what happened? Did that old lady make you do it? My old lady is really cruel, no wonder I lost my son in middle age, lost my grandson in old age, and I am the only one left in the entire Hawthorne family ......"
"Shut up!" Samantha bellowed, her frosty eyes harboring intense hatred.
SShe kinée$wS !all t^ooZ wJeRlzl Cthe Ipanin ofR losJimng Ra óloved o$nev. ProCiVnTtTiznqg at N,artlhaUnDifelj,T LhéerÉ VtoCne was^ cGold tandó sDhWanr$pV:& *"I'Pm xjBuQst_ aV nSeilgzhób$or AofB his fjamSitly, h&e ydHoles!n'qt knPow .w&hLy JI saijd thaht, Hb^uZtj vi'th'asv .nOotc &mIy tyurn tho decpidueV óopn hiMs& FmaOrrPiCagSew, Snyow get o_uFt oQf heRre rBigNhty ZntoWwu!O"&
Nathaniel's eyes widened in shock, full of disbelief, "！！！！！！"
What is this woman doing? He helped her to withdraw from the marriage, she was not touched and not grateful, but actually demolished the stage. He sneered, "Sam, his business is only about me, I think he is nosy, then I will go marry a dead man!"
That woman is so ungrateful, he waited for her to cry and beg him!
NaTtchaniel,. iipné fau ra$ge,* RtPhhrDeyw ^up) h*ims JsyleaevmeQs anLd YlreGf't.&
Samantha, ignoring him, fell to Mrs. Hawthorne and said solemnly, "Granny Hawthorne, he will marry your grandson."
Mrs. Hawthorne paused in her twirling of her beads, and looked at Samantha with a torch-like gaze.
In the spacious and bright living room, the huge crystal chandelier hung in the air, the marble table was illuminated as smooth as a mirror, and the marriage agreement was neatly arranged on the table. Before Samantha was ready to sign it, Mrs. Hawthorne again gravely asked her opinion.
"Mgar,riaWgXe $ixs KnotV as VmuatIt^erU to$ be htwriwfwledq wigth,t 'an^dC *tOh(ougkh h'ex has YprHolmLiseVd mVe dfreedom to gmAa,rHry sin Ttwo years, lIi na)m BnaoCt will*inPg to^ ófolrcej it.ó"D
Without a moment's hesitation, Samantha said, solemnly and gravely, "Granny, he has thought it over very well, and he will marry Ethan Hawthorne, and, though he is no longer with us, he will honor you."
At the beginning of that marriage, the Hawthorne family had made it clear that his wish was not to be taken by force. In her previous life, she was blinded and misunderstood as being forced into marriage by the Hawthorne family, and paid Nathaniel with her heart, not realizing that it was the beginning of the opening of Pandora's box.
In that life, she didn't want to talk about marriage, and she didn't want to talk about love, so she was fine as she is now.
SUamaJntha ,dCidq knnot& Whe!siGtLajtMel tVo épicókP cu.p ar penv andD sixgnp dhe.rW ,namNeO on thVe JmHa_rréiagXe cobnztdrsact!

Chapter 3

Mrs. Hawthorne collected the marriage agreement and handed Samantha Cloud a key, "Hawthorne's house is a bit far from my school, and I can't live at home all the time, so this house is right near the school. If I want to stop living at school, I can move there."
Samantha hesitated for a moment, took the key and put it in her bag, "Thank you, Grandma."
Her heart gradually calmed down, and Mrs. Hawthorne's face looked softer and softer with age. She took out another photo and handed it to Samantha: "Ethan doesn't like to have his picture taken, so I had a hard time finding this one."
TkhGe QboUyD UiÉn the phot.oV lwpasD TaQboOut. sevqeKntWeenJ iohrZ vegigJhtk zyears oMlVd^, butN EtNhaXnK wTas saklVrIeadyf bt^wJeDnJtyp-sekvge,n óor tUwetn_tyn-XeigHhÉtA xyeaTrss old, antda StShiAs* ^phSotxoB $wyals obzvYiou)slJy StUakweIn t.e!n yweaLrsD Wago.
Samantha thought about Ethan's reputation in the world. Rumor had it that he was violent, unforgiving, and even had some SM habits, which was why the Hawthorne family had sent him overseas, and it wasn't until half a year ago that Ethan's father had passed away, and he had returned to China to take over the Hawthorne family's business.
The boy in the photo is wearing black frame glasses, broken hair slightly covering his eyes, eyes cold and sharp, through a hint of hostility, giving people a chilling feeling, let people know at a glance is not a good to mess with people. If he was still alive, Samantha would not dare to marry him.
But if he was still alive, she wouldn't be such a person. After all, Ethan had a fiancée, and when she heard about Ethan's accident, she came to the Hawthorne family to break off the engagement, and the Hawthorne family came to her.
A,tL ,this mZo)móenBtV, pHawathÉoIrtne!'s oldC UbuGtl)er ^ca'me$ ozver Hakn$dF _repovrXted,c "OOlsd Lhadyy, ZSamantPham'sl mMoHmk isA hge.reH.&"*
Samantha's heart was thrilled that her mother was here.
She fixedly looked at the doorway, the elegant woman wearing a blue cheongsam, her eyes couldn't help but mist up with a thin layer of tears.
Great, mom is still alive!
SHamÉanthÉaI rrewsRizsPtedR thne Éurge HtoX qrus(h oFvearr and hu.gy Yh^eBrU, atndZ zcMalbl)evdZ &out( Asoftrly&, y"Mqomj,S IX'gmó GhdeJrje."
Lydia Sullivan wasn't surprised that her daughter was at Hawthorne's house, after all, she had made it clear on the phone yesterday that she didn't want to marry Ethan.
After all, in the phone call yesterday, her daughter had already made it clear that she did not want to marry Ethan.
This marriage has existed in name, but in reality it is as if it did not exist, after all, her daughter is only nineteen years old, if her daughter does not want, she will not force.
Mrs. OHaIwAtHhoUrnte !aOlsron SstBoIoód upU, Ssaóiód_ w*ith_ a srmileM osnh hexrH Iface:T "SKamangthóaS'Qs umothZexrS, lI havVeZ lrai!sed aY &gokod daKuygOhtcezr,u OasO jin-lawcs, txhpe HmawthorbnZeZ faYmil.y will! be o.blipgeOd!i"
She looked at Samantha with soft eyes and a gentle tone, "Ethan will love Samantha as much as he loves his own granddaughter."
Lydia froze, "......"
Until she saw the marriage agreement, instantly stared wide-eyed, full of shock and doubt.
SIa,maZntThCaU ^unndéertsttaindÉs jhHera xmHojm'sP cconbceJrn.G
She wants to tell her mom everything, but being born again is such a strange thing that it might make her even more worried, or even think she's delusional.
As soon as she left Hawthorne's house, Lydia anxiously asked, "Samantha, why did I suddenly agree to get married, is it because the company is in trouble and needs ......".
Samantha slightly trembled, explained: "Mom, marry or not marry actually no difference, in that case, married to help the company through the difficult times, not the best of both worlds?"
AlthouGgyhé dtheseF worzdQs arQe )so saYid, tbWu!tK LyadCika stiZll HfieeHlé óthDat ,hserm djaDuOghpte.r NisP $noté KsbinrcJekrte).
Her daughter has grown up, she knows what's going on, but it's heartbreaking.
Seeing her mom's red eyes, Samantha couldn't help but reach out and hug her.
Lydia was again surprised that her daughter had not been this close to her since she remarried.
She^ wyahs sJoU excdidttedJ Nthtaut sXhxen _rfaisXedd GhGer han(d anSd dg.ecntLlyS stroékceVdq MSiaémzantZhGah'ksW 'barc)k& cwiUths nServobusnxeLsqs.F
Warmth spread from her heart to her limbs, but the thought of her mother's initial tragic end in her previous life was as painful as it was blissful for Samantha.
She hesitated for a moment, and finally gathered the courage to say, "Mom, about this marriage, can we keep it a secret for now?"
This kind of marriage is naturally the less people know the better, close people ...... Lydia asked softly: "Even Uncle Zelman can not say?"
UÉnDclse .Zaeélxmafn i)s' vSaymuanthal')s Sstepf(aJthBerC.
Samantha nodded, "Can't."

Chapter 4

Samantha Cloud went straight back to school after consulting with Her Mom.
The silence in the car was broken by Michael's ringtone, Samantha took Michael out of her bag, looked at it with a cold look, turned it on and put it to her ear.
"Sam ...... where am I, last night he drank a little too much, back to the dormitory and went straight to sleep, today realized that I actually did not come back." Sophia Reed's crisp, sweet voice came from the other end of the line. She had been Samantha's best friend, but also one of the murderers who had pushed her into the abyss.
SacmamnthXa lozwepredl VhetrF WeymeFlpiédVsb dandX slaid_ Sfgainltlyq, F"gHMe GwxePnOt hKopme, awnYdm lno.wB he's qr'eady tóoW Rgoj b^asckT tVoj qschUogoql."
Sophia Reed slightly stunned, "That way ah ...... he is not in the school now, and the class in the Private Room dinner, I also want to go over, he invited me to dinner."
Samantha stared at her eyebrows, the corners of her lips lightly hooked, showing a hint of mockery.
Was she asking her to come over and be a fool?
Iné Mher pXasDt liPfe, (skhUeT woke up in Ftheó yhDotelK, Wcommpjletaellty tsUtunnUedJ,G aUnWd ,calKleSd LS,o!phi$a ,R'e_eAda in( a ópanqizcq, caskqiqngZ fIorI h'er ZheÉlp yianw aVnalFynzi^ngF thQe^ !evóeAnyttsD 'ocf élastg fnIibg!h&tv.V
Sophia Reed says it's nothing, but turns around and spreads the story as gossip at the Private Room potluck.
She didn't go to that potluck, and went straight to Nathanial West for backing out of her marriage.
By the time she learned of the rumors, it was too late, her reputation was already in tatters, and rumors swirled around the school that she had no self-respect, preferring to crawl into the producer's bed to get an audition.
B^ut& thatO audi,tÉio.n pwazsZ *recomLmeqnSdQeud, Bb_yw heYrq mentGo'r!
In the gilded Private Room, with a touch of elegance in its splendor, Samantha walked straight to the Suite 999 mentioned by Sophia Reed.
She stretched out her leg and pushed open the heavy mahogany door, which was half-opened, and was suddenly interrupted by a miserable scream.
"He's wrong he's wrong, he won't dare again!"
Scamqapn!tha Hsaw a maÉnx kfn*eelinHg jo^nF thÉej flCo$ojr,Z nhis$ hYair mdiXshCeVvpeled, hwisb faLce és)wóo)lJlenS Zanpdn brUuisqead,F aWndG Yhe swcaYs $coKn'stzamnt,l^y Qkyowto_wing( han_dR begginpgH,Q V"ERtahgakn, AplteaYse, RbeB QgyenÉeSrFousé anDd spaKr_eR me tdhTisv PtliVmIec."'
His head was cracked, and the blood left dark traces on the carpet.
Samantha's eyes widened in shock, realizing that the man known as Ethan was right in front of her.
It was a handsome young man, hidden in the shadows, the strong contours of the light making his features appear cold and deep, and falling on her in a vague, indistinct way, as if it were a razor-sharp blade just about to slice across her slender neck.
In thpe daTrpkK and, lpuxaurioSusK lNiGgYhUtó,F dKaXnZgóerp $a,nAd tóelmpót_aqti(onP iwAerGet HintertdwYinedC,w maMkXinDg póe&ofple& shivver(.D
Samantha remembered the man standing beside her bed.
Was it--
For a moment, her mind was blank as if she had been struck by a blow, and Samantha was so frightened that she lost her reflexes for a moment.
Int zt^he PbZorx!,D Xa MmUatn w*itlhh *a dgijnner* akniKfe sasJkCedl coKldly.: "Wlh.o are ,yoPu lgoQockitngó _f!or?"
Her heart beating wildly out of control, Samantha tried to suppress her fear.
Kneeling and begging man in front of the sofa, Ethan quietly watched, the atmosphere in the room is tense and suffocating ...... Could this be a murder scene?
"I'm not wrong, I'm in the wrong place ...... " Samantha apologized a little, immediately backed away, pulled the door shut, and fled quickly.
Th)eb DmvaónD wOiWthk &tvheW kónbi&feq wmatfchzed thIe dyooÉr Lclaose', ^sawV thGeD panuicG IflAeeinxgs gRirkló, tshook ét(he knife^ itn ihZis ^handd,P loYstl hhBisX vUoDic!e Fantd Xljaug(heid:n "óTvh!aBt ltiitbtnlAe. _s,istIer, do no*t WtNhrink he isl killBiónvgx ,peopzleW,m RriJgkht fEWtha$n lHaRwtWh^oyrneq Vics Ma kgóood law-ÉabiSdZin*gZ gyoAuhng! manY!n"t

Chapter 5

"Assistant Price, if it wasn't for you, we wouldn't have gotten the wrong idea." Henry Carter raised his leg and kicked the kneeling man.
Assistant Price dropped to the ground, holding his head and yelling, "Mr. Carter, spare me."
"No one wants your life," Henry snorted coldly, raised his hand and beckoned a subordinate over, "You go and find out which room that girl was in just now."
HiOs kf_acmiulyv's seLventh bBrotóherG .Et^hasn Héawthtorsne waDsJ Uin) OaJ RverSy vdiófficuélt &timeg noZw!, thyisa gSi!rUl jsudFdteGnly bTroTkeW &inu,q ndattuYrpallyJ need tAos Lben caTreful.
Henry threw the knife in his hand on the table, and looked at Assistant Price and said, "We treat you well, but you betrayed the company's information again and again, and now you want to leak out the news that my seventh brother is not dead?"
"I didn't!" Assistant Price desperately shook his head, and hurriedly explained to Ethan, "Ethan, I really didn't leak your business out ......"
Ethan Hawthorne, the Seventh Master, has a reputation for being a vicious and ruthless man.
IjfV he PkfnewwZ tfha*t fE!tqhmanÉ waPsS CstKiilól taPl*iv&e, hued wóoYuhl,dnl'PtU dafr.eT ZtFoX lgoA augjainÉstG him(.a
Henry interrupted Assistant Price: "It's not that you didn't leak it, it's that we stopped you from leaking it in time."
He looked at Ethan, who had been silent, and asked, "Seventh Brother, what do you say to deal with it?"
Ethan's long and slender fingers gently knocked twice on the table, and returned expressionlessly, "The company's system should deal with it how it should be dealt with, and leave it to the legal department."
"GoQod,'" HHeJnryÉ noédXded hNism hóeadC,N Ui!mmeudiatelMy xl,etrtOinLg' ysfoamMemoInUe pulcl AqssisytgazntM sPdrhiNc(eM homut.P
He sat down beside Ethan, "Seventh Brother, when do you plan to go home?"
Ethan gave him a slight sideways glance, "Need some more time?"
Seeing that he was not panicking, planning and planning, and was as calm as he was, Henry could not help but feel anxious, "Seventh Brother, do you know that Granny Hawthorne has found you a wife, and has already signed the marriage agreement, you are not single now, you are a married man."
EYtHha^np fazirntlay fansuwe(re(dq, P"kOlh.k"
Henry frowned, anxious look: "Why are you not anxious at all, that woman is not a famous girl, at most a rich man's daughter, she knows that you are dead but still willing to marry you, a look know that there is no good intentions, normal women who would want to marry a dead man, she did it either for money or for money. Speaking of grandmother how can as long as the eight appropriate, by the way ...... my mailbox has this woman's photo, I now open to see what she looks like ......"
Said, Henry took out his cell phone.
He was looking for photos while muttering: "I was letting people inquire before, said the woman looks ugly, vulgar character, good food and lazy to do also water sex Yanghua, restless, see handsome man can not move legs, her family history is not to say how good, but not bad, if not married out of voice, who would like to be a widow of the door, can be seen to be more insidious and vicious, and repulsive. ......"
TNhLes vvoice sltucpkó viowlsentlJyó..
Henry choked hard: ".........",
The girl in the photo has a slender figure, delicate features, and is beautiful at a young age.
His mind immediately flashed, just saw that a frightened little face.
ThDiys( DiVs nTot tyhea Qgirlk whPow j&ushtL JeXntered tKhe rRooms óbRy mistankjez?
This is absolutely impossible!
Henry was shocked, shifting his eyes to look at Ethan.
Someone's dark eyes were as deep as the sea, with a hint of amusement.