Page 1 of Marry the woman with the curse-breaking blessing

Kelly's POV

Three hundred years ago, an ancestor of the powerful Antonia family, the wealthiest in all of the capital, passed by the city's abandoned baby tower and made a careless, cruel remark.

"Girls are useless. They deserve to die."

That one sentence cursed every male descendant of the Antonias for generations.

Since then, every man in the family had undergone a horrific transformation on their 25th birthday. They were growing full breasts and even a womb, as if their bodies were turning female from the inside out.

There was only one way to break the curse, though. It was to marry a woman with the rare "curse-breaking blessing."

My sister and I were both born with that blessing.

In my previous life, Benedict Antonia came to our home asking for my sisters hand in marriage. But I saw through his real motive and fought with everything I had to stop it. In the end, he was forced to marry me instead.

On the night of our wedding, my sister left behind a suicide note and jumped off a cliff. She claimed I stole the man she loved.

Because of that, my parents called me cruel, and Benedict hated me with every fiber of his being. On the seventh day after my sisters death, he had me tied to a helicopter like a kite and dangled me in the sky.

I cried and begged him, "I saved your life! Please just let me go."

His face twisted with rage, he roared, "The one I wanted to marry was Lindsay. Even if you werent in the way, she couldve saved me, too! You ruined everything. You killed her. Now go to hell!"

Then he cut the rope.

I fell from the sky, shattered on the ground, nothing but a pile of broken flesh.

But when I opened my eyes again, I was back on the very day Benedict came to ask for a curse-breaking bride.

This time, I want to see for myself how Lindsay would save him without her so-called blessing.

Dad, Mom, I want to marry her, Benedict declared, pointing to my sister in her white dress as she walked gracefully into the room.

As he spoke, he shot me a threatening look, his eyes full of warning.

In that moment, I understood. He had been reborn, too.

My sister tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and asked sweetly, Mom, Dad who are they?

Our parents smiled and proudly introduced her to the Antonia family.

I couldnt help but sneer.

As if they hadnt been sneaking around together all along. Now she was pretending to be innocent?

Tired of watching them play their game, I stood to leave.

But Benedicts voice stopped me. He stared at me with contempt and said, Kelly, dont even try that nonsense again about how only you can break the curse. Im never marrying you. You're ugly and pathetic, so just give it up.

His parents scolded him, but he only raised his voice louder. Dad, Mom! That curse is just a stupid rumor. Its been three hundred years. Why would it still matter?

Mr. Antonia smacked the back of his head and barked, You fool! The only reason none of us mutated is because weve always married women with the curse-breaking blessing! Your 25th birthday is next week, Benedict. We cant delay anymore!

Mrs. Antonias eyes were red with worry. That's true, son. Im a curse-breaker myself. Thats why your father married me. Weve searched for over twenty years and finally found two girls with the same blessing. Please, dont be reckless now.

But Benedict pointed stubbornly at my sister and repeated, Then Ill marry her! She has the same blessing. But Ill never marry Kelly. If you force me, Id rather die right here and now!

I laughed coldly to myself.

So this whole little scene was just a performance to shut everyone else up.

In my previous life, after he announced he wanted to marry my sister, I stepped up and said clearly in front of everyone, He cant marry my sister. She cant save him. Only I can.

Benedict had exploded, yelling that I was punching way above my weight. My parents had doubted me, too, as they always favored my sister anyway.

Only Mr. Antonia and Mrs. Antonia had taken me seriously. After a private discussion, they had decided to force Benedict to marry me, thinking it was better to risk the wrong bride than lose him entirely.

But they never knew the truth.

Because my sister and I were twin sisters, linked by blood, I could see a secret no one else could, something even she didnt know.

Yes, she had the same blessing on the surface. But if he married her, she couldnt save him, but rather destroy him.

Kelly's POV

In my past life, after my sisters suicide, I tried to tell my parents the truth about her secret. But they refused to listen. They even called me cruel and heartless, and cut all ties with me.

I tried to tell Benedict, too. But instead of listening, he tied me to a helicopter and let me fall to my death. I was nothing more than a splatter of blood and bones by the time I hit the ground.

It wasnt until my last breath that I realized the truth. He and my sister had been together all along. She didnt kill herself because I stole her love. She took her life because she discovered the secret hidden in her own body, and it terrified her.

The memory of it sent a chill down my spine. I could still feel the pain of crashing from that great height, waves of it rushing back like a nightmare I couldnt wake up from.

But this time, I was not going to play the hero. I would just let them destroy each other.

Dont worry, Benedict, I said, steady and calm. Youre not the one I want to marry, anyway.

I gave him a long look, then turned to everyone else with a polite nod. Ill be leaving now.

As I walked away, I heard my parents trying to smooth things over with the Antonia family. Our eldest daughter has always been a bit strange. Not easy on the eyes, either. Please forgive her

A dull ache settled in my chest.

Since we were kids, they had always favored my sister, just because she was born a few seconds after me. Every time, I had to give in to her, step aside for her, and let her shine.

When I discovered her secret and tried to tell Mom, she snapped at me, accusing me of being jealous. Dad pinned all his hopes on my sister, his beautiful, obedient daughter who, he believed, could marry into high society and elevate our family.

They never really cared about me. And now? I was done caring about them too.

I took out my phone and opened a text from three days ago.

Ill marry you, I replied. But I have one condition.

That same night, as if afraid Id ruin his plans, Benedict had people leak the news that he was going to marry the second daughter of our family. The wedding was set for one week later on his 25th birthday.

Coincidentally, that was the same day I planned to get married, too.

Over the next two days, the man I agreed to marry sent people every day to escort me to wedding dress fittings and banquet tastings.

I was exhausted and tempted to just give up, but he was serious.

You saved my life, he said, and youre the only woman Ill ever marry. So the wedding has to be grand. I wont let you settle for anything less.

His deep, sincere gaze made my heart skip for a moment.

In my last life, he had approached me, too. But I had already promised myself to Benedict, so I rejected him, cold and firm.

Later, I heard he took his own life.

The guilt stayed with me for a long time. But back then, I only cared about saving my sister and my parents from the wrath of the Antonias. I was willing to sacrifice everything for them back then.

But not this time.

This time, I was putting myself first. I would save the people I wanted to save. I would live the life I wanted to live.

Three days before the wedding, he told me he was flying overseas to pick out a diamond worthy of me.

Kelly, he said, gently holding my hand, Ill have someone pick you up tomorrow. Youll love the wedding dress this time. I promise.

Then he got in the car and headed to the airport.

The next day, I saw the dress, and it was breathtaking.

The boutique owner told me hed rushed over a hundred designers to complete it in time. He even named it after me.

The moment I slipped into it, the entire room seemed to light up. Even my usually dull features looked striking in the mirror.

Then I heard a voice I knew all too well.

Benedict, I love that dress shes wearing!

As I turned around, I locked eyes with Benedict.

For a split second, I saw surprise flash in his eyes. But it quickly twisted into a sneer.

Kelly? he scoffed. What are you doing here? Did you find out we were coming to try on dresses and show up just to ruin our day?

Lindsay threw herself into our mothers arms and pouted. Mom, do you think shes upset because we didnt invite her?

My parents turned on me immediately.

You little brat! my mother snapped. So this is where youve been hiding. You're trying to upset your sister on purpose?

Take that dress off and get out of here! What, are you that desperate to get married? Youre a disgrace to our entire family! my father venomously spat.