Reclaimed Hearts: Revenge After Rebirth

Chapter 1: Downfall

　　Clouds covered everything around her. Various voices and statements may be heard, which clearly hurt?her head.
　　“You were expelled from our family!”, a woman shouted, and all she sees is a shadow of her walking away.
　　As she cannot endure the noises around, she carefully sits up and touches her head. A man in front of her continues to shout something that she cannot understand. She firstly did not pay attention to him as she felt a liquid on her forehead.
　　She saw it, shockingly it was blood. There’s a pain, however, it’s a pain that she can endure.
　　“W-what is happening? …”, she murmured.
　　“You’re asking now? All of the people here knew how you attempted to kill you sister!”, a voice from a man that has been shouting since earlier.
　　Attempting to stand up, she notices a bouquet of flowers beside her.
　　‘Am I at a wedding? …”, but then, she notices herself in bridal gown, ‘No, I’m actually the one who’s getting married.’
　　She looks at the man who never stops running his mouth, ‘And this man is my groom. It’s Christopher White. Who’s accusing me now of attempting killing my stepsister, Penelope and for having an affair that I did not have.’
　　“I did not attempt to kill anyone ..”, she says, her voice is hoarse.
　　“I saw everything. Your sister was nearly died because of you.”
　　She felt a sudden pain in her head as she tried to absorb what Christopher had been saying since earlier.
　　Her gaze was drawn to a woman her age who was trembling with terror. It was Penelope. When they locked eyes, Penelope was frightened that she had to hide on Christoper’s back.
　　“A-are you actually going to deny it? … I’m scared of her, Christopher.”, as Penelope grabs his suit.
　　Christopher consoles her. Caresses her hair, with another arm wrapped around her. “You don’t have to worry. I’ll protect you.”
　　She groans in pain, along with seeing her fiancé and stepsister in that situation.
　　“What did I even do to you …?”, as her attention is on Penelope.
　　“Are you … are you acting now as if you don’t remember? You’ve almost killed me, and you are asking me what did you even do to me? You are acting like a crazy woman right now just to avoid your crimes?”
　　“You did not just attempt to kill your sister, but you were also having an affair. I can’t marry someone like you.”
　　“I do not have an affair nor tried to kill my sister Penelope. Argh. Can’t we not talk about this now?”
　　“You can’t run away with your crimes, Ashlyn.”, Christoper said that causes so much pain in her head.
　　‘Ashlyn? Did he call me Ashlyn? No. Ashlyn isn’t my name. I’m Hannah, I’m a war commander. This isn’t me; this isn’t my body.’, she thought as she kept looking on her soft palm, with no traces of calluses from holding a sword.
　　“Have you really gone crazy?”, Christopher murmured as he frowns looking at her.
　　“Should we contact the hospital or the police, Christopher? I’m scared that she might hurt me at any moment”, Penelope asked, being worried about what an insane Ashlyn could do to her.
　　Christopher hugs her tightly as if protecting her, “I will protect you no matter what happens. She can never hurt you again. Let’s go.”
　　The two took a glance at her before they left, and Hannah who is currently living in Ashlyn body could do is just to watch them leaving, leaving her alone in the altar.
　　“What is happening? Why am I inside someone else’s body? I was died because of betrayal, I killed myself so why am I alive in this body?”
　　For the second time, her attention was drawn to the bouquet of white flowers, the petal of the rose had blood on it, probably when she got injured.
　　“This woman. Was she also betrayed? By her fiancé and her stepsister of all the people. Is this a second chance given to me? This woman died because of those two, should I avenge you, Ashlyn Knight?”
　　After a brief moment of thinking, a smile unconsciously formed on her lips, “I was scared when I got betrayed. I know you too. This is something that shattered our heart into pieces. I know it wasn’t easy to trust someone again, but can you trust me with this one, Ashlyn? For receiving your body as my vessel. I will use this life that you have bestowed to me. I hereby declare to avenge you.”
　　She rips off every petal of the bouquet with her bloody hands.
　　“This is my oath to you, Ashlyn Knight.”
　　In the hospital where she is currently being treated, gossip started to spread throughout the hospital. The voices outside her room woke her up.
　　The first thing she saw was the white ceiling. “What a boring ceiling.”, she muttered.
　　“Hey, the woman from the room 202. Did she have no relatives? No one visited her ever since she came. What if she was orphan? Can she even pay for her hospital bills?”, a woman from the outside of the room.
　　“I’ve heard that there was something like an accident on her case. Like she attempted to kill someone or so whatsoever. I also heard she was caught having an affair”, answered by another woman.
　　“I also heard that..! They said they were about to get married when the groom found out the truth. What a lucky man, he found it out at the right time.”
　　“So, there will be no wedding that’s going to happen?”
　　“What do you expect? The man was betrayed. Of course, there will be no wedding.”
　　“I feel bad for the man.”
　　Ashlyn was growing tired of hearing the same thing for the past few days of her stay in the hospital.
　　She let a sigh and sat. She takes a gaze at the falling leaves from the tall tree in front of her window.
　　“A mahogany tree?”, creating a conversation with herself, “It’s now shedding leaves. It’s meeting its downfall. But soon, a brand new bright green leaves will arise.”, as a yellow brown leaf was blown in her white blanket.
　　“This my starting point, Ashlyn.”, a determination is evident in her eyes.
　　She sighs.
　　“This woman lacking exercise these days. I’m easy to grow tired. My feet are getting numb from only sleeping and I easily get dizzy when I stand up. Argh. I want some water.”
　　As she was about to get some help from the gossiping nurses outside, a familiar name can suddenly be heard from them.
　　“You mean the woman from room 208? She’s Penelope, she’s the Young Lady of the prestigious family, the Knight Family. Kyaa~ she also has that handsome man with her. I wonder if he is her husband?”
　　“Probably talking about Christopher. He doesn’t appear to be handsome to me. What are you thinking marrying someone as ugly as him, Ashlyn?”, she groans as her throat was too dry, “Excuse me, Miss. Can I have a glass of water? I just can’t stand.”
　　The nurses take a peek from the partially opened door, “You’re not paralyzed, Ma’am. You can get the water by yourself.”
　　“Isn’t it your job to assist the patient?”, as she was losing her patient.
　　“But you already fine though? You can even dismiss at any moment.”
　　“Ah. Now your acting like you’re a doctor?”
　　“I’m still at the medical area. So, I can determine your condition.”
　　“I can make you lose your job; did you know that? I can make you disappear in the medical area in a second.”
　　“And how can you do that in your condition?”
　　She looked at her eyes, directly, “Did you not know me, by any chance?”
　　“No.” the nurse abruptly answered.
　　She sighs, maintaining her composure at all costs, “Well then, let me introduce my name. I’m Ashlyn Knight and I owned shares of the Knight Family assets. I hope you remember me now.”
　　The nurses were shocked by her sudden introduction.
　　“All I want is a glass of water. I hope we don't get to the point where you lose all of your jobs just simply because of a merely glass of water.”
　　The nurses immediately accommodate her.
　　“Here’s your water, Ma’am.”
　　The water refreshes her throat as the wind from the opened window enters the room.
　　“Who was it again?”, she said out of the silence, startling the nurses.
　　“W-Who are you referring to?”
　　“The man and the woman from room 208.”
　　The nurses seem to be reluctant; they keep glancing at each other, “Don’t worry. Whatever words have been said in this room will remain in these four corners.”
　　“It’s your sister—” as Ashlyn cut her, “Step. Stepsister.”
　　“I-I mean your stepsister Penelope was with a man name Christopher.”
　　“And why they are here?”
　　“Ms. Penelope was being treated due to her Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.”
　　She chuckles, confusing the nurses.
　　“Is she planning to be an actress someday?”, she murmured,
　　“I can give you a real trauma, my dear stepsister. Should I do that? Shall we have fun? Yeah, let’s do that.”