Blurb：
After three years of forcing Silas Reed to stay with me, he died saving me in a car accident. The doctor said he had lost the will to live. But when I found his diary, the last page revealed his true feelings: “Serena, I hate you most of all.” Reborn into the past, I tear up the contract that bound him to me. Now facing the seventeen-year-old Silas Reed, I vow to change our tragic fate. Luna Voss may have been his first love, but this time, I’ll rewrite our story without contracts or coercion. Set against the backdrop of Aethelred Group’s corporate intrigue, this is a tale of redemption, second chances, and the complicated relationship between Serena and the brooding Silas Reed. Will he ever believe my change is genuine? Or will his mocking smile and cold detachment remain unchanged?
Content：
In the third year of forcing Silas Reed to stay with me. he died saving me in a car accident.
The doctor said he had lost the will to live.
Later, while sorting through his things, I found a diary.
Inside were receipts for everything he’d secretly done for his first love, Luna Voss, over the years.
But on the very last page, it said:
??[Serena, I hate you most of all.]??
Serena is me.
So, after I was reborn, the first thing I did was tear up the contract Silas had just signed.
The seventeen-year-old boy watched quietly as the fragments scattered across the floor.
After a long moment, he curled his lips into a mocking smile:
“What? Has the princess finally realized that ten years of my servitude isn’t enough?”
I wasn’t fully awake yet.
Tearing up that contract had just been instinct.
“Ten years isn’t enough? So… twenty? Thirty? Or maybe… a lifetime?”
Seeing me just staring blankly at him,
a flicker of understanding passed through Silas’s eyes.
He picked up his pen again, unsurprised. “Got the new contract ready? I’ve got my shift at the diner this afternoon, can’t be late.”
His expression was calm, like he was discussing the weather.
The words burst out before I could stop them: “There is no new contract.”
My voice came out hoarse.
I licked my dry lips, then instinctively issued an order: “Silas, I need water.”
During the three years of our marriage, he had taken meticulous care of me.
But the moment the words left my mouth,
I met those faintly mocking eyes and remembered—this wasn’t the Silas from years later, the one who’d learned to pretend to be tamed by me.
My throat tightened.
I tried to explain: “I didn’t mean—”
“Ah, so this is the new game.” Silas sounded unsurprised.
He stood up to get me water, paused, then added some cold water from the pitcher.
“If you want to change the terms, fine. Don’t worry, I’ll honor my promise to your father.”
His hand, slender yet strong with well-defined knuckles, held the water glass.
Yet the moment my fingers accidentally brushed against his, he jerked his hand back as if scalded
That tiny movement made my nose sting.
The water temperature was just right.
I bent my head, drinking quickly to hide my reddening eyes.
Silas had always been a man of his word.
Even after my father suddenly fell ill and Silas single-handedly held together the entire Aethelred Group,
he never once thought about breaking our contract.
Even when the crash happened,
his first instinct was to shield me with his body.
The doctor said Silas had no will to live.
So this man, with no will to live, had already made a will, leaving everything he owned to me.
Silas was good in every way,
except he never loved me.
Luckily, I got another chance.
“No new contract,” I repeated, setting the glass down firmly. “I will never force you to sign anything ever again.”
Silence.
Silas studied me for a moment, then nodded as if everything made sense.
He pulled a card from his pocket and placed it on the table.
“Your father gave this to me. The money’s untouched.”
“That’s not what I meant!”
I grabbed his hand in panic.
I knew exactly what that money meant to Silas.
A gambling-addicted father. A gravely ill grandfather.
In my past life, I’d used their plight to force him into signing that ten-year contract of servitude.
“You can take my father’s money. You can sign a contract—I mean, a normal one. My father invests in you. You can choose to work at Aethelred after graduation, or pay him back later. But I don’t need you tied to me anymore. I won’t force you… to like me.”
Tears blurred my vision.
I kept my head down.
not realizing how tightly I was gripping Shen Qingye’s hand—
until he said coldly, “Let go.”
“Huh?”
Before I could process it,
the surprise in Silas’s eyes faded into emptiness.
His tone was detached:
“What kind of act is the princess putting on this time?”
“Or is this another trick to ruin my last job, so I have nowhere to go but back to orbiting your world?”
Staring at Silas’s ears, flushed bright red with anger,
I opened my mouth, too frustrated to speak.
Because those were things I’d done.
I fell for Silas Reed at first sight.
So when I accidentally learned he was applying to the same university as his childhood friend Luna Voss,
I panicked. I used that contract to bind him to me first.
I’ve always been domineering and possessive.
I thought, given enough time, maybe he’d learn to love me.
But when he died,
the diary still held those words: “I hate you most of all.”
“I won’t do those things anymore.”
“Why should I believe you?”
“Because I—I don’t like you anymore.”
Saying it out loud eased the tightness in my chest a little.
I forced a smile, speaking earnestly:
“Silas Reed, I will not like you anymore. I will not force you anymore.”
Silas looked at me.
Emotions I couldn’t decipher swirled in his eyes.
He left without saying another word.
He probably still didn’t believe me.
The card remained on the table.
After some thought, I took it to my dad.
After repeatedly assuring him this wasn’t some reverse psychology play, Dad agreed to continue funding Silas’s education.
But he wanted to talk to Silas first.
I breathed a sigh of relief.
For the next few days, I forced myself not to seek Silas out.
The Honors classes and regular classes weren’t even on the same floor.
Going days without bumping into each other was normal.
But to outsiders, it looked like I was deliberately avoiding Silas.
People whispered, guessing what my next move was.
Even my friend, Xander Vale, couldn’t resist asking:
“C’mon, give your uncle the inside scoop. What’s your plan for messing with Silas next?”
His eyes shone with the eager light of someone ready to stir trouble.
No one at school knew Xander was technically my cousin.
But we’d been partners-in-crime since childhood, so we never stood on ceremony.
I rolled my eyes. “No plan.”
“Weird. This is really weird!”
Xander looked at me strangely.
He slung an arm around my neck, lowering his voice. “Anytime I mentioned Silas before, your eyes lit up brighter than headlights. Now you look like a wilted flower? Did the punk mess with you?”
His voice hardened on the last sentence.
“He didn’t mess with me. I just… got over it.”
I shrugged off his arm, suddenly sensing a heavy gaze on me.
But scanning the hallway revealed nothing.
“What’s up?”
Xander leaned in closer.
He paused, rubbing the back of his neck. “Why do I feel a chill…? Never mind. What did you mean ’got over it’?”
“I don’t like Silas Reed anymore.”
“Oh, don’t like Sil— Wait, don’t like him anymore?”
His voice shot up.
“Xander Vale.”
Just as I was wondering how to shut down Xander’s dramatic reaction,
a familiar voice came from behind me.
I didn’t turn, but my body went rigid.
Xander leaned on my shoulder, craning his neck, annoyed:
“What do you want, jerk?”
A cool glance swept over Xander’s arm resting on my shoulder, then quickly away.
Silas held a stack of notebooks, expressionless.
“Ms. Chambers wants to see you in her office.”
Xander’s face instantly fell.
He muttered “Meet you after school” and abandoned me without a second thought.
But Silas stayed put.
His gaze, unhurried, settled on my face.
It was our first encounter since that day.
Afraid he’d think I was still scheming, playing hard to get,
I decisively turned and walked away.
“Se—”
I left in too much of a hurry to hear the half-syllable that broke off abruptly.
His throat moved slightly as he swallowed the rest of that call.
But the gaze fixed on my retreating back grew darker, more unreadable.
I thought this time, Silas and I would drift apart.
I didn’t expect him to agree to tutor me.
The reason was simple.
“Your father said you’re struggling with the basics, so the tutoring fee is… generous.”
Silas placed a practice test on my desk, lifting his gaze.
“Didn’t you say you weren’t going to like me anymore, that you were going to focus on studying?”
I was left speechless, frustration bubbling up.
“Why does it have to be you tutoring me?”
I’d worked so hard to adapt to life without Silas Reed.
“I need the money. Tutoring you lets me review the material too. More efficient than other jobs.”
Silas looked at me calmly. “Your father said you didn’t like any of the previous tutors. If my tutoring isn’t effective, or if you really can’t accept me as your tutor, he’ll fire me too.”
His words deflated me instantly.
I knew Silas worked multiple jobs off-campus, spinning like a top without rest.
Once, after seeing him so exhausted he passed out from anemia, I’d forcefully ruined several of his gigs.
In my past life, I’d also asked Silas to tutor me.
He’d refused flat out.
Now he’d agreed.
Was my affection really such a burden to him?
The familiar ache pinched my heart, then settled into numbness.
I deliberately pulled my chair farther away.
Muttering,
“Fine. Let’s start.”
“Take this diagnostic test first.”
Silas slid the test towards me, his voice lower than usual.
I didn’t argue, burying myself in the questions.
The room fell silent.
Only the faint sounds of breathing remained.
I forced myself to concentrate.
Until Silas moved behind me.
The clean, almost sharp scent of soap filled my senses, enveloping me.
My hand tightened on the pen, uncontrollably flashing back to my past life.
After we married, Silas was always distant.
Except during moments of intimacy, when he’d show a rare, almost fierce intensity.
Warm breath brushed my neck.
He’d nip the soft skin gently, but his hand would cover my eyes.
So, from start to finish, I never saw Silas’s face.
Now I realized it was because he didn’t want to see me.
My thoughts wandered, and I unconsciously chewed the pen cap.
Then, a hand appeared in my peripheral vision, wrist bone prominent.
Silas tapped the desk, expressionless:
“You put ‘D’ for a fill-in-the-blank question?”
Me: “…”
Mortified, I corrected it.
Somehow, I managed to stumble and guess my way through the rest.
I handed it back, apprehensive.
Silas scanned it.
His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
I looked away guiltily.
Just then, my phone buzzed.
Silas was bent over the test, marking it.
I glanced, turning slightly to sneak a look at my messages.
It was Xander.
He’d texted cheerfully: Mission accomplished! What’s my reward?
Me: [Reward? What mission? Xander, what did you do now?!]
My heart lurched.
I suddenly remembered something from a few days ago.
Xander never believed I’d stopped liking Silas.
I didn’t bother explaining, thinking time would prove it.
But reality was,
seeing Luna Voss walking beside Silas, smiling shyly,
I still lost myself for a moment.
I knew Luna was different to Silas.
He preferred quiet,
yet he could tolerate her chattering endlessly by his ear.
His only friend at school was Luna Voss.
They’d planned to go to the same university.
But I’d snatched Silas away, by any means necessary.
They seemed to be talking about something amusing.
Luna tugged gently at Silas’s sleeve, like she was teasing him.
Then she saw me and froze.
Her face went pale as she ducked behind Silas.
Looking at Luna, delicate as a white flower, I inexplicably remembered things from my past life.
At Silas’s funeral, Luna brought people to cause a scene.
Tearfully, she accused me of being his real murderer.
Playing the heartbroken ‘first love,’ she stirred up online hate, trying to force me to give up Silas’s inheritance.
It was only when I produced the huge IOUs hidden in his diary that Luna’s true nature was exposed.
She’d been bleeding Silas dry for months.
Luna Voss wasn’t as innocent as she seemed.
Realizing this, I instinctively frowned and took a step forward.
“Did you need something?”
A cool, distant voice pulled me back.
Silas looked at me calmly.
His eyes flicked to Xander beside me, then he subtly stepped in front of Luna.
I opened my mouth, finally managing a weak “Nothing.”
I suddenly understood Silas wouldn’t believe me.
Especially since Luna was his first love.
The realization made my heart ache with a sour tightness..
I didn’t even notice when they’d left.
That day, Xander nudged my shoulder, winking conspiratorially:
“Don’t worry, kid, Uncle’s got your back!”
He thumped his chest confidently.
I was baffled, but didn’t dwell on it.
Now, remembering, the feeling of unease grew stronger.
Xander sent a voice message.
I was about to convert it to text.
When Silas’s voice came from behind:
“What are you doing?”
Startled, I fumbled to turn off my phone, but accidentally hit play.
The next second,
Xander’s exaggerated voice exploded in the quiet study:
Guess who I saw? Luna Voss! She was working there too! But don’t sweat it, Serena, I got the manager to fire Silas. Cut off any chance of him seeing Luna again. Now he’s all yours!
My phone was gently plucked from my hand.
Silas looked down, his expression unreadable.
I listened in despair as Xander’s triumphant voice echoed.
I tried to explain. “I didn’t ask him to do that.”
But my voice grew smaller and smaller.
The room plunged into dead silence.
“So this is what you meant by—”
The phone clicked softly on the desk.
Silas took half a step back, his voice soft:
“—never forcing me again?”
His tone was impossible to decipher.
I knew he’d misunderstood again.
So I took a deep breath and met his gaze squarely.
“Believe it or not, I truly didn’t ask Xander to do any of that. In fact, if I’d known beforehand, I would have stopped him no matter what.”
Dark lashes lowered.
Silas didn’t speak.
Until I added, “He must have misunderstood something. But regardless, Xander did it because of me. I apologize for him. As for your loss, I can compensate—”
“You compensate for him?”
A ripple disturbed the calm surface of his eyes.
Silas gave a humorless smile. “The princess is quite the loyal friend.”
I was stunned.
After three years of marriage, I knew this signaled his anger.
I was about to say something.
But Silas looked away first.
He moved back to his original position, picking up the half-graded test.
“Your foundation is really weak. We’ll start with the basics.”
I frowned. “Weren’t we discussing what Xander did?”
“Tutoring is billed by time. We’ve wasted seven minutes. I’ll add it on at the end, or refund that portion.”
Silas was all business, detached.
“I took your father’s money. This is my job. Rest assured, I won’t bring personal feelings into it. I’m not…” He paused, his gaze dimming slightly. “…the type to quit halfway.”
His voice was soft.
A sudden knock at the door cut off his last words.
The housekeeper brought fruit.
I took the plate, closed the door, and turned to ask, “What did you say?”
“Nothing.”
Silas quickly regained his composure.
He opened the textbook, not looking up.
“Let’s continue.”
As Silas said, he took his tutoring seriously.
And I honored my promise-no communication beyond studying.
Occasionally passing in the hallways, we’d simply walk by.
Even eye contact was deliberately avoided.
I’d just started to relax.
When my tablemate, Mina Clark, the student council president, reminded me of my council duty.
“It’s your shift with Silas Reed in the office today.”
Mina pushed her glasses up her nose. “Don’t forget the cleaning.”
My face stiffened.
I remembered I’d promised Mina a thorough office cleaning in exchange for her arranging shifts with Silas.
But the situation was awkward now.
“I—”
“Those slackers never clean properly, just around the desks. Good luck. I believe in you. Give me back a sparkling office.”
Mina gave my shoulder an encouraging, if emotionless, pat.
Then she grabbed a competition math book to discuss with someone.
It was too late to find a replacement.
I resigned myself and packed my bag.
But when I arrived at the office, Silas was already there, holding a rag.
He was wiping the windows, his back to me.
As he reached up, the hem of his faded shirt lifted slightly.
As he reached up, the fabric of his uniform tightened across his shoulders, hinting at a lean but strong build beneath.
I stared, momentarily distracted.
The capable figure before me seemed to overlap with the man from my memories.
Silas disliked having strangers in the house.
So the cleaner came only once a week.
Daily chores and cooking were mostly Silas’s job.
I’d tried to help, hoping to get closer.
But Silas was always quiet when working.
I’d chatter excitedly, he’d rarely reply.
Eventually, I couldn’t take it and avoided going home.
Until Silas died.
I went back to pack his things, finding the diary in his study.
That diary was full of—
I stopped, suddenly realizing something was wrong.
Silas’s journal had been full of writing.
So why did I only remember the “I hate you most of all”?
Had I forgotten something?
“The key to the equipment room is…”
He stopped mid-sentence.
Silas instinctively started towards me, then halted abruptly a few steps away.
He looked down, his voice sounding strangely urgent:
“You look pale. Are you feeling okay?”
I realized my palms were clammy with cold sweat.
“I’m fine.”
I shook my head, walking past Silas to get the broom.
But Silas had already cleaned most of the office.
I couldn’t find anything to do, standing awkwardly.
“The key is in the second drawer on the left. Check the equipment, then organize the class meeting records. Inspection duty is during the third evening study hall.”
I sighed with relief. “Okay.”
The tasks were light.
Finishing quickly, I pulled out a book to study.
Until a mug of warm water appeared in my line of sight.
And a milk candy.
Silas sat down opposite me.
He bent over his own work, glasses sliding slightly to reveal well-defined brows.
Only the rustle of turning pages filled the office.
It was the same during tutoring.
But maybe remembering my past life made the silence unbearable.
I excused myself to use the restroom.
“Serena.”
Silas called me suddenly.
His glance lingered on the untouched water and candy. He frowned, then relaxed.
Finally, as if deciding something, he said quietly:
“I need to talk to you.”
“When I get back,” I replied quickly.
Silas paused. “…Alright.”
I seized the chance to slip out.
Outside, as I cooled down, my thoughts returned to that half-forgotten diary.
If I couldn’t remember, it probably wasn’t important, right?
I tried to reassure myself.
Turning back, I saw a vaguely familiar female classmate.
I think she was from the publicity committee. Had a thing for Silas.
I really didn’t want to go back.
So I made an excuse and swapped shifts with her.
“My backpack’s still in there.”
“No problem! I’ll bring it out!”
She was clearly eager for alone time with Silas.
I thanked her.
When she brought my backpack out later,
I remembered Silas wanted to talk and asked:
“Silas wasn’t mad, was he?”
“Nope,” she replied, already turning to go back. “I told him you had to leave. He just nodded and kept working.”
Silas really didn’t care if I stayed or went.
Whatever he wanted to say must not have been important.
I wasn’t sure how I felt.
I mumbled “Okay,” took my bag, and returned to class.
Mina looked surprised to see me but didn’t comment.
Third period patrol.
I was reviewing mistakes when I sensed a heavy gaze.
I looked up instinctively.
Silas stood in the doorway.
Brown eyes fixed intently on me.
But he quickly looked away, scribbling in his notebook.
Probably just checking if I’d skipped study hall.
I guessed, turning back to my notes.
Two weeks later, almost everyone knew I’d given up chasing Silas Reed.
Xander Vale muttered that I’d finally come to my senses.
He promised to find me someone a thousand times better than Silas.
But before he could start, he threatened to cut ties with me.
Because after the next monthly exams, I’d beaten his score by over a hundred points.
Xander stared at my test papers like he’d seen a ghost.
After a long moment, he wailed:
Kid! Even you’re ditching your uncle now!”
Watching Xander’s teary eyes like poached eggs, I patted his shoulder solemnly:
“If you don’t buckle down, Mina will look down on you even more.”
I’d learned much later that Xander had a crush on Mina Clark.
Xander instantly wiped his eyes, blustering, “Who’d even like her?”
But soon after,
he pulled out a pocket mirror, peering at himself uncertainly.
“……Am I really that lame?”
I stayed quiet, just asked Mina to send her scores.
Seeing them, Xander deflated completely.
Then vowed to get serious about studying.
At least he finally stopped bugging me about why I’d suddenly lost interest in Silas.
I sighed in relief.
But the next day, Luna Voss unexpectedly sought me out.
Her reason was downright absurd—
She begged me to get back together with Silas.
“What are you talking about?” I thought I’d misheard.
“I know you still care about Silas deep down.”
Luna spoke with conviction. “Otherwise, you wouldn’t have had Xander ruin his job. Now Silas has no income, he’ll have to depend on you.”
Depend?
The word made my skin crawl.
I didn’t reply.
Luna took my silence as agreement.
She bit her lip, then played the victim card:
“Actually… Silas just sees me as a little sister. You probably didn’t know, I had a brother. He died saving Silas. Silas promised to take care of me. But I know how Silas really f—”
“Not interested in your drama.”
I cut her off, feigning boredom.
I scoffed. “Honestly, Silas Reed’s so cold and stern all the time. Why would I ever want to be stuck with someone like him? Besides, I already told you: I’m done liking Silas Reed!”
Footsteps behind us halted.
Luna’s face contorted.
Then, right in front of me, she “tripped” and tumbled down the stairs.
The fall looked painful.
I saw her expression twist.
And Silas appeared, perfectly timed.
“Silas.”
Luna’s eyes welled up, her voice choked. “It wasn’t Serena! I just slipped!”
I ignored her terrible acting.
I looked only at Silas.
We hadn’t crossed paths since the student council office, beyond tutoring.
How much had he seen?
How much had he heard?
He—
“Apologize.”
The icy voice cut like glass.
I was stunned. “Apologize?”
Triumph flashed in Luna’s eyes.
“It really wasn’t Serena’s fault, Silas. Don’t force her to apologize for my sake.”
Her words lit the fuse.
The distrust since my rebirth, the guilt, the constant fear—
It all exploded.
Why should I keep eating humble pie?
I laughed bitterly. “Silas Reed, are you insane? Why the hell should I—”
I nearly stormed down to give her the shove she deserved.
But all my fury died with Silas’s next words.
“Apologize to Serena.”
Apologize… to me?
I froze.
Now it was Luna’s turn to gape:
“M-Me? Apologize?”
“Silas, what?” She lunged for his arm. “Serena pushed me! Why should I—”
“I’m not an idiot.”
Silas sidestepped her grasp, his voice dangerously low.
Each word carried steel:
“She wouldn’t shove you in a crowded hallway. Luna Voss. This isn’t your first act.”
The final sentence dripped with disappointment.
Luna fell silent.
Head bowed, hair hiding her face.
“Silas.”
“Yeah?”
“You… believe me?”
“Yeah.”
Silence.
I felt a pang of guilt.
Silas added:
“She framed you because of me. I apologize on her behalf.”
“What gives you the right to apologize for her?”
The words burst out.
The exchange felt eerily familiar.
Amusement flickered in Silas’s eyes,
then vanished into shadow.
He bent to help Luna up, but she slapped his hand away.
Luna limped off, stubbornly.
Silas followed silently.
Watching them leave, Luna’s words replayed:
—[My brother died saving Silas.]
—[Silas promised to look after me.]
I never knew about any of this.
Not even in my previous life.
For some reason, those large IOUs tucked in his diary resurfaced in my mind.
My chest felt heavy, as if weighed down by a rock.
And then came a sudden, unexplainable panic.
“Xander.”
Xander was heading my way.
I grabbed his arm urgently:
“I need a favor.”
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