Three Lifetimes to Escape His Obsession

Only when my nails bit deep into my palm did I dare believe this wasn't a hallucination. Elias Foster sat across on the sofa, his tailored suit accentuating his sharp posture, eyes burning with the same paranoia as in our past two lives. "Nancy, Olivia," he said, "this time, I won't choose." My hand trembled violently as I gripped the coffee cup; the warm liquid spilled onto the web of my hand, burning me instantly—bringing back the memory of my first life's end—I was locked in the attic by him and starved to death beside the bay window. Olivia Jordan sat right beside me, her face even paler than mine. In the second life, Elias pushed her to her death from a high-rise. Now, the third life. Elias actually said he wouldn't choose. "I will marry both of you at the same time," he said, crushing the cigar into the crystal ashtray, his voice devoid of any hesitation. "Nancy will be my official wife; Olivia will be my concubine, and the Foster family's resources will be split evenly between your two families." "Elias, have you lost your mind?" Olivia's voice trembled, but she regained her strength before I did and snapped back, "We haven't even settled the debts from the past two lifetimes, and you still dare to bring up marriage?" I drew a deep breath, swallowing the lump in my throat. The pain of the past two lifetimes surged over my chest like an unrelenting tide. This time, I refuse to make the same mistake again. "Elias, we will never marry you." I stared at him, the fear in my eyes slowly being replaced by determination. "You can forget that idea." Elias raised an eyebrow, as if he had long anticipated our reaction. He stood up, approached me, and looked down at me: "Nancy, don't force me to use the old ways." His words were like a knife, instantly piercing through the calm I was forcing myself to maintain. In the first lifetime, he threatened me with my parents' company; in the second, he kidnapped Olivia's younger brother. But this time, Olivia and I exchanged a glance and saw the same determination in each other's eyes — no matter the cost to our families, we would never fall into his abyss again. Elias sneered coldly when we remained silent. "In three days, I will go to the Stern family to propose." After saying that, he turned and left. When the front door closed behind him, Olivia and I both exhaled in relief. Three days later, Elias indeed arrived. The Stern's living room was packed—my parents and several elder relatives, all wearing ingratiating smiles. Elias handed over a betrothal gift box, containing costly jewelry and stock certificates, his tone firm and unwavering: "Mr. Stern, Mrs. Stern, I intend to marry Nancy." I stood at the top of the stairs on the second floor, watching the absurd farce unfold below, and suddenly gripped the railing tightly. In the two previous lifetimes, I watched my parents accept his gifts and force me to nod. But in this life, I will no longer stay silent. "I will not marry him." My voice rang out clear and bright, instantly silencing the chatter in the living room. All eyes turned to me. Elias' face darkened, and my parents' expressions were full of panic. "Nancy! What nonsense are you talking about?" My mother hurried upstairs and reached for my hand, but I pulled away. "I'm not talking nonsense," I said, stepping down the stairs until I stood before Elias. "Elias, do you dare tell everyone you only plan to marry me?" Elias's eyes flickered, but he remained silent. I sneered, raising my voice: "Elias wants to marry both Olivia and me. Elias, what do you take us for? What do you think marriage means?" The moment I spoke, the living room exploded into uproar. My father's face flushed red as he pointed at me. "Nancy...you , how can you fabricate such lies!" "I didn't," I said, pulling the voice recorder from my pocket and pressing play. Elias's words from yesterday came through clearly: "...I want to marry both of you simultaneously; Nancy will be my official wife, Olivia will be my concubine..." When the recording ended, Elias's face darkened completely. He lunged to snatch the recorder, but I stepped back just in time to avoid him. "Elias, marrying us won't be so easy."