I Burned the Past, and He Burned for Me

In his bid for perpetual life, the first Don of the Bryant family annihilates the witch clan and violently takes possession of their most sacred relic.

In the moments before her death, the head of the witch clan places a curse on every descendant of the Bryant family. Every descendant will suffer a sudden mutation at the age of 23, where their bodies would be covered in thick, black hair, and fangs would sprout from their mouths, turning them into monsters.

They can only lift the curse if they marry a descendant of the witches.

Ella Crawford—my sister—and I are the last remaining descendants of the witch clan in the human realm.

In my past life, Oliver's lottery selection fell on the attractive Ella. I was aware that Ella lacked the power to lift the curse, so I secretly swapped the lots, and Oliver ended up married to me.

In the end, during our wedding night, Ella set herself alight, proclaiming that she had lost her eternal love and didn't want to face life without him.

As a result, Mom and Dad drove me out. Oliver, however, took me in and showered me with affection.

It wasn't long before I conceived his child, and he successfully survived his 23rd birthday.

Yet, barely a day later, Oliver pushed me into the fire pit.

I pleaded with tears streaming down my face, "I freed you from the curse and am currently carrying your baby, Oliver, so please don't treat me like this!"

Oliver merely responded with a malicious grin as he tossed the torch aside. "If it weren't for your interference, Ella would have lifted the curse for me! I would have been able to spend the rest of my life with her, Cynthia!"

In the end, I was completely consumed by the flames.

I suddenly open my eyes and find myself returning to the day Oliver chooses his bride by lot. I immediately snap the tampered lot, as I'm eager to find out how Ella will save Oliver without any witch powers in this life.

Cynthia's Point-of-View

It was then that the underboss announced, "And the one who will take on the role of the next Madre is Ella Crawford!"

Having heard that, Oliver Bryant cast a triumphant sidelong glance my way.

I met his gaze with an indifferent smile, snapping the tampered lot I had prepared earlier behind my back. I managed to appear even more relaxed and joyful than he was.

It was then that one of the members muttered under their breath, "How could it be Ms. Ella? Didn't Madre prefer Ms. Cynthia, whose witch power is leaps and bounds ahead of Ms. Ella's?"

Then, someone else chimed in, asking, "Didn't someone spot Oliver and Ella together late at night in the garden just the other day, wrapped up in each other's embrace? That means the selection was certainly settled in advance."

"Why go through the trouble of drawing lots, then?"

In that moment, discussions broke out one