Turning Back Time to Save You

After her first love died, Sophia Hayes hated me for ten years.

I tried to win back her favor every day, but she only responded with cold sneers. "If you really want to make me happy, why don't you just die?"

Her words were like daggers to my heart. It was a shock when she died in a pool of blood while trying to save me from an oncoming truck.

With her final gaze fixed on me, she whispered, "If only I had never met you."

Her mother was inconsolable with grief at the funeral.

"I should have let Sophia be with Ethan Brooks. I never should have forced her to marry you!"

Her father also looked at me with hatred in his eyes. "Sophia saved your life three times. She was such a wonderful person. Why couldn't it have been you who died instead?"

Everyone regretted that Sophia had married me—myself included.

I was driven away from the funeral, completely devastated.

Three years later, I traveled back to the past after a time machine was invented.

This time, I chose to sever all connections with Sophia, giving everyone the version of history they truly desired.

The time machine erupted with a blinding flash of light. I squeezed my eyes shut, only to suddenly hear Sophia Hayes' mocking voice.

"My parents threatened suicide to force me to marry you, Julian Reed. I bet you’re happy now that you've gotten what you wanted, huh?

"But even if we get married, what exactly will you gain? Do you really think we can be happy together?"

My eyes flew open to see Sophia standing before me, still alive and breathing.

She was wearing an elegant long dress and had her hair pulled up in a high ponytail, radiating youthful energy. Even so, her eyes were unable to hide their contempt.

The Sophia from my future was mature, cold, and unapproachable, but this version of her was bright and spirited, still carrying a touch of liveliness.

A lump formed in my throat when I laid my eyes on her.

The time machine had indeed brought me back to the past, but unfortunately, it seemed to have malfunctioned. Instead of returning to when we first met, I had arrived thirteen years in the past, on the day Sophia and I were about to be married.

Thankfully, there was still a chance to make things right at this point.

Fighting back the bitterness in my heart, I stared at her with a smirk.

"Sophia, you don't want to marry me because the person you truly want to marry is Ethan Brooks. Am I right?"

I might have struck a nerve because her body suddenly stiffened. She looked at me coldly and said, "So what if that's true? We're already standing here. How can I back out now?"

I nodded honestly. "You can."

Sophia laughed derisively. "I don't have time for your games of playing hard to get. Just sign the papers and get the marriage certificate