Chapter 1
Adelaide Bright felt a slight discomfort as memories flooded in, causing her brows to furrow involuntarily. She set down the spatula she had been holding and turned off the gas stove. The non-stick skillet contained some slightly charred pork, a mix of fatty and lean cuts, with a gentle aroma of meat wafting through the kitchen. Clearly, when she arrived, Seraphina had been cooking. Adelaide switched off the exhaust fan, walked out of the living room, and took a seat on the sofa. She began sorting through Seraphina's memories. Seraphina, also known as Adelaide Bright, was 23 years old and had just gotten married last month. Her husband, the tavern keeper, was named Ursala Langley, and the two had met during their days in college, having crossed paths with Seraphina's current best friend, Liliana Hart, first. The bond between the two sisters was deep; they shared everything and hid almost no secrets from each other. Of course, that was something Seraphina believed to be true. One day, out of the blue, Seraphina heard from Liliana that she had a brother, Alfred Hart. After that, Alfred began to pop up in conversation more often. Thus, Seraphina learned just how remarkable her brother, Edmund Hart, was. Sight unseen, she found herself enamored with the young man. At that moment, Liliana shared a photo of Edmund Hart with Seraphina. In that instant, she was smitten. Her heart raced; she was experiencing the flutter of first love. From then on, Liliana began to share more pictures she had secretly taken of Edmund—him at work, sharing laughter over meals, and more... As Seraphina gazed at those images, she fell deeper and deeper for him. Countless times, she wished to ask Liliana to introduce her to Edmund and confess her feelings, but she could never find the courage. Her shyness held her back. Moreover, she felt she didn't measure up to Edmund Hart. In the Bright family, none of her attributes—talent, looks—seemed to be worthy. Then Ursala Langley entered her life. He bore a striking resemblance to Edmund Hart, not just in looks but also in his character, as described by Liliana Hart. While there were minor differences, especially in Ursala’s less noble demeanor compared to Edmund's inherent aristocratic bearing, he was essentially Edmund's doppelganger. Seraphina found herself drawn to Ursala Langley, but she never entertained the idea that since Edmund Hart seemed out of reach, perhaps she should just change her target. But Liliana helped her think in that direction and encouraged her. Around that time, Ursala Langley accidentally confessed his feelings for her. With Liliana's gentle prodding, Seraphina, somewhat dazed, accepted Ursala's confession. Later, with more encouragement from Liliana, she agreed to his marriage proposal. But less than a year into their marriage, she had a heart-wrenching revelation: she stumbled upon Ursala and her best friend in bed together. Seraphina couldn’t believe her eyes or process the betrayal; she turned and ran out the door. That day marked her calamity; just as she dashed to the street corner, a runaway truck struck her, claiming her life instantly. As the assessment of Seraphina's memories reached completion, the Guildmaster transmitted her a fuller narrative. In truth, Liliana Hart had known Ursala Langley long before Seraphina ever did. They were already acquainted. In fact, Seraphina's meeting with Ursala was not a coincidence as she had thought, but a deliberate arrangement by Liliana Hart.
Chapter 2
Liliana Hart had a crush on Edmund Hart, the kind of infatuation that lingered in the air between a lady and a gentleman. But the circumstances of their relationship meant she could never voice her feelings openly. Ursula Langley had inadvertently become the stand-in for Liliana’s affection towards Edmund. However, Ursula was completely unaware of this fact. From the moment he first laid eyes on Liliana, he was drawn to her striking beauty and her haughty demeanor. His feelings were so potent that he even felt a stir of desire to pursue her. Yet, before he could act, he met Seraphina. Liliana approached Ursula in private, claiming that Seraphina was smitten with him, even suggesting that he should pursue her. While Seraphina didn’t possess the kind of fierce beauty that characterized Liliana, she was certainly not lacking in charm. In that moment, Ursula was swayed by Liliana’s words. With little effort on her part, Liliana convinced Ursula to go after Seraphina. Once they were a couple, it wasn't long before Liliana orchestrated an unexpected rendezvous that led Ursula into her bed. Guilt gnawed at her afterward, prompting her to comfort Ursula, who even suggested breaking up with Seraphina. But Liliana stopped him. “Seraphina cares for you. If you break her heart, it would devastate her,” Liliana reasoned softly. “I don’t want to hurt Seraphina. Let’s just pretend today never happened,” Ursula replied, quickly agreeing to her proposal. But some deeds are hard to hide. From then on, the two found themselves sneaking around behind Seraphina’s back, engaging in a string of secret encounters. If it weren’t for Seraphina catching them in the act, Liliana might have continued this affair indefinitely. Ursula’s resemblance to Edmund complicated matters further. Liliana couldn't allow herself to step fully into a relationship with him; if Edmund ever found out, her feelings would be laid bare. Liliana had arranged for Seraphina to marry Ursula because she understood that eventually, Ursula would settle down. If he was to marry someone, it should be someone she could manage. Besides, with Seraphina trusting her so completely, Liliana felt unexposed to scrutiny. As she considered this intricate web they had woven, Adelaide Bright rose from her seat and poured herself a glass of water. Her red lips barely brushed against the cool glass. As the liquid slid down her throat, Adelaide began to peruse the tasks laid before her. 1. Expose Liliana Hart’s ulterior motives to Edmund Hart. 2. Inform Ursula Langley that he is merely a substitute in Liliana’s eyes. 3. Win over Ursula’s affections, then pull away. 4. Earn Edmund Hart’s love. This mission, handed down by the Guildmaster, echoed Seraphina’s hidden wishes. Adelaide lingered over the last two points for a moment. It seemed that Seraphina wanted her to secure a divorce before making a move on Edmund. Her mouth curled into a slight smirk; it seemed so right yet so tragically wrong. But alas, Adelaide had never been one for sticking to traditional pathways. Completion of her tasks was her priority, and personal feelings could take a backseat. She set the empty glass down on the table just as a familiar chime echoed in her mind: Points -1 Remaining Yorrick Points: 156 She paid little mind to the sudden deduction. Adelaide had met her end at the tender age of twenty-three. It was her birthday, a day of celebration turned into agony as pain consumed her body, feeling as if a knife was slicing through her flesh. Before she could even attempt to save herself, she succumbed to the pain. However, death did not grant her peace; instead, it exposed her to a world riddled with curses sprawled across her very essence. She was cursed but had no idea who her tormentor was, nor could she escape the torment in death. Just when Adelaide felt she could bear no more, the Guildmaster appeared, and suddenly the pain receded from her corporeal form. After a lengthy discussion with the Guildmaster, Adelaide agreed to a contract, binding her to complete tasks in exchange for liberation from her pain. Each task completed rewarded her with points. One point offered a temporary respite from her suffering for a day. Initially, she had negative points. But after completing several missions within different realms, she finally began to accumulate some savings. Still, she remained far from wealthy. She discovered that the essence of a certain kind of man could also provide relief from her curse, and surprisingly, it worked better than points. One accolade could offer her just a day for relief, but through intimate encounters, she could extend her respite for three days. But not just any man would do; he had to be filled with a particular energy to be of any help to her.
Chapter 3
“Ding!” The soft chime of a message interrupted the quiet in the living room. Adelaide Bright quickly scanned the screen of her phone. It was a message from Ursula Langley. — Babe, I’m almost at The Bright House. Is dinner ready? Ursula was a savvy businessman. Two years ago, with a generous investment from Liliana Hart, he boldly established Langley Enterprises. Now, two years later, he was part of the comfortable class—with a house, a car, and a bit of savings. In contrast, Seraphina landed a modest job at a small company right after graduating and was earning barely two thousand a month. Last month, Langley Enterprises had even folded. With the wedding approaching, Seraphina temporarily put off job hunting. After the marriage, learning that she was unable to conceive or lead a normal married life shattered her spirits, leaving her too heartbroken to think about work. Initially drawn to Ursula because he resembled Edmund Hart, she had gradually fallen completely under his charm as they spent time together. The devastating news of their inability to have a family felt like an overwhelming blow for Seraphina. Yet Ursula tirelessly reassured her, promising that he didn’t care if they had no children or a conventional love life. Perhaps his words had started to sink in, as Seraphina’s mood had noticeably improved these past few days. Each day, she busied herself as a dutiful wife, eagerly awaiting Ursula's return to pamper him. —I’m in pain. —I might not be able to cook tonight. Adelaide Bright shot off two quick messages. Of course, her claim of pain was a ruse; she simply didn’t want to prepare dinner for Ursula. —What’s wrong? Adelaide glanced at the messages. Daily life revealed that Ursula was genuinely caring and considerate toward Seraphina. Seraphina’s affections were undoubtedly reciprocated, and Adelaide couldn’t help but think on this as she crafted a response. Once she hit send, she turned to The Guildmaster. “I want to look at Edmund Hart’s profile.” Adelaide's understanding of Edmund Hart came primarily from Liliana Hart. It wasn’t comprehensive and she couldn’t verify the truth of it. As the data streamed in, Adelaide mentally flipped through it, immediately sketching out a preliminary strategy. When Ursula returned to The Bright House, he found Adelaide lounging cross-legged on the sofa, watching television. Hearing the front door open, she turned slightly and called out casually, “Back already?” She quickly assessed Ursula’s appearance; he certainly had a handsome face. “How’s your hand?” Ursula asked while changing his shoes. Being so used to having her around all the time, it felt odd to him that she wasn’t doting on him today. “It still hurts,” Adelaide replied, turning her attention back to the television. As he stepped into the room, Ursula noticed the coffee table had been moved closer to the sofa, now holding a bowl of grapes. Adelaide stretched out her slender arm, her delicate fingers reaching into the bowl to pluck a purple grape. Ursula’s gaze flicked to her lips as she popped the grape into her mouth with a slow, almost reverent grace, savoring it. After finishing, she unconsciously licked her fingers clean. Ursula felt a tightening in his abdomen. Despite her unchanged appearance, her every movement seemed to emit a mesmerizing allure. He realized he couldn’t remember how she had eaten grapes before or maybe he had overlooked these small details. Ursula removed his suit jacket and sat beside Adelaide. “Let me see your hand.” Adelaide casually extended one hand, her fingers dainty and pretty. Ursula glanced at her hand, suddenly realizing how beautiful her fingers were. He gently clasped her wrist, “Where does it hurt?” Adelaide shifted her index finger slightly. Ursula leaned in for a closer look. “Looks like you didn’t injure it. I’ll give it a rub, and if it’s still sore tomorrow, we can go to the hospital.” “Ursula,” Adelaide said softly, her voice almost a whisper. “Yeah?” “Actually, my hand doesn’t hurt,” she confessed lightly, “I just… didn’t want to cook.” Ursula paused, taken aback. “Adelaide, you’re feeling a bit cheeky today.” He found it refreshing that the traditionally obedient and caring woman he knew would resort to a little white lie simply to avoid cooking dinner. Strangely enough, he wasn’t upset but rather thought it was kind of adorable.
Chapter 4
"Are you going to cook or what?" Adelaide Bright pulled Ursula Langley's hand over and pressed it against her stomach. "I'm hungry." Ursula Langley's breath caught for a moment. "Okay, I'll go make something." She was acting differently today. Usually, she spoke softly and with a serious demeanor, but just now, that tone was something he hadn’t heard from her before. She was flirting. She was actually flirting. And she even pressed his hand against her stomach. In the past, she had never done anything like that. Just holding hands or a quick hug would make her blush for half a day. Now, she was sitting cross-legged. Such an unladylike stance from someone like her had never happened before. Ursula pushed aside his thoughts about Adelaide's many changes; they weren’t significant in the grand scheme of things. Time to go cook. After dinner, the tavern keeper and his wife were watching TV, just like usual. Before nine o’clock, Adelaide Bright started to feel sleepy. In her previous life, she got used to early sleep and early rising, as there weren’t many entertainment options in ancient times. "I'm going to take a shower," she said, stifling a yawn. "Sure, go ahead." Ursula waited for her to head into the bedroom before taking his phone from his pocket. His phone had been buzzing multiple times, but having Adelaide next to him made him hesitant to check it earlier. Opening WeChat, he discovered several unread messages from Liliana Hart. —Has Bright’s mood improved? —Looking back now, I really feel sorry for her. —Because of my possessiveness, she had to suffer like this 【Crying Big】. —But I can’t bring myself to give you up to her 【Feeling wronged】. As Ursula read the messages, his emotions grew complex. He actually had feelings for both Liliana Hart and Adelaide Bright. In the beginning, when he often met Liliana Hart, he felt guilty towards Adelaide Bright. Despite his feelings for her, he even considered breaking up with her. It was Liliana who convinced him not to, saying if he did, Adelaide would crumble and perhaps even consider suicide. Ursula Langley had hesitated. Liliana Hart continued, mentioning that she and Adelaide Bright were good sisters, and she didn’t mind sharing him with her. He believed her. But after Liliana and Adelaide got their marriage certificate, Liliana said she couldn't accept their union. She would be very hurt. The proud, aloof young lady who appeared indifferent in front of others cried like a wretched flower in front of him, her tears, a pitiful sight. Ursula's heart immediately softened. When Liliana Hart proposed the “Stone Lady” plan, he hesitated but eventually agreed. In the end, he leaned more towards Liliana Hart, with whom he had shared an intimate relationship. —Things are already like this; don’t overthink it. After Ursula replied, the chat window immediately displayed that Liliana was typing. Thinking about how she had been waiting for his response, his complicated feelings lightened a bit. —So… has Bright's mood improved? He repeated her question and suddenly remembered how Liliana had been avoiding Adelaide out of guilt. That’s not right. He thought to himself. The two sisters can’t let this matter drive a wedge between them. —Much better! You should talk to her more often or invite her to hang out. Chatting. Going out. Liliana scoffed at the idea. "There’s nothing to talk about; Adelaide is just a small-town girl with a limited worldview. The conversation just revolves around the mundane aspects of life—super boring." And as for shopping, she took forever to decide on something and loved haggling over prices. Liliana couldn’t stand those kinds of petty behaviors from a small-town girl. She became friends with Adelaide because she found it easy to boss her around and needed someone to run errands. —Fine, I'll ask her out tomorrow. —Are you coming over tonight? —I want to see you; it won't take up too much of your time. That was a mix of wanting to see him and needing company, but she was careful not to monopolize his time. Ursula thought about it; aside from not letting himself get too involved with Bright, Liliana was quite understanding otherwise. —I’ll come over later. After being teased by Adelaide earlier, he planned to visit Liliana that night regardless. He deleted the chat history and stood up to head into the bedroom. Adelaide was in there drying her hair. She was sitting on a stool with her head down, the hairdryer on full blast, filling the room with a loud whooshing sound. Ursula found her hair-drying position a bit too casual. But he didn’t think much of it, probably because it followed her earlier relaxed posture. As he got closer, Ursula took the hairdryer from her and started to help her dry her hair. "I need to step out for a bit; there’s something at Langley Enterprises I need to handle."
Chapter 5
Adelaide Bright remained silent. She had heard the same excuse from him far too many times before, and each time, she had believed it. But Adelaide Bright was no fool; she knew exactly what he was doing out so late. Her hair dried quickly, and she lifted her head, flipping her hair back as she meticulously arranged it. In the mirror, her delicate brows knitted slightly. “I have a bit of a headache.” “A headache, and you’re still washing your hair?” Ursula Langley unplugged the blow dryer and set it aside. “You shouldn’t wash your hair at night anymore; the chill can’t be good for you. You just made it worse.” As he spoke, he reached out to massage her scalp gently. “I don’t want you to go out. Can’t you just stay here with me at The Bright House?” Adelaide peeked at him through the mirror, then let her eyelids fall. Ursula noticed the flash of vulnerability and longing in her eyes, stirring up a wave of affection within him. “Okay, I won’t go. I’ll stay here at The Bright House with you.” For the first time, she leaned on him so directly, and how could he refuse? Besides, she was clearly in pain, her emotions fragile and sensitive. If he left now, she might dwell on an unpleasant past incident, letting it gnaw at her insides. Ursula had finally managed to soothe her, and he didn’t want to undo his hard work from earlier that evening. After Adelaide went to bed, Ursula grabbed a clean set of pajamas and headed to the Bathing Chamber. He always kept his phone on him; once the door closed, he pulled it out. —“Bright has a headache. I’m staying to keep her company. I won’t be coming over tonight.” Meanwhile, Liliana Hart, who had already showered and dressed beautifully waiting for Ursula’s arrival, nearly exploded with rage upon reading the message. Ursula had never flaked on her since they met. “User!” she shouted, slamming down her teacup so hard it shattered on the floor, her breath coming in shallow gasps. A headache. How bad could it possibly be? Certainly not bad enough to require company. What a drama queen, she thought. At that moment, she forgot how often she, too, was melodramatic over minor illnesses, even more so than Adelaide. After a prolonged moment, Liliana, still simmering with frustration, finally replied with a feigned understanding. —“Fine, you take care of her. If things get worse, take her to the hospital.” —“Okay, you get some rest too.” Once he sent the message, Ursula put his phone away and took a shower. When he climbed into bed, Adelaide was turned onto her side, with her back facing him. Ursula couldn’t tell if she was asleep or not, so he lay down gently behind her, unable to quell the rush of desire that began to stir within him. Tonight, his longing seemed insatiable; if he didn’t do something soon, he feared he might explode. He turned to face the curve of her back, his hand instinctively moving towards her waist. Truthfully, he seldom touched her like this. Before their marriage, she had been conservative in her views, tending to keep things innocent—holding hands was as far as they had gone, and they hadn’t even shared a kiss. Yet, if he pushed things, it wasn’t as if he couldn’t have gotten what he wanted. At that time, Liliana had already become a complication between them; if he had desires, he could easily satisfy them with Liliana, whom he was free to pursue. After their marriage, Adelaide's mood had been consistently dampened by the incident with Lady Stone. Sure, Ursula had comforted her a few times, but his thoughts had never strayed too far—he had felt guilty about her. For the last few days, however, her spirits seemed to have lifted. They had been dutifully affectionate, but truthfully, Ursula was eager to take things further, yet he held back.
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