Same Lives, New Choice: Not Marrying You

Chapter 1 At my birthday party, Grandpa asked me, Harper Levinson, who in the Zink family I would like to marry. Without hesitation, I chose the fifth and youngest son.

All the elders were shocked. After all, everyone in our circle knew how I, the eldest daughter and future heiress to the Levinson Group, was deeply in love with their eldest son. I was determined to marry him and no one else.

The truth was, I did marry Jonathan Zink—the apple of my eye—in my previous life. However, three months into our marriage, I found out he was cheating on me with my illegitimate younger sister, Ruth Levinson.

Back then, he had knelt before me, tears brimming in his eyes. He pleaded to me, “Please forgive me. I swear it was only an accident!”

I gave in but, ultimately, Grandpa discovered the affair and sent Ruth abroad. Jonathan thought I was the one behind this and, since then, he hated me to the bone.

In the following years, the elders in my family would pass away one after another. Our business deals were always snatched away at the last minute, and our company’s confidential files would be miraculously leaked.

On the day I discovered I was pregnant, I passed away in a staged car accident.

This time, having been reborn, I decided to fulfill their love instead. To my surprise, he barged into my engagement party—one that didn’t involve him—and begged me to marry him.

…

After leaving the study, I spotted Jonathan. He was seated among the crowd in a custom-made suit, looking impeccable, yet his gaze kept drifting toward the entrance.

When he saw me, one of his friends quickly bumped his shoulder. “Hey, your lapdog—I mean, loyal puppy, is here.”

Jonathan glanced at me, disappointment flashing across his face. “It’s you? What are you doing here?”

If this were my previous life, I would already be walking over to coax him. However, the image of that truck charging straight at me was still fresh in my mind.

Coldly, I answered, “It’s my birthday party. Why wouldn’t I be here?”

The stiffness in my tone set him off instantly. “What’s that supposed to mean, Harper? Are you picking a fight? I made time to come to your party, and this is how you treat me? Don’t think our engagement is a done deal just because you went to your grandpa.”

Seeing the tension rise, Jonathan’s friends jumped in right away. “Yeah, what do you think you’re doing, Harper? Apologize to Jon. If you weren’t so shamelessly clinging to him all the time, he wouldn’t even spare you a glance.”

I was speechless.

“This is my party,” I said calmly. “If anyone’s not having fun, feel free to leave. As for my engagement, it’ll be announced at Grandpa’s 80th birthday next month. It has nothing to do with you, so don’t sweat it.”

Although I meant to marry Maurice Zink, the youngest son, I had yet to consult his opinion. Sure, in my previous life, we… But it just wasn’t the right time to recklessly announce it yet.

“Engagement?” one of the guests asked in surprise, sounding delighted. “Looks like both of your grandpas are finally ready to step down, and the successor to the Zink Group is about to be decided.”

Our grandfathers had been close friends for the longest time. They should’ve been enjoying their retirement by now. Alas, I was the only child in the Levinson family.

Later on, they had made an agreement that whoever I married would receive Mr. Zink Senior’s 20% stake.

In my previous life, on top of the 15% Jonathan already held, marrying me made him the real one in charge of Zink Group. Inevitably, the entire company was on the verge of changing hands.

Jonathan’s friends lit up when they heard this. “Jon, you’re really about to become CEO!”

His face immediately shifted to smug satisfaction. “Listen up, Harper. Just because I might marry you doesn’t mean you’ve won. I hate that smug look on your face more than anything else.

“I’ve learned my lesson from my previous life. I can marry you, but I’ll never marry into your family. And before the wedding, I want you to arrange a decent position for Ruth, something she deserves.”

I was just about to say that my engagement or marriage had nothing to do with him when it hit me—he had been reborn too.

In my previous life, it had been a maid who tipped me off, leading me to discover their affair. Now that we were doing this again, he still wanted to play the same cards.

I parted my lips, ready to have them escorted out, when a timid voice rang out behind me. “Harper…”

Ruth walked over with visible injuries on her face, looking fragile and pitiful. The sight immediately drew everyone’s attention.

The moment Jonathan saw her, he hurried toward her. “Hey, what’s wrong? What happened? Did someone do this to you?”

Before she could answer, he turned back and shot me a vicious look. “Is this the kind of dirty tricks you’ve resorted to now?”

I was about to explain, but Ruth cut in softly. “It’s really nothing. I just bumped into something on the way here. Today is Harper’s birthday. As much as she never liked me, I still wanted to wish her a happy birthday.”

At that, Jonathan looked at me with open disdain. “Harper, if you had even half her generosity—”

Ruth gently tugged at his sleeve, stopping him. “Don’t be mad, Jon. I believe Harper will finally let go of her resentment toward me one day.”

His expression softened even more. He slipped his arm through hers and coaxed, “Come on, I’ll take you to the doctor. We can’t risk anything serious.”

Before leaving, he shot me another cold, warning glare. “You watch yourself, Harper. If you lay another finger on Ruth again, I can’t promise I’ll go through with the engagement.”

With that, he pulled Ruth away and left without looking back.

Chapter 2 That night, my birthday party officially began, but neither Ruth nor Jonathan showed up. It wasn’t until the party was nearly over—when only close friends and a few businesspeople lingering for networking remained—that they finally arrived.

Ruth had changed into a different outfit. Her cheeks were flushed, and her lips were slightly swollen. Jonathan looked pleased with himself. His shirt was half-unbuttoned, and faint hickeys showed at his collar.

Everyone knew exactly what had happened. Their looks turned playful as they kept glancing my way. Only a few of my close friends shook their heads, wanting to speak but holding back.

In my previous life, I would’ve rushed over and slapped Ruth senseless. This time, I simply picked up a glass of wine from the table and took a slow sip.

Jonathan stayed alert, positioning himself in front of Ruth, waiting for me to explode. When he saw that I ignored them completely, his brows furrowed, clearly displeased.

She tugged him closer and kissed him without a care for anyone watching. He didn’t resist and even let her sit on his lap. Of course, I wouldn’t stop them if they insisted on degrading themselves in public.

However, my best friend, Phoebe Lohart, couldn’t take it anymore. She stepped forward and yanked the two of them apart. “Hey, Ruth! Jonathan is practically Harper’s fiancé! Don’t you have any shame at all?”

Ruth didn’t even get a chance to reply before Jonathan piped up. “Phoebe Lohart? I remember your family has a few projects with the Zink Group. You think you can open your mouth and lecture me?

“Look at what’s happening. Harper hasn’t said a word, and you’re the only one fuming over this. You’re in no position to talk at all.”

“Watch your mouth, Jonathan,” I said.

I felt protective of Phoebe, who had been nothing but sincere to me. I wasn’t going to let him insult her. “Mr. Zink Senior has yet to retire, so how are you so sure that I’d pick you, and that you’d get that 20% stake?”

Jonathan paused for a second at that, then burst out laughing. “You’re really trying to throw a tantrum at me? Let’s not even talk about how everyone in this circle knows you’re devoted to me. Look at the rest of the Zink children!

“Julia married abroad, Joanna locked herself up all day for her art projects, while Jacob… Well, he’s in jail, fiddling with a sewing machine. Are you planning to go there and keep him company?”

Then, as if struck by a thought, he added, “No matter what the reason, Harper, I want you to let go of all old grudges in the past. Your mother won’t come back from the dead, no matter how much you dwell on it. It’s better for everyone if we just move on, right? Ruth, especially, is innocent in all this.”

Innocent? What a joke.

When Mom was pregnant, Ruth’s mother had stormed our house, insisting that Dad had forced himself onto her and abandoned her, aggressively accusing Mom of being the other woman.

Amid the chaos, she pushed Mom down the stairs—two lives lost in one fall.

Later, we discovered that Ruth was never Dad’s illegitimate child. She was actually the child of my deceased, reckless uncle. Ruth’s mother was nothing more than a bar hostess.

Innocent? How innocent were my mother and my unborn sister, then?

I sank into this thought, lost in the memory. Jonathan, however, mistook my silence for agreement and grinned. “Oh, right. Since it’s your birthday…”

He loosened his tie and tossed it to me. “Here, your gift.”

Ruth jumped in, fidgeting nervously. “Jon, do you think Harper will even like it? She won’t be mad at me for taking her gift, right?”

She loosened her collar slightly, revealing the necklace around her neck.

“Of course not,” Jonathan assured her. “She’s crazy about the items I’ve used. And besides, what do you mean by ‘her gift’? It’s entirely yours now that I’ve given it to you.”

Their mocking laughs rang. The tie slammed against my face, like a slap from someone’s hand. I suddenly found it all unbearably ironic.

In my previous life, I had adored collecting things Jonathan used. The pinky ring he wore when we first met, the tie from our wedding, the watch on his wrist at his succession press conference.

I had asked for every single one and kept them in delicate boxes, treating them as proof of our love. He had mocked me for it, saying they were just things he wore once and threw away, worthless junk that only I would treat like treasure.

However, objects became precious when feelings were attached to them. He never loved me, so he naturally never understood.

I let out a quiet sigh, picked up the tie that had fallen to the ground, and casually tossed it into the nearby trash can. “Right where it belongs.”

Seeing that, Jonathan exploded. “Fine. Very well, Harper. Just wait until I delay our engagement!”

Chapter 3 That night, Ruth and I went home together. She looked triumphant.

“So, what if you get to marry Jon? You can have his body, but you’ll never have his heart,” she taunted, finally dropping the mask of innocence she always wore. “Or maybe he won’t even let you touch him.”

Her gaze turned menacing. “I can take him away from you the same way I had your mother killed. Just wait, Harper. One day, everything that belongs to you will be mine.”

She thought she could rile me up, but I simply glanced at her. “I guess I’ll just wish you luck moving out of the maid’s quarters soon.”

I ignored her after that and walked straight into the house. Grandpa found me and mentioned that Maurice still needed some time to decide.

Funnily, Jonathan probably didn’t even remember there was a fifth grandchild in the family.

Mr. Zink Senior had a daughter who had given up her inheritance to become a cop for love. She and her partner died on a mission, leaving only their son, Maurice, behind.

The father-daughter conflict over that marriage had been messy. He had even demanded that the husband marry into the family. When she died, Mr. Zink Senior terribly regretted it.

However, since Maurice—bearing his mother’s maiden name—grew up mostly in the estate and rarely returned to the Zink residence, I reminded Mr. Zink Senior of his debt, and he acknowledged it.

Even if Maurice didn’t marry me, Mr. Zink Senior would still leave part of the inheritance to him.

Jonathan was obsessed with gaining full control of the Zink Group, but he had no idea that he would never be able to take it all. I couldn’t help but wonder how he would turn out in this lifetime.

On Grandpa’s 80th birthday, all the big names in the city were in attendance. To ensure everything went smoothly, I went over his health one last time with the doctor.

Ruth spotted me and walked straight over. In the past few days, Jonathan had been taking her around all the luxury stores. Her social media feed was full of pictures showing how close they had gotten.

Seeing me, she smiled brightly. “Harper, your future husband is amazing. He took me shopping for all sorts of fancy things. Not only that, but he even measured me himself, saying he wants to have something custom-made for me.”

When I didn’t respond, she continued, “He also told me to drop the courtesy once you two are married. We’ll be family, after all. I can do whatever I wish.”

I turned around, ready to tell her not to interrupt my conversation with the doctor, but I froze when I saw the brooch on her chest. That was the birthday gift Mom and Dad had given me when I was little.

Mom and Dad had loved each other deeply. She had designed the brooch, and he had gone out of his way to find the finest craftsman in Edelwald to make it. It symbolized a simple wish that I would live a happy, fulfilled life.

After everything fell apart—Mom died, and Dad lost the will to go on and turned to religion—I never received another birthday gift from them again. That brooch was one of a kind, so precious that I never wore it once.

I grabbed Ruth by the collar and shoved her back into the corner, looking down at her coldly. “Where did you get that brooch?”

She started choking up for no reason. “Harper, I know you’ve always hated me, but I’ve always thought of you as my real sister. Jonathan only bought me clothes because he felt bad for me. You can’t get physical just because you’re upset!”

I wasn’t buying it. I tightened my grip and snapped, “Tell me—where the hell did you get the booch from? Who gave it to you?”

Ruth only stared back at me with wide eyes, and I felt sick.

I reached out to snatch it away, but someone grabbed my wrist hard. “What are you doing, Harper? Are you trying to assault her in broad daylight?”

Chapter 4 Jonathan stepped in front of Ruth, shielding her as he glared at me. “Is this how the Levinsons treat their own people?”

Everything clicked when I saw him. I had been too cold to him at my birthday party, and he had said he would come today to “make it up to me”. Ruth must’ve panicked and deliberately pulled this stunt.

I didn’t bother arguing with either of them. I shoved Jonathan aside and looked straight at Ruth. “Give me the brooch!”

A flicker of guilt crossed Ruth’s face, but with Jonathan standing next to her, she quickly straightened and spoke with confidence. “Jon bought it for me. Aren’t you being too petty, Harper? You have so many nice things already. Why do you have to snatch mine?”

“Oh, really? Where did he buy it, then? Which brand? Can you say it?” I questioned. “Guards, hold her down and take the brooch off!”

As soon as I gave the orders, Jonathan moved fast and pulled Ruth behind him. “Don’t you dare! I’m the eldest son of the Zink family. Touch me, and you’re humiliating all the Zinks!”

He turned to me, glaring with warning. “I’m telling you right now that I bought that brooch for her. You’re laying hands on her in front of everyone. Do you think you can get away with this? I might just call the police!”

Hearing him, I looked again at Ruth cowering behind him and completely lost my temper.

Jonathan had clearly seen that brooch before. Even if he had forgotten, there was no way someone with his taste wouldn’t recognize the craftsmanship. It wasn’t something one could buy at a regular store, and yet, he took Ruth’s side.

I laughed. “Fine. Call the police. Let them run an investigation. Let’s see if I’m slandering the innocent, or if there’s a thief in our family.”

Jonathan froze, shocked by how ruthless I sounded. He glanced at Ruth with doubt and then remembered why he had even come here today. “Harper, I know I messed up the other day. You’re angry, I get it, but we’re still getting married—”

Before he could finish, Ruth’s hands trembled as she removed the brooch. “This was given to me by Jon, so it’s extra special. But I don’t want this to divide us further. If you want it, take it, Harper. Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you.”

Jonathan’s expression softened. He snatched the brooch right back. “No, you can’t give it to her! She can’t always get away with it every single time!”

During the struggle, the brooch hit the flower stand and shattered. I finally lost it. I grabbed Jonathan by the collar and shouted, “Do you even realize what you just broke?”

He gasped for air, yelling for help, and the guests were shocked. They pointed and whispered among themselves, “What’s going on? They don’t even bother to hide their internal feud anymore!”

“Somebody, do something before anyone gets hurt!”

Taking advantage of the chaos, Ruth kicked me into the corner. “Harper, you can be mad at me—I’ll take it—but how can you treat Jon like this?”

She held onto Jonathan, pretending to look helpless.

“Wow, I didn’t expect Ms. Harper to be like this behind closed doors.”

“Looks like Ms. Ruth is a good person. She doesn’t show up much, but she seems very upright.”

“Ms. Harper must be blinded by love. She’s been pursuing Jonathan for years and still can’t get him. Now, she’s lashing out.”

“She has to resort to this kind of behavior to tie down the man she loves. I honestly can’t respect her.”

The murmurs around me grew louder, but I didn’t even glance at them. My eyes were fixed on the shattered brooch. I forced myself to stand and reach for it, but Ruth stepped right on my hand.

“Oopsie. Sorry about that,” she said, feigning innocence.

I clenched my fist, ready to snap, when a man’s voice cut through the chaos. “What’s going on here?”

I looked up at him, and a smile bloomed across my face.

He had come. He had chosen me.