After Rebirth, I Willingly Entered My Husband's Time-Travel Scam

My husband, to avenge his first love, tricked me into a time-travel world he'd built himself.

On the very first day, I bumped into the princess played by his first love.

They stripped me naked and put a dog collar on me.

To stay alive, I endured their humiliation and torture, over and over.

Then two months later, just when I thought I could finally escape, I discovered that all of it had been a lie.

They produced the shameful photos of me and used them as a threat.

In the end my mind broke, and I died a wretched death in a psychiatric hospital.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day before the time-travel.

My husband held my arm, his voice gentle.

Tomorrow's the first day of our honeymoon. I've got a surprise for you.

I shuddered all over and yanked my hand back.

In my past life, my nightmare had begun with that honeymoon trip.

What's wrong? Are you feeling sick somewhere?

Listening to the question at my ear, I drew a deep breath.

It's nothing. I'm just looking forward to your surprise.

Only after Garry Gilbert left did I pull my phone out of my pocket and call my assistant.

Julius Finch, get me a hundred extras.

The next day, I rode in Garry's car to the resort.

Inside the villa suite, Garry handed me a glass of water.

I took the glass, and dread rose in my eyes.

In my past life, that was the water that had knocked me out.

I lifted my gaze to him.

Honey, you didn't put something in this, did you?

Garry's hand twitched, then quickly steadied.

What are you talking about? I'm your husband.

I just saw you were tired all day and hadn't had a drop to drink.

His eyes flickered, avoiding mine.

I pulled my gaze back, sneering inside, and didn't call him out.

Right in front of him, I drank the whole glass.

Before long the room started spinning, and I collapsed into Garry's arms.

Half-conscious, I heard a woman's voice.

Garry, is she really out?

Relax, I watched her drink it. Now it's your turn to perform, my Princess Crystal

When I woke, Garry was right beside me.

Victoria Fox, you're finally awake.

He pulled me tight against him.

Garry, weren't we on our honeymoon? Where are we?

I looked at him, confused.

He sighed, his face grave.

We were at the resort when lightning suddenly struck out of the sky, right onto our room.

I tried to protect you, and I got hit by the lightning too.

I woke up here. I'm afraid it's like those novels. We've traveled to another world.

I wanted to slap myself. How stupid had I been in my past life, to believe a story this full of holes.

Just then, urgent hoofbeats broke out beside us.

A carriage came racing toward where we stood.

Garry urged me on, frantic.

Victoria, kneel, quick. That's the princess's carriage. Whatever you do, don't look up.

Last time I'd believed him. I bowed my head and knelt.

And the carriage slammed into me and broke one of my legs.

I turned and looked at Garry.

Sure. So why aren't you kneeling?

Garry choked.

Victoria, don't make trouble. This isn't the real world. If you don't listen to me, you'll die.

But even as he spoke, his feet were edging backward.

How do you know it's the princess inside? And the road's this wide. If I can't afford to offend them, can't I just get out of the way?

Seeing me go off script, Garry didn't know how to argue back.

I... I mean, what if this is our lucky chance?

We've just arrived, we don't know a soul here. What if they've come to help us?

His stalling had cost him. The carriage was already right in front of us.

Garry tried to dodge, but I had his hand in a death grip. That was when he panicked.

Let go, now. Have you lost your mind?

I nodded and let go. Caught off balance, he lost his footing and tumbled backward.

Right under the carriage.

The next second, a scream tore out.

Garry clutched his mangled leg, tears and snot streaming from the pain.

Aahmy... my leg, it's broken.

Hurry, hurry, get me to a hospital.

The driver was one of Garry's lackeys.

Seeing that he'd crushed Garry's leg, his face went white as a sheet.

He rushed over to haul Garry onto his back and carry him to a doctor.

I got to Garry's side a step ahead of him.

This play had only just begun. There was no way I'd let it end so easily.

I scooped up a handful of mud from the ground and shoved it into Garry's open mouth.

"Garry, stop shouting. This isn't the modern world. There's no hospital here."

"Whatever you do, don't let the princess find out it was your leg that tripped her carriage, or you're dead."

The mud clogged his throat, and I could see him gagging on it.

I pressed a little harder with my hand, keeping his mouth covered so he could go on enjoying it.

"Garry, don't fuss. Just hold on a little longer. Once they're gone, everything will be fine."

His eyes bulged, and he clawed at my hand, trying to pry it off.

Just then the carriage curtain drew back, and a woman in lavish robes stepped down.

"Which blind fool dares to disturb my carriage?"

She came toward us with small, mincing steps.

The moment she saw that the one who'd been struck was Garry, the smile froze on her face.

She'd told them to aim for Victoria Fox.

"Gar"

"Cough, cough, cough"

The coachman behind her coughed a few times, and only then did Crystal Galloway realize she'd said the wrong thing.

Watching their clumsy acting, I held back a laugh.

In my past life, I'd been too dazed from the crash to notice that this was a fake princess. What ancient princess wore a full face of makeup and got her nails done?

Looking at her, I remembered thinking she seemed familiar back then.

Now that I studied her, wasn't she that third-rate actress, Crystal Galloway?

She'd once auditioned for one of my films, and her acting was so bad I'd cut her. I never imagined it.

She was Garry's precious first love.

A bitter smile touched the corner of my mouth.

For a woman like this, Garry had been ready to drive me insane.

But if you love her this much, why did you ever agree to marry me in the first place?

Just say it, and I'll let the two of you have each other.

At that moment the guard beside her stepped over and slapped me across the face.

"Hey, the princess is speaking to you. Are you deaf?"

"This is Princess Crystal, the most beloved daughter of His Majesty. You've got some nerve, disturbing the princess's sacred person. Wiping out nine generations of your family wouldn't be enough."

Crystal looked down at me kneeling before her and laughed, thoroughly pleased with herself.

"Hmph. A lowly thing after all."

"You had the gall to cut me back then, and now here you are, kneeling in front of me like a dog."

Her voice was soft, but I heard every word.

"Fine. I'm in a good mood today, so I'll let you go. But your husband stays."

The guard hurried over and helped Garry up.

Garry spat the mud from his mouth. His leg hurt so much it had gone numb.

"No. This is my husband. Princess or not, you can't take another woman's husband. What would the people say if word got out?"

I clenched my fists tight, playing the faithful wife.

"Heh. When I want a person, who dares to interfere?"

"And don't say I'm bullying you. Here's a hundred silver taels. Call it payment to buy out your marriage."

Garry shook off the guard and limped over to my side.

"Victoria, don't worry. I won't abandon you."

"Let's ignore her. The worst she can do is kill us both."

"Princess, give it up. My wife would never throw me away for money."

He stood firmly in front of me, just like in my past life.

I'd thought he truly loved me, so I refused, and they beat me until I passed out on the spot.

Living this life over, why would I do exactly what they wanted?

I gave Garry a shove forward.

"Fine. I agree."

He turned back and stared at me, unable to believe it.

Wondering whether I'd figured something out, a trace of suspicion crept into his eyes.

I lowered my voice.

"You go back with the princess first. She loves you this much. She won't have the heart to kill you."

"Wait for me. This money is my capital. I'll come back to save you, I promise."

Only then did Garry let go of his doubt.

Crystal was watching me with a strange look.

By rights, wasn't I supposed to be putting on a whole scene of a devoted couple?

"What's wrong, Princess? Nothing to say? Are you having second thoughts? Because then I'll just take my husband and be on my way."

I turned to leave.

"Wait."

Crystal called out at once.

"How could Ihow could I possibly have second thoughts?"

"I simply didn't bring that much money with me. Come back to the manor with us, and you'll get it."

Garry was urging me too by then.

"Victoria, take the money before you go. I won't feel right about you out there on your own."

I agreed, and followed behind their carriage.

The tiny listening device in my ear picked up their voices.

I'd slipped it onto him while Garry wasn't looking.

Inside the carriage, Crystal nestled against Garry's side.

"Garry, she's your wife. Don't you feel anything for her?"

Garry stroked her cheek.

"You're the one I love. She's nothing but a marriage-alliance commodity. If my parents hadn't forced me, I'd never have married her."

"That role was mine to give you. She had the nerve to cut you, to disrespect me like that. She's going to pay for it."

"Don't worry. The Fox family thinks we're off on our honeymoon. Two whole months. Play with her however you want. Just don't play her to death."

Crystal's bright, tinkling laugh spilled through the earpiece.

A cold light rose in my eyes.

Then let's see who plays whom to death first.

Before long, we arrived at the so-called princess's manor.

Looking at that gate, all the agony of my past life came flooding back.

After I was dragged into the manor, Crystal had my clothes stripped off and a chain fastened around my neck.

She made me live like a dog, eating the foulest slop, caged with the pigs.

Threatening that if I didn't obey, she'd kill both me and Garry.

Slowly my body and mind went numb, until I was little more than a walking corpse.

Even that wasn't enough for her. She brought in an old wooden torture horse and forced me down onto it.

The pain tore through me, and I begged and begged.

She looked at the blood pooling across the floor and only laughed, delighted.

"So fun, so fun. Garry, dear, who'd have thought big sister here was such a filthy little slut."

"Only, when we do this to her, will it upset you?"

Garry held her close, his voice dripping with indulgence.

"How could it. You're the one I love most. She dared to cut you. Torture her however you like."

"Victoria, you didn't really think you'd traveled back in time, did you?"

"The two months are up. This honeymoon surprise, do you like it?"

Under my stunned stare, he pressed a switch.

The clear sky went pitch black in an instant. I looked up, and a plane crossed overhead, its lights blinking.

I froze where I stood, my heart torn to shreds.

Crystal pulled out her phone and took photos of me.

"Big sister, if these pictures ended up in front of the Fox family, I bet they'd lose their minds."

"The great heiress of Fox Group. A famous director. And now here she is, on all fours like a bitch in heat."

"If this made the news, imagine the sensation."

In that moment something in me went to ash. I broke completely.

I ran, stumbling like a lunatic, out and away.

And a speeding truck crushed me into a pulp.

When I came back to myself, a single tear had fallen from the corner of my eye without my noticing.

I clenched my fists, holding down the fury filling my chest.

"Princess, we're here now, so keep your word. Hand over the hundred taels."

Seeing that I wouldn't take the bait, Crystal waved a hand, ready to just take me by force.

Garry called out to stop her.

"Leave her. Help me with my wound first. It hurts like hell."

Two hours passed before they came out.

Garry had changed into clean clothes. He limped over to me.

"Victoria, I just begged the princess, and she agreed to let you stay."

"Aren't you happy? Now we can be together again."

I stepped back in disgust.

I could have cut off my own ears. God only knew what I'd just had to listen to.

Garry and I had never even shared a bed since we married. I'd had no idea he was into things like that, that he was a submissive on top of it. It was sickening beyond words.

"You're here to be the princess's kept boy. So what about me?"

"I don't want to stay here. Have the princess give me the gold, and I'll leave right away."

Garry couldn't understand why I'd turned so cold all of a sudden.

"Victoria, do you really think if you take the money the princess will let you go?"

"Don't be naive. This is a world that eats people alive. Break the rules and you die."

"I'm doing this for your own good. You think I want to serve the princess? You're the only one I love."

The manor guards forced me down to my knees.

"You filthy woman. The princess is showing you mercy. Plenty of people would give anything to get inside this manor and never can."

"Don't refuse a toast only to be forced to drink the penalty. Come in as a maidservant, or die. Your choice."

My knees hit the ground, and I sucked in a sharp breath at the pain.

"What is the meaning of this, Princess?"

"In broad daylight. Don't tell me you mean to murder someone in the open street."

Crystal let out a scornful laugh, no longer bothering to act.

"I'm a princess. If I kill a filthy little woman like you, what could you possibly do about it?"

"You two, hold her down for me. I want to see just how tough that mouth of hers is."

Pinned so hard I couldn't move, I could only take the slap full on. Blood welled at the corner of my mouth at once.

"What are you staring at? Those eyes of yours make me sick."

"Once I've had my fill of you, I'll gouge them out and see how arrogant you are then."

Still not satisfied, Crystal struck me a few more times.

I fixed my reddened eyes on her.

"Hit me, and you'll regret it."

She seized a fistful of my hair.

"Still running that mouth, are you? Garry, go inside and bring me a pair of scissors."

I looked at Garry. He hesitated a few seconds, then went inside anyway, and came back out with the scissors in his hand.

"Victoria, it's just being a maid. Nobody's asking for your life. Do you really want to die?"

He stood off to the side, every word dripping with fake concern.

Crystal waved the scissors around.

"So? If you crawl on the floor right now and bark like a dog, beg me to be your master, maybe I'll forgive you this once."

A little panic crept into my eyes. Where was Julius? Why wasn't he here yet?

A minute passed. Crystal lost her patience, raised the scissors, and moved to cut.

"Don't"

No girl doesn't care about her hair. Neither did I.

Just as I was about to say something to stall, the ground began to shake.

A whole crowd of masked riders came galloping straight toward us.

I frowned, confused. I didn't think I'd arranged anything on horseback. Had Julius added this bit himself?

A moment later, the crowd had us completely surrounded.

A hundred men, a hundred horses. The sight of it was crushing.

The one at the front wore the fanged demon-face mask, which made him look even more chilling.

"Garry, are they yours too?"

Crystal backed away a few steps, her voice shaking a little.

Garry looked doubtful.

"Not mine. My people are all inside."

"Al, go over there and get rid of them. Don't let them mess up our plan."

Al let go of me and swaggered over there like some idiot.

"You lot don't know who you're dealing with. You know whose place this is?"

"Get lost, now, or I'll make sure you regret it."

The words had barely left his mouth when a broadsword ran straight through his body.

I watched closely from where I stood. That was real blood.

"Al, you bastards, you actually hurt my brother. You're dead."

Another guard drew the prop knife at his waist, meaning to avenge his brother.

But soon he too fell into a pool of blood.

Crystal had never seen anything this bloody. She screamed.

"They're they're killing people!"

I furrowed my brow. That was too heavy a hand. If someone actually died, this would be hard to clean up.

I quietly pressed the one-way communication device.

"Julius, what's going on? Didn't I say to follow my plan?"

Julius's anxious voice came through the earpiece.

"Miss Fox, our people have all been stopped. We haven't gotten in yet."

"Did something happen on your end?"

My head snapped up, and cold washed over my whole body.

In an instant my skin crawled.

Not my people. Then who were they?