Chapter 4: Borrowed Bodies, Broken Hearts

He was silent. I whispered: “And you? How do you feel about me—”

Before I could finish, he just kissed me. Hard.

The kiss was gentle and passionate. He moved carefully, swallowing both tears and longing—like something warm was filling me up inside.

After a long time, Carter gently kissed the corner of my eye and Carter whispered: “You’re not used to this body yet, you need to rest.”

I curled up in his arms and nodded: “Okay.”

Carter explained everything to me. After coming back to Silver Hollow and seeing me, he sensed something was off, so he stayed vigilant. On the wedding night, he tested her and knew she wasn’t me. The next day, he went to the city to see a spiritualist, and learned how to call a soul back.

The body I now inhabited had belonged to someone on the brink of death. The spiritualist performed a ritual and pulled my soul in.

As for why Carter could see me that day, it was because he burned a rare horn—unprocessed ox horn, which people almost never burn. The smoke lets the living see spirits. He’d found it in an old box of his father’s, a relic from some forgotten tradition.

For a while after that, I didn’t return to the Ellison estate, but stayed in the city. Even the mayor came to see me once. He seemed to know something, and was shocked, saying how incredible it was. The way he looked at me, I wondered if he saw more than just a girl who got a second chance.

Until the first snow of winter, Carter brought me back to the Ellison estate. We agreed that to drive that woman out of my body completely, we couldn’t let her know. So I returned as Carter’s live-in girlfriend—total scandal. We didn’t care.

Snow fell thickly as we walked up the stone steps, our footprints side by side. He held my hand and apologized for putting me through so much. I squeezed his palm, letting him know I was fine. Compared to the days and nights as a wandering ghost, this was nothing.

Just as we stepped inside, the other “me” was waiting on the porch. Her brow was furrowed, her eyes full of shock, like she needed time to accept what she was seeing. She gritted her teeth: “Carter, you’re something else! Not even a year after getting married and you bring home another woman. So where does that leave me, huh? Your wife!”

Carter didn’t let go of my hand, Carter just shot back, “A gift from the mayor. Don’t be jealous.”

I looked up at him, squeezed his palm, and let go. Only then did Carter add: “Lillian, no matter what, you’re the only woman I’ll ever love.”

“That’ll never change.”

I looked up at him, my heart almost burst. How amazing it is when two hearts beat as one.

The woman said nothing more, glared at me, and turned to go inside. The maid who went to eavesdrop came back and reported she was acting strange.

She kept muttering: “Where did it go wrong again? What’s happening? Why did the character change? Why is there a new player?”

She smashed things, saying it shouldn’t be like this, that she couldn’t change anything. She was the original author, the characters were hers, this wasn’t her story anymore. “How could this be? It’s just a fanfic, how could a fanfic mess up my ending?”

Author? Plot? Fanfic? What is she talking about?

I was still confused when a commotion erupted outside. Looking out the window, I saw my brother had arrived.

I hiked up my skirt and ran out—then bam, a slap knocked me down.

“What the hell is wrong with you?”

I held my cheek and stared at him, dazed. That’s right, I’m not Lillian Monroe now. Just... a girl with no family.

I sat on the ground, just numb, until a hand wrapped around my waist and helped me up.

Carter’s face was stormy. I squeezed his palm to show I was okay. He gently lifted my chin to check the bruise on my face.

Honestly, it hurt, and I knew it’d swell. The sting was sharp, and I burned with humiliation. This was the first time I’d been hit—by my own brother.

He not only hit me, but wanted to hit Carter too, yelling: “You bastard! Our family’s not some backwoods joke. You think Lillian’s got no one to look out for her? Mayor gives you a new girlfriend and you forget your promise?”

They fought, and I really couldn’t stop them. Carter never fought back. Carter wiped his mouth, glanced at me while my brother paused. “Don’t come close, stay back, don’t get hurt.”

He took another punch: “You’re really in deep, Carter!”

“Carter, your folks are gone, you live on the edge of death every day. If we didn’t care about old ties, do you think we’d have let you marry my sister? If I’d known it’d turn out like this, you might as well have died over there.”

Those words stung. I don’t know where the strength came from, but I hauled off and slapped him.

“Ethan! What the hell is wrong with you?”

He just stood there, stunned.

Carter jumped up, blocking me from Ethan.

“Why do you think his parents are gone? Why do you think he’s risked his life? Go outside and look at what peace costs!”

“Yell at me all you want, but don’t you dare talk about him like that! You even cursed him, Ethan. How could you?”

I started to sob. Carter hugged me, whispering, “It’s okay, I’m fine. Don’t cry.”

Ethan looked awkward. He and Carter had grown up together. He’d said all that in anger. Now he just looked sorry.

He opened his mouth, but Dad and Mom walked in.