3 Hades

I couldn't breathe momentarily from the strength of my emotions. The first time I laid eyes on him, no matter the life, was always like this. Even in my first life, before I knew what abandonment really was, I had been unable to breathe at the sight of him.

This cold-hearted bastard stole my breath. Right now it was out of anger. That's what I say, but honestly there was a mixture of emotions.

He was handsome enough to steal any woman's breath away. I refused to acknowledge even for a moment that might be one of the emotions stirring in my chest. This man had caused me to die so many times, how could I think he was handsome?

But even then... a god of death can still be beautiful.

He was my personal Hades, dragging me back into this damned life over and over. I stood up from the stair I had been sitting on and his eyes finally found my figure. When I saw those green eyes, I wondered again if I hadn't dreamed them wet with tears.

"Alice?" His deep voice was laced with confusion. In all my lifetimes, I could count the number of times he had said my name, they were so few. My heart shuddered at the sound of it coming from his lips.

"Julian." I wanted my voice to come out sounding slightly annoyed or angry, but it came out as a whisper. I was still so confused over those tears.

I had been in love with this man since the day I learned he was to be my husband at just age four. And even through all the lifetimes, all the marriages of abandonment, when the time came for me to say, "I do," I couldn't stop myself from saying those two words. They would slip from my mouth before I even had a chance to think about them.

What was it about him? I used to not believe in fate, but twenty four reincarnations later and I knew somehow, this cold-hearted bastard was my fate. One way or another, I could not leave him. Not even in death.

If he was Hades, I was Persephone. I had to eat those pomegranate seeds whether I liked them or not.

He climbed the stairs until he was standing on the step just below me, his eyes even with mine. I was not short for a woman, he was just that tall.

"What are you doing here?" His brows furrowed slightly.

"I'm not allowed to come to my own wedding?" I snapped back at him. There was the fire I had wanted, though now it was too late. Julian looked me up and down, taking in my casual clothes. I did not look like a bride on her wedding day.

"I thought you would be getting ready."

"I escaped."

His brows furrowed more. "Why?"

"I needed to see you," I blurted. I couldn't directly ask him about those tears. But that Julian had been so different from the abrasive man standing before me. And so far... this life had been going different than my past lives. I didn't dare to hope I could change my marriage too much. Even being able to greet each other in our own home... even that would be more than I had ever received.

Julian's eyes narrowed. He turned away from me and started walking up the stairs without another word. I stood stunned on the step.

"Wait!" I called, rushing after him.

"If you have something to say, it can wait until after our wedding." Without turning around, he threw those words back at me.

I froze on the stairs, watching him disappear into the building. I felt the small spark of hope I had held in my chest die. Of course I couldn't change anything. We hadn't even married yet and he already abandoned me. He paused just inside the glass doors to speak to one of his family members, glancing back at me on the steps. I couldn't bring myself to move from my spot as they approached, gently guiding me inside.

I was taken to the bride's room to dress and a make up artist and hairdresser were summoned from god knows where. The Leonhart family really was prepared for anything, even my early arrival in unsuitable attire. I waited for that familiar dress to be taken out, but it never appeared. Instead, a group of four maids entered the room, each carrying a different garment bag draped over their arms. They hung each garment up on the far side of the room before unzipping them to reveal four different, though all equally gorgeous dresses.

I was stunned. This... what was this? None of these dresses were familiar to me. My original wedding gown I was unable to ever wear had been a tulle sleeved gown and the dress the Leonhart's had prepared was a modest satin mermaid gown. These gowns, however...

Each was more detailed and gorgeous than the last. They all were in cuts that would flatter my figure, with low or strapless necklines. I usually strayed away from these kinds of dresses, since I did not want to seem like an unmodest wife, but I knew I looked best when I could show off my collar bones and breasts.

I stood slowly from the dressing table, leaving the make up artist and hair dresser to approach the dresses.

One dress in particular caught my eye. It was a strapless gown with lace flower detailing in an ivory color.

"Where did these come from?" I muttered.

"We were asked to prepare these for you by the young master. They are all in your size and we have a team of seamstresses standing by in case any emergency adjustments need to be made. Please, pick whichever one you'd like."

The young master? That cold-hearted bastard? I ran my hand along the flower appliqué on the wedding gown before me as I puzzled over these dresses. In all my past lives, there had only ever been the two gowns. Why was Julian not sending over the dress his family had already prepared? Why these new gowns? What had changed, besides me arriving ahead of schedule?

It occurred to me, perhaps Julian did not know about the second dress from his family. But then why ignore my original wedding gown? The damage could have been discovered without my knowledge, even though I had never put it on this morning. Julian might have heard from my mother and prepared these dresses. But to prepare them so quickly... we had only met on the stairs less than an hour ago. I knew already, but the Leonhart family's power was frightening.

"This one," I said, turning to the maids. "I'll wear this one."