Regret This, CEO! My Fake Fiancé Is the Real Deal

"Aaah—!" A piercing scream sliced through the darkness, jolting Mia awake. She was gasping for air, her chest heaving. Her scream still echoed around her. It took her a few seconds to realize... the scream had come from her. She remembered it vividly. She had used the last ounce of her strength to throw herself into the ocean. Within seconds, the darkness had swallowed her whole. As she took her final breath, one thought had echoed in her mind. 'What if I had never agreed to marry him…' Wait. She was already dead. How was she still screaming? "Mia, are you alright? Wake up!" Someone shook her urgently. That voice—it made her stomach turn. She forced her eyes open. Above her, a crystal chandelier sparkled, blinding in its brilliance. The darkness vanished. Light poured in. It felt like waking from a nightmare. "Lucas? Is that… you?" She blinked in disbelief at the man holding her. One strong arm was wrapped tightly around her. His chiseled features were creased into a frown. Was that concern on his face… or irritation? "Of course it's me," Lucas Manesdin snapped. "Mia, I've told you over and over—Ava is just a friend from school. There's nothing between us. You don't need to pass out just to get my attention." He sounded completely fed up. For two years, Ava Smith had been studying abroad. She didn't have anyone to look after her. So Lucas made it his mission to check in morning and night, send her gifts on holidays, and make sure she was okay. And every time, Mia got upset. Yesterday, Ava returned. Lucas had picked her up from the airport, taken her to dinner, helped her with her luggage. All totally normal. Just things friends would do. So why was Mia acting like she'd been wronged? It was exhausting. Mia stared at Lucas, dazed. Ava? Passing out? She looked around the room. Dozens of guests were staring back at her—some confused, others amused. They were all enjoying the show. And then the memories hit her like a wave. This was a year ago. Their engagement party. Her father had refused to give his blessing, and in protest, she had severed ties with him—just to marry Lucas. No one from her family had shown up. Every guest here was one of Lucas's friends. At the time, none of that mattered to her. As long as Lucas was willing to marry her, it was enough. But just as Lucas was about to put the ring on her finger, Ava appeared. She stood there in silence, eyes locked on Lucas. Her expression was pure heartbreak. Her big, tear-filled eyes looked like they could drown the entire room. Of course she was sad. The man who once said she was his everything was now engaged to someone else. Even if she'd rejected him first, true love should have been eternal—shouldn't it? Lucas froze. For three seconds, his face went rigid. Then he dropped Mia's hand and walked straight toward Ava. That moment… was right now. This was happening all over again. Mia's eyes widened in shock. She couldn't believe it. She had come back to life. She'd been reborn to the moment right before everything had gone wrong. A surge of emotion rushed through her—anger and triumph clashed in her chest. She wanted to laugh out loud. She also wanted to rip Lucas's perfect face to shreds and stomp on the pieces. This selfish, two-faced man. He had never loved her. He used her, lied to her, and in the end, destroyed her. Not this time. Mia forced herself to stay calm. Then, without hesitation, she shoved Lucas away from her. "Get lost, Lucas Manesdin. Don't play dumb. I finally see you for who you really are." In her previous life, she had loved Lucas so much that she had abandoned her family, gave up her career, and worked as his assistant for two whole years. At last, they got engaged. But when Ava returned, his so-called goddess was back. And with just a few tears, she shattered everything Mia had built. A year later, on their anniversary, Mia had watched Lucas promise Ava that he would marry no one else but her. Their vows meant nothing. It was all a joke. Heartbroken, Mia had stumbled out into the street. The headlights were blinding. A speeding truck hit her and sent her flying. That was the start of the nightmare. The accident had left her paralyzed. She spent three months in the hospital, then came home in a wheelchair. But that was only the beginning. With hospital bills piling up, she had to sell her home. Then, Lucas broke off the engagement. She had nowhere to go and ended up living on the streets. Winter was brutal. The thin tarp she used for shelter barely kept out the cold. Even a single piece of bread became a luxury. When she finally swallowed her pride and tried to reach out to her family, a voice interrupted. "That's her." A sack dropped from above. She was kidnapped and tossed onto a ship. She had no idea where the ship was going. All she knew was that she had become nothing but cargo. A nameless, helpless prisoner. Her beautiful face and crippled legs triggered the guards' worst instincts. They tormented her day and night. Her frail body couldn't take it. By the third sunset, she was barely alive. Someone approached with a scalpel, ready to harvest her heart, her kidneys, her corneas—before she died. With nothing left to lose, Mia threw herself into the sea. Death had finally freed her from the prison of love. And now that she was back, Lucas was nothing to her. Less than nothing. He had no clue what she had been through. He just stood there, eyebrows furrowed so tight he looked ready to kill a fly. "Mia, calm down. Everyone's watching. What are you doing?" "Yeah, seriously, Mia. Lucas didn't even do anything." "A man like Lucas deserves a gracious fiancée." "Poor Ava. She rushed over right after landing, just to offer her blessings." To everyone else, Lucas was perfect—wealthy, charming, the total package. Mia? Just his assistant. Why did she get to be his fiancée? It was unfair. Clearly, she was the problem. If someone had to be blamed, it had to be her. Because she had loved him too much. So she deserved to be humiliated. But what if she didn't love him anymore? "Shut up." Mia stood tall, facing the crowd. She looked like she was wearing armor, like she had just broken free from chains. A faint, icy smile curled on her lips. "My relationship with Lucas is none of anyone else's business."