My Love Buried Me, My Return Will Bury You

One hundred million, she said without a trace of warmth. Collect the payment, disappear abroad within seven days, and make sure you never cross paths with my grandson again.

Across the polished table sat Mrs. Sterling Sebastians formidable grandmother wrapped in silk and diamonds, her expression carved from contempt, as if even sharing the same room with me was an offense she barely tolerated.

Once, I would have shattered under that gaze. My cheeks would have burned, tears spilling as I swore I wasnt a gold digger, that I loved Sebastian with everything I had. I would have clung to him like a lifeline.

But not today.

This time, I only curved my lips slightly and inclined my head.

Fine. I accept.

For a heartbeat she looked almost startled, then she let out a short, humorless chuckle. Good. Its about time you remembered where you belong.

I didnt bother replying. I picked up the check, folded it neatly, and rose from my seat. No arguments. No pleas. Not anymore.

After all, I had already paid the ultimate price for loving Sebastian once before.

In that other life, Id died because I refused to walk away from him. They called it a tragic mishap a drunk, a gun meant for someone else. But it was my heart the bullet found. As I lay bleeding across the floor, he didnt even meet my eyes. The only sound he made was another womans name falling from his lips.

Then I opened my eyes and time rewound.

I was back to when I was still his wife. Back to before the betrayal reached its climax. Back to this very night, when his grandmother tried to buy me out of his life with a single signature.

So I accepted the money silently.

When I returned to the villa, the darkness had thickened, swallowing the empty rooms. The house felt colder than ever. The only warmth lingered in a framed photograph resting on the coffee table: Sebastian holding me close, looking at me as though the world ended and began with me.

I brushed my fingertips over the glass, and the memories came flooding in.

Three years earlier, beneath a rain-lashed bridge, I had found him barely clinging to life. That day my coworker malicious and petty had tossed my phone into the murky floodwaters. I had been cursing under my breath while searching for it when I heard someone gasping for air.

He was slumped against the concrete, a gunshot wound torn into his side, rain and blood mingling at his feet.

Who are you? I asked, shaking.

I dont I dont remember, he whispered weakly, teeth chattering. Just dont take me to a hospital. Please.

I brought him home to my rundown apartment peeling walls, leaky pipes, winters we survived wrapped in piles of quilts.

And somehow, in that poverty, love bloomed.

He waited downstairs after my late shifts so I wouldnt walk home alone. When cramps bent me in half, he stayed awake all night, massaging my stomach until the pain eased. Without telling me, he worked three jobs just to afford a bracelet I had admired in a shop window only a few times.

Every night hed pull me close and murmur, I dont want anything in this world except you.

I believed every word.

He even dragged me to a tattoo parlor and etched my name across his chest.

If it hurts, it means Ill never forget you, he said with a grin.

I thought we were unbreakable.

Until his memories returned.

He wasnt some penniless man abandoned by fate. He was the heir to the Sterling mafia empire a ruler of half of New Yorks underworld. He hadnt been forgotten. Hed been hunted.

Once he remembered who he was, the man I loved vanished.

He moved me into this massive estate, draped me in jewelry I never asked for, then disappeared into suits, blood-soaked negotiations, and endless nights away.

I told myself he was just busy.

Until I saw the photos.

Sebastian opening car doors for Bianca Rutherford, her smile radiant, his gaze tender in a way he hadnt looked at me in months. Headlines praised them as destinys perfect pair.

That night, sitting alone under the moon, I finally understood:

The Sebastian who had walked through storms for me had died the moment he reclaimed his throne.

In my previous life, I had refused to accept it begging, degrading myself until I paid with my life.

But not this time.

Because this time, I had come back.

---

The villa was silent as ever that night. Sebastian didnt return.

Before, I would have waited on the couch until morning. This time, I went straight to bed.

At dawn, I headed to the visa office, filled out every form, paid for expedited processing. In a week, Id be gone.

When I stepped outside at noon, I wandered without direction until I entered a random restaurant.

The second I pushed the door open, my entire body froze.

Sebastian was seated near the window, Bianca across from him. He bent toward her, gently dabbing the corner of her lips with a napkin, his expression tender the same softness he once reserved only for me back when we were crammed into that run-down apartment with cracked walls and leaking pipes.

My chest constricted. I turned on my heel, wanting to escape before they noticed me, but I rushed straight into someones shoulder.

Im so sorry, I blurted automatically.

The man lifted his head.

The warmth in his eyes vanished in an instant.

He rose from his chair and walked toward me with long, angry strides.

So now youre stalking me too? he snapped.

I hadnt even drawn a proper breath when he continued, his voice colder.

Ive already explained everything about Bianca and me. It was strictly business. How long are you planning to humiliate yourself like this?

I tried to speak, but Mrs. Sterlings words from the night before echoed cruelly in my head:

Their marriage has been planned for years. He has feelings for her as well.

Planned. Marriage. Arranged.

The truth I had been too blind and too in love to see.

Sebastian, theres no need to sound so harsh, Bianca said gently as she stood and slipped to his side. Its just a coincidence that we ran into each other. Why dont we all have lunch together?

Before I could object, she looped her arm through his and ushered me toward their table like I had no right to refuse. I ended up sitting opposite him, trapped under the weight of his frigid stare.

What would you like to order, Miss Monroe? Bianca passed me the menu, smiling politely. The Spanish dishes here are quite famous.

The menu might as well have been written in code. Im not hungry.

At least have some soup, she urged, already waving the waiter over. A bowl of steaming seafood broth was set down in front of me. Its very fresh.

The scent hit my nose and my stomach twisted violently. I was allergic. One sip would land me in the ER.

Before I could protest, Sebastians phone rang. He stepped aside to answer.

Bianca leaned in, her lips barely moving.

Go on, taste it. A dish like that probably costs more than what you earned in a whole month when you were living in that rat hole you called home.

My fingers clenched around the napkin.

She took a slow sip of wine, eyes gleaming. You dont seriously think you belong in places like this, do you? Women like you dont marry into families like his. If Sebastian hadnt lost his memory, you wouldnt even qualify to polish his shoes.

Heat rushed to my face, but I forced my chin up. You can keep your

Oh!

She suddenly gasped and accidentally tipped the entire bowl, scalding soup splashing over both our hands.

Agony tore through my skin. I recoiled sharply, biting down on a scream. Even though I had been reborn, the humiliation followed me in different forms, as if fate refused to let me escape public cruelty.

Sebastian rushed back at once, grabbing Biancas wrist. What happened?

She trembled slightly, perfectly pitiful. Its nothing I was just startled. I suppose Aurelia doesnt like seeing us together. Its understandable

His gaze sliced toward me. How many times do I have to explain things to you? Whats wrong with you?

My hand burned, angry red blisters already rising. She did it on purpose

Enough! he barked. I saw it all. When did you become this pathetic?

Then he pulled Bianca into his arms and turned away from me.

She nestled against his chest, but not before flashing me a smug smile over his shoulder.

I stared at my injured hand, shaking with pain. Three years ago, when I burned myself in our kitchen, hed raced out at midnight just to buy ointment. Now he didnt spare me a glance.

I left alone, smiling bitterly.

The villa greeted me with darkness and silence, just like always when Sebastian wasnt home. I dug out the first-aid kit and treated the burn myself. The disinfectant stung, the ointment barely soothed it, and the bandage throbbed like ants crawling beneath my skin.

When I straightened, my eyes drifted to the grand piano in the corner the Cielo hed bought after regaining his memory, promising to teach me how to play.

It was coated in dust.

Hed never played a single note. Never taught me anything. Just like our marriage once sworn, now abandoned.

I turned away quickly and went upstairs. In the bedroom, I pulled out a suitcase and started packing. Clothes. IDs. Bank cards. One item at a time, I folded my past into that case.

Halfway through, the door creaked open.

Sebastian stood there, jacket over his arm, tie loosened, the powerful aura of the Sterling heir radiating off him once more.

His eyes locked onto the suitcase.

What are you doing?

Im getting ready to leave, I replied in a low voice.

He closed the distance between us, and his cologne washed over me. My stomach clenched it was the exact same scent that had clung to Bianca earlier that day.

Suddenly his fingers wrapped around my wrist.

So this is what this is about? he snapped. Youre running away just because I had lunch with Bianca? You were the one who hurt her, and she didnt even complain. Yet here you are, throwing a tantrum?

I met his gaze. His eyes werent icy or gentle they were full of impatience, as if I were nothing more than an inconvenience.

Our families have been close for generations, he continued. Her parents asked me to look after her now that shes back in the country. Can you not try, just once, to be a little more reasonable?

Reasonable.

The word stabbed straight through me. As if I hadnt already sacrificed everything for him. As if I hadnt already given my life once because of him.

How much more did he think I owed him?

Answer me! he demanded.

I said nothing. Silence was the only armor I still had.

His grip tightened for a moment before he let go, fury darkening his features.

Fine. Be stubborn. Lets see how long you last. You have nowhere to go. I practically own half of New York.

The door slammed so violently the walls shook.

I stared at the half-packed suitcase. In my past life, I would have collapsed in tears, chased after him, begged him to choose me. But this time, I pressed my lips together and kept folding my clothes.

---

The following morning, I stepped into the living room and froze.

Bianca was lounging on the sofa, chatting sweetly with Mrs. Edith Sterling like she had always belonged there. She was dressed in white, glowing, every inch the future lady of this house.

When she noticed me, her smile widened.

Good morning, Miss Monroe. My parents insisted Sebastian take me to todays auction. Please dont misunderstand.

I glanced toward Sebastian. He was adjusting his cufflinks, his face unreadable. He never even spared me a look.

Theres nothing to misunderstand, I replied calmly. What you choose to do has nothing to do with me.

For the briefest moment, his fingers paused, but he said nothing.

Bianca let out a light laugh. Why dont you come too? You dont seem busy.

Before I could decline, she slipped her arm through mine and tugged me forward, her nails pressing faintly into my skin a quiet reminder of where I stood.

---

The auction hall sparkled like royaltys playground. Everywhere I looked were expensive suits, glittering jewels, people who lived in Sebastians world.

He sat in the front row, bidding without hesitation. Every item he won was passed directly into Biancas hands, and each time she leaned in close to whisper something into his ear, smiling like a bride.

They looked inseparable.

I sat off to the side, unseen, like I didnt belong.

At one point, Bianca spoke sweetly, loud enough for me to hear.

Sebastian, why dont you get something for Miss Monroe too?

He didnt even turn his head.

She wouldnt know what to do with any of it.

The words landed like a slap.

Bianca glanced at me with thinly veiled triumph, as though she had just won without lifting a finger.

My hand rested on the glossy auction catalogue. He was wrong it wasnt that I didnt understand these things. It was that in his eyes, I wasnt worthy of them.

To him, I would always be the girl from nowhere. Someone easily erased.

Then the final item was unveiled.

An ivory comb, delicately carved, gemstones gleaming along its spine.

My breath caught, my grip tightening on the bidding paddle.

It was my grandmothers.

Three years ago, Sebastian had been working himself to the bone to save for my birthday when he was hit by a car. The hospital bills were crushing. I sold that comb the last keepsake from my grandmother to save his life. I swore I would buy it back one day.

But it vanished.

I searched antique shops, begged collectors, chased rumors for years nothing.

Until now.

Without thinking, I raised my paddle.

One million.

The room stirred. Bianca turned, surprise flashing briefly across her face before she lifted her own paddle.

Three million.

Four million.

Ten million, she replied easily, her voice almost playful.

The numbers climbed like blades. I didnt care how deep I cut myself I would not lose it again.

Sebastian finally raised his paddle.

The hammer fell.

Sold, to Mr. Sterling!

Applause echoed hollowly.

Then he turned not to me, but to her.

Do you like it? Its yours.

The paddle slipped from my numb fingers and clattered to the floor.

I watched as the comb my grandmothers last gift was placed into Biancas hands. She cradled it, then suddenly gasped.

Oh no!

It fell.

I rushed forward, but the sound came first a clean, cruel snap as it shattered in two, gems scattering across the marble like fallen stars.

My body moved before my mind could. I shoved her aside and dropped to the floor, gathering the broken pieces with shaking hands.

Aurelia!

Sebastians shout sliced through the air, sharp and furious. He lunged toward Bianca at once, pulling her behind him like she was made of glass.

What are you thinking? Have you lost your mind?!

Tears blurred my vision as I stared at him.

Lost my mind? That comb belonged to my grandmother! You swore to mesworethat if you ever saw it again, youd buy it back. You dont even remember, do you?

For a brief second, something stirred in his eyes. Guilt. A flash of memory.

Then it vanished, sealed behind a wall of frost.

That was ages ago, he said coolly. You cant seriously expect me to recall something so trivial. And Bianca didnt mean to drop it. How could you push her like that?

Bianca gripped his sleeve, her lashes wet, her sobs perfectly fragile.

Its really my fault I wasnt paying attention.

He softened immediately. Dont blame yourself. His fingers lifted, wiping her tears with a tenderness that once belonged only to me.

Then he turned back to me, his expression stripped of mercy.

Ill send it out for repair. Stop making a scene.

With that, he took her hand and walked away, the broken comb still in his grasp. He never once looked back at me.

---

Rain started falling outside, the sound of it seeping through the walls like a slow, relentless drumbeat.

In my previous life, this moment had crushed me beyond repair.

Now, I felt nothing at all.

I stood at the entrance, watching Sebastians black Maybach glide away, Bianca sitting proudly beside him.

The auction hall was far from the city. There were no taxis. After waiting endlessly, I finally started walking under the rain.

By the time I reached home, every step felt like knives. When I took off my heels, my skin tore free with them blisters ripped open, sticking to the stockings. I gasped at the pain and collapsed onto the couch, staring blankly at the ceiling.

And then the memory came.

That winter years ago, when he carried me three kilometers through pouring rain to get me to the hospital. We had no money for a cab, but he refused to let me walk even one step.

Hang in there, Aurelia, hed whispered, breathless. Were almost there.

His back had been so warm that night, the rain almost comforting.

Now he owned cars worth more than I could imagine and still couldnt spare five minutes for me.

After cleaning my wounds, I crawled into bed. Sleep was the only place where grief couldnt reach me.

I had never wanted the Sterling inheritance. I only wanted the man who once held me in a tiny apartment, whispering my name like it was his entire world.

But that man vanished the day his memories returned.

Tears slid silently down my temples.

---

The next morning, the bedroom door creaked open, pulling me from sleep.

Sebastian stood there in a crisp suit, flawless as ever.

Theres a family dinner tonight. Youre coming.

I hesitated, afraid hed notice I was preparing to leave. After a moment, I nodded.

My ankle screamed with every step as I dressed.

Half an hour later, we arrived at the Sterling estate, glowing warmly against the night.

The moment we walked in, I spotted Bianca already seated on the sofa, wrapped in Chanel, chatting happily with Mrs. Sterling. Mr. Sterling sat nearby, his expression filled with pride like he was finally looking at the daughter-in-law he had always wanted.

Sebastian! Mrs. Sterling hurried over, clutching his arm without even glancing at me. Bianca has been waiting for you.

His eyes flicked toward me, as though expecting to see pain or jealousy. I gave him nothing.

Bianca turned with feigned surprise. Oh, Miss Monroe is here too? Please, have a seat.

Only then did Mrs. Sterling look at me.

Since youre here, mind your behavior. Dont disgrace this family.

I stayed silent.

Throughout dinner, Bianca and Mrs. Sterling laughed together, discussing elite gatherings. Sebastian and his father talked business. Not a word was meant for me.

I ate quietly, listening to the insults drift across the table.

Background is everything.

Some girls dont understand their limits.

Sebastian and Bianca have known each other since childhood. Theyre a perfect match.

Once, Sebastian would have snapped back. Later, hed only muttered, Thats enough, Grandma.

Now, he said nothing at all.

Afterward, Sebastian drove us home. Bianca naturally took the front seat, leaving me in the back like excess luggage.

The song playing was her favorite. They laughed together, their voices blending into the music.

I rested my head against the window, watching the city lights blur. Another winter surfaced in my memory Sebastian pedaling a battered bike through the freezing night, my arms around his waist, my frozen hands tucked inside his coat.

Someday Ill buy you a good car, hed promised. Youll never be cold again.

Now he had the money. But the front seat wasnt mine.

A horn blared suddenly. Headlights flared.

A truck veered straight at us.

The impact was instant.

In that split second, I saw Sebastian move not toward me, but toward Bianca, throwing his body over hers.

I was hurled forward, my forehead smashing into the glass. Warm blood slid down into my eyes.

In my past life, I survived this crash.

But survival was its own cruelty, because even at the edge of death, Sebastians choice was unmistakable.

He never chose me.

And in that moment, I heard my heart shatter for the very last time.

When I finally regained consciousness, the white ceiling of a hospital room hovered above me.

A tight bandage pressed against my forehead, throbbing with every heartbeat. My ankle wasnt the only thing injured anymore fresh bruises bloomed across my arms, shallow cuts burned along my skin, and every time I shifted, pain sparked through my bones like broken glass grinding together. It felt as though my body had been torn apart and poorly stitched back together.

I tried to sit up, but before I could, the door swung open.

The sharp click of heels echoed across the floor.

Mrs. Sterling swept inside, her posture rigid, her presence suffocating the room without a single word.

I told you to get out of this country, she snapped. So why are you still here? Are you still foolish enough to think youll marry into our family? Is one hundred million not enough to buy you out?

Her accusations struck like knives, yet my voice remained level.

That isnt the reason. My documents arent ready yet. Once the visa is issued, Ill leave somewhere far away, somewhere Sebastian will never be able to find me.

Her lips curved in faint amusement, like she was already watching me vanish.

Make sure you do. Otherwise, Ill have someone make you disappear for real. Consider this your final warning.

The door opened again, and Sebastian entered. He was limping slightly, but otherwise he looked unharmed.

The air in the room shifted instantly heavy, oppressive, as though the space had shrunk the moment he arrived.

Leaving? he asked, suspicion flickering in his eyes as he glanced between us. Whos going anywhere?

I dropped my gaze and forced steadiness into my tone.

Your grandmother just stopped by to see how I was doing. I told her Im fine. She can go now.

Mrs. Sterling instantly changed her expression, offering a hollow wish for my recovery before sweeping out, her heels snapping like distant gunfire.

Now it was only Sebastian and me.

He stood awkwardly near the bed, uncertain, restless.

About the crash earlier it happened too fast. I didnt even have time to think.

I nodded faintly. I understand.

Youre not upset?

No.

He searched my face, clearly expecting anger or resentment, but all he found was emptiness. I had already burned through every emotion I once had for him.

He stepped closer, reaching toward my cheek.

Dont look at me like that, I

Im not angry, I interrupted gently, turning my head aside. My voice was soft, but it left no room for argument. I just need rest. Miss Rutherford was hurt too. You should stay with her.

A long pause followed.

Then he left.

---

The days that followed blurred into one another. He visited every morning and every evening, bringing work documents into my room as if this were his office. Hed ask whether I was in pain, and every time I shook my head.

But when night fell and the ward sank into silence, his chair beside my bed was always empty.

From the hushed conversations of the nurses outside, I learned what I wasnt meant to know.

The girl in the VIP suite her fianc stayed overnight again.

They say hes the Sterling heir. Handsome. Attentive.

I closed my eyes, pretending to sleep, pretending those words meant nothing.

When I was finally discharged, Sebastian came to pick me up.

I hobbled toward the car and stopped.

Bianca was already seated in the front, dressed elegantly, like we were attending a celebration instead of leaving a hospital. She smiled pleasantly.

I hope you dont mind me coming along, Miss Monroe. I get motion sickness, so I can only sit in front.

Sebastians jaw tightened, clearly wanting to say something.

I spoke before he could.

Its fine.

I slid into the back seat, quiet and unseen, like a shadow.

He glanced at me through the rearview mirror, words hovering unspoken. The engine started instead.

---

The car stopped before a vast, glittering villa, its gates glowing beneath golden lights.

My heart sank.

This wasnt home.

This was a banquet the golden anniversary celebration of Mr. and Mrs. Sterling.

The whispers began the moment we stepped inside.

Isnt that Young Master Sterling? Why did he bring two women?

The one in white thats Aurelia, right? The girl from the slums. No family, no status. Just look at her clothes.

Miss Rutherford and Young Master Sterling now thats what you call a match.

They werent even trying to be discreet.

I stood slightly apart, invisible, while Sebastian never once left Biancas side. He poured her wine, draped his jacket over her shoulders, gazed at her like nothing else in the room mattered.

Then Bianca turned, all sweetness, and looped her arm through mine.

Come, Miss Monroe. Let me introduce you to some friends.

Before I could refuse, she pulled me into a group of impeccably dressed women.

This is Aurelia, she announced cheerfully, her voice loud enough to draw attention. Sebastians poor girlfriend.

Then she seamlessly switched to Spanish, chatting and laughing as though I werent even present. The others joined in, replying in German, their conversation forming a wall I couldnt breach.

Stranded, I stood there smiling stiffly, alone in the middle of their laughter.

Suddenly Bianca turned back to me.

What do you think, Miss Monroe?

Im sorry?

Oh, right. She tilted her head apologetically. I forgot you dont speak French. Then she laughed softly and added to the group, She never learned foreign languages. Dont mind her.

The laughter that followed was light and razor-sharp.

Its alright, Bianca added kindly. You can always start now.

My fingers curled into my palm until I finally lifted my chin.

Actually, I replied smoothly in perfect French, every syllable crisp,

Je comprends parfaitement tout ce que vous venez de dire.

I understand every word you just said.

The laughter died mid-breath.

Biancas smile stiffened.