My Love Burns for Anyone Worth It novel Chapter 1

**Vows Became Blame by Mark Twain**

**Chapter 1**

Bella Shaw had been given a second chance at life.

As she stood before the mirror, her gaze transfixed on the youthful, unblemished visage staring back at her, she marveled at the delicate, pale fingers that rested by her side. A moment of disbelief washed over her, freezing her in place. Then, with a jolt of realization, she snatched up her phone and hurriedly checked the date displayed on the screen.

June 26, 2024.

This was the moment right after the college entrance examination—the pivotal time when she was expected to submit her applications to universities. It was also the period when her two childhood companions, Sebastian Gale and Ronald Lowe, had begun their relentless pursuit of her heart in her previous existence.

A spark of exhilaration ignited within her, illuminating her eyes with hope. Without a moment’s hesitation, she bolted toward the office.

“Ms. Scott, I need to change my application from Eastbridge College to Northfield College,” she declared, her voice filled with urgency.

Ophelia Scott, her academic advisor, looked up from her desk, her expression transforming into one of delight. “Ah, so you’ve finally come to your senses! You are the top scorer in the entire city, Bella. While Eastbridge College is a commendable choice, Northfield College stands as the pinnacle of academic excellence. It would indeed be a shame to miss out on such an opportunity.”

Bella managed a bittersweet smile, a hint of regret flickering across her features. “I was being stubborn before. I’m sorry, Ms. Scott. I’d like to switch back, please.”

The process of changing her application was surprisingly swift. By the time Bella returned home, she was greeted by a sight that filled her with warmth and nostalgia.

Her two childhood friends, Sebastian and Ronald, were there, accompanied by her best friend, Tessa Moore.

“What are you all doing here?” Bella asked, her voice a mixture of surprise and delight.

As she stepped inside, Sebastian, who usually maintained a cool demeanor, welcomed her with an unusually bright smile. “Did you forget? We promised to celebrate tonight at your place since we all got accepted into the same college!”

Ronald, ever the carefree spirit, approached her and playfully tapped her lightly on the head. “Oh, you little scatterbrain! We knew you were buried under a mountain of work preparing your honor graduate speech, so we took it upon ourselves to set everything up here. All you need to do is show up and enjoy the feast!”

Just as Bella was about to respond, her phone buzzed insistently in her pocket. It was Ophelia calling.

“Bella, you rushed out so quickly earlier, and I forgot to mention something important. You were originally slated to give the speech as our top-performing student in three days, but two significant board members have intervened, and they’ve decided to give that honor to Tessa instead,” Ophelia explained, her tone laced with regret.

Bella could hear the confusion in Ophelia’s voice. It was clear to anyone with common sense that Bella, as the top scorer, was the more fitting choice. Yet, as Bella glanced at Sebastian and Ronald, a sudden realization dawned on her. Their fathers were, in fact, board members of the school.

It wasn’t until Tessa’s funeral that the truth was unveiled, with Tessa reveling in her own cruelty.

“Why did they marry you? Because I orchestrated everything. I told them that if they didn’t pursue you, I would vanish from their lives forever. They panicked and competed for your affection,” Tessa sneered.

“And do you know why you never had children?” she continued, her voice dripping with malice. “Because they both underwent vasectomies for me. They promised me that even if they married you, their hearts would always belong to me, and they would never have children with you!”

Tessa’s laughter echoed in Bella’s ears, a chilling sound that filled her with rage.

In that moment, Bella’s mind went blank with disbelief, and she screamed at Tessa, demanding to know why she had inflicted such pain. The answer was as absurd as it was cruel.

“Why? Because I was envious. You were born into wealth, never wanting for anything, while I had to fight for every scrap. You received everything effortlessly, and I couldn’t bear it. I wanted to watch you suffer, to ensure you understood that your happiness was nothing but a lie I allowed you to have,” Tessa declared, her pride evident as she walked away, leaving Bella shattered.

Overwhelmed with grief, Bella coughed up blood and collapsed, succumbing to the weight of her despair.

Yet now, fate had granted her a miraculous reprieve, offering her a chance to rewrite her story.

This time, she vowed to herself that she would never allow herself to be ensnared by any of them again.