3. "To Meet Her Boss Again"

Vic, who passed away in prison, found herself waking up in the body of a young, wealthy, and stunning heiress named Victoria Red.

"Victoria Red is the fiancée of my boss. She was in a coma for two years following an accident. If she doesn't wake up by next year, Martin was thinking of calling off the engagement," Vic whispered to herself in the hospital.

It was still unbelievable to her how a simple guard like herself ended up in Victoria's body, inheriting the wealth and status of a prominent family.

“Then how about my body? Did my body as Vic really die?”

As she thought, the hospital door suddenly opened and she met three people. They turned out to be Victoria's family, all hoping for her to wake up from her coma.

"According to the doctor, there's nothing wrong with you," Victoria's father, Emmanuel, mentioned.

Sitting beside Vic, her mother Sabby gently stroked her head. "Sweetheart, do you really not recognize any of us?"

Vic looked at them and shook her head.

"Oh dear. My poor daughter," Sabby cried, embracing her tightly.

Feeling lost, Vic turned to Victoria's twin brother, Mikhail.

Mikhail looked at Vic with a faint smile and said, "It's sad that my sister can't recall us. But you know what? This could just be a temporary thing. Who knows? Maybe Victoria will remember us soon. Let's focus on the fact that she woke up after all these years and be happy about it."

Vic was burdened with guilt as Victoria's memories refused to resurface within her. However, she was unable to confess the truth. After all, who would believe her?

Therefore, Vic had no choice but to live as Victoria Red.

** ** **

One month later.

After undergoing therapy, Vic's frail body showed signs of improvement.

She made sure to work out daily, incorporating walking into her routine as Victoria Red.

Not only did she prioritize physical exercise, but she also dedicated time to honing her skills from the past. Luckily, the Red family provided her with ample space for training.

With her hair tied back, Vic grasped a wooden sword and moved gracefully as if it were an extension of herself.

Each swing of the wooden blade produced a sharp yet gentle sound that seemed to slice through the air, hinting at a formidable force capable of defeating enemies in one swift motion as her blonde hair swaying in a ponytail.

“Vic.”

She only stopped when she heard someone calling her name.

Vic looked behind and saw her twin brother, Mikhail.  It was funny how their family gave Victoria the nickname "Vic".

"What's happening all of a sudden?" Mikhail asked.

Being twins, they looked quite similar, except for Vic's softer and smaller face compared to Mikhail's.

"It's only been a month, and yet you're here training like your life depends on it. When our parents first told me about this, I got really worried. What's gotten into you?" Mikhail questioned.

Vic looked down and wiped the sweat off her forehead with her collar.

Besides wanting to regain her skill, Vic was disheartened to discover that her original body as Vic had passed away. "I just need something to take my mind off things," Vic thought to herself.

"Don't worry too much, brother. I'm doing okay," Vic reassured Mikhail. She set the wooden sword aside and positioned herself in front of the punching bag.

With her fists clenched, Vic began her boxing training.

Watching Vic punch with impressive speed and a strong stance, Mikhail couldn't help but wonder how his twin had changed so much after losing her memories.

The previous Victoria was feeble and disliked exerting herself.

However, the Victoria standing before him didn't go out for shopping and spent most of her time exercising and training.

"Is it because she lost her memories?" Mikhail pondered before approaching her.

"You know, this is the time for that," Mikhail stated.

Vic continued punching without stopping, wondering what Mikhail was referring to. "Time for what?" she inquired while throwing jabs.

"Oh, I see. You lost your memories. Well, prior to the incident, you were supposed to marry Martin Cadell."

Bam!

Vic delivered a powerful uppercut to the punching bag and then paused, taking a moment to catch her breath. As she did, she couldn't help but think about the name her twin brother had mentioned.

"When Martin found out that you had woken up, he asked if he could meet you," Mikhail added.

The marriage between Martin and Victoria had been arranged by their grandparents years ago. It was a deal that had been made long ago, with the intention of benefiting both families' businesses. However, Vic couldn't shake the feeling of unease about becoming Martin's fiancée.

"I really wish I didn't have to meet him in this lifetime. Why is this happening to me?" Vic complained silently to herself.

“Mikhail," she called out, turning towards him. "I'm asking you this because I can't remember anything. But why did I agree to the engagement in the first place? Was it all just for business?"

Mikhail's eyes widened, and after a moment, he replied, "You were in love with Martin, sis."

Martin is quite the catch, with his good looks and numerous accomplishments. It's no wonder why many women, including Zoe, fell for him and even framed Vic for attempted murder.

"But it sucks that I've become just another woman who likes Martin," Vic muttered to herself.

"So, what if I don't love him anymore? Since I've lost my memories and forgotten about him, I probably won't feel the same way. Can I call off the engagement?"

In response to Vic's question, Mikhail smiled faintly. "If you do, I'll be happier."

"Really? Are you against this marriage?"

“I just hope that you stop chasing after a man who won’t love you back.”

Vic pursed her lips, contemplating the words she had just heard. It felt like someone finally said what she needed to hear all along.

"Go ahead, meet him," Mikhail said. "And if you realize that you can't love him anymore, don't hesitate to tell our parents that you want to end the engagement. They will understand, I promise."

Vic knew she didn't need to think twice about it. She was certain that she couldn't bear to be with Martin any longer.

Days went by, and the inevitable reunion with Martin Caddell approached.

They had arranged to meet at a restaurant, a reservation made by Martin.

Vic stepped out of the car, wearing a plain white dress, with her bodyguards by her side. As she stood amidst the crowd, everyone momentarily stopped to admire her.

"Hmm, this face always attracts attention," Vic murmured, gently covering her face with her hand. She was well aware of Victoria's beauty and deliberately chose to dress in a simple manner.

However, that couldn't hide her beauty.

Vic felt a little uncomfortable, but she kept walking. Suddenly, she paused as she heard a commotion nearby.

"Stop him! Please! He's a thief!" a woman shouted.

Vic noticed a woman chasing after a man who seemed to have stolen a designer bag. Despite the pleas for assistance, nobody in the crowd dared to help.

Without thinking, Vic, who used to work as a bodyguard, swiftly moved to trip the thief. As he stumbled, she quickly grabbed his hand and immobilized him by pinning him down with her knee.

“Argh!” the thief winced in pain.

Vic's guards were taken aback by the situation. They couldn't believe that the lady they were protecting had quicker reflexes than them!

Was it just a coincidence or sheer luck?

Regardless, they assisted Vic in catching the thief.

"Are you alright, Miss Victoria?" they inquired as they held the thief.

With the bag in hand, Vic got up and casually blew air on her bangs. "No biggie. Call the cops and hand that jerk over."

As she turned around, she spotted the owner of the stolen bag.

"Here you go, Miss. Don't lose it again," Vic said, flashing a smile at the woman.

Breathing heavily, the woman took her bag back with tears in her eyes. "Thank you so much, Miss! I have all my belongings in there. I can't imagine losing them."

"Be more careful next time. Bad people strike at any moment. Got it?" Vic advised.

The woman gave a nod and then noticed the scratch on Vic's elbow. "Oh? You've got a scratch."

Vic glanced at it. "Oh, this?" She blew on her wound and chuckled, "It's nothing. Just a tiny scratch. Won't even harm my lungs."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm..."

"I don't think you're alright," a man interrupted.

Vic fell silent upon hearing the deep voice from behind.

It was a voice that she knew all too well, but also a voice she had last heard before her death.

Slowly, Vic turned around. The moment she locked eyes with the man's blue gaze, her body froze and became motionless.

“For you to say that it’s okay even after getting injured, it doesn’t sound like you at all,” Martin, the man she loved the most, uttered.