1. Rewind

Helena was a saint in her first life.

She had no magic or holy power. Helena only received the title because of her efforts through a donation to the church and involvement in many charity activities. People were grateful for her contributions. They gave her the nickname "Saint of Angles Street". 

To be accepted by the nobility, Helena improved her knowledge and manners. At first, people sneered or ignored her, but the result never betrayed her hard work. Everywhere she went, praises and admiration from commoners always followed her. Albeit coming from a low background, the noble was impressed by her performance. The prejudice behind her birth was gone after she proved herself. 

Her life changed after her mother died from poison. One by one, everything slipped out from her finger. The servants began to harass her after the mistress of the house's death, and the high society threw her out because of baseless rumours.

None of it was as bad as being framed for the crime she never did. Helena was arrested after multiple witnesses pointed their fingers at her. She still received guilty verdicts despite a lack of proof. An investigator who examined her case told the truth before he resigned because of guilt. One of the people who framed her was her step-sister, Ethel Blackmoore. She was the one who created a rumour about Helena and caused her to rot in prison.

Helena died in misery in her first life. On cold autumn, the guillotine cut her head.

She stopped thinking about the past as drops of water touched her skin. That woman looked up at the grey sky with empty eyes. The house must be in chaos because she disappeared without notice. She wandered for several hours and ended up roaming near the river.

The rain reminded her of her execution day. 

Her feet slipped when she was about to take another step. Helena fell into the river and drowned. She could not breathe, but Helena did not try to save herself. She just wanted to feel at peace with her life. Feeling relieved about her condition, Helena closed her eyes.

"Finally, everything will be over."

That was what she thought until a splash of water slapped her face.

"COUGH, COUGH, COUGH!"

"Welcome back!"

Helena coughed and took a deep breath. She was more surprised to be woken in a rude way than to be alive. That woman was about to lash out but was taken aback by the figure in front of her.

Adam Whitesmithe was her lover in the first life.

Helena met him when she visited the orphanage. Both fell in love at first sight and soon got closer to each other. His muscles wrapped around her shoulder, his chestnut brown eyes stared at her with affection, his short black hair shone under the light, and his brown hand always tucked her hair to ear. They shared kisses and giggles underneath the warm sun and danced under the moonlight.

The lover did not receive a blessing. Her mother disapproved of their relationship simply because Adham was not well-off. Helena and her mother only managed to leave their pitiful state after her mother married a Count. Helena fought about it occasionally, but she understood her mother's sentiment. She did not want her daughter to return to the slum.

This did not break Adham's spirit since he was determined to change his financial situation. He wanted to remain by her side and give Helena an appropriate life. That man turned from a mercenary into a merchant. His trading business was a success with the help of her father's connection. Helena's mother had no choice but to give in. They finally became a couple after a long struggle.

Helena could never forget him as he was one of person who fought for her until the bitter end.

While she was convoluted by thought, Adham put the bucket on the floor. He kneeled next to her. "Don't you know how dangerous walking near the river during the rain is because the ground is slippery? You are lucky I saw you fall. "

"Why-why did you save me?"

She held her tears from falling to her cheek. Fate was cruel. They used to be a lover, but now they were strangers. She did not even know what to say to him. Helena felt like she did not deserve to be saved by him because she buried everything about him in her second life for vengeance.

"I want payment!"

"Fueh?"

Helena was dumbfounded. He gave her an unexpected answer.

"What do you mean by payment?!"

"You're wearing a high-quality sleep gown, so I assume you must come from a rich family. If I save you, I will get a reward, right?"

"Not because you're into me?"

"Lady, did you hit your head or something? You are not my type. I prefer blonde, a big-breasted woman with a flirty personality." He glanced at her and smiled. "At least you get the chest part right."

Helena covered her chest in reflex. The perfect image of a gentle, loving partner had shattered in her mind. Everything was replaced by a pervert who grinned at the sight of her breast. This meeting had changed everything since their new encounter was different from the past. In the first timeline, she was a noble doing charity while he helped out at the orphanage. However, currently, she was a lady who fell into a river while he was her lifesaver.

How arrogant of her to think Adham would fall for her again. Helena now wanted to cry for a different reason. This was another level of embarrassment. 

"Should have seen this coming."

Before Helena asked him more questions, an old nun scurried toward their direction and smacked Adham's head without hesitation. He jumped and screamed in pain. "Ow, what the hell old hag!"

The nun was one of the heads of the church, Mary Saffronhill. The kind woman always greeted and helped Helena during her visiting time. Sister Mary looked at her, Adham and the bucket on the floor. She already knew the whole story by observing the site.

"Did you just throw water at this young lady?"

"Well, I thought it would wake her up faster. She is already drenched anyway. "

The nun went speechless at his reply. He was not wrong, but he was not right either. "You know what, forget it. I am sorry for his behaviour, Lady Blackmoore. This young man did not know manners. I will punish him later."

"It's fine, but it will be better if-"

Helena fell silent when her nose felt itchy. A big "ACHOOO" came out of her mouth and echoed at that place. The nun realized Helena shivered from the cold. Running away from home without any coat might be a terrible idea. She was going to be sick from only wearing a wet sleeping gown.

"Let me take a towel and dry clothes. While I am gone, apologise to her, Whitesmithe."

Sister Mary went inside and left them alone. The situation between Helena and Adham was awkward. He took a glance at her and realized he was the wrong one. That man bowed down and apologised to her. 

"I'm sorry. I should not throw water at unconscious people."

Helena did not care about it anymore. She was freezing to the bone, and her teeth were gritting from the cold. "It's- It's fine…" 

"Crap, my job! I need to be in there before five!" 

Helena was startled when he threw his coat. He grinned at her before leaving. "Wear that until the old hag comes back. Don't catch a cold! It will be bad if you die before you pay me."

Adham then ran and disappeared from her sight. A weak smile curled on her face. The current Adham had a distinct personality, but his heart never changed. That man remained a good person even in a different life.

Helena wrapped herself in the coat while waiting for dry clothes. Adham must bring her to church after saving her. Helena walked around the place and touched the empty bench. She sat in the first row and stared at the stained glass. It had been a long time since she prayed.

She was a religious devotee in her first life. Helena believed her endeavour would have a good result. Yet, her faith sunk the moment she began her second life. Helena cursed at God. People betrayed her to fill their pockets. Helena lived the opposite of everything she had in her previous life.

She was a perfect villainess.

Helena remembered her past like it was yesterday. She participated in noble parties or saloons, spending all her money on jewellery or dresses and taking revenge on people who wronged her. Helena could not deny the pleasure of her atrocities. It was fun harassing her step-sister and her servants, manipulating traitors to ruin through gambling or scamming and watching their expressions in despair after they lost everything. Innocent people did not escape her clutch since she could not have enough to torture others. Helena forgot everything would backfire on her.

 "I guess…. I deserved to die."

Helena closed her eyes and put her hands together. She did not know whether God existed or not anymore. That woman just wanted someone to hear her pray. For once, she asked about the reason behind her regression.

"Why did this happen to me?"

The church door opened while she was praying. Helena was surprised and turned her head. Her servants were standing behind her, drenched from the rain outside. The head butler, Karl Sable, rushed to her side without a second thought. "Lady Helena, I'm so glad you are all right! Mr. and Mrs. Blackmoore are worried for you."

Next to his side was Violet Pearl, her attendant. Helena had prepared herself to receive a long scold from her stern maid when she glared at her. However, the older woman just hugged Helena without saying anything. She was relieved that her master was fine.

"… Please don't do this again."

Helena felt guilty and hugged her back. She should not have gone out without notice. "Let's go home now."

She said goodbye to the nun and left the church. Her crying mother and concerned father had waited for her when she returned home. Helena's mother spoke between her sniffles. "Do you know how worried I was? I thought I lost a daughter!"

"I'm sorry mother…"

Her father hugged her mother to calm her. She continued crying on his chest. "What matters is you are okay, Helena. I have already called a doctor. Let him check your condition first."

 After the examination, Helena collapsed on the bed. That day felt exhausted, perhaps because she learnt about her regression for the second time. Helena lay on her bed, thinking about the past, the present and the future. She did not know how to live her current life. That young woman had two options: killing herself or staying alive. If Helena killed herself, she might die or repeat her life for the fourth time. That woman was not exactly fond of the idea. If she chose to live, she would have to prepare to do the same struggles she had been through previously. 

Only one thing was clear to her.

Something caused her to return in time.