He Chose Me Again—But So Did Fate / Chapter 3: The Birthday War Begins
He Chose Me Again—But So Did Fate

He Chose Me Again—But So Did Fate

Author: Diana Good

Chapter 3: The Birthday War Begins

← Prev

Not long after, it was Grandma Rose’s birthday. I picked out my gift early, determined to get it right.

But when I arrived, it was obvious—the birthday party was just Savannah’s stage. She was there to prove something, and everyone knew it.

Grandma Rose sat at the head of the table, Savannah at her right, the picture of loyalty.

Dressed in red, stunningly beautiful. The color caught the light, making her look like she was on fire.

When I walked in, she stood and greeted me with everyone else, trying to look respectful, but her eyes lingered on mine a beat too long.

Grandma Rose smiled kindly: “Lillian’s here, come sit by me.” Her voice was warm, but I could feel the tension underneath.

The mood at the party shifted, subtle but unmistakable. Conversations slowed, eyes darted from me to Savannah and back again.

The older ladies exchanged glances, lips pressed tight, too nervous to say anything.

Mrs. Chambers was so angry her chest heaved. She looked ready to march across the room and start a fight.

I gave my gift and said my hellos, forcing a smile that felt brittle.

Once I was sure everything was in place, I pointed at Savannah and said, “How can Grandma’s house have someone so unruly? Better send her to the guest room so I can teach her some manners myself!” My voice was light, but the meaning was clear.

First three months after the wedding, no other woman wears red at family events—Grandma Rose’s rule. Everyone knew it, and everyone knew why.

What Savannah wore today wasn’t a true red, but it was close enough to make a statement. She wasn’t backing down. I felt my jaw clench.

If you give an inch, they’ll take a mile.

Led away by the older ladies, Savannah didn’t fight. She went quietly, head high, refusing to give anyone the satisfaction of seeing her break.

She smiled, just barely. “Lillian, tell me, which matters more—love between husband and wife, or blood ties?” Her voice was cool, but her eyes searched mine for something—maybe forgiveness, maybe just the truth.

As soon as she finished, a shout rang out from the hallway. My heart jumped, the tension snapping.

Carter had just gotten back from a trip, his face thunderous as he pointed at Savannah. “Who said you could treat family like that?” His voice cut through the room like a blade. Every fork clattered, every conversation died mid-sentence. The battle lines were drawn, sharp and clear, and I knew nothing would ever be the same.

Under the polite smiles, a quiet war finally started.

← Prev

You may also like

He Chose Her—So I Chose Me
He Chose Her—So I Chose Me
4.9
A car ride was all it took to shatter twenty years of sacrifice. When I, a devoted single mother, dared to sit beside my son, his girlfriend unleashed accusations that turned my world upside down—and my own child sided with her. I’d saved, planned, and dreamed for his future, only to be cast out and humiliated. As family lines blur and loyalty is tested, I’m forced to make a choice: cling to the son who betrayed me, or finally put myself first. Will my heartbreak become my freedom, or will the past pull me back in? When love turns to war, who gets the front seat in your life?
He Was Meant for Her—But Chose Me
He Was Meant for Her—But Chose Me
5.0
He was supposed to fall for someone else. I was supposed to be the villain—until fate, a stubborn transmigrator, and a broken story system rewrote our lines. When I deliver a love letter for the third time to Carter Hayes, the boy I grew up with (and maybe secretly loved), I spark a confession that upends everything: Carter likes me, not the 'main girl.' But our world isn’t real—it's a story fighting to snap back into place, and every choice risks erasing us for good. As mysterious tasks, forbidden kisses, and heart-stopping resets threaten to tear us apart, I have to ask: Can love survive when the universe demands we play our roles? Or will the villain finally get her happily ever after—no matter what the script says?
He Chose Her—So I Chose Myself
He Chose Her—So I Chose Myself
4.9
Sometimes, the only way forward is to start over—especially when your husband chooses your rival over you, and your second chance comes with a thirst for vengeance. Savannah Carter dies betrayed and alone, only to awaken as her eighteen-year-old self, memories intact and fury burning. With heartbreak as her fuel, she shatters the old bonds of love, rejects the boy who doomed her, and forges an unlikely alliance with Caleb, the quiet genius hiding his own scars. As Savannah claws her way to the top—outsmarting her enemies and rewriting her fate—every victory risks a new heartbreak, and every kindness could cost everything. But with the SATs looming and her future at stake, can she trust herself to love again, or will the past repeat itself? The price of a second chance is steep—will she pay it, or burn it all down?
I Loved Her Twice—She Chose Me Last
I Loved Her Twice—She Chose Me Last
5.0
He gave up his dreams for her—only to watch her heart belong to someone else. When Logan Carter sacrifices his future in the city for Mariah, the girl he’s loved since childhood, he finds himself torn between loyalty and heartbreak after she chooses another in the mountains. But fate isn’t done with him yet: a second chance rewinds the clock, giving Logan a shot at rewriting his own story. As Mariah’s world collides with his once more—this time with confessions, rivalries, and a love that refuses to die—Logan must decide: will he risk everything for her again, or finally choose himself? When the past and present crash together, whose love will survive the avalanche? What if the one you let go comes running back when you’ve finally moved on?
I Refused Him—This Time, For Me
I Refused Him—This Time, For Me
5.0
Death didn’t free me—it just sent me back to the moment my life fell apart. In Maple Heights, I was the girl who 'tricked' her way into the Whitmore family after a scandalous fall in the river, never believed, always alone. But now I’m reliving my past with memories of every betrayal—especially from my jealous half-sister and the husband who never truly saw me. This time, I won’t let the same lies define me. When Harrison, the town’s golden boy, tries to claim me again, I refuse to play the grateful wife. But as my old rivalries reignite and new suitors emerge, I face one impossible question: can I finally choose my own happiness, or will the past repeat itself? What if the man who once saved me is the one I must save myself from?
He Chose My Rival Over Me
He Chose My Rival Over Me
4.8
Natalie Carson thought marrying Derek would finally make her whole, but a shocking twist gives her a second chance—and a glimpse at the betrayals lurking behind small-town smiles. Now, with only twelve days to reclaim her future and her family's legacy, she must defy the man she once loved and the rival who stole everything. Will Natalie break free, or is her fate already sealed?
I Was His Safe Choice—Now I’m Gone
I Was His Safe Choice—Now I’m Gone
4.9
He called me ‘marriage material’—but not worth loving. On the eve of our wedding, I discovered Mason’s spreadsheet: every woman ranked, every feeling reduced to a checklist, and my own column stamped ‘suitable for marriage.’ His heart still belonged to Jordan, the wild first love he’d never dare choose. My world collapsed, but instead of breaking, I ran—straight into the life I’d buried, the mother I’d lost, and the courage I thought I’d forgotten. As family secrets and old wounds ignite a public showdown, I must decide: will I keep living for someone else’s rules, or finally claim my own story? If you were chosen for convenience, can you ever become someone’s first choice—or is the bravest thing to walk away?
He Chose Me—Against the Odds
He Chose Me—Against the Odds
4.9
She never believed she’d be the girl everyone whispered about—but on Willow Lane, under a river of fairy lights, Autumn Carter’s small-town world is upended. As the daughter of a humble family, she’s always felt out of step with Caleb Morrison—the golden boy destined for greatness. But when gossip, ambition, and the weight of family expectations threaten to pull them apart, Autumn must decide: will she settle for the future others planned, or risk everything for the one boy who sees her true heart? With a biting matchmaker, a mother’s warning, and a wedding that could change everything, Autumn’s journey is a bittersweet dance between longing and letting go. If love isn’t enough to bridge their worlds—what is? Will Autumn finally claim her own story, or let fate decide?
I Was Her Backup Plan Twice
I Was Her Backup Plan Twice
4.9
Love doesn’t always save you—sometimes it ruins you. I gave everything to Savannah, the girl the town called a charity case, believing my devotion would win her heart. But after decades of sacrifice, I died only to learn I was never her true love—nor the father of the daughter I’d raised. Fate gives me a brutal second chance: I wake up in the past, staring at the girl who shattered me, determined not to play the fool twice. This time, I cut the strings and chase a future with the one woman who ever truly saw me. But Savannah isn’t done rewriting the past—and her desperation threatens to drag me back into the heartbreak I barely survived. Can I finally break free from her grip, or am I doomed to repeat the tragedy all over again?
I Was the Villain—Then He Chose Me
I Was the Villain—Then He Chose Me
5.0
Some stories are written for someone else, but what if you refused to follow the script? Autumn Sinclair has spent seven years as the villainous supporting girl in a world ruled by fate, heartbreak, and a heroine with supernatural luck. She’s loved the hero in silence, fought schemes she was never meant to win, and watched her every move become fuel for someone else’s glory. But when betrayal, murder, and the unraveling of every role collide at the center of Maple Heights, Autumn is forced to choose: stay trapped as a pawn, or break free and claim her own ending. With enemies lurking in plain sight and love hanging by a thread, can Autumn rewrite her story—or will she lose everything, including herself? When the script shatters, whose story survives?
Rejected Twice by My Real Family
Rejected Twice by My Real Family
4.7
After my birth family finds me, the girl who stole my life walks into the sea—and everyone blames me. Beaten, shunned, and framed by my own blood, I’m cast out and forced to choose between begging for love or building my own future. But when fate rewinds and gives me a second chance, I pick the one person who truly wants me—my outcast Grandpa—and vow never to crawl for their affection again.
He Chose Her—Even With Me There
He Chose Her—Even With Me There
4.9
Hearts don’t break all at once—they shatter piece by piece. Cassidy flew cross-country to surprise her boyfriend on his birthday, only to find him lost in his old world—his friends, his games, and his ex, who still knows exactly how to twist the knife. As Jamie’s presence grows impossible to ignore, Cassidy’s place in Miles’ heart seems to shrink with every laugh and lingering look. But when tragedy hits and Cassidy reaches out for the man she loves, she’s forced to confront the brutal truth: some wounds can’t be healed by apologies, gifts, or empty promises. When your love is always second best, how do you finally walk away? Or is it already too late to save yourself from heartbreak?