

May Song died trying to protect her best friend. In her past life, she exposed the affair between Susan Smith's husband and goddaughter, only for Susan to turn on her instead, and May paid for the truth with her life.Given a second chance, May isn't here to warn anyone. This time, she lets it play out and makes sure Susan opens the door herself.

Matthew Tipton is one breakthrough away from immortality, held back only by unresolved mortal ties. Sent down the mountain to cut them loose, he finds Cristal Bridges, a woman who wants nothing to do with her father's arranged marriage and makes that very clear. But trouble keeps finding Cristal, and Matthew keeps stepping in to pull her out of it. Somewhere between reluctant proximity and quiet acts of protection, feelings take root that neither of them planned for. The immortal who came to leave ends up staying forever.

Sophie, a beggar girl with a dying mother, is caught stealing food, but her capture reveals a Firemark on her forehead, proof of royal blood. Guard Harvey is stunned and rushes to report it.The emperor is shocked: "She's my daughter?" But his stepdaughter Lucy is furious, publicly tormenting Sophie and her mom. Worse, Lucy's mother, Consort Winson, orders the two girls to swap faces to secure her daughter's position.Sophie, now locked away and bled as the "princess," watches the impostor call Consort Winson "Mother." Sophie's real mother breaks down: "Why is my daughter calling someone else 'Mother'?"