Fireworks illuminate the sky as a young woman lies tied up on the floor in an empty room wearing a red dress. She’s injured and in pain, dried blood cakes her hollow face.

Let’s call her CX, a vengeful tragic heroine.

A man also dressed in red approaches, “How beautiful the fireworks are, it’s a pity the one who made them won’t be able to see them any longer”.

The woman looks at the man, or more like the monster, partly unable to believe he was her husband.

We’ll call him LS, a conniving and manipulative bastard.

“LS you divorced me to marry another woman, you won’t die easily,” she spits out in hurt and anger.

LS is frustrated, even when facing death his ex-wife still spouts nonsense. Doesn’t she know what she’s done?

“Over the years I helped you become powerful, I made fireworks for you to maintain your imperial merchant status. I gave up my own business to have a child for you yet you made me lose my child,” CX’s anguish laces every word. She vows he won’t have an easy death, she’ll make sure of that.

“Well, let’s see who dies first!”

With a swift move, LS brings a hot branding iron that’s shaped like a butterfly right on CX’s chest as she screams in pain.

“You’ve researched many fireworks formulas but prefer death over sharing them! Now my business has succeeded, I’ll marry the legitimate daughter. How can I be threatened?”

“LS, to die a thousand deaths would be too kind for you. In this life, you’ll never get what you want!”

“Fine then, wait until you burn to ashes. You can take your firework formulas with you to death.”

Turning swiftly, LS grabs a burning torch and sets the place ablaze as he departs to safety. CX is stuck inside, chains on both arms, face tear-streaked and blood-stained. Her body burns with the pain of the branded wound; her anger far surpassing the fear of this inevitable end.

Why, why? CX’s cries at the injustice are the last before she perishes.

Alas, this isn’t the end of all ends because what story would this be if it starts and ends with an untimely death?

In this life, she entrusted her love and profit to the wrong man and died a tragic death. If she could do it all over, would she make changes to her fate of eternal doom?

“If I could have another chance, I wish to have no regrets or hatred, to tell good from evil, and wish all gratitude or grudges settled”.

ꕤ • ꕤ ◦ ꕤ • ꕤ

CX awakes from what felt like an endless dream. She’s back at her family’s old estate, three years before the events of her past life that ended with her tragic death.

There’s still time for everything but she has no one to rely on. No one but her uncle still remembers her since she is the illegitimate daughter.

The CX of the past is already dead. Starting anew in this new life, not coveting the flourishing world, all she wants is for those who hurt her to pay a price.

Deciding to visit her recluse of an uncle (he’s the only other person who’s not a servant in the secluded old estate), she heads to his room only to find him on the floor asking for help.

Just as CX reaches in a panic for the pills lying next to the open pill bottle on the floor, the man stops breathing.

Is he dead? CX starts calling loudly for help but abruptly stops as she takes a good look at the man on the floor.

Hold on, this isn’t her uncle. If someone deliberately harmed him, she can’t escape being involved.

Just then someone approaches so CX makes for a quick hide under a table, covering her mouth with her hands in fear her breathing will give her away.

The intruder however soon discovers his target is dead. Pausing as if to consider his actions, he removes his mask, turns to the dead man, and deftly disrobes him to dress himself in the dead man’s clothes. This is SJ, a man seeking his own vengeance to bring justice to the lost lives of his family.

As she watches him put on her uncle’s clothes, CX realizes the uncle she knew from her past life had always been a fraud.

CX is so surprised by this discovery she fails to see the sword point coming down inches from her hiding spot.

“Come out”.

She realizes the uncle of her past is but a fraud whom she can leverage in her fight

She’s caught. The intruder pulls her out too impatient for her slow movements, holding her at daggerpoint.

“To impersonate my uncle, only I can help you. You inquired about that family’s extermination, presumably, you have a connection with them. He (referring to her uncle) died, you weren’t surprised. You even put on his clothes. Everyone knows Uncle was sick since he was a child, you’ve always wanted to take his place,” CX finishes resolved to make it out alive. She can’t die like this when she just got a second chance.

Who is she? Why should SJ believe her?

“The illegitimate daughter, CX. I’ve lived in this estate for five years, if I say you’re my uncle no one will suspect”.

“What’s your purpose in helping me?” SJ asks, part of him convinced to make use of this interfering girl. She raises some good points and his mission is too critical to fail.

“If an illegitimate daughter wants to secure her footing, she needs help from her elders. Isn’t it good to help each other, dear Uncle?” she says the last part slowly and decisively.

SJ drops the dagger from her throat. She doesn’t seem like a typical maiden, sharp-tongued as she is. She had time to watch him change clothes but why didn’t she escape?

What does he think of a maiden? CX tries to wipe at the bloody line left by the dagger on her throat with a piece of clothing. CX notices her futile effort, she needs to press down harder.

Since they’re to work together, CX should know his name. When she hears he’s SJ, the son of the family that was eradicated, she realizes there’s another with a mission of vengeance much like her own.

Suddenly cries of a fire can be heard outside. Both CX and SJ get up only to open the door to a blazing inferno.

CX is rooted in place, her eyes on the burning flames, memories of her past death surfacing, making her faint.

ꕤ • ꕤ ◦ ꕤ • ꕤ

He hurt her but carried her limp form out of the fire, they’re even now. But there’s something SJ needs to understand about his new partner.

She looks quite clever, why didn’t she run from the fire? And here she says she wants to cover for him.

“I can do it, it’s just I was once trapped in a fire and almost died. That left me with a fear of fire, it’s irrelevant to our plans,” a breathless CX argues.

“I saved your life, do your job well. Even though I saved you this time, there won’t be a next. If you don’t run from a fire, you’ll die.”

CX’s guards appear dragging a woman behind them. She’s Maid L, an uncommon maid by CX’s side. CX recalls Maid L on that fateful night when she was burned alive.

Maid L had betrayed her, standing in front of a chained CX letting her know she’s had enough of CX’s hypocrisy over the years. Even CX’s father and husband hated her, she deserved what she got.

CX looks at the guilty woman on the floor in front of them with deliberating eyes.

“You set the fire and betrayed your master, it’ll be best to kill you,” SJ outright informs the frightened woman.

However, CX doesn’t agree, death is too easy an out for someone like Maid L. She slowly approaches, one foot grinding hard on the hand of the maid on the floor.

Maid L yells out in pain but CX realizes it’s from this moment her maid has been trying to kill her. She’d been trying to kill her before CX even left the old estate to start her married life, many years beforehand.

It’s ridiculous, CX had regarded this conniving creature as a sister. But Maid L had feigned loyalty for benefits and more advantages, an incensed CX steps even harder on the now broken hand.

“From the beginning, you’ve been with CQ (her half-sister and legitimate daughter),” CX crouches to grab Maid L’s face in her angry grasp.

“Why did she put you by my side? What does she really want?” CX yells.

She’s tasted excruciating agony, she doesn’t mind letting the maid try it. This breaks the maid’s resolve, she confesses CQ threatened her with her deed of sale. CQ wants CX to stay at the old estate forever, just in case LS develops feelings for her.

Disgusted but controlling her anger, CX throws the woman on the floor again. She’ll spare Maid L’s life, but from now on she’ll have to work for her. Although she doesn’t hold her deed of sale, she can still take her life and that of her younger brother.

CX mentally vows CQ should wait for her, she’ll repay her double in the future.

SJ proposes they should return to the main manor. That way she can get revenge and he can get his hands on some evidence.

“Why keep such a rat around?” a curious SJ asks CX as they walk together planning their next move. He’s wondering why she didn’t get rid of the deceptive maid.

“It’s useful to keep a person who’s afraid of death. Perhaps later, I can give a fatal blow to the enemy with someone like that,” she admits.

But if she can betray her master today, she could betray her in the future.

CX remains undaunted, Maid L already took SJ for the uncle so even if she betrays, she’ll report his identity as such. He should consider this as her sincerity to their alliance.

When she needs his help, she hopes dear Uncle won’t hesitate otherwise just as easily as she can lie for him, she can also expose him.

CX nails it on the head, Maid L hurries back to report everything to her half-sister CQ who’s unfazed, and tells Maid L to keep watching and informing her of the developments.

She heads back to face all those who betrayed her and settle scores one by one

CX meets her half-sister CQ in the garden by the lake upon her return to the main manor.

There’s her allegedly ladylike and innocent elder sister, the legitimate daughter, pretending to give up on LS, the man she loves, for the sake of sisterhood.

CQ however doesn’t know this CX isn’t the complying sister of the past. The woman in front of her is unflinching and resolute with a cold, unreadable expression.

When CX confronts her about conspiring to murder her, CQ argues she cares about CX the most why would her sister think of her in this way?

As CX makes to leave unable to take any more of CQ’s pathetic innocent act, CQ loudly announces yet again she’s willing to let go of LS and tries to grab CX. In the process, she falls into the lake.

An innocent fall? Hardly, CQ had noticed their father approaching in the distance and saw the good opportunity to paint CX in a bad light.

In the past, he had arrived in a hurry pulling his favored daughter out of the water while angrily telling CX her jealousy needs to end. If anything happened to CQ, even CX’s death wouldn’t be enough to make up for it!

CX recalls all this as once more the events of the past unfold in a similar trajectory. As CQ is yet again in the lake water, CX understands she’s underestimated this devious sister of hers.

A man once more arrives only this time it’s not their father helping CQ but LS himself. While he’s occupied trying to get CQ out of the water, CX resolutely reaches for one of her hair pins, pulls it out, and injures her leg.

“LS, it’s my fault,” a gasping CQ falsely claims.

LS is angry, he can’t believe CQ is defending CX even at such a time. He saw what happened, he started reprimanding CX who barely let him get a word out before she slapped him.

Now, their father, the lord of the manor, shows up.

CX accuses LS of being indecent what with rushing to grab and hold her wet sister in the way he did despite her being ready to rush into the water to save her herself. What will people think, how will CQ face them after this?

LS is shocked into silence, this response from CX is so uncharacteristic of the girl he knows.

Their father argues for LS’s sake, the man was anxious to save poor CQ. Before CQ can tell her tale of what happened, CX jumps in with her own version.

There was a snake, in her haste to save her dear sister, CX had pushed her into the water and taken the bite herself. She displays her bloody ankle with the marks (expertly done with her hairpin).

All of them are surprised, LS acknowledges he wronged CX and offers to call a doctor to treat her wounds as their father leaves with the drenched CQ. The man had told CX to see a doctor but barely cared after that showing far more concern for his legitimate child.

However, CX leaves the scene not bothering to accept either LS’s apology or his offer to help.

ꕤ • ꕤ ◦ ꕤ • ꕤ

CX had always wanted to gain her father’s appreciation but, in the end, she’s always been just a pawn.

She walks in the rain at night alone, realizing just how alone she is. People say her family is thriving but she’s always been alone.

She meets SJ who’s back after being gone for a day (investigating the odd death of the man he’s impersonating) and he’s rather surprised seeing her so disheveled. What happened?

“They’re just the same, I shouldn’t hold any expectations. This family wants to use me, I’ll bring them down to oblivion,” she vows.

CX needs SJ’s help, in return, she’ll master the fireworks formula LS’ family stole from his family before killing them off. She promises not only to master what was once stolen but to also bring LS’ family down.

Though the two have a vengeance of their own to carry through, working together to accomplish their end goals isn’t that simple. Neither trusts the other fully yet needs to use the other in some way.

SJ confesses that he envies CX for she has a family. However, how’s that any good? Even with family, she’s alone.

“At least for now, you’re not alone,” SJ says avoiding her eyes. He’s there working with her regardless of how solid their partnership is each share weal and woe.

Despite this second chance to exact her revenge, CX can’t help but want to grow wings and escape. In truth, both SJ and she want a life where they can just grow old and live.

Why’s something so simple for so many others so incredibly difficult for these two?