He Chose My Best Friend Over Me… And It Destroyed Him

In my past life, my dearest friend, Lila Grayson, and I were swept into the illustrious Sterling lineage, famed for their mastery of ancient herbal medicine. Lila wed the elder son, Elias Sterling, while I, Aria Caldwell, was bound to the younger, Julian Sterling. Lila bore Elias three sons, each a prodigy in medicine, their brilliance a beacon for the family. I, however, bore Julian a single daughter, Mara, whose mind stumbled even over the simplest sum of one plus two. Julian, obsessed with his public image, withered under the shame.

Years later, at a grand medicinal symposium, I brought Mara along. Her timid stammer of “Daddy” sparked a cascade of laughter from the assembly. Enraged by the disgrace, Julian plunged a blade into her fragile form, then turned it on me. As I cradled her lifeless body, my vision faded into darkness. Miraculously, I awoke reborn, alongside Julian, to the night of our arranged betrothal banquet.

The Sterling family, a titan in Charleston’s medical elite, hosted a lavish gala, drawing luminaries and aristocrats. My family, healers for three generations, teetered on the brink with our private clinic’s troubles, making this event my lifeline. Bitterness gnawed at me as I recalled my prior fate. Elias and Julian, encircled by admirers, exuded charisma. Whispers danced around them: “Julian’s gentle aura makes him a darling,” and “Elias, though handsome, is icy—his skills are legendary, but he spurns the unworthy.”

Lila, beside me, glowed with excitement, her eyes locked on Julian. When their gazes met, she blushed and turned away. I scoffed inwardly, recalling his deceptive warmth. A gifted surgeon, my talent and beauty had drawn Julian to me in that first life, though I later learned Lila harbored a secret love for him. That night, drunk, he stumbled into Elias’s bed, and a month later, Lila’s pregnancy forced her into Elias’s arms.

Initially, Julian and I thrived. His kindness convinced me of my fortune, but it soured when Lila’s sons—medical geniuses—emerged. My father-in-law, ecstatic, showered her with $900 million, while I struggled to conceive. Julian’s patience frayed; he blamed me, forcing me into grueling herbal treatments and quitting my surgical career. For a decade, I endured, my health crumbling, until I demanded a divorce. “You think you can leave after all I’ve invested?” he sneered. “I chose you for your talent, not love—what use is it if you can’t bear children?”

After a fierce quarrel, I fainted. Awakening, he smiled, “You’re pregnant.” For ten months, I carried Mara, but joy faded as Lila’s sons shone. Mara’s slowness enraged Julian. He cast us out, and at that fateful conference, his fury ended us. Now, reborn, I watched Julian stride to Lila, taking her hand. “I like you. Will you marry me?” he declared, stunning the room. Lila, uninvited, blushed, “Yes!”

Henry Sterling, the patriarch, sighed, “My sons are nearly 30, unmarried—where are my grandchildren?” This matchmaking was his ploy. Elias, born to Henry’s first wife, was a revered healer. Julian, his mother’s son and once rumored illegitimate, was adored for his warmth—a facade I knew too well. In my past, he’d vetted candidates, picking me for my skills, but now he shunned me.

As gasps filled the air, a warm hand clasped my wrist. Ethan Sterling, Elias’s true name, met my gaze with a faint smile. “Marry me,” he said, igniting whispers. My family’s woes meant a suitor would inherit our burdens. Henry frowned, but Ethan’s choice stood. Julian snapped, “Check if she can bear children—don’t waste time.” Ethan retorted, “Who I marry is my concern. I like her, not her womb.” Julian’s mother smoothed tensions, and dates were set.

Lila scoffed as she left, “Ethan, she’s just pretty—you’ll regret it.” At home, my parents eased, planning the alliance. The day before Julian’s modest wedding, Lila visited, uneasy. “I didn’t defend you when Noah chose me. He promised me the best life,” she whispered. “Ethan’s cold—maybe he wants your hospital.” I sneered inwardly; her past silence and taunts haunted me.

Julian’s wedding was stark, disappointing Lila, who’d dreamed of grandeur. “Once we have a child, it’ll be grand,” Julian soothed. I nearly laughed—his vanity hid his insecurity. My wedding with Ethan was a spectacle, his rare joy shining as he kissed me, “Happy wedding day, my wife.” His warmth defied his icy reputation.

We settled in an apartment, not the estate. “Living with them leaves no time for us,” Ethan teased, carrying me to bed. His work trips began, leaving me with rumors of a loveless marriage. At a family gathering, a worn Lila jeered, “Ethan’s never home—lucky you’re thriving.” I countered, “He cares for himself, and so do I.” Her jab about quitting work met my retort, “I don’t need his money.” Julian’s glare and Lila’s cling intensified tensions.

Ethan’s return halted Julian’s grip on me. “Let go of her,” he commanded, his authority silencing Julian. Later, he tended my wrist, admitting, “I treated Noah’s patients this year—rare cases. I won’t leave long again.” His kiss surprised me. Henry forced Julian out, exposing his reliance on Ethan’s name, shattering his facade.

Olivia’s tearful accusation of jealousy baffled me. “Noah says you can’t conceive—stop interfering,” she cried. I laughed, “I love Ethan, not Noah. Focus on your mess.” Ethan’s defense silenced them. Months later, I bore a healthy daughter, Ethan’s joy palpable. Lila’s taunts about my health faded as her son’s defects emerged, mirroring my past with Mara. Julian’s denial and Olivia’s suffering echoed my history, but Ethan’s love rebuilt my world.