The Villainess Reverses The Hourglass... Again?!

by Luniyss

Summary:

Aria finds herself facing death once again—this time during childbirth, after having finally achieved the life of freedom and love she longed for. But instead of eternal rest, she wakes up in her childhood room, returned to the past for a third time. With the pain of two lifetimes etched into her soul, Aria no longer seeks revenge—only to protect the happiness she once had and to find her way back to Asher.
Unbeknownst to her, Asher has also returned to the past, carrying the same heartache and memories of losing her. As they reunite, the two navigate the events of the story original timeline side by side, this time not as strangers to fate but as allies bound by love and loss.

This is the first story I write and english is not my first language, so it might be kinda bad. I just really like this fandom and noticed it doesn't have many stories, so I decided to do something about it.
If you have any advice for me to improve my writing, please, make sure to tell me.

Chapter 1: They say third time's a charm

— ARIA! WHAT ARE YOU ALL WAITING FOR? HELP HER!

It had never crossed Aria’s mind that, after so many years of relentless fighting, sacrificing her peace and risking everything for the sake of a new life — a life of freedom, justice, and happiness — her final fate would once again be death. She had achieved everything she had dreamed of: saved her mother from death, avenged herself against Mielle and the rest of her cruel family, rebuilt her dignity, found her true love, and sealed that love in a marriage that seemed straight out of a fairy tale. Everything seemed perfect. Everything seemed eternal. But now, seeing the despair written on Asher’s face as he pleaded for her life, Aria realized, too late, just how fragile that apparent perfection truly was.

Ever since discovering she was pregnant, Aria and Asher had been filled with a serene, almost magical joy. The love they shared seemed to grow with the promise of new life. They dreamed together, made plans, discussed names, and imagined what the baby would be like — would it have Asher’s serious yet gentle blue eyes, or her own striking features? Would it inherit a special gift, like its parents? The idea of building a family felt so natural and sweet that, when she felt the first pains and called for the doctors, Aria felt no fear — only anticipation. Little did she know that would mark the beginning of her end.

The pain intensified alarmingly fast. The blood, the muffled cries, the doctors' tension, Asher being forced away... everything became a thick fog of panic. Aria, who had known death so intimately in her first life, did not feel ready to face it again. Back then, she had been unjustly executed, a victim of schemes and betrayal. Now, even knowing that death comes for everyone eventually, she wasn’t ready. Not like this. Not now.

Her body weakened with every second, her voice faded, and still, her mind clung to precious memories. She thought of her mother, whose sweetness and strength had been beacons in the darkness of her childhood. She thought of Sarah, her tutor and friend, who had taught her more than lessons — taught her how to survive among nobles. She remembered Jessie, who, despite being underestimated and mistreated in the beginning, remained loyal, always trying to reach Aria’s heart even when she shut it away. She recalled Annie, who had started as a mere pawn in her game of revenge, but had become an essential part of her life.

Her heart ached at the thought of her father and grandmother, back in Croa, anxiously awaiting the baby’s arrival. Aria remembered, a lump in her throat, the last letter she received — now truly the last — where they eagerly spoke of the preparations at the mansion for the visit after the birth. She hoped they wouldn’t suffer too much. Her grandmother was fragile, and Aria feared her heart wouldn’t bear such pain.

‘And the baby? Will it at least survive?’

For a brief moment, Mielle crossed her mind. Aria didn’t regret the revenge, but she regretted not having time — or courage — to try to rebuild certain relationships. Mielle, Cain, Count Roscente, Isis, Oscar... people she once knew, loved, and hated, now returned only as shadows in the end.

The world seemed to slow down. The sounds around her turned into distant echoes. And then, she saw Asher. He had come close, ignoring all protocol, every medical warning. His eyes were teary, his voice broken by anguish.

— ■■ea■■ do■t l■■ve m■ ■ria, I ■an’t ■o ■hi■ wi■h■ut ■ou. ■le■■e, ■ ■■■ ■o■■

She couldn’t hear clearly, but she could feel it. Feel the love, the fear, the plea. She wanted to respond, to fight, but her body no longer obeyed.

One last thought, like a desperate prayer, crossed her mind before consciousness slipped away.

‘God... please... if there’s any mercy, grant me a third chance. Don’t take away everything I fought so hard to build. Let me see Asher once more…’

She closed her eyes, unaware of Asher’s heartbreaking scream echoing through the palace halls and the hearts of everyone inside. Unaware that her death, along with the baby’s, would shatter the man who loved her most. Asher couldn’t bear living in a world without her — and so, he left not long after, his heart defeated by sorrow.

Aria knew none of this. And even so, before crossing the line between life and death, she found no peace.

— MISS ARIA!

The sound of the scream still echoed in her mind when Aria opened her eyes, startled. Her chest heaved with ragged breaths and, instinctively, she brought her hands to her belly. But there was no pain. No blood. Only the soft silence of a room that seemed to belong to another era. She sat up with a start, looking around in confusion. Asher? Where was Asher?

The room wasn’t the palace chamber where she’d spent so many years with her beloved, but somewhere else… older. Her hands trembled slightly as she touched the sheets and looked at the curtains — it was the room in the Roscent mansion, the one she used as a child. The same room where she had first awakened after going back in time. A room full of memories and meaning, where it had all begun. And now, it began again.

— MISS?!

The voice brought her back. Aria’s expression changed; she knew what it meant.

‘It can’t be… I really came back. Again. I can see everyone again…’

Disbelief gave way to a nearly divine relief. She sat down, calmer now, her legs hanging off the side of the bed, and finally looked at the woman behind the voice. The woman stood there, anxious and hesitant, her eyes brimming with worry. Her hands trembled before her, as if she wanted to comfort Aria but feared being rejected.

— Miss, are you alright?

Aria would recognize that face in any life.

Jessie.

Her heart clenched. Jessie, her loyal maid — her friend — was alive. Aria swallowed hard. That woman, whose life had once been cruelly stolen by another’s greed, was now there before her, full of life. The memories hit hard: the day she received the news, the anguish, the helplessness in front of the shattered hourglass. But not now. Now it was different. Now she had a new chance.

‘I can’t cling to the past. It hasn’t happened yet.’

She took a deep breath and smiled, a calmer smile than the one she had in her past two lives.

— Don’t worry, Jessie. I’m fine. In fact… better than I’ve been in a long time.

Jessie hesitated but finally stepped back a little, flustered by the sudden change in mood.

— Alright, miss… I brought a bowl of water for your face. Breakfast will be served in an hour. Would you like to choose your outfit?

— Yes, thank you.

Aria got up, ignoring the maid’s confused look. She washed her face with firm motions, trying to organize her thoughts. She no longer needed revenge. There was no one to destroy, no plan to carry out. Her death hadn’t been caused by an enemy — not this time.

‘Then my goal is clear. Find Asher. Earn back his trust. Love him as he deserves. And maybe... it’s best not to try for children this time.’

While Jessie arranged some clothes in the wardrobe, Aria stepped closer and picked a dress she knew well: a simple red one with white sleeves and a delicate bow at the neck. She handed it to Jessie and, as she was helped into it, closed her eyes for a moment.

She didn’t know what fate had in store, nor how long this new chance would last. But this time, she wouldn’t waste a single second.

‘Asher… wait for me. I’ll come back to you. I promise.’

Chapter 2: Will you remember me forever?

Aria sat at the table and politely greeted her family, without really paying much attention to everything around her.

‘Ah, it’s so strange to see all of them again.’

She looked at Mielle, who was cheerfully chatting with their father and brother. Aria no longer felt the need to take revenge on Mielle. After making her suffer for an entire lifetime, she felt that justice had already been served. Besides, it wasn’t like she still hated Mielle; a few years without having to deal with the girl had worked wonders to ease her negative feelings.

She watched as Mielle told Cain how she had kindly fed a stray puppy.

‘Well, I can’t just let her do whatever she wants. Sooner or later, that could turn against me and I’ll be killed like the first time. What to do…’

Aria reflected for a while, eating silently as she observed everyone in the room. Eventually, she came up with a few options: she could simply take revenge on Mielle again — after all, there weren’t many reasons to change anything from this past. The only thing that needed to be different was to avoid her pregnancy in a few years. She could also get rid of Mielle quickly by killing her with her own hands, or act more cautiously and lead her to execution — causing less suffering than in her second life, since it would take less time.

She gripped her cutlery a little tighter, considering the decision. A few seconds later, she relaxed her grip and decided to just wait and defend herself in case Mielle did anything. With a good reputation, it was unlikely that anyone would believe her. Her sister wasn’t as good an actress as she thought. Aria would give her a chance to live, but if she tried to harm her, it was very likely that Mielle would incriminate herself.

Suddenly, a strange conversation caught her attention.

— ...how is Lady Isis, Mielle?

Mielle seemed genuinely sad for a few moments.

— Ah, yes… she’s still very hurt by everything that happened. On the other hand, she told me in her last letter that she’s getting better and that we shouldn’t worry too much about her.

‘That’s strange. In the past, I never heard any conversation like this. Did I miss something like that twice?’

Aria started paying even closer attention, trying to disguise it as she continued eating. She noticed Cain was trying to comfort Mielle.

— It really was all so sudden. No one expected the crown prince to break off his engagement with Lady Isis without any explanation. But don’t worry, sister, I’m sure she’ll find someone who truly loves her soon.

Mielle brightened for a moment, as if remembering something.

— Yes! Actually, I remember she mentioned someone interesting she met in her last letter. I hope they’re good for each other.

What?

That hadn’t happened in the past. Lord Asher still had no reason strong enough to break up with Isis, so why...

‘Could it be? Could Asher have come back in time with me this time?! But if so, would he remember everything or just some things? Ah… that would make things so much easier for me.’

If the crown prince supported her from the beginning, her life would be much simpler. Not to mention, she wouldn’t have to win back Asher’s trust. Aria unconsciously began to smile, looking down at her plate. Mielle quickly noticed an opportunity.

— Sister?! Why would you be smiling in a situation like this? I know you don’t like Lady Isis, but you should still respect her feelings...

Everyone’s eyes turned to Aria, who immediately stopped smiling and put on a shy, hurt expression.

— What? I would never think something like that, Mielle. I only smiled because I was happy to hear that Lady Isis is getting better. I admire her very much, you know? She’s such a strong woman, moving forward even after having her heart broken.

Mielle’s smile faltered for a few seconds.

— Ah… I see. I’m sorry for misunderstanding your actions, sister. I just wanted to make sure you understood Lady Isis.

Aria clasped her hands, putting on the most angelic expression she could muster, and smiled sweetly at Mielle.

— You don’t have to worry, sister. I’m trying my best to be a good person and no longer bring shame to our family. Even so, it makes me very happy that someone as kind as you is taking care of me. I’m very grateful to be with you, Mielle!

— Ah… I… I’m also very happy to have you with me, Aria.

 

●●●●

 

Right after the meal, Aria said goodbye to her family and headed to her room, followed by Jessie. She planned to retrieve the hourglass and send it for repair as soon as possible. The sooner it was fixed, the sooner she could go out and meet Asher.

‘That is, if he’s even there, considering the changes in the timeline.’

Her steps faltered for a moment, and Jessie was immediately startled by Aria’s cold expression.

— Miss?

‘No. He’ll be there. If he seems to remember me — or at least someone who made him leave Isis — he wouldn’t miss the chance to see me again.’

Aria took a deep breath and calmed herself. She turned to Jessie and gave her a reassuring smile, then resumed walking to her nearby room.

— Don’t worry, Jessie. I’m just stressed about a few things.

— Oh, that’s okay, miss. Please let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.

Aria stopped in front of her bedroom doors and opened them, wincing at the sight of the childish and over-the-top decor.

‘I need to fix this soon, too.’

She walked quickly to the bed and ran her hands over the covers, stopping when she finally felt something sharp beneath the fabric. Aria carefully pulled the blankets aside and gathered the broken pieces of her familiar hourglass.

— Oh, miss, is that… an hourglass?

Jessie immediately looked nervous, placing her hands by her sides and trying to explain.

— I thought I had cleaned everything, since it was there before you left for dinner…! I’m sorry, Miss Aria! I’ll clean it up right away.

Aria wrapped the shards of glass in a nearby cloth and gently placed them in Jessie’s hands, smiling.

— Don’t worry too much about it, Jessie. Actually, could you take it to someone to have it repaired? It’s something very important to me.

— Of course, Miss Aria! If it’s important to you, I’ll take special care of it. It should be ready in a few days. I’ll let you know when it’s done.

— Thank you.

Jessie left the room, leaving Aria alone with her thoughts. She sat on the bed, stretching her arms behind her and looking up.

‘God was merciful and gave me another chance. I must make good use of it.’

The image of the hourglass came to her mind, and she began to smile.

‘The hourglass was once a symbol of my revenge, of how I could choose what to do with my second chance. I wonder if, this time, it could mean the same for you too, Asher.’