My Wedding Night Ritual

On the night of our wedding, after three years of dating Julian, my new mother-in-law, Eleanor, walked into the bedroom with a porcelain plate of brightly colored dumplings and a tight, pleasant smile. "Vivian, dear," she said softly. "It’s a tradition in the Miller family. The bride must pick the right dumpling on her wedding night to secure a lifetime of happiness. Go ahead, choose one." In my first life, I picked the red one, thinking it symbolized celebration and love. The very next second, Eleanor pulled a carving knife from behind her back and plunged it straight into my heart. Before I could even scream for help, I bled out. "Red is the color of blood! You’re planning on murdering me, aren't you?!" In my second life, trembling with fear, I picked the blue one because blue was Julian’s favorite color. The moment I swallowed it, Julian grabbed the heavy silver serving tray and smashed my skull in. "Blue is the color of water! You want to drown me in my sleep!" In my third life, I deliberately avoided every symbolic color and chose an unassuming black one. My caution didn't save me. It triggered an explosive rage from both of them. "Black summons malevolent demons! You’re trying to curse this entire family to death!" When I opened my eyes again, the vibrant, multi-colored dumplings were right in front of me once more. Eleanor’s voice purred in my ear. It sounded warm and maternal, but an unspeakable chill leaked through every word. "Vivian, pick one. If you choose right, I’ll give you a grand gift..." I closed my eyes in pure despair, terror clawing at my chest. How the hell was I supposed to survive this choice? The plate crept closer until the dumplings were practically brushing against my lips. My heart leaped straight into my throat. What if I didn't get another respawn after this? My eyes darted across the identical-looking dumplings. Suddenly, a thought struck me. If every choice led to death, wouldn't refusing to eat keep me alive? I swallowed hard, scrunched my face in discomfort, and pushed the plate away. "Eleanor, can I skip it tonight? My stomach is killing me. I really can't eat anything." The smile on Eleanor’s face froze for a fraction of a second. When she spoke again, her voice was gentle, but her tone was ironclad. "Once you swallow this bite, Julian will take you to the emergency room." "Be a good girl, Vivian. Just one bite won't hurt. This is our sacred family tradition. Anyone who breaks the rules on their wedding night will be torn to shreds and rot in hell." That last curse felt like it crawled straight out of the underworld. A shiver ran down my spine. Julian slid an arm around my waist, pulling me into a protective embrace. His voice overflowed with concern, yet his hand steadily nudged the plate toward me without missing a beat. "Does it hurt that bad, babe? Let me rub your stomach. As soon as you eat, I’ll drive you straight to the hospital. Pick one, Vivian. I’ll feed it to you." My body went rigid. Playing the sick card wasn't going to work. Taking a deep breath, I forced a look of touched surrender. I took the plate from Julian's hands and stared down, pretending to inspect each one carefully. A moment later, my eyes lit up. "I’ve decided! I’ll take—" Under their eager, expectant gazes, my hand jerked violently. The fork slammed hard into the rim of the dish. Gasping as if terrified, I let the plate slip from my fingers. It shattered onto the hardwood floor, and in my staged panic, I stomped all over the colorful mess. After making sure every single dumpling was smashed into an inedible pulp, I let out a shaky breath and put on an apologetic face. "Eleanor, Julian, I'm so, so sorry! It was an accident. Maybe we should just forget the tradition for tonight? We live in the modern world anyway; nothing bad is going to happen." "It’s getting late, and we’re all exhausted. Let’s just go to sleep. I promise I’ll make a fresh batch for breakfast tomorrow to make up for it." Eleanor’s face darkened into something grotesque. The murderous glare she shot me was palpable. Just when I braced myself for her to pull a knife and butcher me again, her expression softened. That fake, polite mask slipped right back over her face. "It’s fine. I’m not tired at all. Ruined food is just ruined food, but the Miller family tradition can never be broken. I’ll just whip up another batch." "You two wait right here. It won’t take long." "This time, sweetheart, you only have to pick the color. I’ll feed you myself..."I sat on the edge of the bed in sheer panic, waiting for the next plate. Julian sat beside me, making casual small talk while gently rubbing my stomach. To an outsider, he looked like a doting husband. In reality, his arms pinned me down like iron chains, as if terrified I might sprint out of the room the second he blinked. I exhaled slowly, fighting to calm my racing pulse. Breaking the plate wouldn't work twice. I needed another way out. Glancing at Julian—who still seemed like the sweet, devoted man I fell in love with whenever dumplings weren't mentioned—I tried to pry for information. "Julian, how long has your family been doing this wedding night tradition?" Julian’s face remained casual. He thought for a second. "A few hundred years, probably. It’s the very reason our family has stayed prosperous and whole for generations. It’s our greatest ancestral secret." He puffed out his chest, bursting with pride. A spark of hope flared in my chest. If I could figure out which color Eleanor picked on her wedding night, couldn't I beat this deadly game? Julian’s next words instantly crushed that hope into dust. "Though according to our tradition, every bride is attuned to a different color." "Take my mom, for example. She chose black. If you really don't know what to pick, you could try her choice." His tone was casual, but his eyes carried a faint, unsettling flicker of anticipation. I recoiled slightly. I had no idea if he was testing me or dropping a hint, but the sheer agony of my third death—when I picked black—flooded my nerves. I didn't dare ask another question. When Eleanor reentered the room holding a fresh plate, the suffocating shadow of death gripped me once more. Identical dumplings. Identical arrangement. Even the angle of Eleanor’s lips curved into the exact same chilling smile. If the lingering smell of the crushed dumplings on the floor hadn't grounded me, I would have sworn I had reset into another life. This time, Eleanor took precautions. She shot Julian a look, and he immediately locked his arms around me from behind, immobilizing me completely. Wearing a saintly smile, Eleanor held the plate right against my lips. "Vivian, hurry up and pick. I’ll feed you this time. Once you eat it, I’ll hand over our family heirloom." I stared down at the plate. Despite the mouth-watering aroma, it felt like staring at pure poison. With no escape in sight, Julian’s comment about Eleanor picking black flashed through my mind. I gritted my teeth and decided to gamble on the exact opposite. If black meant instant death for me, would white keep me alive? Clinging to that desperate logic, I swallowed hard, squeezed my eyes shut, and yelled: "I pick white!" Eleanor’s hand froze. A flicker of reluctance and dark disappointment passed through her eyes. She forced a strained smile. "Vivian, are you sure? There are so many lovely, vibrant colors here. Don't you want to reconsider?" "White is so terribly plain. You wouldn't want your married life to be dull, would you?" Hearing her hesitation, my eyes flew open, burning with sudden triumph. Four lifetimes! This was the very first time Eleanor had ever tried to talk me out of a color! This had to be the right one! I nodded frantically, my voice ringing with certainty. "I’m sure! I want the white one!" Eleanor let out a soft sigh. Lingering for several agonizing seconds, she finally, begrudgingly lifted the white dumpling to my lips. I bit into it without hesitation, desperate to end this nightmare once and for all. The moment the dumpling slipped down my throat, my legs gave out. I hit the floor hard. Blood gushed from my eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. Within seconds, the life drained out of me. Right before the darkness consumed me, Eleanor’s ghostly whisper drifted into my ear. "Sigh... I told you white represents doom. You still got it wrong. What bad luck." As my final spark of consciousness faded, bottomless despair swallowed me whole. Which damn color didn't kill me?!When I opened my eyes again, the phantom agony of my previous death ripped through my body. Pale as a ghost, I clutched my stomach, gasping for air as reality slowly snapped back into focus. The savory smell of crushed dumplings hit my nostrils. Julian’s arms were already locked tight around me. My pupils shrank to pinpricks. I had reset after I smashed the first plate! The checkpoint had moved forward! A wave of icy panic crashed over me. A gut-wrenching instinct warned me: this was my final chance. If I died this time, there would be no more resets. Death would be permanent. Seeing me hunched over, clutching my abdomen with a deathly pale face, Eleanor frowned with faux concern, though an impatient irritation flickered in her eyes. "Is your stomach acting up again, Vivian? Look at you, poor thing, you're white as a sheet.” “Just pick a dumpling quickly. Once you swallow it, Julian will take you to the ER. If something happens because of a delay, it’ll break my heart." Julian chimed in, gently rubbing my belly, his grip offering zero slack. "Mom’s right, Vivian. We can't put this off. Abdominal pain is serious. If something happens to you, what am I supposed to do? Be a good girl. Just pick one, and I’ll carry you straight to the car." I squeezed my eyes shut, forcing my panicked brain to think. Before they could push any harder, I clamped down violently on the inside of my cheek. Blood filled my mouth. I coughed, spitting out a mouthful of crimson saliva, and leaned weakly against Julian. "Eleanor... Julian... I’m going to throw up. My stomach hurts so bad... Please, let me use the bathroom to rinse my mouth and sit down for a minute. The second I feel a little better, I’ll come out and pick." Startled by the blood pooling on the floor, Eleanor and Julian exchanged a wary glance. They finally relented. Julian escorted me to the bathroom. The second the door swung shut, I locked the deadbolt at lightning speed and sprinted to the window. My heart sank. Eighteenth floor. Heavy wrought-iron security bars were welded solid over the frame. Even if I could somehow pry the bars open, jumping from the eighteenth floor meant instant death. As cold sweat drenched my back, a frantic pounding shook the bathroom door. "Vivian, are you done yet? Come out and choose! The food is getting cold!" "Vivian, baby, are you okay in there? Open the door, I’ll come in and keep you company." The banging grew heavier and faster, hammering against my eardrums like a death toll. Despair threatened to drown me. Then, my eyes caught a small cardboard box tucked away in the dusty corner under the sink. My vision cleared. I lunged forward and tore the package open. It was an ultra-potent pest-control sedative spray a friend had brought me from overseas. I had tested it once by accident and realized a single whiff could knock an adult unconscious for hours. Deeming it too dangerous, I had tossed it in the corner to gather dust. I never imagined it would become my only weapon for survival. Gripping the canister tightly, I crept toward the door and spoke in a frail, shaky voice. "Eleanor, Julian, I'm so sorry. The pain made me pass out for a second. I feel much better now. I'm unlocking the door." As the deadbolt clicked, the violent banging stopped. Their fake, honey-coated words of comfort resumed outside. I answered meekly while pulling the door open. The instant the gap widened, I didn't hesitate. I aimed straight for their faces and held down the nozzle. A thick cloud of mist blasted into their noses and mouths. Both of them crumpled instantly to the floor. Without wasting a second to check on them, I bolted past their bodies, tore through the front door, and fled that living hell. Behind me, completely out of my sight, Eleanor and Julian slowly opened their eyes. A pair of grotesque, knowing smiles spread across their faces.Having escaped the apartment, I didn't even dare to wait for the elevator. I flew down eighteen flights of stairs, ran out to the street, and flagged down a taxi, yelling my parents' address. Without physical evidence of Eleanor or Julian trying to murder me, calling the police would sound like paranoid delusions. My only option was to hide at my parents' house nearby, catch my breath, and convince them to break off my engagement. When Julian and I got engaged, my parents were worried he might mistreat me down the road. They had insisted on an old-school trial arrangement: hold the wedding ceremony first, but wait a full year before filing the legal marriage certificate at city hall. Who could have guessed that on the very night of the ceremony, I’d be thrown into a literal death loop? Suffocated by terror and regret, the taxi finally pulled up to my parents' suburban house. I threw cash at the driver, bolted to the porch, and looked over my shoulder. Seeing no sign of Eleanor or Julian, I let out a ragged breath and hammered on the front door. The doorbell chimed three times before the door swung open, revealing the familiar, loving faces of my mom and dad. All the terror and betrayal burst out of me. I collapsed into their arms, sobbing uncontrollably. My parents didn't know what had happened, but they wrapped me in a tight embrace, murmuring frantic comforts. "Vivian! Sweetie, what happened? Did Julian hurt you? Tell us! Your father and I will go over there right now and tear him apart!" "Don't cry, baby. Talk to Mom. Why are you running home in your wedding dress in the middle of the night? Where is Julian?" I opened my mouth, choking on my words, not knowing where to begin. Seeing my dad grabbing his coat, looking ready to drive over and beat Julian to a pulp, I gathered my thoughts. I decided to leave out the impossible time-loop resets and told them everything else. To make them understand the gravity of the danger, I clutched my mother’s arm, tears streaming down my cheeks. "Dad, Mom, Julian and his mother are insane. There’s something wrong with those dumplings.” “They were trying to force-feed me, even when I was vomiting blood! I swear, if I had eaten that food, you would never have seen me alive again!" My parents didn't dismiss my story as bridal jitters. Instead, their faces filled with heartbreak as they held me close. "You poor thing," my mom murmured softly, stroking my hair. "Go up to your room and get some sleep, Vivian. Tomorrow morning, we’ll officially break everything off with the Millers." Feeling a surge of warmth and safety, I nodded, took a quick shower, and collapsed into my childhood bed, completely drained. Just as I thought the nightmare was finally over, the grandfather clock in the hallway struck close to midnight. The doorbell rang. Groggy and on edge, I crept out of my room and peered over the banister. My parents were opening the front door. Julian and Eleanor were standing on the porch. All the blood drained from my face. In Eleanor’s hands was that same porcelain plate of colorful dumplings. My parents initially looked furious. Dad raised a finger, opening his mouth to curse them out. But the moment their eyes landed on that plate, both of my parents froze. In the next second, their expressions turned blank. They stepped aside, opening the door wide, and guided Julian and Eleanor straight into the living room toward the stairs. Then, all four of them spoke in unison, their voices flat and robotic: "Vivian, it’s getting late. It’s time to choose. If you don't pick now, the auspicious hour will pass..." Staring at the four figures advancing toward me step by step, I stumbled backward, pure horror constricting my throat. Trapped against the wall with nowhere left to run, I watched Eleanor’s lips curl into that familiar, demonic smile. "You can't run from this, Vivian. Hurry now. Pick one, and I’ll feed it to you..." I clamped a trembling hand over my mouth. Just then, my gaze accidentally brushed against Eleanor’s coat pocket, and my mind fired on all cylinders. I suddenly realized which color wouldn't kill me!