Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Valencia’s POV
“Oh, and don’t worry. I’ll make sure there’s no trace left. She toed the glass across the room, shattering it against the wall. “Can’t leave any evidence, now can we? Not that anyone will car
Her laughter echoed around me, a cruel, mocking sound that sened to pierce right through my heart, I slumped back.
Now that I knew, I could feel the poison taking root, a slow, burung pain spreading through my veins.
I thought of the sister I had loved, the life that had been ripped away from me piece by piece. I had nothing left–nothing but a hollow, all–consuming rage.
They say that in your last monients you see the most cherished memories in life. But all of my good ones had been tainted and all I saw was complete and utter despair.
As the pain grew, I felt regret at trusting them. I wished death upon her, upon Jaxon. I wanted them to suffer, to pay every tear, every ounce of blood they had taken from me.
But all I was capable of now was praying with all my heart that they got what they deserve, that their world would get destroyed and trampled on just like they did to mine.
And they suffer so much that they have no choice but to end up praying for death.
“Sweet child.”
A soft, melodic voice pierced through the darkness, pulling me from the depths of pain and betrayal.
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Slowly, I opened my eyes, and above me was a bright sky, vibrant and clear. The scent of hydrangeas and crisp forest air filled my lungs, soothing the ache within me. I lay on soft grass, the blades tickling my skin.
It was calm here, unreal. Peaceful.
I pushed myself up, taking in the tranquil scene around me. An enormous lake stretched before me, its waters so still they could have been made of glass, as though time itself had stopped Everything here seemed to hover between dream and reality, untouched by the cruelty I had left behind.
Cautiously, I leaned forward and looked into the water. What I saw staring back was not the woman I’d become but the girl I once was, whole and unmarked. My skin was smooth, free from the scars left by Jaxon’s cruelty. My hair was long, rich auburn strands falling to my back, full and healthy. I looked… beautiful. Whole.
A lump formed in my throat, and my eyes filled with tears as I realized just how much I had lost–how much had been taken from me over the past six years. I hadn’t even noticed the depths of my own destruction.
Where am
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The question whispered through my mind, barely formed, but before I could process it, the soft voice spoke again.
“You’re in a place beyond time, stuck between life and death”
Startled, I turned to find a breathtaking woman sitting on a smooth rock beside the lake. She was ethereal, her long, braided hair crowned with golden flowers, her skin almost luminous in the soft light. Her electric blue eyes, tinged with gold, sparkled as she gazed at me with a gentle smile.
“Can… can you read my mind?” I asked, my voice trembling.
Chapter 2
Her smile widened, a look of understanding in her eyes. “Mlun” she murmured, her voice a soft, soothing melody, as if it was speaking directly to my soul. “I can.”
Despite myself, I felt drawn to her, an overwhelming sense of can taking over my frayed nerves. My body moved before I could think, and I knelt in front of her, gazing up at her like a lo child seeking comfort. She reached forward, cupping my cheeks with soft hands, and I melted into her touch.
“My dear… what has hurt you so terribly?” she asked, her voice fed with compassion. It was as if she already knew, but she wanted me to say it, to voice the agony burning inside me.
The words spilled from me, raw and broken. “My mate… my love betrayed me. My sister betrayed me. My children left me, and now… now l’in all alone.” My voice cracked, and a fresh wave of pain washed over me.
She stroked my hair, her hand gentle as I rested my head in her lap. “Let me show you something,” she whispered softly, trace of knowing in her tone.
In an instant, the tranquil lakeside faded, and I found myself standing before a forked path. To my left was a dark, eerie forest, its trees casting deep shadows. To my right, a bright meadow stretched out, filled with red roses. The air was thick. with their scent, sweet and familiar, but as I inhaled, it turned bitter, and a shiver of disgust ran through me.
“This is the crossroad of your life,” the woman said, standing beside me once again. “Tell me, dear, which path would you choose to walk if you were given another chance?”
I looked between the two paths, the meadow with its vibrant roses beckoning on one side, and the shadowy forest on the other If someone had asked me this question a couple of years ago, I would have chosen the meadow without a second thought. It smelled like home, like warmth and love. But now? Now it smelled like Jaxon and Celeste–like a lie.
Without hesitation, I turned toward the dark forest, where the scent of smoke, dewy earth, and hydrangeas beckoned me with quiet resolve. The path called to me, almost like an embrace like something waiting for me.. someone waiting for me.
“You’ve chosen wisely,” the woman slid, her electric blue eyes gleaming with approval. Her gaze softened, and I felt a strange pull, as though she were seeing something just beyond me, or maybe even within me,
I opened my mouth to ask what this mennt, but she spoke first. “You have many unfulfilled wishes, don’t you?” Her voice was soft, knowing
A tremor ran through me as the realization dawned. I nodded slowly, the motion feeling foreign, as if I were betraying myself with the truth of it. My mind hadn’t been willing to acknowledge what my heart had longed for, but here, in this place beyond time, there was no room for denial.
“Relax, dear,” the woman soothed, her voice a balm. “Your soul speaks when the body cannot. And your soul has spoken.” “What… what is this?” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “Where am I, truly?”
Her hand brushed against my cheek, her expression tender. “It’s time for you to go back to the crossroads of your life. Valencia, and change your destiny.”
“Back?” I repeated, my heart pounding. “Why? Who are you?”
“All in due time, my dear,” she said, her voice as serehe as the lake behind us. “But before you go, promise me one thing.” whisper. I blinked, uncertain, as her gaze held mine, intense and unyielding. “What is it?” I asked, my voice barely above a “This time… follow the path your soul wants,” she said, her eyes glinting with a mysterious light that seemed to hold the weight of the world. “Because this is your last and final chance.”
The words lingered, the weight of them pressing on me like a binding vow. Her eyes softened, almost glistening with a trace of something like sorrow. “Go, child. There are those waiting foryou–those who will need you, who you have yet to meet.”
Chapter 2
And then, everything went dark.
The sound of laughter filled my cars, and suddenly, icy water spished across my face, shocking me awake. I gasped, disoriented, the warmth from the otherworldly woman’s presence replaced by a hiring chill.
My heart races as I scrambled up, blinking against the shock, and looked around. The familiar, dimly lit room of my family’s home swam into focus.
I was sitting in my old bed, clutching the soaked covers as I looked up to see Celeste standing beside me, a mischievous smile on her lips and an empty glass in her hand.
“Happy birthday, big sister,” she cooed, her voice laced with sweetness. “Time to rise and shine!
I stared at her, wide–eyed, my heart pounding as I struggled to understand. The room. it was exactly as it had been year ago, right down to the worn wallpaper and the scratch on the windowpane. Everything looked untouched, familiar.
1 glanced down, catching a glimpse of myself in the vanity mirror across the room. My face–unscarred, youthful. Exactly like my reflection in the dream. The long, auburn hair I hadn’t seen in years hung in slightly damp strands around my shoulders. I touched my face, my hands trembling, feeling my smooth skin, my whole, unmarked self
It felt unreak, impossible,
Had I gone completely insane, or… or had I been reborn?
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