Paulina’s eyes opened, her vision blurry as she tried to focus on her surroundings. She felt disoriented, her mind hazy with confusion.
The last thing she remembered was falling down the stairs, the pain shooting through her body, and the darkness that had swallowed her whole.
But now, she was lying her head on a table, the cool surface pressing against her cheek.
Slowly, she pushed herself up, wincing as she did. Her heart raced as she looked around, trying to make sense of what had happened.
She was in her living room, but something was off. The room looked different—familiar, yet somehow wrong.
She glanced down at herself and noticed she was wearing a black dress, simple and elegant, the kind one would wear to a funeral.
Her hands trembled as she ran them over the fabric, her breath catching in her throat.
“What… what is going on?” she whispered to herself, her voice shaky.
Her mind raced as she tried to piece together the fragments of her memory.
The last thing she remembered was catching James in bed with Alexis, the confrontation, the fall… But now, here she was, dressed in mourning clothes, as if—
Her heart skipped a beat as realization hit her.
“No… it can’t be…”She stood up, her legs unsteady as she looked around the room with growing panic.
The familiar decor, the furniture—it all felt like a cruel trick of the mind.
But then, her eyes fell on a framed photo on the mantel.
She walked over to it, her hands trembling as she picked it up.It was a picture of her parents, smiling warmly at the camera.
Her heart twisted with pain as she remembered the day it was taken. She had been so happy then, so full of hope for the future.
But that hope had been shattered the day they died in the car accident. Her pulse quickened as she realized where—and when—she was.
She wasn’t in the present. Somehow, she had been transported back ten years, to the day of her parents’ funeral.
Her eyes scanned the room as she saw a calendar in the room. “No… this isn’t possible,” Paulina murmured, her mind struggling to comprehend the situation.
“How… how did this happen?”She looked around, her gaze landing on the black dress she was wearing.
She remembered it now—
This was the dress she had worn on the day she buried her parents. The same day she had planned to tell James that she wanted him to take over her father’s company, to run it with the same dedication and passion her father had.
But that had been the start of her downfall, the day she had unwittingly set herself on the path of ruin by giving James everything.Paulina’s breath hitched as the memories flooded back—
James’ comforting words, his promises of love and loyalty, and her blind trust in him. She had been so naive, so desperate for someone to lean on during her grief. And now, she was back in that moment, as if fate had given her a second chance.
“But why?” she whispered, her voice trembling. “Why am I here?”Just then, she heard the front door creak open, and her heart nearly stopped. She turned slowly, dread moving in her stomach as she saw James Walk into the room.
He was exactly as she remembered—tall, handsome, with that charming smile that had once made her heart flutter and younger.
“Babe, I brought you some food. You need to eat.” Paulina gasped, her hand flying to her mouth.
The words… those were the same words James had said to her ten years ago, on this very day.She stared at him, her mind reeling. This wasn’t just a dream or some twisted nightmare. She was back, reliving the day that had changed everything.
And James… he had no idea what the future held, how he would betray her, break her heart, and destroy her life or did he? She thought to herself.
What if James and Alexis were both in on this the entire time.But now, she knew. She knew the painful memories of everything that had happened in the years that followed.
She had been given a chance to change it all, to rewrite her story.But how? How could she possibly navigate this? What was she supposed to do?
James looked at her with concern, stepping closer. “Paulina, are you okay? You look pale. Sit down, you need to eat something.”
Paulina flinched at his touch, her mind racing. This was her moment of decision, the beginning of everything.
Should she confront him now? Should she try to alter the course of their lives?Her thoughts were a whirlwind of confusion, fear, and anger. And yet, underneath it all, there was a glimmer of hope. Maybe—just maybe—she could find a way to save herself from the pain that was destined to come.
“Paulina?” James’ voice was soft, but it carried an edge of concern. “What’s going on? Talk to me.”
She looked into his eyes, the eyes of the man she had once loved so deeply, the man who would eventually tear her world apart.
She had to do something, anything to prevent the future she knew was coming. But how?Just as she opened her mouth to speak, to confront him, or maybe to ask for time to think, something shifted in the room.
A cold wind seemed to pass through, chilling her to the bone. And in that instant, she realized with a sudden, terrifying clarity that this wasn’t just a second chance.
This was a test. And everything depended on her next move
Paulina stood in the living room, her mind full of emotions as she stared at James. The man she had once loved, the man who had broken her heart into a thousand pieces, was standing before her, concerned and unaware of the sins he would commit in the future. She knew what was coming, knew how his love would turn to betrayal, how his charm would morph into cold indifference. But now, as he stood there, offering her comfort in a moment that had once been the start of their union, Paulina felt a strange mix of anger and confusion. How could she be mad at him for something he hadn’t done yet? And yet, the knowledge of his future infidelity burned inside her, making her sick with the thought of what was to come.“Paulina,” James said softly, stepping closer to her, “what’s going on? You’re scaring me. Did something happen?”Paulina’s heart pounded in her chest as she took a step back, her resolve hardening. “James,” she said, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and determination, “I
Paulina couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling gnawing at her.She moved to the window and peeked through the curtains, watching as Alexis walked down the driveway making a phone call, which seemed quite suspicious. Her half-sister’s movements were slow, deliberate. Paulina’s heart pounded in her chest as she watched Alexis glance back at the house before getting into her car. Paulina let the curtain fall back into place, her mind spinning with questions. Alexis had always been skilled at hiding her true feelings, at playing the role of the caring sister when it suited her. But now, with the knowledge of the future, Paulina saw everything through a different lens. She couldn’t trust anyone, especially not Alexis.“What do I do now?”. Paulina whispered to herself, her voice trembling. She had been given a second chance, a chance to rewrite her fate. But the enormity of the task was overwhelming. She had to think, had to plan, there was no room for mistakes.She paced the living room, tryi
Paulina sat in her mother and father's antique study, the air thick with dust and memories. Her arms shook barely as she held the letter from her father, his phrases echoing in her mind: "Trust no person, not even those who proportion your blood." She studied the road again, her heart sinking. Her father had left her a warning, however, what turned into what she purports to take with it now?She placed the letter down on the desk, watching the rows of books her father had once loved. The room hadn’t changed in ten years, yet the entirety of her existence had. She becomes again—again before the lies, the betrayal, and the heartbreak. It needed to have felt like a blessing, but as an alternative, it felt like she changed into strolling on the edge of a cliff, one wrong step away from falling into darkness.Paulina’s thoughts have been interrupted with the aid of a knock at the door. Her heart jumped, her body worrying. "Who ought to it's at this hour?" she muttered to herself, the unea
Paulina sat on the dining room table, her mind swirling in a countless loop of doubt and fear. Her father’s letter still haunted her, its cryptic warning repeating in her mind: "Trust nobody, no longer even individuals who share your blood." Every look from James, each word from Alexis, or even each gesture from Elijah felt laced with hidden meanings. But the truth was slippery, and he or she wasn’t certain whom she may want to rely on anymore.Her telephone buzzed at the table, snapping her out of her mind. She picked it up, seeing a message from Elijah: “Need to talk. Meet me at the antique library in an hour.”Paulina’s stomach twisted. Elijah has been developing greater excessive, greater possessiveness because she’d returned to the beyond. She couldn’t shake the sensation that there was something he wasn’t telling her, something darkish lurking under his smooth phrases and quiet demeanor. But for now, she wanted him. He changed into the simplest character who knew a part of the f
Paulina’s heart pounded as she lifted the phone to her ear. “Hello?”“Paulina, it’s me,” James’ voice came through, cold and measured. There was no warmth, no hint of affection. It was as if they were already strangers.“What is it, James?” she replied, trying to keep her voice steady. She glanced at Elijah, who was watching her intently, his jaw clenched.“I think we need to talk,” James said, his tone leaving no room for argument. “I’m coming by the house later. There’s something we need to discuss, face to face.”Paulina’s mind raced. She hadn’t been expecting this—James calling her so suddenly, wanting to meet. Was he onto her? Did he suspect that she knew more than she let on?“What’s this about?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.“You’ll know soon enough,” James replied. “I’ll see you tonight.”Before she could respond, the line went dead.Paulina lowered the phone, her hands shaking slightly as she set it down on the table. Her mind was spinning, panic creeping into
Paulina’s heart raced as James’ words hung in the air, suffocating her. His demand echoed in her mind, the icy realization that he was making his move now—just as he had before. But this time, she wasn’t the naive woman who would hand him everything without a fight.She took a slow, steady breath, forcing herself to maintain her composure. Her palms were sweaty, but she clenched her fists, determined to hold her ground. “You want me to step aside?” she asked, her voice tight, but she refused to let him hear the fear in it. “And let you run my family’s company?”James’ eyes gleamed with that cold, calculating look she’d come to despise. “You and I both know you’re not capable of running things on your own, Paulina,” he said, stepping closer. His voice was smooth, dripping with manipulation. “You’ve been too distracted, too fragile since your parents passed away. You need someone strong, someone who understands how to handle the board, the business… and everything that comes with it.”P
Paulina sighed as she carefully arranged the tea set on the tray, her hands trembling slightly as she heard the loud voice of her mother-in-law echo through the halls."Paulina! Have you made the tea, or are you too busy daydreaming again?" Mrs. Whitney called out from the living room, her tone dripping with disdain.Paulina took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. "Yes, Mother. It’s ready. I’ll bring it right in."She walked into the wide living room in the house, sometimes she’d forget that she actually grew up in this very house with her parents, ever since she got married to her husband and her mother-in-law moved in, it’s almost like they did a complete makeover of the place making it unrecognizable. Without looking up, Mrs. Whitney spoke condescendingly, "It’s about time. Honestly, Paulina, how did you ever manage before you married my son?" If Paulina could get a penny for every time her mother-in-law asked her such a question she would have been a millionaire by now
The next day happened to be Paulina’s half sister’s birthday. So she tried to surprise her sister in her apartment since there was no work on that day. As she got into the house with her spare key, she noticed that something seemed a little off. Paulina stood frozen in the hallway as she approached Alexis' room, curiosity filling her. She hesitated for a moment, not sure whether invading her sister's personal space was worth it, but then a wave of determination washed over her. She would just peep. Taking a deep breath, she turned the knob and pushed the door open only for her to be broken by what she had seen, as it had made her stomach churn. James was in her sister’s bed, his arm wrapped casually over the bare back of Alexis, she couldn’t believe it was her own step-sister. The sheets were tangled around their bodies, and the room reeked of sex and alcohol.Paulina gasped, the sound tearing through the silence of the room. Both James and Alexis jolted up, their eyes wide wi