The moment my eyes fluttered open, I was greeted by the hum of an engine and the faint scent of car freshener. The world felt both familiar and alien, like stepping into a half-forgotten dream.
My hand instinctively put my hand over my chest and breath deeply, I didn't feel any pain. A glimpse at the man in the driver’s seat sent a cold shiver down my spine. Raven. My husband. His face was exactly as I remembered—sharp features, eyes that once made me feel safe, now hollow in my memory. But why does he look so… young?
“Crystal, you’re awake,” he said flatly, not even sparing me a glance. His hands gripped the wheel, his knuckles pale.
I blinked, trying to piece together where I was and why I was here. Then it hit me like a crashing wave. I died. That suffocating battle with my illness, lung cancer, the emptiness I felt as I breathed my last, the cold realization that I had meant nothing to the man I gave everything to. Not even on my last breath. I looked at my phone and saw the date. April 21, 20XX. 5 years ago before I died.
Now, I'm alive. And back to a moment I had tried so hard to forget.
“I’m dropping you off,” Raven’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
“What?” My voice cracked, hoarse and weak.
“Gina needs me,” he said, his tone laced with impatience, as if I were wasting his precious time.
A bitter laugh escaped my lips before I could stop it. Of course. Gina. The woman who had always been his priority. His voice was the same as it had been in my past life: curt, dismissive, devoid of concern.
My hands clenched into fists on my lap. The memories of my previous life rushed in like a dam breaking. The snickers of high society, the whispers behind my back, the pitiful gazes of those who knew my husband cared more about another woman than he did about me. I'm the pathetic billionaire's wife.
“Raven,” I began, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Do you even care if I get home safely?”
He sighed, finally looking at me with annoyance etched across his face. “Crystal, stop with the nonsense. You’ll be fine.”
The car screeched to a halt. He motioned toward the empty street. “Get out.”
I stared at him, my heart aching with the familiarity of his indifference. There wasn’t a single flicker of worry in his eyes, no trace of warmth. He had always been like this, hadn’t he? I just refused to see it back then.
Reluctantly, I stepped out of the car, the cold air biting at my skin. Raven didn’t wait. The door slammed shut, and he sped off without so much as a backward glance.
The street was deserted, save for the faint hum of distant city life. My legs gave way, and I sank onto the curb, my tears falling freely. They were tears of anger, frustration, and heartbreak—a flood of emotions I had kept buried for so long.
In my past life, when I was lying on my deathbed, I had begged to see him one last time. Just one glimpse of the man I had devoted my life to. But Raven had been too busy celebrating Gina’s recovery, toasting her health and happiness while I withered away alone.
I wrapped my arms around myself, the chill of the night seeping into my bones. “How pathetic was I?” I whispered to no one. I had spent my life chasing after a man who couldn’t even bother to care if I lived or died.
But now, I wasn’t the same woman I had been. This wasn’t the end of my story—it was the beginning.
I wiped my tears and stood, determination coursing through my veins. “That's right, I'm not the same Crystal as before. I had been given a second chance, five years before my death. I didn’t know why or how, but I wouldn’t waste it.”
This time, I wouldn’t let myself be the laughingstock of high society. I wouldn’t pine after a man who only saw me as a second choice. The bitter misery that had defined my life was over. I would start anew, carve out a future where I could truly live for myself.
Raven had made his choice, and so had I.
I glanced at the road, luckily there was a cab passing by so I waved to get the driver's attention. “Miss, this place is pretty desolate and dangerous.” The old taxi driver looked at me worriedly. I smiled at him with gratitude.
“I'm thankful that you came by. Can you take me Preston Condo?” I asked. The old taxi driver nodded.
“Sure can. Hop in!” I slid in the taxi and the car drove off. I looked outside the window. The past may have been filled with sorrow and regret, but the future was mine to rewrite.
I took a deep breath, making plans to leave him. Away from Raven, away from the pain, and toward the life I would create on my terms.
The woman who had died so bitterly was gone.
This time, I would live.
