The darkness pressed down on me like a living thing. The air in the basement was damp, cold, and stifling, and the faint sound of laughter above was a cruel reminder of where I wasn’t.
The wedding.
Their wedding.
I hugged my knees to my chest, the hunger gnawing at me, the fear of the dark clawing at my throat. I had always hated being shut away in places like this—enclosed spaces where the light never reached, where shadows seemed to whisper things only I could hear.
As a child, Lilian had once locked me in here for hours when my father was away, just to "teach me obedience." I had thought I’d grown stronger since then, but the truth was, the dark still terrified me.
No one came. Not Lilian, not Abby, not Leandro. They had locked me away, and now they had simply… forgotten me.
Except I wasn’t the same fool I had been in my past life. I still had my phone.
My fingers shook as I typed, the glow of the screen the only comfort I had in the endless dark. Brendon, it’s me. They locked me in the basement. Please, help me.
The reply came faster than my heart could beat.
I’ll get you out. No matter what. Just wait for me. Trust me, Victoria.
I pressed the phone to my chest, closing my eyes. A single tear slipped free—not out of fear, but relief.
Even in this life, even now, Brendon came. Just as he always had.
I remembered—how, in my past life, Lilian had once locked me in here too, after Abby staged another crying fit. I had thought no one would come for me then, either, but Brendon had. He had barged into the estate, furious, his shouts echoing through the walls until he found me.
He had taken me out, his arms steady and strong, whispering that he would never let me be trapped again.
And yet, I had betrayed him. Chosen another man. Chosen ruin.
But this time… this time, I wouldn’t.
Hours passed. My phone battery flickered low. Above me, the sound of footsteps echoed—hurried, busy. Voices carried through the floorboards, faint but constant, servants and relatives moving about. They were preparing for the wedding.
The noises went on until late into the night, then gradually faded. By morning, the bustle began again—louder this time, urgent. I heard trunks being carried, orders being barked, car doors slamming. They were heading out, leaving for the wedding venue.
And me?
I was still here. Still locked away. Until it became quiet again.
Later on, the door swung open, flooding the basement with blinding light. I flinched, shielding my eyes—until I heard the thud of boots, the rustle of suits.
Two men stood in the doorway. Bodyguards.
For a split second, panic surged. Had Lilian sent them to drag me deeper into the dark? To silence me for good?
But then a familiar voice cut through the stillness, sharp and breathless.
“I’m sorry I’m late. Let’s go now.”
Brendon.
My chest cracked open, relief crashing over me like a storm.
He reached for me, his hand steady even though mine trembled. “Come on, Victoria. You’re safe now.”
I didn’t think. I just let him pull me into his arms. The scent of him, the warmth of him—it was everything I had craved in the suffocating dark.
We ran. And then—we were in the car.
Brendon slammed the door behind me, slid into the driver’s seat, and the engine roared to life. I barely noticed the blur of streets, the rush of headlights. All I could hear was my heartbeat, all I could see was his profile lit by the passing lights, his jaw set in determination.
“You’re free now,” he said, not looking at me, his voice low and steady. “I won’t let them touch you again.”
My throat tightened. I wanted to tell him everything—that I had been reborn, that I knew what was coming, that in another life I had chosen wrong. But the words caught in my chest, too heavy to release.
Instead, I whispered, “Thank you.”
He glanced at me then, and the softness in his gaze nearly shattered me.
Hours blurred into minutes until we reached the private airstrip. We boarded quickly. Slowly, I opened the window and tossed my phone out.
And as the plane lifted into the sky, leaving the city—and my past—behind, I knew one thing for certain.
This was my second chance.
Leandro’s POV
The car sped down the highway. My fists clenched on my knees, jaw tight, fury simmering in every breath.
Victoria. Damn her.
I had begged, argued, warned her. And still, she had tossed me aside like I was nothing, like Abby could ever replace her. They thought they had trapped me into this wedding, that I’d settle for less. But no—Victoria would regret this. I’d make sure of it.
She would never be happy with Brendon. Once this wedding was over, I’d find a way to pull her back, to remind her she belonged to me. Because no matter what she said, no matter how much she tried to run, a part of me still wanted her. Needed her.
I leaned back in my seat, my thoughts twisting. She’ll see. I’ll make her see. Brendon can’t protect her forever.
The car jolted suddenly. My head snapped up.
“What the hell—?”
The driver slammed the brakes, tires screeching against the pavement. A thunderous roar echoed, the ground trembling beneath us.
An explosion.
My pulse spiked as I whipped my head toward the window. In the distance, rising against the sky, flames licked the heavens. Smoke billowed thick and black, swallowing the familiar silhouette of the estate.
Panic clawed at me.
The driver answered the call on his earpiece, face paling as he listened. Then he turned to me, voice low, hesitant.
“Sir… they said… there’s been an explosion.” His words broke with the weight of them. “In the basement. Where Miss Victoria was locked in. They’re saying she… she might be dead now.”
