Chapter 7

“Thanks, Dan,” she said, her voice soft but carrying a hint of warmth as she stepped out of the car.

“You owe me one, okay?” He responded with a small, satisfied smirk.

“Whatever you want, Dan,” she muttered with an amused smile, and he grinned before driving off.

Hailey rolled her eyes, an exasperated smile tugging at her lips. Some things just never change. Even back in college, Dan had this funny way of chasing after her, teasing and joking relentlessly.

But now, seeing him again, she realized he was just… easygoing. Genuine. A stark contrast to the storm of betrayal she would experience in the future.

Her thoughts flickered to the future, a few years from now. Dan, this same carefree and funny guy, would one day marry the daughter of a conglomerate. How strange, how different life could twist.

Hailey turned her gaze toward her apartment building, its modest exterior a quiet reminder of simpler days. Slowly, she climbed the stairs, each step heavy with disbelief and the weight of memories that weren’t supposed to exist here yet.

Finally, she reached her small apartment, the kind surrounded by other similar units, mundane yet comforting. She paused at the door, her fingers hovering over the keypad.

Her mother’s birthday… that had always been her code back then before she had changed it to her marriage anniversary with Carter.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she pressed it carefully, and the door clicked open.

She stepped inside, letting the familiar, tiny space wrap her. The apartment smelled faintly of home, of memories she hadn’t yet lived in this timeline.

And for the first time in what felt like forever, she allowed herself to breathe, to sink into the small comfort of being alive… and armed with the knowledge of everything to come.

Her tummy grumbled loudly, snapping her out of her thoughts. That was when she realized she had left everything back at the company. Her bag, her phone, and even her card.

With a sigh, she turned toward her desk. Her gaze landed on her laptop.

A small smile curved her lips. It was still brand new, she flipped it open, the soft hum of the startup sound oddly comforting.

Once it loaded, she began browsing through the news, her eyes scanning headlines, market updates, and city developments.

Then, a spark lit up in her mind—something Carter had mentioned in the future. Real estate. He had made a lot of money back then, even though he kept denying it and acting poor.

Hailey’s fingers flew across the keyboard, her heartbeat steady now with a different kind of thrill. If she was really in the past, this was her chance to change everything.

She checked locations, land prices, and development projects, small areas she knew would explode with value in just a few years. One by one, she made notes, calculated risks, and decided. With the remaining funds in her account, she placed a few small but smart investments.

A sly, satisfied smile tugged at her lips. “Let’s see who wins this time,” she murmured.

Afterward, she ordered a simple meal online and made her way to the bathroom. As the warm water descended down her skin, she closed her eyes, letting the reality sink in.

This was her new beginning. And this time… she was going to play the game differently.

As she stepped out of the bathroom and slipped into lighter clothes, the doorbell rang loudly.

“Is the delivery here already?” she muttered, towel-drying her damp hair as she walked over to the door. But the moment she opened the door, her excitement dimmed.

Standing in front of her was.

“You left your bag at the company,” Iris said softly, holding it out with both hands. “And… I brought you dinner. I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m sorry, Hailey.”

For a second, Hailey just stood there. Dinner. That simple word sent shivers down her spine. Maybe it was because of the memories attached to Iris, the pain, the betrayal, and the way everything had gone downhill in the future.

Even if Iris meant well now, Hailey couldn’t bring herself to accept anything from her.

“Oh,” Hailey finally managed, forcing a small smile that wobbled at the corners. “You didn’t have to.”

Iris smiled faintly, stepping inside the house without even being invited. “I know, but… I just thought you might not have eaten. I made too much.”

Hailey hesitated before shutting the door closed.

The scent of freshly made pasta drifted into the apartment as Iris placed the food on the table. It looked delicious, warm, and simple—the kind of thing Iris always used to make during their late-night study sessions.

Hailey’s chest tightened with nostalgia and unease tangled all together.

“You’ve barely touched your new place,” Iris said softly, glancing around. “It still feels like a hotel room.”

“Yeah… I guess I never got around to decorating.”

Iris smiled, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face. “You always said minimalism was your thing.”

“Did I?” Hailey asked lightly, feigning amusement even as she sat on the edge of the couch, keeping a small distance between them.

The silence that followed was a little awkward, and Iris must've noticed it too because she started fidgeting with the hem of her dress.

“Are we… okay?” she finally asked. “You’ve been different since Carter announced your relationship to the orders… I'm sorry, Hailey. I was the one that gave him the idea; I thought you wanted it,” she said softly.

Hailey’s heart clenched. She wanted to say no, that wasn't the issue. She wanted to say, "You’ll betray me someday; you’ll smile like this and comfort me while killing me slowly.

She'll look insane, so instead, she smiled faintly and said, “Of course we are. I'm just tired.”

Iris exhaled in relief, a small, genuine smile blooming on her lips. “Thank God. I was worried.”

Hailey forced herself to nod, though she couldn’t meet her eyes for long.

After a few more minutes, Iris, noticing that Hailey probably needed space, finally stood up. “I should get going. It's getting quite late.”

Hailey followed her to the door, her voice gentle. “Thanks for bringing my bag… and the food.”

“Anytime,” Iris said with a warm smile. “And Hailey? Whatever’s bothering you, I hope it gets better soon.”

When the door clicked shut, Hailey released the breath she didn't know she was holding.

Her smile faded.

She turned back to the untouched dinner sitting on the table and whispered, almost to herself, "You've always been this way…”

Her voice trembled. Deep down, a part of her wish was only a dream.

The doorbell rang again, cutting through the heavy silence that lingered after Iris left.

Hailey blinked, startled for a moment, and then she remembered the delivery.

She practically jumped to her feet, hurrying to the door. When she opened it and saw the delivery guy standing there with a paper bag in hand, relief flooded her chest.

“Delivery for Ms. Hailey Wyn,” he said with a polite smile.

“Yes…yes, that’s me,” she replied quickly, handing over the cash see had seen lying carelessly on the desk and taking the bag with both hands.

Hailey sighed in relief as she took the food; thankfully, she wouldn’t have to eat Iris’s food.

Setting it aside, she glanced at the untouched pasta. Though Iris hadn’t done anything yet in this timeline, her body was still tense.

As she ate her own meal, the warmth grounded her, reminding her this was her second chance to live differently.