Mayor's Addiction

Pain—an emotion she was no stranger to. Emotional, mental, physical. She had known it all, endured it all, but never imagined it would come from the one person she trusted most.

"Mr. Grant, after so long, you finally appear with Miss Rodrigo! Are you two making your relationship public?" a reporter's voice echoed across the prison hall.

"Please make way for Mr. Grant," came the coy voice from the television—the voice of the one person who had shattered her world.

"They look like the perfect couple." "Wonder what their baby will look like." "Bet Mr. Grant’s a beast in bed."

Laughter bubbled around her, but Daisy couldn’t tear her eyes from the screen. The cold, aloof Louis Grant, who once held her hand, massaged her tired feet, and carried her on his back... now standing beside someone else, his arm draped casually around her. How had everything changed so drastically?

Who would remember the woman who had once been the center of his life? The woman who had thrown it all away for the sake of a friend—a friend who secretly coveted everything she had.

The sound of the cell door clanking open brought her back to her grim reality. A guard stepped in, a syringe in his hand.

"Get up," he ordered.

She barely had the strength to comply but was yanked up like a rag doll, pain surging through her body. Soon, she found herself tossed onto the cold floor of an abandoned barn. A familiar burn spread through her veins as the drug took hold, but this time, something was different. It felt worse, much worse.

"You angered the wrong people, sweetheart," a voice sneered from the shadows. "With a face like yours, you could've ruled the entertainment industry. Maybe next time, you'll use your head."

She was too weak to respond, her body limp as flames began to lick the walls around her. The barn was on fire.

So, this was it.

She had wanted to die, yes, but she hadn’t expected death to be this cruel. Even in her final moments, there was no peace, only burning agony. But she didn’t fight it. Daisy closed her eyes, surrendering to her fate. Maybe, at last, the pain would end.

---

"Wake up, sleepyhead! You have to be on set by ten!"

Daisy jolted awake, her sister’s voice piercing through the fog. The scream startled her, not because it was loud, but because she knew her sister was dead.

Her heart raced. Was this a dream?

She raised her hand, expecting scars, expecting marks of her torment—but her skin was smooth. No blemishes. No burns. She glanced at the mirror across from her bed, and a face stared back at her—a face so familiar yet foreign.

The door swung open again. "Come on, baby sis! Breakfast is almost ready, and Mum made your favorite!" Her brother’s voice followed, cheerful, warm.

Daisy’s breath hitched. Mum? She grabbed the phone on her bedside table, her hands trembling as she checked the date.

August 3rd, 2XXX.

She wasn’t dreaming. She was back. Three years before disaster struck. She let out a shaky breath and smiled, a rare, genuine smile. This time, everything would be different. This time, she would rewrite her fate.

Her family, who had died protecting her... Louis, the man she had pushed away... and Natalie, the so-called best friend who had orchestrated her downfall... Daisy had a chance to change it all.

The phone rang, pulling her from her thoughts. The high-pitched voice on the other end was unmistakable.

"Hey, bestie!" came Natalie’s sickly-sweet tone.

Daisy’s grip tightened on the phone. Once, she had trusted this voice. Now, it only filled her with disgust.

"Hey, Natalie," she replied, her voice steady, controlled.

"I heard Louis asked you out on another date! Do you mind if I tag along this time? You never know what he’s up to," Natalie said, her voice laced with fake concern, the same concern that had led Daisy to ruin.

Daisy’s lips curled into a smirk. "Yeah, he did ask me out. But I think I’ll handle it on my own this time. No need for external help."

Natalie hesitated. "Oh... I didn’t mean it like that, Daisy. You know I care about you."

"Of course," Daisy said, her tone flat. "I'll talk to you later."

She hung up before Natalie could respond, the smirk still lingering on her face as she turned back to the mirror. Her reflection stared back at her, but this time, it wasn’t the fragile, naïve girl she once was.

She was reborn—with all her memories intact.

“Daisy Croft, you’ve got a lot of work to do,” she whispered to herself.

The door opened again, and her brother Liam stood there, smiling. "You don't want pancakes, huh, baby sis?"

Daisy’s eyes welled up with tears. She had forgotten how much she missed him—his protective nature, his easy smile.

"Did anyone bully you on set?" Liam asked, noticing her expression as he pulled her into a gentle hug, running his hand through her hair.

"Brother," she whispered, her voice shaky. "You'll always love me, right?"

"Of course. Did I ever make you doubt it?"

She smiled through her tears. "I'm going to be better now. I promise I won’t make you or Mum, Dad, or Dandelion worry again."

Liam chuckled, cupping her face. "My baby sister’s all grown up, huh?"

"Yeah, I’ve changed," Daisy said, her voice firmer. She had been reckless, but not anymore. This time, she would protect the ones she loved.

"Well, if you're so grown up, get downstairs for breakfast," he teased. "The director's already called six times this morning."

Daisy glanced over her shoulder as she walked out the door. She paused, looking back at Liam and Dandelion, who had just entered the room.

"You have no idea how lucky I am to have the both of you," she said softly.

They exchanged confused glances, but she didn't wait for a response. Daisy had a second chance, and she wasn’t going to waste it.