Four

KAIDA REED POV 

I jolted upright with a gasp, my hands clawing at my chest as a fierce pain sliced through it.

But there was nothing there.

I blinked, then looked down.

Didn’t I just...die? Where was the blood?

I remembered the knife—the pain, the betrayal—so why was my heart still beating?

"Kaida?"

My eyes flew up, then widened as they met those of Nessa.

"Are you alright? You suddenly fainted."

I blinked. I fainted?

I clearly remembered dying, so what was she talking about? And why did this room look so familiar?

Her fingers brushed my shoulder. I flinched so sharply she jerked back

"What’s wrong with you?" She pressed a hand to her breast and sucked in a breath. "God, you scared me. Should I get Lucien..."

My heart stopped cold. "No! Don’t! Don’t call him."

The worry in her eyes deepened. "But you look totally out of it. If you’re not feeling well, I can just ask him to cancel the engagement party and tell the guests to leave—"

"Engagement party?" I glanced around the room, then at the dress I was wearing. "Is this...my engagement party?" I asked, the rhythm of my heart beating out of place.

Nessa let out a nervous laugh, then nodded. "Of course it is. Are you sure you’re okay? You kind of hit your head when you fell".

I couldn’t hear her from the roaring in my ear.

What the hell was going on? Did I really experience those three horrible years, or was it all just a dream?

No. It couldn’t be a dream. The pain I was feeling in my chest was all too real.

Then I remembered my wish for a second chance. 

My eyes widened.

Was this my second chance at life? Could I really hope it was?

"Kaida," Nessa shouted, her hand gripping my arm and jarring me. "You are really scaring me. Are you okay?"

No. I wasn’t okay. At all.

I nodded quickly, then glanced at the time. 

This time... In the past...

"I need to see Lucien," I got out and stood up.

Nessa held on to my hand, her grip tightening. "I can’t let you leave. You’re still clearly out of it—do you even know where Lucien is?"

I jerked my hand from hers, picked up my phone, then met her gaze. "I’ll call him and find out." I walked toward the door before she could stop me. "Don’t worry, I feel perfectly fine. I’ll be back as soon as I talk to him," I assured, stepped out of the room, and shut the door behind me.

I didn’t need to call Lucien. I knew exactly where he would be. And if he were there, it would be the confirmation that I was truly back in the past.

I hurried out of the house, my eyes flicking to the engagement hall and all the cars lining the parking area. So many people had come to celebrate with Lucien and me. If only they knew how it all ended.

Please let it all be a very bad dream, I prayed, then took off in the direction of the warehouse.

The wind howled around me, blowing my blue dress every which way as I rushed through the woods.

The abandoned warehouse loomed ahead ominously, and as I got closer, I became more cautious.

Instead of looking through the front door as I did in the past, I went around the building. 

The back door was slightly ajar.

I moved toward it, goosebumps tracing my skin from the chilly air.

I raised my phone and put it on record as I peered into the building.

Lucien was standing right in front of me.

In the past, I only glimpsed him standing over two dead bodies—I did’t know how they died—but I must have come earlier this time since a living man was still kneeling before him.

"Look at that," he grinned, gesturing to the man who lay dead beside him. "He should have given in when I gave him a chance." He sucked in a suffering breath. "And now, it’s your turn. Are you going to sign those papers, Andrew, or do you want to die like your partner here?"

The man gritted his teeth, his face a mask of pain and fury. "I’ll never give up my company. You can do whatever the hell you want, but just know one thing, you are going to pay for everything you've done tonight."

Lucien smirked, and before I could blink, he pulled the trigger. 

I flinched hard as the bullet hit the man, my phone almost dropping from my hand.

The man’s blood splattered against the wall, and then he fell to the floor, his body giving one last twitch before he went totally still.

Lucien crouched down, his face so cold I felt a chill go down my spine. "You should have just given in, Andrew. Your death means nothing. I always get what I want. One way or another."

Bile burned the back of my throat as I jerked away from the door, my fingers shaking as I saved the video.

Clutching it in my hand, I slowly started to retreat, careful not to make any noise.

Once I was at a safe distance, I broke into a run.

I ran so hard, I thought I would die.

I only stopped when I saw the engagement hall.

Nessa paced in front of it, glancing at her phone every other second.

She was looking for me.

Taking a deep breath to calm my nerves, I walked toward her. 

She turned in my direction and saw me. "Oh my God, Kaida!" She rushed forward, then looked me over. "Where the hell have you been? We’ve been looking everywhere for you—"

"I need my car keys." 

She blinked, her brows furrowing. "What are you talking about? Where do you want to go? Your engagement party is about to start. You can’t just—"

"Give me my fucking car keys!" I screamed, and she flinched, shock painting her face white.

I knew the reaction. In the past, I never raised my voice. I was always agreeable. Gentle. Quiet. But not anymore.

That part of me was dead and gone. 

No one is going to walk over me in this life.

Nessa reached into her purse, brought out the keys, and placed them in my hand.

I closed my hand around it. "And please, tell Lucien not to call me. I need some space."

I entered the car and slammed the door so hard that the window rattled.

I felt fucking sick.

The car lurched forward as I tore out of the parking spot, the tires screeching against the asphalt from how hard I stepped on the accelerator.

Why!

Why did I let love blind me to the fact that Lucien was a cold-blooded killer? Why did I cover up all his crimes just to end up as a victim? What the hell was I thinking? Why was I so desperate for him to fucking love me?"

"Damn it. Damn it all to hell!" I slammed my hand against the wheel.

Drops of rainwater started to hit my windshield, and just like the feelings inside of me, it got heavier, the rain increasing until everything ahead turned blurry.

Tears stung my eyes, my heart breaking into a million pieces. 

"I’ve been really stupid, haven’t I?" I gripped the steering wheel harder, my knuckles whitening. "God, I was so fucking stupid!"

The world blurred in front of me, red taillights smearing like blood across the street and reminding me of the face of the man Lucien had killed.

My head throbbed.

I needed silence. I needed to be alone. I needed anything but this chaos roaring in my head.

Like an answer to prayer, a flash of lightning lit up an alleyway at the side of the road.

I turned without thinking, my eyes missing the signboard. 

As I drove in, the noise slowly faded away until all I could hear was just the hiss of rain and my breathing. 

It was the perfect moment to let it all out. 

So I did. 

I stepped hard on the accelerator, then screamed, and screamed until my voice went hoarse. Until I was lightheaded and shaking.

For a moment, it helped.

Until it didn’t.

A burst of white light suddenly blinded me through the windshield.

My heart lurched in my chest, terror seizing my lungs, as I veered off the road, barely missing the other car coming at me and screeching to a halt before I could hit the large trees flanking the alley.

I sat there shaking, gasping, and trying to catch my breath.

Did I almost die? Again?