Chapter 003

ALICE

The guys laughed again, but the sound barely reached my ears. A sharp pain spread through my chest, so intense that I had to press my palm against the cold wall to stop myself from collapsing right there on the floor.

Tears burned hot behind my eyes, not just because Dominic had cheated on me or because Amber was pregnant with his child, but because for the first time in three years, I realized none of the things he had told me had ever been real.

The love I had held onto for so long was nothing more than a trick he used to boost his popularity and mock me behind my back with his friends. Every smile he had ever given me, every promise he whispered in the dark, every single time he held my hand and told me he loved me were a lie.

The entire future I had spent years building in my mind crumbled away in a second. I reached down, my fingers shaking, and pulled the ring off my finger.

Staring at the sparkling piece of metal, more tears blurred my vision as the memory of the day Dominic proposed came back to mock me. It had been so public, right in front of thousands of fans who had stayed after the game to watch. He had dropped down to one knee right there on the ice, looking up at me with wide eyes.

"Alice, ever since the day I met you, you've been the best thing that ever happened to me," he had said, his voice echoing through the stadium microphones. "And now, I want you to be mine forever."

The crowd had gone wild, his teammates chanting my name and shouting for me to accept him. That night had felt like an absolute dream, and I truly believed I was the happiest girl on earth as I nodded and told him yes. He had slid the ring onto my finger, pulling me tight against his waist to kiss me with what I thought was real passion.

I wiped the tears off my cheeks with the back of my hand, turning around to leave before they could see me. But as I take a step, Gerald's voice cut off mid-laugh. "Shit man. Alice is standing right there."

"What the hell?" I heard Dominic mutter as he rushed toward the door, but I was already walking away down the hall as fast as my legs could carry me.

I didn't want to look at his face, because I knew seeing him would only break whatever small pieces of my heart were left.

"Alice, wait! It's not what you think!" Dominic shouted, running down the corridor after me. I didn't stop moving, and I didn't offer him a single word. I kept heading toward the side exit that led out to the parking lot. "They were just messing around, Alice. You know you're the only one I actually love."

Hearing him lie despite everything I have heard made something snap inside me. I stopped in my tracks, spun around, and marched right up to him, wiping my tears. "Even after you know I heard every single word, you still stand there and lie straight to my face? Why are you doing this to me, Dominic?"

He took a step closer, reaching his hands out, but I stopped him before he could touch me. I shoved the diamond ring hard against his chest. "I am completely done with you and your lies."

He shook his head, looking more annoyed about the scene than bothered of losing me, and that broke my heart even more. I turned my back on him and walked toward my car parked near the edge of the lot. But before I could even reach the driver's side door, the bright beams of car lights flashed in my eyes.

A vehicle was moving toward me at full speed, heading straight for the spot where I stood. Before I could even react or jump out of the way, the front bumper slammed into my body, throwing me off my feet. I felt myself lift into the air from the force of the impact before hitting the pavement hard.

"Alice!" I heard Brea scream from somewhere in the distance.

She was running toward me, but my vision was already starting to fade. From the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of the car that had just hit me as it sped away. My gaze lingered on the back of the vehicle, focusing on the custom license plate that read Dominic Stevens. Then, everything went completely black and still.

~~~

Bright lights flickered overhead, shining down so fiercely that I lifted my arm to shield my eyes. My breath came out in short, ragged gasps as I tried to clear my head. A massive roar echoed all around me, thousands of voices cheering and calling out Dominic's name.

I lowered my hand, touching my chest and looking down at my clothes in total confusion. I wondered what was happening. I had just been hit by a car. I felt the bones break. How was I alive right now? Was the entire betrayal, the locker room, and the accident just a horrible nightmare?

The questions spun in my mind as I took a proper look at my surroundings, and the familiar sight hit me like a punch to the stomach. I was standing right in the center of the ice rink, surrounded by cheering fans, wearing the exact outfit I had worn the night Dominic proposed to me.

"Alice, ever since the day I met you, you've been the best thing that ever happened to me," Dominic said, the words cutting through the noise of the stadium. "And now, I want you to be mine forever."

I turned my head toward the sound of his voice and saw him drop down to one knee on the ice, holding up the velvet box. That was the exact second the truth washed over me. It hadn't been a nightmare at all. I had died in that parking lot, and somehow, I had been sent back in time.

This was a second chance at life, a chance to choose a different path. And this time, I wasn't going to be the naive, foolish girl who believed in his sweet words and ignored his true colors.

My chest still ached with the memory of his betrayal, but I forced a bright, flawless smile onto my face. I stared down at Dominic, not because I was happy, but because I knew exactly how I was going to ruin his perfect life.

I extended my left hand toward him, my voice steady and clear. "Yes, Dominic. I'll marry you."

He smiled, sliding the diamond ring onto my finger, and reached his arms around my waist to pull me in for the public kiss. But the moment his face got close, I turned my head away, completely dodging his lips, and looked out at the flashing cameras to wave at the crowd instead.

Dominic froze, the smile dropping from his face as he stared at me in total shock and confusion, but I just kept waving.