Weeks passed slowly for Anna in the mansion, each one identical to the last, with the only excitement being the game matches where, day after day, she was forced to demonstrate her skill.
Even though she now had her own room and a maid attending to her basic needs, the overwhelming sense of emptiness around her was suffocating.
During family meals, the atmosphere became stifling. Her mother, father, and Damian talked amongst themselves as if she didn't exist, except for the brief moments when they praised her for her game wins. Those comments, rather than comforting her, only reminded her of her role in that family:
She simply had to win.
Little by little, the accumulated stress on her body became unbearable. Anna remembered how, back at the orphanage, she and her friends, Leo and Edrick, would sneak out to play and earn money every two or three days.
There, there were breaks, moments to breathe, but in this new life, her body barely had time to recover. She played every day, subjecting her senses to constant pressure.
Because of this, over time, her body began to falter. Anna felt frequent dizziness, nausea, and pain in her chest with every game. But the worst part was Damian's indifference to her complaints, dismissing them as 'excuses', he said.
To him, the signs of exhaustion were mere displays of cowardice, something to be ignored.
As months went by, Anna became a well-known player in the gambling circles.
Her skill earned her respect, almost admiration, but external fame couldn't fill the internal void. Inside, she felt lonely and disconnected from the world.
Damian kept her tightly controlled, not allowing her to speak to other players or people who approached her after games. Any offers, whether of friendship or business, were rejected by him before she could even consider them.
The situation worsened to the point where her body, unable to bear the pressure any longer, finally collapsed.
One day, after an exhausting session, her legs simply couldn't support her weight anymore. She could barely get out of bed, and the servants found her increasingly weaker. Damian, seeing her bedridden, granted her a rest, but she naively thought it was because he finally cared about her.
Big mistake.
As soon as she showed signs of improvement, Damian pushed her back into the games, with the constant threat that if she stopped being useful, she would be thrown out of the house.
The break had only been a strategy to ensure she wouldn't fail in her task. Anna, always trying to please her family, tried to endure, thinking that the pressure was temporary, that one day she would truly be accepted.
But... years passed, and the situation did not improve.
Anna followed every order without complaint, playing incessantly, rejecting dates, offers, everything under Damian's control.
Four years during which the sparkle in her eyes slowly dimmed. Her body was at its limit. She no longer had the strength to walk properly, and sometimes, her vision blurred for no apparent reason.
But she kept going, driven by a mix of fear and desperation, as the thought of no longer being useful...
Terrified her.
One day, her body simply couldn't take it anymore. While getting out of a carriage, on her way to another gaming hall, her legs gave out completely. Anna collapsed to the ground, fainting under the eyes of those around her.
The news of her collapse spread quickly, causing quite a stir, not just in the gambling house but also within her family.
The situation was a serious blow to the family's reputation, and what Anna thought would be a wake-up call turned into a harsher punishment.
The family, seeking to protect their image, decided to lock her away from the outside world, isolating her in her room while they searched for a solution to the problem she represented.
Anna, barely conscious, could hear her 'mother' shouting insults from afar, blaming her for her incompetence.
It was as if she had broken herself, as if her usefulness had completely run out.
With her coming-of-age ceremony approaching, Anna wondered if it really made sense to keep living like this.
Her body didn't respond as it used to; she could barely get out of bed.
Even her sight was failing, and sometimes she saw nothing but darkness. It was as if a shadow of doubt covered her future.
What was the point of this life if all she did was suffer?
One night, when everything seemed darker than usual, something unexpected happened.
As Anna lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, she suddenly felt a presence in the room.
It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but something had changed in the atmosphere. Turning her head, her eyes met a young man she didn't recognize.
His figure was elegant, dressed in a dark suit reminiscent of a butler's uniform. His hair was white as snow, and his red eyes shone brightly. He was surprisingly handsome, but his appearance was unsettling.
Anna tried to move, but her body barely responded.
She had no strength, and the sensation of exhaustion was so deep that even speaking was difficult. She could barely manage a word before the young man approached, bowing slightly in a reverent gesture.
"Little Time Witch," he said softly, his voice laden with a disturbing respect. "Would you grant me the honor of helping you get your second chance?"
Those words left her frozen.
'Time Witch...' Anna repeated mentally.
How did he know about her power?
Who was this man?
Anna didn't have the strength to ask questions, but those words echoed in her mind over and over again.
A second chance...
In secret, it was all she had ever wished for, but it also seemed so far away despite her ability to turn back time.
What kind of chance was this?
Anna tried to speak, but her voice was lost in a whisper.
The young man watched her, unperturbed, as if he was completely sure she would accept his offer.
And although her mind was still trying to process what was happening, something inside her, a spark she hadn't felt in a long time, began to ignite once more.
Maybe... just maybe, this could be the real second chance she needed.