Jared stood at the edge of a jagged cliff, staring out at the city below. The wind cut through his thin jacket, biting at his skin, but he hardly felt it. His mind was elsewhere, lost in the weight of his choices. He had made so many mistakes. The thought kept running through his head, like a broken record.

He had left his family behind, choosing the excitement of friendship over the steady warmth of home. He had walked away from love, choosing fleeting moments with people who had never truly cared for him. His friends had drifted away, leaving him with nothing but memories of nights wasted, games played, and promises broken.

Worst of all, he had squandered his money—his future—on reckless gambling, throwing away everything for the false rush of winning, only to lose it all. Now, with no job, no savings, and no one left to trust, Jared felt the crushing weight of regret.

And tonight, it felt too much to bear.

"You've messed everything up," he muttered to himself, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. "I don't even know who I am anymore."

The words tasted like ash in his mouth, but they were true. He didn't know where the old Jared had gone, the one who had dreams of success, who had loved his family, who had cared about his future. Now, he only saw a man who had given up on everything that mattered.

Jared had always been good at making excuses, telling himself it wasn't his fault, that it was easier to blame others than to take responsibility. But now, standing here, the truth hit him all at once. It was his fault. Every single thing he had lost, every relationship he had ruined—it was all his doing. And he had no one to blame but himself.

As he stood there, the sound of his phone buzzing in his pocket startled him. He pulled it out and glanced at the screen. It was a text from his mom.

"Are you coming home for dinner tonight, Jared? I made your favorite."

His heart sank. He hadn't seen his parents in months—not since the last time he had promised he would come over, only to cancel at the last minute for some pointless party. His mom, always the optimist, had never given up on him. She still thought he was the same boy who used to laugh at the dinner table with her and his father, the boy who once cared about family above all else.

The truth was, his parents had given him everything they could. They had supported him when he was struggling, and they had always believed in him, even when he couldn't believe in himself. But Jared had chosen differently. He had walked away from them, chasing the empty promises of fleeting friendships and an exciting, yet hollow life.

He stared at the text, his thumb hovering over the screen. Part of him wanted to call his mom, apologize, and beg for forgiveness. But another part of him, the one that had been hurt so many times before, told him it was too late. They'd probably be better off without him.

His phone buzzed again, this time with a call. It was his mom.

Jared stared at the screen for a long time before finally silencing the call. He dropped the phone in his pocket and took a deep breath, looking out at the horizon. The city below him, once full of possibilities, now felt like a cage. The lights of the city glimmered in the distance, but all he could see were his failures reflected in the glow.

He had no plan. He had no direction. He had no one.

Jared walked away from the edge, feeling the weight of the past dragging behind him. He turned, heading back to his car, but as he did, he caught sight of something—a figure standing near the trees on the far side of the cliff. At first, he thought it was a trick of the light, but as he got closer, he realized it was a man.

The man was old, with a face lined by time and experience, and he wore a long, dark coat. His eyes glimmered, and his presence was calming, yet somehow… unsettling. He stood perfectly still, watching Jared with an intensity that made his skin prickle.

"Who are you?" Jared asked, his voice sharp with suspicion.

The old man smiled, a faint, knowing smile. "I am someone who can help you."

Jared stopped in his tracks. "Help me? I don't need help."

The man nodded slowly, his gaze never leaving Jared. "You may think that now, but I know your heart, your regrets. You are carrying more than you should, and I can offer you a way to set it all right."

Jared frowned. "I don't have time for weird, old men trying to sell me some crazy idea."

The man's smile didn't fade. "You think you don't have time, but the truth is, time is slipping away from you faster than you realize. You've made many mistakes, but they don't have to define you. Not if you're willing to change."

Jared shook his head, stepping back. "This is insane. What do you mean, change?"

The old man took a step closer. "I can take you back in time, Jared. Back to when things began to go wrong. You can fix your mistakes, heal the wounds you've caused, and live the life you were meant to live."

Jared's heart skipped a beat. "Go back in time? That's… That's impossible."

The old man's gaze softened, his voice gentle. "Not impossible. But it comes at a cost."

Jared didn't know whether to laugh or walk away. This felt like some kind of twisted dream. But a part of him—the part that had been suffocating under the weight of regret for so long—wanted to believe it. What if this was real? What if he could fix everything?

"What's the catch?" Jared asked, his voice low, almost afraid to hear the answer.

The old man looked at him, his eyes full of knowing. "You can't change everything. You will lose something in return. But if you truly wish to fix your past, you must be willing to accept the cost."

Jared stared at the man, his mind racing. The thought of going back, of undoing the choices he had made… it was too tempting. He could save his family, avoid the mistakes that had cost him everything.

But what would he lose?

He swallowed hard, torn between fear and hope. "What do I have to do?"

The old man extended his hand, his eyes gleaming with quiet power. "Take my hand, and I will show you. The choice is yours."

Jared hesitated, his pulse quickening. This was crazy. He knew it was crazy. But for the first time in years, he felt like he had a chance—like he could fix what he had broken.

He reached out.

"I'm ready."

And the moment his hand touched the old man's, the world around him shattered, like glass breaking into a thousand pieces.