Ivy Green had always been the quiet, simple, and naive type. As a florist, she found joy in the little things—the rustling of petals, the calming scent of roses, and looking at people's faces lit up when they received a bouquet full of love. She believed in the goodness of others, especially Samuel, her fiancé.
But everything changed the moment she saw them.
Her feet moved almost of their own accord, the pounding of her heart drowning out the world around her. Betrayal was a heavy weight on her chest, each step away from the apartment adding to the crushing pressure. The woman she had once trusted—her stepsister, Elise—had become the last person Ivy expected to hurt her. And Samuel, her beloved fiancé, had proven her wrong as well.
As Ivy walked across the rain-soaked streets, her mind was a mess, fully entangled in emotions. She barely noticed the tears mingling with the raindrops, her vision blurring. All that mattered now was the terrible, painful truth: everything she had believed in was a lie.
Why?
The question echoed endlessly in her mind. Why had they done this to her? Samuel had promised her a future built on love and trust. Elise, her stepsister, was supposed to be family—someone she could always rely on. Instead, both had shattered Ivy's world in the worst possible way together.
Ivy stumbled toward the edge of a bridge, where the rushing river below reflected the pale moonlight. Her heart felt so heavy with pain that she couldn't bring herself to move. Every breath felt like a burden, and the thought of returning to the life that had betrayed her was unbearable.
She closed her eyes, standing still in the cold, the world around her silent except for the sound of the rain and the beating of her broken heart. It felt as though everything in her life had led to this moment—the unbearable weight of despair.
Her hands shook, the cold of the rain seeping into her skin. Gripping the railing, a sharp pain blossomed in her chest. She wanted to scream, but her throat tightened with sorrow. I can't keep living like this. Not anymore.
Without a second thought, she let go. The fall was swift, a blur of rushing wind and dark water below. For a brief moment, Ivy felt free from the pain, and the heartache she felt in the previous few hours.
And then…
Ivy awoke in a swirling, blinding light. Her body felt weightless as if floating in space, free from the world she had just left behind. The sounds of the city and the rushing water were gone.
She gasped, the sudden awareness of her existence pulling her back. Her heart raced, but there was no pain. No ache. It was as if she had been reborn.
As her vision cleared, she saw herself surrounded by light—a warm heavenly glow. At first, she didn't know what was happening.
Am I dead? she wondered.
Was this the afterlife?
But there wasn't any time to dwell on that. A strange sensation coursed through her, something powerful, yet gentle. Her body tingled with energy, and she realized her chest no longer felt heavy. Instead, something inside her was awakening—a strength buried deep within, waiting to surface.
You were never weak, Ivy.
The voice was soft, but the weight of its words made her blood run cold. It wasn't a voice she recognized, but it felt familiar, as though the words were meant just for her.
Your power has always been inside you, waiting. Now, it's time to use it.
Ivy's breath caught. Power? She had never felt powerful in her life. She had always been the quiet, gentle woman who kept to herself—too afraid to stand up for herself, too naïve to see the world for what it truly was. How could she have power?
And yet, as the light around her pulsed, she felt something stir deep inside her—a well of strength that had long been buried beneath self-doubt and weakness.
Memories of her past flooded her mind. The hurt. The betrayal. The lies.
Samuel and Elise…
The anger surged through her. It was sharp, bitter, and raw, burning with the sting of their betrayal. Ivy clenched her fists, the strange energy inside her growing stronger. It was a wild, fiery feeling, like fire coursing through her veins. She had been weak before—too kind, too forgiving. But now?
Now, she was different.
The light around her faded, and Ivy started standing once more. This time, her feet were firmly planted on solid ground. Her hands trembled, not with fear, but with the sheer weight of the power within her.
She didn't understand what had happened. She didn't know why she had been brought back. But one thing was certain: she would not be the same woman who had fallen to her death.
She was reborn. Stronger. Ready to face the world that had betrayed her.
As Ivy stood there, the world around her seemed to hum with energy. She could feel the power inside her as if the universe had given her a second chance. She had been weak once—naïve and broken. But now, Ivy Green had a purpose. She had a new life, and this time, she wouldn't allow herself to be a victim.
Her journey had just begun.