"None of this makes sense. This shouldn't be happening so how come?" Elena wondered aloud, stepping back.
"I have really time traveled!" She was more convinced when she saw the sachet of the coffee she was going to make, that day, lying on kitchen counter.
"I remember this day vividly..." She muttered with mixed feelings, nodding her head.
Then after a moment of watching the water boiled, she reached out with trembling hands and turned off the stove.
The whistling stopped, but her mind remained a whirlwind.
She staggered back to the bedroom and sank into the chair by her small reading table, resting her elbows on the wooden surface, her head in her hands.
As she tried to process everything: Minutes passed.
Then hours.
The weight of everything she had been through settled on her like a heavy blanket. Her mind replayed it all—every cruel word, every moment of neglect.
Adrian's voice rang in her mind:
"You caused all of this. Everything you are going through—you deserve it. You are a mistake."
"Disappear from my life. Be gone!"
Her lips trembled, and silent tears slid down her cheeks.
"I gave him everything… but he didn't care." She whispered.
Then her thoughts drifted to her children.
"Noah… Nancy…" She choked, the twins' faces flashing in her memory—those innocent smiles, their laughter that once filled her days with light.
She gripped the edge of the table, her knuckles white.
"I left my babies..." She stated, her voice breaking.
Her shoulders shook as she cried bitterly.
But as the moments passed, she was able to stop crying, her tears began to dry.
A new thought emerged—one she hadn't considered before.
"Maybe… maybe this is a second chance." Her voice was soft, hesitant.
"Maybe… God saw how wronged I was. Maybe that is why I'm here."
She sat up straighter, wiping her face with the sleeve of her shirt.
"I've been living for someone else... for Adrian... for the life he wanted. And I gave up everything I wanted, everything I loved... For him." She shook her head.
"I was a fool. A fool for love."
Her eyes hardened and her hands clenched into fists as a memory surfaced—one she had buried deep.
*FLASHBACK*
Eight Years Ago:
"Why can't you just quit your job, Elena?" Adrian's voice was cold, almost dismissive.
That fateful day, she had just returned from work, late because of a particular project she had been working on.
Adrian was pissed off just because he had to take care of the twins all day, as their nanny wasn't around.
"Adrian, I... I like my job. It gives me purpose... it makes me happy." Elena had replied softly.
"Happy? And what about me? What about our marriage? Don't I matter?" He had demanded, scoffing in annoyance.
"of course, you do! You matter more than anything." She said quickly, turning to face him.
"Then quit. I need you at home. I want a wife who is fully present, not one who is always working." He maintained firmly, in a tone of finality.
Elena swallowed hard.
"But... I have worked so hard to get here. My career..."
"Your career is making me feel neglected, Elena. I had to sing and dance nonstop today because the twins wouldn't stop crying..., isn't that your duty?" Adrian's voice was sharp, cutting through her.
"Adrian, you did that only today because their nanny was sick. You wouldn't have to..." Elena was trying to make a point but got cut off.
"Only today, you say? Elena, I wouldn't have to suffer so much today if you are available for this kids as their mother. I have been working all week but still couldn't rest on a Saturday because of your career." Adrian snapped angrily.
"After I have provided for the home and your entire needs as a capable man, why do I still need to suffer because of your career?" He added, his eyes narrowed on her.
That made Elena felt guilty and she immediately concluded that she was wrong.
"I didn't mean to make you feel that way, I am sorry..." She whispered, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Then quit. If you love me, you will do this for us." He maintained sharply.
She hesitated, torn between her dreams and her love for him.
"I... I will quit." She finally said, reluctantly.
Adrian nodded, satisfied.
"I am doing this to make my marriage work." She had mumbled under her breath, trying to ignore his selfish behavior.
*END OF FLASHBACK*
Elena shook her head, pulling herself out of the painful memory.
"I was a fool. I gave up everything for him... and what did I get in return? A painful death!" She scoffed in annoyance and clenched her fists.
Afterwards, she took a deep breath, her eyes narrowing.
"But not this time. Not in this life that I am lucky to have."
She stood up, her movements now steady and deliberate.
"This is ten years before which means I haven't even married him yet." She said aloud, her voice gaining strength.
"This time… I should do things differently. I will just have to avoid him, getting married to him. In this life, I will avoid everyone who made my life miserable." She decided, her eyes gleaming with determination.
After making the decision, she began tidying the room, picking up the scattered papers, stacking them neatly on the table.
"This time, I will live for me. I will build a life that is mine."
The decision filled her with a sense of purpose she hadn't felt in years.
She moved around the room, her hands working swiftly as she began to reclaim her space.
Then, her phone rang again, the sudden sound startling her.
"Who is it now?" She wondered as she walked over to the table and picked up the phone.
However, her breath caught in her throat as she saw the name on the screen. That made her bl
ood run cold.
"Adrian...?"
Her fingers trembled, and the phone slipped from her hand, falling to the floor with a loud thud.