The days that followed were a blur. Arya struggled to process the reality of her situation. She spent her time oscillating between anger, denial, and a quiet, gnawing fear.
Her job became an afterthought, her once vibrant dreams of starting her own fashion brand now a distant memory. She avoided her friends, her phone, and any conversation that reminded her of what little time she had left.
But no amount of avoidance could change the truth.
Her hair kept falling off and she knew she wasn't getting any better.
"Wow! Another cursed Monday." As Arya lay alone in her hospital bed, the beeping of the machines faded into the background, she laughed. Her body felt heavier than usual, her breathing shallow and labored.
A strange calm settled over her, and for the first time, she allowed herself to admit the inevitable.
This is it, she thought. This is how it ends.
Her eyes fluttered shut, and darkness consumed her.
But then, something happened.
"Do you want a second chance?"
A voice echoed in the void.
The words jolted her, and she opened her eyes, or at least she thought she did. She was no longer in the hospital. Instead, she found herself surrounded by a glowing, ethereal light.
"Yes," Arya whispered, tears streaming down her face. "I'll do anything."
The voice responded, cold and mechanical.
"Welcome, Arya Light. You have entered Rewriting Fate. Complete your missions, and time will be restored. Fail, and you will cease to exist."
All of a sudden, Arya's surroundings shifted, and she found herself in her childhood bedroom, years before she left home and even before her diagnosis. A glowing screen hovered in front of her, displaying her first mission:
"Expose Elara. Show the world her true nature. Time begins now."
Arya's fists clenched as memories of her sister's schemes flooded back.
This time, I'll rewrite my story.
The warm sunlight streamed through the windows, casting a golden glow on the room. Arya sat frozen on the edge of her bed, her hands trembling as she stared at the glowing screen hovering in front of her.
"Mission One: Expose Elara. Show the world her true nature. Time begins now."
The words burned into her mind.
"This… can't be real," she whispered. She reached out tentatively, her fingers passing through the screen. The faint hum it emitted sent shivers down her spine.
She looked around, her heart racing. This was her childhood bedroom—familiar yet surreal. The pastel walls, the white lace curtains, even the stuffed teddy bear on her bed—it was exactly how she remembered it from years ago.
"Am I dreaming?" Arya whispered to herself, gripping the edge of the bed for stability.
But the warmth of the wooden frame beneath her fingers was too tangible. The air smelled faintly of lavender, just like the room sprays her mother used to love.
No. This wasn't a dream.
The sound of footsteps echoed in the hallway, followed by a familiar voice.
"Arya! Breakfast is ready!"
Her mother.
Arya's breath hitched. She hadn't heard her mother's voice in years, not since…
She shook the thought away, standing slowly. Her knees felt weak as she walked to the door and peeked into the hallway.
Her mother, clad in a floral apron, was bustling about in the kitchen downstairs. The sight of her brought a lump to Arya's throat.
For a moment, she forgot about the glowing screen or the voice in the void. She was just Arya Light, a young girl returning to the home she once left behind.
But the illusion didn't last long. A second voice rang out, sharp and commanding.
"Mom, where's the orange juice?"
Elara.
Arya's jaw tightened. Memories of her adoptive sister flooded back—Elara's sharp tongue, her manipulative nature, and the way she'd always managed to twist every situation in her favor.
Elara had hated Arya from the moment she was brought into the family. To the world, Elara was the perfect daughter—kind, generous, and obedient. But behind closed doors, she was the golden child who could do no wrong, no matter how much harm she caused.
The both girls were born the same day but unfortunately switched due to a fire outbreak in the hospital, and after the woman she had thought was her mother her whole life died, Arya found out that she was the only heir to the light family
And now, Arya had a mission: to expose her.
As Arya descended the stairs, she steeled herself for what was to come.
Elara was seated at the dining table, her golden curls framing her face like a halo. She looked up as Arya entered, her smile sharp and insincere.
"Good morning, Arya," Elara said sweetly, through her eyes glinting with hatred. Eyes Arya never forgot.
"Morning," Arya replied, forcing herself to remain calm.
Her mother placed a plate of pancakes in front of her. "Eat up, Arya. You need your strength."
Arya hesitated, her appetite nowhere to be found. How was she supposed to expose Elara? The girl had mastered the art of playing innocent.
"Are you okay, Arya?" her mother asked, concerned with flickering in her gaze.
"I'm fine," Arya replied, offering a small smile. "Just tired."
"Probably from all the drama she's been causing lately," Elara interjected, her tone light but laced with malice.
Arya's head snapped up. "Drama?"
"Oh, you know," Elara said, feigning innocence. "The late nights, the sneaking around… It's no wonder you look so exhausted."
The words were a calculated strike, and Arya felt the weight of their implications. Her mother's gaze shifted to her, doubts in her expression.
This is how she does it, Arya thought bitterly. Twisting words, planting seeds of mistrust.
But Arya wasn't the same naive girl she'd been before. She was here to fight back.
After they were done eating Arya went back to her room and remained indoors.
Later that day, Arya stood in her room, a plan forming in her mind. She didn't have much to work with, but she had one advantage: she knew Elara better than anyone.
If Elara wanted to play games, Arya would beat her on her own.
That evening, a frantic cry echoed through the house.
"Mom! Arya stole my necklace!" The opportunity came sooner than expected.
"What's wrong?"
Arya froze, her hands clenched into fists. She could hear her mother rushing to Elara's room, her tone panicked.
"Elara, are you sure?"
"Yes! It was right here on my dresser this morning!" Elara wailed, her voice trembling with manufactured tears.
Arya stepped into the hallway, her heart pounding. She had been expecting this—Elara's attempt to paint her as a thief. But Arya wasn't walking into this unprepared. In her previous life she could remember spending a week in police custody. Never again.
"Are you sure it's missing, Elara?" Arya asked calmly as she entered the room.
"Yes!" Elara snapped, her eyes narrowing. "And I know you took it!"
"Interesting," Arya said, crossing her arms. "Because I happened to install a small camera in my room recently. It captures everything in the hallway, including your comings and goings."
"You're lying." Elara's face paled.
"Am I?" Arya pulled out her phone and tapped the screen. Moments later, a video played, showing Elara sneaking into Arya's room earlier that day.
The room fell silent, save for the sound of the video playing.
Their mother turned to Elara, her eyes filled with shock. "Elara… is this true?"
"I-I didn't mean to—" Elara stammered, her composure crumbling.
"Why would you do this?" Their mother demanded. "Why do you hate Arya so much? You did this to make me hate her too, right?"
Arya watched as Elara's carefully constructed facade shattered. She had spent years being overshadowed by Elara, but now the tables were turning.
"Now apologize." Their mother said.
"I asked you to apologize, now!" She exclaimed.
"I'm sorry." Elara stammered, her hand clenched in a fist.
For the first time, Arya felt the joy of victory.
Without another Arya turned on her heels and rushed to her room.
"Poor girl." She heard her mom's voice from a distance and she smiled.
"Baby." With a knock on the door her mom walked in.
"I'm sorry about what happened." She paused, "I know you have suffered a lot and I promise to make it up to you. Your dad will too as soon as he's back from his trip" she took her hand in hers and I smiled.
"We are going to be attending a gala held by a partner of the company. And I'd like others to see my daughter." She smiled.
"Oh no, I don't think there's a need for that." I said and she nodded a 'no' she remembered how much she had begged her to take her along she took elara instead.
"You deserve to be recognized my dear. Prepare you'd also be in attendance." She smiled at me for the last time and walked out of the room.
Not too long and it was already night, Arya lay in bed, the glowing screen appeared again.
"Mission One: Complete. Two years have been added to your time. Your next mission begins shortly."
Arya sat up, her heart racing.
"What's next?" She whispered.
The screen flickered, revealing the face of someone she hadn't expected to see so soon—Marx Maverick.
"Wait, why him?"