After spending the afternoon at the salon, Elara and Amelia returned to Elara's house. They sat in the living room, reminiscing about their school days and chatting about everything from Amelia's plans for college to the silly antics of their old classmates. The hours passed quickly, and before they knew it, the evening had crept in.
As Amelia prepared to leave, she gave Elara one final hug. "Take care of yourself, alright? And think about what I said earlier. Don't overwork yourself trying to prove anything."
Elara smiled, touched by her friend's concern. "I'll be fine, Amelia. Don't worry about me."
Amelia waved as she walked out the door, and Elara closed it with a sigh. The day had been a whirlwind of emotions, but there was a strange sense of peace that came with having Amelia back in her life.
That night, Elara joined her family for dinner. As she walked into the dining room, all eyes turned to her. Her new haircut had drawn the attention of everyone at the table.
Her father was the first to speak. "Elara," he said, raising an eyebrow, "this… new hairstyle of yours. It's different. How did you manage to get to the salon without using the chauffeur?"
Elara froze for a split second before replying calmly, "I wanted to challenge myself and try the impossible." She gave a small, confident smile, hoping the answer would satisfy him.
It didn't.
Her mother's fork clattered against her plate as she stared at Elara in disbelief. "You drove yourself?" she asked, her tone sharp with worry. "Elara, what were you thinking? That's incredibly reckless!"
Her older brother, always protective, frowned deeply. "What if something had happened? You could've gotten hurt, Elara. Why didn't you just wait for someone to drive you?"
Even her father, who was usually composed, berated her. "Driving on your own without proper practice is dangerous, Elara. You need to be more responsible."
Though their scolding came from a place of love, Elara couldn't help but feel slightly overwhelmed by their concern. She looked down at her plate, feeling like a child being reprimanded. "I'm sorry," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "I just… wanted to prove to myself that I could do it."
Her mother's expression softened, and she reached over to place a gentle hand on Elara's. "We're only worried because we care about you, sweetheart. Please don't scare us like that again."
Elara nodded, and the tension at the table gradually eased. The rest of the dinner passed with light conversation, but Elara couldn't shake the feeling of guilt lingering in the back of her mind.
Later that night, Elara was lying in bed when her phone buzzed with a text. It was from Amelia.
Amelia: "Hey, Elara! So, our school set is planning to hold a dinner soon, and everyone's been asking if you'll come. They really want to see you!"
Elara stared at the message for a moment, her mind drifting back to her school days. She had fond memories of some of her classmates, but the thought of being surrounded by so many familiar faces was… unsettling.
Elara: "I'm not interested. Thanks for letting me know, though."
Amelia replied almost instantly. "Are you sure? Everyone's excited to see you. They've been talking about you non-stop since I sent your picture!"
Elara sighed and typed back a quick response. "I appreciate it, Amelia, but I'll pass. Have fun, though!"
After the conversation ended, Elara opened the school group chat, which she had muted long ago. She scrolled through the countless unread messages, her finger pausing briefly as she saw her name being mentioned repeatedly.
"Look at Elara! She looks amazing!"
"Wow, the school beauty strikes again!"
"Lucy's going to lose her mind over this, lol!"
There were even tags directly to her, but Elara didn't bother responding. She glanced at the photos Amelia had shared of her new look, noticing the flood of comments and reactions from her former classmates.
For a brief moment, a small smile tugged at her lips. It was amusing to see their reactions, but she quickly exited the chat and archived it once more. There were bigger things to focus on now.
Elara placed her phone on the bedside table and stared at the ceiling. Her decision to walk a new path was firm, and she wasn't going to let the distractions of her old life pull her back.
After putting her phone aside, Elara sat at her desk, her thoughts clouded by the memories of her past life. Adjusting her emotions, she picked up a pen and a blank notebook, determined to revisit the moments leading up to her death.
She began to brainstorm, jotting down every detail she could remember about the incident. How could she, Elara Westbrook—the most meticulous detective—have fallen into such an obvious trap? The thought stung her pride and haunted her mind. She scribbled furiously, trying to piece together the fragmented memories, but the puzzle refused to take shape.
Elara let out a frustrated sigh and leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling. "There has to be something I missed… something I overlooked," she murmured to herself. But no matter how much she tried, the answers remained elusive, locked away in the fog of her past life.
Pushing the notebook aside, she redirected her focus. She couldn't afford to dwell on the past without preparing for the future. The military school's rigorous training would be a challenge, especially in her current 18-year-old body. It was far from the peak physical condition she had maintained in her previous life.
Elara grabbed a fresh sheet of paper and began listing her plans.
Daily workout routine: Improve stamina, strength, and flexibility.
Combat training: Focus on hand-to-hand combat and self-defense techniques.
Cardio exercises: Build endurance for long runs and drills.
Mental discipline: Meditation to enhance focus and manage emotions.
She tapped her pen against the paper thoughtfully. "If I want to be taken seriously at the academy, I need to stand out. I'll show them what I'm capable of."
Her determination reignited, Elara made a promise to herself. This second chance wasn't just about solving her murder—it was about proving her worth and creating a future where she could protect those she cared about.
Author's note
Hiii my darling readers, please add this book to your collections and like and comments,that will boost my working ability as an author and please do not mind my grammatical errors I am a human and I make mistakes.. I love you guysss,byee