Chapter 2

"Maybe after we leave, she'll come back crying and digging through the trash cans."

Dashiell chuckled at the comment. "Forget it, let her be stupid."

"Hey, it's all your fault. If I wasn't concerned about saving face for both our families, I wouldn't even bother with her."

"Don't be mad. Let's celebrate tonight and don't let this little incident ruin the mood."

He casually glanced at the beautiful face beside him, pushing the annoying image of Melody out of his mind.

After tomorrow, she would go back to being just like before.

Waiting for him stupidly at the bottom of the dorm building, clinging to him on the way to class.

The same old story, he was sick of seeing it.

As they reached the riverside, the rain grew heavier.

I held up my umbrella, replaying the dream I'd had a few days ago over and over in my mind.

In the dream, I saw Dashiell confess to Vivienne, and I threw a crying fit.

I tried everything I could to break them up.

Then at this very riverbank, I took a leap.

But I never expected to almost lose my life.

Dashiell only stayed at the hospital for five minutes when I was admitted, then left resolutely.

The Rutledge family who adopted me thought my suicide attempt was too embarrassing, and with Dashiell's firm attitude, they decided I had no more value to them.They forced me to drop out of school and threw me back to my birth parents.

My biological parents were both good-for-nothings who couldn't wait to get rid of me.

So my life went down a path of no return.

I died alone in a foreign place.

To my surprise, the person who ended up claiming my body was the one I least wanted to see.

And Dashiell? He was on his honeymoon, never even showed up.

If it weren't for this dream, I'd probably have gone insane by now.

Constantly calling Dashiell, then sending threatening texts.

Saying I was going to die.

Now I'm actually grateful for this dream, giving me a chance to start over.

To slowly change the tragic fate that seemed destined for me.

On the third attempt, the call finally went through.

I held the phone to my ear, repeating Jaxon's name several times before I could bring myself to speak.

The pouring rain drowned out most of the noise, with only Jaxon's slightly tired voice coming through: "Melody?"

"...Jaxon, the rain's too heavy. I can't make it back from the riverside. Can you come pick me up?"

There was silence for a few seconds.

I gripped the umbrella handle tightly, my palm sweating from nerves.In the dream, Jaxon shed tears as he collected my remains.

One drop, two drops, falling onto pieces of my corpse.

My decaying flesh and exposed bones sizzled where his teardrops landed.

It was the only dream where I truly felt pain.

Later, he gathered my ashes and kept them in a small vial.

He wore it, living out the rest of his days in loneliness.

Tears slid down my cheeks as I choked back a sob.

"Why are you crying?"

Jaxon paused, but his voice was still Melody's, even tinged with impatience.