A Second Chance At Freedom

Nicholas's voice sliced through the air, his words venomous and laced with anger.

"You are a wicked selfish vicious monster, Kiera, how dare you! ! never knew you could be this cruel. Do you hate her that much?

You want her to drown you witch?! Is that why you did not want her back in the country?"

The weight of confusion pressed upon me as I struggled to understand the madness unfolding before me. Yet, as I observed Nicholas' face, I saw no sign of the affection and acceptance that I had yearned for.

Rather, the way he looked at me now mirrored the rejection and disdain that had pushed me away in the first place.

The realization struck me like a blow to the chest, intensifying my feelings of failure and disappointment.

Examining my surroundings more closely, I realized that | had been transported back in time, two years into the past. The wedding ring on my finger was the old one, not the newer one exchanged on our third anniversary. The pieces of the puzzle fell into place, illuminating the deception that had shaped our lives.

Nicholas' grip tightened around my arm as he pulled me up, leaving a trail of scratches and blood in his wake.

I winced at the pain, both physical and emotional, but I refused to succumb to his demands. I knew I had to make a choice, to break free from the cycle of lies and manipulation.

With newfound determination, I looked at Cristal, seeing through her facade.

She feigned concern, pretending to be the victim in this twisted game of hers.

"Nick, you cannot be too harsh on her. I bet it was a mistake. She doesn't need to be yelled on like a kid or made to apologize. I forgive her. I would not like a forced apology either."

"She needs to apologize. It is not okay."

"No, it is. See I am alive. Isn't that what matters most? Ignore her attempt to drown me. I hold no grudge."

I scoffed a laugh. But I knew her true nature, the cruelty she had inflicted upon me in secret. This time, I wouldn't allow her to deceive Nicholas or control our fate.

Summoning every ounce of strength, I spoke my truth, refusing to apologize for something I hadn't done.

"When you do not know exactly what happened, is this how you judge? You side with a stranger over your wife. She was the one who said she is back to take you away from me and she would ensure you leave me. I would never apologize to her."

"Silence! Now you try to ruin her good name? Cristal would never do that. I have known her all my life."

"And me? Am I now the monster?" My voice trembled, but my resolve remained unyielding. I wanted Nicholas to see Crystal's true face, to understand the depths of her deception.

Cristal's eyes flickered with a mix of anger and panic, her mask slipping for a fleeting moment.

She urged Nicholas not to push me too hard, feigning concern for my well-being.

Perhaps that would work on my husband but not me. I saw through her act, recognizing her manipulative tactics. He, however, seemed blinded by her false vulnerability.

"Kiera apologize to Cristal now or...

"Or what? How can you not even believe me?"

"I know she wouldn't lie," he defended, brushing off the truth.

"Last warning, this should not repeat itself. Choose, either you apologize or I would divorce you."

At that moment, a surge of clarity washed over me. I couldn't continue down the path I had already walked.

I refused to be a pawn in their game, trapped in a toxic cycle of betrayal and heartache. It was time to break free, to sever the ties that bound me to this past life, to them.

With a renewed sense of purpose, I made up my mind. Divorce became my salvation, my ticket to liberation. I couldn't wait for the next time, for another chance to change our fate.

My reborn self had the strength to forge my own path, leaving behind the shackles of my past.

As I stood before Nicholas, my heart heavy with the weight of the decision I was about to make, a flicker of hope ignited within me.

"You want to divorce me?"

"W-what... It isn't like that. I said next time if such happens again, I..."

I lifted my palm between us, silencing his words. My eyes glazed with anger and determination.

"I'll spare you the stress. No need to wait long to put up with me. Let's get divorced."

I had been given a second chance, an opportunity to reclaim my life and find true happiness.

I knew the journey ahead would be challenging, but I was ready to embrace it, knowing that the future held infinite possibilities beyond the confines of this tumultuous past.

"K-Kiera," shocked, Nicholas stuttered but that did not change anything. My mind had been made up.

Only a fool would remain in this hell hole after what happened in the future. No.

"My lawyers would visit you," ! uttered once more and walked away. Standing in front of the calendar picture frame of her and Nicholas on their wedding day on her makeup desk, Kiera's eyes settled on the year—2021.

It was hard to believe that she stood here, reborn after the tragic event that happened. But as much as she wished to doubt it, the pain that coursed through her body was too big of a reminder for her to forget.

It was 2023 when the incident happened and looking at the date now, the mishap that occurred in her past life certainly hadn't happened now.

Kiera sat in front of her desk in her new apartment (after moving out of Nicholas' mansion the previous day), her heart pounding with a mix of determination and anxiety as she read the content of the mail on her laptop screen.

She made up her mind to break free from the nightmare that her marriage to Nicholas had become.

Taking in a deep breath, she pressed the send button, sealing the fate of their relationship. The express mail containing the divorce papers was on its way to Nicholas' office, a tangible declaration of her newfound strength and independence.

Simultaneously, she composed a message on her phone, registering the divorce at City Hall for that morning.

She knew Nicholas' arrogance all too well. He would be unable to resist the challenge she had posed to his boundaries. He hated when anyone went against him, particularly her.