Anna ran into the room as though saving her own life and slammed the door shut. Her back pressed hard against the wood, her palms flattened over her chest where her heart pounded like a drum, threatening to burst out of her ribcage.
She couldn't believe it.
What had just happened—what had almost happened—left her trembling. The memory of Daniel leaning in, his breath brushing her lips, made her knees weak all over again.
"He… he was going to kiss me?" she whispered, disbelief curling through her. "Like me? But why?"
Her mind reeled, refusing to settle. Daniel Clafford, the man who had ignored her for so long, who had left her starving for affection in her past life… had looked at her tonight with an intensity that rattled her to her core.
Still clutching her chest, Anna staggered toward the bed, moving like a broken doll. She collapsed onto the mattress and slumped back, staring blankly at the ceiling.
Her heart's frantic rhythm slowly eased, her breathing steadied—but her mind refused to stop.
She remembered that first kiss. How smitten she had once been. How a single brush of his lips had given her foolish hope, a hope that had only led to years of pain and neglect.
If this had been her old self, perhaps just perhaps she might have yielded to him tonight. She might have believed it meant something.
But not anymore.
Not after everything.
Her lips pressed into a firm line. "You can't get distracted, Anna," she whispered to herself. "Not this time."
She shoved the duvet aside, crawled under it, and pulled out her phone, desperate for a distraction.
Her eyes widened when she saw the string of messages from Betty.
Betty: Big Sis! Don't forget tomorrow (Heart emoji) Location: 11 AM at Springleaf Café (Smiley face emoji)
A small smile tugged at Anna's lips despite everything. Betty's cheerfulness was contagious, her thoughtfulness comforting.
"I should've asked earlier," Anna muttered, chuckling softly at her own recklessness. But now that she had the details, her resolve strengthened. Tomorrow was another step forward—a step toward finding Kathrine, and her freedom.
She set her phone aside, curled into the sheets, and closed her eyes. The room was stifling, the heat pressing against her skin, but she ignored it.
She would not think about Daniel. She would not think about the way his eyes had burned into her, or how dangerously close he had leaned.
No. Tomorrow mattered more.
"Sleep, Anna," she whispered, surrendering to the heaviness in her eyelids. "Tomorrow… you have work to do."
And finally, despite the restless storm in her chest, sleep claimed her.
....
The wind whipped across her skin, tugging at her hair as she stood at the balcony's edge. Her eyes welled as she looked up at the vast, endless sky.
"It's time for me to leave," Anna whispered, voice trembling but resolute. She had made up her mind. She would leave behind the past, the pain, everything—and start over.
But before she could take that step, a hand came from nowhere. Cold. Ruthless.
And pushed her.
Her body tipped forward. The world spun.
"No…"
"No!"
Anna jolted awake, her eyes snapping open, chest heaving as her breath tore ragged from her lungs. Her heart hammered wildly as the memory of that night—her death—flashed vivid in her mind once again.
"Why…" She clutched the sheets, trying to steady herself. "Why do I keep thinking about it again and again?"
She should have been grateful, shouldn't she? Whoever had pushed her off that balcony had inadvertently given her this chance—to live again, to rewrite everything.
And yet…
There was something about it. Something that gnawed at her, sharp and unsettling. A piece that didn't fit, a shadow she couldn't shake.
Exhaling slowly, Anna pressed a hand to her forehead, forcing her mind to quiet.
When she finally dared to glance at the clock, she groaned. Nine in the morning. She had slept far too long.
But perhaps it wasn't such a curse.
At least she wouldn't have to face Daniel so soon—not after what she had done to him last night.
A wry smirk tugged at her lips despite herself.
"I just hope his balls are safe," she muttered under her breath, as if offering the man a backhanded prayer.
With that, Anna swung her legs off the bed and rose to start her day.
By the time she stepped out of the bathroom, steam still clinging faintly to her skin, Anna padded across the room toward the cupboard—only to freeze.
Empty.
Her clothes still hadn't been arranged.
Anna closed her eyes, releasing an exaggerated sigh that came from the very pit of her stomach. "Of course," she muttered bitterly. "The universe just loves testing me."
Because the only place her clothes remained was in that room.
Her steps faltered as her nerves tangled into knots. She could already picture it—walking back in there, facing him.
Daniel.
Her jaw tightened at the thought. The memory of last night's chaos still clung to her like a curse: his looming figure, the near-kiss that had made her heart stumble against her will… and, of course, her knee connecting with his very precious anatomy.
The corners of her lips twitched despite herself.
'What if he's still in the room?' The thought needled her.
Her entire body recoiled at the idea. No. Absolutely not. She wasn't about to march back in there like some nervous thief sneaking into enemy territory.
Shaking her head, Anna dismissed the very possibility. "No. I can't face him."
Not after that.
Snatching her phone from the nightstand, she quickly dialed Mariam. "Bring me my clothes," she ordered with feigned calm.
She still had time before leaving for her meeting with Betty. Enough time to avoid another disastrous encounter with her husband.
At least, that was the plan.
While Anna sat waiting for Mariam, her phone buzzed. The name flashing across the screen made her chest tighten.
Mother.
She hesitated, then answered.
"Anna, how are you doing, child? Why haven't you called Mother even once?" Roseline's sweet, practiced voice drifted through the line.
For a fleeting second, Anna almost believed it—that her mother truly missed her. Almost. But then reality pulled her back. Roseline never called without a reason. And Anna knew exactly what reason it would be.
"Mom," she said flatly, "are you calling because you miss me, or because there's something else you want to say?"
Silence. A long, telling silence.
When Roseline finally spoke, her tone sharpened, tinged with wounded reproach. "Anna, is this how you talk to your mother? How can you be so rude?"
Anna winced, guilt pricking at her chest. She had always been the gentle one, the kind one. The daughter who tried hardest to please. Old habits tugged at her.
"I'm sorry," she murmured softly.
Just like that, Roseline's voice lightened, her earlier sting vanishing. "Are you upset with me because we refused the divorce?"
Anna's breath caught. So she knows.
And still—still she wanted to remind her, to hammer the chain tighter around her.
Anna pressed her lips together, choosing silence as her mother continued.
"Anna, you must remember the circumstances under which you married. If you act recklessly, how are we supposed to make things right? How will our family recover?"
Her words slid in like knives wrapped in silk. Anna knew this speech. She'd heard it in her past life until the words had carved themselves into her bones. Daniel was their savior. Anna's feelings meant nothing.
The familiar helplessness curled in her stomach, but she swallowed it down.
Just then, the door opened. Mariam stepped inside with a neat stack of clothes folded in her arms.
"Mom, I'll call you back," Anna said quickly, ending the conversation before Roseline could press further.
She dropped the phone aside and turned her attention to Mariam, her voice edged with frustration. "Mariam, why aren't my belongings moved here?"
Mariam froze mid-step, her lips pressing into a thin line. She lowered her gaze, the weight of her hesitation clear.
Anna narrowed her eyes. "Well?"
Mariam's fingers tightened around the clothes. She looked conflicted, caught between her loyalty to Anna and her obedience to the master of the house.
Anna studied Mariam closely. The older woman was not someone who would ignore an instruction—unless, of course, someone else had told her to.
"Anyway," Anna said at last, her tone brisk, "do it now. By the time I return, I want everything set."
"Understood, Madam." Mariam dipped her head, but her ears caught on a single word Anna had just let slip.
Her brows furrowed. "Are you… going somewhere, Madam?" she asked carefully, already wondering if Anna was planning to run back to her parents' house.
Anna's lips curled into a secretive smile. "Yes, I am. But as promised—you mustn't let your master know." She punctuated the warning with a playful wink.
Mariam's chest tightened. She wanted to argue, to remind her that keeping secrets from Daniel was a dangerous game, but the warmth in Anna's eyes softened her resolve. She could never truly bring herself to scold this girl.
Anna, for her part, could never fake her anger at Mariam either. The woman had been nothing but kind and understanding to her, one of the very few in this mansion who treated her like more than a burden. If only Anna knew Mariam secretly rooted for their union…
But this morning, at least, Anna did not skip her meal. She ate the breakfast Mariam laid out for her, savoring every bite before leaving the house with determination burning in her heart.