Total pages in book: 18
Estimated words: 18308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 92(@200wpm)___ 73(@250wpm)___ 61(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 18308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 92(@200wpm)___ 73(@250wpm)___ 61(@300wpm)
Are you done freaking out?
Payton didn’t know how she was able to translate that look, but she was pretty sure that was what he was asking, and so she slowly nodded.
Yes, she was done freaking out.
Her boss took his hand away...but only so he could take her hand, and...and she didn’t even have a chance to think that through, with him swiftly leading her past all of the drunk guests and straight out of the house.
His car was parked just down the road, and he opened the car door for her. “Get in.”
Payton didn’t even think of arguing, with the way he was looking at her. She had a feeling he wouldn’t even hesitate to tie her up and toss her into the trunk if she even tried saying no.
And besides...
I don’t understand what’s happening.
This part...
This wasn’t how it ended the first time, so now what?
She was supposed to have that big confrontation between her, Rosé, and her husband, but instead she was seated next to her boss, and they were driving away like Bonnie and Clyde—
“Leah told me to come get you,” he said tightly.
W-What?
“They all know, Payton.”
“A-About what?”
“My feelings for you.”
Payton didn’t even know what to say. Or what to think. Especially with how distracting those headlights were. The car behind them just kept getting closer and closer, and it finally had her twisting in her seat—
W-Wasn’t that her husband’s car?
He was driving like a madman, swerving into an empty lane then back then closer—
No no no no no!
Payton turned to her boss in panic. “M-My husband—”
The warning came too late, and everything after that seemed to happen in a blink.
Her husband’s car ramming into them from behind with so much force—
Payton couldn’t even scream as their car went sideways, and outside her window, the world went sideways, too, while up ahead of them, she saw what would surely be their cause of death—
A pretty, charming old stone bridge with a pillar right in the middle.
No, no, no, no!
Payton wasn’t sure how long she was out. But when she finally regained consciousness—
No. No. No.
The pain she felt was terrifyingly, heartbreakingly familiar, but it wasn’t that which had her crying. She had died before, and as unfair as it might sound, she had a feeling she would be reborn again. But Niccolò, though...
Why? It can’t be. Please, not like this.
Their car had folded itself around the pillar, and Niccolò...
Noooooo.
She finally remembered the way he had been so focused on making a hard turn, and it was because of this.
Her boss had made sure that once they hit the pillar, his side would take the brunt of it, and a sob clawed out of her throat when she realized how badly he was bleeding.
“Niccolò.”
It was her first time to say his name.
“I’m so, so sorry—”
Because this was her fault.
And this...
This was exactly what she had feared.
Both of them would die, but it might only be one of them...
Please.
Please.
Please.
If You’re real.
If You’re listening.
Please give my extra life to him.
But when the darkness took her away and spit her out—
She was attending another funeral.
His.
And she screamed and screamed and screamed.
Chapter Five
“YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO be resting at home at this hour, not working overtime.”
Payton was still screaming inside of her head when the world around her rebuilt itself until everything was perfectly clear.
She was back in Fairscale.
And not just that.
She slowly looked at her wrist.
No more marks.
She had used up all of her extra lives, but she didn’t regret it one bit.
Because this time, it wasn’t just her who was reborn.
“Payton?”
Niccolò had also been reborn even though he clearly didn’t know it, and that was why—
She threw herself into his arms with a sob.
Thank You.
Thank You.
Thank You for keeping him alive.
Payton didn’t think she could ever forgive herself if Niccolò—
Oh!
She realized too late she was still in her boss’s arms, and even worse, she had soaked his shirt with her tears.
Eep!
Payton sprang away, and well...
Her cheeks were still wet with her tears, but they were also on fire, and her boss...
No, don’t think that!
It’s not what you think.
Niccolò only looks like that because...
Because...
Payton started fanning herself. “I think someone turned the A/C off. D-Don’t you think so?”
But her boss, though...
“Enough with the lies,” he said tautly. “Something’s clearly wrong.”
“N-Nothing’s wrong—”
“Stop lying to me, Payton.”
“I’m n-not lying.”
“You just burst into tears for no reason,” he bit out, “and you want me to believe—”
“It w-wasn’t for no reason.”
She had gotten him killed, and now he was alive again. How could she not cry over that?
“Then tell me why—”
“It’s because of you, okay?” The words just flew out of her. “I’m crying because of you, and I...I don’t want to cry again because of you, so just stop—”
No. No. No.
Payton finally noticed the way he was looking at her. “M-Mr. de Vindice—”
“You’ve figured it out, haven’t you?”