5 Chapter 5
Lily’s laughter followed me as I stepped out of the inn. O
She was chattering excitedly to Doctor Reynolds about how Liam had proposed, her voice light and full of joy.
I quickened my pace, as if I were being chased by a ghost.
Outside, the crisp air did little to cool the heat rising in my chest. My steps were unsteady, my vision blurring at the edges. I stumbled to a quiet corner, gripping the rough surface of a wooden post for support.
A wave of dizziness hit me.
With trembling fingers, I dug into my pocket, pulled out my medication, and swallowed a pill.
Slowly, the discomfort eased.
I exhaled. I was never a lucky person.
No parents. No real friends. Nothing about me had ever stood out–not my grades, not my talents, not my existence. I used to believe the Moon Goddess had turned her back on me.
Until that day.
That one, impossible day.
I’d won a doll I’d been eyeing for weeks. My professor–who had never even noticed me before–praised me in class. A little girl dressed as a ghost had handed me a piece of candy and
smiled.
“The Moon Goddess is blessing you,” she’d said.
I almost believed it.
For a fleeting moment, I wondered if luck had finally found me.
Then the car lost control.
The tires screeched. The world tilted. The wall loomed closer.
I screamed.
But instead of the violent crash I expected, the impact was… soft. A strange, warm light— orange and golden–filtered through my fingers, wrapping the air in a delicate, sweet fragrance.
And then, just like that, I was somewhere else.
A garden.
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Flowers stretched as far as the eye could see, bathed in the glow of the setting sun. A sea of familiar faces surrounded me–friends, family… even our dog, Tudou, dressed in a tiny suit.
At the center of it all stood him.
Alpha Brooks.
Tall. Regal. Every inch of him exuding quiet strength in his perfectly tailored suit.
He walked toward me, his gaze never wavering. Then, with a small smile, he opened the car door and said, “Ava, it’s time.”
It was our secret phrase.
It meant time for dinner, time to leave school, time for a kiss… time to be his, forever.
The moment felt surreal. But I knew, without a doubt, that this wasn’t some dream or forced expectation.
I loved him. He loved me.
There was never any other choice for either of us.
I was always meant to be his.
I nodded, tears spilling over.
And just like that, we were married.
By the time I returned to the house, the lights were on.
A lone figure stood by the door, red embers glowing in the dim light.
The scent of nicotine drifted through the air.
I stopped in my tracks, my heart lurching in my chest.
He turned.
The moment our eyes met, I saw it–a flicker of something familiar. Panic flashed across his
face.
He crushed the cigarette under his boot and rubbed the back of his neck–a guilty habit.
One I knew too well.
Brooks.
For a heartbeat, I considered walking past him, pretending I hadn’t seen the hesitation in his expression.
Pretending I didn’t care.
But just as we passed each other, he spoke.
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“Ava,” his voice was low, hoarse. “I remember you.”
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