His Betrayal, My Beginning
img img His Betrayal, My Beginning img Chapter 2 The Second Chance
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Chapter 6 My Savior Michael img
Chapter 7 Sanctuary img
Chapter 8 First Dinner With Michael's kids img
Chapter 9 David Is Furious img
Chapter 10 Plan B img
Chapter 11 An Observant Ethan img
Chapter 12 The Twin's Sad Night img
Chapter 13 A New Dawn at Oakridge Mansion img
Chapter 14 Divorce Papers img
Chapter 15 Striking Back img
Chapter 16 The Hidden Life of Michael Myers img
Chapter 17 A Plan In Motion img
Chapter 18 Caroline Confides In Her Sister img
Chapter 19 Filing For Custody img
Chapter 20 School Run img
Chapter 21 Michael's Kids Are More Observant Than Caroline Realize. img
Chapter 22 Behind Enemy Lines img
Chapter 23 A Sick Realization img
Chapter 24 Courtroom Battles img
Chapter 25 NEW RESOLVE img
Chapter 26 Michael and David Meet Finally img
Chapter 27 Behind Locked Doors img
Chapter 28 An Emergency Call img
Chapter 29 Mum's New Kids img
Chapter 30 Jessica's Manipulation img
Chapter 31 A Different Kind of Family img
Chapter 32 We Need A Plan img
Chapter 33 The Job Interview img
Chapter 34 Jessica Is A Mean Bitch img
Chapter 35 The Humiliation img
Chapter 36 Comforts From Kids img
Chapter 37 Damage Control img
Chapter 38 The Feud img
Chapter 39 The Confrontation With The Principal img
Chapter 40 THE ASSAULT img
Chapter 41 RESCUED IN TIME img
Chapter 42 STOLEN CONFESSION img
Chapter 43 THE RIFT img
Chapter 44 MEETING OLD FRIENDS img
Chapter 45 FORMER LOVE img
Chapter 46 CONFRONTATION img
Chapter 47 First Day At Work In The Hospital img
Chapter 48 Meeting Mrs Whitman img
Chapter 49 Troubles Brews Over The Horizon img
Chapter 50 Jessica's Manipulation img
Chapter 51 Weekend Visit At Her Ex Husband House img
Chapter 52 A Storm Is Approaching img
Chapter 53 A Hard Time img
Chapter 54 A Hidden Truth img
Chapter 55 The traitor img
Chapter 56 Back To Michael img
Chapter 57 Choices To Be Made img
Chapter 58 Launching an investigation img
Chapter 59 Old Friends, New Plans img
Chapter 60 A Friend Date img
Chapter 61 A Shoulder To Rely On img
Chapter 62 Parent-Teacher Night img
Chapter 63 A Bad Night img
Chapter 64 The Unravelling img
Chapter 65 Contemplations img
Chapter 66 Jessica's Fury img
Chapter 67 A Fight Between Nathan and David img
Chapter 68 David Forces Caroline To Take Him Back img
Chapter 69 A Knight In Shining Armor img
Chapter 70 Michael Finds Out About David Visit img
Chapter 71 Covering Up For David img
Chapter 72 Silent Storms img
Chapter 73 Quiet Moments With Family img
Chapter 74 New Promises img
Chapter 75 Subtle Threats img
Chapter 76 When Hope Hurts img
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Chapter 2 The Second Chance

Chapter 2: The Second Chance

I woke up suddenly gasping for breath as my hand went to the side of my body where the knife had been but there was nothing there.

No blood. No pain.

Just the soft cotton of my pajamas against my skin.

I looked around and saw that I was in my bedroom and the sunlight seemed to be coming through despite the half-closed blinds.

I was on the bed as the clock on the nightstand read 7:15 AM.

David was lying down beside me, still asleep, his breathing deep and even. I stared at him, in shock seeing nothing of the man that I loved but a stranger that has watched me die.

Was it a nightmare? It had felt so real-the knife, the blood, Jessica's eyes as she smirked triumphantly as she watched me die.

But it seemed like I wasn't dead because I was still here, alive with my heart pounding in my chest, very much alive.

I got out of bed quietly, to not wake David up as I made my way gently to the bathroom on shaky legs.

I stared at the face in the mirror and it looked exactly as I remembered seeing myself.

I could see my tired eyes, and my hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail, with the lines that seemed to be visible on my face from years of worry.

As I poured cold water on my face, to wash off the sleep remnants and get ready and alert for the day, I had something shocking as I realized something.

The calendar on the wall. It was Tuesday.

Not just any Tuesday that was repeated once a week. But the Tuesday. The day I died.

I collapsed my legs barely strong enough to hold me up as I slid down to the floor shaking.

This wasn't possible. People didn't get second chances. People didn't come back from death.

But here I was.

"Caroline?" David's voice called from the bedroom. "You alright in there?"

I cleared my throat as I tried to maintain a fake facade around my husband. "Fine! Just... felt a little dizzy."

"Don't forget the boys have soccer practice after school. I've got meetings all day, so you'll have to take them."

Meetings. That was what he said the last time in my dream. But there were no meeting, at all. It was just the code for meeting Jessica. Had they been planning my murder together? Or was she acting alone, removing the obstacle between them?

"Sure," I managed to say when I realized that he has been waiting for a reply from me all this while. "No problem."

When I came out of the bathroom, David was already dressed up as he was checking his phone with a smile on his face.

I had been seeing that same smile about a thousand times before but never recognized what it was- meant for someone else.

He kissed my cheek absently on his way out. "Don't wait up. Late meeting."

"David," I said, grabbing his arm as he stopped looking at me in surprise at the grip as I cleared my throat and asked him. "Do you love me?"

He blinked, caught off guard by my question as I could see the hesitation and confusion on his face. "What kind of question is that?"

"A simple one."

He hesitated-just for a second, but enough for me to know my answer. "Of course I do. I have to go."

And he was gone, leaving me standing alone knowing that he lied to me in my face and that I was going to die soon by his mistress hand..

---

The morning passed quickly like that we I tried to do the things that I normally did. I made breakfast for the twins, packed their lunches, drove them to school, just doing the same old things out of habit while my mind was busy working double time as I tried to remember for clues that I missed through all the past memories.

This wasn't the first time that I had encountered Jessica. She has been a part of my marriage for a very long time since she came back from abroad two years ago. She was his first love so I knew about her although David had sworn that he didn't love her anymore.

But then David was the one bringing Jessica to our neighborhood barbecue, something that should have been a family thing done with our neighbors and gave the excuse.

"Just an old friend."

Another memory was when Ethan mentioned Jessica had picked him up from school when I was stuck in traffic.

"Dad said it was okay."

Finding a woman's earring in our car that I had no idea who it belonged to because it wasn't mine.

"Must be yours," David had said back then shrugging his shoulders.

Liam also asking if Jessica could come to his soccer game. "She promised to bring those cookies I like."

All these were suspicious moments I'd dismissed thinking that it was all coincidence or Jessica just being a good friend. I couldn't believe that I had been so blind to not notice the fact that I was being gaslighted by every turn.

But now I have a second chance at life to change my mistakes. And I wasn't going to waste it.

My first stop was the bank. I withdrew as much cash as they would allow from our joint account without them calling David to approve of the withdrawal.

Next, I went to a lawyer's office. I didn't have an appointment scheduled, but I must have looked desperate enough because they allowed me in.

"I need divorce papers drawn up immediately," I told my attorney. "And I need to know my rights regarding my children."

"These things take time," she said gently. "There are procedures-"

"I don't have time," I insisted. "If I don't get these papers filed today, I might not be alive tomorrow."

She stared at me for a long moment, shocked written all over her face as she watched me intently trying to see id I was joking. She didn't see any signs of lies as she then nodded her head slowly. "Tell me everything."

I told her not the truth but a version she would believe and more likely realistic than the fact that I had been born again.

By noon, I had temporary custody papers and an emergency restraining order. The divorce filing would take another day, but at least I had started the process.

            
            

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