The world was dark. Too dark. Annabelle felt a coldness creeping through her body, her limbs heavy as though she were submerged underwater. She couldn't tell if she was awake or dreaming. All she knew was that there was a strange, suffocating silence enveloping her. Time stretched and warped in an endless void, a place where thoughts seemed to dissolve before they could take shape.
Then, as if a switch had been flipped, light broke through the darkness. It wasn't bright, but it was enough for her to feel warmth, a pulse of life that rushed back into her veins. She gasped, inhaling deeply as the world around her came into focus. She blinked repeatedly, her hands trembling as she reached out for something to hold onto. Her surroundings were unfamiliar yet intimately known.
The bed she was in was soft, far too soft. The silk sheets felt smooth against her skin, and she could smell the faint scent of roses and lavender lingering in the air. But it wasn't the room itself that caught her attention—it was the mirror at the far end of the room, the reflection she hadn't yet dared to look at.
She hesitated, her heartbeat quickening as she swung her legs over the side of the bed. The coolness of the marble floor was a sharp contrast to the warmth of the sheets. Her fingers brushed against the cold wood of the nearby chair, steadying herself as she rose to her feet. She didn't know what to expect, but she felt a pull toward the mirror. A gut instinct, one she couldn't explain, urged her to face it.
As she approached, her reflection stared back at her: a woman young, almost untouched by time, with the same dark eyes and raven-black hair she remembered from her youth. But it was not the familiarity of her appearance that unsettled her—it was the weight behind her own gaze. There was something darker in her eyes now. The innocence had vanished, replaced by the cold realization of everything she had lost.
Her breath caught in her throat as the memories of her past life began to flood back. She had lived before. Married Luke, the man she once loved, and been the mother of children she had betrayed. Her sister had torn her world apart, and her decisions had shattered everything she had once held dear. Betrayal. Regret. A lifetime of mistakes had culminated in her death.
But here she was, reborn. Back in the life she had once lived, a chance to undo it all. A chance to correct her wrongs.
The realization hit her with an overwhelming force, but instead of fear, Annabelle felt a fire ignite within her. This time, I will not be the same person. She would take control of her fate, make her choices with purpose, and ensure she wouldn't fall into the same traps again.
She turned away from the mirror, the remnants of her past self still haunting the edges of her mind. A new resolve settled over her. I will not repeat my mistakes. This time, I will make things right.