TER

OP

e moment the words left my mou

ale. "What do you mean,

y, but his hand caught my wrist. N

phi

ctually gave a damn. In my previous life, he'd never said my name like th

and free. "Do

e sharp. "Darling, I think we should

oking at her. His eyes stayed locked on mine. "Soph

n't you?" The words came o

ent rigid. "How

eding and I didn't know how to stop it. Because somehow, im

I said flatly

before I could see whatever expression

ce ten minutes later. "Wha

rling is what

d leaned against it. "You want to tell me why

id wo

ys been good at that let

days after my birthday if you'd believ

emem

ay from him." The words tumbled out faster now. "I woke up on my eighteenth birthday with all of it in my hea

d up his hands. "You're

nd chance, and I'm not w

thing. The gallery. The way you knew exactly which

es

oing to do something that ma

it. Just not i

d through his hair

kno

, Sophia. You've always been three steps ahead of everyone, like you'

prick my ey

because if Sterling is starting to

ories forward. But Alexander's dreams meant the timeline

nknown number: "We need to talk.

ndow. Alexander's car was

g outside,"

to call t

my coat. "But stay close. If I'm not

is car when I stepped outside.

our shadow

. This conversat

no conve

know how this story ends." He pushed off the car, taking a step closer. "Either yo

what yo

s. About you driving off a cliff in the rain." His voice cracked slightly. "About you dying. And I wake up feeling li

his Alexander the one who didn't know what he'd done yet w

said quietly. "You j

s impo

ut someone's death

at me. "

. Not physically, but you were the reason I was on tha

re mar

e miserab

ack like I'd slapped hi

onal crutch. Let your grandmother destroy my confidence piece by piece. Ignored me when I

ead. "No, I wouldn't

erson to you. I was an asset." I felt the old anger rising, hot and bitter. "So yes, Alexander. Yo

ver hurt yo

lready

night air, the truth hanging b

a whisper. "If this is real if I really did those

omething that ha

e prove I n

nt redemption for sins you haven't c

on me for a future that doesn't exist anymore? Y

ecause I can't risk bein

se dreams for a reason? What if this is th

nce so I could fall for you again. It gav

phone rang.

giving up

sho

oney. The way you don't need anyone's approval, especially mine." He took another step closer. "The woman I see now is

ll feel something. That history might re

again. This t

. Then his face changed. "

ready moving t

d?" I asked d

ollapsed. They're taki

first life hell. Part of me wanted to fe

his hand on the car

uld I d

ings about them I don't. And right now, I need" He stopped, looking vulnerable i

e of something I'd forgotten: before everything fell apart, before the cruelty

en wro

timeline, I could u

I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it because

on was unreadable as

between us in that other timeline I'm goin

truth was, I was starting t

tarting to wonder if I